| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

1846

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (ra): Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) entered Makkah in the year of its Conquest wearing a Mighfar on his head and when the Prophet (ﷺ) took it off, a person came and said, "Ibn Khatal is holding the covering of the Ka`bah (taking refuge in the Ka`bah)." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Kill him."
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims departed from Makkah oppressed, then returned as victors after the Quraysh violated the covenant which existed between them and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as stipulated in the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. The Conquest of Makkah is the greatest victory of the Muslims and heralded that the sun of disbelief and polytheism has set in the Arabian Peninsula.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (ra) reports that when the Prophet ﷺentered Makkah in the Year of the Conquest, - which is the eighth year after Hijrah - he had a mighfar on his head, which is a protective helmet with a piece of chain mail connected to it, which warriors wear in combat in order to protect themselves. It has been transmitted on the authority of Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (ra) that on the Day of the Conquest, the Messenger of Allah ﷺentered Makkah wearing a black turban.” [Saheeh Muslim]. It is possible that the helmet was above the turban, protecting his noble head from the rust of iron, or that the turban was over the helmet and chain mail. Or that he ﷺ first entered the city with the helmet on his head, then removed it and put on the turban after that, and each of the narrators reported what they saw.

After the Prophet ﷺ took off the helmet, a man - whose name is Aboo Barzah Nadlah ibn ‘Ubayd al-Aslamee (ra) or Sa’eed ibn Hurayth (ra) - came to him ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Ibn Khatal is clinging to the curtain of the Ka‘bah.” Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ issued his order to kill him.

Ibn Khatal’s name used to be ‘Abd al-‘Uzzaa in the time of ignorance before the Islam. He was from the tribe of Banee Taym ibn Fihr ibn Ghaalib. When he embraced Islam, the Messenger of Allah ﷺnamed him ‘Abdullah, and his given name was Khatal ‘Abd Manaaf. The word Khatal was his epithet because one of his jawbones was lower than the other.

The Prophet ﷺhad sent Ibn Khatal to a place with a man who was one of the Ansaar, to collect alms, and was invested with authority over the other man. But when they both were on the way, Ibn Khatal killed the man who was with him from the Ansaar, took his money and belongings. When he returned to Makkah, he brought along two singing female slaves who sang insults about the Prophet ﷺ. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ had excluded him from the amnesty which he ﷺ had offered to those who entered the Sacred Mosque during the Conquest of Makkah. He ﷺhad ordered for Ibn Khatal to be killed, even if he was found clinging to the curtains of the Ka‘bah. As a result, Aboo Barzah (ra) killed him, with Sa’eed ibn Hurayth (raa) participating in the act. It may have been Sa’eed ibn Thu’ayb or al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwaam (ras). Ibn Khatal was executed between the site where Ibraheem (as) stood near the Ka‘bah (i.e., the maqam of Ibraheem) and the well of Zamzam; and it was done so for the treacherous acts he committed while being a legally responsible member of the early Islamic community. Therefore, he was executed in retribution for the blood of the Muslim he killed, and then later apostatized from the religion, which was analogous to high treason.

This hadeeth highlights the permissibility of entering Makkah without being in the consecrated state one enters for Hajj or ‘Umrah (i.e., Ihraam).

It shows the permissibility of administering the fixed punishments (Hudood) and retributions (Qisaas) in Makkah.

It also shows that the Ka‘bah does not protect the offender, nor does it prevent the local leadership from issuing an obligatory fixed punishment.

It also highlights the permissibility of wearing a mighfar, and other instruments of war in case of fear of engaging with the enemy, and that does not contradict one’s complete reliance and trust in Allah.

And lastly, it establishes the permissibility of informing the authorities of corrupt people, and that this is not considered a prohibited form of backbiting and talebearing..

1852

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): A woman from the tribe of Juhaynah came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "My mother had vowed to perform Hajj, but she died before performing it. May I perform Hajj on my mother's behalf?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Perform Hajj on her behalf. Had there been a debt on your mother, would you have paid it or not? So, pay Allah's debt as He has more right to be paid."
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Commentary : The vow is an act of worship and pious deed that should not be done for anyone except Allah. He, The Mighty and Majestic, has praised the worship of His righteous servants; promised them rewards and recompense; and mentioned that some of their qualities is fulfilling their vows when He says: {They fulfil their vows} [Quran 76:7].

In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that a woman from the Juhaynah tribe came and asked the Prophet ﷺ about the legal verdict for completing the Hajj on behalf of her mother who died yet vowed to perform it but did not complete it before her passing. The Prophet ﷺ said to her: “Perform the Hajj on her behalf.” Then, the Prophet ﷺlikened the Hajj that her mother owes to a debt, and it is incumbent to fulfil it, because it is a right due to a person; and the fulfilment of a vow is a right that Allah, The Almighty has over His creation. Therefore, fulfilling His right is more binding and deserving to observe than the rights of man.

Perhaps, the Prophet ﷺallowed her to perform the Hajj on behalf of her mother with the understanding that the woman had already performed the obligatory Hajj for herself first; and then desired to perform it on behalf of her mother. This is based on a hadeeth transmitted by Aboo Daawood, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra), who narrates: “that the Prophet ﷺonce heard a man say: ‘Here I am O Allah on behalf of Shubrumah.” To which, The Messenger of Allah ﷺasked: “Who is Shubrumah?” The man replied: ‘A brother or close relative of mine.’ He ﷺ said in return: “Have you performed the Hajj on behalf of yourself?” The man said: ‘No.’ The Prophet then said: ‘Perform the Hajj for yourself, then perform it on Shubrumah’s behalf.” In some wordings of the hadeeth, it has been related: “This Hajj is for yourself, then perform the pilgrimage on behalf of Shubrumah.”

This hadeeth shows the permissibility of performing Hajj on behalf of the deceased and the permissibility of vowing to perform the Hajj.

It highlights the permissibility that one can make analogies and offering examples so that the person listening can makes themselves clearer and make an impact on the minds of those listening and make it easier for them to understand.

It shows that likening something that is dissimilar can be equivocated to something that is agreed upon.

It highlights that it is recommended for the scholar who is issuing fatwa to warn others with regard to the evidence he provides, if it results in a benefit and is more appeasing to the inquirer and encouraging that he will comply.

And lastly, it strongly encourages filial piety, reverence, and devotion to parents by fulfilling their vows and debts..

1857

Narrated ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): I came riding on my she-ass and had (just) then attained the age of puberty. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was praying at Minaa. I passed in front of a part of the first row and then dismounted from it, and the animal started grazing. I aligned with the people behind Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (The sub-narrator added that happened in Minaa during the Prophet's Farewell Hajj)
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Commentary : The noble Companions (ras) were eager to be close to the Prophet ﷺ and ensured to accompany him ﷺ at his residence and travels. They transmitted to us what they observed and what transpired amongst them in his presence so that we can take lessons and embrace the examples provided by him.

In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that he set out to perform the Hajj with the Prophet ﷺ, which was on the Farewell Pilgrimage that occurred in the tenth year after Hijrah. He clarifies that he was approaching the age of puberty; that is to say: just a short time before he reached puberty. He was thirteen years and a few months old at that time.

He came to the Prophet ﷺ, who was at the time standing and leading the prayer at Minaa - which is a valley near the Sacred Precinct of Makkah that the pilgrims descend into for the purpose of staying overnight on the Day of Quenching Thirst (i.e. the first day of Hajj, alias Day of Tarwiyah), and the three days after Eid al-Ad-haa in order to throw their pebbles at the three pillars which are known as the Jamaraat - while riding a female donkey (Arabic: ataan) - which is a name of a genus of donkeys that is used for both male and female donkeys - then he passed in between the first prayer row with the donkey; and that was because the Prophet ﷺ served as a barrier for those praying behind him ﷺ. In a report transmitted by al-Bukhaaree, it has been narrated that “he ﷺ led the people in prayer at Minaa without a barricade in front of him” Then, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) dismounted from the she-ass and stood with the people in the row behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺand made the animal walk so that it could graze and eat. And he (ra) added in a narration reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that: “no one objected to me about it.”

This hadeeth highlights the permissibility of children performing the Hajj. And it shows that the barrier utilized by the prayer leader is a barrier for those praying behind him, or that the prayer leader, himself, is one for those who stand behind him in prayer.

And lastly, it highlights that we may endure some unpleasant scenarios when the benefits that result in the outcome may outweigh the harm..

1858

Narrated ‘Aaishah raa: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told me, “If your people were not closer to the era of disbelief, I would have demolished the House and would have built it on the foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) – as Quraysh shortened its construction – and I would have made a back door for it.”
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Commentary : The description of the construction of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) of the House was that it was curved around the two corners of al-Rukn al-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee; thus, the Hijr of Ismaa’eel was a part of it, and it had two corners, which are the two Yamaanee corners. But when Quraysh built it in the pre-Islamic era, they made four corners for it, and placed the Hijr of Ismaa’eel behind it, as they wanted to perfectly complete the circumambulation of the Ka’bah, and it is in the form of a semi-circle adjoining the two corners, al-Rukn al-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee. Hence, al-Hijr is part of the Ka’bah.
In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah raa reports that the Prophet ﷺinformed her that were Quraysh not new to Islam (i.e., they are still not yet firm in Islam and completely detached from the traces of the pre-Islam) and were there no fear of the hearts denying it, then he ﷺwould have demolished the Sacred House and would have rebuilt it upon the original foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him). The Prophet ﷺadded that he ﷺwould have placed a back exit, meaning, a back door. It is reported in the authentic hadeeth that he ﷺsaid: “I would have placed two doors for it, one door for people to enter and the other door for them to exit.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim].
He ﷺmentioned to her that Quraysh shortened the construction of the House, meaning, they reduced it to its presently built size and did not build the full House upon the original foundations of Ibraaheem; due to the shortage of funds which they collected to complete its construction. This is because they had stipulated beforehand that the money that will be used to construct the Ka’bah will be the purest of wealth and that it will not contain in it any money earned from prohibited or evil sources.
This hadeeth serves as evidence for perpetrating the lesser of two evils in order to repel the greater of them – that is to say, making no changes to the current construction of the Ka’bah is less in harm than the dissension of some Muslims and their turning away from their religion.
It also serves as a proof for the famous maxim: “Repelling the harm takes priority over obtaining benefits.”
From the other benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning that it is permissible to deal tactfully with people in matters of religion - other than the obligatory acts by leaving and removing from the people that which they deny (i.e., things they view as the norm and not aware of its opposite)..

