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Hadith
2322
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "Whoever keeps a dog, one Qiraat of the reward of his good deeds is deducted daily, unless the dog is used for guarding farms or cattle." Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) (in another narration) said that the Prophet ﷺ added, "… unless it is used for guarding sheep or farms, or for hunting." Aboo Haazim narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺsaid, "A dog for guarding cattle or for hunting."
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Commentary :
This hadeeth underlines the prohibition of owning and keeping dogs for other than three purposes: hunting, guarding livestock, and guarding farms. It underlines that keeping a dog for other than these three purposes causes one to lose one Qiraat of the rewards of his good deeds every day. Qiraat is a specific measure of reward that is only known to Allah, Exalted is He, and the meaning is that such a person’s rewards are diminished.
It is possible that the reason for the decrease in the reward because of keeping dogs is that the angels do not enter such a person’s house because of it, as narrated in the authentic Sunnah texts. It is also possible that another reason is the harm and intimidation caused by dogs to passers-by, or that it is a punishment for boldly committing a prohibited act and disobeying the Prophet ﷺ.
The hadeeth underlines the kindness of Allah, Exalted is He, towards His creation in permitting what benefits them, in earning their living in the worldly life, and in their Hereafter as well.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that guaranteed benefit should be given precedence over the outweighed evil, mirrored in the exclusion of the three purposes from the relevant prohibition.
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2324
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺsaid, "While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, 'I have not been created for this purpose (i.e., riding), I have been rather created for ploughing." The Prophet ﷺ added, "I, Aboo Bakr, and ‘Umar believe in the story." The Prophet ﷺwent on, "A wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it, the wolf said, 'Who will be its guard on the day of wild beasts, when there will be no shepherd for it except me?' "After narrating it, the Prophet ﷺ said, "I, Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar too believe it." Aboo Salamah (a sub-narrator) said, "Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar were not present then."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to narrate to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) the news of the previous nations and the miracles performed for them, to deduce lessons therefrom.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ related two miraculous incidents that took place in the past. First, “While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, 'I have not been created for this purpose (i.e., riding), I have been rather created for ploughing.’” Secondly, “A wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it,” to rescue it, “the wolf said, 'Who will be its guard on the day of wild beasts,” near the Last Hour, meaning that there shall be no people left as they would all die and perish, the earth would be destroyed, only beasts would remain and then, there shall be no shepherds to protect the sheep from the wolves and beasts, “when there will be no shepherd for it except me?’”
In these miraculous incidents, the cow and the wolf spoke by the permission and power of Allah, Exalted is He, and he ﷺ said, "I, Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar too believe it,” meaning that they believed in these two unusual and miraculous incidents that were contrary to the law-structure of the uniayah (i.e., natural laws), because the One who created these systems Is (effortlessly) Able to break them. The Prophet ﷺ mentioned Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) even though they were not present at that time out of his unshakable confidence in them, because he ﷺ knew of the sincerity of their faith, the strength of their certitude, and their certain knowledge of the great Omnipotence of Allah and the perfection of His power.
The hadeeth highlights one of the signs of his prophethoodﷺ.
It also underlines an apparent virtue of Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them).
It is deduced therefrom that animals should be used only for their customary purposes, because Allah, Exalted is He, has prepared these creatures and subjugated them to Man to perform the tasks for which they were created. When they are used to perform tasks other than those for which they were created, it constitutes an act of injustice. It is also inferred that cows should only be used for ploughing, not for riding.
It is also deduced therefrom that a manifestation of faith is to believe absolutely everything that the Prophet ﷺreported..

2325
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Ansaar said to the Prophet ﷺ: "Distribute the dates (of the palm trees) between us and our emigrant brothers." He ﷺ replied, "No." The Ansaar said (to the emigrants), "Look after the (palm) trees (i.e., water, and tend to them and share the fruits with us." They (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "We hear and obey."
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Commentary :
When the Prophet ﷺ migrated to Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ established the bond of brotherhood between the emigrants and the Ansaar (may Allah be pleased with them), who were exceptionally generous towards their fellow Muslims. None of them was stingy,nor did they withhold their wealth, homes, and food from their Muslim brothers. They graciously and munificently shared their wealth and houses with the emigrants.
In this hadeeth, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Ansaar (may Allah be pleased with them), who were the people of Al-Madeenah, wanted to split their palm trees with their emigrant brothers, putting their best interests before their own. They asked the Prophet ﷺ to divide up the date palms they owned between themselves and the emigrants, but he ﷺ refused, because he ﷺ knew of the future conquests and wealth that they would be given (i.e., spoils of war). Therefore, he ﷺ disliked that the Ansaar should give up their property. When they knew the Prophet’s decision, they sought to realize both benefits, namely, comply with the Prophet’s command and hasten to support their emigrant brothers financially. They said: “Look after the (palm) trees (i.e., water and tend to them) and share the fruits with us." The apparent indication of their statement is that the emigrants would perform the cultivation and irrigation work and take care of the lands, so that the Ansaar would grow their palm trees and they both would share the fruits. This means that the Ansaar retained their ownership of the palm trees,while the emigrants helped them out with the cultivation and irrigation work in return for a share of the picked fruits. This business transaction is known as Musaaqaah, (i.e., a share tenancy or partnership in the yield of trees), wherebytrees are given to someone to look after and irrigate in return for a share of the harvest. The version of the hadeeth recorded in Musnad Abee Ya‘laa reads: “He ﷺ said, ‘No; they may look after the palm trees in return for a half of the yield.’” According to this version, those were the words of the Prophet ﷺ and the meaning would be that the Ansaar would look after the lands, because the emigrants were not familiar with cultivation. This meaning was further supported by the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reading: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Al-Madeenah, the emigrants came to him and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! We have not seen people who are more willing to sacrifice when having a lot, nor more patient when having a little than the people whom we are staying amongst. Our provisions are so sufficient, and we share with them their produce, such that we fear that all our reward is gone. So, the Prophet ﷺ said: "No! As long as you supplicate to Allah for them and praise (i.e., show gratitude to) them (for it).”’
Thereupon, both the Ansaar and emigrants said: “We hear and obey,” in response to the Prophet’s command.
Musaaqaah and Muzaara‘ah are partnership contracts that are founded on justice between the two partners. The owner of the trees and land may be likened to the owner of capital money (i.e., principal) who gives it to a Mudhaarib (i.e., the one who manages the Mudhaarabah) to invest his capital in trade, provided that they both share the profits and endure the potential loss equally, and this makes their partnership free of risk and ambiguity.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to help their fellow Muslims and relieve them of hardship.
It also underlines the virtues of the emigrants and Ansaar, and their good compliance with the Prophet’s commands.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to engage in Musaaqaah and Muzaara‘ah agreements.
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2326
 ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Prophet ﷺ got the date palm trees of the tribe of Banee Al-Nadheer burnt and the trees cut down at a place called Al-Buwayrah. In such occasion, Hassaan ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) said a poetic verse (which means): "The chiefs of Banee Loo’ay found it easy to watch fire spreading at Al-Buwayrah."
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Commentary :
Many Jewish tribes lived in Al-Madeenah including: Banee Al-Nadheer, Banee Qurayzah, Banee Qaynuqaa‘, and Banee Haarithah, until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ migrated to Al-Madeenah. After the migration, he ﷺ concluded peace treaties with some of them and fought others. When Banee Al-Nadheer betrayed the Prophet ﷺ in 4 A.H., and treacherously tried to kill him, he ﷺ led the Muslim army and besieged them. They took shelter in their fortresses and therefore he ﷺ imposed a siege on them, and ordered their palm trees to be cut and burnt, to force them out. It was also said that only fruitless trees were cut and burnt. It was said also that only (palm) trees on the battlefield were cut and burnt. These palm trees were located in a place known as Al-Buwayrah, a known place between Al-Madeenah and Taymaa’ from the direction of Qubaa’ Mosque to the west.
On this occasion, Hassaan ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) said a poetic verse that reads (that which means): "The chiefs of Banee Loo’ay found it easy to watch fire spreading at Al- Buwayrah.” It means that the chiefs of Banee Loo’ay, i.e., Quraysh, found it easy to watch fire spreading at Al- Buwayrah that belonged to Banee Al-Nadheer. Hassaan ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him) made a reference to Quraysh because they had enticed Banee Al-Nadheer to violate their peace treaty and covenant with the Muslims, and promised them support in case the Prophet ﷺ waged a war against them, but failed to live up to their promise.

