| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

2137

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
I saw the people buy foodstuff randomly without measuring it during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and they were punished (by beating), if they tried to resell it before carrying it to their own houses..

2138

‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
Rarely did the Prophet ﷺ fail to visit Aboo Bakr's house every day, either in the morning or in the evening. When the permission for migration to Al-Madeenah was granted, the Prophet ﷺ came to us at noon, which was unusual time of the day for him to come. When Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was informed, he said, "Certainly the Prophet ﷺ has come for some urgent and serious matter!" The Prophet ﷺ said to Aboo Bark (may Allah be pleased with him), when the latter entered: "Let nobody stay in the house (i.e., I would like to talk with you in private)." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! There are only my two daughters (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah and Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with them)) are present." The Prophet ﷺ said, "I have been granted permission to migrate." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Will I accompany you, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Yes, you will accompany me." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) then said "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! I have two she-camels I have prepared specially for the migration, so I offer you one of them. The Prophet ﷺ said, "I have accepted it on the condition that I will pay its price.".

Commentary :
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the closest friend to the Prophet ﷺ, and his companion in the migration. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was endowed with the greatest share of faith and belief compared to all Muslims, so much that had his faith been weighed against that of all people, his faith would have outweighed theirs.
This hadeeth underlines an aspect of the strength and genuineness of the relationship between the Prophet ﷺ and Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). The Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that the Prophet ﷺ frequently visited his friend Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) in the early days of Islam in Makkah. He ﷺ used to visit him either at sunrise or sunset. When Allah, Exalted is He, granted the Prophet ﷺ the permission to migrate from Makkah to Al-Madeenah, the Prophet ﷺ visited Aboo Bakr’s house at noon, and he ﷺ would not have visited him at such an unusual time except for an urgent and serious matter!
Given the seriousness and gravity of the situation, jeopardizing the lives of the Prophet ﷺ and Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet ﷺ asked to speak with him in private to inform him of the migration.
Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) informed the Prophet ﷺ that only histwo daughters, namely ‘Aa’ishah and Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with them), were in the house. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ informed him that he ﷺ was granted the permission to migrate to Al-Madeenah. Since Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) eagerly waited for that greatopportunity, he (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ to accompany him during the journey, despite his knowledge of the gravity of the situation. The Prophet ﷺ granted him the permission to accompany him. In fact, he ﷺ had commanded him to remain in Makkah and did not grant him the permission to migrate to Al-Madeenah earlier with the other Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), so to accompany him when he would be granted the permission (from Allah, Exalted is He).
Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had bought and prepared two she-camels for the Prophet ﷺ and himself for that journey.
When permission was granted to the Prophet ﷺ to migrate to Al-Madeenah, he (may Allah be pleased with him) offered one of the two she-camels to the Prophet ﷺ, who accepted it on the condition that he ﷺ pay him its price.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues and merits of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is also deuced therefrom that the Prophet ﷺ keenly sought the benefit of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) as he ﷺ refused to accept the she-camel without paying its price..

2140

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade the selling of goods by a town dweller on behalf of a desert dweller; and similarly, Najsh was forbidden, and one should not override someone’s sale by urging the buyer to return the goods to the seller so as to sell him his own goods (for a lower price); nor should one propose to a woman who has already been engaged to someone else; and a woman should not try to cause the divorce of her fellow Muslim sister in order to deprive her of what belongs to her.”.

Commentary :
The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting sales and business transactions. It has laid down rules and principles clarifying the essential matters to avoid disputes among people, and help them conduct lawful and smooth business transactions that are free of ambiguity, deceit, and Laws of Islam violations.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some business transactions that may lead to discord, hatred, and dishonesty among Muslims. Therefore, he ﷺ forbade a town dweller to sell goods on behalf of a desert dweller (or vice versa). This means that a desert dweller may not appoint a town or urban dweller to sell his commodity on his behalf in a given village or town for higher prices, acting as a broker and mediator in the sales transaction.
The wisdom behind the prohibition in this regard is that it best serves people’s interests; an urban dweller may sell the commodity for a higher price, but if the desert dweller sells his own goods, he may sell it for a lower price, and this would be more beneficial for people. Moreover, an urban dweller may harm the interests of the desert dweller, i.e., principal, and be a means of exposing him to deceit.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ forbade Najash (i.e., bidding to raise the price without intention to buy) to deceive others into buying a commodity for a higher price. The wisdom behind the prohibition in this regard is because it involves deceit and trickery of people.
He ﷺ also forbade overriding a sales transaction conducted by one’s fellow Muslim. For instance, one may offer a buyer of a given commodity to sell it to him for a lower price if he cancels the previous sale transaction after concluding it and before leaving the contract session, or during the period of Khiyaar Al-Shart (i.e., the right of one or both or a third party to confirm or cancel a contract within a specified period of time). The same ruling applies to overriding a seller’s salestransaction after its finalization, offering him a higher price for it and urging him to annul the other transaction.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ forbade a Muslim from proposing to a woman who is already engaged to his fellow Muslim brother. This may happen when someone proposes to a woman, she proclaims her approval, and they agree on the Mahr (dower), but another man proposes to her before the conclusion of the marriage contract, offering her a bigger Mahr, for instance, or opting for other means to tempt her to accept his proposal.
Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ also forbade a Muslim woman from causing the divorce of her fellow Muslim sister in order to deprive her of what belongs to her. This means that a woman must not urge her husband to divorce her co-wife to (get rid of her,) deprive her of him, and have him all for herself.
The version narrated by Aboo Daawood reads: “…and to marry him. She will have what is decreed for her,” meaning that she must not condition her marriage upon another woman’s divorce. She must not stipulate another woman’s divorce as a condition to her marriage withthis man. Rather, she should marry him (if she wishes) and the decrees of Allah, Exalted is He, for her would inevitably come to pass.
.

2142

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade Najsh..

2143

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ forbade the sale called Bay‘ Al-Habalh, which was a kind of sale practiced in the Pre- Islamic period of ignorance, whereby a man bought an unborn she-camel which was to be the offspring of an unborn she-camel!
.

2150

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "Do not go out to meet the trading caravan (to buy from the traders on the way before they reached the town or marketplace). Do not override someone’s sale transaction by urging buyers to cancel their purchases to sell them (your own goods for lower prices), and do not practice Najsh. A town dweller may not sell the goods on behalf of a desert dweller. Do not leave sheep unmilked for a long time, when they are on sale, and whoever buys such an animal (i.e., being cheated into buying it) has the option of returning it, after milking it, along with a Saa‘ of dates or keeping it (i.e., for the milk).

.

