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Hadith
2543
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
I have loved the people of the tribe of Banee Tameem ever since I heard, three things, Allah's Messengerﷺ said about them. I heard him saying, ‘These people (of the tribe of Banee Tameem) would stand firm against Al-Dajjaal." When the Sadaqah (i.e., charity) from that tribe came, Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "These are the Sadaqaat (i.e., Zakaah and charity) of our folk." ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had a slave-girl from that tribe, and the Prophet ﷺsaid to her, "Manumit her as she is a descendant of Prophet Ismaa‘eel (Ishmael).”
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to hold people in due regard and laud their good qualities to win their hearts and underline their qualities which merited praise.
In this hadeeth, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he (may Allah be pleased with him) loved the Banee Tameem, an Arab tribe, since the moment he heard the Prophet ﷺ lauding three of their good qualities.
First, they would stand firm against Al-Dajjaal when he emerges. Linguistically, the Arabic word ‘Dajjaal’ denotes concealment and deception, because he is a liar who covers up the truth, conceals it, and reveals falsehood. He will be a human being whose emergence will be one of the major signs of the Last Hour. His emergence shall be a trial and test for people, for Allah, Exalted is He, will grant him some abilities that are exclusive to Him such as: the resurrection of the dead person whom he shall kill, the time of prosperity and affluence that he will usher in, his heaven and fire, and his two rivers. Moreover, the treasures of the land will follow him, and he will command the sky to rain and the plants to grow, and they will comply. All of that shall happen by the power and will of Allah, Exalted is He, as a Fitnah and trial for people.
Second, when their Zakaah and charity funds were brought to the Prophet ﷺ, he ﷺ said: “These are the Sadaqaat (i.e., Zakaah and charity) of our folk." He ﷺ attributed them to himself because their lineage intersects with the Prophet’s, as they both can be traced back to Ilyaas ibn Mudhar.
Third, he ﷺ attributed them to Prophet Ismaa‘eel (Ishmael). ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had a slave-girl from that tribe, taken prisoner in one of the battles, and the Prophet ﷺsaid to her, "Manumit her as she is a descendant of Prophet Ismaa‘eel (Ishmael).”
It is inferred therefrom that it is allowable to take Arab captives as prisoners of war and retain ownership of them as is the case with non-Arab captives.
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2548
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah:
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "A pious slave gets a double reward." Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is but for Jihaad, Hajj, and my duty to serve my mother, I would have loved to die as a slave”.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ keenly urged slaves to obey their masters, for Allah, Exalted is He, does not allow a doer’s good deed to go unrewarded. When a slave shoulders great burdens and duties and carries them out as due, aspiring to the reward of Allah, Exalted is He, He shall reward him handsomely.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺsaid, "A pious slave gets a double reward,” meaning the slave who serves his master duly and fulfills his rights over him, and also honors the rights of Allah over him, i.e., worship, earns a double reward; one for his service to his master and aspiring to the rewards of Allah, Exalted is He, and the second is for his worship, like any obedient servant of Allah who fulfills the rights of his Lord over him. It was also said that such a slave earns a double reward if he serves his master with what constitutes obedience to Allah, Exalted is He, such as the service of the needy and weak people, when his master commands him to do so.
Afterward, Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, but for Jihaad, Hajj, and my duty to serve my mother, I would have loved to die as a slave.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that had not it been for the (abundant rewards of) Jihaad, Hajj, and dutifulness towards one’s mother, observed by a free Muslim man, he (may Allah be pleased with him) would have loved and chosen to die as a slave to earn such great rewards. The reward of a good slave is after that of Jihaad, Hajj, and dutifulness towards one’s parents, because a slave is unable to perform such great acts of worship except with the permission of his master, who may hinder or prevent him from performing them.