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2327
Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
We worked on farms more than anybody else in Al-Madeenah. We used to rent the land at the yield of specific delimited portion of it to be given to the landlord. Sometimes the vegetation of that portion was affected by blights etc., while the rest remained safe and vice versa, so the Prophet ﷺ forbade this practice. At that time gold or silver were not used (for renting lands). If they provided the seeds, they would get so-and-so much in return.
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Commentary : Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this hadeeth, Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej related that they had more agricultural lands than all the people in Al-Madeenah, and used to rent out the lands to farmers to cultivate and look after them in return for a specified portion of the farm having its yield payable to the landlord,while the farmers took the remaining yield. Sometimes the yield of the farmer’s portion was affected by blights etc., and accordingly went bad and spoiled, while the rest remained safe, or vice versa. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade this practice, given the Gharar (i.e., risk and uncertainty) and harm it incurs on one party. One party would gain profits and the other would incur loss, and this constitutes unlawfully devouring the wealth of one’s fellow Muslim. He added: “At that time, gold or silver were not used (for renting lands),” meaning that they were not acceptable as payments in lease agreements. It does not suggest that gold and silver were not used as currency.
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that the Prophet ﷺ forbade was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction which was evidently corrupt, warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transaction, there is no harm in that.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield,while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the yield, rather than renting out one’s land for cultivation in return for the yield of a specific portion of the farm.

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2328
 ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ concluded a contract with the people of Khaybar to utilize the land on the condition that half the produce, fruits or vegetation, would be their share. The Prophet ﷺused to give his wives one hundred Wasqs each, eighty Wasqs of dates and twenty Wasqs of barley. When ‘Umar became the Caliph, he gave the wives of the Prophet ﷺ the option of either having the land and water as their shares, or carrying on the previous practice. Some of them chose the land and some chose the Wasqs, and ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) chose the land.
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Commentary :
Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ conquered Khaybar, a town located 95 miles (153 km) to the north of Al-Madeenah on the route to Shaam,whichwas inhabited by the Jews. After its conquest in 7 A.H., the Prophet ﷺ made an agreement with the Jews to look after the palm groves and agricultural fields in return for half the yield. They were responsible for tending to the lands, cultivating, and irrigating them in return for half the picked dates. This business transaction is called Musaaqaah (i.e., share-tenancy orpartnership in the yield of trees), whereas Muzaara‘ah means renting out land to someone to cultivate it in return for half the yield. The Prophet ﷺ used to give his wives one hundred Wasqs each. A Wasq equaled 60 Saa‘s (approximately 130 kg) and the Saa‘ equaled four Mudds, and the Mudd equaled two handfuls scooped up by someone with hands of average size. He ﷺ also gave each eighty Wasqs of dates and twenty Wasqs of barley. When ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) became the Caliph, he exiled the Jews from Khaybar and they settled in Taymaa’ and Areehaa’ instead. He (may Allah be pleased with them) distributed the lands of Khaybar between Muslims and gave the wives of the Prophet ﷺ the choice either to have their share of the land or carry on the previous practice, and take exactly what the Prophet ﷺ used to give them. Some of them chose to take their shares of the land,while others preferred the old practice. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was one of those who chose the land.
The hadeeth highlights the permissibility of Muzaara‘ah and Musaaqaah transactions.
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2330
 ‘Amr ibn Dinaar said to Taawoos: "I wish you would give up Mukhaabarah (i.e., a sharecropping agreement whereby a plot of land is rented for part of its yield, or the cultivation of a sowed land in return for a specific portion of its produce, and the rent is paid in kind from the land's produce), for people say that the Prophet ﷺ forbade it." On that Taawoos replied, "O ‘Amr! I give the land to sharecroppers and help them. No doubt; the most learned man, namely Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) told me that the Prophet ﷺhad not forbidden it but said, 'It is more beneficial to give one’s land free to his fellow Muslim brother than to charge him a fixed rent.’.