Commentary : The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting sales and business transactions. It has laid down rules and principles clarifying the essential matters to avoid disputes among people, and help them conduct lawful and smooth business transactions that are free of ambiguity, deceit, and Laws of Islam violations.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some of the transactions that result in fraud and deception in sales, and lead to incurring harm on the seller or the buyer. He ﷺ said: “Do not go out to meet the trading caravan (to buy from the traders on the way before they have reached the town or marketplace),” meaning do not go out to meet the trading caravan before traders arrive at the marketplace to sell their goods in different towns and they come to know their prices, because it harms the interests of the buyers, who may buy the goods for lower prices, and may also harm the town people who may have to buy the goods for higher prices.
The hadeeth goes on: “Do not override someone’s sale transaction by urging buyers to cancel their purchases to sell them (your own goods for lower prices),” meaning that someone should not urge a buyer to cancel his transaction during the period of Khiyaar Al-Shart (i.e., the right of one or both participants or a third party to confirm or cancel a contract within a specified period of time) to sell him a better commodity for the same price or a lower price instead. The same ruling applies to urging a seller to cancel the transaction to buy it instead for a higher price.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ forbade Najash, meaning bidding to raise the price without intending to buy it, but merely to deceive others into buying it for a higher price.
The hadeeth goes on: “A town dweller may not sell the goods on behalf of a desert dweller,” meaning that a town dweller may not act as a broker or mediator and sell something on behalf of a desert dweller. The same goes for the case when a desert dweller appoints un urban dweller to sell his goods on his behalf.
The Prophet ﷺ added: “Do not leave sheep unmilked for a long time, when they are on sale,” to deceive the buyers into believing that they produce large amounts of milk. The Prophet ﷺ then clarified that if a buyer bought such sheep, and realized after milking them that the seller had tricked and cheated him, he is given the option either to keep the sheep and retain the sale, or return them to the seller, who had deceived him, along with a Saa‘ of dates in return for the milk.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s ﷺkeenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler may guide people (to what is lawful and unlawful) with regard to their business and sales transactions.

.

2157

Jareer (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I gave a pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messengerﷺ for to testify that none is worthy of worship but Allah, Exalted is He, and that Muhammad is His Messenger, observe prayer perfectly, pay Zakaah, listen and obey (Allah's and His Prophet's commands), and be sincere with all Muslims.
.

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ would take the pledge of allegiance from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) when they embraced Islam to verify their faith, and teach them the most important duties required of them after being guided to Islam.
In this hadeeth, Jareer ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he gave the pledge of allegiance and made a covenant with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to proclaim that none is worthy of worship save Allah, Exalted is He, and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah. The implication of the two testimonies of faith is that when a servant of Allah proclaims them, he acknowledges Tawheed, i.e., unique Oneness of Allah, Exalted is He, and that He alone is worthy of worship, and also declares his faith in the Prophet Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullahﷺ, confirming such beliefs by his heart, believing in their meanings, and acting upon their implications. These are the testimonies that truly benefit a person in the Hereafter, helping him win Paradise and be delivered from Hellfire.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ to observe the five obligatory prayers during the day and night, which are: Fajr, Dhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ‘Ishaa’, at their respective specified times, while fulfilling their conditions, pillars, and duties. He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to pay the Zakaah, which is an obligatory financial act of worship that is due on one’s Zakatable wealth that reaches the Nisaab (i.e., a specific amount set by the Laws of Islam) after the passage of a lunar year. In this case, the owner is required to pay 2.5 % of hissurplus wealth. This also applies to the Zakaah payable on the cattle, crops and agricultural produce, trade goods, and Rikaaz (i.e., buried treasures or minerals), each according to the specified Nisaab and time of payment set by the Laws of Islam. Paying the Zakaah to its eligible recipients is rewarded with having one’s wealth blessed and earning abundant rewards in the Hereafter. On the contrary, withholding Zakaah out of stinginess warrants serious consequences in this worldly life and the Hereafter. Zakaah is an act of worship that incorporates the fulfillment of the right Allah, Exalted is He, and the right of His servants; it is a religious obligation and one of the pillars of Islam, and it helps fulfill the needs of the needy and poor.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ to hear and obey the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, reflected in his compliance with the commands and avoidance of the prohibitions.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ to be sincere with his fellow Muslims, by striving to benefit them, doing them good, and warding off evil from them by means of sayings and deeds. The fact that the Prophet ﷺ particularly made mention of one’s fellow Muslims in this context is due to it being theprevalent case, otherwise, it is required of Muslims to embody sincerity in their interactions with non-Muslims as well, by inviting them to Islam, and offering them the correct opinion when they seek their advice. Jareer (may Allah be pleased with him) was singled out for pledging sincerity to his fellow Muslims, because he (may Allah be pleased with him) was the leader and chief of his people. He (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺ in 10 A.H., embraced Islam, and his people followed in his footsteps. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ guided him to the importance of embodying sincerity toward his fellow Muslims, because he needed it the most.
It is deduced from the hadith that a Muslim is required to be sincere with his fellow Muslims, by treating them nicely, and avoiding cunning, deceit, cheating and betrayal..

2165

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "You should not try to cancel the purchases of one another (to get a benefit thereof), and do not go ahead to meet the trading caravan (for buying the goods) (but wait) till it reaches the marketplace."
.

Commentary :
The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting business transactions to preserve people’s wealth and serve their best interests by laying down rules and principles that help them avoid potential ambiguity and deceit.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade some business transactions that incur harm on people and sow seeds of discord, enmity, and hatred. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade overriding the sales conducted by one’s fellow Muslims. This means that when someone concludes a sales transaction to buy a specific commodity for a certain price, no one should override their transaction by offering the buyer a similar commodity for a lower price. The same applies to the case when someone offers to buy a sold commodity for a higher price, urging the seller to annul the transaction, or to try buying a commodity from the seller after knowing that his fellow Muslim brother wanted to buy it and had already started negotiations with the seller.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ also forbade going out to meet with the trading caravans and buying the commodities from the traders before they arrived at the marketplaces, because this incurs harm on the buyer or people (at the marketplace); a seller may buy it for a lower price than what he would sell it in the marketplace, and a trader may buy all the goods of the caravan, monopolize them, and offer them at higher prices in the marketplace, and this would cause harm to people.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’sﷺ keenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is forbidden to apply the ways of sale that lead to monopoly and price spikes.
It is also inferred therefrom that a ruler guides people (to what is lawful and unlawful) with regard to their business transactions in the marketplaces..

2166

‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
We used to go out to meet the trading caravan and used to buy foodstuff from them. The Prophet ﷺforbade us to resell it till it was carried to the marketplace.
.