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2551
Aboo Moosaa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "A Mamlook (i.e., slave) who worships his Lord in a perfect manner, and is dutiful, sincere and obedient to his Saiyyid (i.e., master), will get a double reward."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ keenly urged slaves to obey their masters, for Allah, Exalted is He, does not allow a doer’s good deed to go unrewarded. When a slave shoulders great burdens and duties and carries them out as due, aspiring to the reward of Allah, Exalted is He, He shall reward him handsomely.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined that a slave who worships and obeys Allah, Exalted is He, as due, fulfills the rights of his master, and displays sincerity and obedience to him, within what is permissible as per the laws of Islam, earns a double reward; one for his service of his master and aspiration to the rewards of Allah, Exalted is He, and also the reward of worship, like any obedient servant of Allah who fulfills the rights of his Lord over him.
The hadeeth urges slaves to perfect their adherence to and performance of the worshipful acts and be sincere in this regard.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that obedience to Allah, Exalted is He, is more imperative and takes precedence over the obedience to any created being, as it was given priority in the hadeeth.
It also underlines the vast and all-inclusive nature of the divine mercy and grace bestowed by Allah, Exalted is He, on His servants, and the multiplication of their rewards.
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2552
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "You should not say, 'Feed your lord (Rabbaka), help your lord in performing ablution, or give water to your lord, but should say, 'my master (e.g., Feed your master instead of lord etc.) (Saiyyidee), or my guardian (Mawlaaiy), and one should not say, my slave (‘Abdee), or my girl-slave (Amatee), but should say, my lad (Fatayaa), my lass (Fataatee), and 'my boy (Ghulaamee).
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Commentary :
In this Hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined some guidelines for the Islamic etiquette of speech that instillshumility within Muslims’ hearts. He ﷺ highlighted the proper titles that should be used when masters and slaves address one another. He ﷺ forbade slave-owners to address their slaves or those owned by others using the title ‘lord’ in reference to a master or slave-owner, saying, ‘Feed your lord (Rabbaka), help your lord in performing ablution, or give water to your lord,’ and instructed them to rather use the title master (Saiyyid) or guardian (Mawlaa).
Moreover, he ﷺ forbade slave-owners to address their slaves saying, “my slave (‘Abdee), or my girl-slave (Amatee),” because absolute servitude is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He, “but should say, my lad (Fatayaa), my lass (Fataatee), and my boy (Ghulaamee).”
The wisdom behind the prohibition is this regard is that human beings are required to devote their worship exclusively to Allah, Exalted is He, their One and Only Lord, and to refrain from associating any partners with Him, and therefore it is disliked to address someone as ‘lord’, lest one should fall into Shirk (i.e., associating partners with Allah). There is no difference in the relevant ruling when the addressee is a slave or a free man. As for what is not taken as an object of worship, such as animals and inanimate objects, it is not disliked to refer to their owner as ‘Rabb,’ which literally means lord, like saying the lord of the house for instance.
As for the fact that the title Rabb was used in His Saying (which means): {"Mention me before your Rabb (lit., lord)."} [Quran 12:42], and His Saying {Return to your Rabb (lit., lord).} [Quran 12:50], it was used to indicate the permissibility of using the title, and the prohibition in this hadeeth aims to urge Muslims to adhere to the becoming Islamic etiquette of speech and (graciously refrain from using it since), being a non-prohibitively disliked act rather than forbidden. It could also mean that a Muslim is forbidden from the excessive and habitual use of such titles, but it does not indicate deeming it strictly forbidden when used occasionally.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a Muslim is required to abide by the Islamic etiquette of speech even if the wording does not involve any violation of the Laws of Islam..