Commentary :
Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this narration, a dialogue took place between ‘Amr ibn Dinaar and Taawoos ibn Kaysaan, who used to engage in Mukhaabarah, which is a sharecropping transaction which involved cultivating a land in return for a fixed share of the yield, and which is similar to the Muzaara‘ah transaction (i.e., a contract in which one of the parties gives a plot of land for a fixed period to the other party to cultivate and divide up the yield), but the difference between them is that the farmer supplies the seeds,in addition to his labor and expertise (and the landlord provides, through lease, the plot of land to be ploughed in preparation for sowing seed and growing crops) in the Mukhaabarahtransaction, whereas a landowner provides both in the Muzaara‘ah transaction. ‘Amr said to him: "I wish you would give up Mukhaabarah, for people say that the Prophet ﷺ forbade it." On that, Taawoos replied, "O ‘Amr! I give the land to sharecroppers and help them,” meaning pay the farmers what sufficed them. He added: “No doubt; the most learned man, namely Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them), who claimed that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden it, told me that the Prophet ﷺhad not forbidden it but rather said, 'It is more beneficial to give one’s land free to his fellow Muslim brother than to charge him a fixed rent.’ This means that it is better for a Muslim landowner to lend his fellow Muslim farmer his land gratis and as a loan than to rent it out for a fixed rent, lest it would incur discord, dissention, and infringement of rights. The Prophet ﷺ disliked that practice for them lest it would undermine their rapport and causedissension among Muslims.
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2332
Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
We had more farms than anybody else in Al-Madeenah, and we used to rent the land and say to the owner, "The yield of this portion is for us (as a rent) and the yield of that portion is for you." One of those portions might yield something and the other might not. So, the Prophet ﷺforbade us from doing so.
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Commentary :
Preserving wealth is one of the fundamental higher objectives of the Laws of Islam; whatever may harm one of the contracting parties, or may lead to the risk of losing their money is deemed prohibited. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade the form of Muzaara‘ah transaction that Raafi’ bin Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) reported in this hadeeth. They used to rent out their land for cultivation in return for the yield produced by a specified part of the land, and the landowner would take the yield of the other part. One part may produce a good yield and the other might not. That is why the Prophet ﷺ forbade this transaction, because of the risk involved;one of those parts might yield something and the other might not, and thus one partywould win his share of the yield, while the right of the other would be lost altogether!
His saying, “We had more farms than anyone else in Al-Madeenah,” means that they owned more lands and farms.
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that the Prophet ﷺ forbade was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction that was evidently corrupt, warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transactions, there is no harm in that.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the land in return for half the yield while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the yield, rather than renting out one’s land for cultivation in return for the yield of a specific delimited portion..

2334
Zayd ibn Aslam narrated on the authority of his father:
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "If it were not for the future Muslim generations, I would have distributed the land of the villages I conquer between the soldiers as the Prophet ﷺ distributed the land of Khaybar."
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Commentary :
Islam gives public interests precedence over private ones. In this hadeeth, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), knowing that wealth was becoming very scarce and that stinginess was prevailing, took pity on the following Muslim generations.Thus he decided to endow the lands seized by the Muslim army as spoils of war for the common benefit of all Muslims, rather than distributing them between the conquerors only, out of his mercy for the following Muslim generations, who would benefit from these lands and avail themselves of their yield. He (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that if it were not for the interests of the future Muslim generations, he would have distributed the lands seized by Muslims as spoils of war only between the conquerors, as did the Prophet ﷺ with the land of Khaybar, which was conquered in 7 A.H. Khaybar was a town located to the north of Al-Madeenah on the route to Shaam, 95 miles (153 km) from Al-Madeenah, and it was inhabited by Jews. The Prophet ﷺ allocated half of the lands to himself, and divided up the other half among Muslims, who had no farmers, and made agreements with the Jews to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield.
However, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) decided that if he divided up all the lands they conquered between the Muslim soldiers only, nothing would be left for the future Muslim generations.
The hadeeth highlights the ruler’s keenness to secure the present and future interests of Muslims.
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2335
‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"He who cultivates a (deserted) land that does not belong to anybody is more rightful (to own it)." ‘Urwah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gave the same verdict during his Caliphate."
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Commentary :
Islam urges Muslims to revive and cultivate the deserted and uncultivated lands. In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that whoever cultivates an unplanted land that has no buildings thereon, reviving it by means of cultivation or development, and it has no known owner and is not connected with the interests of a given town or village, e.g., by being a pasture for their animals, then such a person is more deserving of its ownership than anyone else. He does not need the permission of the ruler for it;though it was also said that the ruler’s permission is required.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to revive and cultivate the uncultivated lands and avail oneself of them..

2339
Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
My uncle Zhuhayr said, "Allah's Messengerﷺforbade us from doing a thing which was helpful to us." I said, "Whatever Allah's Messengerﷺ said was right." He said, "Allah's Messengerﷺ sent for me and asked, 'What are you doing with your farms?' I replied, 'We give our farms on rent on the basis that we get the yield produced at the banks of the water streams (rivers) for the rent, or rent it for some Wasqs of barley and dates.' He ﷺsaid, 'Do not do so, but cultivate (the land) yourselves or let it be cultivated by others gratis, or keep it uncultivated.' I said, 'We hear and obey.'
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Commentary :
Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this hadeeth, Raafi’ ibn Khadeej narrated on the authority of his uncle Zhuhayr ibn Raafi’ (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ forbade them from a matter that was beneficial for them. The version recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “He ﷺ forbade us from something of benefit to us, but our obedience to Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ is of greater benefit!” His statement means that the Prophet ﷺ forbade them from doing what was apparently beneficial for them, but their compliance with the Prophet’s command was more beneficial and better for their religious and worldly affairs. Raafi‘ asked his uncle about that act from which he ﷺ forbade them, “Whatever Allah's Messengerﷺ said was right.” His uncle informed him that the Prophet ﷺsent for him and asked, 'What are you doing with your farms?' Zhuhayr replied that they rented out their farms in return for one-fourth of the yield or some Wasqs of barley and dates.' A Wasq equaled 60 Saa‘s, approximately 130 kg.
A version of the hadeeth narrated by Al-Buhaaree reads: “We used to rent the land at the yield of a specific delimited portion of it to be given to the landlord. Sometimes the vegetation of that portion was affected by blights etc., while the rest remained safe and vice versa, so the Prophet ﷺ forbade this practice.” The version recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “People used to rent out their lands during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ for what grew by the river-beds, and the edges of the brooks/streams, or for a portion of the crop. However, sometimes this portion of the crop would be destroyed or go bad while the other remained safe, or vice versa. Thus, there would be no fee to be paid to the landowners except the portion which produced a crop.” These versions clarified that his saying “one-fourth of the yield,” means a fixed share of the yield produced by a specific part of the land, and not one-fourth of the yield of the whole land.
The Prophet ﷺ gave them three options: to cultivate the land themselves, lend it to someone to cultivate it for free, which reflected the enjoined solidarity, or keep it uncultivated. Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) complied with the command of the Prophet ﷺ and said: “We hear and obey.”
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that was deemed forbidden by the Prophet ﷺ was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction that was evidently corrupt, warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transaction, there is no harm in that, as reported in other hadeeths and narrations.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact that the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the total yield, rather than renting out one’s land for cultivation in return for the yield of a specific delimited portion of it.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Raafi’ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) and his obedience, and compliance with the command of the Prophet ﷺ..