1858

Narrated al-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed: (While in the company of my parents) I was made to perform Hajj with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and I was a seven-year-old boy then.
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Commentary : Islam places conditions on legal accountability, and mandatory obligations upon the Muslim, including that he performs the Hajj if he has attained puberty, is of sound mind, free, and is able to do so.

In this hadeeth, al-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed (ra) reports that he was one of those who went for Hajj while still a young boy, and he was seven years old at the time he performed it. He mentions that he did it with the Prophet ﷺduring the Farewell Pilgrimage in the tenth year after Hijrah. Thus, the pilgrimage is valid for a child, and he will be rewarded for it; however, it does not suffice him as a fulfilment of the religious duty in performing the Hajj itself.

It is reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) that a woman lifted one of her children and called out: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Is there a Hajj for this [little] one?’ He ﷺresponded by saying: ‘Yes, and you will be rewarded” [Saheeh Muslim].

One benefit that we can conclude from this hadeeth, is learning the permissibility and validity of a child performing the Pilgrimage..

1860

Narrated Ibraaheem from his father from his grandfather that 'Umar(ra) in his last Hajj allowed the wives of the Prophet(ﷺ) to perform Hajj and he sent with them 'Uthmaan ibn 'Affaan(ra) and 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf(ra) as escorts..

Commentary : ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (ra) was firm about the truth, and did not fear the censure of the rebuker for the sake of Allah. If the truth appeared in something other than what he deemed correct, he (ra) would relinquish his position immediately.

In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (i.e. one of the early successors to the noble Companions (ras)) Ibraaheem ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf reports that the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (ra) allowed the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ)to go on Hajj during the last one that he (ra) performed, since ‘Umar (ra) did not permit them to go on Hajj after he became the Caliph of the Muslims, based on what The Almighty says: {and remain in your homes} [Quran 33:33]. He used to believe that it was prohibited for them to travel initially. Then, its permissibility became apparent to him, so he allowed them to do so towards the end of his caliphate. So, they set out to perform the Hajj, except for two of the Mothers of the Believers: Zaynab bint Jahsh (raa) and Sawdah bint Zam‘ah (raa). Thus, The Prophet’s wives performed the pilgrimage, except for them; as they both said: “No beast shall move us after the Messenger of Allah said: This is your Hajj, afterwards stay at home and recline on the tops of mats,” as has been mentioned in the Musnad of Ahmad. The mat referred to in the hadeeth is called Husr in Arabic, which is a mat woven and made out of palm leaves and the like and was spread out and used to furnish the home. What is meant by this statement: is that this Hajj was the one that they should obligatorily perform during their lives; and after completing it; they should remain in their homes and sit atop the furnished mats in their homes; and not leave unnecessarily. Some of the Mothers of the Believers interpreted that what was meant by the hadeeth is that nothing was obligatory upon them other than this pilgrimage. But anything more than that was considered supererogatory. This understanding is reaffirmed by the hadeeth narrated by the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aa’ishaa (raa), who relates: “Rather, the best struggle for you, women, is to partake in the performance of the Hajj, and complete it as I have performed it.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]

‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab sent ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf (ras) along with them when he permitted them to offer the pilgrimage. Trustworthy women also accompanied the wives on their Hajj, and they took the place of a mahram. The other interpretation is that it may be seen that every man is a mahram to them because they are the Mothers of the Believers. ‘Uthmaan used to call out to those around and announce: “No one is to approach them, nor extend a gaze upon them at all, except for a blink of an eye while they are in their howdahs atop of their camels,” as it is mentioned in al-Sunnah al-Kabeer by Imam al-Bayhaqee..

1862

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A woman may not travel, unless she is accompanied by a mahram, and no man may visit her except in the presence of a Mahram." A man got up and said, "O Allah's Messenger! I intend to go with the such-and-such army, but my wife wants to perform Hajj." The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), "Go along with her (to Hajj).
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Commentary : Women have a significant position in Islam. The religion raises her status, safeguards her, and orders for her: care, support, and patronage in all situations, whether it be in the city, or during travel.

In this hadeeth, there is an illustration of Islam’s protection for women, and its care and concern for them; where the Prophet ﷺ said: “A woman may not travel, unless she is accompanied by a mahram.” A mahram for a woman is anyone who is permanently forbidden from marrying her due to a permitted reason, such as the father, son, the nephews of fellow siblings, the paternal uncle, the maternal uncle, and the like. So, anything designated as travel is forbidden for a woman without having a husband or mahram in her company.

The Prophet ﷺadded that nor may a man come up to her unless a mahram is with her to show that it is not permissible for a marriageable man to be alone with her; unless one of her mahram is with her because blocking the means to evil is a legitimate objective. Preventing travel and the possibility of marriageable men being alone with women blocks countless means in which wrongdoing may occur, and prevents the temptation of women, which is the strongest trial for men.

Upon hearing this prohibition, one of the Companions (ra)- and he wanted to head out to battle with the Messenger ﷺ - said to the Prophet ﷺ that his wife wanted to perform the Hajj, while he desired to set out for battle against the enemy. So, which concern should he tend to? The Prophet ﷺbided him to set out with his wife and perform the Hajj, so that he may act as a mahram for her and that she may be able to fulfil the obligatory religious duty incumbent upon her. This is because warding off and repelling the enemy is a communal obligation; whereas if it was an individual obligation, it would have taken precedence over departing with her, as can be understood from the authentic hadeeths.

This hadeeth highlights that avoiding corruption takes precedence over bringing about benefits and the good.

It explicitly highlights the prohibition of being alone with marriageable people.

It shows that a man performing Hajj with his wife when she desires to go is superior to his travels in preparation for combat, and that we should give precedence and take caution and care over the most important concerns and distinguish them from matters which conflict with them.

And lastly, it encourages the leader to be on the lookout for the interest of his people.
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1863

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): When the Prophet (ﷺ) returned after performing his Hajj, he asked Umm Sinaan Al-Ansaaree, "What did prevent you from performing Hajj?" She replied, "Father of so-and-so (i.e., her husband) had two camels and he performed Hajj on one of them, and the second is used for the irrigation of our land." The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to her), "Perform `Umrah in the month of Ramadan, as it is equivalent to Hajj or Hajj with me (in reward).
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Commentary : It was the Prophet’s ﷺnoble nature to engage with his Companions and reverently inquiring about their performance of what was obligatory upon them and urge them towards good deeds.

In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺasked Umm Sinaan al-Ansaaree (raa) about the reason she did not partake in Hajj after returning from the Farewell Pilgrimage. To which, she told him ﷺthat what had prevented it was that she and her husband, AbooSinaan (ra) did not own any means of transportation except for two camels that carry water for drinking and irrigation. So, her husband went to perform the Hajj with one camel and left the other to irrigate the land which they owned. The Prophet ﷺcomforted her and told her about a deed equal in reward to the Hajj, and that was to perform an ‘Umrah during the month of Ramadan, because an ‘Umrah that is offered in Ramadan is equivalent in its reward to that of the Hajj - or performing the Hajj with him ﷺ, though the narrator doubted that. It does not mean that the ‘Umrah fulfils the necessity of performing the Hajj or takes its place in removing its obligation - even if it appears indicative as such. Rather, it is a mode of hyperbole by strengthening the expression and augmenting a deficiency with something that has been completed (i.e., the pilgrimage itself); in order to encourage its performance. This is similar to what has been reported about the Prophet ﷺstating that [the ayah]: {Say: “He is Allah, who is One and Indivisible} (Quran 112:1) is equivalent to one third of the Quran; where it’s narrated that reciting {Say: “He is Allah, who is One and Indivisible} (Quran 112:1) is equal to the reward of reciting a third of the Quran; but it is not equivalent to reciting a third of the Quran in actuality.

Two benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights that the reward for doing good deeds increases with an increase of cherishing the sanctity of the time in worship, such as increasing the presence of one’s heart, and developing a sense of purpose and realization of their role in relation to Allah.

And lastly, it highlights the merit of performing ‘Umrah during Ramadan..

1864

Narrated Qaz’ah, the freed slave of Ziyaad: I heard Aboo Sa`eed (ra) -who participated in twelve military missions with the Prophet (ﷺ) -saying, "I heard four things from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (or I narrate them from the Prophet (ﷺ) which won my admiration and appreciation. They are: -1. "No woman should travel without her husband or without a Mahram for a two-days' journey. -2. No fasting is permissible on two days of `Eid al-Fitr, and `Eid al-Ad-ha. -3. No prayer may be offered after two prayers: after the `Asr prayer till the sun sets and after the morning prayer till the sun rises. -4. Not to travel (for the purpose of visiting) except for three mosques: Al-Masjid-al-Haram (in Makkah), my Mosque (in al-Madeenah), and al-Masjid al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).”
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Commentary : The Companions (ras) were always eager to be near the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; so that: they could drink and be satiated from his ﷺknowledge and be led by his ﷺguidance. They have transmitted what they have learned from him ﷺto us; so, we may walk in his ﷺ path and follow his guidance. Verily, the Prophet ﷺ taught them all of the best in all of their affairs.