Commentary :
Human beings are infused with an inclination to love what benefits them and do what best serves their personal interests even if it harms others, and therefore, the Laws of Islam provisions were prescribed to restrain the evil-enjoining self.
This hadeeth highlights the Laws of Islam provisions that refine human greed and keep it in check. ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that they used to go out to meet with the trading caravans and buy foodstuff from the traders before they arrived at the marketplace, and resell the purchased commodities there before carrying them to the marketplaces. The Prophet ﷺ forbade them from reselling the purchased commodities in the purchase place and commanded them instead to carry the purchased goods to the marketplace and then resell them there.
It has been reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ forbade going out to meet the trading caravans and purchasing the commodities outside the marketplace. To reconcile between these two hadeeths, it could be said that when a sales transaction is conducted, a buyer must not resell the purchased commodity before it is transferred to the marketplace.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’sﷺ keenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is forbidden to apply ways of sale that lead to monopoly and price spikes.
.

2167

‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) said: Some people used to buy foodstuff at the head of the marketplace and used to resell it on the spot. Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade them from reselling it till they brought it to (their) places.
.

Commentary :
Islam preserves the interests of the community, as well as the interests of individuals, and also takes into account the interests of people in the worldly life and the Hereafter.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with them) related that the traders during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ used to go out to meet the trading caravans and buy foodstuff before they arrived at the marketplace, the place where sales transactionswere commonly conducted. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade the traders from reselling the purchased foodstuff in the very place where they bought it (i.e., outside the marketplace) and commanded them to take it into their possession first and transfer it to the marketplace, because the aforementioned practice would lead to monopoly and price rises.
It has been reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ forbade going out to meet the trading caravans and purchasing the commodities outside the marketplace. To reconcile between these two hadeeths, it can be said that when a sales transaction is conducted, a buyer must not resell it before it is transferred to the marketplace.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s ﷺkeenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler guides people (to what is lawful and unlawful) with regard to their business transactions in the marketplaces..

2175

Narrated Aboo Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight, nor silver for silver unless equal in weight, but you could sell gold for silver or silver for gold as you like."
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, has deemed buying and selling lawful for His Muslim servants, but deemed Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury) unlawful. He Says (what means): {… they said, ”rade is [just] like Ribaa." But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden Ribaa (interest).} [Quran 2:275].
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbids forms of Ribaa involved in the sale of gold and silver, and teaches Muslims the lawful ways of buying and selling gold and silver, to avoid falling into what is unlawful. He ﷺ said: “Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight, nor silver for silver unless equal in weight”, meaning that gold may be sold for gold if the exchanged items are equal in weight, and the same goes for silver.
By analogy, the same ruling applies to all sales transactions in which the exchanged commodities share the same ‘Illah (i.e., the underlying legal reason that necessitates the effective cause of the ruling, which then leads to its enactment), which is being used as currency (i.e., Thamaniyyah) in the case of gold and silver. Likewise, the ruling applies to whatever is being used as currency, like paper money, and is subject to Ribaa in such sale transactions as well.
Another requirement is Taqaabudh (i.e., immediate exchange and reciprocal taking possession of the purchased commodity and its monetary equivalent by the buyer and seller respectively in the contracting session). The immediate exchange of the two items in the contracting session is required, and it is impermissible to delay the submission of any of them, given the relevant hadeeths. It was reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ said: “A barter of gold for gold is Ribaa except if they are exchanged hand to hand (i.e., on the spot) and are equal in amount.” This means that the two parties must exchange the two commodities on the spot before leaving the contracting session.
However, in the event of a barter of different commodities, like selling gold for silver for example, there may be a difference in weight. The Prophet ﷺ said: “…but you could sell gold for silver or silver for gold as you like,” meaning that there is no harm if the exchanged commodities differ in weight in this case, provided that they are exchanged hand to hand in the contracting session; the Prophet ﷺ said: “If the exchanged commodities differ in kind, sell as you wish as long as payment is made hand to hand on the spot.” [Muslim].
It was also narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “… and do not sell that (gold or silver) which is not present (at the time of the transaction) for that (gold or silver) which is present.” [Al-Bukhaaree]. This is to avoid falling into Ribaa Al-Nasee’ah, which is an increase in the loan or due amount in return for a delay in payment.
.

2177

Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Do not sell gold for gold unless (the two exchanged commodities are) equal in weight, and do not sell less amount for greater amount or vice versa; and do not sell silver for silver unless (the two exchanged commodities are) equal in weight, and do not sell less amount for greater amount or vice versa and do not sell gold or silver that is not present at the moment of exchange for gold or silver that is present.”
.

Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, has deemed buying and selling lawful for His Muslim servants, but deemed Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury) unlawful. He Says (what means): {…they said, “Trade is [just] like Ribaa." But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden Ribaa.} [Quran 2:275].
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbids forms of Ribaa involved in the sale of gold and silver, and teaches the lawful ways of buying and selling gold and silver, to avoid falling into what is unlawful. He ﷺ said: “Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight,” meaning that the two exchanged commodities must be equal in weight; twenty grams of gold may not be sold for thirty grams of gold for example, and such increase is labelled as Ribaa. The same goes for silver and paper money (i.e., currency exchange).
Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ said: “… do not sell gold or silver that is not present at the moment of exchange for gold or silver that is present,” meaning do not sell gold or silver to be delivered at a deferred time for an immediate payment (of gold or silver) made at the contracting session.
By analogy, the same ruling applies to all sale transactions in which the exchanged commodities share the same ‘Illah (i.e., underlying legal reason that necessitates the effective cause of the ruling which then leads to its enactment), which is being used as currency (i.e., Thamaniyyah) in case of the gold and silver. Likewise, the ruling applies to whatever is being used as currency, like paper money, and is subject to Ribaa in such sale transactions.
There are two conditions stipulated for the validity of the sale (exchange) of similar commodities: being equal in weight, and immediate hand-to-hand exchange in the contracting session. If the exchanged commodities are dissimilar, e.g., gold for silver or the other way round, but the ‘Illah is the same, i.e., being used as currency, the requirement of being equal in weight is no longer stipulated, yet the immediate hand-to-hand exchange in the contracting session is required. The Prophet ﷺ said: “…if the exchanged commodities of a barter are dissimilar, sell as you wish as long as they are exchanged hand to hand (i.e., on the spot).” [Muslim].
.

2178

Aboo Saalih Al-Zaiyaat narrated:
I heard Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) saying, "The selling of a Dinar for a Dinar, and a Dirham for a Dirham (is permissible)." I said to him, "Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) does not say the same!" Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "I asked Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) whether he had heard it from the Prophet ﷺ or seen it in the Quran and he replied, "I do not claim that, and you know Allah's Messenger ﷺ better than I, but Usaamah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed me that the Prophet ﷺ had said, 'There is no Riba (in money exchange) except when it is not done hand to hand (i.e., in the event of a deferred payment).'”
.

