Manners in Islam (Imam Bukhari)

ADAB AL MUFRAD

exclusively with the subject of moral etiquettes in Islam
Grades and Commentary for all 1322 hadiths available

Introduction to Al-Adab al-Mufrad.

This book deals exclusively with the subject of moral etiquettes in Islam, focusing on the customs and traditions of the early Muslims. Although Kitab al-Adab (The Book of Manners) contained in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree explores the same subject, Al- Adab al-Mufrad was basically compiled as a separate work. So while Kitab al-Adab has 128 sections with 256 hadeeths, al-Adab al-Mufrad contains 644 sections with 1,322 ahaadeeth and narrations from the pious predecessors.

Therefore, al-Adab al-Mufrad comprises more benefits from the daily life of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), his companions and the early Muslims. Also, while Imam al-Bukhaaree stipulated to collect only authentic ahaadeeth in his Saheeh as mentioned earlier, al-Adab al-Mufrad includes ahaadeeth and reports that are either Saheeh (Authentic), or Hasan (Sound) or Da’eef (Weak). Regarding the significance of the book, Imam Abdur-Rahman al- Yamaanee al-Mu’allamee – may Allah be pleased with him – said, “Those who really know Islam and stick to it have regularly emphasized that the weakness and failings and other forms of decadence that has befallen the Muslims were due to their distance from the reality of Islam; and I think that is owing to some things:
One: Mixing up what is not from the religion with that which is from it.
Two: Weak certainty about that which is from the religion.
Three: Not acting according to the rulings of the religion.

I believe that knowing the authentically related prophetic manners in worship and dealings; while at home, during journeys, while with others or alone, while active and inactive, and during wakefulness and sleep, while eating and drinking, during talk and silence and other aspects of human engagements and sticking to following it as is easy is the only remedy to those ailments. Many of those etiquettes are easy upon the soul; so if one acts by what is easy for him of it while abstaining from what contradicts it, he does not take long – Allah willing – before he seeks to improve upon it. So, after a while, he becomes a model in that for others. And by following that true guidance and adopting that great character – even if to some extent – the heart is illuminated, the mind is delighted, the soul becomes tranquil, and so, certainty becomes deep-rooted and the actions become good. When those who follow this path become large in number, those ailments soon disappear by Allah’s leave. From the simplest of the compilations from the Books of Sunnah about the manners of the Prophet is the book, Al-Adab al-Mufrad by
Imam Muhammad bin Ismaa’eel al-Bukhaaree (may Allah be pleased with him): Imam al-Bukhaaree is famously known and his works are the best in quality and authenticity. This book of his, I mean al- Adab al-Mufrad, is, after his book – al-Jaami’u as-Saheeh -, the most deserving of been given attention by the one who seeks to follow the Sunnah. This is because he carefully and painstakingly collected and preserved it pointing out the salient points of benefit (in it).

However, the Ummah has unfortunately fallen short regarding the book; its manuscripts are very nice, and it has been repeatedly published. However, it is as if it does not exist because they (those publications) are error laden in their chains of report and text: errors that would not be discerned except by those well grounded in knowledge.” The grade of each hadeeth or narration was appended according to the checking and grading of Imam Muhammad Naasiruddeen al- Albaanee (rahimahullah) in his books, Saheeh and Da’eef Al-Adab al-Mufrad

1. Parents

Chapter 1. Honouring Parents: The Words of Allah Almighty: “We have instructed man to honour his parents.” (29:8)

1. Abu ‘Amr ash-Shaybani said, “The owner of this house (and he pointed at the house of ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud) said, “I asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, which action Allah loves best. He replied, ‘Prayer at its proper time.’ ‘Then what?’ I asked. He said, ‘Then kindness to parents.” I asked, ‘Then what?’ He replied, ‘Then jihad in the Way of Allah.'” He added, “He told me about these things. If I had asked him to tell me more, he would have told me more.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth exhorts towards observing the Prayers at their stipulated times, and being dutiful to parents. It also shows the keenness of the companions of Allah’s Messengerﷺ for good deeds, and the importance of giving responses to questions based on the condition and need of the questioner. Otherwise, heﷺ had mentioned faith in Allah and His Messenger, Jihad and the well-performed pilgrimage, in that order, in other narrations as the dearest deeds to Allah – the most High

2. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said, “The pleasure of the Lord lies in the pleasure of the parent. The anger of the Lord lies in the anger of the parent.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: This is because Allah – the Mighty and Exalted – has ordered obedience and dutifulness to the parent. So, they must be obeyed except when they order disobedience to Allah, the most High. The hadeeth is also reported from the Messengerﷺ as from his saying and graded authentic by Imam Al-Albaanee in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (516).

Chapter 2. Dutifulness to One’s Mother

3. Bahz ibn Hakim’s grandfather said, “I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, to whom should I be dutiful?’ ‘Your mother,’ he replied. I asked, ‘Then whom?’ ‘Your mother,’ he replied. I asked, ‘Then whom?’ ‘Your mother,’ he replied. I asked, ‘Then whom?’ ‘Your mother,’ he replied. I asked, ‘Then to whom should I be dutiful?’ ‘Your father,’ he replied, ‘and then the next closest relative and then the next.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: (1) The eargerness of the companions of Allah’s Messengerﷺ to know the ranks of good deeds is shown in this hadeeth. (2) Preference is given for the mother because she suffered the difficulties of pregnancy, child birth, breast-feeding and general care. (3) The fact that the nearest relatives should take precedence over others than them when we show kindness is also evinced in the narration.

4. ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar said that a man came to Ibn ‘Abbas and said, “I asked a woman to marry me and she refused to marry me. Another man asked her and she agreed to marry him. I became jealous and killed her. Is there any way for me to repent?” He asked, “Is your mother alive?” “No,” he replied. He said, “repent to Allah Almighty and try to draw near Him as much as you can.”
‘Ata’ said, “I went to Ibn ‘Abbas and asked him, ‘Why did you ask him whether his mother was alive?’ He replied, ‘I do not know of any action better for bringing a person near to Allah than dutifulness to his mother.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The people of knowledge should guide the rest of the people towards the things that benefit them such as how to repent from sins, no matter their gravity. Also, being obedient and kind to the mother is mentioned in this hadeeth as an atonement for the sin of taking a soul unlawfully. Jealousy could lead to backbiting, slander, hatred and worse sins such as killing.

Chapter 3. Dutifulness to One’s Father

5. Abu Hurayra said, “The Prophet was asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, to whom should I be dutiful?’ ‘Your mother,’ he replied. He was asked, ‘Then whom?’ ‘Your mother,’ he replied. He was asked, ‘Then whom?’ ‘Your mother,’ he replied. He was asked, ‘Then whom?’ ‘Your mother,’ he replied. He was asked, ‘Then whom?’ He replied, ‘Your father.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Being kindhearted and respectful towards the father and the obligation of doing so is evinced in this hadeeth.

6. Abu Hurayra reported: “A man came to the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked, ‘What do you command me to do?’ He replied, ‘Be dutiful towards your mother.’ Then he asked him the same question again and he replied, ‘Be dutiful towards your mother.’ He repeated it yet again and the Prophet replied, ‘Be dutiful towards your mother.’ He repeated the question a fourth time and the reply was, ‘Be dutiful towards your mother.’ Then he put the question a fifth time and the Prophet said, ‘Be dutiful towards your father.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

Chapter 4. Dutifulness to Parents, even if they are unjust

7. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “If any Muslim obeys Allah regarding his parents, Allah will open two gates of the Garden for him. If there is only one parent, then one gate will be opened. If one of them is angry, then

Allah will not be pleased with him until that parent is pleased with him.” He was asked, “Even if they wrong him?” “Even if they wrong him” he replied.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 5. Gentle words to Parents

8. Taysala ibn Mayyas said, “I was with the Najadites [Kharijites] when I committed wrong actions which I supposed were major wrong actions. I mentioned that to Ibn ‘Umar. He inquired, ‘What are they?” I replied, ‘Such-and-such.’ He stated, ‘These are not major wrong actions. There are nine major wrong actions. They are: associating others with Allah, killing someone, desertion from the army when it is advancing, slandering a chaste woman, usury, consuming an orphan’s property, heresy in the mosque, scoffing, and causing one’s parents to weep through disobedience.’ Ibn ‘Umar then said to me, ‘Do you wish to separate yourself from the Fire? Do you want to enter the Fire?’ ‘By Allah, yes!’ I replied. He asked, ‘Are your parents still alive?’ I replied, ‘My mother is.’ He said, ‘By Allah, if you speak gently to her and feed her, then you will enter the Garden as long as you avoid the major wrong actions.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: (1) This hadeeth highlights the importance of keeping the company of the people of Sunnah and referringto the scholars to understand the true position regarding any matter in the religion. Perhaps Taysala, was influenced by the Najadites to believe wrongly that the sin he commited was a major one. (2) We also learn from this hadeeth that sins are not entirely of the same category; some are major while others are considered minor with respect to the major ones and not by way of trivializing sin. (3) One of the meanings of the expression, yastaskhiru is to burden people and to make them do a job without pay. Some of the scholars even consider it the most preponderant meaning here for its been mentioned after usury and consumption of an orphan’s wealth both of which are illegitimate means to seek wealth. (4) The permissibility of swearing without been asked to swear while giving a religious verdict or admonition is pointed to in the narration. (5) As long as one abstains from the major sins, speaking kindly to parents and feeding them is surely a means to attain admission to the Paradise by Allah’s leave.

9. Hisham ibn ‘Urwa related this ayat from his father, “Take them under your wing, out of mercy, with due humility.” (17:24)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The exemption to this is when their desire involves disobedience to Allah, the Mighty and Exalted; for the religion prohibits obedience to a creature in disobedience to the Creator.

Chapter 6. Repaying Parents

10. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A child cannot repay his father unless he finds him as a slave and the buys him and sets him free.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It is as if the slave is non-existent and that by his freedom he comes into existence such that the child’s action here, is as that of his parents through whom he came into existence from non-existence.

11. Sa’id ibn Abi Burda said, “I heard my father sat that Ibn ‘Umar saw a Yamani man going around the House while carrying his mother on his back, saying, ‘I am your humble camel. If her mount is frightened, I am not frightened.’ Then he asked, ‘Ibn ‘Umar? Do you think that I have repaid her?’ He replied, ‘No, not even for a single groan.’

“Ibn ‘Umar did tawaf and came to the Maqam and prayed two rak’ats. He said, ‘Ibn Abi Musa, every two rak’ats make up for everything that has happened between them.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The pains of childbirth and nursing endured by the mother and the tremendous reward and high rank she earns as a result are highlights in this hadeeth. Therefore, the parents must be shown kindness and great respect. The Tawaf and performance of the two units of prayer after it behind the station of Ibrahim are two major means to seek expiation of sins

12. Marwan used to make Abu Hurayra his agent and he used to be located in Dhu’l-Hulayfa. His mother was in one house and he was in another. When he wanted to go out, he would stop at her door and say, “Peace be upon you, mother, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing.” She would reply, “And peace be upon you, my son, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing.” Then he said, “May Allah have mercy on you as you raised me when I was a child.” She answered, “May Allah have mercy on you as you were dutiful to me when I was old.” Whenever he wanted to go inside, he would do something similar.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

13. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and made a pledge to him that he would do hijra. He left his parents who were in tears. The Prophet said, ‘Go back to them and make them laugh as you made them weep.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This further evinces the virtue of dutifulness to parents and warns against being sources of sadness to them. The necessity of correcting mistakes also forms a point of benefit in the hadeeth.

14. Abu Hazim reported that Abu Murra, the mawla of Umm Hani’ bint Abi Talib had told him that he rode with Abu Hurayra to his land in al-‘Aqiq. When he entered his land, he shouted out in his loudest voice, “Peace be upon you, mother, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing!” She replied, “And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessing.” He said, “May Allah have mercy on you as you raised me when I was a child.” She replied, “My son, may Allah repay you well and be pleased with you as you were dutiful towards me when I was old.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: From what gladdens parents is the child’s dutifulness to them, and Abu Hurayra’s mother showed appreciation in the best manner by saying: Jazakallahu khayran (meaning: may Allah reward you well). As regards Abu Hurayra’s name, Imam Adh-Dhahabee (الله رحمه ( said: “There is some variance on what his actual name is. However, the most preponderant is Abdur-Rahman bin Sakhr.”

Chapter 7. Disobedience to Parents

15. Abu Bakra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Shall I tell you which is the worst of the major wrong actions?” “Yes, Messenger of Allah,” they replied. He said, “Associating something else with Allah and disobeying parents.” he had been reclining, but then he said up and said, “And false witness.” Abu Bakr said, “He continued to repeat it until I said, ‘Is he never going to stop?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah’s Messengerﷺ would show how crucial any matter was either by repeating a question regarding the matter or employing emphasis or even changing his posture, all of which he employed in this hadeeth. He could also mildly touch the companion on the chest or hold his hand amongst other means. (2) The narration shows that some major sins are still worse than some others, and from the worst ones is offending the parents, rebelling against them and severing relationship with them which are all contradictory to being dutiful to them. (3) It also indicates that the companions (RA)had great concerns for the Prophetﷺ

16. Warrad, the scribe of al-Mughira ibn Shu’ba, said, “Mu’awiya wrote to al-Mughira, saying, ‘Write down for me what you heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say.'” Warrad said, “He dictated to me and I wrote out, ‘I heard him forbid asking too many questions, wasting money and chit-chat.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadith encourages the recitation of the mentioned expressions of remembrance after the obligatory prayers. The prohibition of squandering wealth apparently connects the narration to the chapter heading.

Chapter 8. “Allah curses whoever curses his parents”

17. Abu’t-Tufayl said, “‘Ali was asked, ‘Did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, give you something special which he did not give to anyone else?’ He replied, ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not give me anything special which he did not give to everyone else except for what I have in my sword scabbard.’ He brought out a piece of paper. Written on that paper was: ‘Allah curses anyone who sacrifices an animal to something other than Allah. Allah curses anyone who steals a milestone. Allah curses anyone who curses his parents. Allah curses anyone who gives shelter to an innovator.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: (1) Abdullah bin Saba and his cohorts maliciously spread falsehood that the Messengerﷺ had granted some special things to ‘Ali which he did not grant to the rest of the companions (RA)from which is the right to assume the leadership of the Muslims after the Messenger’s death. So, the people used to seek clarification from ‘Ali ; hence the question. In some other wordings of the same hadeeth, he grew furious at the question. (2) The booklet was from the documentation of hadeeth that took place during the lifetime of Allah’s Messengerﷺ. (3) The word محدثات is reported with the dal having a Kasra, and so it would mean, an offender; and with a Fatha so that it means an innovation. So in the first case the expression in which it occurs would mean, “whoever gives shelter to an offender” and in the second case, “whoever supports an innovation”. Giving support to innovation includes being pleased with it, tolerating it and not controverting and refuting it. (4) The hadeeth warns against cursing one’s parents.

Chapter 9. Being Dutiful to Parents as long as that does not entail disobedience to Allah

18. Abu’d-Darda’ said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recommended nine things to me: ‘Do not associate anything with Allah, even if you are cut to pieces or burned. Do not abandon a prescribed prayer deliberately. Anyone who abandons it will forfeit Allah’s protection. Do not drink wine – it is the key to every evil. Obey your parents. If they command you to abandon your worldly possessions, then leave them for them. Do not contend with those in power, even if you think that you are in the right. Do not run away from the army when it is advances, even if you are killed while your companions run away. Spend on your wife out of your means. Do not raise a stick against your wife. Cause your family to fear Allah, the Almighty and Exalted.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: This hadeeth tells us about some of the harms that result from the iniquities it mentioned. It emphasizes the obligation of giving obedience to our parents in every situation and being ready to part with our possessions for their sake except when it entails sinfulness. And as regards what they could take from the wealth of their children, Allah’s Messenger ]r[ referred to them: “…they (i.e. the children) and their possessions are yours when you are in need of them.” However, explaining the hadeeth, Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (averred: “it is not without exception, that a father could take just whatever he desires from the wealth of his child; not at all. He should only take what he needs.” See: As-Saheehah (2564). This hadeeth also shows the necessity of spending on our wives, and teaching and enforcing Islamically acceptable patterns of behaviour. We should not leave the members of our household without discipline, but when they are, they must be treated in the best of ways. The husband has a huge responsibility to order his household to fear Allah – the Mighty and Exalted – and so, he must also fear Allah – the most High – regarding himself and in his dealings. The right teacher guides the student towards what benefits him and warns him against whatever may harm him.

19. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘I have come to make you a pledge that will do hijra although I have left my parents in tears.” The Prophet said, ‘Go back to them and make them laugh as you made them cry.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

20. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wanting to do jihad. The Prophet asked, ‘Are your parents alive?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied. he said, ‘Then exert yourself on their behalf.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam An-Nawawee (الله رحمه (explained: “All this is evidence for the greatness of the virtue of being dutiful to them (i.e. the parents) and that it is given preference over jihad. It also contains evidence for the statement of the scholars that it is not permissible to go for jihad except with their permission if they are both Muslims.” Additionally, exerting oneself in the service of parents is also reffered to as jihad. The hadeeth evinces the fact that the leader should be in charge of organizing the matters of jihad; considering the conditions of each of the followers, and giving preponderance for issues of personal benefit over those of general benefit.

Chapter 10. The One who Fails his Parents will not enter the Garden

21. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Disgrace! Disgrace! Disgrace!” They said, “Messenger of Allah, who?” He said, “The one who fails his parents or one of them when they are old will enter the Fire.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Emphasy is shown in this hadeeth for kind treatment of and respect for parents, and the tremendous benefit that doing so entails: entrance into the Paradise and salvation from the Fire. The one who abandons his parents faces entrance into the Fire in disgrace – We seek Allah’s refuge from the Fire.

Chapter 11. Allah prolongs the life of someone who is dutiful towards his parents

22. Mu’adh said, “Bliss belongs to someone who is dutiful towards his parents. Allah Almighty will prolong his life.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 12. One does not ask forgiveness for his father if he is an idolater

23. Ibn ‘Abbas mentioned the words of the Almighty, “When one or both of them reach old age with you, do not say ‘Ugh!’ to them out of irritation and do not be harsh with them but speak to them with gentleness and generosity. Take them under your wing, out of mercy, with due humility and say: ‘Lord, show mercy to them as they did in looking after me when I was small.” (17:23-24) He said, “This was abrogated in Surat at-Tawba : ‘It is not right for the Prophet and those who have iman to ask forgiveness for the mushrikun even if they are close relatives after it has become clear to them that they are the Companions of the Blazing Fire.’ (9:113)”
Commentary: That is, the verse in al-Isra orders kindness to parents from which is seeking forgiveness for them after their death whether they were Muslims or not. So the verse in at-Tawba abrogated this ruling and prohibited seeking Allah’s forgiveness for one’s relatives amongst the non-Muslims which includes a polytheist father.

Chapter 13. Dutifulness towards a parent who is an idolater

24. Sa’id ibn Abi Waqqas said: “Four ayats were revealed about me. The first was when my mother swore she would neither eat nor drink until I left Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Allah Almighty revealed, ‘But if they try to make you associate something with Me about which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. Keep company with them correctly and courteously in this worldÉ’ (31:15) The second was when I took a sword that I admired and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, give me this!’ Then the ayat was revealed: ‘They will ask you about booty.’ (8:1) The third was when I was ill and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to me and I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I want to divide my property. Can I will away a half?’ He said, ‘No.’ ‘A third?’ I asked. He was silent and so after that it was allowed to will away a third. The fourth was when I had been drinking wine with some of the Ansar. One of them hit my nose with the jawbone of a camel. I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Allah Almighty revealed the prohibition of wine.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: We learn from this hadeeth that one could tell others about Allah’s favors on him if it will not lead him to self-importance. The fact that the parents should not be followed when they order disbelief or any other act of disobedience to Allah the most High is also deduced from the hadeeth. Even when the parents do that, one should deal with them kindly, being mild and generous to them, inviting them to faith and obedience to Allah with good words and in a nice manner. In another wording of the same hadeeth collected by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim in their Saheehs, Allah’s Messengerﷺ said: “that you leave your heirs rich is better than leaving them poor, having to beg the people.” So, this hadeeth also points to the fact that, generally speaking, it is better to be rich through legitimate means than to remain poor, having to beg the people. Taking wine is prohibited “for it is the key to every evil”.

25. Asma’ bint Abi Bakr said, “In the time of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, my mother came to me hoping (I would be dutiful). I asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ‘Do I have to treat her well?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied.”

Ibn ‘Uyayna said, “Then Allah revealed about her, ‘Allah does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you in the deen.’ (60:8)”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth indicates the eargerness of the companions (RA)to know the rulings of the religion, and that they gave preference for the religion whenever it conflicted with issues of family ties. The hadeeth also teach that the Muslim child should give maintenance to the non-Muslim parents as a matter of obligation and that family ties could be kept with nonMuslim relatives within the same limits. The visit of Asma’s mother to her in Madina was during the period of the Treaty of Hudaibiyya as is indicated in other wordings of the hadeeth.

26. Ibn ‘Umar said, “‘Umar saw a silk robe for sale. He said, ‘Messenger of Allah, would you buy this robe and wear it on Jumu’a and when delegations visit you?’ He replied, ‘Only a person who has no portion in the Next World could wear this.’ Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was given some robes made of the same material. He sent one of the robes to ‘Umar. ‘Umar exclaimed, ‘How can I wear it when you said what you said about it?’ The Prophet replied, ‘I did not give it to you so that you could wear it. You can sell it or give it to someone.’ ‘Umar sent it to a brother of his in Makka who had not yet become Muslim.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:Umar’s proposal that the Messenger of Allahﷺ should wear the robe on such important occasions like the Friday or when delegations visit him was upheld by the Messengerﷺ; he only rejected the silk robe particularly, and any other prohibited dress or mode of dressing as is known from other narrations by extension. However, the hadeeth shows the permissibility of selling silk clothes, earning profit thereby and connecting ties of kinship with non-Muslim relatives by giving them gifts.

Chapter 14. A person should not revile his parents

27. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

“Reviling one’s parents is one of the great wrong actions.” They asked, “How could he revile them?” He said, “He reviles a man who then in turn reviles his mother and father.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:The Messenger of Allahﷺ ordered not to revile one’s parents by first uttering a stirring statement that invited the attention of the listener and showed the weight of the matter. Although it is against man’s innate disposition to revile his parents, his insult of another person’s parents could lead to that. As such, the hadeeth is evidence that a thing becomes forbidden if it basically leads to something forbidden.

28. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “A man’s reviling his father is one of the major wrong actions in the sight of Allah Almighty.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary:The statement takes a cue from that of Allah’s Messengerﷺ in the hadeeth that just preceded.