2340
Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
People used to rent their land for cultivation in return for one-third, one-fourth or half its yield. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise keep it uncultivated." It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise, he should keep it uncultivated."
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Commentary :
Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to rent their lands for cultivation in return for a third, a quarter, or a half of the yield during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, he ﷺ said: “Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise keep it uncultivated.” He ﷺ commanded the landowners to cultivate their own lands, give it to other farmers to cultivate it free of charge, if unable to do it themselves, otherwise they should keep them uncultivated and should not rent them out for cultivation.
The indication of the hadeeth’s wording seemed objectionable because keeping the land uncultivated constitutes missing out on its benefit and implies wasting wealth, which was deemed prohibited by authentically reported texts.
In refutation, scholars underlined that the prohibition of wasting wealth means wasting the assets themselves or their benefits that cannot be compensated for, because if a land is left uncultivated, its owner does not miss out on its benefit in totality, for it may still be used as a pasture, or a source of firewood, in addition to many other benefits. Even if this was not the case, delaying the cultivation of the land for a while may be better for the quality of the yield. It may produce a greater and better yield in the following year,on whichthe landowner may have missed out if it was not left uncultivated. This is based on the interpretation of the relevant prohibition as to mean renting in general. However, if it meant the specific manner of renting practiced by them at that time, as narrated on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ, this does not necessarily entail missing out on its benefit in totality; the landowner may rent it out for gold or silver, for example.
A version of the hadeeth narrated by Al-Bukhaaree reads: “We used to rent the land at the yield produced by a specific delimited portion of it to be given to the landowner. Sometimes the vegetation of that portion was affected by blights etc., while the rest remained safe and vice versa, so the Prophet ﷺ forbade this practice.” The version recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “People used to rent out their lands during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ for what grew by the river-beds, and the edges of the brooks/streams, or for a portion of the crop. However, sometimes this portion of the crop would be destroyed or go bad while the other was safe, or vice versa. Thus, there would be no fee to pay landowners except for the portion which produced a crop.” These versions clarified that his saying “one-fourth of the yield,” means a fixed share of the yield (i.e., the yield produced by a specific part of the land) and not one-fourth of the yield of the whole land.
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that the Prophet ﷺ forbade was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction that was evidently corrupt, warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transaction, there is no harm in that, as reported in other hadeeths and narrations.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact that the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the total yield, rather than for the yield of a specific delimited portion.
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2343
Naafi‘ narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to rent his farms during the reigns of Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan, and in the early days of the reign of Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with them). Then he was told the narration of Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting out farms. Ibn ‘Umar went to Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with them) and I accompanied him. He asked Raafi‘ who replied that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting farms. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "You know that we used to rent our farms during the lifetime of Allah's Messengerﷺ for the yield of the banks of the water streams (rivers) and for certain amount of straw.”
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Commentary :
Renting farms means leasing them for cultivation in return for a share of the yield. As narrated in this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to rent his farms during the reigns of Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan, and in the early days of the reign of Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with them). Then he was informed that Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting farms. Ibn ‘Umar went to Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with them) and asked him about it, and his freed slave Naafi‘ accompanied him. He asked Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) about it, and he replied that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting farms. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "You know that we used to rent our farms during the lifetime of Allah's Messengerﷺ for the yield of the banks of the water streams and for a certain amount of hay,” meaning fresh and dried grass used as fodder. This means that the Prophet ﷺ specifically forbade a certain type of renting that involved stipulating a defective contractual condition and ambiguity. The yield produced by one portion of the land may be afflicted with pests and go bad, while the other might not. Thus, the Muzaara‘ah transaction would be concluded, but the farmer or the landowner might incur loss.
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that the Prophet ﷺ forbade was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction which was evidently corrupt,warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transaction, there is no harm in that, as reported in other hadeeths and narrations.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact that the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the land in return for half the yield while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the total yield, rather than the yield of a specific delimited portion.
The hadeeth highlights the merits of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), his keenness in learning the Sunnah, and his deep knowledge..

2346
Hanzhlah ibn Qays said:
Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "My two uncles told me that they (i.e. the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to rent the lands during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺfor the yield on the banks of water streams (rivers) or for a portion of the yield stipulated by the landowner. The Prophet ﷺ forbade it." I said to Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him), "What about renting lands for Dinars and Dirhams?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "There is no harm in renting for Dinars- Dirhams. Al-Layth said, "If those who have discernment for distinguishing what is lawful from what is unlawful looked into what has been forbidden concerning this matter, they would not permit it, for it is surrounded with risks."
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Commentary : Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this hadeeth,Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) related that two of his uncles: Zhuhayr ibn Raafi‘ and Muzhhir ibn Raafi‘, told him that they, i.e., the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), used to rent lands and farms during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺfor the yield on the banks of water streams, or for a portion of the yield stipulated by the landowner, e.g., one-third, one-fourth, or the like. The Prophet ﷺ forbade such a rental transaction in particular, because it involved stipulating a defective contractual condition and ambiguity; the yield produced by one portion of the land or farm may be afflicted with pests and go bad, while the other might not. This Muzaara‘ah transaction would be concluded, but the farmer or the landowner might incur loss.
When Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the permissibility of renting out farms for currency, i.e., the golden dinar, or the silver dirham, he (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that there was nothing wrong with that. It is possible that he (may Allah be pleased with him) answered based on his personal Ijtihaad (i.e., scholarly reasoning) or knowledge of a Laws of Islam text to that effect, or that the relevant prohibition on renting farms did not mean forbidding renting in general, but rather a specific rental transaction that involved ambiguity or the like, and therefore deduced from that the permissibility of renting farms for gold and silver.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact that the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield,while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the total yield, rather than the yield of a specific delimited portion.
Al-Layth ibn Sa‘d - one of the narrators and hadeeth scholars - made it clear that what is forbidden regarding renting land and farms, is what those endowed with knowledge and discernment (to distinguish what is lawful from what is unlawful) would not permit when looking into what has been forbidden concerning this matter, for it is surrounded with risks. Such a transaction involves risks, meaning most likely harms and potential destruction, and what is meant by that is renting the land in a way that involves Gharar (i.e., risk and uncertainty) and ambiguity..