2557
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "When your servant brings your meals to you then if he does not let him sit and share the meals, then he should at least give him a mouthful or two mouthfuls of that meal or bits of the food, as he has prepared it."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ taught us the Islamic etiquette of dealing with servants and the less fortunate, and urged Muslims to treat them well and honor them.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ instructed Muslims to abide by refined Islamic etiquette when interacting with one’s servants and slaves. He ﷺ enjoined a master or slave-owner to invite the servant, who serves him food, to join him for the meal that he has prepared and cooked. If he cannot invite him to join him for the meal for a valid excuse, like having a small quantity of food, involuntarily disliking it and fearing to force himself into it lest he should fall into a Laws of Islam violation, or for any other reason like his wish to enjoy a delicious meal on his own, or that a servant dislikes it out of bashfulness or politeness, he should feed the servant from the food he has prepared. He ﷺ instructed that he should offer the servant a mouthful or two mouthfuls of that meal. It was also said that he ﷺ said, “bits of the food.” To reconcile between the two wordings, it can be fairly said that the meaning of the two wordings is close; it is possible that the narrator doubted as whether the Prophet ﷺ had said ‘mouthful’ or ‘bits of food’, and narrated them both using the particle of conjunction “Aww” (or) to indicate his doubt and be honest in narrating the hadeeth. It is also possible the Prophet ﷺ used the particle of conjunction “Aww” (or) to couple two synonyms.
The Prophet ﷺ justified the command to feed the servant from the meal he has prepared by saying that he is the one who endured the heat and smoke when cooking the food, went to the trouble of preparing the meal for him, smelled the aroma of delicious food, and craved to taste it. Moreover, eating with one’s servant is a manifestation of humbleness and modesty, and it distances one from arrogance, and this is part of the becoming etiquette of the believers and the good manners of the Messengers of Allah..

2559
It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid, "If somebody fights (or beats somebody), let him avoid striking the face."
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Commentary :
Man is the creation of Allah, Exalted is He; He created, honored, and favored him over many other created beings. He enjoins us to honor and respect human sanctity, and specifically commanded us to respect the face, being the loftiest body part that is associated with human dignity and honor.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ commands Muslims to avoid striking the face, if they have to hit someone in a quarrel, fight, and the like. The prohibition in this regard also applies to all (prescribed) disciplinary measures towards one’s servant, wife, and children. It is prohibited to strike someone’s face, because it is special; its parts are invaluable and crucial for most human cognitive processes; striking the face may cause serious damage to a person’s cognitive abilities. It might also deform the face, which is a substantial damage because the face is the most prominent body part that is hard to cover, and striking it often causes some sort of damage.
The version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Muslim further clarified the rationale behind the prohibition in this regard. The Prophet ﷺ said: “When any of you fights another person, let him avoid striking the face, for Allah, Exalted is He, created Adam in His own image.” This means that Allah, Exalted is He, created Man in His own image, but this does not mean that He is like His creation. Rather, Allah, Exalted is He, is nothing like His creation, for His Attributes befit His Majesty and Grandeur, and human beings’ attributes suit them as well. The attributes of human beings are subject to non-existence and imperfection, whereas the Attributes of Allah are perfect and ever-lasting. Therefore, Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Quran 42:11]. He also Says (what means): {Nor is there to Him any equivalent.} [Quran 112:4].
This hadeeth underlines one of the Attributes of Allah, Exalted is He, in which we are enjoined to believe without Tahreef (i.e., distortion) or Ta‘teel (i.e., denial), Takyeef (i.e., trying to describe "how" an Attribute is, e.g., to say: How Allah's Face is), or Tashbeeh and Tamtheel (i.e., likening Allah to His creation).
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2566
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, “O Muslim women! None of you should look down upon the gift sent by her female neighbor even if it were the trotters of sheep (i.e., fleshless part of sheep’s legs).”
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, shall reward Muslims for all good deeds and acts of kindness, no matter how small they may seem. He Says (what means): {So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it.} [Quran 99: 7].
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ enjoined women not to belittle any gift they may offer to their neighbors, even it was sheep’s trotters (i.e., fleshless part of sheep’s legs)! It was said that the meaning of the Prophet’s ﷺstatement is that a woman must not look down on any gift, as insignificant as it may seem, that she offered to her neighbors, meaning that she should not refrain from offering charity and gifts to her neighbors because she believes such gifts and charity are insignificant. Rather, they are enjoined to spend in charity and offer gifts from whatever they have available, regardless of its worth, even if it was a sheep’s trotter or a goat’s hoof; it is better than nothing. If people generously spend in charity and exchange gifts from small provisions, it will add up, and such acts foster mutual love and affection, and expel grudges and hatred. Moreover, small gifts are more indicative of affection, and are also easier and more convenient for the gift giver, being more affordable. The Prophet ﷺ made mention of women in particular because they often belittle such small things, boast about abundance, and the like.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to offer gifts to their neighbors.