Chapter 15. The punishment for disobeying parents

29. Abu Bakra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There is no wrong action more likely to bring punishment in this world in addition to what is stored up in the Next World than oppression and severing ties of kinship.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:This hadeeth proves that retribution for sins is quickened against those who commit the sins depending on the sin committed, and that severing the ties of kinship and oppression are quicker to invite retribution than other sins. Conversely, “there is nothing regarding which Allah is obeyed that is quicker to bring reward as connecting the ties of kinship.” See: Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (978).

30. ‘Imran ibn Husayn said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘What do you say about fornication, drinking wine and theft?’ ‘Allah and His Messenger know best,’ we replied. He stated, ‘They are acts of outrage and there is punishment for them, but shall I tell you which is the greatest of the great wrong actions? Associating with Allah Almighty and disobeying parents.’ He had been reclining, but then he sat up and said, ‘and lying.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary:

Chapter 16. Making Parents weep

31. Ibn ‘Umar said, “Making parents weep is part of disobedience and one of the major wrong actions.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

Chapter 17. The Supplication of Parents

32.Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Three supplications are answered without a doubt: the supplication of someone who is oppressed, the supplication of someone on a journey, and the supplication of parents for their children.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary:As for the oppressed it is due to the stress inflicted on him and his been dominated harshly. As regards the traveler, it is for his lonesomeness and toil in his journey. Regarding the parents, it is because after bearing the pains of pregnancy, childbirth and nursing, they look forward to the child with strong emotional attachments. The hadeeth warns against disappointing and annoying parents.

33.Abu Hurayra reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “No human child has ever spoken in the cradle except for ‘Isa ibn Maryam, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the companion of Jurayj.” Abu Hurayra asked, “Prophet of Allah, who was the companion of Jurayj?” The Prophet replied, “Jurayj was a monk who lived in a hermitage. There was a cowherd who used to come to the foot of his hermitage and a woman from the village used to come to the cowherd.

“One day his mother came while he was praying and called out, ‘Jurayj!’ He asked himself, ‘My mother or my prayer?’ He concluded that he should prefer the prayer. She shouted to him a second time and he again asked himself, ‘My mother or my prayer?’ He thought that he should prefer the prayer. She shouted a third time and yet again he asked himself, ‘My mother or my prayer?’ He again concluded that he should prefer the prayer. When he did not answer her, she said, ‘Jurayj, may Allah not let you die until you have looked at the faces of the beautiful women.’ Then she left.

“Then the village woman was brought before the king after she had given birth to a child. He asked, ‘Whose is it?’ ‘Jurayj’s,’ she replied. He asked, ‘The man in the hermitage?’ ‘Yes,’ she answered. He ordered, ‘Destroy his hermitage and bring him to me.’ They hacked at his hermitage with axes until it collapsed. They bound his hand to his neck with a rope and took him along to the king. When he passed by the beautiful women, he saw them and smiled. They were looking at him along with the people.

“The king asked, ‘Do you know what this woman claims?’ ‘What does she claim?’ he asked. He replied, ‘She claims that you are the father of her child.’ He asked her, ‘Where is the child?’ They replied, ‘It is in her room.’ He went to the child and said, ‘Who is your father?’ ‘The cowherd,’ he replied. The king said, ‘Shall we build your hermitage out of gold?’ ‘No,’ he replied. He asked, ‘Of silver?’ ‘No,’ he replied. The king asked, ‘What shall we build it with?’ He said, ‘Put it back the way you found it.’ Then the king asked, ‘What made you smile.’ ‘Something I recognised,’ he replied, ‘The supplication of my mother overtook me.’ Then he told him about it.”
“The king asked, ‘Do you know what this woman claims?’ ‘What does she claim?’ he asked. He replied, ‘She claims that you are the father of her child.’ He asked her, ‘Where is the child?’ They replied, ‘It is in her room.’ He went to the child and said, ‘Who is your father?’ ‘The cowherd,’ he replied. The king said, ‘Shall we build your hermitage out of gold?’ ‘No,’ he replied. He asked, ‘Of silver?’ ‘No,’ he replied. The king asked, ‘What shall we build it with?’ He said, ‘Put it back the way you found it.’ Then the king asked, ‘What made you smile.’ ‘Something I recognised,’ he replied, ‘The supplication of my mother overtook me.’ Then he told him about it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:This hadeeth teaches the following: (1) That a man remains in seclusion with a woman who is not his wife or those with whom he is permanently prohibited in marriage is a precursor to great evils. (2) That the supplication of Jurayj’s mother overtook him indicated that to respond to his mother’s call was more important. (3) The excellence of the scholar over the worshipper. Hafidh Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) said: If Jurayj were to be a scholar he would have known that responding to his mother is more important.” (4) Allah the Mighty and Exalted protects the truthful and provides them ways out of trials. However, this may be delayed in some instances so that they earn more reward for their patience and hope in Him during trials, or just as a way of further rectifying and purifying them. (5) It evinces the fact that Allah, the most High, grants Karaamaat (extra-ordinary events) to whomever He wills among His slaves as is the creed of the Ahl asSunnah wal-Jamaa’ah. (6) Whoever is in the position to discipline a person or people should do so with leniency for despite the fact that Jurayj’s mother was angry she did not supplicate that he should fall into sin with the harlots. (7) Children should desist from whatever will make them incur the anger of their parents as long as doing so does not entail sinfulness

Chapter 18. Offering Islam to a Christian mother

34. Abu Hurayra said, “Neither Jew nor Christian has heard me and then not loved me. I wanted my mother to become Muslim, but she refused. I told her about it and she still refused. I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Pray to Allah for me.’ He did so and I went to her. She was inside the door of the house and said, ‘Abu Hurayra, I have become Muslim.’ I told the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I asked, ‘Make supplication to Allah for me and my mother.’ He said, ‘O Allah, make people love Abu Hurayra and his mother.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary:The hadeeth contains evidence that it is permissible to request a person whose knowledge and piety is trusted to supplicate for a non-Muslim to accept Islam. It also shows the merit of Abu Hurayra and his mother ,(and the importance of inviting one’s non-Muslim relatives to accept Islam employing supplications, good words and beautiful character.

Chapter 19. Dutifulness towards Parents after their Death

35.Abu Usayd said, “We were with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when a man asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, is there any act of dutifulness which I can do for my parents after their death?’ He replied, ‘Yes. There are four things: Supplication for them, asking forgiveness for them, fulfilling their pledges, and being generous to friends of theirs. You only have ties of kinship through your parents.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary:

36.Abu Hurayra said, “The dead person can be raised a degree after his death. He said, ‘My Lord, how is this?’ He was told, ‘Your child can ask for forgiveness for you.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary:This contains evidence for upgrade of a person by virtue of his child’s supplication. Therefore, parents should ensure the proper upbringing of their wards upon the religion so that the children become sources of upgrade for them after their (i.e the parent’s) death.

37.Ibn Sirin said, “We were with Abu Hurayra one night and he said, ‘O Allah, forgive Abu Hurayra and his mother and whoever asks for forgiveness for both of them.'” Muhammad said, “We used to ask for forgiveness for them so that we would be included in Abu Hurayra’s supplication.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:The hadeeth clearly shows Abu Hurayra’s eargerness towards dutifulness to his mother; he sought Allah’s forgiveness for everyone who seeks Allah’s forgiveness for his mother. We beseech Allah the Mighty and Exalted to forgive us, our parents, Abu Hurayra and his mother and the rest of the Muslims.

38.Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When a person dies, all action is cut off for him with the exception of three things: sadaqa which continues, knowledge which benefits, or a righteous child who makes supplication for him.”
Grade:Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:That is, the rewards for his deeds cease except from the angles mentioned. This is because they are actions with uninterrupted benefits and since they were from his deeds, he also continuously gets rewarded. Knowledge mentioned here includes beneficial knowledge which he taught and books, beneficial works he wrote, dictated, translated or even edited, for they remain over generations. The hadeeth shows the virtue of marrying with thve intention of having pious children therefrom and actually training the child upon the path of righteousness. Quite unfortunately, many hoard their wealth, giving only little or even nothing in any form of charity in the absurd notion that they are preserving the wealth!

39.Ibn ‘Abbas reported that a man said, “Messenger of Allah, my mother died without a will. Will it help her if I give sadaqa on her behalf?” “Yes,” he replied.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:Preparing one’s will is urged in this hadeeth. It also shows the permissibility of giving charity on behalf of one’s parents and that doing so is actually from kindness to them. The importance of knowledge before action is also highlighted here

Chapter 20. The Dutifulness of someone who maintains what his father loved

40.‘Abdullah ibn Dinar reported that Ibn ‘Umar passed by a bedouin during a journey. The bedouin’s father had been a friend of ‘Umar’s. The bedouin said, “Am I not the son of so-and-so?” He said, “Yes, indeed.” Ibn ‘Umar ordered that he be given a donkey which was following him. He also took off his turban and gave it to him, One of the men with him said, “Wouldn’t two dirhams be enough for him?” He replied, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Maintain what your father loved. Do not cut it off so that Allah puts out your light.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary:When Ibn ‘Umar (traveled he took along a donkey which he rode whenever he got bored on the camel. He gave the man his turban and the donkey. The virtue of maintaining such relations with the beloved ones of one’s father could be better taken bearing in mind that such relations bring about mentioning one’s father with good and praying for him. So it counts as from the child’s kindness to his parents. The hadeeth proves that good deeds are of categories.

41.Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The strongest form of dutifulness is when a man maintains relations with the people his father loved.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:

Chapter 21. Do not cut off someone with whom your father maintained ties

42. Sa’d ibn ‘Ubada az-Zurqi reported that his father said, “I was sitting in the mosque in Madina with ‘Amr ibn ‘Uthman when ‘Abdullah ibn Salam walked by, leaning on his nephew. ‘Amr left the assembly and showed his concern for him.” Then Ibn Salam returned to them and said, “Do what you like, ‘Amr ibn ‘Uthman,” (and he said it two or three times) By the One who sent Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with the Truth, it is in the Book of Allah Almighty (and he said it twice), ‘Do not cut off those your father has joined so that that extinguishes your light.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary:

Chapter 22. Love is inherited

43. Abu Bakr ibn Hazm reported that one of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “It is enough that I tell you that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Love is inherited.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary:

Chapter 23. A man should not call his father by his name nor sit down before him nor walk in front of him

44. Abu Hurayra saw two men and said to one of them, “Who is this man in relation to you?” He is my father,” he replied. He said, “Do not call him by his own name nor walk in front of him nor sit down before him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:The child does that by way of honouring the parents. However, the child could walk ahead of him in circumstances where only doing so assures the child’s safety. Allah knows Best

Chapter 24. Can a man call his father by his kunya?

45.Shahr ibn Hawshab said, “We went out with Ibn ‘Umar and Salim said to him, ‘Peace, Abu ‘Abdu’r-Rahman.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary:

46.‘Abdullah ibn Dinar said reported that Ibn ‘Umar said, “But Abu Hafs ‘Umar decided…”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:The Kunya is a way of naming, common among the pious predecessors where a particular name, for example, Anas is prefixed by Abu or Umm to mean, ‘the father of Anas’ or ‘the mother of Anas’ respectively. Taking the Kunya is a means of showing respect for one another. The narration showed the permissibility to call one’s father using his (i.e. the father’s) Kunya.

2. Ties of Kinship

Chapter 25. The Duty of maintaining ties of kinship

47. Kulayb ibn Manfa’a reported that his grandfather asked, “Messenger of Allah, towards whom should I be dutiful?” He replied, “Your mother, your father, your sister and your brother. Then your mawla (client) has the next right against you and then your relatives who are connected.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 26. Maintaining ties of kinship

50. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah Almighty created creation. When He had finished it, ties of kinship rose up. Allah said, ‘Stop!’ They said, ‘This is the place for anyone seeking refuge with You from being cut off’ Allah said, ‘Are you not content that I should maintain connections with the one who maintains connection with you and I should cut off the one who cuts you off?’ It replied, ‘Yes indeed, my Lord.’ He said, ‘You have that.'”
Then Abu Hurayra said, “If you wish, you can recite, ‘Is it not likely that, if you did turn away, you would cause corruption in the earth and sever your ties of kinship? ‘ (47:22)”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth is evidence that kinship spoke in the real sense, by Allah’s leave, and that it gets angry and becomes pleased. It is also evidence that speech is from the Action-related Attributes of Allah the Mighty and Exalted. Severing the ties of kinship brings about Allah’s wrath on the offender – and with Allah is the refuge.

48. Abu Ayyub al-Ansari told him that a bedouin came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was travelling. He asked, “Tell me what will bring me near to the Garden and keep me far from the Fire.” He replied, “Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, perform the prayer, pay zakat, and maintain ties of kinship.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: (1) The hadeeth orders maintaining ties with the near relatives without restricting it to the Muslims among them alone. The Prophetﷺ would quickly act upon the instructions of the Qur’aan and give admonitions employing methods that depicted the importance of what he said. (2) The hadeeth forms evidence that the Muslim could still relate himself to his fathers: grand-fathers, great grand-fathers and further above, whether they were Muslims or not for the verse reffered to some of the non-Muslim grand parents of the Messengerﷺ and mentioned them as his near relatives. (3) Everyone is enjoined to hasten towards acting upon good deeds and not depend on nor take pride in family ties. Connecting family ties is emphasized in the hadeeth.

49. Abu Ayyub al-Ansari told him that a bedouin came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was travelling. He asked, “Tell me what will bring me near to the Garden and keep me far from the Fire.” He replied, “Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, perform the prayer, pay zakat, and maintain ties of kinship.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth exhorts towards asking the scholars about what will bring one towards the Paradise and keep one away from the Fire. It warns against destroying one’s acts of devotion with association of partners with Allah. Ibn Abee Hamzah said, “If they are non-Muslims and evil doers, disconnecting relations with them for the sake of Allah is the way to maintain ties with them on the condition that efforts will be made to admonish them. It will also be made known to them that that is due to their keeping away from the truth. Even at that, one will still supplicate for them in their absence that they should return to the right path.”

51. Ibn ‘Abbas spoke about the ayat, “Give your relatives their due, and the very poor and travellersÉ” (17:26), and said, “He begins by commanding the most pressing of the obligatory dues and He directs us to the best action if we have any money. He says: ‘Give your relatives their due, and the very poor and travellers.’ He also teaches us what we can say if we have nothing. He says, ‘But if you do turn away from them, seeking the mercy you hope for from your Lord, then speak to them with words that bring them ease’ (17:28) in the form of an excellent promise. Things are as they are, but they might change if Allah wills. ‘Do not keep your hand chained to your neck’ and not give anything, ‘but do not extend it either to its full extent’ and give all you have, ‘so that you sit there blamed’ as those who come to you later and find you have nothing will blame you, ‘and destitute.’ (17:29)” He said, “The person to whom you have given everything has made you destitute.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 27. The excellence of maintaining ties of kinship

52. Abu Hurayra said, “A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Messenger of Allah! I have relatives with whom I maintain ties while they cut me off. I am good to them while they are bad to me. They behave foolishly towards me while I am forbearing towards them.’ The Prophet said, ‘If things are as you said, it is as if you were putting hot ashes on them and you will not lack a supporter against them from Allah as long as you continue to do that.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches that one should always evaluate his conduct with his kith and kin and make apprioprate amends. In some cases one would need to endure negative dispositions from them and not reply evil with its kind. The narration shows that such endurance earns one support from Allah the most High.

53.‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn ‘Awf heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, said, ‘I am the Merciful (ar-Rahman). I have created ties of kinship and derives a name for it from My Name. If anyone maintains ties of kinship, I maintain connection with him, and I shall cut off anyone who cuts them off.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

54. Abu’l-‘Anbas said, “I visited ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr at al-Waht (some land of his in Ta’if). He said, ‘The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, pointed his finger towards us and said, “Kinship (rahim) us derived from the All-Merciful (Rahman). When someone maintains the connections of ties of kinship, they maintain connection with him. If someone cuts them off, they cut him off. They will have an unfettered, eloquent tongue on the Day of Rising.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

55. ‘A’isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Kinship (rahim) is derived from Allah. If anyone maintains ties of kinship Allah maintains ties with him. If anyone cuts them off, Allah cuts him off.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:These narrations show the loftiness of the ties of kinship, the excellence of maintaining it and the menace of breaking it.

Chapter 28. Maintaining ties of kinship will prolong life

56. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who wants to have his provision expanded and his term of life prolonged should maintain ties of kinship.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

57. Abu Hurayra heard that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Anyone who wants to have his provision expanded and his term of life lengthened should maintain ties of kinship.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: These hadeeths prove that it is encouraged to seek legitimate means of expanding wealth, and that a person’s lifespan could be extended through connecting the ties of kinship. Nevertheless, this does not contradict the fact that life span is preordained; for as Eemaan (faith) rises and falls according to one’s deeds without contradicting preordainment, so does life span get shortened and prolonged according its means without contradicting preordainment

Chapter 29. Allah loves the one who maintains ties of kinship

58. Ibn ‘Umar said, “If someone fears his Lord and maintains ties of kinship, his term of life will be prolonged, he will have abundant wealth and his people will love him.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: This narration and the one that comes after it with a similar wording exhort towards the fear of Allah the Mighty and Exalted and connecting the ties of kinship. It mentions them both as means to gaining extension of life span, abundance of wealth and love of one’s people which are all from the signs of Allah’s love for such a person

59. Ibn ‘Umar said, “If someone his Lord and maintains ties of kinship, his term of life will be prolonged, his wealth will be abundant and his family will love him.”
Grade:
Commentary: As No. 58, with a different isnād.

Chapter 30. Being dutiful to the closest relative and then the next closest

60. It is reported that al-Miqdam ibn Ma’dikarib heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Allah enjoins you to be dutiful to your mothers. Then He enjoins you to be dutiful to your mothers. Then He enjoins you to be dutiful to your fathers. Then He enjoins you to be dutiful to your next closest relative and then to your next closest relative.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Kindness and respect to the mother is emphasized here because of her bearing the pains of pregnancy, labor and for nursing the child. The father is next in preference, and then the nearest relatives. The words Ummahaat (mothers) and Aabaa (fathers) includes the grand mothers and fathers, the great grand mothers and fathers and so on, upwards.

61. Abu Ayyub Sulayman, the mawla of ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, said, “Abu Hurayra came to us on a Thursday evening, the night before Jumu’a. He said, ‘Every individual who severs ties of kinship is constricted when he leaves us. No one left until he had said that three times. Then a young man went to one of his paternal aunts with whom he had severed ties two years previously. He went to her and she asked him, ‘Nephew! What has brought you?’ He replied, ‘I heard Abu Hurayra say such-and- such.’ She said, ‘Go back to him and ask him why he said that.’ Abu Hurayra said, ‘I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “The actions of the children of Adam are presented before Allah Almighty on Thursday evening, the night before Jumu’a. He does not accept the actions of someone who has severed ties of kinship.”‘”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: It is rather authentically reported that Allah’s Messengerﷺ said regarding his fasting on Mondays and Thurdays that, “Actions are presented to the Lord of all that exists on those two days, and I love that my actions are presented while I am fasting…” See: Irwaa ul-Galeel (948)

62. Ibn ‘Umar said, “Nothing that a man spends on himself and his family, anticipating a reward from Allah, will fail to be rewarded by Allah Almighty. He should begin with those whose support is his responsibility. If there is something left over, he should spend it on his next nearest relative and then the next nearest. If there is still something left over, he can give it away.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: However, that one begins with his immediate dependents is authentically reported from Allah’s Messengerﷺ by Abdullah bin ‘Umar and other companions (y). See: Irwaa ul-Galeel (834).

Chapter 31. Mercy will not descend on people when there is someone among them who severs ties of kinship

63. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Awfa reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Mercy does not descend on a people when there is someone among them who severs ties of kinship.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 32. The wrong action of someone who severs ties of kinship

64. Jubayr ibn Mu’tim reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “The one who severs ties of kinship will not enter the Garden.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “this hadeeth is given two explanations: first, its been considered to refer to the one who declares severing the ties as legitimate without any reason or confusion while knowing fully well that it is prohibited. Such is a disbeliever who will remain in the Fire forever and will never enter the Garden. Second, that it means that he (i.e the one wo breaks the ties of kinhip) will not enter it (i.e. the Garden) along with the first people; he will rather be punished with delay for as long as Allah the most High likes.”

65. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Ties of kinship (rahim) is derived from the All-Merciful (ar- Rahman). They say. ‘My Lord! I have been wronged! My Lord! I have been cut off! My Lord! I haveÉ! I have!’ Allah answers them, ‘Are you not content that I cut off the one who cuts you off and I maintain connections with the one who maintains connections with you?'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: By its saying, “I have…! I have…!”, the ties of kinship counts the forms of wrong and severance it had suffered. The hadeeth contains stern warning against severing the ties of kinship. It also points to the fact that reward could be with the kind of the deed; so the one who cuts off the ties, is also cut off from Allah’s mercy. Similarly, the one who connects the ties, Allah showers His mercy on him.

66. Sa’id ibn Sam’an heard Abu Hurayra seeking refuge from the power of children and fools. Sa’id said, “Ibn Hasana al-Juhani told me that he asked Abu Hurayra, ‘What is the token of that?’ He replied, ‘That he severs ties of kinship, obeys someone who is in error, and disobeys the correct guide.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Sabiyy (the young, immature) would lack the wisdom and emotional balance usually associated with adults and as such, may not bother to connect the ties of kinship. Similarly, the foolish lacks good sense of judgement such that he will also fail to connect the ties. When such persons lead, this sin may spread among their subjects; thus, the companion’s supplications. Allah knows best

Chapter 33. The punishment of someone who cuts off ties of kinship in this world

67. Abu Bakr reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There is no wrong action which Allah is swifter to punish in this world – in addition to the punishment which He has stored up for the wrongdoer in the Next World – than cutting off ties of kinship and injustice.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth proves that retribution for sins is quickened against those who commit the sins depending on the sin committed, and that severing the ties of kinship and oppression are quicker to invite retribution than other sins. Conversely, “there is nothing regarding which Allah is obeyed that is quicker to bring reward as connecting the ties of kinship.” See: Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (978).