2348
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Once the Prophet ﷺwas narrating (a story), while a Bedouin was sitting with him, "One of the inhabitants of Paradise will ask Allah, Exalted is He, to allow him to cultivate the land. Allah will ask him, 'Are you not relishing therein the pleasures that you like?' He will say, 'Yes, but I like to cultivate the land.'" The Prophet ﷺadded, "When the man (will be permitted, he) will sow the seeds and the plants will grow, ripen, and become ready for reaping and so on till it will be as huge as mountains within a wink. Allah will then say to him, 'O son of Adam! Here you are, gather (the yield); nothing satisfies you.'" On that, the Bedouin said, "The man must be either from Quraysh (i.e., an emigrant) or the Ansaar, for they are farmers, whereas we, desert dwellers, are not farmers." The Prophet ﷺsmiled (at this).
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, promised His obedient and righteous slaves eternal bliss in Paradise, to experience therein what no eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard of, and what has never come to the mind or heart of a human being. In Paradise, they shall have whatever they desire and wish for; Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {They will have therein whatever they wish.} [Quran 16:31]. Whatever the people of Paradise shall want will come true, in fulfillment of the promise of Allah, Exalted is He, who never breaks His promise.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ told his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) – in the presence of a Bedouin – that one of the inhabitants of Paradise will ask Allah, Exalted is He, to allow him to cultivate a land therein. Allah, Exalted is He, will ask him, 'Are you not relishing therein the pleasures that you like?' Meaning, ‘Are not you savoring the promised bliss in Paradise?’ He will say, 'Yes, but I like to cultivate the land.' Thereupon, Allah, Exalted is He, will grant him permission to cultivate the land. He will sow the seeds and the plants will grow, ripen, and become ready for reaping and so on, till it will be as huge as mountains immediately. This means that as soon as the man will sow the seeds, the plants will grow, ripen and become ready to harvest! This shall happen quickly, in the blink of an eye. There shall be no time interval between sowing the seeds and harvesting the ripe fruits, and the yield will be as huge as mountains.
Thereafter, Allah, Exalted is He, will say to him, 'O son of Adam! Here you are, gather (the yield); nothing satisfies you,' meaning that although this man will not suffer from hunger nor thirst in Paradise, and shall find therein whatever he wishes for, yet the human self is innately greedy and aspires to more than what it needs. Upon hearing that, the Bedouin jokingly said, "The man must be either from Quraysh (i.e., an emigrant) or the Ansaar, for they are farmers, whereas we, desert dwellers, are not farmers!" The Prophet ﷺsmiled (at this).
It is deduced from the hadeeth that whatever worldly gain the people of Paradise shall wish for will be given to them.
The hadeeth highlights the virtue of contentment, limiting oneself to what he needs only, and dispraises greed and desire to acquire more worthless worldly goods.
It is also inferred therefrom that people may be described by their habitual actions.
The hadeeth also affirms the Attribute of Speech with respect to Allah, Exalted is He, in a manner that befits His Majesty..

300
Aisha said, "I would drink when I was menstruating then hand it (the vessel) to the Prophet ﷺ who would put his mouth where mine had been then drink. I would eat flesh from a bone when I was menstruating then hand it to the Prophet ﷺ who would put his mouth where mine had been.".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was the best and most merciful one to his family. In this hadith, Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, told us about the Prophet's manners with her while she was menstruating. When she drank and handed the vessel to him, he used to place his mouth and drink from the same place from where she was drinking. Similarly, when she ate flesh from a bone, he used to eat from the same place from where she was eating. All of these manners were to give her comfort, protect her from sadness during this difficult period, kindly deal with her, and confirm that it is Islamically allowable to mix with menstruating women. It was unlike what Jews and people of pre-Islamic ignorant times believed that they neither ate nor drank with her during her period. Finally, this Hadith confirms the Prophet's kindness to his wives, especially during menstruation, for women are in dire need of kindness at that time..

302
Anas narrated that the Jews, when a woman menstruated, used to leave eating and living with her. The companions asked the Prophet ﷺ about that, so Allah revealed, "They ask you concerning menstruation. Say, "That is a harm," therefore keep away from women during menses." to the end of the verse (Al-Baqarah: 222). As a result, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Do everything except sexual intercourse.” When the Jews were reported about that, they said, 'This man does not want to leave anything we do without opposing us in it.' Usaid ibn Hudair and ‘Abbad ibn Beshr came and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the Jews are saying such and such. Will we not have intercourse with them (i.e. during menstruation)?' The face of Allah's Messenger ﷺ changed so we thought he was angry with them. When they went out, they were met by a gift of milk which was being brought to the Prophet ﷺ. He asked for them and gave them a drink. Thereupon, they knew that he was not angry with them.".

Commentary : Islam honored women more than any other civilization or system. It granted her rights, status, and a respected opinion. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Jews, who were living in Medina before the Prophet's advent, used to leave eating or living with menstruating women, believing that they were impure. The Companions asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about how to treat women during this period, so Allah revealed, "They ask you concerning menstruation. Say, 'That is a harm,' therefore keep away from women during menses and go not to them till they are purified. And when they have purified themselves, then go into them as Allah has ordained for you. Truly, Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves." (Al-Baqarah: 222) The meaning is a Muslim has to avoid intercourse with his wife during her menstruation period which is a harm. After her blood stopped and she performed a complete bathing, he was allowed to have intercourse with her in the way that Islam has permitted i.e. penetrating one's penis into her vagina, not her anus. At the end of the verse, Allah confirmed that he loved those who frequently repent and purify. Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) permitted them to do everything like kissing, embracing, etc. during this period except intercourse. Above all, a Muslim can live and eat with them during this period. In Sahih Muslim, Aisha said, "I would drink when I was menstruating then hand it (the vessel) to the Prophet (ﷺ) who would put his mouth where mine had been then drink. I would eat flesh from a bone when I was menstruating then hand it to the Prophet (ﷺ) who would put his mouth where mine had been." When the Jews knew about the Prophet's guidelines, they said, "This man does not want to leave anything we do without opposing us in it." Both the two companions, Usaid Ibn Hudair and 'Abbad ibn Beshr came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him about the Jews' comment. Due to their anger with the Jews, they asked the Prophet (ﷺ) to oppose the Jews' habit and have intercourse with menstruating wives. Thereupon, the Prophet's face changed to the point that the attending companions thought he was angry with them both, for his teachings were to clarify Allah's laws in this case not to agree nor contradict any sect in Medina as they both thought. After they went out, he feared that they were sad about what happened. To remove any difficult feelings, he asked them to come back to drink the milk that he received as a gift. Therefore, they knew that he was not angry with them. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Prophet's forbearing and kindness to his companions, (2) It shows that the Prophet (ﷺ) is only angry when facing something that contradicts Allah's teachings, and (3) It confirms that all Islam's teachings are from Allah..

307
Abdullah ibn Qais, said, "I asked Aisha about how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform Witr prayer." He mentioned the hadith and said, "I asked her, 'What did he do after having sexual intercourse? Did he take a bath before going to sleep or did he sleep before taking a bath?' She said, 'He did all of these acts. He may have taken a bath then slept or performed ablution then slept.' I said, 'All praise is due to Allah Who has made things easy.'".