In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (i.e. one of the early successors to the Noble Companions (ras)) Qaza‘ah, the freed slave of Ziyaad mentions that he heard AbooSa‘eed al-Khudree (ra) - who fought with the Prophet ﷺin twelve military expeditions - relate that the Prophet ﷺsaid four statements that contain legal issues and rulings. These four declarations had left him in a state of awe and wonder. The two verbs in Arabic used in this hadeeth to describe Aboo Sa’eed’s amazement when hearing these statements have the same meaning, which is astonishment. That is because it is permissible in Arabic to repeat the meaning, due to the different pronunciation and wording. The Arabs do this a lot, as a means to add clarity and emphasis in their vernacular. Or the meaning of the verb used (‘aanawahu) could also mean that it caused him to be happy and delighted as well.

The first of these four statements is that a woman is prohibited from traveling for a two days journey (or longer) without her husband or one of her mahram accompanying her. The mahram for a woman is anyone who is permanently forbidden from marrying her due to a permitted reason related to its inviolable nature, like the father, son, the nephews of fellow siblings, the paternal uncle, the maternal uncle, and the like. It is reported on the authority of AbooHurayrah (ra) that the Prophet ﷺsaid: “A journey the length of a day and night.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim] It has also been transmitted in the same aforementioned works in a report narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “a three days journey.” There is no inconsistency or contradiction between them, however, because the wording differed according to the questioners and people directly involved in the correspondence of the reports. And in all of this, there is no definition in the least regarding what the word “travel” here consists of in regard to length. Nor did he ﷺmention a minimum limit of what is implied in the word ‘travel’ here. The upshot is that anything that may be considered as travel is forbidden for a woman without her husband or a mahram accompanying her - whether it is three days, two days, a single day, half of a day, or anything other than that. Likewise, accompanying a woman in any capacity is restricted to her husband or one of her mahram only; because that serves as a measure to safeguard herself, her honour, and wealth; due to her frailty and helplessness. And this is also due to women being a trial and are more likely to be coveted and desired by others, except in what Allah has created in the souls of man: a natural disposition and propensity to avoid forbidden relationships with kin.

The second is about the prohibition to fast on the ‘Eid holidays (i.e. ‘Eid al Fitr and ‘Eid al-Adhaa). He ﷺforbade fasting on ‘Eid al-Fitr, or the day when one ends their fast in Ramadan, so that there could be a separation between the act of fasting and breaking the fast.

And on ‘Eid al-Ad-haa, or the Day of the Sacrifice, because it is the day which Allah has called and invited His servants to host and honour the people of Minaa and others with what He has prescribed for them with regard to slaughtering a sacrificial animal and eating from it - regardless whether the Muslim fasts on these two days due in part to a vow he has made, or chooses to voluntarily fast, or as an act of expiation. And even if he vows to fast on these two days, his pledge is not settled or fulfilled, because it is a vow made in disobedience, since it is explicitly clear that it is prohibited to fast on these days.

The third is the prohibition of performing prayer after the afternoon prayer (i.e., ‘Asr) until the sun sets; and after dawn until the sun has risen to the height of a lance; which is close to a quarter, or third of an hour (i.e., fifteen to twenty minutes after sunrise). This is excluding prayers that have reasons as to why they are performed such as the performance of makeup prayers, the supererogatory prayer of greeting the mosque, and the like. The wisdom in prohibiting prayer during these two times is because these are the times when those who worship the sun pray; as well as that these are the two times when Satan approaches the sun, so that it is between his two horns.

And the fourth is the prohibition of setting out to travel anywhere except to the following three mosques: The Sacred Mosque in Makkah, The Prophet’s Mosque in al-Madeenah, and Masjid al-Aqsaa in Jerusalem. It is called Al-Aqsaa due to its distance away from The Sacred Mosque and is often translated as “The Furthest Mosque”.

His ﷺstatement: “Do not fasten the saddles to your camels with an intent to travel anywhere, except to these three sacred mosques” is a negation. It is meant to imply a prohibition and is more emphatic and rhetorical in the Arabic language than an outright, explicit prohibition. It is as if he ﷺis saying: ‘It is not upright to intend merely visiting any place, except for these sites; with the purpose of conferring honour and distinction to what distinguishes them from anywhere else.’

The Arabic word, rihaal, used in this hadeeth is the plural for a seat which is used on a camel; like a saddle is used for a horse; and “fastening the saddles'' is often designated as a metonymic phrase for going on a journey because it was a necessary thing to do in preparation for travel in those times, and is mentioned in a way that addressed the riding animal that most travellers rode in that region of world in those days. Otherwise, there is no difference between riding camels, horses, mules, donkeys, and other contemporary modes of transportation, such as: the airplane, car, and the like.

These three mosques are given preference over others because the first is where the people perform Hajj and is the direction to which they turn for prayer - both for the living and the deceased. The second was founded on piety and was built by the best of creation ﷺ, may Allah increase it in eminence. And the third was the direction of prayer for the previous nations.

This hadeeth highlights the significant position women have in Islam, which the religion raises her status, safeguards her, and orders for her: care, support, and patronage in all situations, whether it be in the city, or during travel.

It explains and mentions the times when prayer is prohibited.

And lastly, it highlights the merit the three sacred mosques have over others..

1865

Narrated Anas (ra): The Prophet (ﷺ) saw an old man walking, supported by his two sons, and asked about him. The people informed him that he had vowed to go on foot (to the Ka`bah). He said, "Allah is not in need of this old man's torturing himself," and ordered him to ride.
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Commentary : Allah does not burden any soul with anything other than what it can bear. The condition for legal responsibility and accountability for any action is knowledge, and the ability to act upon it. This is one of the foundations of Islamic law.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺsaw a very old man whose bones and strength had weakened and had gotten to the point where he was unable to walk except with the help of someone else. He walked while balancing himself between his sons i.e., he walked between both of them, leaning against them in the process. Then, The Prophet ﷺasked about his state: ‘What is the matter with this one who cannot control himself and almost falls to the ground due to sheer exhaustion and fatigue?’ The told him ﷺthat their father vowed to perform the pilgrimage to the House of Allah (i.e., the Ka‘bah) on foot. The Prophet ﷺdisapproved this action of his, and said: ‘Verily, Allah is not in need of this man torturing himself and burdening himself with something that he is incapable of and unable to do; since Allah, The Almighty, says: {Allah intends ease for you, not hardship} [Quran 2:185].” The Prophet ﷺthen ordered him to ride; due to his inability to fulfil his oath. This is a clear demonstration that the purpose of obligatory worship is not to afflict hardship or incapacitate. Rather, it is an indication of compliance and obedience with the command He has given, and no one is more merciful to creation itself than their Creator, The Almighty and Exalted Be He.

This hadeeth shows the facilitation the religion grants in times of need and hardship.

It highlights that the obligations of the religion and their observance is based upon the ability of the servant to act upon them.

And lastly, it demonstrates that Allah, The Almighty, possesses the attribute of Self-Sufficiency; and is Self-Sufficient by His Essence, and all of His creation are in need and dependent upon He, for All Glory is His Alone..

1866

Narrated ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir: My sister vowed to go on foot to the Ka`bah, and she asked me to take the verdict of the Prophet (ﷺ) about it. So, I did, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "She should walk and also should ride.".

Commentary : The vow is when the person makes an action that is not obligatory incumbent upon himself. So, if what was solemnly pledged was something feasible and was a pious deed not consisting of any sin; yet the servant is unable to fulfil it; then it must be fulfilled somehow. The religion grants facilitation and ease in fulfilling what has been vowed.

In this hadeeth, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (ra) reports that his sister had vowed to go on foot to the Ka‘bah. And when she felt distressed for not being able to fulfil her pledge, she requested her brother, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (ra) to ask for the Messenger of Allah’s verdict on her behalf, saying: ‘Is it incumbent upon her to fulfil her vow even though she is unable to do so, or no?’ So, when he asked the Prophet ﷺ this question, he ﷺsaid to him: “Let her walk, and ride.” Meaning: let her walk for however long she is able to and let her ride when she is unable to walk.

It was said that: whoever vows to walk, it is not obligatory for him to do so; whether he is able to do so or not, because walking in and of itself is not an act of obedience. Rather, obedience in this regard pertains to reaching to that place one vowed to reach; like The Ancient House (i.e., an epithet for the Ka‘bah, see Quran 22:29 & 33). It is further added that there is no difference between walking and riding, and for that reason, the Prophet ﷺallowed for ‘Uqbah ibn Naafi‘’s sister to ride even though she vowed to walk. As such, this indicates that the vow is not necessary for walking, even if the pledge goes beyond one’s capability in fulfilling it.

On the contrary, he ﷺordered the very old man to ride in the hadeeth narrated by Anas (ra) in both Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim; he ﷺdid so because the old man was in apparent discomfort. The Prophet ﷺcommanded ‘Uqbah’s sister (raa) to both walk and ride, because she was not described as weak or frail. Thus, it is as if he ﷺordered her to walk if she was able, and to write if she became weak.

This hadeeth highlights the facilitation that the religion grants in times of need and hardship.

And lastly, it highlights that the obligations of the religion and their observance is based upon the ability of the servant to act upon them..