Chapter 34. The one who maintains ties of kinship is not the one who reciprocates

68. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The one who maintains ties of kinship is not the one who reciprocates. The one who maintains ties of kinship is the one who, when his relatives cut him off, maintains ties of kinship.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam al-Manaawee (الله رحمه (said, “This refers to the highest level of maintaining the ties of kinship; otherwise, if he is not cut off by anyone among his relatives but he continues to connect with them, he is also considered from those who maintain the ties although his level is lower than that of the one who connects with the one that cuts off relations with him”

Chapter 35. The excellence of someone who maintains relations with relatives who are unjust

69. Al-Bara’ said, “A bedouin came and said, ‘Prophet of Allah! Teach me an action which will enable me to enter the Garden.’ He said, “The question is a broad one, even though you have asked it in only a few words. Free someone. Set a slave free.’ He said, ‘Are they not the same thing?’ ‘No,’ he replied, ‘Freeing someone is setting someone free yourself. Setting a slave free is to contribute to the price of setting him free. Lend an animal for milking which has a lot of milk and treat your relatives kindly. If you cannot do that, then command the good and forbid the bad. If you cannot do that, then restrain your tongue from everything except what is good.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches that: (1) One should be keen to ask about and act upon good deeds. (2) The teacher could give all-embracing responses to questions that come in the same form, and he should explain aspects of his response that may not be clear to the questioner. (3) Giving generously to relatives includes both the just and unjust among them. However, maintaining ties with the unjust among them requires struggling against one’s soul; thus the saying, “…if you cannot do that…”. (4) Freeing a slave and helping to do so and the other deeds mentioned in it are from the major means of attaining the Paradise

Chapter 36. Those who maintained ties of kinship in the Jahiliyya and then became Muslim

70. Hakim ibn Hizam said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “Do you think that the acts of worship which I used to do in the time of the Jahiliyya – maintaining relations with relatives, setting slaves free and sadaqa – will bring me a reward?” Hakim said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When you become Muslim, you keep the good actions you have already done.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth is one of the major evidences that establish the fact that the non-Muslim who acts upon good deeds while still a non-Muslim is rewarded for them if he accepts Islam and dies upon it. Imam as-Sindee (الله رحمه (explains, “this hadeeth proves that the good deeds of a non-Muslim are suspended; if he becomes a Muslim, they are accepted, otherwise they are rejected.” Previously, Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (gave a similar explanation and said, “this is convincing”. He cited the same view from a number of the pious predecessors. From the narrations that establish this fact is: Once Aa’isha (عنها الله ريض (said to Allah’s Messengerﷺ: ‘Indeed Ibn Jud’aan used to provide food (for the people) and he would be hospitable to his guest(s). Will any of that benefit him on the Day of Resurrection?’ The Prophetﷺ answered: “No. Indeed, on no day did he ever say: O my Lord, forgive me my sin on the Day of Recompense.” (Muslim). Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (said: “This hadeeth contains clear evidence that if the non-Muslim accepts Islam, his good deeds which he performed while still a non-Muslim will benefit him as opposed to if he dies upon his disbelief; it will not then benefit him, rather it becomes vain due to his disbelief.” He also said, “This is the right position which should not be contradicted due to the preponderance of the ahaadeeth that evince it.” See: Silsilat Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (1/492- 498)

Chapter 37. Maintaining ties of kinship with the idolater and giving gifts

71. Ibn ‘Umar said, “‘Umar saw a silk robe for sale. He said, ‘Messenger of Allah, would you buy this robe and wear it on Jumu’a and when delegations visit you?’ He replied, ‘Only a person who has no portion in the Next World could wear this.’ Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was given some robes made of the same material. He sent one of the robes to ‘Umar. ‘Umar exclaimed, ‘How can I wear it when you said what you said about it?’ The Prophet replied, ‘I did not give it to you so that you could wear it. You can sell it or give it to someone.’ ‘Umar sent it to one of his half-brothers by his mother who was still an idolater.” (see 26)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Umar’s proposal that the Messenger of Allahﷺ should wear the robe on such important occasions like the Friday or when delegations visit him was upheld by the Messengerﷺ; he only rejected the silk robe particularly, and any other prohibited dress or mode of dressing as is known from other narrations by extension. However, the hadeeth shows the permissibility of selling silk clothes, earning profit thereby and connecting ties of kinship with non-Muslim relatives by giving them gifts

Chapter 38. Learn your lineages so that you can maintain ties of kinship

72. Jubayr ibn Mut’im said that he heard ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab say on the minbar, “Learn your lineages so that you can maintain ties of kinship. By Allah, if there are some bad feelings between a man and his brother and he knows that there is kinship between him and that man, that will prevent him from breaking with him.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narration exhorts towards learning one’s lineage and knowing one’s relatives since the connection of the ties of kinship is dependent on it. Such knowledge will also prevent the sin of severing ties with near relatives.

73. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Keep a record of your lines of descent so that you can maintain ties of kinship. He will not make his relatives distant when they are close relatives, even if they live far away. He will not consider them to be close relatives if they are distant ones, even if they live near to him. Every time of kinship will come on the Day of Rising in front of each individual and testify on his behalf that he has maintained that tie of kinship if he did indeed maintain it. It will testify against him that he cut if off if he cut it off.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Maintaining the tie of kinship gives the strong impression that the distant relatives are actually near and that the near relatives are nearer. As such, kith and kin will love one another, they will be showered Allah’s mercy and live in peace and security. This hadeeth is also authentically reported from the sayings of Allah’s Messengerﷺ. See: Silsilat Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (277).

3. Mawlas

Chapter 39. Can a mawla say, “I am from so- and- so”?

74. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Habib said, “‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar asked me, ‘Which clan are you from?’ I replied, ‘From Taym of Tamim.’ He asked, ‘One of themselves or one of their mawlas?’ ‘One of their mawlas,’ I replied. He said, ‘So why did you not say, ‘One of their mawlas’?”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 40. The mawla of a people is one of them

75. Rifa’a ibn Rafi’ reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to ‘Umar, “Gather your people [the Muhajirun] for me.” He did so. When they reached the door of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ‘Umar came to him and said, “I have gathered my people for you.” The Ansar heard that and said, “Revelation has been revealed about Quraysh.” People came to see and hear what would be said to them [the Muhajirun]. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came out and stood in the midst of them. He said, “Are there those among you who are not of you?” They replied, “Yes, there are those among us with whom we have made treaties as well as our nephews and our mawlas.” The Prophet said, “Our ally is one of us. Our nephew is one of us. Our mawla is one of us.” You who are listening: our friends among you are those who have taqwa of Allah. If you are one of them, then that is good. If that is not the case, then look out. People will bring their actions on the Day of Rising and you will come with burdens and you will be shunned.” Then he called out, “O people!” He raised his hands and put them on the heads of Quraysh. “O people!

Quraysh are the people of trustworthiness. If anyone who oppresses them (and one of the transmitters thought that he said, ‘faults them’), Allah will overturn him.” He repeated that three times.
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows the following: (1) The Prophet’sﷺ concern for matters of the near relatives. (2) It is encouraged to gather the people for an important matter such as to acquint relatives with one another and encourage them to do good deeds. (3) The companions (RA)are always eager to know what was revealed in order to act upon them. (4) Our allies, sons of our sisters and our freed slaves are from amongst us. This refutes the practice among the Arabs during the Jahiliyyah and in other cultures where the sons of their sisters are not considered as among her people because they consider the daughter herself (their sister) as worthless. (5) The virtue of the Quraysh; it warns against seeking their pitfalls and contesting the leadership of the Muslims with them. (6) Everyone should hasten towards good deeds and not depend on family ties; the dear ones to Allah’s Messengerﷺ and to Allah are those who fear Allah, act upon His orders and abstain from His prohibitions.

4. Looking after girls

Chapter 41. Someone who looks after three or two daughters

76. ‘Uqba ibn ‘Amir reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “If someone has three daughters and is patient with them and clothes them from his wealth, they will be a shield against the Fire for him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

77. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “There is no Muslim who has two daughters and takes good care of them but that he will enter the Garden.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

78.Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who has three daughters and provides for them, clothes them and shows mercy to them will definitely enter the Garden.” A man from the people said, “And two daughters, Messenger of Allah?” He said, “And two.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narrations in this chapter emphasize the rights of the daughters, and encourage steadfastness in taking good care of them. They mention the fulfillment of these rights as from the means to seek admittance into the Paradise and protection from the Fire.

Chapter 42. Someone who looks after three sisters

79. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “No one has three daughters or three sisters and is good to them but that he will enter the Garden.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narrations in this chapter emphasize the rights of the daughters, and encourage steadfastness in taking good care of them. They mention the fulfillment of these rights as from the means to seek admittance into the Paradise and protection from the Fire.

Chapter 43. The excellence of someone who looks after his daughter after she has been sent back home

80. Musa ibn ‘Ali reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Shall I show you the greatest sadaqa (or one of the greatest forms of sadaqa)?” He replied, “Yes, indeed, Messenger of Allah!” He went on, “To provide for your daughter when she is returned to you and you are her sole source of provision.”
80.Musa ibn ‘Ali reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Shall I show you the greatest sadaqa (or one of the greatest forms of sadaqa)?” He replied, “Yes, indeed, Messenger of Allah!” He went on, “To provide for your daughter when she is returned to you and you are her sole source of provision.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

81.Suraqa ibn Ju’shum reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said the like of previous hadith.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

82. Al-Miqdam ibn Ma’dikarib heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “What you feed yourself is sadaqa for you. What you feed your child is sadaqa for you. What you feed your wife is sadaqa is for you. What you feed your servant is sadaqa for you.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches hastening towards feeding and maintaining oneself, the children, wife and servant; and intending by all that, Allah’s countenance; for Allah does not reward something done for the sake of other than Him. The narration is connected to this chapter heading since the daughter who is sent back home remains the daughter of her parents and should therefore, be maintained as she would before marriage.

Chapter 44. Disliking for someone to hope for the death of daughters

83. It is reported that there was a man who had daughters who was with Ibn ‘Umar when he wished that his daughters were dead. Ibn ‘Umar became angry and said, “While you are providing for them!”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

5. Looking after children

Chapter 45. A child is a source of both honour and cowardice

84. ‘A’isha said, “Abu Bakr said, ‘By Allah, there is no man on the face of the earth that I love better than ‘Umar.’ Then he went out and came back and said, ‘How did I swear, daughter?’ I told him what he had said. Then he said, ‘He is dearer to me although one’s child is closer (to one’s heart).'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: A person could take an oath while making a statement to indicate its importance. Since the children are closer to one’s heart, one naturally tends to give much attention to spending upon them and their general upbringing such that it may lead to being stingy and timid towards others.

85. Ibn Abi Nu’m said, “I was with Ibn ‘Umar when a man asked him about the blood of gnats. He asked, ‘Where are you from?’ ‘From the people of Iraq,’ he replied. He said, ‘Look at this man! He asks about the blood of gnats when they murdered the grandson of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace! I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘They are my sweet basil in this world.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The community where a person comes from greatly influences his dispositions; so, the teacher may inquire about that – especially when no harm is feared thereby – to enable him properly place the question of the student and its response. Ibn Battal (الله رحمه (said: “it can be deduced from the narration that it is obligatory to give preference (during an admonition or while answering a question) to something more obligatory on a person.” Children are from the precious gifts of Allah the Exalted, endeared to people; so the child is smelled and kissed, and referred to as Rayhaan (the sweetflower) as the sweet flower is loved, smelled and kissed.

Chapter 46. Carrying a child on one’s shoulders

86. Al-Bara’ said, “I saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when al-Hasan was on his shoulder. He was saying, ‘O Allah, I love him, so love him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows the modesty of the Prophetﷺ and his love for children, for he was kind to al-Hasan ; he placed him on his shoulder and supplicated for him. It is from the Sunnah to love al-Hasan and al-Husain; but as our love for the Messengerﷺ must be within the limits of the Sharee’ah, we must not overstep the proper limits of the Sharee’ah also, in our love for al-Hasan and al-Husain and any other creature: “Allah loves not the trangressors”.

Chapter 47. A child is a source of joy

87. Jubayr ibn Nufayr said, “One day we were sitting when al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad when a man passed us. The man said, ‘Blessing be to those two eyes which saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. By Allah, I wish that I had seen what you have seen and witnessed what you have witnessed!’ This angered al-Miqdad and that surprised me as the man had said nothing but good things. Then he turned to them and said, ‘What made the man desire to summon back what Allah has taken away? Does he not realise what his situation would be if he had seen him? By Allah, if certain people had been with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, Allah would have thrown them on their faces into Hellfire since they would neither have answered nor confirmed him? Do you not praise Allah Almighty since He brought you forth and you only know your Lord and confirm what your Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought? You see enough affliction in other people. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sent in the harshest state in which any Prophet was ever sent – in a gap (in the line of prophethood) and the time of Ignorance. They did not believe that the deen was better than worshipping idols. He brought the Discrimination by which it is possible to discriminate between the true and false, and which can part a father from his child. Then a man will think of his father, child or brother as an unbeliever. Allah has loosened the locks of his heart by faith and he knows that the other person will be destroyed in the Fire. Therefore his eye is not cool since he knows that the one he loves will be in the Fire. It is what Allah says, “Those who say, ‘Our Lord, give us joy in our wives and children.” (25:74)'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth highlightthe following: (1) The love and respect the Taabi’oon had for the companions of Allah’s Messengerﷺ. (2) The teacher should correct the student if he errs and always guide him to that which is right. (3) One should not wish to be present in a place or witness an event from which Allah has kept one absent. (4) Linking up with people is not praiseworthy in every situation and severing relations with them is not also absolutely blameworthy. It is blameworthy for one to follow his near relatives in their disbelief if they give preference to that over Eemaan (faith). (5) One should show concern for his relatives even if they are non-Muslims, strongly wishing them to be guided to Islam. (6) One should seek to marry pious women with the intention to have pious children who will be trained to become pious servants of Allah and coolness of one’s eyes.

Chapter 48. A person who makes supplication that his friend will have a lot of money and many children

88. Anas said, “One day I visited the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and there was only myself, my mother and my aunt, Umm Hiram. When he came to us, he asked us, ‘Shall I pray with you?’ It was not the time of an obligatory prayer.” One of those listening to the person relating this asked, “Where did he put in Anas in relation to him?” The reply was, “He put him to his right.”
The report from Anas continues, “Then he prayed with us and made supplication for us, the people of the house, that we would have the best of the blessings of this world and the Next. My mother said, ‘Messenger of Allah, make supplication to Allah for your little servant,’ and he asked Allah to grant me every blessing. At the end of his supplication, he said, ‘O Allah, grant him a lot of money and many children and bless him!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains the following points of benefit: (1) The leader should visit his adherents as was the practice of the Prophetﷺ. (2) The Taabi’oon showed great interest in the matters of the religion especially the prayer. (3) The one who prays alone with the imam should stand on the right side of the imam and not on his left side, nor behind him. (4) One could request a person whose religion is trusted to supplicate for him; and such supplications could be made in the presence of the one who requested for it. (5) The parent should always seek and follow the means by which the child earns the blessings of this World and the Hereafter. Umm Sulaim had given her son, Anas to the service of the Prophetﷺ at the prophet’s arrival in Madeenah. So Anas was nurtured in the prophetic household; he was there until the Prophetﷺ died. (6) It is encouraged to ask Allah for abundant wealth and many children as they are both from the favors of Allah. Quite badly, many abort pregnancies today for the flimsiest reason and seek other means of reducing child birth! (7) It is legitimate also, to beseech Allah for long life as is contained in other wordings of the same hadeeth, just as one supplicates for wealth and children. This does not contradict preordainment. (8) The prophet’s supplication for Anas was granted; he lived for over a hundred years, he had over a hundred and twenty children and grand children, and was one of the richest among the Ansar.

Chapter 49. Mothers are merciful

89. Anas ibn Malik said, “A woman came to ‘A’isha and ‘A’isha gave her three dates. She gave each of her two children a date and kept one date for herself. The children ate the two dates and then looked at their mother. She took her date and split in it two and gave each child half of it. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came and ‘A’isha told him about it. He said, ‘Are you surprised at that? Allah will show her mercy because of her mercy towards her child.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This shows the kindness of the mother for her child, and that being merciful to others, especially the children and near relatives earns one Allah’s mercy. It also encourages towards giving in charity, and evinces the permissibility of mentioning a good deed one performed if doing so will not lead to pride.

Chapter 50. Kissing Children

90. ‘A’isha said, “A bedouin came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked, “Do you kiss your children? We do not kiss them.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Can I put mercy in your hearts after Allah has removed it from them?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This narration encourages kissing children, and that doing so is from soft-heartedness. One of the ways to correct the one who errs is to point out the error and mention the evil in it. The hadeeth also points to the fact that the actions of the limbs impact upon the soul.

91. Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, kissed Hasan ibn ‘Ali while al-Aqra’ ibn Habis at-Tamimi was sitting with him. Al-Aqra’ observed, ‘I have ten children and I have kissed any of them.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, looked at him and said, ‘Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.'” (Authentic)
Garde: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy by Allah, he will not be rewarded by the Most-Merciful for being merciful. The Prophet’sﷺ love and care for children and his maintenance of the ties of kinship is shown in this narration. It also mentions the virtue of al-Hasan. The hadeeth shows the modesty of the Prophetﷺ and his love for children, for he was kind to al-Hasan ; he placed him on his shoulder and supplicated for him. It is from the Sunnah to love al-Hasan and al-Husain; but as our love for the Messengerﷺ must be within the limits of the Sharee’ah, we must not overstep the proper limits of the Sharee’ah also, in our love for al-Hasan and al-Husain and any other creature: “Allah loves not the trangressors”

Chapter 51. The parent teaching adab and his duty towards his child

92. Numayr ibn Aws said, “They used to say, ‘Correct action is a gift from Allah, but adab comes from the parents.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

93.An-Nu’man ibn Bashir said that his father had carried him to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I testify to you that I have given an- Nu’man such-and-such. (It was a slave). The Prophet asked, “Have you given each of your children the same”?” “No,” he replied. He said, “Then testify to someone other than me.” Then the Prophet asked, “Do you not want to show equal kindness to all of them?” “Indeed I do,” he replied. He said, “Then do not do it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:It points to the fact that the scholars could cooperate with the people in the aspects of their dealings with the members of their household, and that while giving admonitions and verdicts, they could make inquiries which will enable them properly place their statements. Parents should deal justly among their children in terms of giving gifts and exposing them to life opportunities, and shun whatever will sow the seed of discord and bring about disobedience to parents in the family. It is deduced from this hadeeth that some of the rulings of the Sharee’ah have implications that are easily understood and appreciated.

Chapter 52. The dutifulness of a father to his child

94. Ibn ‘Umar said, “Allah has called them the ‘dutiful’ (al-Abrar) because they are dutiful (birr) to their parents and children. Just as you have a duty which you owe your parent, so you have a duty which you owe your child.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 53. Someone who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy

95. Abu Sa’id that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Someone who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy by Allah, he will not be rewarded by the Most-Merciful for being merciful. The Prophet’sﷺ love and care for children and his maintenance of the ties of kinship is shown in this narration. It also mentions the virtue of al-Hasan.

96. Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Allah will not show mercy to someone who does not show mercy to people.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

97. Same as 97.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

98. ‘A’isha said, “Some bedouins came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. One of their men said to him, ‘Messenger of Allah, do you kiss children? By Allah, we do not kiss them.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Can I put mercy in your hearts after Allah has removed it from them?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This narration encourages kissing children, and that doing so is from soft-heartedness. One of the ways to correct the one who errs is to point out the error and mention the evil in it. The hadeeth also points to the fact that the actions of the limbs impact upon the soul.

99. Abu ‘Uthman reported that ‘Umar wanted to appoint a man as governor. The governor said, “I have such-and-such a number of children and I have never kissed any of them.” ‘Umar said, “Allah Almighty will only show mercy to the kindest of His slaves.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: A person who is dealing with the public should have compassion. Since this man did not show compassion towards his own children, ‘Umar withheld his offer on hearing this. The narrations in this chapter teach the importance of showing kindness and goodwill, helping the needy and putting harm away from the people.

Chapter 54. Mercy consists of a hundred parts

100. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah Almighty has divided mercy into one hundred parts. He kept ninety-nine parts and sent down one part to earth. Because of that one single part, creatures are merciful to one another so that even the mare will lift its hooves away from its foal so that it does not trample on it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: So if the single part sent down to the earth entails Islam; the prayer, the fasting, and the tranquility man feels in his heart among other things which are from the mercy of Allah the Mighty and Exalted, then how tremendous are the ninety-nine parts which he has kept back for the Hereafter, the everlasting abode?! The onus is upon us to show mercy to people so that we receive from this abundant mercy in the Hereafter

6. Neighbours

Chapter 55. The recommendation to be kind to neighbours

102. Abu Shurayh al-Khuza’i reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should be good to his neighbours. Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should be generous to his guest. Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should be say what is good or be silent.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, whoever believes in Allah, his Creator and that He will reward him based on his actions should perform these good deeds. The hadeeth shows that to be silent is better than saying things that lack benefit, and that causing harm to one’s neighbour contradicts perfect Eemaan (faith). It also shows that actions are from the aspects of Eemaan (faith), and since people are certainly in categories in the performance of these deeds, their levels of Eemaan (faith) definitely vary. When they improve, the level of Eemaan (faith) increases; thus asserting the fact that Eemaan (faith) increases with good deeds and reduces with sins

Chapter 56. The neighbour’s due

103. Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked his Companions about fornication and they said, “It is unlawful. Allah and His Messenger have made it unlawful.” He said, “It is less serious for a man to fornicate with ten women than for him to fornicate with his neighbour’s wife.” Then he asked them about stealing. They replied, “It is unlawful. Allah and His Messenger have made it unlawful.” He said, “It is less serious for a man to steal from ten houses than it is for him to steal from his neighbour’s house.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The teacher could ask a question regarding a matter he intends to discuss to show the importance of the matter and draw the attention of the student. Because a person should be basically safe in the hands of the neighbour, it is more serious for the neighbour to betray this trust and fornicate with his neighbour’s wife or steal from his house. The transgression is worse when it is directed at relatives.

Chapter 57. Begin with the neighbour

104. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Jibril kept on recommending that I treat my neighbours well until I thought that he would order me to treat them as my heirs.”
Grade:Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The rights of the neighbour is here emphasized. Hafidh Ibn Hajar (الله رحمه (said, “the word, neighbour encompasses the Muslim, the non-Muslim, the pious, the sinful, the friend, the enemy, the stranger, the resident, the helpful, the harmful, the near, the strange; the one whose residence is nearer and the one whose residence is more distant.” So, one must treat them well; desiring good for them, admonishing them towards goodness, supplicating for their guidance and refraining from causing harm to them by speech or action.

105. Mujahid reported that a sheep was slaughtered for ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr. He asked his slave, ‘Have you given any to our Jewish neighbour? Have you given any to our Jewish neighbour? I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘Jibril kept on recommending that I treat my neighbours well until I thought that he would order me to treat them as my heirs.'”
Grade:Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Good treatment of neighbours is not restricted to those among them who are Muslims; the non-Muslim neighbour should also be kindly treated except when such persons show hatred for Islam or when doing so strengthens such persons upon their disbelief

106. Same as 101.
Commentary:As No. I04, from ‘Ā’isha, with a different isnād.

Chapter 58. You give to the neighbour whose door is the nearest to you

107. ‘A’isha said, “I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I have two neighbours. To whom should I give my gifts?’ He replied, ‘To the one whose door is nearer to you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches the following: 1. The importance of knowing the rulings regarding an action before doing it. 2. It is better to do that which is more rewarding of good deeds. 3. The neighbour who lives nearer has a greater right to be treated kindly

Chapter 59. The nearest and then next nearest neighbour

109. Al-Hasan was asked about the neighbour and said, “The term ‘neighbour’ includes the forty houses in front a person, the forty houses behind him, the forty houses on his right and the forty houses on his left.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Acting upon this narration: being generous and caring to neighbours in this range will certainly engender peaceful coexistence in the community. However, as mentioned earlier, the nearer the neighbour’s door, the greater his right to be treated kindly.