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2567
 ‘Urwah narrated:
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said to me, "O my nephew! We used to see the crescent, and then the crescent and then the crescent in this way we saw three crescents in two months and no fire (for cooking) used to be made in the houses of Allah's Messenger ﷺ. I said, "O my aunt! Then what did you eat to sustain yourselves?" ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "The two black foodstuff: dates and water; our neighbors from Ansaar had some milch she-camels and they used to present Allah's Messenger ﷺ some of their milk and he ﷺ used to offer it to us to drink it.".

Commentary :
This hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s asceticism and renouncement of this worldly life. He ﷺ was content with a small share of worldly provisions and pleasures and endured it. He ﷺ was content with having his basic needs and necessities of life, and gave preference to the Hereafter over the worldly life. The Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah bint Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them) said to her nephew ‘Urwah ibn Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), the son of her sister Asmaa’ bint Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them), that they used to wait three crescents in a row, i.e., 60 days or three consecutive months, and no fire (for cooking) would be used in the houses of Allah's Messenger ﷺ! ‘Urwah exclaimed: “O my aunt! Then what did you eat to sustain yourselves?” ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "The two black foodstuffs: dates and water;” Arabs used one word to refer to both dates and water (since dates and water are usually consumed together), Al-Aswadaan (i.e., the two black things) even though only the dates are black (which is known in Arabic language as Taghleeb), giving preference to the color of dates.
She (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “… our neighbors from the Ansaar,” and it was said that they were Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Haraam, Aboo Ayyoob Khaalid ibn Zayd, Sa‘d ibn Zuraarah, and others (may Allah be pleased with them), “… had some milch she-camels and they used to present Allah's Messenger ﷺ some of their milk and he ﷺ used to offer it to us to drink it. It was also said that the Arabic word Manaa’ih referred to milch she-camels or sheep that are gifted to someone else to avail himself of their milk, and then return them to their owners. It could also mean that such she-camels or sheep are offered as life-long gifts to others to keep and avail themselves of their milk and other benefits. These men from the Ansaar used to gift such milk to the Prophet ﷺ, who offered it to his household members as sustenance.
The hadeeth underlines the merits of the Ansaar (may Allah be pleased with them) and the virtues of exchanging gifts and presents, as small and insignificant as they may seem.
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2568
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "I shall accept the invitation even if I were invited to a meal of a sheep's arm or trotter, and I shall accept the gift even if it were a sheep's arm or trotter."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to accept invitations and gifts, regardless of their worth, out of his refined moral character and graciousness.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ instructed his Ummah, saying: “I shall accept the invitation even if I were invited to a meal of a sheep's arm or trotter, and I shall accept the gift even if it were a sheep's arm or trotter.” The most beloved part to the Prophet ﷺ from a slaughtered animal was its arm, because this meat can be cooked easily, and is more delicious than the other parts of the animal. A sheep’strotter means the fleshless part of the legs below the knees. He ﷺ stated that if he was invited for a meal of a sheep’s arm or trotter, or it was gifted to him, he ﷺ would graciously accept it. He ﷺ made mention of a sheep’s arm or trotter to indicate his keenness to accept invitations and gifts, regardless of their worth. This reflects his humbleness, kindness, and consideration of the host’s or gift-giver’s feelings, lest he may be hurt or harmed if he ﷺ turned down his invitation or gift.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to accept gifts and invitations, and graciously eat from any food served to them, even if it was a small humble meal.
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2571
Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):