1867

It was narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺsaid, “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from such-and-such place to such-and-such place. Its trees may not be cut, and no innovation may be introducedtherein, and whoever introduces an innovation (in religion) therein, will incur the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people.”.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, has made Makkah and Al-Madeenah a superior to other places and lands. He declared Makkah a sacred sanctuary for Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) and made it a secure land, and declared Al-Madeenah a sacred sanctuary for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from such-and-such place to such-and-such place.” This is further explained in the hadeeth of ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him), who related: “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from ‘Ayr Mountain to Thawr Mountain.” It is related on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary between its two Laabbahs.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim].
The Arabic word ‘laabah’ means ‘harrah’, which is a stony tract or lava field, whose stones are black, as if they were burned with fire. Al-Madeenah, may Allah perpetuate its security and honor, is located between two harrahs; the Harrah of Waaqim to the east, where the Mosque of Qubaa’ and Waaqim fortress are situated, and the Harrah of Wabarah to the west, where Masjid Al-Qiblatayn is located. ‘Ayr Mountain straddles the southern outskirts of Al-Madeenah and marks its southern boundary, about 8.5 km from the Prophet’s Mosque. Thawr Mountain, in the northern outskirts, marks the northern boundary, and is about 8 km away from the Prophet’s Mosque. A Saudi official committee has defined the limits of Al-Madeenah sanctuary, and the Madeenah Municipality has installed architectural signs in the shape of the arcs of the Prophet's Mosque to mark the limits of the sanctuary.
The sacredness of Al-Madeenah is manifested in the fact that whatever lies within its boundaries is declared inviolable to the extent that no tree may be cut down. As for trees and plants that people grow and plant, it is permissible for people to cut down and eat from them. Hunting animals in Al-Madeenah is also prohibited just like in Makkah, except that there is no expiation required because its sanctuary is not a place for Hajj or ‘Umrah rituals like Makkah. It is narrated on the authority of Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “I declare Al-Madeenah to be sacred throughout the area between its two mountain paths; no blood may be shed therein, weapons may not be carried in it for fighting, and leaves may not be beaten off trees therein except for fodder.” [Saheeh Muslim].
Another aspect of its inviolability is that were a person to perform any act that contravenes Islam, introduce a religious innovation, or commit a major sin therein, he would incur the curse of Allah, i.e., expulsion from His mercy, and the curse of the angels and all people, meaning their supplications against him to be denied Allah’s Mercy. This is a stern warning against such acts, but the intended meaning of the hadeeth’s wording is the prescribed punishment incurred by committing such sins, the first and foremost of which is expulsion from Paradise. However, this curse is not similar to the one incurred by the disbelievers, for they are absolutely denied any chance of receiving the mercy of Allah.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that any act that violates the laws of the religion in Al-Madeenah is considered a major sin.
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1868

It was narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ came to Al-Madeenah and ordered a mosque to be built and said, "O tribe of Al-Najjaar! Give me a price (for your land)!" They said, "We do not want its price except from Allah" (i.e., they wished for a reward from Allah for giving up their land freely). So, the Prophet ﷺ ordered the graves of the pagans to be dug out and the land to be leveled, and the date-palm trees to be cut down. The cut date palms were fixed in the direction of the Qiblah of the mosque..

Commentary :
Building a mosque was the first work the Messenger of Allah ﷺperformed after his arrival to Al-Madeenah. This was due to the great importance and significant role of mosques in Islam, being the houses of Allah on earth where prayers are established, and Allah’s remembrance is often mentioned.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)reports that when the Prophet ﷺ migrated from Makkah to Al-Madeenah, the homeland of Islam, he ﷺ commanded that a mosque be built. The land upon which the mosque would be built was originally an orchard owned by someone from the tribe of Al-Najjaar (the tribe to which the maternal uncles of the Prophet ﷺ belonged), of to the Ansaar. He ﷺ summoned them and asked them to estimate the price of their land,so that he could buy it and build the mosque on it. However, they refused to take money in return for the land and told him that they only aspired to the reward of Allah, The Exalted. As the land contained some graves that belonged to the polytheists, their graves were exhumed,since the dead bodies of disbelievers and polytheistsare not given thesanctity of the dead bodies of Muslims. There were also remains of demolished houses; thesewere leveled to the ground. As for the palm trees that were in the land, they were cut down to be used in building the mosque. The trunks of the cut date-palm trees were aligned so as to form the wall facing the Qiblah. The Prophet ﷺ cut down the date-palm trees shortly after his migration to al-Madeenah, whilethe prohibition of cutting the trees of Al-Madeenah - cited in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim - was only after he ﷺ returned from Khaybar. It is also possible that the prohibition in this regard is limited to cutting down trees to cause corruption, whereas cutting them down for reform purposes (or good reasons) is not deemed prohibited. Another possibility is that the prohibition is confined to the trees that grow naturally rather than those planted by people.
This hadeeth exhibits the virtues and merits of the tribe of Al-Najjaar who belong to the Ansaar.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is not allowed to perform prayers in a graveyard, even if it containss polytheists’ graves, because the prohibition in this regard blocks the way to taking graves as places of prayer. This is because over the course of time, people change, and thus it is feared that people might fall into Fitnah (of taking the graves as places or objects of worship).
It is also inferred from this hadeeth that if the bodies buried in the graveyard are exhumed, and the bones of the dead are taken out, it is no longer considered a graveyard, and thus it is permissible to perform prayer therein.
This hadeeth also serves as evidence on the permissibility of cutting date-palm and other trees for the public interest.
From the other benefits that we can take from this hadeeth is encouraging people tobuild mosques in newly developedareas inhabited by Muslims..

1869

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺsaid, "I have made Al-Madeenah a sanctuary between its two (Harrah) mountains." The Prophet ﷺwent to the tribe of Banoo Haarithah and said (to them), "I see that you have gone out of the sanctuary," but looking around, he added, "No, you are still within limits of the sanctuary."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, has made Makkah and Al-Madeenah superior to other places and lands. He declared Makkah a sacred and secure sanctuary for Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) and declared Al-Madeenah a sacred sanctuary for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺhighlights the sacredness of Al-Madeenah and defines the limits of itsinviolable sanctuary. He ﷺ said: “I have made Al-Madeenah a sanctuary between its two (Harrahs)mountains.” i.e., it was declared an sanctuary by the Prophet ﷺ just as Makkah was declared an sanctuary by Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him). The Arabic word ‘laabah’ or 'harrah’ (used in the previously cited hadeeth) means a stony tract or lava field, whose stones are black, as if they were burned with fire. Al-Madeenah, may Allah perpetuate its security and honor, is located between two harrahs; the Harrah of Waaqim to the east, where the Mosque of Qubaa’ and Waaqim fortress are situated, and the Harrah of Wabarah to the west, where Masjid Al-Qiblatayn is located. ‘Ayr Mountain, about 8.5 km from the Prophet’s Mosque, straddles the southern outskirts of Al-Madeenah, and constitutes its southern boundary. Thawr Mountain, around 8 km from the Prophet’s Mosque, is located in the northern outskirts and constitutes the northern boundary.A Saudi official committee has defined the limits of Al-Madeenah sanctuary, and the Madeenah Municipality has installed architectural signs in the shape of the arcs of the Prophet's Mosque to mark the limits of the sanctuary.
The sacredness of Al-Madeenah is manifested in the fact that whatever lies within its boundaries is declared inviolable, to the extent that no tree may be cut down. As for trees and plants that people grow and plant, it is permissible for people to cut down and eat from them. Hunting animals in Al-Madeenah is also prohibited, just like Makkah, except that there is no expiation required, because its sanctuary is not a place for Hajj or ‘Umrah rituals like Makkah.
Then, the Prophet ﷺ turned towards the people of Banee Haarithah, belonging to the Aws (i.e., one of the main Arab tribes in Al-Madeenah),whose housesat that time were to the west of the current site of Hamzah’s grave. Considering them outside thesanctuary limits,he ﷺ remarked, “I see that you have gone out of the sanctuary.” However,after looking around and verifying their location, he ﷺ added, “No, you are still within the limits of the sanctuary.”
It is deduced from this hadeeth that a scholar may give his opinion based on what he believes to be most likely, then if he comes to know that he erred, he should simply correct himself and follow the truth.

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1870

Narrated ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him):We have nothing except the Book of Allah and this sheet from the Prophet’s words (wherein is written:) “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from the 'Air Mountain to such and such a place, and whoever introduces in it a religious innovation or commits a sin, or gives shelter to such an innovator in it will incur the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people, none of his compulsory or optional good deeds of worship will be accepted. And the asylum (of protection) granted by any Muslim is to be secured (respected) by all the other Muslims; and whoever betrays a Muslim in this respect incurs the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people, and none of his compulsory or optional good deeds of worship will be accepted, and whoever (freed slave) gives his allegiance and loyalty to other than his manumitters (i.e., take as masters) without their permission incurs the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people, and none of his compulsory or optional good deeds of worship will be accepted.”.

Commentary :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sent to all people, of different skin colors and ethnicities,Arabs and non-Arabs, and he ﷺ did not single out any given people for compliance with certain provisions of the religion. Allah, Most, High, says: (interpretation of meaning): {O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message.} [Quran 5: 67].

In this hadeeth, ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he did not have any (written) rulings of Islam except the Quran, and a sheet of paper on which some rulings were documented, and none of these rulings was made exclusive to him, but rather applied to all Muslims. TheProphet ﷺnever concealed any part of the religion from peopleor singled out some of his family members for its knowledge.