110. Abu Hurayra said, “Do not begin with your more distant neighbours before the closer ones. Rather begin with your nearest neighbours before the most distant ones.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary:

Chapter 60. The person who shuts his door against his neighbour

111. Ibn ‘Umar said, “There was a time when no one was more entitled to a person’s money than his Muslim brother. Now people love their dirhams and dinars more than their Muslim brother. I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘How many a neighbour will be brought together with his neighbour on the Day of Rising! He will say, “Lord, this man closed his door to me and refused to show me common kindness!”‘”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: his hadeeth shows the greatness of the rights of the neighbour, and warns against inhumane treatment of the neighbour. One wonders what the companion, Abdullah b. ‘Umar (عنهام الله ريض (will say if he were to witness the attitude of the people towards their neighbours today?!

Chapter 61. A person should not eat his fill without seeing to his neighbour

112. Ibn ‘Abbas told Ibn az-Zubayr, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘A man is not a believer who fills his stomach while his neighbour is hungry.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: So, knowing the condition of the neighbour and providing him food and other things of basic need when he is in need according one’s ability is from the aspects of Eemaan (faith). As such, the extent of a person’s laxity in this indicates the weakness of his Eemaan (faith).

Chapter 62. When there is a lot of stew, it is divided between the neighbours

113. It is reported that Abu Dharr said, “My dear friend, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, enjoined three things on me: ‘Hear and obey, even if the ruler is a slave with his limbs amputated. When you cook a stew, put a lot of water in it and then go and see the people of a neighbouring house and give them a reasonable amount of it. Pray the prayers at their proper prayers. Then if you find that the imam has already prayed, you have guarded your prayer (by already having performed it). If not, it is a supererogatory prayer (since you have done it again).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains evidence for the use of words that foster love and friendly relations as employed by Abu Dharr . It also emphasizes the obligation of obedience to the leaders, encourages giving charity, having concerns for our neighbours and actually taking steps to improve their conditions. That the Prayers should be observed at their proper times and in congregation with the Muslims are also pointed to here.

114. Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Abu Dharr! If you cook some stew, make a lot of it and fulfil your duty to your neighbours (or divide it among your neighbours).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

Chapter 63. The best neighbour

Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Al-Munawee (الله رحمه (said, “A companion would come across those who are lower or higher or even on a par with him in his religion or worldly affairs as he deals with people whether during a journey or while at home. The best of them in the sight of Allah in rank and reward in his dealings is the one who is most beneficial to his companion…” A similar thing applies to the neighbours.

Chapter 64. The righteous neighbour

116. Nafi’ ibn ‘Abdu’l-Harith reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Part of the happiness of the Muslim man includes a spacious dwelling, righteous neighbour and a good mount”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: While the spacious home basically provides cover and shelter, enables one to appriopriately segregate the household and accommodate visitors, the good ride helps its owner to fulfill the obligations that require him to move to distant locations. The good neighbour would aid one towards obedience to Allah and His Messengerﷺ; encouraging him upon what is good and forbidding him evil, and so he is happy and successful. In some wordings of the same hadeeth, it includes: “the pious wife”

Chapter 65. The bad neighbour

117. Abu Hurayra said, “Part of the supplication of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was, “Oh Allah, I seek refuge with you from an evil neighbour in the Eternal World. A neighbour in this world can be changed.
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The bad neighbour is carefree about the rulings of the Sharee’ah regarding himself and the people around him; thus, his neighbours are not safe from his evil actions. However, for the one whose neighbour is as described, he should supplicate for him, encourage him upon goodness and forbid him evil with good words and nice character such that he would have fulfilled his own duties towards him. This hadeeth encourages us to seek refuge with Allah from having bad neighbours.

118. Abu Musa reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The Final Hour will not come until a man kills his neighbour, his brother and his father.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Many narrations indicate that the Last Hour will be established when the worst sins spread among the people. So, from such evils is that near relatives and neighbours who should be treated with kindness will be maltreated and even killed!

Chapter 66. A person should not injure his neighbour

119. Abu Hurayra said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, ‘Messenger of Allah! A certain woman prays in the night, fasts in the day, acts and gives sadaqa, but injures her neighbours with her tongue.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘There is no good in her. She is one of the people of the Fire.’ They said, ‘Another woman prays the prescribed prayers and gives bits of curd as sadaqa and does not injure anyone.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘She is one of the people of the Garden.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows the importance of guarding the tongue, and that observing the late-night prayers, fasting regularly and giving charity may not outweigh the evil of badly treating the neighbor.

120.‘Umara ibn Ghurab reported that an aunt of his told him that she asked ‘A’isha, Umm al- Mu’minin, “If a woman’s husband desires her and she refuses to give herself to him either because she is angry or not eager, is there anything wrong in that?” “Yes,” she replied. “Part of his right over you is that if he desires you when you are on a saddle, you must not refuse him.” She said, “I also asked her, ‘If one of us is menstruating and she and her husband only have a single cover, what should she do?’ She replied, ‘She should wrap her wrapper around her and sleep with him. He can have what is above it. I will tell you what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did on one of his nights with me. I had cooked some barley and made loaf for him. He came in, stopped at the door, and then went into the mosque. When he wanted to sleep, he closed the door, tied up the waterskin, turned the cup over and put out the light. I waited for him and he ate the loaf. He did not go until I fell asleep. Later he felt the cold and came and got me up. “Warm me! Warm me!” he said. I said, “I am menstruating.” He said, “Then uncover your thighs,” so I uncovered my thighs and he put his cheek and head on my thighs until he was warm. Then a pet sheep belonging to our neighbour came in. I went and took the load away. I disturbed the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he woke up, so I chased the sheep to the door. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Take what you got of your loaf and do not injure your neighbour’s sheep.”‘”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

121. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A person whose neighbours are not safe from his evil will not enter the Garden.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This could refer to the one who despite knowing the prohibition of harming the neighbour considers it lawful; such is a disbeliever who will basically not enter the Garden. It could also refer to the one whose entrance will be delayed because despite being well aware of its prohibition, he causes evil to his neighbours.

Chapter 67. A woman should not disdain anything which her female neighbour gives her, even if it is only the hooves of a sheep

122.‘Amr ibn Mu’adh al-Ashhali reported that his grandmother said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Believing women! Do not let any of you women disdain her female neighbour’s gift, even if it is only a burnt sheep’s hoof.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

123. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Muslim women! Muslim women! A woman should not disdain her female neighbour’s gift, even if it is only a sheep’s hoof.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps the women were specifically mentioned in the narration because they are usually in charge of food preparation and distribution; they determined the shares of members of the household and visitors. The hadeeth shows that one should not despise whatever is given n charity or as gift no matter its size or value, and that illustrations aid the understanding of a matter

Chapter 68. The neighbour’s complaint

124. Abu Hurayra said, “A man said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I have a neighbour who does me harm.’ He said, ‘Go and take your things out into the road.’ He took his things out into the road. People gathered around him and asked, ‘What’s the matter?’ He replied, ‘A neighbour of mine injures me and I mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He told me, “Take your things out into the road.”‘ They began to say, ‘O Allah, curse him! O Allah, disgrace him!’ When the man heard that, he came out to him and said, ‘Go back to your home. By Allah, I will not harm you.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Hasan (good) hadeeth is as the Saheeh (authentic) hadeeth except that the narrators of the Hasan hadeeth follow those of the Saheeh hadeeth in rank in terms of Dabt (retention) of narrations. Both terms are used together as in this case, when the hadeeth has chain(s) that basically grade Saheeh and chain(s) that essentially also grade Hasan.

125. Abu Juhayfa said, “A man complained to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about his neighbour. The Prophet said, ‘Take your bags and put them in the road and whoever passes them will curse him.’ Everyone who passed him began to curse that neighbour. Then he went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘How many people I met!’ He said, ‘The curse of Allah is on top of their curse!’ Then he told the one who had complained, ‘You have enough,’ or words to that effect.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches the following: 1. The legitimacy of backbiting in some circumstances such as while complaining about particular harm one suffered from a person. 2. The student could seek guidance from the teacher about how to get out of difficult situations. 3. Muslims should be concerned about the welfare of one another; guiding themselves towards what is right and cooperating upon goodness, and forbidding evil, even in strong terms when the situation demands for that. 4. It is permissible to curse a person who is clearly due for such as a way of reproaching him and as deterrent to others. 5. Perhaps the action of the rest of the companions (RA)was to make the one who was cursed to realize the gravity of causing harm to one’s neighbour so that he would refrain which he actually did.

126. Jabir said, “A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to complain to him about the enmity of his neighbour. While he was sitting between the Corner and the Maqam, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, approached with a man who was wearing a white garment. They went to the Maqam where they were praying for the dead. He went up to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘May my mother and my father be your ransom, Messenger of Allah! Who is this man I see with you wearing the white garment?’ ‘You saw him?’ he asked. ‘Yes,’ the man replied. He said, ‘Then you have seen much good. That was Jibril, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the Messenger of my Lord. He kept on recommending that I treat my neighbours well until I thought that he would order me to make them my heirs.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 69. Someone who harms his neighbour until he forces him to leave

127. Thawban said, “When two men cut each other off for more than three days and one of them dies, then they both die while relations between them are severed and both of them are destroyed. There is no man who wrongs his neighbour to the extent that he forces him until he makes him leave his home who is not destroyed.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration exhorts anyone who has broken up relations with another Muslim to hasten towards reconciling with him since the death of any one among them spells doom for them both. The prohibition of cutting off relations with a Muslim for more than three days is also authentically reported from the statements of the Prophetﷺ. They would both be turning away from the Truth if they had cut off from each other merely for a worldly reason or Hawa (desire). However, if they had cut off for the sake of Allah, then it may be permissible or even encouraged or obligatory based on the condition. The death of any one of them both while they are still cut off (for worldly reasons or mere desire) from each other indicates that they will be meeting Allah the Mighty and Exalted, not having repented from that failing, thereby exposing themselves to nonentrance of the Paradise. The hadeeth is evidence that to extend the greeting of salam and responding to it is sufficient to end such break in relations.

Chapter 70. A Jewish neighbour

128. Mujahid said, “I was with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr while his slave was skinning a sheep. He said, ‘Boy! When you finish, start with the Jewish neighbour.’ A man there exclaimed, ‘Jewish? May Allah correct you!’ He replied, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recommend that we treat our neighbours well until we feared (or we thought) that he would order us to make them our heirs.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth stresses the fact that we must be generous and compassionate towards our neighbours even when they are non-Muslims particularly when we do not fear being harmed by them. It also indicates that we could supplicate for a person to be rectified when he is considered to be upon error. Good treatment of neighbours is not restricted to those among them who are Muslims; the non-Muslim neighbour should also be kindly treated except when such persons show hatred for Islam or when doing so strengthens such persons upon their disbelief.

7. Generosity and Orphans

Chapter 71. Generosity

129. Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, ‘Which people are the most generous?” He replied, ‘The most generous of them in the sight of Allah are those with the most taqwa.’ They said, ‘That is not what we are asking about.’ He said, ‘The most generous of people was Yusuf, the Prophet of Allah, son of the Prophet of Allah, who was the son of the Intimate Friend of Allah (Ibrahim).’ They said, ‘That is not what we are asking about.’ He said, ‘Are you asking about those of Arab origin?’ ‘Yes,’ they replied. He said, ‘The best of you in the Jahiliyya is the best of you in Islam when you have understanding from Allah).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: While the first response of the Prophetﷺ is from the angle of being noble by acting upon good deeds, his second response refers to nobility in terms of lines of descent. The word, Ma’adin (lit. treasures) actually refers to Arab ancestry to which the Arabs proudly ascribe themselves. So, those who displayed noble charaters during the Time of Ignorance to preserve ancestral pride and then accepted Islam and still adhered to nobility as a religious practice in addition to having true understanding of the religion are the best of the people. The hadeeth shows that a questioner could still make his intent clear in a good manner when the response given to his question does not resolve the problem area.

Chapter 72. Kindness to both the pious and the deviant

130. Mundhir at-Tawri reported what Muhammad ibn ‘Ali (ibn al-Hanafiyya) said about, “Is the repayment of kindness anything except kindness?” He said, “It is not denied to either the pious or the deviant.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

Chapter 73. The excellence of someone who provides for an orphan

131. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The person who strives on behalf of the widows and poor is like those who strive in the way of Allah and like those who fast in the day and pray at night.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth encourages taking care of orphans, widows and the poor; it likens it to fighting in the way of Allah, fasting during the day and observing the late-night prayers. However, what is likened to another is basically lesser in rank to that to which it was likened.

Chapter 74. The excellence of someone who provides for his orphan

132. ‘A’isha said, “A woman came to me who had two of her daughters with her. She asked me for something, but I could not find anything except for a single date which I gave her. She divided it between her daughters and then got up and left. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came in and I told him what had happened. He said, ‘Whoever looks after these girls in any way and is good to them will have them as a veil from the Fire.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This shows the kindness of the mother for her child, and that being merciful to others, especially the children and near relatives earns one Allah’s mercy. It also encourages towards giving in charity, and evinces the permissibility of mentioning a good deed one performed if doing so will not lead to pride

Chapter 75. The excellence of someone who provides for an orphan in the company of his parents

133. Umm Sa’id bint Murra al-Fihri related from her father that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I and the guardian of an orphan will be in the Garden like these two.” (His two fingers)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows that maintaining the orphan is one of the means to gaining entrance into the Garden. Imam Ibn Battaal (الله رحمه (said: “The one who hears this should act upon it to be in the company of the Prophetﷺ in the Garden, and there is no rank greater than that in the hereafter.”

134. Al-Hasan reported that an orphan used to eat with Ibn ‘Umar. One day he called for food andlooked for this orphan but could not find him. He arrived after Ibn ‘Umar had finished. Ibn ‘Umar called for more food to be brought to him but they did not have any. So he was brought sawiq and honey. He said, “Here, have this! By Allah, you have not been cheated!” Al-Hasan said, “By Allah, Ibn ‘Umar was not cheated!”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary :Sawīq is a kind of mash made of barley

135. Sahl ibn Sa’d reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I and the guardian of the orphan will be in the Garden like that,” indicating his forefinger and middle finger.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth encourages taking care of orphans, widows and the poor; it likens it to fighting in the way of Allah, fasting during the day and observing the late-night prayers. However, what is likened to another is basically lesser in rank to that to which it was likened.

136. Abu Bakr ibn Hafs reported that ‘Abdullah would not eat unless an orphan was at his table.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This shows the humility of this companion , his kindness towards orphans and his eargerness to earn the beautiful rewards of taking care of the orphan.

Chapter 76. The best house is a house in which orphans are well treated

137. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The best house among the Muslims is the house in which orphans are well treated. The worst house among the Muslims is the house in which orphans are ill treated. I and the guardian of the orphan will be in the Garden like that,” indicating his two fingers.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 77. Be like a merciful father to orphans

138. Dawud said, “Be like a merciful father towards the orphan. Know that you will reap as you sow. How ugly poverty is after wealth! More than that: how ugly is misguidance after guidance! When you make a promise to your friend, fulfil your promise. If you do not, it will bring about enmity between you and him. Seek refuge in Allah from a companion who, when you mention something to him, does not help you and who does not remind you when you forget.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth encourages us to kindly treat orphans and reminds us that taking care of orphans earns us tremendous rewards. It could also be inferred from the narration that some orphans may choose to renegade from Islam if they lose their wealth; so they are warned that: As ugly as poverty is after wealth, misguidance after guidance is worse than that. And the refuge is with Allah. Breaking promises is from the aspects of hypocricy and the hearts detest that. One should ask Allah for and actually seek out good companions, and seek Allah’s refuge from companions who will not give him remembrance when he errs.

139. Al-Hasan said, “I remember a time among the Muslims when their men would shout (to remind their families), ‘O family! O family! (Look after) your orphan! Your orphan! O family! O family! (Look after) your orphan! Your poor person! Your poor person! O family! O family! (Look after) your neighbour! Your neighbour!’ Time has been swift in taking the best of you while every day you become baser.” Hamza ibn Nujayh said that he heard al-Hasan say, “If you wish, you can see a deviant going 30,000 times deeper into the Fire. What is wrong with him? May Allah fight him! He has sold his portion from Allah for a price of a goat. If you like, you can see him constricted and desirous of the path of Shaytan. There is no one to warn him – neither himself nor anyone else.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

140. Asma’ bint ‘Ubayd said, “I said to Ibn Sirin, ‘I have an orphan in my care.’ He said, ‘Treat him as you would treat your own child. Beat him as you would beat your own child.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:That is, since you do not beat your child except that you anticipate that it benefits him in his religion and worldly affairs; then you should beat the orphan under your care for the same reasons. This indicates that to beat a child when and as apprioprate is from the parents’ showing mercy to their children

Chapter 78. The excellence of a woman who perseveres with her child and does not re- marry

141. ‘Awf ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I and a woman who is widowed and is patient with her child will be like these two fingers in the Garden.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 79. Disciplining an orphan

142. Shumaysa al-‘Atakiyya said, “The disciplining of orphans was mentioned in the presence of’A’isha and she said, ‘I would beat an orphan until he submits.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The orphans in the care of ‘Ā‘isha (عنها الله ريض (were the children of her brother. She loved them as a mother would do, but she would also beat them to discipline them. That is, since you do not beat your child except that you anticipate that it benefits him in his religion and worldly affairs; then you should beat the orphan under your care for the same reasons. This indicates that to beat a child when and as apprioprate is from the parents’ showing mercy to their children

8. Children Dying

Chapter 80. The excellence of someone whose child has died

143. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “No Muslim who has had three of his children die young will enter the Fire, except to expiate an unfulfilled oath.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam al-Baghawee (الله رحمه (explained the expression, illā Tahillat al-Qasam (Save to expiate the oath), he said, “that is, except the degree by which Allah would have expiated His oath; and that is His saying: ‘Not one of you but will pass over it’ (Q 19:71). So when he passes over it and crosses it, He has kept His oath.” The hadeeth shows the excellence of patiently bearing trials such as the loss one’s children: It is a means of expiation of sins, elevation of one’s rank before Allah and protection from the Fire.

144. Abu Hurayra reported that a woman came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with a child. She said, “Make supplication for him. I have buried three children.” He said, “You have built a strong barrier against the Fire.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches that it is permissible that one mentions his painful experience to another person without resentment with the aim of hearing words of admonition and consolation from which benefits are taken. “A strong wall against the Fire” implies direct admittance into the Garden.

145. Khalid al-‘Absi said, “A son of mine died and I felt intense grief over his loss. I said, ‘Abu Hurayra, have you heard anything from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to cheer us regarding our dead?’ He replied, ‘I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Your children are roaming freely in the Garden.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Da’aamees (sing. Da’moos) are some kind of tiny organisms ever found in marshes. It also refers to one who is always engaged in issues. So, the children are ever found in the Garden, moving freely in its quarters without any hinderance. In the wording of Muslim, Abū Hurayra added: “They will meet their parents, hold their hand or their clothes as I am holding your clothes, and they will not leave their hands till Allah will enter them in the Garden along with their parents.”
146.Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘If anyone has three of his children die young and resigns them to Allah, he will enter the Garden.’ We said, ‘Messenger of Allah, what about two?’ ‘And two,’ he said.” Mahmud ibn Labid said to Jabir, “By Allah, I think that if you had asked, ‘And one?’ he would have given a similar answer.” He said, “By Allah, I think so too.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Imam al-Baghawee (الله رحمه (explained the expression, illā Tahillat al-Qasam (Save to expiate the oath), he said, “that is, except the degree by which Allah would have expiated His oath; and that is His saying: ‘Not one of you but will pass over it’ (Q 19:71). So when he passes over it and crosses it, He has kept His oath.” The hadeeth shows the excellence of patiently bearing trials such as the loss one’s children: It is a means of expiation of sins, elevation of one’s rank before Allah and protection from the Fire. The hadeeth teaches that it is permissible that one mentions his painful experience to another person without resentment with the aim of hearing words of admonition and consolation from which benefits are taken. “A strong wall against the Fire” implies direct admittance into the Garden.

147. same as 144, different isnad.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches that it is permissible that one mentions his painful experience to another person without resentment with the aim of hearing words of admonition and consolation from which benefits are taken. “A strong wall against the Fire” implies direct admittance into the Garden

148. Abu Hurayra reported, “A woman came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Messenger of Allah! We cannot come to sit with you, so set aside a day when we can come.’ He said, ‘Your appointed place is the house of so-and-so.’ He came to the women at that time. Part of what he said to them was, ‘There is no woman among you who has three children die, resigning them to Allah, who will not enter the Garden.’ A woman said, ‘And if it is two?’ He replied, ‘And if it is two.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It points to the fact that the female companions (radiya Allahu anhunna) took part in the matters of learning as well; they asked the Messengerﷺ what they did not understand, and he even gave them a day when he addressed them. Imam al-Baghawee (الله رحمه (explained the expression, illā Tahillat al-Qasam (Save to expiate the oath), he said, “that is, except the degree by which Allah would have expiated His oath; and that is His saying: ‘Not one of you but will pass over it’ (Q 19:71). So when he passes over it and crosses it, He has kept His oath.” The hadeeth shows the excellence of patiently bearing trials such as the loss one’s children: It is a means of expiation of sins, elevation of one’s rank before Allah and protection from the Fire. The hadeeth teaches that it is permissible that one mentions his painful experience to another person without resentment with the aim of hearing words of admonition and consolation from which benefits are taken. “A strong wall against the Fire” implies direct admittance into the Garden.

149. Umm Salim said, “While I was with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he said, ‘Umm Salim! There is no Muslim couple who have three of their children die without Allah admitting them to the Garden by virtue of His mercy to them.’ I said, ‘And if there are two?’ He said, ‘And if there are two.'”Grade:
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

150. Al-Hasan reported that Sa’sa’a ibn Mu’awiya told him that he met Abu Dharr finding him alone without any relatives and asked, “Don’t you have any children, Abu Dharr?” He said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘There is no Muslim who has three of his children die before they reach puberty without Allah admitting him to the Garden by virtue of His mercy to them. There is no man who frees a Muslim with Allah Almighty making each of the limbs of the one who is freed a ransom for each of the emancipator’s limbs.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

151. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If someone has three children die before they reach puberty, Allah will admit him and them to the Garden by virtue of His mercy.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The fact that these narrations about the reward for parents’ forebearance and hope in Allah’s reward at the death of their children have been reported by many companions indicates that it was something the Messengerﷺ frequently mentioned and was commonly known among his companions (y).