Commentary :
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)sometimes held different opinions regarding certain issues, but they abided by the due Islamic etiquette of disagreement that the Prophet ﷺ taught them, complied with the correct opinion supported by authentic evidence, and gladly gave up their personal opinions and adhered to the truth whenever it was verified.
In this Hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Aboo Saalih Dhakwaan Al-Zayyaat stated that he heard Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) declaring Ribaa Al-Fadhl (i.e., exchange or sales transactions in trade which effectively result in the charging of ‘interest’ through the exchange of the same commodity, but of a different quality or quantity) when trading in Dinar and Dirham. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The selling of a Dinar for a Dinar, and a Dirham for a Dirham (is permissible)." This means that it is impermissible to sell one Dinar for more than one Dinar (of gold) of equal weight and value, and similarly it is impermissible to sell one Dirham (of silver) for more than one Dirham of equal weight and value. In the event of a barter of gold or silver, the exchanged commodities must be equal in weight and value, and such excess is Ribaa.
Ribaa Al-Fadhl means the sale of currency for currency or food for food which effectively results in the charging of ‘interest’ through the exchange of similar commodities, but of a different quality or quantity, and it is prohibited. The Laws of Islam stipulated its prohibition in six categories of commodity; this hadeeth made mention of two of them, namely, gold and silver, and the six categories were defined in a different hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Gold may be paid for by gold, silver by silver, wheat by wheat, barley by barley, dates by dates, salt by salt, like by like, provided that the payment is made hand to hand. If these classes differ (i.e., the exchange of dissimilar commodities), sell as you wish as long as the payment is made on the spot.”
By analogy, the same ruling applies to all commodities that share the same ‘Illah (i.e., underlying legal reason that necessitates the effective cause of the ruling which then leads to its enactment), which is being used as currency (i.e., Thamaniyyah) in case of the gold and silver, and being weighted or measured and a type of food in case of the other four categories.
The Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Aboo Saalih Dhakwaan Al-Zayyaat said to him that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) did not declare that unlawful. He (may Allah be pleased with him) held that the exchanged commodities need not be equal in weight and value, and that it is permissible to sell one Dirham for two Dirhams. Thereupon, Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he had asked Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) whether or not he had heard it directly from the Prophet ﷺ or deduced it from the Quran. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) clarified that he had not heard it from the Prophet ﷺ nor did he inferit from the Quran, and said, "I do not claim that, and you know Allah's Messenger ﷺ better than I,” meaning that he (may Allah be pleased with him) was younger than the rest of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).Otherwise the correct criterion is narrating more hadeeths of the Prophet ﷺ, and Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) more hadeeths and acquired knowledge of more Fiqh issues (Islamic jurisprudence) than many other Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
Afterward, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) underlined the wisdom behind holding this view, stating that he had heard it from Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them), who informed him that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no Ribaa except in Al-Nasee’ah (i.e., on credit).” Thereupon, he (may Allah be pleased with him) understood that anything else is essentially permissible.
Ribaa Al-Nasee'ah means an increase in the loan or due amount in return for a delay in payment, and it was practiced in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance. It has also been said that the meaning of his saying, “There is no Ribaa except in Al-Nasee’ah,” is that it is the worst kind of Ribaa, or that ruling may be abrogated. It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) retreated from his opinion in this regard.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a Muslim should offer sincere advice to anyone who makes a mistake, even if he is a pious and knowledgeable person.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that it is conceivable that an individual Companion (may Allah be pleased with him) may commit a mistake.
It is also deduced therefrom that a scholar may engage in a debate with another scholar, ask him to explain his saying, and convince him to abide by the unanimous opinion of the scholars on the matter.
It is inferred that a younger scholar should acknowledge the knowledge of those endowed with more knowledge.
.

2180

Aboo Al-Minhaal narrated:
I asked Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib and Zayd ibn Arqam about money exchange (i.e., currency exchange). Each of them said about the other, "He is better (i.e., more knowledgeable) than I," and both of them said, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade the selling of silver for gold on credit. "
.

2183

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "Do not sell date fruits until they become free of all the dangers of being spoilt or blighted; and do not sell fresh dates for dry ones." Narrated Saalim and ‘Abdullah on the authority of Zayd ibn Thaabit: “Later on Allah's Messengerﷺ permitted the selling of ripe date fruits on trees for fresh dates or dried dates in Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyah (i.e., a sale deal of fruit-on-the trees, usually dates, in which some trees in the garden are not part of the sale deal but are sold by the owner to a poor person who can exchange fresh fruits of these trees for dry dates, for his household consumption and not for resale, and this type of deal is an exception to the general law of sale which prohibits exchange of fresh fruits for dry ones), and did not allow it for any other kind of sale."
.

Commentary :
Preventing cheating in sales and avoiding potential disputes between the sellers and the buyers are among the objectives of the Laws of Islam. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some sales that could lead to cheating and deception, or cause potential disputes between the buyers and sellers.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade selling only the unpicked fruits or dates (rather than the fruits and trees altogether) before they appear fully ripe and ready for consumption, by becomingred or yellow or showing any other sign of ripeness. This is because when the fruits ripen, they become safe from potential loss or defects due to pests that may destroy or reduce the yield. In fact, the prohibition of such a sales transaction serves the best interests of both the buyer and seller. It benefits a seller, because the price paid for the unripe fruits is lower; he could sell them for a higher price if he waits until they are fully ripe. Therefore, hastening to sell the unripe crops may cause him to miss out on obtaining more earnings,by his hastening to make small profits (rather than waiting to make big ones), which implies a waste of wealth. Moreover, the unripe fruits may go bad and spoil before they ripen, and thus a seller would have unlawfully devoured the wealth of his Muslim brother. It also benefits the buyer, because when he buys the unripe fruits, he may lose his money if the quality of the purchased fruits turns out to be less than what was expected, and thus he would be risking the loss of his money. In addition, there is another benefit accruing to both parties, for the prohibition of this sale eliminates potential disputes and discord that may be caused between them were the sold fruits to go bad and spoil.
The Prophet ﷺ also forbade the Muzaabanah sale, a transaction in which the owner of fruit trees or palm trees agrees to sell his fruit for an estimated equivalent measure of dried fruits, such as palm fruit for dates or grapes for raisins.
Zayd bin Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ had later deemed allowable one form of this sale, namely, Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyyah (i.e., a sale of unpicked and unripe fruits, usually dates, for an estimated amount of picked and ripe fruits on the ground based on dry measurement), and had not deemed any other form of such sales allowable. Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyyah is a sale whereby the owner of an orchard grants a poor person, who has no palm trees of his own nor cash to buy fresh dates for his household consumption, the (fresh) dates of his palm tree in return for a payment of surplus dry dates. This poor person and the owner makea barter of the fresh dates of one or two palm trees for instance, for an estimated measure of the poor person’s surplus date fruits he had left, to avail himself of fresh dates like those who could afford buying them. The Prophet ﷺ gave a legal concession to conduct the sale of ‘Aaraiyah for an estimated weight of dry dates, provided that they were less than five Wasaqs, as narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, and the Wasaq equaled 60 Saa‘s..