Then he (may Allah be pleased with him)mentioned some of the rulings that wereon this sheet, saying: “The Prophet ﷺsaid: ‘Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from ‘Aa’ir Mountain to such-and-such place.’ Another hadeeth reads: ‘Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from ‘Ayr Mountain to Thawr Mountain.’ [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. The two names ‘Aa’ir and ‘Ayr are names of the same mountain. In the same vein, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary between its two harrahs.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. The Arabic word ‘laabah’ or ‘harrah’ (used in the previously cited hadeeth) means a stony tract or lava field, whose stones are black, as if they were burned with fire. Al-Madeenah, may Allah perpetuate its security and honor, is located between two harrahs; the harrah of Waaqim to the east, where the Qubaa’ Mosque and Waaqim fortress are situated, and the Harrah of Wabarah to the west, where Masjid Al-Qiblatayn (Mosque of the Two Qiblahs) is located. ‘Ayr Mountain, about 8.5 km from the Prophet’s Mosque, straddles the southern outskirts of Al-Madeenah, and constitutes its southern boundary., and Thawr Mountain, around 8 km from the Prophet’s Mosque, is located in the northern outskirts and constitutes the northern boundary. A Saudi official committee has defined the limits of Al-Madeenah sanctuary, and the Madeenah Municipality hasinstalled architectural signs in the shape of the arcs of the Prophet's Mosque to mark the limits of the sanctuary.
The sacredness of Madeenah entails that whatever lies within its boundaries is declared inviolable (as per the laws of Islam). No animal may be hunted and no tree may be cut down, except those planted by people; it is permissible for them to cut down and eat from such trees only. Even though it is forbidden to hunt in Al-Madeenah (just like in Makkah), there is no prescribed punishment (expiation) for hunting in Al-Madeenah, because, unlike Makkah,it is not a place for performing Hajj or ‘Umrah rituals.
He ﷺ also made mention of the prescribed punishment for performing any act that contravenes Islam (or a religious innovation) or provides support for someone who does so in Al-Madeenah. This includes whoever performs an act that contravenes Islam, commits an offence, does an act of injustice, commits a sin warranting the Hadd (a corporal punishment prescribed by the Sharee`ah), or offers support or refuge toa perpetrator or offender to protect him from his opponent and prevent retaliation.
It also possible that the Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Muhdath, meaning the religious innovation itself (rather than Muhdith, meaning the one who commits it). Whoever is content with religious innovations, approves of the actions of those who commit them, and does not forbid them, has provided support for those who introduce religious innovations (and therefore the hadeeth applies to him).
Whoever does so has incurred the curse of Allah, i.e., expulsion from His mercy, and the curse of the angels and all people, meaning their supplications against him to be denied the divine mercy. This is a stern warning against such acts, but the intended meaning of the hadeeth’s wording is the prescribed punishment incurred by committing such sin, the first and foremost of which is the expulsion from Paradise. However, this curse is not similar to that incurred by the disbelievers, for they are absolutely denied any chance of receiving the mercy of Allah.
Moreover, Allah does not accept from such a person any ransom to ward off or shield himself from the tormenton the Day of Judgment.
Moreover, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) added that the sheet also included: “\The protection granted by one Muslim is as binding as the one given by them all; men and women, free and slaves alike; there is no difference between them in the slightest. Whenever a Muslim grants protection to someone, it is incumbent on all Muslims to protect him and grant him security. If someone assaults such a person, or breaches a covenant made by a Muslim with him, he has incurred the curse of Allah and thus deserved the punishment of being cursed and rejected, as previously explained.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that whoever gives his Walaa’ (loyalty, i.e., maintaining a relationship of patronage without bondage with one’s manumitter) to other than his real master and manumitter, incurs the curse and rejection as well, because the bond of Walaa’ in Islam is like the bond of lineage, and it is not permissible to forge it. His saying: “Without the permission of his masters” apparently indicates that it is a condition, but it is not actually a condition, because it is not even permissible for him to do so, even if his manumitter gave him permission to offer his Walaa’ to others. Rather, it denotes emphasis on the prohibition of such an act, warning of its invalidity, and underlining the reason for it. This is because were he to seek the permission of his manumitter to give his Walaa’ to another person, he would prevent him, and he would comply.
Shorter and longer versions of the information written in this sheet have been reported.Some of them underlinethe (rulings on the) following topics: blood money, the release of the prisoners of war, that no Muslim may be killed in Qisaas (i.e., retribution) for killing a disbeliever, that the curse of Allah is incurred on those who curse their parents, and many other topics. To reconcile between these hadeeths, it could be said that there was one sheet that included all these narrations and that each of the narrators reported the narrations that they had memorized therefrom.
This hadeeth also refutes the claim of Shiites that ‘Ali ibn Aboo Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him),was someone whom the Prophet ﷺ singled out and entrusted with many secrets of knowledge, rulings of Islam, and treasures of the religion, and that he ﷺdisclosed to the members of his household secrets of knowledge that were exclusive to them!
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that acting in contravention of the Islamic laws in Al-Madeenah is considered a major sin.
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175

As for Allah's saying, "And he certainly saw him in another descent." (An-Najm: 13), Abu Hurairah said, "He saw Gabriel, the Angel.".

Commentary : The journey of the Isra and Mi’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 heavens so he saw Paradise along with His greatest signs. In this hadith, Abu Hurairah interpreted Allah's saying, "And he certainly saw him in another descent." (An-Najm: 13) and said that was the second time the Prophet saw Gabriel, the Angel, in his real form. The first time was at the beginning of his prophethood when Gabriel filled the sky's horizon, so he did not mean he saw his God. Some scholars think he saw his God with his heart, not his eyes, based on a hadith in Sahih Muslim reported by Ibn Abbas. They said that Allah granted his heart a sight so that he could see Him with his heart as if he saw Him with his eyes. It was also said that Allah firmed his heart so he could realize what he would see with his eyes. It was narrated in Sahih Muslim that Abu Dharr said, "I asked the Prophet (ﷺ), 'Have you seen your God?' The Prophet said, 'I saw a light.'" This Prophetic expression may mean that he saw Allah's light or another light that prevented him from seeing Allah, as in another Muslim narration in which Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet said, "A light. How can see Him?!" He meant that he saw a veil of light prevented him from seeing Allah. The Companions and the scholars after them differed on that. Some confirmed it while others negated it. It was said that it is most likely that he saw his God, but they differed on how he saw Him. Some confirmed it was with heart while others confirmed it was with eyes..

176

As for Allah's saying, "The heart did not lie [about] what it saw." (An-Najm: 11) and "And he certainly saw him in another descent." (An-Najm: 11), Ibn Abbas said, "He saw him by his heart twice.".

Commentary : The journey of the Isra and Mi’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 heavens so he saw Paradise along with His greatest signs. In this hadith, Ibn Abbas interpreted Allah's saying, "The heart did not lie [about] what it saw." (An-Najm: 11) that the Prophet's heart did not lie about seeing his God. It was a real vision. He also interpreted Allah's saying, "And he certainly saw him in another descent." (An-Najm: 13) that the Prophet (ﷺ) saw his God with his heart, as in another narration in Sahih Muslim. It was said that Allah granted his heart a sight so that he could see Him with his heart as if he saw Him with his eyes or He firmed his heart so he could realize what he would see with his eyes. On the contrary, Abu Hurairah narrated in Sahih Muslim that the one who was seen was Gabriel, the Angel. In Sahih Muslim, Abu Dharr said, "I asked the Prophet, 'Have you seen your God?' The Prophet said, 'I saw a light.'" This Prophetic expression may mean that he saw Allah's light or another light that prevented him from seeing Allah, as in another Muslim narration in which Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet said, "A light. How can see Him?!" He meant that he saw a veil of light prevented him from seeing Allah. The Companions and the scholars after them differed on that. Some confirmed it while others negated it. It was said that it is most likely that he saw his God, but they differed on how he saw Him. Some confirmed it was with heart while others confirmed it was with eyes..

176

Ibn Abbas said, "He saw him by his heart.".

Commentary : The journey of the Isra and Mi’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 heavens so he saw Paradise along with His greatest signs. In this hadith, Ibn Abbas interpreted Allah's saying, "And he certainly saw him in another descent." (An-Najm: 13) and said, "He saw him with his heart." It was said that Allah granted his heart a sight so that he could see Him with his heart as if he saw Him with his eyes. It was also said that Allah firmed his heart so he could realize what he would see with his eyes. This contradicts another hadith in Sahih Muslim reported by Abu Hurairah that the one who was seen is Gabriel, the Angel, in his real shape. As a result, Abu Hurairah narrated, as in Sahih Muslim, that, "Abu Dharr said, 'I asked the Prophet, 'Have you seen your God?' The Prophet said, 'I saw a light.'" This Prophetic expression may mean that he saw Allah's light or another light that prevented him from seeing Allah, as in another Muslim narration in which Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet said, "A light. How can see Him?!" He meant that he saw a veil of light prevented him from seeing Allah. The Companions and the scholars after them differed on that. Some confirmed it while others negated it. It was said that it is most likely that he saw Him but they differed on how he saw Him. Some confirmed it was with heart while others confirmed it was with eyes. Finally, this hadith clarifies that the Prophet saw His God with his heart..

177

Aisha, Mother of the Believers, said, “If Muhammad ﷺ were to conceal anything which was sent to him, he would certainly conceal this verse: ‘And [remember, O Muhammad] when you said to the one on whom Allah bestowed favor and you bestowed favor, ‘Keep your wife and fear Allah,’ while you concealed within yourself that which Allah is to disclose. And you feared the people, while Allah has more right that you fear Him.’” (Al-Ahzab: 37).

Commentary : The Prophet Muhammad completely reported what Allah revealed to him. He was too trustworthy to conceal anything of the Quran. In this hadith, Aisha, Mother of the Believers, told us that if he, as a reliable person, had wanted to conceal any verse of the Quran, he would have concealed this verse, "And [remember, O Muhammad], when you said to the one on whom Allah bestowed favor and you bestowed favor, 'Keep your wife and fear Allah,' while you concealed within yourself that which Allah is to disclose. And you feared the people, while Allah has more right that you fear Him. So when Zaid had no longer any need for her, We married her to you in order that there not be upon the believers any discomfort concerning the wives of their adopted sons when they no longer have need of them. And ever is the command of Allah accomplished." (Al-Ahzab: 37) Allah reproached him and expressed what he concealed. The Prophet advised his companion Zaid ibn Haritha not to divorce Zainab bint Jahsh although Allah had informed him that Zaid would divorce her and he, the Prophet, would marry her afterward. The Islamic rule is that a Muslim cannot marry his son's wife or ex-wife. The Prophet adopted Zaid ibn Haritha to the extent that the latter was called Zaid ibn Muhammad. Allah wanted to abort the habit of adoption so He revealed to him that Zaid would divorce her and he, the Prophet, had to marry her to abort this habit, confirming that Zaid was not the Prophet's son. The Prophet (ﷺ) wanted to conceal these details lest the hypocrites may have accused him of marrying Zaid’s ex-wife although he prohibited this habit ahead. All of these divine procedures were for great wisdom as Allah stated, "... in order that there not be upon the believers any discomfort concerning the wives of their adopted sons when they no longer have need of them...." As a result, when Zaid complained to the Prophet about her, the Prophet advised him to keep her in spite of his previous knowledge of the details that Allah showed to him. The favor that Allah bestowed upon Zaid is Islam and the favor that the Prophet bestowed upon Zaid is emancipation. Allah blamed His Prophet for his trying to avoid people's blaming and saying: He commanded his son to divorce his wife so he could marry her afterward. Allah guided His Prophet that He has more right that he fears Him. It was not meant that the Prophet did not fear Allah while fearing people but it was meant that the Prophet feared people's comments while fearing Allah at the same time. It was not a sin, for Allah did not command him to ask His forgiveness. In fact, an act may not be a sin but there is another better act. A Muslim may be excused for some confusing matters that occur in his heart as long as he does not mean to commit a sin. The Prophet hid these details for fear that people would be confused about the above Islamic rule about adoption. Finally, the hadith confirmed that the Prophet is a human who has human attributes..