Chapter 81. Someone whose miscarried child dies

152. Sahl ibn al-Hanzala, who had no children, said, “I would prefer to have a miscarried child while I am a Muslim and resign that child to Allah than to have the entire world and what it contains.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

153.’Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Which of you prefers the money of heirs to his own money?” “Messenger of Allah,” they replied, “there is none of us who does not prefer his own wealth to that of his heirs.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Know that there is not one of you who does not prefer his heirs’ money to his own. Your wealth is what you have spent (for Allah) and the wealth of your heirs is what you leave.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Everyone is said to prefer his heirs’ money since man basically likes to keep his wealth. Nevertheless, what really belongs to us is that which we owned before our death and at death because we expended them in the way of Allah the Most High. As for what we keep with us and finally leave behind at death, they are most apprioprately attributed to our hiers. It seems this hadeeth is mentioned in this chapter to show that patiently bearing a miscarriage is better than the one you still have. Allah knows best. See the hadeeth that follows and its comment.

154. He said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Who do you reckon to be the childless among you?” They said, “They are those who do not have any children.” No,” he said, “The childless are those who have not sent any of their children ahead (i.e. none of their children have died).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth consoles the person whose children have died, yet he remains patient and hopes for reward from Allah. As for the one none of whose child has died, he does not get the reward that the one who patiently bears such loss gets in the Hereafter.

155. He reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Who do you reckon to be the one who most often throws people down (in a fight)?” They replied, “The one whom men do not throw down.” He said, “No the one who throws people down is the person who controls himself when he is angry.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It seems that Imām al-Bukhārī brought this hadīth in this chapter because it has the same source with the preceeding narrations or to demonstrate that strength is in controlling one’s anger, as well as sadness.

9. Being a master

Chapter 82. Being a good master

156.’Ali ibn Talib reported that when the illness of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, deepened, he said, “‘Ali! Bring me a page on which I can write something for my community after which they will not go astray.” ‘Ali said, “I feared that he would die before I could do that, so I said, ‘I will remember better than the paper.’ His head was between my forearm and my leg. He recommended the prayer, zakat and kind treatment of slaves. he spoke like that until he died.” He commanded him to testify, “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. Anyone who testifies to that is saved from the Fire.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: As regards the expression, innee la ahfadhu min dhiraa’ee asSaheefah (I will remember the leaf better than my forearm), Imam AlAlbaanee (الله رحمه (said: “the expression is confusing, ambiguous; perhaps the word Saheefah is an interpolation and the correct thing is: innee ahfadh fa a’ee (I memorize and understand). This is because it is contained in the Musnad (1/90) that: ‘fa khasheetu an tafootanee nafsuhu, Qaala: qultu, innee ahfadh wa a’ee’ (I feared that he would die before I could do that. He said: ‘So I said, I memorize and understand)”.

157.’Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Respond to invitations. Do not reject gifts. Do not beat Muslims.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The orders of the Prophetﷺ indicate that it is obligatory to accept invitations to feasts except due to a valid excuse or a disincentive, that it is prohibited to reject gifts except due to a pressing counterbenefit or beat the Muslim except while implementing legal punishments or disciplining. One should inculcate the habit of pardoning those who are preordained to be our subordinates.

158.’Ali reported that the last words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, were: “The prayer! The prayer! Fear Allah concerning your slaves!”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, the Prayers should be observed at their stipulated times in congregation with other Muslims and in the right manner. The hadeeth shows the importance of the Prayer and exhorts towards kind treatment of our subordinates.

Chapter 83. Being a bad owner

159. Abu’d-Darda’ used to say to people. “We know you better than the veterinarian knows his animals. We recognise the best of you from the worst of you. The best of you is the one whose good is hoped for and the one whose evil you are safe from. As for the worst of you, that is the person whose good is not hoped for and whose evil you are not safe from and he does not free slaves.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration teaches that one should be clever and should recognize people as the veterinarian knows animals: Good and bad people may well be recognized through their actions. It also teaches that the teacher should always guide the students towards what benefits them from which is setting slaves free.

160.Abu Umama said, “Ingratitude is typified by someone who refuses to give, lives alone, and beats his slave.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

161.Al-Hasan reported that a man ordered one of his slaves to draw water using one of his camels and the man fell asleep. The master came with a torch and put it in his face and the slave fell into the well. In the morning, the slave went to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab and ‘Umar saw what had happened to his slave and therefore ‘Umar set him free.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 84. Selling a slave among the Bedouins

162. ‘Amra reported that ‘A’isha had made one of her slavegirls a mudabbar (one who would be set free after her death). Then ‘A’isha became ill and her nephews consulted a gypsy doctor. He said, “You are asking me for information about a bewitched woman. A slavegirl of hers has bewitched her.” ‘A’isha was told and asked the girl, “Have you put a spell on me?” “Yes,” she replied. “Why?’ she asked. “Because you will never free me,” she answered. Then ‘A’isha said, “Sell her to the worst masters among the Arabs.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In other wordings of the hadeeth, the girl told ‘A’isha that, “I want you to die so that I will be set free”. The hadeeth indicates that one should not accept that a person has bewitched him until the person truly affirms having done so. It is permissible that a person evens score with a person that harms him as indicated in verses of the Qur’an and the Prophet’s narrations. Yet, it is better to pardon such persons as is also indicated in the verses and other narrations from the Messengerﷺ

Chapter 85. Forgiving a slave

163. Abu Umama said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came with two slaves and gave one of them to ‘Ali and said, ‘Do not beat him. I have forbidden beating the people of the prayer and I saw him praying before we came.’ He gave Abu Dharr a slave and said, “I recommend that you treat him well,’ so Abu Dharr set him free. He said, ‘What have you done?’ He replied, ‘You commanded me to treat him well, so I set him free.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The hadeeth highlights the fact that the Muslim should not be beaten; the exemption to this being while implementing legal punishments or disciplining as mentioned earlier. The companions of the Prophetﷺ would swiftly respond to his counsels in the best of forms.

164. Anas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to Madina without any servant. Abu Talha took my hand and brought me to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Prophet of Allah!’ This is Anas, a clever and intelligent boy. Let him serve him.'” Anas said, “I served him when he was at home and on journeys from the time he came to Madina until he died, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He never said to me about anything I had done, ‘Why did you do this?’ nor did he say to me about something I had not done, ‘Why did you not do such-and-such?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: A young boy serving the greatest leader of all times and keeping the best of his company day and night; in travel and at home, in times of peace and war. Yet the feelings of this little boy were not hurt; not even with a knitted brow or a frowned face as he reported in other wordings of the hadeeth. There is an important lesson here on leaving blame and avoiding criticism except when really necessary. The hadeeth shows that one could praise a person in his front if it will not make him become proud.

Chapter 86. When a slave steals

165. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When a slave steals, sell him, even for a half an awqiya.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

Chapter 87. A slave who commits wrong actions

166. Laqit ibn Sabira reported that his father said, “I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when a shepherd had driven a lamp into the evening pasture. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Do not suppose that we have a hundred sheep and do not want to give you more than only a lamb. When the shepherd brought the lamb, we sacrificed a sheep in its place.'” Laqit said, “Part of what he said is, ‘Do not beat your wife as you would beat your slavegirl. When you wash your nose, snuff up water freely unless you are fasting.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Read this hadīth with Abū Dāwūd’s narration of the same hadīth in more detail Laqīt b. Sabira reported: “I was the leader of the delegation of Banu’l- Muntafiq or (the narrator doubted) I was among the delegation of Banu’l- Muntafiq that came to the Messenger of Allahﷺ. When we reached the Prophet, we did not find him in his house. We found there ‘Ā’isha, the Mother of the Believers. She ordered that a dish called Khazīra should be prepared for us. It was then prepared. A tray containing dates was then presented to us. Then the Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) came. He asked: ‘Has anything been served to you or ordered for you?’ We replied: ‘Yes. Messenger of Allah.’ While we were sitting in the company of the Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) we suddenly saw that a shepherd was driving a herd of sheep to their abode. He had with him a newly-born kid that was crying. He (the Prophet) asked him: ‘What did it deliver, O so-and-so?’ He replied: ‘female sheep.’ He then said: ‘Slaughter for us in its place a sheep. Do not think that we are slaughtering it for you. We have one hundred sheep and we do not want that their number may increase. Whenever a female kid is born, we slaughter a sheep in its place.’ I (the narrator Laqīt) then said: ‘Messenger of Allah, I have a wife who has something (wrong) in her tongue, i.e. she is insolent.’ He said: ‘Then divorce her.’ I said: ‘Messenger of Allah, she had company with me and I have children from her.’ He said: ‘Then ask her (to obey you). If there is something good in her she will do (obey); and do not beat your wife as you beat your slave-girl.’ I said: ‘Messenger of Allah. tell me about ablution.’ He said: ‘Perform ablution in full and make the fingers go through the beard and snuff up water well except when you are fasting.’ ” Sunan Abee Daawood (142), and graded .)الله رحمه )Saheeh (authentic) by Imam al-Albaanee placed this hadeeth here to show that a )الله رحمه )Perhaps Imam al-Bukhaari slave who commits a sin could be beaten by way of correction. The exchange of gold or silver or wheat or barley or dates or salt or what shares cause with these items for its kind with an increment in any of the two traded items over the other or that one of them is collected on the spot while the other is collected at a later time is from the forms of Riba (Usury) called, Riba al-Fadl. The Prophetﷺ said, “A kind for its kind, equal amounts. When these kinds differ, then you should transact as you wish if it is hand to hand.” (Muslim). The hadeeth also shows that it is permissible to beat a servant when he acts upon a prohibition by way of correcting him.

Chapter 88. Someone who finishes something for his slave, fearing people’s bad opinion

167. Abu’l-‘Aliyya said, “We were ordered to finish off things for the servant and to measure and count because we did not want to allow them to accustom themselves to bad habits nor for anyone to think evil of us.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: So, when they are sealed, weighed and counted the servants are protected from bad behaviour and we are protected from suspecting them unjustly. This teaches that we should be transparent in our dealings and take steps that ensure rest of mind and prevents distrust.

Chapter 89. Someone who counts things for his slave fearing people’s opinion

168. Salman said, “I count the soup bones for my slave, fearing people’s opinion.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Suspecting people unjustly is prohibited; Allah the Mighty and Exalted says, “Indeed some suspicions are sins…” (Q 49: 12)

169.same as 168.

Commentary: Similar to No. 168, with a different isnād.

Chapter 90. Disciplining the servant

170. Yazid ibn ‘Abdullah said, “‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar sent a slave of his with some gold or silver – and he changed it and deferred the exchange (i.e. he changed gold into silver or vice versa and did not take the money straightaway. This is haram.) Then he went back to Ibn ‘Umar who gave him a painful beating. He said, ‘Go and take what is mine and do not exchange it!'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The exchange of gold or silver or wheat or barley or dates or salt or what shares cause with these items for its kind with an increment in any of the two traded items over the other or that one of them is collected on the spot while the other is collected at a later time is from the forms of Riba (Usury) called, Riba al-Fadl. The Prophetﷺ said, “A kind for its kind, equal amounts. When these kinds differ, then you should transact as you wish if it is hand to hand.” (Muslim). The hadeeth also shows that it is permissible to beat a servant when he acts upon a prohibition by way of correcting him.

171. Abu Mas’ud said, “I was beating a slave of mine when I heard a voice behind me, ‘Know, Abu Mas’ud, that Allah is able to call you to account for this slave.’ I turned around and there was the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, he is free for the sake of Allah!’ He said, ‘If you had not done that, the Fire would have touched you (or the Fire would have burned you).'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps the Prophetﷺ got aware that the beating exceeded the limits of discipline; and so heﷺ gave him a strong word of restrain. In the version of Muslim in the Saheeh, it says, “the whip fell off my hand out of reverence for him” and “I will never beat any other servant”. The hadeeth warns against unfair treatment of servants and shows that the atonement for that is to free such servants.

Chapter 91. Do not say, “May Allah make your face ugly”

172. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not say, ‘May Allah make your face ugly.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Do not attribute his face to ugliness for Allah fashioned him and “He made everything He created good”. (Q32: 7). Quite badly, this is an expression people loosely employ against their surbodinates.

173. Abu Hurayra said, “Do not say, ‘May Allah make your face ugly and any face like your face.’ Allah Almighty created Adam, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the form that He ordained.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: That is, the face of the person being cursed, like all human beings is like the face of Adam – peace be upon him. So if you abuse anyone in this way you are actually abusing your ancestors including Adam, peace be upon him.

Chapter 92. Avoid striking the face

174. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you strikes his servant, let him avoid his face.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth shows the permissibility of beating the servant for the purpose of discipline; yet the face should be avoided. The prohibition of beating the face includes while beating a person for legal punishment or censure.

175. Jabir said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by an animal which had been branded and its nostrils were smoking. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Allah curses any person who does this. No one should mark the face nor strike it.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth proves that to mark the face of a beast is prohibited, worst still human faces. However, it is encouraged to brand the animals for Zakat, and it is generally permissible for other animals, but the face must be avoided as is shown in other narrations. Branding is done as a means of identifying animals.

Chapter 93. Someone who slaps his slave should free him even though he is under no obligation to do so

176. Hilal ibn Yasaf said, “We used to sell linen in the house of Suwayd ibn Muqarrin. A slavegirl came out and said something to one of the men and that man slapped her. Suwayd ibn Muqarrin asked him, ‘Did you slap her face? We were seven and we only had a single servant. Then one of us slapped her and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered him to set her free.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The order of the Prophetﷺ that the slave-girl should be freed necessitated that the slave is freed as a matter of obligation; but his saying “let them engage her and when they can spare her, let her go on her way” as in another wording of the hadeeth (no. 178 below) when they mentioned to him that she was the only servant they had takes off the ruing of obligation; thus, the author’s chapter title. The hadeeth teaches that the wrongdoing committed by an individual or people could be mentioned out of necessity such as to explain the ways out of such problems. Also, the Muslims should correct one another when they fall into an error. The hadeeth also encourages us to kindly treat our servants.

177. Ibn ‘Umar said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘The expiation for someone who slaps his slave or beats him more than he deserves is to set him free.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

178. Mu’awiya ibn Muqarrin said, “I slapped a mawla of mine and he fled. Then my father called me and said, ‘I will tell you a story. We, the sons of Muqarrin, were seven, and we had one servant. Then one of us slapped her and that was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said, ‘Order them to set her free.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was told. ‘She is the only servant they have.’ He said, ‘Then let them hire her and when they no longer need her, let her go on her way.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The order of the Prophetﷺ that the slave-girl should be freed necessitated that the slave is freed as a matter of obligation; but his saying “let them engage her and when they can spare her, let her go on her way” as in another wording of the hadeeth (no. 178 below) when they mentioned to him that she was the only servant they had takes off the ruing of obligation; thus, the author’s chapter title. The hadeeth teaches that the wrongdoing committed by an individual or people could be mentioned out of necessity such as to explain the ways out of such problems. Also, the Muslims should correct one another when they fall into an error. The hadeeth also encourages us to kindly treat our servants.

179. Shu’ba said, “Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir said to me, ‘What is your name?’ I replied, ‘Shu’ba.’ He said, ‘Abu Shu’ba related to me that when Suwayd ibn Muqarrin al-Muzani saw a man strike his slave, he said. ‘Do you not know that the face is forbidden? In the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, we were seven brothers and we only had one servant. Then one of us slapped him (sic.) and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded that we set him free.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

180. Abu ‘Umar Zadhan said, “We were with Ibn ‘Umar when he summoned a slave of his whom he had beaten and he uncovered his back. ‘Does it hurt?’ he asked. ‘No,’ he replied. Then he set him free. He picked up a stick from the ground and then said, ‘I do not have a reward (for him) worth as much as this stick.’ I asked, ‘Abu ‘Abdu’r-Rahman, why do you say this?’ He replied, ‘I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “The expiation of someone who beats a slave more than he deserves or slaps his face is that he must set him free.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps, Abdullah bin ‘Umar (عنهام الله ريض (beat the servant to discipline him but exceeded the limits resulting in the marks on the slave’s back. Then based on what he had heard from the Messengerﷺ, freeing the slave was the only way he could atone for the mistake, so he freed him. It shows that one should regularly evaluate his deeds and readdress them as apprioprate; by giving thanks to Allah and seeking to do more in some cases and by turning to Allah in repentance and returning the rights of people in other cases. The student should not hesitate to seek clarifications from his teacher about any of his statement or action he did not understand.

chapter 94. The qisas (retaliation) of the slave

181.’Ammar ibn Yasir said, “None of you beats his slave unjustly without the slave receiving retaliation from him on the Day of Rising.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It warns against injustice and reminds of the Day of Judgement and the punishment of Allah the Mighty and Exalted.

182. Abu Layla said, “Salman went out and when his animal fodder fell from the manger, he told his servant, ‘If it were not that I fear retaliation, I would make you hurt (i.e. by beating you).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It exibits the piety of the Salaf as-Saalih (the pious predecessors), may Allah be pleased with them, and their fear of Allah’s punishment; they would leave their rights for the sake of Allah the most High, suppress their anger and overlook the shortcomings of people to seek Allah’s Countenance.

183. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Give people their rights. Even the hornless sheep will take retaliation from the horned sheep.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This is evidence that the beasts will also be resurrected on the Day of Judgement. Apparently, Imam Al-Bukhaari included this hadeeth in this chapter to show that since the horned and hornless sheep will get retaliation as apprioprate, every human being; servant and boss, weak and strong will also be paid their dues on the Day of Resurrection.

184. Umm Salama reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was in his house and called for a slave of his (or hers) and she was slow in coming. The anger showed in his face. Umm Salama went to the curtain and found the slavegirl playing. He had a siwak-stick with him and said, ‘”Were it not that I fear retaliation on the Day of Rising with this siwak.” Muhammad ibn al-Haytham added: She was playing with an animal. He said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought her, Umm Salama said, ‘Messenger of Allah! Let her swear that she did not hear you!’ She said, ‘He had a siwak stick in his hand.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

185. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “On the Day of Rising, retaliation will be taken from anyone who gives a beating.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It warns against injustice and reminds of the Day of Judgement and the punishment of Allah the Mighty and Exalted. This is evidence that the beasts will also be resurrected on the Day of Judgement. Apparently, Imam Al-Bukhaari included this hadeeth in this chapter to show that since the horned and hornless sheep will get retaliation as apprioprate, every human being; servant and boss, weak and strong will also be paid their dues on the Day of Resurrection.

186. same as 185.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 95. “Clothe them from the clothes you yourself wear.”

187.’Ubada ibn al-Walid said, “My father and I went out to seek knowledge from the Ansar in this area before they died. The first one we met was Abu’l-Yasar, the Companion of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who had been one of his salves. Abu’l-Yasar was wearing one striped robe and one mu’afiri robe and his slave was also wearing one striped robe and one mu’afiri robe. I said to him, ‘Uncle! Why don’t you take your slave’s striped robe and give him your mu’afiri robe, or take his mu’afiri robe and give him your striped robe? Then he would have a complete outfit and you would have a complete outfit.’ He wiped his head and said, ‘O Allah, bless him in it! Nephew, these two eyes of mine have seen and these two ears of mine have heart and my heart has retained,’ and he pointed towards his heart, ‘that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Feed them from what you yourself eat and clothe them from the clothes you yourself wear.” It is easier for me to give him the goods of this world than to have my good actions taken away from me on the Day of Rising.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains a great deal of benefits; including: the companions’ love for knowledge, and the humility of the father to learn along with his child. The companions (RA)gave serious consideration to the words of the Messengerﷺ; and so, they memorized it, acted upon it and feared the evil consequences of contradicting his orders. One should kindly treat his dependants and servants; providing them from he eats and wears.

188. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, advised that slaves should be well-treated. He said, ‘Feed them from what you eat and clothe them from what you wear. Do not punish what Allah has created.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It reminds us of the greatness of the Creator, Allah the Mighty and Exalted and cautions against ill-treatment of His creatures. So, the Prophetﷺ regularly admonished that we kindly treat our servants.

chapter 96. Insulting slaves

189. Al-Ma’rur ibn Suwayd said, “I saw Abu Dharr wearing a robe and his slave was also wearing a robe. We asked him about that and he said, ‘I insulted a man and he complained about me to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me, ‘Did you insult him by his mother?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied. He said, ‘Your brothers are your property. Allah has put them under your authority. If someone has his brother under his authority, he should feed him from what he eats and clothe him from what he wears and not burden him with anything that will be too much for him. If you burden him with what will be too much for him, then help him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: A person could mention something he did wrong if doing so brings about benefits and does not cause greater harms. The hadeeth strongly condemns insulting people, especially their parents; it is contained in a wording of the hadeeth that the Prophetﷺ asked him: “Did you insult his mother?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “You still have (traits of the Period of) Ignorance!” It also shows that the companions (RA)quickly turned to Allah in repentance whenever they were corrected. From kind treatment of servants is that they should not be over burdened with work; when the works is much, they should be helped.

chapter 97. Should a person help his slave?

190. Sallam ibn ‘Amr reported from one of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Your slaves are your brothers, so treat him well. Ask for their help in what is too much for you and help them in what is too much for them.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

191. Abu Hurayra said, ‘Help the worker in his work. The one who works for Allah will not be disappointed,” i.e. the servant.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows the virtue of the servants: they will not be disappointed. However, their work will not be for Allah the Most High, if it involves prohibited matters.

chapter 98. Do not burden a slave with work which he is incapable of doing

192. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The slave has his food and clothing. Do not burden a slave with work which he is incapable of doing.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: A person could mention something he did wrong if doing so brings about benefits and does not cause greater harms. The hadeeth strongly condemns insulting people, especially their parents; it is contained in a wording of the hadeeth that the Prophetﷺ asked him: “Did you insult his mother?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “You still have (traits of the Period of) Ignorance!” It also shows that the companions (RA)quickly turned to Allah in repentance whenever they were corrected. From kind treatment of servants is that they should not be over burdened with work; when the works is much, they should be helped.

193.Same as 192.
Commentary:As No. 192, with a different isnād

194. Ma’rur said, “We passed by Abu Dharr and he was wearing a garment and his slave had a robe on. We said, ‘Why do you not take this and give this man something else instead of the robe?’ He replied that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Allah has put your brothers under your authority. If someone has his brother under his authority, he should feed him from what he eats and clothe him from what he wears and not burden him with what will be too much for him. If he burdens him with what will be too much for him, he should help him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: A person could mention something he did wrong if doing so brings about benefits and does not cause greater harms. The hadeeth strongly condemns insulting people, especially their parents; it is contained in a wording of the hadeeth that the Prophetﷺ asked him: “Did you insult his mother?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “You still have (traits of the Period of) Ignorance!” It also shows that the companions (RA)quickly turned to Allah in repentance whenever they were corrected. From kind treatment of servants is that they should not be over burdened with work; when the works is much, they should be helped.