196

Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I will be the first intercessor in Paradise. Not a prophet among prophets has followers like me. There is a prophet who was believed by only one man from his nation.".

Commentary : The Prophet's merits are abundant and supreme. He was sent to all people including Jews and Christians so all must believe and follow him. This hadith mentions some of his merits such as he will be the first to enter Paradise after Allah accepts his intercession to open it, as in Imam Muslim's narration. Later his intercession will be accepted for two types of people: (1) The disobedient to be admitted to Paradise, and (2) Those who entered Paradise but got lower ranks. Imam Ahmad narrated that the Prophet said, “I will be the first to enter Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and I am not boasting. When I come to the gate of Paradise and take its ring, they will ask, 'Who is this?' I will answer, 'Muhammad.' They will open it for me. I will enter and see the Mighty facing me. I will prostrate to Him and He will say, 'O Muhammad, raise your head, speak so you will be responded, say so your requests will be accepted, and intercede so your intercession will be granted.' I will raise my head and say, 'O God, my nation, my nation.' He will say, 'Go to your nation. Whoever you find in his heart a weight of barley grain of faith, admit him to Paradise.' So I will accept. Whoever I find that in his heart, I will admit him to Paradise.” In addition, he will have the most followers on that day in comparison with other prophets. It indicates that having more followers means having a supreme followed one. Allah dignifies this nation for dignifying his Prophet. No nation will be like his nation on the Day of Resurrection, for it will form half of Paradise's people as in the two Sahihs' narration or even two-thirds as Imam Ahmad, Tirmedhy, and Ibn Maja reported. Moreover, he confirmed that there was a prophet who was only believed by one man from his nation. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Divine dignity of the Prophet, and (2) It proves the Prophet's intercession on the Day of Judgement..

196

Anas ibn Malek narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I will be the first to intercede in (allowing people to enter) Paradise and have the most followers in comparison with other prophets.”.

Commentary : The Prophet's merits are great and supreme. He was sent to all people including Jews and Christians so all people must believe and follow him. In this hadith, he mentioned some of his virtues such as he will be the first one to enter Paradise and intercede for people to be admitted to Paradise as in Muslim's narration. Afterward, he will be granted the right to intercede for those who committed sins to enter Paradise or those who entered lower ranks to raise their ranks. In Ahmad's narration, he said, “I will be the first to enter Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and it is no boast. When I come to the gate of Paradise and take its ring, they will ask, 'Who is this?' I will answer, 'Muhammad.' They will open it for me. I will enter and see the Mighty facing me. I will prostrate to Him and He will say, 'O Muhammad, raise your head, speak so you will be responded, say so your requests will be accepted, and intercede so your intercession will be granted.' I will raise my head and say, 'O God, my nation, my nation.' He will say, 'Go to your nation. Whoever you find in his heart a weight of barley grain of faith, admit him to Paradise.' So I will accept. Whoever I find that in his heart, I will admit him to Paradise.” In addition, he will have the most followers on that day in comparison with other prophets. It means that having more followers means having a supreme followed one. Allah dignifies this nation for dignifying his Prophet. No nation will be like his nation on the Day of Resurrection, for it will form half of Paradise's people as in the two Sahihs. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the divine dignity of the Prophet Muhammad, (2) It proves his right of intercession, and (3) It confirms the virtue of having many followers to the straight path, for the one being followed is given his followers' rewards..

197

Anas ibn Malek narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘I will come to the gate of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and ask to open it. The keeper will ask, ‘Who are you?’ I will say, ‘Muhammad.’ He will say, ‘It is just you for whom I have been ordered to open before anyone else.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) has great virtues. He is the master of Prophet Adam’s sons. Allah has sent him to all people, including Jews and Christians. It is obligatory for anyone to believe his prophethood and message. In this hadith, he mentioned that he would knock at Paradise’s gate on the day of Judgement and ask to get in. The keeper asked him about his identity. The Prophet (ﷺ) answered, “Muhammad.” He answers with his proper name that people and angels know. The keeper would say when hearing the Prophet’s name (ﷺ), “It is just you for whom I have been ordered to open before anyone else.” Thus, the Prophet informed us that he would be the first one to enter Paradise. This is a divine honor to our Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) by giving him the priority of entering Paradise and even its highest levels..

202

Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-'As ﷺ narrated that the Prophet ﷺ recited Prophet Ibrahim's saying in the Quran, "O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoso follows me, he, verily, is of me." (Ibrahim: 36) and Prophet Jesus' saying in the Quran, "If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You, are the All‑Mighty, the All‑Wise." (Al-Ma'idah: 118) then raised his hands, wept, and said, "O Allah, my nation, my nation!" Allah, the Almighty, said, "O Gabriel, go to Muhammad (and Allah knows best) and ask him, 'What makes you weep?'" Gabriel came and asked him, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed him about what he asked Allah (and Allah knows best). Thus, Allah said, "O Gabriel, go to Muhammad and say to him, 'Verily, We will please you with regard to your nation and not displease you.'".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was compassionate and merciful, so he used to frequently and deeply supplicate Allah not to perish his nation as the previous nations, as in this report. In this hadith, he recited Prophet Ibrahim's supplication to his nation in the Quran, "O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoso follows me, he, verily, is of me." (Ibrahim: 36) Prophet Ibrahim means that whoever follows me and abandons worshipping idols, he is one of my followers who deserves forgiveness and mercy. Whoever disobeys and continues worshipping idols, it is up to Allah. If He Wills, He guides him and if He Wills, He goes him astray. Allah does not forgive those dying while being polytheists as He said, "Verily, Allah does not forgive that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives, except that, anything else to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah (in worship), he has indeed invented a tremendous sin." (An-Nisa’: 48) Then, he recited Prophet Jesus' saying in the Quran, "If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You, are the All‑Mighty, the All‑Wise." (Al-Ma'idah: 118) Afterward, the Prophet (ﷺ) wept and supplicated Him, "O Allah, my nation, my nation!" Due to his deep love for his nation, he asked Allah's mercy, kindness, and goodness to them. Although Allah knows all that the breasts conceal, he sent Gabriel to ask the Prophet (ﷺ) about the reason for his weeping. It was said that this was to show the Prophet's prestige and honor. Gabriel asked the Prophet (ﷺ) who informed him about what he asked Allah. Thus, Allah asked Gabriel to inform the Prophet (ﷺ) that He would please and grant him what he asked and not displease him with regard to his nation, as Allah said, "And verily, your Lord will give you (all good) so that you shall be well‑pleased." (Ad-Duha: 5) This is one of the best glad tidings to Muslim nation. On the other hand, this hadith explains the Quranic verse, "Verily, there has come to you a Messenger from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is anxious over you; for the believers full of pity, kind, and merciful." (At-Tawbah: 128). Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Prophet's kindness and supplication to his nation, (2) It shows the Prophet’s supreme prestige with Allah Who promised to please him with regard to his nation, and (4) It includes a great glad tiding to the Muslim nation..