178

Abdullah ibn Shaqiq said, “I said to Abu Dharr, ‘Had I seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I would have asked him.’ He (Abu Dharr) asked, ‘What is that thing about which you would have asked him?’ He said, ‘I would have asked him, ‘Had you seen your Lord?’ Abu Dharr said, ‘In fact, I asked him and he replied, ‘I saw light.’”.

Commentary : The journey of the Isra and Mi’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 heavens so he saw Paradise along with His greatest signs. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Shaqiq said to Abu Dharr that had he seen the Prophet, he would have asked him about something he wanted to know about. When Abu Dharr asked his explanation, Abdullah told him that he had wanted to ask the Prophet if he had seen his God. Abu Dharr confirmed that he had asked the Prophet the same question so the Prophet replied, "I saw light." This means that he saw nothing from Allah but light. Allah's light is a light befitting Him, without any interpretation. It was said that the light he saw was nothing but the veil between Allah and His servants, for Abu Musa Al-Ash’ary reported in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet said, "His veil is the light. If he were to remove it, the glory of his face would burn all of his creation, as far as his sight reaches." His sight is endless. The Companions and the scholars after them differed on that. Some confirmed it while others negated it. It was said that it is most likely that he saw Him but they differed on how he saw Him. Some confirmed it was with heart while others confirmed it was with eyes. Finally, this hadith clarifies that the Prophet saw His God with his heart..

179

Abu Musa narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up among us and said five things, ‘Verily, Allah, the Almighty, does not sleep and it does not befit him to sleep. He lowers the scale and raises it. The deed done during the night is taken up to Him before the deed done during the day, and the deed done during the day before the deed done during the night. His veil is the light (“the fire” as in another narration). If He were to remove it, the glory of his Face would burn everything of His creation as far as His gaze reaches.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ used to choose suitable times to preach to his companions, remind them about Allah periodically, and teach them Allah’s unmatchable attributes. In this hadith, the companion Abu Musa Al-Ash’ary narrated that the Prophet ﷺ once delivered his companions five Islamic teachings. He told them that Allah never slept, for it was not appropriate for Him to sleep. Sleeping is an attribute of deficiency, which is impossible to be his attribute. Allah said, “Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him.” (Al-Baqarah: 255). Additionally, how does the Manager of the heavens and the earth sleep?! The Prophet ﷺ also told them that Allah possessed the scale of justice and provisions, so he restricted or expanded his bliss to his servants, out of his comprehensive wisdom. Also, the Prophet ﷺ informed them that his servant’s righteous or evil deeds done during the night were taken up to Him before those done during the day and vice versa. This indicates that all deeds are immediately raised to Him by His angels, without waiting for the day or night to be completed. There is no doubt that he knows all of these deeds before they are even taken up to Him. As a result, if a servant realizes this, he has to fear and take much care of Allah’s observation during the day and night. Also, the Prophet ﷺ informed them that there was a barrier between Allah and His creation which was the light or fire as in the other narration. There is no contradiction between the two words, for Allah called the lamp’s fire as light as in Surat An-Nour, unlike the dark fire of Hell, Allah forbid, which was not called a light. If Allah were to remove that veil, His face’s glory would burn everything of His creation as far as His gaze reaches. Allah’s sight is endless. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) The humans cannot see Allah in this world, but Allah will honor whomever He wishes with this bliss in the Hereafter, (2) It proves the veil between Allah and his creation, in the way that befits him, without negating its meaning or comparing it with his creation’s attributes, (3) It proves some of Allah’s attributes such as: the face, sight, raising and lowering of the scale of justice, in the way that befits him, (4) It is impossible for Allah to sleep, for it is an attribute of deficiency, and (5) It proves that the servants’ deeds are submitted to Allah every day and every night..

181

Suhaib narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “When the people of Paradise enter it, Allah, the Most-High, asks them, ‘Do you wish Me to give you anything more?’ They answer, ‘Have You not brightened our faces? Have You not made us enter Paradise and saved us from Hell?’ Then the veil is lifted so they are not given something dearer to them than seeing their Lord, the Most-High.’” In another narration, “Then he (the Prophet) recited this verse, ‘For them who have done good is the best [reward] and extra.’” (Yunus: 26).

Commentary : Paradise is Allah's reward for His pious and faithful servants. Whoever wins Paradise after experiencing the horror of the Last Day knows the extent of Allah's grace upon him. However, He, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, provides his servants with another blessing. In this hadith, the Prophet told us that after the people of Paradise entered it, Allah would ask them as a prelude to a coming blessing, "Do you wish Me to give you anything more?” They would answer, "Have You not brightened our faces?" They referred to the verse, "But as for those whose faces will turn white, [they will be] within the mercy of Allah. They will abide therein eternally." (Aal-Imran: 107) They resumed, "Have You not made us enter Paradise and saved us from Hell?" Whitening their faces, granting them satisfaction, admitting them to Paradise, and saving them from Hell were their ultimate hope, but Allah's blessings are endless. Afterward, he would clear the veil of light in between so they could clearly see him, as stated in a hadith narrated by Imam Muslim. They did not imagine that there was not a blessing over entering Paradise so Allah would fulfill His promise and grant them the greatest blessing, as the Prophet said, "Indeed, you will see your God ..." (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim) They would not be given something dearer to them than seeing their God, the Most-High. In another narration, the Prophet “recited this verse, 'For them who have done good is the best [reward] and extra.'" (Yunus: 26) The "best" is their entering Paradise and the "extra" is their looking at their God, as Allah said, "[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, looking at their Lord." (Al-Qiyaama: 22, 23) So, he made it clear that the reward of those preferring Hereafter to the worldly life is to make their faces beautiful at that time. Additionally, they will enjoyably and clearly look at their God's unmatchable dazzling beauty. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows Allah's grace upon his servants of admitting them to Paradise, and (2) It proves that the believers will look at their God in Paradise..

187

Ibn Mas’oud narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “The last to enter Paradise will be a man who will walk once, fall once, and be scorched by Hell. Once crossing a bridge over Hell, he will go beyond it and say, ‘Blessed was He Who saved me from you. Allah gave me something He did not give to anyone earlier or later. ‘Then, a tree will be raised for him so he will say, ‘O God, bring me near this tree so I can enjoy its shade and drink its water.’ Allah, the Exalted, will say, ‘O son of Adam, if I grant you this, will you ask Me for something else?’ He will say, ‘No. my God.’ He will promise Him that he will not ask Him for anything else. His Lord will excuse him because he sees something he cannot resist its temptation. So He will bring him near it so he can enjoy its shade and drink its water. Afterward, a tree more beautiful than the first will be raised for him so he will say, ‘O God, bring me near this tree so I can enjoy its shade and drink its water. I will not ask you something else.’ He said, ‘O son of Adam, did not you promise me not to ask Me for anything else? If I bring you near it, you may ask me for something else.’ He will promise Him not to ask Him for anything else. His God will excuse him because he sees something that he cannot resist its temptation. He will bring him near it so he can enjoy its shade and drink its water. Then, a more beautiful tree than the first two will be raised for him at the gate of Paradise. He will say, ‘O God, bring me near this so I can enjoy its shade and drink its water. I will not ask You for anything else.’ He will say, ‘O son of Adam! Did you not promise Me not to ask Me for anything else?’ He will say, ‘Yes, my God. I will not ask You for anything else.’ His God will excuse him for He sees something that cannot resist its temptation. He will bring him near to it. Then, He will hear the voices of Paradise’s people and say, ‘O God, admit me to it.’ He will say, ‘O son of Adam, what will bring an end to your requests to Me? Will it please you if I give you the whole world and a like one along with it?’ He will say, ‘O God! Are You mocking me although You are the God of the worlds?!’ Ibn Mas'oud laughed and said to his audience, ‘Will you not ask me why I am laughing?’ They asked, ‘Why are you laughing?’ He said, ‘Here the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) laughed so we asked him, ‘Why are you laughing O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?’ He answered, ‘Because of the laugh of the God of the worlds when he (the man) said, ‘Are You mocking me although You are the God of the worlds?!’ Allah will say, ‘I do not mock you but I have the power to do whatever I will.’”.