99. A man’s maintenance of his slave and servant is sadaqa

195. Al-Miqdam heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “What you feed yourself is sadaqa. What you feed your child, your wife and your servant is sadaqa.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: There is great reward in feeding one’s self and other members of the household including one’s slaves. However, since all actions are judged according to intentions, one should seek to please Allah the Most High, alone therefrom and anticipate His reward

196. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The best sadaqa is that which leaves you free of want. The upper hand is better than the lower hand. Begin with those you look after. Your wife says, ‘Spend on me or divorce me.’ Your slave says, ‘Spend on me or sell me.’ Your child asks, ‘On whom can we rely?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It shows that charity has grades, and it is better to be the giver than the a receiver. So, the best charity is that which is given such that one’s dependents do not start begging thereafter and one is able to give many more times. The hadeeth is evidence that it is obligatory upon a man to maintain his wives, children and other dependents.

197. Abu Hurayra said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded sadaqa. A man said, ‘I have a dinar.’ He said, ‘Spend it on yourself.’ He said, ‘I have another.’ He said, ‘Spend it on your wife.’ He said, ‘I have another.’ He said, ‘Spend it on your servant and then on whomever you see fit.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: It exhorts towards spending upon one’s self, wife, children (as is contained in other wordings of the hadeeth) and servants showing that all of that is from charity. Leaders and teachers should guide people towards what will bring benefits to them in this world and hereafter.

chapter 100. When someone dislikes eating with his slave

198. Ibn Jurayj related that Abu’z-Zubayr heard him ask Jabir about when a man’s servant has finished his work and heat (i.e. cooking). Did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, command that the servant be invited to eat? “Yes,” he replied. If one of you dislikes to have his servant eat with him, he should give him his food by his own hand.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches us to be modest, and to show deference to other people including our subordinates, not being unnecessarily assuming in attitude and behaviour.

chapter 101. A slave should eat from what his master eats

199. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, advised that slaves be well treated. He said, ‘Feed them from what you eat and clothe them from what you wear and do not punish Allah’s creation.'”

Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It reminds us of the greatness of the Creator, Allah the Mighty and Exalted and cautions against ill-treatment of His creatures. So, the Prophetﷺ regularly admonished that we kindly treat our servants.

chapter 102. Does a man’s servant sit with him when he eats?

200. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of your servants brings you food, he should sit with him. If you do not accept that, then you should give it to him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

201. Abu Mahdhura said, “I was sitting with ‘Umar when Safwan ibn Umayya brought him a bowl which some people were carrying in a robe. They set it down in front of ‘Umar. ‘Umar then invited some poor people and some slaves belonging to the people around him and they ate with him. Then he aid, ‘Allah will do a people or else he said, ‘Allah will curse a people’ who dislike having their slaves eat with them.’ Safwan said, ‘By Allah, we do not dislike them, but we prefer ourselves to them, and by Allah, we do not find good food which we can eat and feed it to them as well.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Every Muslim should emulate the companions (y). They had great concerns for the poor, the needy and slaves. They would eat the same food with them from the same containers in the same sitting; and they were displeased with the one who disliked showing kindness to the weak in the society. Allah the Mighty and Exalted provides for His creatures; so whomever He grants the ability to eat good food should not be wasteful in it and should remember to invite the needy to partake in this favour.

chapter 103. When a slave advises his master

202.’Abdullah ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When the slave advises his master and is assiduous in the worship of his Lord, he receives a double reward.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: From the sincerity of the slave to his master is to be dutiful to him. So, his first reward comes from his dutifulness to his master and the second, for his assiduous worship of his Lord. Imam Ibn Abdil-Barr (الله رحمه ( said: “It could be deduced from here that: the one who had two obligations and fulfilled them is better than the one who had only an obligation which he fulfilled. Such as the one upon whom the Prayer and Zakat became due and he fulfilled them; he is better than the one upon whom only the prayer is due (and he fulfilled it).”

203. Salih ibn Hayy reported that a man said to ‘Amir ash-Shu’bi, “Abu ‘Amr! We say that when a man frees his umm walad and then marries her, he is like the one who rides his camel.” ‘Amir said, “Abu Burda related to me from his father that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to them: ‘Three have a double reward: one of the People of the Book who believes in his Prophet and then believes in Muhammad has two rewards. When a slave carries out the due of Allah and the due of his master, he has a double reward. And (the third is) a man who has a slavegirl with whom he has intercourse and teaches her well and instructs her well and then sets her free and marries her. He has two rewards.'” ‘Amir said, “We have given it to you for nothing. He was on his way to Madina.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Each of the three had two different obligations which they fulfilled each of which earned them distinct reward except the one from the People of the Book who believed in his Prophet but disbelieves in Muhammadﷺ. His disbelief in Muhammadﷺ is actually disbelief in his Prophet too; so he has no reward at all. The hadeeth also encourages dealing nicely with and educating slave-girls and then marrying them. Imam An-Nawawee (رحمه الله (said, “…this is from kindly dealing with her after treating her well.”

204. Abu Musa reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The slave who is excellent in the worship of his Lord and fulfils the duties of obedience and counsel which he owes to his master, has two rewards.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

205. Abu Burda reported from his father that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The slave has two rewards when he carries out Allah’s due in worship (or he said that he is excellent in his worship) and the right of his owner who owns him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: From the sincerity of the slave to his master is to be dutiful to him. So, his first reward comes from his dutifulness to his master and the second, for his assiduous worship of his Lord. Imam Ibn Abdil-Barr (الله رحمه ( said: “It could be deduced from here that: the one who had two obligations and fulfilled them is better than the one who had only an obligation which he fulfilled. Such as the one upon whom the Prayer and Zakat became due and he fulfilled them; he is better than the one upon whom only the prayer is due (and he fulfilled it).”

chapter 104. The slave is a guardian

206. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “All of you are shepherds and each of you is responsible for his flock. The amir of a people is a shepherd and he is responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of the people of his house and he is responsible for his flock. A man’s slave is the shepherd of his master’s property and he is responsible for it. Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As the slave is accountable for the property of his master, the master has a greater responsibility: he is accountable for each of his dependents and slaves. So, as the slave exerts efforts to carry out his dues towards his master, the master requires greater efforts to discharge his responsibilities over his dependents. He should feed them, clothe them and teach them the religion and their wordly affairs. Allah is the source of strength. In other wordings of the hadeeth, it adds, “…and the wife is the shepherd of her husband’s house and she is responsible for it.”

207. Abu Hurayra said, “When a slave obeys his master, he has obeyed Allah Almighty. When he rebels against his master, he rebels against Allah Almighty.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 105. The person who wished he were a slave

208. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When the Muslim slave performs the due of Allah and the due of his master, he will have two rewards.” Abu Hurayra said, “By the One who has the soul of Abu Hurayra in His hand! If it had not been for jihad in the Way of Allah, the hajj, and dutifulness to my mother, I would wish to die a slave!”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As for performing the dues of Allah, it is his giving worship to Him and not joining any partner with Him, and carrying out the due of his master is to be sincere and dutiful to him as mentioned earlier. The hadeeth shows the permissibility of calling Allah to witness to affirm the importance of what one says even though he had not been requested to swear. It also indicates the eargerness of the companions (RA)to earn rewards, and that good deeds have grades; each of jihād in the way of Allah, the hajj and dutifulness to parents earns a person more rewards than the slave’s dutifulness to Allah and his master.

chapter 106. Do not say “‘abdî” (my slave)

209. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “None of you should say, ‘My slave (‘abdi)’ or ‘my slavegirl (amati)’ All of you are slaves of Allah and all of your women are slaves of Allah. Rather you should say, ‘My boy (ghulami)’, my slavegirl (jariyyati)’, ‘my lad (fatayi)’ or ‘my girl (fatati).'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth prohibits exceeding bounds in our statements and actions; the word, my slave shows ownership while the master and slave truly belong to Allah the Mighty and Exalted. My boy and My girl are more friendly expressions. Teachers should always guide their students to that which takes away harm from them and brings them benefits here and hereafter

chapter 107. Does one say “my master (sayyidi)”?

210. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “None of you should say ‘my slave (‘abdi or amati)’ and a slave should not say, ‘my lord (rabbi or rabbati)’. They should say, ‘my boy’ or ‘my girl’ (fatayi and fatati) and ‘my master’ or ‘mistress’ (sayyidi and sayyidati)’. All of you are slaves, and the Lord is Allah, Almighty and Exalted.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

211. Mutarrif reported that his father said, “I went in the delegation of the Banu ‘Amir to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They said, ‘You are our master.’ He said, ‘The Master is Allah.’ They said, ‘The best of us in excellence and the greatest of us in generosity.’ He said, ‘Say what you like, but do not let Shaytan provoke you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: mam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (said, “When the Prophetﷺ feared that some of the companions – especially those who only newly accepted Islam – could exceed bounds about praising him, he said to them, ‘The Master is Allah’ meaning, the true Master is Allah.” The hadeeth prohibits praising a person excessively and overburdening one’s self during speech. It shows the humility of the Prophetﷺ.

10. Responsibility

chapter 108. A man is the shepherd of his family

212. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “All of you are shepherds and each of you is responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of the people of his house and he is responsible. A woman is the shepherd of the house of her husband and she is responsible. Each of you is a shepherd and each is responsible for his flock.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As the slave is accountable for the property of his master, the master has a greater responsibility: he is accountable for each of his dependents and slaves. So, as the slave exerts efforts to carry out his dues towards his master, the master requires greater efforts to discharge his responsibilities over his dependents. He should feed them, clothe them and teach them the religion and their wordly affairs. Allah is the source of strength. In other wordings of the hadeeth, it adds, “…and the wife is the shepherd of her husband’s house and she is responsible for it.”

213. Abu Sulayman Malik ibn al-Huwayrith said, “We came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, being young men of a similar age. We spent twenty nights with him. He thought that we desired our own people and he asked us about those of our family we had left behind, and we told him. He was merciful and kind, and said, ‘Go back to your family. Instruct and command them. Pray as you have seen me praying. When it is time for the prayer, then let one of you give the adhan and let the oldest of you lead the payer.;:
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The leaders and scholars should be concerned about the affairs of their people as a whole and as individuals in a community. Likewise the students of knowledge, research activities should not make them show indifference to the affairs of their people; they should invite them to goodness and forbid them evil, teach them from what Allah has bestowed upon them of knowledge and action, supplicate for them and give them sincere advices when required. The hadeeth is evidence that travelers can pronounce the call-to-prayer as those at home, and that when the individuals in a group are on a par in the knowledge of the religion, the oldest amongst them should lead their prayers.

chapter 109. A woman is a shepherd

214. Ibn ‘Umar reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “All of you are shepherds and each of you is responsible for his flock. A woman is the shepherd of the house of her husband and she is responsible as is the servant in regard to his master’s property.” He said, “I heard these words from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I reckoned that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “and the man regarding his father’s property.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 110. Someone for whom a favour is done and he repays the favour

215. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ansari reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever has a favour done for him should repay it. If he cannot find anything he can use to repay it, he should praise the one who did it. When he praises him, he thanks him. If he is silent, he is ungrateful to him. If someone adorns himself with something he has not been given, it is as if he was wearing a false garment.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: “He should praise the one who did it” that is, he should supplicate for him and speak well of him, and the best way to do this is to say, “Jazaakallah Khayran” (may Allah reward you with good). This is contained in an authentic hadeeth collected by Aboo Daawood in his Sunan, “Whoever is done a favour and says: ‘Jazaakallah Khayran’ (may Allah reward you with good) to the one who did the favour has fully given praise”.If a person is done a favour which became known amongst the people but did not make known the person who did the favour, he is as a person who is wearing a false garment for he would make the matter appear as if he were the one who did the thing basically. Allah knows best.

216. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who seeks refuge in Allah will find refuge with Him. Anyone who asks from Allah will be receive. Anyone who does a favour should repay it. If you do not find anything, then make supplication for the doer of the favour so that he knows that you have repaid him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: “Whoever seeks refuge in the name of Allah” that is, he seeks protection with you from being harmed by you or any other party, imploring you with Allah the Most High. The one who asks in Allah’s Name should be given out of reverence for His Name and kindness to His creatures. However, the obligation to give the one who asks depends on whether the one who is asked is able to give without bringing difficulty upon himself or his household, and that a greater evil is not caused to the receiver in one way or the other as a result. The narration encourages mutual kindness; the one who receives should also give, and when he has not what to give, he should supplicate for the giver

chapter 111. Someone who cannot repay someone should make supplication for him

217. Anas reported that the Muhajirun said, “Messenger of Allah, the Ansar have taken all the reward!” He said, “No, not as long as you make supplication for them and praise them for it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Muhaajiroon are those who migrated from Makkah to Madeenah, and the Ansaar are those who welcomed and supported them in Madeenah. The Muhaajiroon asked whether the rewards of their migration and other good deeds they performed would go to the Ansaar for the kindness of the Ansaar towards them? But Allah’s favours are boundless; as long as the Muhaajiroon supplicate for them and commend them for their kindness to them, their supplications is as the kindness of the Ansaar to them and the rewards of the good deeds of the Muhaajiroon come back to them”.

chapter 112. The one who does not thank people

218. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah does not thank the person who does not thank people.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, the one who has formed an attitude not to be grateful to people is not also grateful to Allah. It could also mean that Allah will not accept the thanks of a servant to whom He has granted favours if the servant does not give thanks to people for their kindness to him. The hadeeth teaches being thankful to people, and that that is from the aspects of righteousness.

219. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah ta’ala said to the self, ‘Go forth.’ It replied, ‘I only go forth reluctantly.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This narration is considered as the concluding part of the preceding hadeeth for they have both been mentioned with the same chain of transmission. In that case, only the first part would be connected to the section heading. However, describing the connection of the narration to the chapter heading, Shaykh Husayn al-’Awaayishah (hafizahullah) said, “It appears to me that the statement of the soul, I come out only with reluctance, contains a breach of thankfulness, for thankfulness necessitates that it comes out willingly…”

chapter 113. A man’s maintenance of his brother

220. Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, “What action is best?” He replied, “Belief in Allah and jihad in His way.” He was asked, “Which slaves are best?” He replied, “The highest in price and most precious to their people.” He said, “What do you think I should do if I am unable to fight?” He replied, “Help someone in trouble or work for someone who does not work.” He asked, “What do you think that I should do if I am too weak (to act accordingly)?” He replied, “Spare people your evil. That is a sadaqa which you bestow on yourself.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows the following: 1. The ardent desire of the companions (RA)to identify which deed is best in order to hasten towards it. They would even seek to know the good deeds to perform in the circumstances of inability and weakness. 2. The importance of belief in Allah; no deed is accepted without Eemaan 3. From the best things to give out are those that are most dearing to us. 4. The unskilled may have problems of spending upon himself and his household; so benefit extended to him may turn to be benefits to large number of people. 5. Refraining from harming people is from charity. This is because it does not disturb the one in a sound state nor increase discomfort for the one in difficulty.

11. Correctness

chapter 114. The people of correctness in this world are the people of correctness in the Next World

221. Qabisa ibn Burma al-Asadi said, “I was with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I heard him say, ‘The people of correctness in this world are the people of correctness in the Next World. The people of the incorrect in this world are the people of the incorrect in the Next World.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Ma’roof generally refers to obeying the orders of Allah and refraining from His prohibitions and performing other supererogatory deeds such as kindness to people. So, those who obey Allah and refrain from His prohibitions in this world will be shown kindness by Allah the Mighty and Exalted in the hereafter. Conversely, those who disobey Allah in this world, the bad people, will be requited with evil in the hereafter

222. Harmala ibn ‘Abdullah went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and stayed with him until the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, until the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recognised him. He said, “When we set out, I told myself, ‘By Allah, I will go to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, so that I will have more knowledge. I went in the evening until I was in front of him. I asked, ‘What do you command me to do?’ He replied, ‘Harmala, do what is correct and avoid the incorrect.’ Then I went back to the caravan. Then I came back again until I was in my place near him. I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what do you command me to do?’ He replied, ‘Harmala, do what is correct and avoid the incorrect. Find out what you like to hear people tell you when you are with them. When you leave me, behave in that manner. Find out what you dislike for people to day to you. When you leave me, avoid that.’ When I returned, I thought that these two statements did not omit anything.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

223. Salman said, “The people of correctness in this world are the people of correctness in the Next World.” Abu ‘Uthman said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said words to that effect.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Ma’roof generally refers to obeying the orders of Allah and refraining from His prohibitions and performing other supererogatory deeds such as kindness to people. So, those who obey Allah and refrain from His prohibitions in this world will be shown kindness by Allah the Mighty and Exalted in the hereafter. Conversely, those who disobey Allah in this world, the bad people, will be requited with evil in the hereafter

chapter 115. Every correct action is sadaqa

224. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Every correct action is sadaqa.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “That is, it has the ruling of sadaqah in terms of reward.” This contains evidence that every good deed one performs or says is written down for him as sadaqah.

225. Abu Musa reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Every Muslim must give sadaqa.” They said, “And if he does not find anything (to give)?” He replied, “Then he should work his hands, benefit himself and then give sadaqa.” They asked, “And if he is unable to or does not do it?” He replied, “Then he should help someone with a great need.” They said, “And if he does not do it?” He replied, “Then he should command the good or command the correct.” They said, “And if he does not do that?” They said, “He should refrain from evil. That is sadaqa for him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Every Muslim should give charity by way of giving thanks to Allah for His favours on him. The hadeeth contains exhortation for the needy Muslim to work with his hands, enhance himself and extend benefit to others and not be dependent upon the people. One should try to perform other good deed deeds if he is unable to perform a particular one.

226. Same as 220.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows the following: 1. The ardent desire of the companions (RA)to identify which deed is best in order to hasten towards it. They would even seek to know the good deeds to perform in the circumstances of inability and weakness. 2. The importance of belief in Allah; no deed is accepted without Eemaan 3. From the best things to give out are those that are most dearing to us. 4. The unskilled may have problems of spending upon himself and his household; so benefit extended to him may turn to be benefits to large number of people. 5. Refraining from harming people is from charity. This is because it does not disturb the one in a sound state nor increase discomfort for the one in difficulty.

227. Abu Dharr reported that it was said, “Messenger of Allah, the wealthy people have taken all the rewards. They pray as we pray. They fast as we fast, but they give sadaqa from their excess wealth.” He said, “Has Allah not given you something to give as sadaqa? Every time you praise or glorify Allah, that is sadaqa. There is sadaqa is sexual intercourse.” He was asked, “Is there sadaqa in satisfying one’s appetite?” He replied, “If he does it in a haram manner, is that not a wrong action? Similarly if he does it in a halal manner, he receives a reward.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Here, the Prophetﷺ drew attention to the fact that one could actually get lots of reward from the aspects of good deeds that do not require spending money because all good deeds are written down and rewarded as sadaqah. Since holding back from sinful deeds is from the aspects of righteousness, performing marital duties such as having sexual intercourse with one’s wife is certainly from righteousness too. We should take after the companions (RA)who emulated one another in performing good deeds.

chapter 116. Removing harmful things

228. Abu Barza al-Aslami said, “I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, show me an action by which I will enter the Garden!” He said, ‘Remove harmful things from people’s path.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows the importance of removing harmful things from people’s path, and conversely, it shows the seriousness of placing harmful things on their path.

229. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A man came across a thorn in the road and said, ‘I will remove this thorn so that it does not harm a Muslim man.’ For that reason he was forgiven.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration teaches the virtue of loving one’s brother in faith which necessitates putting away harmful things from his path. Also, no matter how insignificant the people may consider a good deed they are meritorious and should not be disdained; Allah the Mighty and Exalted rewards good deeds in manifolds.

230. Abu Dharr reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I was shown the actions of my Community both good and evil and I found that one of their good actions is removing harmful things from the road, I found that one of the evil actions was spit in the mosque which is not buried.”
230.Abu Dharr reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I was shown the actions of my Community both good and evil and I found that one of their good actions is removing harmful things from the road, I found that one of the evil actions was spit in the mosque which is not buried.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This is evidence for the prohibition of splattering the mosque with spittle; the entire praying people of the mosque are guilty until it is removed. It also evinces the obligation of keeping the mosque clean at all times.

chapter 117. Correct Words

231.’Abdullah ibn al-Khatami reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Every act of kindness is sadaqa.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “That is, it has the ruling of sadaqah in terms of reward.” This contains evidence that every good deed one performs or says is written down for him as sadaqah.

232. Anas said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was given something, he used to say, ‘Take it to so-and-so. She was a friend of Khadija’s. Take it to the house of so-and-so. She loved Khadija.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: It teaches being nice to the friends of one’s wife and her beloved ones, and maintaining that even after her death. These statements of the Messenger of Allahﷺ are from sadaqah since they are inherently good and also lead to that which is good. The hadeeth shows how dearly Khadija (عنها الله ريض (is to the Messengerﷺ.

233. Same as 231, but from Hudhayfa.
Grade:
Commentary:Similar to No. 231, from Hudhayfa, with a different isnād.

chapter 118. Going out to a vegetable garden and carrying things in a sack on one’s shoulder to one’s family

234.’Amr ibn Qurra al-Kindi said, “My father offered his sister in marriage to Salman. He refused and then married a mawla of his called Buqayra. Abu Qurra heard that there were bad feelings between Hudhayfa and Salman. He went to talk to him (Salman) about this. He was told that he was in a vegetable garden which belonged to him and went and met him there. Salman had a sack of vegetables. He put his stick in the knot of the sack and put it on his shoulder. Abu Qurra asked, ‘Abu ‘Abdullah, what is the trouble between you and Hudhayfa?’ Salman replied, ‘Man is prone to be impetuous.’ (17:11) “They went to Salman’s house. Salman went into his house and said, ‘Peace be upon you.’ Then he gave Abu Qurra permission to enter and he came in. There was a fibre mat placed over the doorway and there were some bricks by his head and a saddle. He said, ‘Sit on the rug of your mawla which she has put out for herself.’ Then he began to speak to him. He said, ‘Hudhayfa has related certain things which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said in anger to some people. I began to be questioned about them and I said, “Hudhayfa knows best what he says, but I dislike for there to be rancour between people.” Hudhayfa was brought and it was said to him, “Salman neither confirms nor denies what you say.”‘ “Salman said, ‘Hudhayfa came to me and said, “Salman, son of Salman’s mother!” I said, “Hudhayfa, son of Hudhayfa’s mother! You must stop this or I will write to ‘Umar about you!” After I had alarmed him by speaking of ‘Umar, he left me. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I am one of the children of Adam. Whatever salve of my community I curse or abuse when he does not deserve it, Make that a prayer a blessing for him.”‘”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: From the points of benefit in this hadeeth are: 1. One could offer his daughter or sister to a pious person to marry. 2. The Muslim should make efforts to reconcile between his brothers if he got aware of any disagreement between them. Nevertheless, he should confirm whatever he hears in that regard. 3. Muslims, the scholars and the students of knowledge especially, should always avoid to make statements that cause disaffection and polarize the community. 4. The companions had respect for one another; they would even alarm one another with a fellow companion during a disagreement. 5. The Prophetﷺ is a human being; so, he gets annoyed too as is from the nature of human beings to get annoyed. 6. The Prophetﷺ dearly loved his community; and so, he supplicated that his curse or abuse of the one who does not deserve it should be made blessings for such a person. 7. Bringing food items and other needs of one’s household even if it be in a sack on one’s shoulders and serving the household is from good character

235. Ibn ‘Abbas said, ” ‘Umar said, ‘Let us go forth to the land of our people.’ Ubayy ibn Ka’b and I were at the back of the people. A cloud gathered. Ubayy said, ‘O Allah, remove its harm from us!’ We met the people and their mounts were wet. They said, ‘What fell on us did not fall on you!’ I said, ‘He asked Allah Almighty to remove its harm from us.’ ‘Umar said, ‘Why didn’t you include us in your supplication?'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 119. Going out to an estate

236. Abu Salama said, “We went to Abu Sa’id al-Khudri with a friend. I said, ‘Will you go with us to the date palms?’ He went out wearing a black-bordered cloak of his.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches that one could invite a person to a stroll. Such walks could serve as refreshing moments from exertion and beneficial issues could be discussed within the period as was the case here. In other wordings of the hadeeth collected by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh, Abu Salama, the son of Abdur-Rahman bin Awf asked his friend, Abu Sa’eed alKhudree if he heard the Messenger of Allahﷺ say anything about Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power) to which the later replied, “Yes” and then said, “Once we performed the I’tikaf with the Messenger of Allahﷺ in the mid-ten of the month of Ramadan. We departed in the morning of the twentieth day. The Messenger of Allahﷺ addressed us and said, ‘I was shown the Laylat al-Qadr but I forgot it (or was made to forget). So seek it on the odd days during the last ten days. I was shown that I prostrated in water and clay; so whoever was performing the I’tikaf with the Messenger of Allahﷺ should return’.” He said, “So we returned and did not find any cloud gathering. Later, the cloud formed and it rained until the roof of the mosque, made of palm branches leaked water. The prayer was started and I saw the Messenger of Allahﷺ prostrating in the water and clay. I even saw the traces of the clay on his forehead.”