203

Anas narrated that a man asked, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, where is my father?” The Prophet ﷺ answered, “In Hell.” When the man turned away, the Prophet ﷺ called him and said, “Verily, my father and your father are in Hell.”.

Commentary : It is established in Islam that if a person dies while being a disbeliever, he will enter Hell. Some people frequently asked the Prophet useless questions until he fed up. As a result, he used to rebuke them and others to help them stop this kind of question. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik narrated that a man asked, "O Messenger of Allah, where is my father?” He asked whether his father was in Paradise or Hell. The Prophet replied, "In Hell.” This is because the man’s father died while being a disbeliever. When the man turned away, the Prophet called him and said, "Verily, my father and your father are in Hell.” It is due to the Prophet's good behavior and treatment of his companions. When he noticed the man’s sadness, he wanted to console him to find contentment, for if there had been a son who wanted to benefit his disbelieved father, the Prophet would have been the first one to do so. It was the revelation that informed the Prophet of his own father's destiny. This is because whoever died before the Prophet's message of Islam and followed the Arabs’ practice of worshiping idols was one of the people of Hell. As a matter of fact, the people of that period received the call of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and other prophets. In addition, some of them followed his message and lived with Jews and Christians, so they knew about prophets and the necessity of faith, but the majority intentionally disobeyed and associated others in worshipping Allah. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) If a person dies while being a disbeliever, he will enter Hell, and his close relatives will not benefit him, and (2) It clarifies the Prophet’s good treatment and honorable character..

211

Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Verily, the least tormented one of the people of Hell is who will wear two shoes of fire so his brain will boil due to the heat of his shoes.”.

Commentary : The severe punishment of Allah is inconceivable. The torment of the sinners mentioned in the Quran and Prophetic tradition just illustrates a picture of this severity and requires every human being to fear it on the Day of Resurrection. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that the least tormented one in Hell is the one who would wear two shoes of fire. Allah said, "... will have cut out for them garments of fire." (Al-Hajj: 19) Although he is the least tormented one in Hell, his brain will boil due to just the heat of his shoes. Some said that all of his body is tormented while others said it is just his feet, out of kindness. It was said that it is the Prophet's uncle Abu Taleb, for the Prophet's saying, when his uncle was mentioned, as in the two Sahihs, “My intercession may benefit him on the Day of Resurrection so that he may be placed in a shallow part of fire reaching only up to his ankles and causing his brain to boil.” The hadith included him and other ones who would be punished likewise. The hadith refers that the people of Hell are those abiding in it forever such as the disbelievers. This does not include the believers who committed major sins, as in the hadith reported in Bukhari and Muslim that Allah will say to the least tormented one in Hell, “I asked you a much easier thing than this, that is, not to worship others besides Me, but you refused and insisted to worship others besides Me.” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the severity of Hell's torment to the extent that the least torment one will wear two shows causing his brain to boil and (2) It warns us against Hell and urges us to do what keeps us away from it..

214

Aisha narrated, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Ibn Jud'an used to establish ties of relationship and fed the poor. Will it benefit him?'" He answered, "It will not benefit him, for he did not ever say, 'O my God, forgive my sins on the Day of Recompense.’”.

Commentary : Believing in Allah is a prerequisite to getting His pleasing, entering Paradise, and being saved from Hell. Therefore, Allah, the Almighty, has sent people His messengers to call them to believe in Him and abandon all forms of disbelief and polytheism. In this hadith, Aisha narrated that she asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about one of her relatives, Abdullah ibn Jud'an. He was a Qureish leader from the tribe of Banu Tamim ibn Murrah during the pre-Islamic ignorant times before the Prophet's mission. It was called so, for it was full of ignorant practices. At that time, Ibn Jud'an used to establish ties of relationship, feed the poor, and follow lots of manners that Islam would encourage later. She was wondering if these righteous acts would benefit him in the hereafter and save him from Allah's punishment of the polytheists due to his disbelief. The Prophet (ﷺ) told her that all of his works would not benefit him, for he never believed in neither Allah nor the Last Day. A disbeliever will not get a reward in the hereafter for his righteous acts, for he nullified them by his disbelief. This is an indication that if he had embraced Islam, these acts would have benefitted him. As for his acts’ reward in this worldly life, Imam Muslim reported that Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah does not unjustly prevent a believer from even a good deed’s reward. He is rewarded in this world and in the Hereafter. As for the disbeliever, he is given a reward for the good deeds he did for the sake of Allah in the world and when he comes to Hereafter, there is no rewards for him.” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the virtue of faith, the prerequisite for accepting righteous deeds, (2) It shows the terrible results of disbelief which nullifies the reward of the righteous deeds..

223

Abu Malek Al-Hareth ibn ‘Asem Al-Ash'ary narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Purity is half of faith, al-hamdulillah fills the scale, and subhanallah and al-hamdulillah fill what is between the heavens and Earth. Prayer is a light, charity is proof, and patience is illumination. The Quran is proof for or against you. All people go out early in the morning and sell themselves, either setting themselves free or ruining themselves.".

Commentary : This is a great hadith and one of the Islamic foundations in which the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned all that concerns a Muslim in his life and the afterlife. The Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that purification is half of faith. It means one of the two following meanings: (1) All Islamic aspects aim to purify a Muslim inwardly from evil attributes and outwardly from impurities as in purification, or (2) The word faith means prayer as in Allah's saying, "And Allah would never make your faith be lost." (Al-Baqarah: 143) So, the hadith means that purification is half of prayer which is not accepted without it. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that the saying of al-hamdulillah (all praise is due to Allah) will fill one's scale on the Day of Resurrection with reward when Allah weighs all people's deeds. It is a real scale to weigh their deeds, which does not resemble the worldly scales. It is one of the matters of the unseen world that we all must believe in. Al-hamdulillah means to acknowledge that Allah, alone, deserves all types of gratitude. The Prophet (ﷺ) added that subhanallah (glory be to Allah) meant to describe Allah with the complete perfection he deserves and negate all that contradict this perfection. These two sentences fill what is between heaven and Earth, for they contain praising Allah, negating all that contradicts His perfection, and showing the servant's need for his Creator. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that prayer is a light. This means one of the following possibilities: (1) It is a light on a Muslim's face in this life and in his way in the afterlife, unlike those who do not pray, (2) It guides a servant to the straight path and makes him away from sins, immorality, and indecency, or (3) It means all the above-mentioned possibilities, for it is a light in his heart, face, grave, and hereafter. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that charity is proof of a Muslim's truthful faith, unlike a hypocrite who does not give charity, for he does not believe. Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that patience is a shining light. It is a light with heat and burning power like the sun, unlike the moon. He mentioned this similarity, for patience was a difficult attribute that required struggling oneself in preventing prohibited desires and whims. The recommended patience is during three cases: (1) Patience in obeying Allah, (2) Patience in avoiding disobeying Him, and (3) Patience during calamities and hardships. Thus, patience will be a light for us throughout the straight way. Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) showed one's stand with the Quran in the hereafter. He confirmed that it would be proof for a person if he kept reciting and acting upon it in this life. On the other hand, it would be proof against him when he left reciting or acting upon it. The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned that all people went out early in the morning and sold themselves, either setting themselves free from Hell by obeying Allah or ruining themselves in Hell by obeying their whims and the devil. Thus, hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the virtue of purification and its reward, (2) It mentions some sayings and deeds of faith that set the believers free from Hell, (3) It clarifies that a person will be held accountable for his actions, so he is free to choose the way he wants to himself..