Commentary : Paradise is the house of eternal reward that Allah made for His pious and faithful servants. Whoever wins Paradise after experiencing the horror of the Last Day knows the extent of Allah's grace upon him. He is the Most Generous, the Most Merciful that bestows His blessings and rewards upon people and increases their dignity. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) related the story of the last person to enter Paradise. On his way to Paradise and during his walking over the bridge over Hell, he will sometimes walk, and fall on his face, out of fear and panic that he may fall into it. Sometimes, he will be scorched by Hell. Once crossing it, he will turn to it and say, ‘Blessed was He Who saved me from you.’ He will think that Allah gave him something that He did not give to anyone earlier or later. Afterward, he will not be satisfied with the bliss he would be granted but desire for more of Allah’s generosity. In the meanwhile, Allah will raise a tree for him so he will bring him near it, aiming to enjoy its shade and water. Allah will say to him, “O son of Adam, if I grant you this, will you ask Me for something else?’ The man will promise not to ask Him for anything else. Allah will excuse him because he sees something he cannot resist its temptation. Once again, a more beautiful tree will be raised for him and the same literal story will repeat. In the third time, Allah will raise for him a tree that will be more beautiful than the first two but this time it will be at Paradise’s gate. The same dialogue will repeat and Allah will bring him there. Once he enjoys this tree’s shade and hears the voices of the people of Paradise while enjoying its bliss and speaking to their wives and companions, he will ask Allah to admit him into Paradise. Thus, Allah will ask him, and He knows best, to clarify what makes him satisfied after these frequently fulfilled requests. Thereupon, Allah will promise to grant him the entire world and a like one along with it. Out of surprise and joy, the man will say, “Are You mocking me although You are the God of the worlds?!” At this point, Ibn Mas’oud laughed and imitated the Prophet’s laughter due to Allah’s laughter at this man’s expression. Allah’s laughter is different from people’s laughter, for it is a laughter that befits His perfection and majesty. Then, Allah will confirm that he does not mock but will fulfill His promise, for He is All-Powerful and nothing may deduct his dominion. The narration of Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudry in Sahih Muslim completes this story in which the Prophet narrates, “And Allah will remind him, ‘Ask such-and-such.’” It means that He will remind that man, who will be in the lowest rank of Paradise, of the blisses he may miss. Once clarifying all of his desires, Allah will promise to grant him this entire world with its tenfold. Then, he will enter his house in Paradise with his two wide-eyed wives with very white cornea and very dark pupils. They will say, “Praise be to Allah Who created you for us and created us for you.” Due to that huge bliss, he will think that he lives in the highest rank in Paradise. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) People of monotheism will be temporarily punished in Hell and be admitted into Paradise when Allah wills, (2) It clarifies Paradise’s huge bliss in comparison to this worldly bliss, for the man who is in the lowest rank in Paradise will get the double of this entire worldly bliss, and (3) It urges people to frequently perform righteous deeds to get that bliss of Paradise..

189

Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) Musa asked his God, 'Who is the lowest in rank among the people of Paradise?' He said, 'He is a man who comes after the people of Paradise were admitted to it and was told, ‘Enter Paradise.’ He says, ‘O God, how can I enter while all people get their abodes and take their shares.' It is said to him, 'Do you accept to have what a king had in the worldly life?' He says, 'O Lord, I accept.' He said, 'Then, you will have it, the same, the same, the same, and the same.' The man says after the fifth reward, 'O Lord, I accept.' He said, 'You will have his share and the tenfold along with whatever your soul desires and your eyes want.' He says, 'O God, I accept.' The Prophet Musa (ﷺ) asked, ''O God, who is the highest in rank?' He says, ‘They are those whom I chose, established their honor with My Hand, and sealed their bounties, which neither eye saw, an ear heard, nor a heart perceived.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'This Quranic verse confirms that, 'No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy." (As-Sajda: 17).

190

Abu Dharr said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'I know the last of the inhabitants of Paradise to enter it and the last of the inhabitants of Hell to come out of it. He is a man who will be brought on the Day of Resurrection then it will be said, 'Present his minor sins to him and withhold his major ones from him.' His minor sins will be presented to him. It will be said, 'On such and such a day, you did so and so and on such and such a day, you did so and so.' He will say, 'Yes." He cannot deny it. He will be afraid of his major sins to be presented. It will be said to him, 'You will have a good reward for every evil deed.' He will say, 'My God, I have done things I do not see here.' Verily, I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ laugh till his front teeth were exposed.".

191

Abu Az-Zubeir reported that he heard Jaber ibn Abdullah said, when being asked about people’s crossing (over Hell on the Day of Resurrection), “We will come on the Day of Resurrection over a mound above people. All nations will be called along with the idols they worshipped, one after another. Then, our God will come to us and say, ‘Whom are you waiting for?’ They will say, ‘We are waiting for our God.’ He will say, ‘I am your God.’ They will say, ‘(We are not sure) till we gaze at you.’ He will manifest Himself to them smilingly then go along with them and they will follow Him. Every person, a hypocrite or a believer, will be granted a light to follow. There will be spikes and hooks on the bridge of Hell, which will catch whom Allah wills. Then, the hypocrites’ light will be extinguished but the believers will be saved. Their first group consists of seventy thousand whose faces will be like the full bright moon. They will not be held accountable. The second group will be like the brightest star in heaven and so on. Then, it will be the time of intercession. They (the intercessors) will be interceding till he who declared, ‘There is no god but Allah’ while having goodness in his heart like the weight of a barley grain will get out of Hell. They will be brought to the courtyard of Paradise then the people of Paradise will sprinkle water over them till they sprout like a little plant due to the flood water and their burns will disappear. Then, he will be asking (for his God’s bounties) till he is granted the entire world along with ten doubles.”.

Commentary : Paradise is the house of eternal reward that Allah made for His pious and faithful servants. Whoever wins Paradise after experiencing the horror of the Last Day knows the extent of Allah's grace upon him. He is the Most Generous, the Most Merciful that bestows His blessings and rewards upon people and increases their dignity. In this hadith, Abu Az-Zubeir reported that Jaber ibn Abdullah was asked about people’s crossing over Hell on the Day of Resurrection, which was mentioned in Allah’s verse, “There is not one of you, but will pass over it (Hell): this is with your Lord; a Decree which must be accomplished.” (Maryam: 71) Jaber answered that Muslims would come on the Day of Resurrection over a mound above people. Ka’b ibn Malek narrated in Musnad Ahmad that the Prophet said, “People will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection. I and my nation will be over a hill.” Imam At-Tabary mentioned in his explanation of the Quran that Ibn Umar said, “He and his nation will rise over a hill above the people.” Jaber told that all nations would be called on that day along with the idols they worshipped, as a sign of shame and humiliation. On that day, they would bitterly regret when knowing they were false gods without any benefit. As for the believers, Jaber told that they only followed Allah so they would be waiting their God to follow. Allah would come to them in a way befitting his majesty and asked them about whom they were waiting for. They would answer Him that there were waiting for their God. Once He informed them that he was their God, they would ask Him to for looking at His noble face to recognize Him, as described to them in the Quran and Prophetic tradition. He would manifest Himself smiling to them in a way befitting Himself then go with them. Every person, a hypocrite or a believer, would be granted a light to follow. As for the believer, his light would be according to his faith in Allah, but the hypocrite would be deceived with an unrealistic light as he did with the believers in the world by displaying his faith. All would follow their lights until reaching the bridge over Hell. There would be spikes and hooks on that bridge to catch whom Allah willed. At that hard time, the hypocrites’ light would be extinguished as a recompense to their hypocrisy but the believers would be saved. The hypocrites would not be able to cross the bridge because of the hooks throwing them into Hell. The faces of the first believing saved group would be like the full bright moon, out of Allah’s grace. They would be seventy thousand who would not be held accountable out of their prestige with Allah, for all of their deeds were acceptable. The faces of the second believing saved group would be like the brightest star in heaven, which had less light. The rest of people would cross according to their deeds. Later, Allah would allow people to intercede. The Prophets, angels, and the believers would intercede with Allah to get people out of Hell. The intercessors would be interceding even for he who declared, ‘There is no god but Allah’ while having goodness in his heart like the weight of a barley grain, which was a sign of Allah’s mercy to His servants. They would be saved from Hell and brought to a wide place in Paradise. The people of Paradise would start to sprinkle water over them. Their burned bodies would be healed and sprout like a little plant due to the flood water. Ibn Masoud narrated in the Two Sahihs that the Prophet showed that one of them would ask for Allah’s bounties of Paradise. As a result, Allah would grant him the entire world along with ten doubles. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It proves some attributes to Allah like laughter, coming, and manifestation, (2) It proves the believers’ seeing their God on the Day of Resurrection, (3) It proves intercession, (4) Paradise exists now, and (5) The believers will get rid of hypocrites on that day..

191

Yazid al-Faqir said, "I was admired by an opinion of Khawarij. I set out in a large group intending to perform pilgrimage, then declare that to people. We passed by Medina and found Jaber ibn Abdullah ( sitting against a pillar and narrating the Prophet's hadiths to people. When Jaber mentioned the people of Hell, I said, 'O the Prophet's companion, how are you narrating that although Allah said, '“Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him" (Aal-Imran: 192) and "Every time they wish to get away therefrom, they will be put back thereto." (As-Sajda: 20)? Jaber asked me, 'Did you read the Quran?' I answered, 'Yes." He asked, 'Did you hear about the exalted position of the Prophet Muhammad (i.e. in the hereafter)?' I answered, 'Yes.' He said, 'Verily, it is the Prophet Muhammad's position through which Allah will bring out (from Hell) whomsoever He wants.' Then, he described the bridge and passing people over it. I am afraid I may not have remembered so but he claimed that Allah would get some people out of Hell. They would get out of it as if they were the wood of the ebony tree. Then, they would bathe in a river in Paradise and get out as if they were papers. We then asked ourselves, 'Woe be upon you! How can you think that this old man tells a lie against the Messenger of Allah?’ We all left that (doctrine of Khawarij) except one man..