237. Umm Musa said, “I heard ‘Ali say that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud to climb a tree and bring him something from it. His Companions looked at ‘Abdullah’s thigh and laughed at its thinness. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Why are you laughing? ‘Abdullah’s foot is heavier in the balance than the mountain of Uhud.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It shows the virtue of Abdullah bin Mas’ood . The teacher or leader should correct his students or subordinates when they err.

12. Dealing with people cheerfully

chapter 120. A Muslim is the mirror of his brother

238. Abu Hurayra said, “A believer is the mirror of his brother. When he sees a fault in it, he should correct it.
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The mirror shows a person what he may not see of himself; and so, he rectifies himself as apprioprate. Likewise, the believer is as a mirror to his brother; he helps him rectifty himself by calling his attention to his faults.

239. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A believer is the mirror of his brother. A believer is the brother of another believer. He protects him against loss and defends him behind his back.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The hadeeth exhorts the believer to be kind to his brother; he should show him affection, and protect his person and property from evil to the best of his ability.

240. Al-Mustawrid reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If anyone eats a meal at the expense of a Muslim’s honour, Allah will feed him a like amount of Hellfire. If anyone clothes himself with a garment at the expense of a Muslim’s honour, Allah will clothe him with a like amount of Hellfire. If anyone achieves a position of showing-off and hypocrisy at the expense of a Muslim’s honour, Allah will put him in a position of showing-off and hypocrisy on the Day of Rising.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Meaning, whoever refuses to assist his brother overcome his faults but hampers him; telling his enemies about his faults in order to earn a favour and bringing him disrepute and denigration will be punished in the Fire on the Day of Resurrection with the like of what he got. This seriously warns against disgracing a Muslim to get people’s admiration or benefit in any form.

chapter 121. Playing and joking which is not permitted

241. ‘Abdullah ibn as-Sa’ib reported that his grandfather said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘None of you should take the goods of his companion, either in jest or seriously. When one of you takes his companion’s staff, he should return it to him.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: To seriously take the property of a person is clearly theft; and to jockingly take his property could cause the owner discomfort and breed ill feeling. A stick, which is from the most triffle things a person could have is used as an example to ram home the fact that the warning is more serious with the importance of the property taken. The hadeeth is evidence that whatever leads to a prohibited thing is also prohibited.

chapter 122. The person who guides to good

242. Abu Mas’ud al-Ansari said, “A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘My camel has become exhausted, so give me a mount.’ He replied, ‘I do not have any. But go to so-and-so and perhaps he will give you one.’ He went to that man and he gave him a mount. Then he went back to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and told him. He said, ‘Whoever guides to good has the like of the reward of the person who actually does it.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: One could guide towards a good deed by saying, writing, gesturing or acting upon the deed. However, to earn this reward, the guide should intend by his action, Allah’s Countenance; for Allah the Mighty and Exalted rewards only that which is done for His Sake

chapter 123. Excusing and pardoning people

243. Anas reported that a Jewish woman brought the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, poisoned sheep. He ate from it and she was brought. It was asked, “Should we not kill her?” “No,” he replied. He said, “I continued to recognise the poison in the sighs of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth indicates the permissibility of taking food from a person whose food is basically legitimate for us to consume without asking for the source except when there is cogent proof to act otherwise. The Prophetﷺ excused and pardoned this Jew but some of the Muslims will not pardon their fellow Muslim if he offends them!

244.’Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr said on the minbar, “Make allowances for people and command what is right and turn away from the ignorant.” (7:199) He said, “By Allah, we are only commanded by this ayat to accept people’s character. By Allah, I will accept people’s character as long as I am with them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

245. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Teach and make things easy and not difficult. When one of you is angry, he should be silent.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, teach the people what they should know from the matters of their religion and in doing that, make things easy and not difficult. Anger could be from the insinuations of the satan; it could take a person out of his normal self to such an extent that he might say or do any evil. He might also harbour hatred and other evils including disbelief. However, when the angry person keeps silent, it calms his anger and grants him control over it. So, the Prophetﷺ repeated it twice for emphasis. In an authentic hadeeth collected by the author, Al-Bukharee, and Imam Muslim in their Saheehs, the Prophetﷺ said regarding a person who was angry, “I know a statement which will take away what he feels if he says it; where he to say, A’oodhu billaah minash Shaytaanir Rajeem’ (I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed satan)”.

chapter 124. Cheerfulness towards people

246.’Ata’ ibn Yasar said, “I met ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As and I said, ‘Tell me about the description of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the Torah.’ ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘By Allah, he is described in the Torah partly as he is described in the Qur’an: “O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good news and a warner and a protection to the unlettered. You are My slave and Messenger. I have called you the trusty one who is neither coarse nor harsh nor loud in the markets. Allah Almighty will not take him until He has made the crooked community straight by him so that they say, “There is no god but Allah,” and by it they will open blind eyes, deaf ears and covered hearts.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ’s being mentioned as a slave of Allah the Mighty and Exalted rejects the extremism of those who exerggerate in his praise, and being mentioned as a Messenger of Allah refutes those who reject his Messengership. To have trust in Allah and not be clamorous in the markets is evidence that Tawakkul (reliance on Allah) does not contradict actually seeking the means to attain needs as some of the people wrongly opine; yet the means should be legitimate as the need.

247.’Abdullah ibn ‘Ata’ said, “This ayat which is in the Qur’an, ‘O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bringer of good news and a warner’ (33:45) is found in the Torah in a similar form.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

248. Mu’awiya said, “I heard some words from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, by which Allah helped me.” Jubayr ibn Nufayr said, “I heard him say that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “If you openly show your suspicions of people, you will corrupt them.’ Therefore I do not show my suspicions of people openly so that I will not corrupt them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Ibn Atheer (الله رحمه (said, “if you falsely accuse people and publicly announce them as probably guilty of offences, that makes them do what they are accussed of and they become corrupted.” Being cheerful to people rejects falsely accussing them and spreading evil about them while they are actually innocent.

249. Abu Hurayra said, “These two wars of mine have heard and these two eyes of mine have seen the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, take the palms of al-Hasan or al- Husayn in both his hands. His feet were on the feet of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Climb up.’ The boy climbed until his feet reached the chest of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and hen the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Open your mouth.’ Then he kissed him and said, ‘O Allah, love him for I love him!'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 125. Smiling

250. Jarir said, “Since the time I became Muslim, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, never saw me without smiling at me.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A man from the best of Dhu Yaman will enter by this door whose face has been touched by an angel.” Then Jarir came in.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:The hadeeth further shows the good character of the Prophetﷺ; his humility and cheerfulness to people. Heﷺ had said in another authentic narration collected by At-Tirmidhee in his Sunan, “Meeting your brother with a cheerful face is sadaqah”. It also shows his love for Jareer . After the death of the Prophetﷺ people would look at Jareer in admiration.

251.’A’isha said, “I never saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, laugh until I could see his uvula. He used to smile, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” She said, “When he saw a cloud or wind, distress could be seen in his face.” She said, “Messenger of Allah, when people see a cloud, they rejoice, hoping that there will be rain in it. Yet when you see it, I see distress in your face.” He replied, “‘A’isha, what will assure me that there is no painful punishment in it? People have been punished by wind. Some people saw the punishment and stated, ‘This is a rain cloud coming to us.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 126. Laughter

252. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Laugh little. Much laughter kills the heart.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

253. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not laugh a lot. Much laughter kills the heart.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: One should seek the things that enliven the soul rather than what deadens it. This is an admonition for those who even invest their resources in laugh programmes.

254.Abu Hurayra said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out to a group of his Companions who were laughing and talking. He said, ‘By the One in whose hand my soul is, if you knew what I knew, you would laugh little and weep much.’ Then he left and the people were weeping. Then Allah Almighty revealed to him, ‘Muhammad! Why did you make My slaves despair?’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Give good news, guide people and draw near to one another.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The believer should regularly keep in mind the difficulties of the grave, Resurrection and the wrath of Allah, it will aid his refraining from what is prohibited. Likewise, one should hope in Allah’s Mercy and His bounteous reward for His servants in this world and the hereafter so that he is regularly urged towards good deeds. These states of the mind are interrupted by laughter; and so, the more a person laughs, the further he is from the realities of existence. Therefore, one should try to perform good deeds and remain steadfast and still give a cheerful face which is from the aspects of sadaqah.

chapter 127. When he faced someone, he faced him completely, and when he turned away, he turned away completely

255. Abu Hurayra said, “When he faced someone, he faced him completely. When he turned away, he turned away completely. I have never seen anyone like him and I will never see anyone like them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ was handsome in nature and character. So, when he faced or turned away from people, he did so completely. This mind alertness aids obedience to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime and refraining from His prohibitions. It also leads to attaining absolute sincerity and modesty.

13. Consultation

chapter 128. Someone who is consulted is in a position of trust

256. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked Abu’l-Haytham, “Do you have a servant?” “No,” he replied. He said, “Come to us when we get some captives.” The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was brought only two captives. Abu’l-Haytham came to him and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Choose between them.” “Choose for me, Messenger of Allah,” he replied. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The person who is consulted is in a position of trust. Take this one. I have seen him pray. Treat him well.” Abu’l-Haytham’s wife said, “You will not live up to the words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about him until you set him free.” “He is free,” he stated. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah did not sent Prophet or kahlif but that he has two confidants: a confidant who commands him to do what is correct and forbids what is bad, and a confidant who will not fall short in corrupting you. Anyone who is protected from the evil confidant has been protected.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth tells the following: The companions (RA)had great respects for the Messenger of Allahﷺ; they would not hasten to make decisions in the matters of the religion – and even in some of their worldly affairs – before him. 2. It is recommended to ask specialists regarding our affairs before we make decisions. 3. The person who is consulted is entrusted with the matter about which his advice is sought. If he knows the truth but hides it, he has knowingly misled the person who consulted him, and this is prohibited. 4. The piety of a person could be known from his open deeds such as his Prayer and general conduct. 5. The husband is the shephered of the household as the Prophets u and caliphs are the shephereds of their people. From amongst their people, some are good while others are bad confidants. Thus, since a man ordinariy confides in his wife, the hadeeth exhorts us to select pious spouses. We seek Allah’s refuge from evil confidants.

chapter 129. Consultation

257.’Amir ibn Dinar said, “Ibn ‘Abbas recited (this ayat), ‘Consult with them about the matter.’ (3:159)”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As regards the expression, “…the conduct of (certain) affairs…”, Hafidh Ibn Hajar (الله رحمه (said, “ It is said that it was a commentary and not a mode of recital…” Also, the consultation is regarding certain affairs because some matters have already been decided through revelation. However after consultation, Allah the Mighty and Sublime says, “Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah.” (Aal- ’Imraan: 159).

258.Al-Hasan said, “People never seek advice without being guided to the best possibility available to them.” Then he recited, “and manage their affairs by mutual consultation.” (42:38)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This narration expresses one of the benefits of consultation. Other benefits include: carrying the people along with descisions (and policies of government), and creating an atmosphere of mutual responsibility and trust.

chapter 130. The wrong action of someone who gives his brother misguided advice

259. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who attributes words to me which I did noy say should take his seat in the Fire. Anyone who gives his Muslim brother misguided advice when he consults has betrayed him. If anyone gives a fatwa which is not firm, the wrong action of that rests on the one who gave the fatwa.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth is authentic based on supporting evidences without the increment, “Whoever gives his Muslim brother…” which forms the point of reference in the hadeeth for the section heading. This increment is graded weak by Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه.

14. Dealings with people and good character

chapter 131. Love between people

260. Abu Hurayra that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “By the One in whose hand my soul is, you will not enter the Garden until you submit. You will not submit until you love one another. Extend the greeting to one another and you will love one another. Beware of hatred, for it is the razor. I do not tell you that it shaves the hair, but it shaves away the deen.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The Messenger of Allahﷺ declared with affirmation that the people will not enter the Garden until they have submitted or believed; the gates of the Garden are closed without Islam and Eemaan. Also perfect Eemaan cannot be attained except with mutual love which is inturn attained through spreading the greetings of Salaam. The hadeeth shows the devastating effects of animosity in any community.

chapter 132. Friendship

261. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The souls of two believers should meet in the course of a day even if they do not actually see each other.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

262. ‘Umayr ibn Ishaq said, “We used to say that the first thing to be removed from people would be friendship.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 133. Joking

264. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came upon a group of women which included Umm Sulayman. He said, ‘Anjasha!* Be gentle when you drive the glass vessels!” Abu Qilaba said about this, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used an expression which some of you use in jest. He said, ‘When you drive the glass vessels!'” [*Anjasha was a singer of camel-songs who drove the camels along. ‘Glass vessels’ refers to the women on the camels.]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Here the Messenger of Allahﷺ referred to the women employing their tender nature: the fragile vessels. He cautioned that they be driven gently so that they do not fall over the beast of burden and be wounded. Some of the scholars have viewed that the Prophetﷺ cautioned the cameleer, ‘Anjasha , regarding his songs so that the fragile vessels were not put to trial therefrom as is shown in other wordings of the same hadeeth. ‘Anjasha , was known to sing with sonorous voice. Yet, the hadeeth evinces the permissibility of singing songs and poems when they don’t involve forbidden words and musical instruments, and when doing so does not lead to something prohibited. It also shows the permissibility of using implied expressions, and good-natured teasing.

265. Abu Hurayra reported that the people said, “Messenger of Allah, you joke with us!” He replied, “But I only speak the truth.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam An-Nawawee (الله رحمه (explains, “the prohibited jest is that which exceeds proper bounds and is continous for it causes laughter, hard-heartedness and prevents giving remembrance of Allah and pondering about important matters of the religion. In many situations, it causes harm, breeds bitter-feeling and destroys dignity and reverence. As for the jest free of all these, such is permissible; that was what the Prophetﷺ would do sometimes, to soothe his listener and delight him. This is an encouraged practice.”

266. Bakr ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to throw melons at one another. He said, “If these were real, they would be men.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It encourages joking with one another sometimes and being serious-minded at other times; all as the situation demands. Since the religion prohibits wastefulness; it is understood that they would only throw the peels of melon at one another.

267. Ibn Abi Mulayka said, “‘A’isha was joking with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Her slavegirl said, ‘Messenger of Allah, some of the women who make jokers in this quarter are from Kinana!’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Rather some of our jokesters in this quarter.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

268. Anas ibn Malik said, “A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to ask him for a mount. He said, ‘I will give you a she-camel’s foal to ride.’ He exclaimed, ‘Messenger of Allah, what can I do with a she-camel’s foal?’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Are camels born from anything other than she-camels?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This shows the humility of Allah’s Messengerﷺ; and his being mannerly, even during jokes. The hadeeth encourages keeping friendly relations with other Muslims.

chapter 134. Joking with a child

269. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to mix with us to the extent of asking a younger brother of mine, ‘Abu ‘Umayr! What has happened to the little sparrow?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches among others, that: 1. The prohibition of much mixing with people is restricted to those from whom harm is feared. 2. A child and more so, an adult could have a Kunya, for the Prophetﷺ called the boy by a Kunya, Abu ‘Umayr. 3. It is encouraged that children are allowed to play and even provided playthings as long it is permissible to play with such things. 4. One should relate with people according to their intelligence. 5. It is encouraged to joke with children within the limits of the Sharee’ah.

270. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took al-Hasan or al-Husayn by the hand and then put his feet on top of his own feet and said, “Climb up.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth affirms the Meezaan, the Balance with a pan suspended from each end upon which the deeds of man will be weighed on the Day of Rising. Good character is from the most weighty of good deeds that the servant will find on his scale of righteous deeds.

chapter 135. Good character

270. Abu’d-Darda’ reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There is nothing which weighs heavier in the balance than good character.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

271.’Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was neither coarse nor loud. He used to say, “The best of you is the one who has the best character.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It encourages good character and points to the virtue of a person with good character. It prohibits being obscene and ill-mannered.

272.’Amr ibn Shu’ayb reported from his grandfather that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Shall I tell you about who among you I love the most and the one who will be seated closest to me on the Day of Rising?” The people were silent, so he repeated that two or three times. Then the people said, “Yes, Messenger of Allah.” He said, “The one among you with the best character.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: From the manners of imparting knowledge is to ask questions that invite the listener’s attention even if it means repeating it more than once. The hadeeth shows that one should not plunge into speaking about what he knows not. One should rather remain silent or say, “I do not know…” as is proven in other narrations. The approach employed by the Prophetﷺ indicates the virtue of good character; and from those who will be seated away from the Prophetﷺ are those with obnoxious character.

273. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I was sent to perfect good character.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

274.’A’isha said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was never given a choice between two things but that he chose the easier of the two as long as it was not a wrong action. If it was a wrong action. then he was the last person to do it. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, never took revenge on his own behalf. But when the respect of Allah Almighty was violated, he would take revenge on behalf of Allah Almighty.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: If the Prophetﷺ was given a choice that involves a sin by the disbelievers and the hypocrites, or a choice that could lead to a sin by the Muslims or he was very far from doing it even if it appears to be easier than the other choice which is not a sin and would basically not lead to sin. This makes clear the error in the attitude of those who consider every easy choice as Islamic even if it involves a sin or leads to a sin. The hadeeth also teaches that rulers, judges and others in the position of authority should not use their positions to settle individual scores with the people.

275.’Abdullah said, “Allah Almighty shared out your character between you as He divided your provision between you. Allah Almighty bestows wealth on those He loves and those He does not love. He only gives faith to those He loves. Whoever is stingy about spending his wealth and fears to fight the enemy and is in terror of enduring the night should repeat frequently. ‘There is no god but Allah. Glory be to Allah. Praise be to Allah, and Allah is greater.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration is authentic from the statements of Abdullah bin Mas’ood and has the ruling of a saying from Allah’s Messengerﷺ because the companion could not have said these words from personal opinion especially its first segments, “Allah the Exalted has shared out character among you…” Additionally, it has other supporting proofs with other chains of narration that show that it has a ruling of a saying from Allah’s Messengerﷺ. See, As-Saheehah no. 2714. The hadeeth teaches that as one supplicates for provision, he should also supplicate for good character, and that one should not be deceived by the abundance of wealth in the hands of the non-Muslims because Allah the Most High, grants wealth to those with whom He is pleased (such as Sulayman and ‘Uthman) and those with whom He is displeased (such as Fir’aon and Qaaroon). It also exhorts towards regularly giving remembrance of Allah.

chapter 136. The generosity of the self

276. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Wealth does not mean having a lot of property. Wealth means having self-contentment.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Many amongst those to whom Allah the Exalted has granted possessions are not satisfied with what they are given; so they make great efforts to acquire more as if they are destitutes, and care less about the source. They are usually stingy and would hardly even give out their obligatory Zakat. But the real wealth is to have self satisfaction; the Prophetﷺ said to Abu Hurayrah in an authentic report collected by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad, “…be contented with what Allah has shared out to you; you will be from the richest of people…

277. Anas said, “I served the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for twenty years. He never said ‘uff’ to me and he never said about anything I had not done, ‘Why didn’t you do it?’ or about something I had done. ‘Why did you do that?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: ‘Ouf’ is a grunting exclamation that shows disgust. The fact that the Prophetﷺ did not use to blame Anas is not with respect to issues regarding Allah’s orders or prohibitions; otherwise, the Prophetﷺ would not remain silent when Allah’s limits are trespassed. From self contentment is to leave unnecessary blame and criticism. A young boy serving the greatest leader of all times and keeping the best of his company day and night; in travel and at home, in times of peace and war. Yet the feelings of this little boy were not hurt; not even with a knitted brow or a frowned face as he reported in other wordings of the hadeeth. There is an important lesson here on leaving blame and avoiding criticism except when really necessary. The hadeeth shows that one could praise a person in his front if it will not make him become proud.

278. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was merciful. No one came to him but that he promised himself something and carried out that promise if he had anything to give. The iqama for the prayer had been given when a bedouin came and took hold of his garment and stated, ‘I am still not satisfied.’ The Bedouin alarmed the Prophet’s wives. The Prophet went with him until the man had received what he wanted. Then he returned and prayed.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ is known to be ever merciful; and so the Bedouin could drag his garment asking the Prophetﷺ to fulfill his want so that he does not forget. The obligatory prayer did not even commence until he satisfied the Bedouin’s need! It contains evidence that there could be a break between the call for the commencement of Prayer, the Iqaamah, and its actual commencement when the leader needs to fulfill a need or for similar reasons.

279. Jabir said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was never asked for anything to which he said, ‘No.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ was very generous; he never said, ‘No’ to anyone who requested any of the things of this world from him. If he had, he gave; otherwise, he gave a promise which he fulfilled. In the Saheeh of Imam Muslim, it says, Anas reported that, “A man asked the Prophetﷺ for a herd in a valley and he gave him. So the man went to his people and said, ‘My people! Accept Islam; by Allah, Muhammad gives generously. He is not afraid of penury.’” Anas said, “If a person accepted Islam for no other than worldly benefits;as soon as he enters into Islam, it becomes dearer to him than the world and what it contains.”