224

Mus'ab ibn Sa'd narrated, "Abdullah ibn Omar visited Ibn 'Amer when he was sick. Ibn 'Amer said to him, 'O Ibn Omar, will you not supplicate Allah to me?' Ibn Omar replied, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'No prayer is accepted without ablution and no charity is accepted due to ghulul (taking spoils before authorized distribution). You were the governor of Al-Basrah.'".

Commentary : The Prophet's companions used to advise people on religious and worldly matters in accordance with people’s cases and abilities. The caliph Uthman ibn Affan appointed Abdullah ibn Amer ibn Kuraiz a ruler over Basra after Abu Musa Al-Ash’ary in 29 H. Later, Uthamn appointed him over Basra and Fares after Othman ibn Abi Al-'As. Later, the caliph Mu'aweya ibn Abi Sufyan appointed him a ruler over Basra and then dismissed him after three years. Afterward, Abdullah lived in Medina until he died in 57 or 58 H. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Omar visited Ibn 'Amer when he was sick. Ibn 'Amer asked him to supplicate Allah to him, for the Prophet's companion Abdullah ibn Omar was one of the righteous persons at that time. So, Ibn 'Amer was keen to ask for his supplication during this hardship. Abu Nu'aim narrated in his Mustakhraj, "When Abdullah ibn Omar visited Ibn 'Amer during his illness, people were praising Ibn 'Amer but Ibn Omar kept silent. Ibn Amer said to him, ‘O Abu Abdderrhman, what does prevent you from saying (alike)?’ Ibn Omar wisely answered, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, 'No prayer is accepted without ablution and no charity is accepted due to ghulul (taking spoils before authorized distribution).’” Ablution is a prerequisite to make prayer accepted and charity is not accepted if it is taken from spoils before authorized distribution. Generally, this hadith includes taking illegal money. Ibn Omar meant that Allah did not accept charity from illegal sources and Ibn 'Amer used to illegally take people's properties during his rule over some cities. Ibn Omar wanted to scold him for his old sins and urge him to repent to Allah although Ibn ‘Amer was dismissed in 29 H. and died in 57 or 58 H. Ibn Omar wanted to urge other rulers to perform righteous deeds and fear Allah. He also wanted to warn them against oppression and negligence. Ibn Omar scolded him although the Prophet (ﷺ), his companions, and the righteous ones after them used to supplicate Allah for people of sins. In the Two Sahihs, Abu Hurairah narrated, "Tufail ibn Amr Ad-Daousy and his companions came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, the tribe of Daous disobeyed and refused so supplicate Allah against them.' Someone said, 'Daous will be destroyed.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'O Allah, guide the tribe of Daous and let them come.’” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It urges Muslims to visit the patient, (2) It confirms the scholars' advice to rulers with wisdom and good words, (3) It contains the virtue of ablution, (4) It contains the virtue of giving charity from legal properties, (5) It shows the legitimacy of asking righteous people for supplication to Allah, (6) It clarifies Ibn Omar's deep keenness in enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, without flattery, and (7) It indicates that having illegal properties prevents accepting one's supplication..

227

Humran, the servant of Uthman, narrated, "I heard Uthman - when he was in the courtyard of the mosque and asked for water to perform ablution after the caller to prayer came to him - said, 'By Allah, I am narrating to you a hadith. If there had not been a verse in the Book of Allah, I would have never narrated it to you. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'If a Muslim properly performs ablution and offers prayer, Allah will forgive him the sins committed to the next prayer.'" In another narration, "If a Muslim properly performs ablution and offers obligatory prayer ...".

Commentary : The Prophet's Companions used to teach and convey Prophetic clear guidance to people. In this hadith, Human, the servant of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, narrated, “I heard Uthman - when he was in the courtyard of the mosque and asked for water to perform ablution after the caller to (afternoon) prayer came to him - said, 'By Allah, I am narrating to you a hadith. If there had not been a verse in the Book of Allah, I would have never narrated it to you.’” The verse he meant was Allah’s saying, "Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers." (Al-Baqarah: 159) It means that Allah will expel them from His mercy and people ask Him to expel them from His mercy as well. It was only this verse that encouraged Uthman to narrate this Prophetic hadith although he preferred not to narrate it temporarily, for he was afraid that people may have been deceived by their little obedience to Allah. In the end, he decided to narrate it and confirmed that he heard the Prophet saying, “If a Muslim properly performs ablution and offers prayer, Allah will forgive him the sins committed to the next prayer." The prayer mentioned here is the obligatory one and the sins mentioned here are the minor, for repentance is a prerequisite to forgive the major sins. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Caliph Uthman was keen to teach people goodness, (2) It warns against concealing Islamic knowledge, (3) It urges people to learn and properly abide by ablution's etiquette and conditions, (4) It stressed on the virtue of properly performing ablution, and (5) The legitimacy of swearing without being asked to swear..

228

Amr ibn Saeed ibn Al-'As said, "I was with Uthman who asked for ablution water and said, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'When the time for a prescribed prayer is due and a Muslim properly performs its ablution, submissiveness, and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins as long as he did not commit a major sin. This applies for all times.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to encourage people to perform acts of worship by mentioning their reward, for it is Allah's grace that he makes performing these acts, with caring about their conditions, a reason for forgiveness. In this hadith, Amr ibn Saeed ibn Al-'As narrated that when he was with Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, Uthman asked for ablution water and told him that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When the time for a prescribed prayer is due and a Muslim properly performs its ablution, submissiveness, and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins as long as he did not commit a major sin. This applies for all times." Submissiveness in prayer means that all Muslim's limbs are facing Allah and recalling His greatness. Also, the above-mentioned sins are the minor ones, for forgiving the major sins necessitate repentance. The major sins are those sins that are called in the Quran, the authentic Sunnah, or consensus major sins, necessitate severe punishment, or its doer was cursed or highly reprehensible. This favor from Allah is general and applied to all times, not confined to a specific time. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the virtue of frequently persevering the acts of worship, which is a reason for forgiving minor sins, and (2) It confirms the virtue of ablution and submissiveness in prayer..