Commentary : In some acts of worship, the Prophet ﷺ used to perform them in various methods, as his guidance regarding the night prayer, witr prayer, and bathing after intercourse. All of his acts were a source of guidance for his nation. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Qais informed that he asked Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, about how the Prophet ﷺ used to perform Witr prayer. His saying, “He mentioned the hadith” meant that he wanted to summarize the hadith and mention its other part showing the Prophet’s act after having intercourse at night. In Sunan Abu Daoud, Abdullah narrated the first part in which Aisha answered, “He may perform witr prayer at the beginning of the night or performed it at its end.” Abdullah asked, “What about his recitation? Did he recite in a loud or low voice?” She answered, “He used to do all of that. Sometimes he recited in a loud voice and sometimes in a low voice.” The Prophet ﷺ used to perform witr prayer in various ways. He performed it with three, five, seven, nine, and eleven rak’as. He may have recited the Quran during his night prayer in a low voice or a loud voice that those around him could hear. Additionally, Abdullah asked her about the Prophet’s bathing due to intercourse at night. She explained that the Prophet ﷺ may have taken a bath before sleeping or just performed ablution. Abdullah’s saying: “All praise is due to Allah Who has made things easy” may be a comment on all of her answers or her answer about the Prophet’s bath after intercourse. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Islam facilitated the rules of bathing due to intercourse, (2) It clarified the Muslim predecessors’ keenness to ask about the rules of Islam and follow the Prophet’s acts, deeds, and cases..

308
Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When any one of you has intercourse with his wife and wants to repeat it, he should perform ablution." In another narration, he added, "An ablution should be between these two acts.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) taught his nation the related matters to intercourse such as its permissible and prohibited acts and how to purify oneself afterward. In this hadith, he guided a husband who had intercourse with his wife to perform ablution if he wanted to do it again before bathing. It was reported in Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah that Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that ablution activated a person to have intercourse once again. Moreover, ablution reduces impurities by cleaning one's penis, which has some benefits: (1) From a medical perspective, it strengthens one's penis, (2) It enables the body to relieve before coming back again, and (3) It completes the pleasure by removing the couple's sperm attached to one’s penis, which may reduce pleasure. It was said that the mentioned ablution referred to only washing a man's penis as exaggerating cleanliness, for it was reported in Sunan Abu Daoud that Aisha (ﷺ) said, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to sleep after having intercourse without touching water.” Some said that her saying, “without touching water” meant bathing which did not contradict ablution. It is possible that the Prophet’s command to perform ablution is, as mentioned, with the aim of seeking cleanliness and activity, for what was reported in Sahih Muslim that Aisha narrated, "The Prophet (ﷺ) used to have intercourse with his wives (one after another) with a single bathing." She did not mention that he performed ablution. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It is legitimate to perform ablution between two intercourses, whether it is with the same woman or another one, (2) It is not obligatory to perform bathing immediately after intercourse. It is obligatory when wanting to perform acts of worship like prayer which necessitates bathing, and (3) The legitimacy of frequent intercourse..

314
Aisha narrated that a woman asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), "Is it obligatory upon a woman to bathe if she has a wet dream and sees her semen?" He answered, "Yes." Aisha said to her, "May your hand be covered with dust and injured!" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Leave her alone. Is the resemblance due to something other than that?! If her semen prevails over her husband's, the kid resembles his maternal uncles and if his semen prevails over her semen, the kid resembles his paternal uncles.".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was a teacher for his nation. He used to teach it all the etiquette of intercourse and purity. In this hadith, Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, narrated that a woman (Umm Sulaim as Anas ibn Malek narrated in Sahih Muslim) asked the Prophet (ﷺ) if it was obligatory upon a woman to bathe if having a wet dream and seeing semen. He answered, “Yes.” He welcomed her question while Aisha expressed her refusal of that type of question. He saw that it was an important religious matter that a person had to inquire about. In Abu Daoud’s narration, he said, “Women are counterparts of men,” which meant that Islam addressed them with the same legislation as men. Out of his modesty, he implicitly indicated that both genders may have had a wet dream. He thought that the woman understood what he meant through his concise answer. He clarified that the kid resembled his maternal or paternal uncles based on which semen (father’s or mother’s) preceded the other, which was subject to Allah’s will. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies how the Prophet (ﷺ) took much care of teaching women the rules of Islam, and (2) It confirms that it is permissible for women to directly ask scholars..