Once Allah's Messengerﷺvisited us in this house of ours and asked for something to drink. We milked one of our sheep and mixed it with water from this well of ours and gave it to him. Aboo Bakr was sitting on his left side and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) in front of him and a Bedouin on his right side. When Allah's Messengerﷺfinished, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, “Here is Aboo Bakr!" But Allah's Messengerﷺ gave the remaining milk to the Bedouin and said twice, "The (persons on the) right side! Start from the right side." Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) added, "It is an act of Sunnah," and repeated it thrice.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was keen to instill goodness and adherence to true guidance within Muslims, an example of which is teaching Muslims to start with the right side in every act where it is optional; the right side is blessed since the people of the right hand (i.e., those whose books of records will be placed in their right hands) are the people of Paradise.
In this hadeeth, Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺvisited their house and asked for something to drink. They milked one of their sheep, and Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) mixed it with water from the well inside their house and gave it to the Prophet ﷺ. Aboo Bakr was sitting on his left side, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) in front of him, and a Bedouin on his right side. When Allah's Messengerﷺfinished drinking, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, “Here is Aboo Bakr!" He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant to ask the Prophet ﷺ to give him the milk, but heﷺ gave the remaining milk to the Bedouin and said twice, "The (persons on the) right side! Start from the right side,” meaning that those on one’s righthand side should be given precedence, and repeatedly emphasized it by the following command to start with the right side. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) added, "It is an act of Sunnah," and repeated it thrice, to further stress its importance, and the Prophet’s command in this regard.
In the same vein, it was narrated on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa‘d Al-Saa‘idee (may Allah be pleased with him), and recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, that the Prophet ﷺ was oncewas offered something to drink. He ﷺ drank of it while on his right was a boy, i.e., Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them), and on his left were some elderly people. He ﷺ said to the boy, "May I give these (elderly) people first?" The boy said, "By Allah, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! I will not give up my share from you to somebody else." On that, Allah's Messenger ﷺ placed the cup in the hand of that boy. In this incident, he ﷺ sought permission from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) because he was on his right side and worthier of the turn, and did not seek the Bedouin’s permission in the other hadeeth to give the milk to Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) out of consideration of his feelings, being a new revert and lest he should assume that the Prophet ﷺ was disgusted by him, and that he ﷺ was offending him, acting upon the Arabs’ prejudice against Bedouins in the pre-Islamic era, in light of the Bedouins’ reputation for being harsh and discourteous. Moreover, he ﷺ sought the permission of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) to offer the beverage to the elderly and elite of his people, as he ﷺ was confident that he (may Allah be pleased with him) would not mind being asked to do so, and out of courtesy and consideration for the elderly people, and also to edify those who did not know on the relevant ruling, and that he ﷺ could not deny the one on his right hand his turn except with his permission.
As for the fact that other Laws of Islam texts have been reported regarding giving precedence to elderly people, there is no contradiction between their indication and the command to start with one’s right hand; giving precedence to the elderly people should be done when all the concerned people are of equal statuses (as far as all other qualities are concerned). In this case, the older person should be given precedence. The same goes for the case when a group of people do not sit in order, i.e., ranked by age; in this case the older ones should be given precedence. However, if they sat down in order, the one sitting on the right side should be given precedence and he is more deserving of it than the elder.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the act of Sunnah is to give the beverage to the one on the right side, even if the one on the left side is more virtuous.