231

Humran ibn Aban narrated, “I used to fetch water of ablution for Uthman. There was not a day that he did not take a bath with a small quantity of water. Uthman said, ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told us after completing this prayer, (one of the narrators called Mes'ar said, ‘I think it afternoon prayer.’) ‘I do not know whether I should tell you something or keep quiet.’ We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, if it is good, tell us about it, and if it is otherwise, Allah and His Prophet ﷺ know best.’ So, he said, ‘If a Muslim purifies in a complete way as enjoined upon him by Allah and offers these five prayers, they will expiate what (sins) committed between them.’”.

Commentary : Due to Allah’s grace, He makes performing acts of worship a reason for forgiveness. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ used to encourage people to perform them, by mentioning its reward. In this hadith, Humran ibn Aban, the servant of Othman ibn Affan, narrated that he used to fetch water of ablution for Othman. There was not a day that Othman did not take a bath with a small quantity of water. He was keen to purify himself, out of cleanliness and seeking great rewards mentioned in this hadith. Then, Othman narrated that one day the Prophet ﷺ finished the afternoon prayer and gave his companions the choice between speaking to them or keeping silent to draw their attention for knowledge. They replied, “If it is good, tell us about it, and if it is otherwise, Allah and His Prophet ﷺ know best.” Their response indicates their high good manners with the Prophet ﷺ. He told them that if a Muslim completely performs ablution and offers the five prayers at their appointed times - as in other narrations -, they will expiate what (sins) committed between them. In another narration in Sahih Muslim, he said, “Unless the major sins are committed.” Thus, the above-mentioned forgiveness is applied to the minor, not the major sins which Allah may forgive or punish its doer. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the virtue of ablution, (2) It clarifies the virtue of regularly offering the acts of worship, which is a reason for forgiveness, and (3) It confirms the legitimacy of a ruler’s preaching to people, for Othman was then the caliph..

232

Uthman ibn Affan narrated, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'Whoever properly performs ablution for prayer, walks to (attend) the obligatory prayer, and prays with the people, with the congregation, or in the mosque, Allah will forgive him his sins.'".

Commentary : Prayer is the pillar of Islam that has a great reward. As a result, mere walking to perform prayer in a mosque is a reason for forgiving one’s sins and raising his ranks in Paradise. Similarly, Allah makes ablution and prayer reasons for purifying people from the effects of their sins. Also, he promises that performing acts of worship based on their conditions is a reason for forgiveness. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) said that whoever properly and perfectly performs ablution then walks to perform an obligatory prayer with people, with the congregation, or in the mosque, Allah will forgive his sins. The repeated "or" may be due to a narrator's doubt so the hadith means that a Muslim performs an obligatory prayer with people in a mosque and if they finished it, he would perform it alone in the mosque. Also, it may mean that a Muslim performs an obligatory prayer with people whether in a mosque or somewhere else, so the hadith focusses on performing it with people. As a result, Allah will forgive all of his sins. On the other hand, it was proven in the Quranic and Prophetic texts that it is the minor, not the major sins that will be forgiven, for forgiving major sins necessitates repentance, decisive intention not to commit them again along with some other prerequisites. Finally, the hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Encouragement to properly and perfectly perform ablution, and (2) The virtue of congregational prayer and its great reward..

233

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The five (daily) prayers, the periods from one Friday prayer to the (next) Friday prayer, and from Ramadan to Ramadan expiate the (sins) committed in between provided that one shuns the major sins.".

Commentary : People are created weak, overcome by themselves and devils through committing sins. Allah grants them things that expiate their sins on condition that they avoid major sins, such as performing acts of worship with their prerequisites. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that performing the five daily prayers, performing Friday's prayer to the next one, and fasting Ramadan month to the next one expiate the sins committed in between provided that one shuns the major sins. Repentance is a prerequisite to expiate them. The major sin is the sin that the Quran, the Sunnah, or the scholars' consensus: (1) Stipulated as a major sin, (2) Mentioned a severe punishment or a specific penalty of its doer, and (3) Deeply dispraised or cursed its doer. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows Allah's comprehensive mercy, his grace of forgiveness, and his great reward for small acts of worship, and (2) It confirms the virtue of prayer and fasting in expiating sins..

234

Uqbah ibn Amer narrated, "We were entrusted with the task of caring about camels. On my turn, I took them back in the evening after grazing them in the pastures, I found the Messenger of Allah ﷺ standing and addressing people. I heard him saying, "If any Muslim performs ablution properly, then performs two rak'ahs with his face and heart (inwardly and outwardly), Paradise will be guaranteed for him." I said, "What a fine thing is this!" Someone in front of me said, "The words before them were better." When I cast a glance, I saw that it was 'Umar who said, "I have seen that you have just come." He narrated, "If anyone amongst you performs ablution properly, then says, 'I testify that there is no god worthy of worship, but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah, the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, so he can enter by whichever of them he wishes." In another narration, "Whoever performs ablution and says, 'I testify that there is no god worthy of worship, but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.".

Commentary : Allah’s mercy and reward may be for the simplest acts of worship. Thus, simple acts like ablution, prayer, fasting, charity, and others are means to purify people and forgive their sins on the condition that they avoid the major sins. In this hadith, Uqbah ibn Amer narrated that the companions were alternatively responsible for grazing camels outside Medina, for they did not have servants for this task. After finishing his tiring task, Uqbah went to the Prophetic Mosque and found the Prophet (ﷺ) standing and addressing people, "If any Muslim performs ablution properly, then performs two rak'ahs with his face and heart (outwardly and inwardly), Paradise will be guaranteed for him." His words, "... with his face and heart ..." meant to be sincere and submissive and avoid turning face or making heart busy with thoughts other than prayer details. As a result, the reward is Paradise. Uqbah was astonished by this simple act of worship with the glad tiding and supreme reward. Uqbah lately came to the speech, so he did not hear the speech from the beginning. Omar commented on Uqbah’s opinion, "The words before them were better." Omar told him what he (Uqbah) missed of the Prophetic words, "If anyone amongst you performs ablution properly, then says, 'I testify that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah, the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, so he can enter by whichever of them he wishes." Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies Allah’s great reward. He limitlessly rewards his servants for their simple acts of worship, (2) The virtue of ablution and supplications said afterward, (3) It clarifies the virtue of the two rak'ahs after ablution and urges people to perform them as described in the hadith, (4) It illustrates the companions' keenness to learn and spread the Prophetic knowledge, (5) It stresses that sincerity, devotion to worship, and avoiding worldly concerns are the spirit of worship, (6) It shows the virtue of the two testimonies of monotheism, (7) It describes supreme attributes of the Companions like humility, serving themselves, grazing their camels in spite of their prestige with Allah, (8) It shows the legitimacy of cooperation in the matters of living..

Book of Hadith