315
Thawban, the servant of the Prophet ﷺ, said, “While I was standing beside the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, one of Jews’ rabbis came and said, ‘Peace be upon you, O Muhammad.’ I pushed him so strongly back that he was about to fall. He said, ‘Why did you push me?’ I said, ‘Why did you not say, ‘O Messenger of Allah?’ The Jew said, ‘We called him by the name his family named him.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said, ‘My name is Muhammad which my family named me.’ The Jew said, ‘I came to ask you (something).’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Will you benefit from something if I tell you about it?' He said, ‘I lend my ears to it.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ drew lines on the ground with a stick and said, ‘Ask.’ The Jew asked, ‘Where will people be on the Day when the earth changes into another earth and the heavens too?’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘They will be in darkness beside the Bridge.’ He asked, ‘Who will be the first to cross?’ The Prophet answered, ‘The poor immigrants.’ The Jew asked, ‘What will be their gift when they enter Paradise?’ The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘The side part of a whale’s liver.’ The Jew asked, ‘What will be their food afterward?’ The Prophet ﷺ replied, ‘The Paradise’s bull which is eating from its different quarters will be slaughtered for them.’ The Jew asked, ‘What will be their drink?’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘They will drink from a well called Salsabil.’ The Jew said, ‘You have told the truth. I came to ask you about a thing none among the people on the earth knows except a prophet and one or two men.’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Will you benefit if I answer you?’ The Jew, ‘I lend my ears to it.’ The Jew resumed, ‘I came to ask you about the kid.’ The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘A man’s sperm is white and a woman’s sperm is yellow. If they gather and the man’s sperm precedes the female's, it will be a male kid, Allah willing. If the woman’s sperm precedes the man's, it will be a female kid, Allah willing. The Jew said, ‘You have told the truth. Verily, you are a prophet.’ Then he left. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘He asked me about such and such things that I have had no knowledge till Allah gave me that.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ was a mercy to the worlds. He was a teacher, educator, and caller to Allah with wisdom and good preaching. In this hadith, his servant, Thawban, narrated that a Jewish rabbi came and greeted the Prophet ﷺ saying, “Peace be upon you, O Muhammad.” Thawban rejected his way of addressing the Prophet ﷺ by his name and neglecting his description of prophethood. Thawban pushed him so strongly that the Jew was about to fall. When the Jew asked Thawban about the reason for pushing him, Thawban wondered, “Why did you not say, O Messenger of Allah?” The Jew answered that he called the Prophet ﷺ by the name his family called him. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ approved his point of view. The name Muhammad means the frequently praised one who has all praised attributes. The Prophet ﷺ asked him if he wanted to ask to get benefits or aimed to challenge and argue. The Jew confirmed that he was keen to hear and judge the Prophet’s words. The Prophet ﷺ started to draw lines with a wooden stick on the ground, which was an Arab way during thinking. Then, the Prophet ﷺ allowed him to ask. The Jew asked about where the people would be on the day when the earth and the heavens would be altered. The Prophet ﷺ informed him that they would be in the darkness beside the bridge over Hell. In the Two Sahihs, Sahl ibn Sa’d narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “The people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection on reddish white land like a pure loaf of bread where none has landmarks.” In addition, the Jew asked who would be the first to cross that bridge so the Prophet ﷺ answered that they would be his poor companions who immigrated from Mecca to Medina with their faith, left their family and properties, and supported him for Allah’s pleasing. The Jew asked about the gift they would get once getting to Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ clarified that it would be the side part of a whale’s liver which was the best of its parts. The Jew asked about their lunch (or food as in the other narration) so the Prophet ﷺ answered that it would be Paradise’s bull which was eating from its different quarters. This referred that it was a bull with unique characteristics that were not similar to other bulls or it was the only bull in Paradise. In the Two Sahihs, Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Jew asked the Prophet ﷺ, “Will I inform you of their food?” The Prophet answered him, “Yes.” The Jew answered, “Bull and whale. Seventy thousand people will eat from the side part of the whale’s liver.” They may be those seventy persons who will enter Paradise without reckoning so they will be preferred and given the best food. The mentioned number may have meant exaggeration not confining. When the Jew asked the Prophet ﷺ about their drink after eating that bull, he replied that they would drink from a well called Salsabil in Paradise as Allah Almighty said, “And they will be given to drink there of a cup (of wine) mixed with ginger. A spring there, called Salsabil.” (Al-Insan: 17, 18) It water is running so fast. Salsabil means that its water is sweet and easy to enter one’s throat. The Jew believed what the Prophet ﷺ told and added that he came to ask the Prophet ﷺ about something none among the people on the earth knew except a prophet and one or two men. It was a metaphor that only a few people knew it. It was known to a prophet or a few persons that a Prophet informed them about it. The Prophet ﷺ asked him if he wanted to benefit from him if he told him something. The Jew confirmed that he was keen to hear and judge the Prophet’s words. The Jew asked the Prophet ﷺ about how the embryo's gender was determined. The Prophet ﷺ answered that the man’s sperm was white and thick while that of the woman was yellow and thin. If they gathered in a woman’s womb and the man’s sperm preceded the female's, it would be a male kid, Allah willing. If the woman’s sperm preceded the man's, it would be a female kid, Allah willing. The Jew confirmed the Prophet’s truthfulness, for all he mentioned was consistent with what he learned from Torah. He also acknowledged the Prophet’s message but did not bear witness to it. This indicates that the mere acknowledgment without belief in Islam has no benefit, for the Prophet did not confirm that the Jew became Muslim. Once the Jew left, the Prophet ﷺ said that he did not know how to answer the Jew’s questions except after Allah informed him. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It contains some signs that confirm the Prophet’s message, for he told about some matters of the unseen world, (2) The high level of the Prophet’s morals, and (3) It clarifies the virtue of the poor immigrants who Allah will honor with preceding others in crossing the bridge..

323
Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet ﷺ used to bath with the water left over by Maimuna (his wife)..

Commentary : Islam honored women and did not treat them like outcasts, as was the case in pre-Islamic times in which men neither mixed, ate, nor drank with women during menstruation or postpartum, believing their filthiness. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to bathe from the water remaining after his wife Maimunah's bathing (Ibn Abbas's aunt) due to intercourse or menstruation as Ibn Majah's narration confirmed. The Prophet's wife used to scoop water with her hand, but the water was still pure as Imam An-Nasa'i narrated, "Some of the Prophet's wives had taken a bath due to intercourse then the Prophet (ﷺ) performed ablution from her remaining water. Afterward, she mentioned that to him, but he replied, “Water is not made impure by anything." He meant that water was pure, and a Muslim could use it as long as none of its characteristics changed..

325
Safina, the servant of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to take a bath with one sa' (four water handfuls) and performed ablution with one mudd (a handful of water)." In another narration, he said, "One mudd sufficed for his ablution.".

Commentary : Islamic law forbids extravagance and Allah warns those following this behavior. Extravagance is the excessive usage of anything. A Muslim should be economical even when using water in ablution or bathing. In this hadith, Safina, the companion and servant of the Prophet, confirmed that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to bathe, due to intercourse, with one sa' (eight water handfuls). Sa’ equals eight pounds. A pound in modern quantities is about 380 or 538 grams. It is a little less or more than a liter. Additionally, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to perform ablution with one mudd (two handfuls of water). This hadith shows the amount that sufficed him, not the amount that a person cannot exceed, for people vary in using water for ablution or bathing. Anyway, using water extravagantly is forbidden in Islam that commands its followers to preserve and wisely use water resources as needed..

326
Safina, the servant of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to take a bath with one sa' (four water handfuls) and performed ablution with one mudd (a handful of water)." In another narration, he said, "One mudd sufficed for his ablution.".

Commentary : Islamic law forbids extravagance and Allah warns those following this behavior. Extravagance is the excessive usage of anything. A Muslim should be economical even when using water in ablution or bathing. In this hadith, Safina, the companion and servant of the Prophet, confirmed that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to bathe, due to intercourse, with one sa' (eight water handfuls). Sa’ equals eight pounds. A pound in modern quantities is about 380 or 538 grams. It is a little less or more than a liter. Additionally, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to perform ablution with one mudd (two handfuls of water). This hadith shows the amount that sufficed him, not the amount that a person cannot exceed, for people vary in using water for ablution or bathing. Anyway, using water extravagantly is forbidden in Islam that commands its followers to preserve and wisely use water resources as needed..

330
Umm Salama narrated, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I am a woman that braids my head. Should I undo it to take a bath after intercourse?’ He said, ‘No, it is sufficient that you only pour three handfuls of water on your head and then pour water over the rest of your body so you will be purified.'".