Commentary : Paradise is the house of eternal reward that Allah made for His pious and faithful servants. Whoever wins Paradise after experiencing the horror of the Last Day knows the extent of Allah's grace upon him. He is the Most Generous, the Most Merciful that bestows His blessings and rewards upon His servants and increases their blessings and dignity. In this hadith, Yazid Al-Faqir (a companion of the Prophet's companions) narrated that he admired an opinion of the Kharijites. They are one of the sects of heresies with whom Muslims are afflicted. Although they are frequently practicing Islamic rites, they think that some Muslims are infidels and will eternally remain in Hell due to their committing major sins. Thus, they do not hesitate to shed their blood. This is a false doctrine that contradicts the Quran and the Sunnah. Yazid traveled with a large group from Kufa to Mecca to perform pilgrimage and call people to this misleading doctrine. On their way to Mecca, they passed by Medina and found Jaber ibn Abdullah sitting against a pillar and narrating the Prophet's hadiths to people. Jaber confirmed that some people would initially get into Hell due to their sins, and then get out after being punished. Allah would admit them to Paradise with His mercy. They would be in the lowest status in Paradise. Yazid refused and confirmed to Jaber that this doctrine of proving intercession contradicted Quranic verses like: “Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him" (Aal-Imran: 192) and "Every time they wish to get away therefrom, they will be put back thereto." (As-Sajda: 20) Afterward, Jaber asked him, "Did you read the Qur’an?” Yazid replied, "Yes." Jaber asked him if he heard about the Prophet's exalted position that Allah would grant him in the hereafter as in Allah's truthful promise in the Quran, "It may be that your Lord will raise you to a station of praise." (Al-Isra: 79) It is his status of great intercession for which all people will praise him. Yazid replied, "Yes." Jaber told him that it would be his status of intercession through which Allah would bring out from Hell whomever He wants. Afterward, Jaber described the bridge over Hell through which people would cross it. Yazid was afraid that he may have forgotten some of Jaber's words about the bridge, but he confirmed that Jaber claimed that some people, due to Allah's mercy, would get out of Hell as if they were the wood of the ebony tree, i.e. black, bathe in a river in Paradise, then get out as if they were thick white papers, preparing themselves to get Paradise, as proven in other narrations. Yazid added that they believed Jaber’s words and did not think that he told lies. As a result, Yazid and his friends repented to Allah and came back after performing pilgrimage without calling to the doctrine of Kharijites except one man. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It proves the Prophet's intercession on the Day of Resurrection, (2) It proves the bridge over Hell in the hereafter, and (3) It proves that disobedient believers will enter Paradise after being initially punished in Hell..

192

Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Four persons will be brought out from Hell and presented to Allah. One of them will turn and say, ‘O my Lord, if you bring me out from it, do not throw me back into it.’ Then Allah rescues him from it.”.

Commentary : If a Muslim hopes and has good thoughts about Allah, He will accept his deeds and respond to him, for He is Most Compassionate and Merciful to His servants. He created Paradise as an abode of eternal bliss for His pious servants and Hell as a punishment for His disobedient and disbelieved servants. Whoever witnesses Hereafter's terrors and wins Paradise exactly knows Allah's grace and favor upon him. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) informed that there would be four men getting out of Hell on that day. It is said they will be the last ones getting out of it. They would be presented to Him to be reckoned. Allah's command would be that they would be punished in Hell for their sins although they believe in Allah. Afterward, one of them would turn to Allah - after being commanded to go to Hell as a test, as Ahmad's narration mentioned, and call Allah: O Allah, I was hoping if you got me out of it, you would not return me to it. As a result, Allah would save him from Hell and admit him to Paradise as in the narration of Ibn Hibban. Finally, this hadith contains the following lessons: (1) Allah's extraordinary generosity, (2) The virtue of having good thoughts about Allah, and (3) Urging the generous people to complete their grants, for those who bestow grants do not follow them with the opposite..

195

Abu Huraira and Hudhaifa narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "When Allah, the Almighty, gathers people, the believers will stand till Paradise is brought near them. They will come and say to Adam, 'O father, open Paradise for us.' He will say, 'Did you get out of Paradise but due to your father Adam’s sin? It is not my position to do so. Go to my son Ibrahim, the Friend of Allah.' Ibrahim said, 'It is not my position to do so. I was a friend (of Allah) beyond a veil. Go to Moses with whom Allah conversed.' They will come to Moses who will say, 'It is not my position to do so. Go to Jesus, the word and spirit of Allah.' Jesus will say, 'It is not my position to do so.' They will go to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He will stand and be permitted (to open Paradise's door). Trustworthiness and kinship will be dispatched to stand on the right and left of the Path (over Hell). The first of you will pass just like the lightning." Abu Huraira asked, "You are dearer to me than my father and my mother! Which thing is like the passing of lightning?" The Prophet resumed, "Did you not see how the lightning passes back and forth in the twinkling of an eye? Then (they will pass) like the passing of the wind, like the passing of a bird, and like fast persons, each according to his deeds while your Prophet is standing at the Path saying, 'O God, save us, save us!' (The people will be passing) till the servants' deeds weaken to the extent that a man cannot walk (on that Path) but crawlingly. There are suspended hooks on the Path's sides which are commanded to catch whoever they are required to catch. Some will be scratched and saved while others piled up in Hell." Abu Hurairah said, "By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Abu Huraira, Hell is seventy years deep.".

Commentary : Allah is Most Compassionate and Merciful to His servants, whose mercy encompasses all things. He made Paradise the abode of eternal bliss for His pious servants and Hell the punishment for His disobedient and disbelieved servants. Whoever witnesses Hereafter's terrors and wins Paradise exactly knows Allah's grace and favor upon him. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ informed us about some events on the Day of Resurrection. On that day, Allah will bring his believing servants near Paradise to the extent that they will be deeply eager to enter it to avoid the terrors of that day. As a result, they will be searching for whoever intercedes for them with Alah to finalize recking people. Anas narrated, as in Sahih Muslim, that the Prophet ﷺ said, "So they will be concerned or inspired and say, 'If only we intercede with our God so that He relieves us from our current place." The meaning is either: (1) They will be concerned with interceding with Allah to end the distress they are suffering from, or (2) Allah will inspire them to intercede with him. They will ask some Prophets to intercede with Allah to enter them to Paradise. They will ask Prophet Adam, Father of humankind, but he will decline and remind them about his sin of eating the forbidden tree. He will confirm that it is not his position to do so. The position he mentions is the greatest position of intercession called the Praiseworthy Position. It is narrated in Bukhari and Muslim that Prophet Adam said, "Verily, my God is angry to an extent to which He had never been angry before nor would He be angry afterward. Verily, He forbade me (eating from) the tree, but I disobeyed. Myself! (thrice) Go to someone else." He will guide them to go to Prophet Ibrahim. He was a close friend to Allah, one of the best Prophets, and a grandfather of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. When asking him to intercede with Allah, he will decline and confirm it is not his position to do so, out of modesty, for he was a close friend to Allah, but Allah spoke to him beyond a veil. He will remind them that he lied three times as narrated in the Two Sahihs that the Prophet ﷺ said, "The Prophet Ibrahim never lied but thrice. Two of them were for the sake of Allah when he said, 'Verily, I am sick,' 'Nay, this one, the biggest of them (idols) did it,' and the last one was for Sara (his wife)." He will guide them to go to Prophet Moses with whom Allah spoke without an intermediary or a veil. Allah says, "And to Moses, Allah spoke directly." (An-Nisa: 164) Speech is a proven attribute for Allah and is not similar to others' speech. In the Two Sahihs, they will come and say to Moses, "O Musa! You are the Messenger of Allah whom He distinguished above the people with His Message and His Speech ... He answered, 'Indeed I killed a person whom I was not ordered to kill.'" He will inform them that it is not his position to do so and guide them to go to the Prophet Jesus. In the Two Sahihs, they will say, "O Jesus, you are the Messenger of Allah, His Word which He placed into Mariam, and a Spirit from Him. You spoke to people in the cradle ... He will not mention a sin.” Abu Saeed narrated as in Sunan At-Termidhi that Jesus will say, “I was worshiped besides Allah.” He will inform them that it is not his position to do so. Jesus said, as Anas reported in the Two Sahihs, "But go to Muhammad ﷺ, a servant whose previous and future sins were forgiven.” In Bukhari's narration, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, "So they will come to me and I will prostrate under the throne. It will be said, 'O Muhammad ﷺ, raise your head, intercede and you will be granted intercession, and ask and you will be granted.’” He will intercede to remove people's distress and sorrow. He will be allowed to enter Paradise as it is apparent in the hadith or granted his promised position of intercession. Also, both trustworthiness and kinship will be dispatched to stand on the right and left of the bridge over Hell, for their high prestige. They will stand there waiting for the trustworthy, traitors, those fostering and breaking ties of kinship. They will support those keeping them and witness against those violating them. Afterward, people will begin to pass the bridge over Hell. The first will rapidly pass just like the lightning without being scratched by fire flames, some will pass like the wind, some will pass like a bird, and some will pass as fast persons, each according to his deeds, out of Allah's mercy and justice. The Prophet ﷺ will be standing at the bridge supplicating Allah, "O God, save us, save us," out of his compassion and mercy for people. Once their deeds weaken, some people will pass crawlingly while others may be caught and thrown to Hell or scratched by suspended hooks on the bridge's sides as Allah commands. Abu Huraira swore that Hell is seventy years deep. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It proves the Prophet's intercession, (2) It clarifies the virtue of trustworthiness and kinship, (3) It confirms the reality of the bridge over Hell, (4) It shows the different types of people passing over the bridge, (5) It explains the virtue of Prophet Moses for his speaking to Allah, and (6) One should supplicate Allah according to the situation he experiences..

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Anas ibn Malek narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘I will have the most followers in comparison with other prophets on the Day of Resurrection and the first to knock at the door of Paradise.”.

Commentary : The Prophet's merits are great and supreme. He was sent to all people including Jews and Christians. All people must believe and follow him. This hadith shows some of his virtues on the Day of Resurrection. He will have the most followers on that day in comparison with other prophets. It means that having more followers means having a supreme prophet so Allah dignifies this Muslim nation for dignifying his Prophet. No nation will be like his nation, for it will form half of Paradise's people as in the two Sahihs. Moreover, he will be the first to knock at Paradise's door then its guard will open it for him. Finally, this hadith shows how Allah will dignify his Prophet with most followers and his being the first one to enter paradise..

Book of Hadith