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2572
Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):
Once Allah's Messengerﷺvisited us in this house of ours and asked for something to drink. We milked one of our sheep and mixed it with water from this well of ours and gave it to him. Aboo Bakr was sitting on his left side and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) in front of him and a Bedouin on his right side. When Allah's Messengerﷺfinished, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, “Here is Aboo Bakr!" But Allah's Messengerﷺ gave the remaining milk to the Bedouin and said twice, "The (persons on the) right side! Start from the right side." Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) added, "It is an act of Sunnah," and repeated it thrice.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was keen to instill goodness and adherence to true guidance within Muslims, an example of which is teaching Muslims to start with the right side in every act where it is optional; the right side is blessed since the people of the right hand (i.e., those whose books of records will be placed in their right hands) are the people of Paradise.
In this hadeeth, Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺvisited their house and asked for something to drink. They milked one of their sheep, and Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) mixed it with water from the well inside their house and gave it to the Prophet ﷺ. Aboo Bakr was sitting on his left side, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) in front of him, and a Bedouin on his right side. When Allah's Messengerﷺfinished drinking, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, “Here is Aboo Bakr!" He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant to ask the Prophet ﷺ to give him the milk, but heﷺ gave the remaining milk to the Bedouin and said twice, "The (persons on the) right side! Start from the right side,” meaning that those on one’s righthand side should be given precedence, and repeatedly emphasized it by the following command to start with the right side. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) added, "It is an act of Sunnah," and repeated it thrice, to further stress its importance and the Prophet’s ﷺcommand in this regard.
In the same vein, it was narrated on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa‘d Al-Saa‘idee (may Allah be pleased with him), and recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, that the Prophet ﷺ was oncewas offered something to drink. He ﷺ drank of it while on his right was a boy, i.e., Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them), and on his left were some elderly people. He ﷺsaid to the boy, "May I give these (elderly) people first?" The boy said, "By Allah, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! I will not give up my share from you to somebody else." On that, Allah's Messenger ﷺ placed the cup in the hand of that boy. In this incident, he ﷺ sought permission from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) because he was on his right side and worthier of the turn, and did not seek the Bedouin’s permission in the other hadeeth to give the milk to Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), out of consideration of his feelings, being a new revert and lest he should assume that the Prophet ﷺ was disgusted by him, and that he ﷺ was offending him, acting upon the Arabs’ prejudice against Bedouins in the pre-Islamic era, in light of the Bedouins’ reputation for being harsh and discourteous. Moreover, he ﷺ sought the permission of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) to offer the beverage to the elderly and elite of his people, as he ﷺ was confident that he (may Allah be pleased with him) would not mind being asked to do so, and out of courtesy and consideration for the elderly people, and also to edify those who did not know on the relevant ruling and that he ﷺ could not deny the one on his right hand his turn except with his permission.
As for the fact that other Laws of Islam texts have been reported regarding giving precedence to elderly people, there is no contradiction between their indication and the command to start with one’s right hand; giving precedence to the elderly people should be done when all the concerned people are of equal statuses (as far as all other qualities are concerned). In this case, the older person should be given precedence. The same goes for the case when a group of people do not sit in order, i.e., ranked by age; in this case the older ones should be given precedence. However, if they sat down in order, the one sitting on the right side should be given precedence, and he is more deserving of it than the elder.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the act of Sunnah is to give the beverage to the one on the right side, even if the one on the left side is more virtuous.

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2576
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
We chased a rabbit at Marr Al-Thahraan and people ran after it but were exhausted. I overpowered and caught it, and gave it to Aboo Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) who slaughtered it and sent its hip or two thighs to Allah's Messenger ﷺ. (The narrator confirms that he sent two thighs). The Prophet ﷺ accepted his gift. (The sub-narrator asked Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), "Did the Prophet ﷺ eat from it?" Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "He ﷺ ate from it.")
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was the humblest of all people, and a manifestation of his (exemplary) humility was that he ﷺaccepted gifts from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), regardless of their worth.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) stated: “We chased a rabbit at Marr Al-Thahraan, meaning that they forced it out of its hole and chased it at Marr Al-Thahraan, a valley five miles (8 kilometers) from Makkah in the direction of Al-Madeenah. People ran after it but were exhausted. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) overpowered and caught it.He said: “I gave it to Aboo Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) who slaughtered it,” for Aboo Talhah Al-Ansaaree was his stepfather, who married his mother Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with them). Aboo Talhah sent Anas (may Allah be pleased with them) with its hip or two thighs to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, as a gift. Shu‘bah ibn Al-Hajjaaj, a sub-narrator of the hadeeth, confirmed that he sent two thighs. Shu‘bah doubted at the beginning as to whether he (may Allah be pleased with him) had gifted the rabbit’s hips or thighs to the Prophet ﷺ but then learnt with certainty that he (may Allah be pleased with him) sent him the thighs; the hips are part of the thighs. The Prophet ﷺ accepted the gift. Shu‘bah also doubted as to whether the Prophet ﷺ ate from it or not, but merely narrated that he ﷺaccepted it. When Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about it, he (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "He ﷺ ate from it." Shu‘bah was certain that he ﷺ accepted the gift but doubted as to whether he ﷺ ate it or not. Anyway, whether he ﷺ ate it or merely accepted it, this hadeeth evidences that it is allowable to eat rabbit meat.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that accepting a hunted gift and the like is allowable.
It is also deduced therefrom that hunting is permissible as long it does not lead to missing the prayers or other religious and worldly interests.
It is also inferred that a hunted animal belongs to the one who catches and takes it, and none of the chasers has the right to any share of it..