Commentary : The required bathing in Islam is to wash the entire body with water, as shown in the Prophetic tradition. In this hadith, Um Salama, the Mother of the Believers, narrated that she said to the Prophet (ﷺ) that she used to braid her head so is it required for her to undo it in case of taking a bath due to sexual intercourse. He answered her that it was sufficient that she poured three handfuls of water on her head and then poured water over the rest of her body. If she did that, she would become purified. In another narration, she asked, "Should I undo it to take a bath due to intercourse or menstruation?" This narration indicates that a woman does not need to undo her braids during bathing due to intercourse or menstruation. On the other hand, it was said that adding the word "menstruation" was not narrated by the most trustworthy narrators. Accordingly, the braids should be undone during bathing due to menstruation, not intercourse. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) A Muslim should ask about the religious rules that he does not know, (2) It clarifies how the female Companions were keen to learn the Islamic rules, especially those relating to menstruation, and (3) It explains how a woman takes a bath due to intercourse or menstruation..

331
Ubeid ibn Umeir narrated, "Aishah heard that Abdullah ibn Amr ordered women to undo their (plaits of) hair while bathing. She said, 'What a strange issue from Ibn 'Amr! He ordered women to undo their (plaits of) hair while bathing! Did he not command them to shave their hair? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and I used to bathe from a single vessel. I never poured more than three handfuls of water over my head.'".

Commentary : Facilitation is one of the noble virtues of Islamic law. This facilitation is obvious in various issues such as purification and ablution. In this hadith, Ubeid ibn Umeir Al-Laithy narrated that Aishah heard that Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-Aas ordered women to undo their (plaits of) hair while bathing so water would reach all hair. He may have made it obligatory. When she heard that, she wondered and declined his opinion, for it was so difficult that they undo their plaits. So she mocked and added, "Did he not command them to shave their hair?" Her proof is that the Prophet (ﷺ) and she used to bathe from a single vessel. She never poured more than three handfuls of water over her head. Aisha is the most well-known one of these details. On the other hand, there is another related hadith in which Um Salama narrated, "I asked, ’O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), I am a woman that braids my head. Should I undo it to take a bath after intercourse?’ He said, ‘No, it is sufficient that you only pour three handfuls of water on your head and then pour water over the rest of your body so you will be purified.'" This hadith confirms that a woman is not required to undo her plaits while bathing due to intercourse..

338
Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "A man must not look at a man's private parts nor must a woman look at a woman's private parts. A man must not lie naked under one cover with another man nor must a woman lie naked under one cover with another woman.".

Commentary : Islam blocks all pretexts leading to committing sins and provides humanity with the noblest ideals and the right path to worldly life and the Hereafter. To achieve this goal, Islam commands lowering one’s gaze and forbids looking at private parts, which may lead to committing immoral acts. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ prohibits a man from looking at another man's private parts and also prohibits a woman from looking at another woman's private parts. These teachings involve two commands: (1) Covering one's private parts, and (2) Lowering one’s gaze. Allah pardons the first unintentional glance which may aim to distinguish the way, for example. Islam prohibits us from looking at or touching people's private parts without a need. However, it is permissible to look and touch them if there is a legitimate need such as a medical check, provided that there is a need and without a lust. By the way, this prohibition is not applied to spouses during intercourse. As a rule, a man's private part is from his navel to his knees and a woman's private part is her entire body except her face and hands. On the other hand, the Prophet ﷺ prohibits a man from lying naked under one cover with another man or a woman lying naked under one cover with another woman, for this will lead to touching their private parts. Undoubtedly, touching them is more prohibited than looking at them, for it leads to greater dangers. This prohibition is specifically mentioned, for some people may think that when men meet each other or women meet each other, they are not commanded to lower their gaze or cover their private parts. One's private parts must be covered for every male or female person, except for some categories that Islam excludes..

341
Al-Meswar ibn Makhrama said, "While I was walking and carrying a heavy stone, both my light lower garment and the stone fell. I could not place the stone until I put it in its proper place. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, 'Return and wear your garment and do not walk naked.".

Commentary : Modesty is the manner of Islam. Allah prescribed for His servants what preserves their modesty and covers their private parts. In this hadith, Al-Meswar ibn Makhrama narrated that while he was carrying a heavy stone, his lower garment's tie loosed so his private parts were exposed. He was unable to place the stone and tie his garment because of its heavy weight. He continued to carry it until he placed it in its proper place. When the Prophet (ﷺ) saw that, he commanded him to go back and wear his garment to cover his private parts. The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "... and do not walk naked." This is a general Islamic rule. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) A Muslim has to cover his private parts, (2) It is forbidden for Muslims to be or walk naked in front of people except being naked in front of a woman's husband or man's wife..

342
Abdullah ibn Ga'far narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ one day made me mount behind him and confided to me something secret which I would not disclose to anybody. The thing that the Prophet ﷺ most liked to conceal himself behind while relieving himself was a hillock or a stand of date palm trees.".

Commentary : Concealing one's private parts is one of the etiquette of relieving oneself so a Muslim is required to preserve them away from people's eyes. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Ga'far narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) one day made him mount behind him and confided to him something secret. Ga’far was honest and would not disclose it to anybody. This indicated his perfect virtue and supreme status with the Prophet to the extent that he let him in on a secret. Afterward, Abdullah narrated, "The thing that the Prophet most liked to conceal himself behind while relieving himself was a hillock or a stand of date palm trees." It was the Arabs' custom that they relieved themselves in gardens but they later used bathrooms. Finally, this hadith confirms the importance of concealing all one's body while answering the call of nature..

343
Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated, "I went to Quba' with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on Monday. When we reached (the habitation) of Banu Salim, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood at the door of Itban and called him loudly. So he came out dragging his lower garment. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'We made the man haste.' Itban said, 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), if a man leaves his wife suddenly (during intercourse) without ejaculation, what is he required to do?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'Washing oneself is obligatory due to ejaculation.'".

Commentary : Purity is the symbol of believers. The Prophet (ﷺ) was keen to teach his companions the matters of purification and they used to ask him about any inquiries they had. In this hadith, Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that he went out with the Prophet (ﷺ) on Monday to Quba’. It is a close village located south of Media on the way of coming caravans from Mecca. When they arrived at Banu Salem, a sect of Khazraj tribe, The Prophet (ﷺ) stood at the door of Itban bin Malik Al-Ansari and called him in a loud voice. As a result, Itban came out dragging his lower garment, which is a metaphor for his rapid response to the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) thought he made Itban haste. Itban asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about the necessity of bathing if a man left his wife suddenly during intercourse without ejaculation. The Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that bathing is only obligatory if a man ejaculates. This rule was applied at the beginning of Islam, then abrogated by the hadith reported in the Two Sahihs that Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “When a man sits between her four parts (his wife) and has intercourse, bathing is compulsory." In Muslim’s narration, he said, "Even if he does not ejaculate.” So, bathing is obligatory for anyone who has intercourse with his wife, whether or not he ejaculates semen. It was the established rule during or after the Prophet's lifetime. Finally, this hadith confirms the legitimacy of loud calling a household to inform them of one's presence..