2581
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Whenever a meal was brought to Allah's Messengerﷺ,he would ask whether it was a gift or Sadaqah (i.e., charity). If he ﷺ was told that it was Sadaqah, he ﷺ would tell his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to eat it, but if it was a gift, he ﷺ would hasten to share it with them.
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Commentary :
It was forbidden for the Prophet ﷺ to eat or avail himself of what is given in charity, because it may be paid by some people as means to purify their wealth from unlawful earnings or as atonement for their sins.
In this hadeeth, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that whenever a meal was brought to Allah's Messengerﷺ,he would ask whether it was a gift or Sadaqah (i.e., charity). If he ﷺ was told that it was Sadaqah, he ﷺ would tell his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to eat it, but if it was a gift, he ﷺ would hasten to share it with them. This is because it was deemed unlawful for the Prophet ﷺ to eat from what was given in charity. He ﷺ used to eat from a meal offered as a gift rather than the one give in charity, because the exchange of gifts fosters love and affection, and it was possible that he ﷺ would reward the gift-giver with a similar or better gift so that none should do a favor to the Prophet ﷺ (that would go unrewarded), but this was not the same for charity, and this was the wisdom behind the different rulings.
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2582
‘Azrah ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree narrated:When I went to Thumaamah ibn ‘Abdullah, he gave me some perfume and said that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him)would not reject the gifts of perfume and said that the Prophet ﷺwould not reject any perfume gifted to him.
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Commentary :
Perfume was one of the most beloved things to the Prophet ﷺ, as he used to love (cleanliness and) good scent and disliked that his body odor should not be pleasant, which was not possible, because he ﷺ always had a good smell, and wore the best perfume, so much that people used to use his sweat as perfume.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee ‘Azrah ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree narrated that he visited Thumaamah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Anas ibn Maalik, who gave him some perfume and told him that his grandfather Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) never turned down perfume gifted to him, following the example of the Prophet ﷺ who did not turn down perfume that was gifted to him.
The prohibition of turning down gifts of perfume was reported along with the wisdom behind it in the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), and recorded by Aboo Daawood, reading: “Whoever is offered perfume (as a gift), let him not refuse it, for it is easy to carry, and smells good.” 
The hadeeth urges Muslims to considerately accept people’s gifts.
It is also inferred therefrom that Muslims are urged to wear fragrance and use aromatic perfumes..

2585
 ‘Aai’shah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺused to accept gifts and used to give something in return.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was the humblest of all people, and a manifestation of such (exemplary) humility was that he ﷺ would accept gifts from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), regardless of their worth.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that the Prophet ﷺ used to accept gifts from people and never turned down any gift given to him, regardless of its value. In this vein, the Prophet ﷺ said: “I shall accept the gift even if it were an arm or a trotter of a sheep.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
This reflected his graciousness and noble moral character as he ﷺ was keen to win people’s hearts. He ﷺ used to accept people’s gifts, no matter how insignificant they may seem, and reward the gift givers with similar or better gifts, acting upon the Islamic etiquette of rewarding acts of kindness in kind, with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner] and so that none should do a favor to the Prophet ﷺ that goes unrewarded.
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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..

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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..

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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..

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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..

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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..