280.’Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr said, “I have never seen two women more generous than ‘A’isha and Asma’. Their generosity was different. ‘A’isha used to gather things and after they had been collected together, she would share them out. Asma’ would not keep anything for the next day.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The companions (RA)– male and female – followed the lines of conduct of the Prophetﷺ; and so, were openhanded. The hadeeth shows the virtue of the companions, and exhorts towards following what the pious predecessors were upon which was what the Prophetﷺ was upon.

chapter 137. Avarice

281. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The dust of the path of Allah and the smoke of Hellfire are never joined together in the heart of a slave. Belief and avarice are never joined together in the heart of a slave.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Unreasonably strong desire to obtain and keep money could prevent a person from being openhanded, and could even cause him to hoard wealth due for Zakat. In some cases – and the refuge is with Allah – it may cause him to cheat people and deprive them of their lawful wealth. All these show the weakness of the Eemaan of such a person.

282. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Two qualities are not found together in a believer: miserliness and ill-temper.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

283. ‘Abdullah ibn Rabi’a said, “We used to sit with ‘Abdullah and they mentioned a man together with aspects of his character. ‘Abdullah said, ‘What would you think if you cut off his head? Would you be able to put it back on again?’ ‘No,’ they replied. He said, ‘And his hand?’ ‘No,’ they said. ‘And his foot?’ they said. ‘No,’ he said. He said, ‘You cannot change his character until you change his physical form. The drop remains in the womb for forty nights and then the blood congeals and then it becomes a blood clot and then a lump of flesh and then Prophet sends an angles and he records his provision, his character, and whether or not he will be happy or miserable (in the Next World).'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

chapter 138. Good character when people have understanding

284. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A man who is known for his good character has the same degree as someone who stands at night in prayer.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It shows the superiority of some good deeds over others, and the virtue of being of good character. The one who combines between both is certainly better in the sight of Allah the Mighty and Exalted.

285. Abu Hurayra said, “I heard Abu’l-Qasim say, ‘The best of you in Islam is the best of you in character when they possess understanding (of the deen).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth is evidence that the Islam of a person is not perfect when he is of bad character; the defect is to the severity of the bad character. It also evinces the fact that the people are of different grades in their deen.

286. Thabit ibn ‘Ubayd said, “I have not seen anyone more serious when he sits with the people nor more jocular in his house than Zayd ibn Thabit.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Thābit b. ‘Ubayd (الله رحمه (is the freed slave of Zayd b. Thābit .

287. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, ‘Which religion does Allah Almighty love the most?’ He replied, ‘The simple Hanifiyya one.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Hanīfiyya is the path of Ibrahim – peace be upon him -; the worship of Allah Alone with full sincerity, and the one upon the path is lexically referred to as Haneef. Simplicity and turning away from evil towards the worship of Allah Alone is from good character and it shows a person’s understanding of the religion.

288. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “There are four qualities such that if you were to be given them, you will not be harmed even if the world were to be taken away from you. They are: good character, restraint in food, truthful words, and upholding a trust.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth is authentic also as a saying of the Prophetﷺ. See: As-Saheehah (733).

289. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do you know what it is that makes most people enter the Fire?” “Allah and His Messenger know best,” they said. He said, “The two empty ones: the genitals and the mouth. Do you know what it is that makes most people enter the Garden? Taqwa of Allah and good character.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: llicit sexual intercourse and consumption of prohibited food or seeking means of livelihood from prohibited sources are means by which many of the people will enter the Fire – and the refuge is with Allah. The hadeeth shows the virtue of good character: it is one of the major means to attain the Garden.

290. Umm ad-Darda’ said, “Abu’d-Darda’ stood up in the night to pray. He was weeping and said, ‘O Allah! You made my physical form good, so make my character good!’ until morning. I said, ‘Abu’d- Darda’, your only supplication for the entire night was for good character!’ He replied, ‘Umm ad- Darda’, the Muslim makes his character good with the result that his good character takes him into the Garden. He makes his character bad with the result that his bad character takes him into the Fire. The Muslim is forgiven while he is asleep.’ I asked, ‘Abu’d-Darda’, how can be forgiven while he is asleep?’ He said, ‘His brother arises in the night and performs the night prayers and makes supplication to Allah Almighty and is answered. He makes supplication for Muslim brother and his request is answered.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: This narration with this chain of transmission is weak; however, to supplicate for good character is authentically reported from the Prophetﷺ.

291. Usama ibn Sharik said, “I was with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when some bedouins came. There were many people on all sides. The people were silent and no one spoke except them. They said, ‘Messenger of Allah! We experience difficulty in such-and-such and such- and-such’ and it was in things which are not harmful to people. He said, ‘Servants of Allah! Allah has removed difficulty except in a case where a man slanders someone unjustly that is the one who is in difficulty and destroyed.’ They said, ‘Messenger of Allah, can we make use of medical treatment?’ ‘Yes, servants of Allah,’ he replied, ‘you can make use of medical treatment. Allah Almighty did not create an illness but that He made a cure for it except for one disease.’ They asked, ‘And what is that, Messenger of Allah?’ ‘Old age,’ he replied. They said, ‘Messenger of Allah, what is the best thing that a man can be given?’ ‘Good character,’ he replied.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches many lessons including: 1. Students should be silent when questions are asked by others; for the teacher could give a response which may include a point of benefit they had not heard previously. Although the most eminent among the companions were always with the Prophetﷺ, Anas said, “We used to be delighted that an intelligent bedouin would approach him and ask him and we would listen”. 2. One should know the rulings regarding matters before embarking upon them. 3. Seeking medical attention is permissible (Mubah) and not discouraged (Makrooh) as some of the people opine. 4. Allah the Exalted is Merciful; He did not create an illness except that He made a cure for it. 5. Old age is the major precursor to death as pregnancy is to birth; and so as the illnesses connected to pregnancy become cured at child birth, death is the absolute cure for those connected to old age. 6. Good character is from the greatest favours of Allah upon people. We ask Allah to perfect our character as he has perfected our physical looks. Ameen.

292. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was the most generous of people in giving charity. He was even more generous in Ramadan when Jibril, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to meet him. Every night of Ramadan Jibril used to come to him and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would read the Qur’an to him. When Jibril came to him, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was more generous in giving charity than the blowing wind.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “From the points of benefit in this hadeeth are: exhortation towards generousity at all times and doing more of that in Ramadan and on meeting with pious people. It also encourages visiting pious and good people and repeatedly, if such people do not detest it. It recommends much reading of the Qur’an during Ramadan and that it is more meritorious than other patterns of giving remembrance, and that one could actually say, Ramadan without an annexation, and other benefits that could be derived after due consideration.”

293. Abu Mas’ud al-Ansari reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Before your time a man was called to account and it was found that the only good thing he had done was that he was easy in his business dealings with people. He used to order his slaves to go easy with people who were in difficulty. Allah Almighty said, ‘We are more entitled to do that than he is, so forgive him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: He mixed with people; i.e “he used to lend people money” as is mentioned in another version of the narration. The hadeeth shows the virtues of extending relief to those in difficulty and being tolerant in trade dealings, seeking Allah’s countenance therefrom for Allah the Exalted only rewards an action performed for His Sake. It is also authentically reported that the man used to say to his servants, “When a person in difficulty comes, give him relief; perhaps Allah grants relief to us too…”

294. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “What is the most frequent reason for someone entering the Garden?” He said, “Taqwa and good character. He was asked, “What is the most frequent reason for people entering the Fire?” He replied, “The two empty ones: the mouth and the genitals.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Illicit sexual intercourse and consumption of prohibited food or seeking means of livelihood from prohibited sources are means by which many of the people will enter the Fire – and the refuge is with Allah. The hadeeth shows the virtue of good character: it is one of the major means to attain the Garden.

295. It is reported Nawwas ibn Sam’an asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about dutifulness and wrong action. He said, “Dutifulness is good character and wrong action is that which works on yourself and which you dislike for other people to become aware of.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, the core of righteousness is good character. This hadeeth shows that sins have two signs: firstly, the fact that it pricks the heart of the doer due to the fact that the mind basically recognizes evil but is overpowered by the desires and as such, it is discomforted. Secondly, dislike of the people to be aware of it. This is because the mind basically likes to be known for its righteousness; so when it dislikes that a thing is known of it, then it shows that the thing is a sin.

chapter 139. Miserliness

296. Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Who is your master, Banu Salama?” Jabir said, “We replied, ‘Judd ibn Qays, although we think that he is a miser.’ He said, ‘What illness is worse than miserliness? Your master is ‘Amr ibn al-Jamuh.'” ‘Amr had been in charge of their idols during the Jahiliyya. He gave a wedding feast for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he got married.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches that: 1. The Prophetﷺ was concerned about the affairs of the people to the extent that he sought to know who their masters were. 2. It is permissible to backbite if it will bring about an overall pressing benefit. 3. Like those of the body, heart-related illnesses are in grades, and from the worst of them is miserliness. 4. Those who are more generous are more suitable for positions of leadership. 5. It is permissible that the associates or relatives of a man support him to host his marriage ceremony.

297. Warrad, the scribe of al-Mughira ibn Shu’ba, said, “Mu’awiya wrote to al-Mughira ibn Shu’ba, saying, ‘Write down for me something which you heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ Al-Mughira wrote to him, ‘ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to forbid gossip, wasting money, asking too many questions, refusing to give, disobedience to parents and burying daughters alive.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: From the dispositions of the miserly is overwhelming desire to take from people; both miserliness and greed to take from others are from bad character.

298. Jabir said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was never asked for anything to which he said, ‘No,'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ was very generous; he never said, ‘No’ to anyone who requested any of the things of this world from him. If he had, he gave; otherwise, he gave a promise which he fulfilled. In the Saheeh of Imam Muslim, it says, Anas reported that, “A man asked the Prophetﷺ for a herd in a valley and he gave him. So the man went to his people and said, ‘My people! Accept Islam; by Allah, Muhammad gives generously. He is not afraid of penury.’” Anas said, “If a person accepted Islam for no other than worldly benefits;as soon as he enters into Islam, it becomes dearer to him than the world and what it contains.”

chapter 140. Sound property for a sound man

299. ‘Amr ibn al-‘As said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent for me. He commanded me to put on my clothes and arms and come to him. I did that and came to him while he was doing wudu’. He looked at me and then lowered his eyes. then he said, ”Amr, I want to put you in charge of an army and Allah will give you booty. I will give you a correct portion of the spoils.’ I said, ‘I did not become Muslim out of the desire for property. I became Muslim out of the desire for Islam and so that I would be with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ He said, ”Amr! Sound property is very excellent for a sound man!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth draws attention to the facts that: 1. It is the duty of the leader of the Muslims or his designate to prepare and dispatch the Muslim army for Military assignments. 2. Those who are specifically enlisted for Military expeditions must respond to such calls by the leader. 3. The leader of the Muslims should see to the economic empowerment of the individuals of the community. 4. The virtues of ‘Amr bin Al-’Aas (عنهام الله ريض ;( his sincerity, piety and love for Allah’s Messengerﷺ. 5. Sound wealth is important and appropriate for the pious Muslim.

chapter 141. The person who is secure in his property

300. Mihsan al-Ansari reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When someone is secure in his property, healthy in his body and has his food for the day, it is as if he owned the entire world.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The Muslim should be contented and regularly give thanks for Allah’s favours on him. The narration indicates the importance of security, sound health and provision.

chapter 142. Cheerfulness

301. Mu’adh ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Khubayb al-Juhani related from his father that his uncle said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came out to them with the traces of ghusl on him. He was cheerful. We thought that he was with his wives. We said, ‘Messenger of Allah, we see that you are cheerful.’ He said, ‘Yes, and praise be to Allah!’ Then wealth was mentioned that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘There is no harm in wealth for someone who has taqwa, but health for the person who has taqwa is even better than wealth. Cheerfulness is a blessing.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This narration indicates the followings: 1. Private relations with one’s wives is from the means to attain cheerfulness. 2. Wealth without fearful consciousness of Allah is harmful because it will be gathered unlawfully, spent unlawfully and denied those to whom it is due unlawfully. 3. Sound health aids the performance of good deeds; the sick is usually frail and unable. 4. Whomever Allah has granted sound health should make good use of the time and not waste it in engagement in unlawful things. 5. Allah the Mighty and Exalted is abundantly merciful to His servants.

302. An-Nawwas ibn Sam’an al-Ansari reported that he asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about dutifulness and wrong action. He said, “Dutifulness is good character and wrong action is what works on yourself and which you dislike for other people to become aware of.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, the core of righteousness is good character. This hadeeth shows that sins have two signs: firstly, the fact that it pricks the heart of the doer due to the fact that the mind basically recognizes evil but is overpowered by the desires and as such, it is discomforted. Secondly, dislike of the people to be aware of it. This is because the mind basically likes to be known for its righteousness; so when it dislikes that a thing is known of it, then it shows that the thing is a sin.

303. Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was the best of people, the most generous of people and most courageous of people. One night the people of Madina were alarmed by a noise and the people went towards its source. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, met them, having already reached the source of the noise before them and he was saying, “Do not be alarmed. Do not be alarmed.” He was riding a horse belonging to Abu Talha without a saddle and a sword was hung around his neck. He said, “I found it (the horse) like a great river” or it was a great river (meaning its speed).
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ was the best of people in nature, character, lineage, generousity, bravery, humility and other indices of goodness. Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “It shows the beautiful qualities with which Allah the Most High has honoured him…” The hadeeth is also evidence that ahead of official moves, an individual could explore and expose an army that attempts a sudden invasion of the Muslims.

304. Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Every act of kindness is sadaqa. Part of kindness is that you offer your brother a cheerful face and you pour some of your bucket into his water vessel.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: One should always try to make his brother happy; and from the means to attain that is to meet him with a cheerful face, talking to him politely and seeking to ease his tasks at all times. Imam Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “That is, it has the ruling of sadaqah in terms of reward.” This contains evidence that every good deed one performs or says is written down for him as sadaqah.

chapter 143. What is necessary in helping someone in distress

305. Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, “Which is the best action?” He replied, “Belief in Allah and jihad in His Way.” He was asked, “Which slaves are best?” He replied, “The highest in price and the most precious to their people.” He said, “What do you think I should do if I am unable to fight?” He said, “Help someone in trouble or work for someone who does not work.” He said, “What do you think that I should do if I am too weak (to act accordingly)?” He said, “Spare people your evil. That is a sadaqa which you bestow on yourself.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows the following: 1. The ardent desire of the companions (RA)to identify which deed is best in order to hasten towards it. They would even seek to know the good deeds to perform in the circumstances of inability and weakness. 2. The importance of belief in Allah; no deed is accepted without Eemaan 3. From the best things to give out are those that are most dearing to us. 4. The unskilled may have problems of spending upon himself and his household; so benefit extended to him may turn to be benefits to large number of people. 5. Refraining from harming people is from charity. This is because it does not disturb the one in a sound state nor increase discomfort for the one in difficulty.

306. Sa’id ibn Abi Burda related from his grandfather that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Every Muslim owes sadaqa.” He said, “What do you think he should do if he cannot find anything to give?” He replied, “He should find work and thus benefit himself and be able to give sadaqa.” He said, “What do you think he should do if he cannot or does not do that?” He said, “He should help someone with a great need.” He said, “What do you think he should do if he cannot or does not do that?” He replied, “He should command the good.” He asked, “What do you think he should do if he cannot or does not do that?” He replied, “He should refrain from evil. That is sadaqa for him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Every Muslim should give charity by way of giving thanks to Allah for His favours on him. The hadeeth contains exhortation for the needy Muslim to work with his hands, enhance himself and extend benefit to others and not be dependent upon the people. One should try to perform other good deed deeds if he is unable to perform a particular one.

chapter 144. The person who makes supplication to Allah to make his character good

307.’Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to supplicate, “Oh Allah, I ask You for health, restraint, trustworthiness, good character and contentment with the decree.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

308. Yazid ibn Yabnus said, “We went to ‘A’isha and said, ‘Umm al-Mu’minin, what was the character of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, like?’ She replied, ‘His character was the Qur’an. Can you recite the sura entitled “The Believers”?’ She said, ‘Recite: “It is the believers who are successful: those who are humble in their prayer; those who turn away from worthless talk; those who actively pay zakat; those who guard their private parts.” (23:1-5)’ She said, ‘That was the character of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: However, it is authentically related with another chain of transmission in Saheeh Muslim that she (عنها الله ريض (would say, “His character was the Qur’an…” It shows that the supplication of the Prophetﷺ for noble character (as reported in other authentic narrations) was granted such that his character was the Qur’an. The Qur’an has been revealed to be learnt and acted upon.

15. Cursing and Defamation

chapter 145. The believer is not a defamer

309. Salim ibn ‘Abdullah said, “I never heard ‘Abdullah ever curse anything.” Salim mentioned that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “It is not fitting for a believer to be a curser.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: e phrase, laysa insaanan (but not a person) is clearer in another wording of the same hadeeth authentically collected by Ibn Abee Dunya which says, illaa insaanan waahidan (except a single person). In that single case, Ibn Umar (عنهام الله ريض (freed the slave whom he cursed. The hadeeth clearly disallows cursing, and the believer should only adorn himself with positive qualities.

310.Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah does not love the loud and coarse nor the one who shouts in the markets.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

311.’A’isha reported that some Jews came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, “Poison (‘sam‘ instead of ‘salam‘) be upon you.” ‘A’isha said, “And upon you and may the curse of Allah and the anger of Allah be upon you!” The Prophet said, “Easy, ‘A’isha, you must be gentle. Beware of harshness and coarseness.” She asked, “Didn’t you hear what they said?” He said, “Didn’t you hear what I said? I repeated it to them and what I said about them will be accepted and what they said about me will not be accepted.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It exhorts towards being gentle and eschewing harshness and coarseness; one should still be mannerly even while responding to an offensive from an adversary. The Prophetﷺ cautioned against being excessive in response to the non-Muslims in this hadeeth, not being excessive with respect to the Muslim is therefore, with a greater need. Basically, the eminent may not invest time and energy to counteract inconsequential statements and dispositions from the stupid.

312.’Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A believer is not a defamer nor a curser nor coarse nor obscene.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: These traits are certainly blameworthy; when a Muslim engages in them it depicts his weak Eemaan (faith) and the weakness is to the extent of his engaging in it and other sins.

313. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A person who is two-faced cannot be trusted.”
Grade:Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: When he is with those whom he dislikes, he amends his words and actions to suit the situation, and when he returns to his true associates he is something else. So for him, words are ever changing depending on the situation. How can such be trustworthy?!

314.’Abdullah said, “The most blameworthy thing in a believer’s character is coarseness.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, being vulgar or obscene; unrefined.

315.’Ubayd al-Kindi al-Kufi reported that he heard ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib said, “The cursers are cursed.” The transmitter, Marwan ibn Mu’awiya, said that he means those who curse other people.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 146. Someone who curses

316. Abu’d-Darda’ reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Those who curse will be neither witnesses nor intercessors on the Day of Rising.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: They will not be witnesses for the earlier Prophets – alayhim as-Salam – on the Day of Ressurrection against their nations who will deny that their Prophets did not invite them. It is also considered that they will not be witnesses means that their witnessing should not be accepted in the courts or that they will not be granted martyrdom in the path of Allah. Also, they will not be intercessors of the Day of Ressurrection, for intercession involves asking that sins are pardoned and asking for Allah’s mercy. This contradicts the action of the curser who is in the habit of asking that Allah’s mercy is put away from His servants.

317. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The true person must not be a curser.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The siddeeq is one who is ever truthful and whose actions follow his words. If such is in the habit of cursing people, his words will belie his actions and vice versa. However, if it happens for any reason that he curses once or thereabout, it does not remove or contradict the status of the siddeeq.

318. Hudhayfa said, “People do not cure one another without that curse coming true.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: So, the harm for which they supplicated against one another falls upon them – and the refuge is with Allah.

chapter 147. The person who curses his slave and then frees him

319. ‘A’isha reported that Abu Bakr cursed one of his slaves and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Abu Bakr! The cursers and the true! No, by the Lord of the Ka’ba,” and he repeated that two or three times. That very same day Abu Bakr freed one of his slaves. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came and said, “Do not do that again (i.e. curse someone).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, have you seen a siddeeq being a curser? These are two clearly different and incompatible traits! So, Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq freed a slave in atonement and also vowed never to curse anyone again. The hadeeth shows the virtue of Abu Bakr ; that he is siddeeq, quick to turn in penitence to Allah the Mighty and Exalted. “Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance.” (Q 2 : 222)

chapter 148. Cursing one another with the curse of Allah, with the anger of Allah, and with the Fire

320. Samura reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not curse one another with the cure of Allah, not the anger of Allah nor with the Fire.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 149. Cursing an unbeliever

321. Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, “Messenger of Allah, invoke a curse for us against the idolaters.’ He replied, ‘I was not sent as a curser. I was sent as a mercy.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ is a mercy to all; for the Muslims due to obvious reasons, and for the non-Muslims, because while he is with them, their punishment is postponed until the Day of Ressurrection.

chapter 150. Slander

322. Himam said, “We were with Hudhayfa when he was told, ‘A man has a hadith going back to ‘Uthman.’ Hudhayfa said, ‘I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “A mischief-maker will not enter the Garden.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This is explained in two ways: firstly, that it is regarding the one who considers slandering legitimate without any explanation despite knowing that it is prohibited. Secondly, that the slanderer will be delayed from entering the Garden. However, if doing so involves certain pressing overall benefit, it is permissible; such as informing a man about a secret plan to execute him or his family or take away his wealth or to report an individual who spreads harm in the community to the apprioprate Authority.

323. Asma’ bint Yazid reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Shall I tell you who is the best of you?” “Yes,,” they replied. He said, “Those who remind you of Allah when you see them.” He went on to say, “Shall I tell you who is the worst of you?” “Yes,” they replied. He said, “Those who go about slandering, causing mischief between friends in order to separate them, and desiring to lead the innocent into wrong action.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The hadeeth mentions serious dispraise for and some consequences of going about slandering: It causes separation between friends and leads the innocent into distress. So when a person says to you, so-and-so said such-and-such about you; do the following: 1. Do not accept it as true, for the slanderer is a sinful person whose witnesses should be rejected. 2. Forbid him from doing so and give him sincere advice. 3. Dislike him for Allah’s sake for he is disliked in the sight of Allah. 4. You should still have a good opinion of your brother about whom he told you. 5. What the narrator says should not make you begin to sniff out for information on the matter. Allah knows best.

chapter 151. Someone who hears about an indecency and then spreads it about

324. ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib said, “The person who says something indecent and the person who makes it known are equal as far as the wrong action is concerned.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: This is because they have both cooperated in this evil; while one of them originated it, the other joined in its spread.

325. Shubayl ibn ‘Awf said, “It is said, ‘Whoever hears something indecent and then spreads it is like the one who originated it.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, they are alike as far as the sin is concerned as contained in the preceding narration. The Prophetﷺ had shown dispraise for rumour mongering in an authentic narration, collected by Imam Muslim in the Preface of Saheeh Muslim that, “It is sufficient sin for a person when he narrates whatever he hears.”

326. ‘Ata thought that an exemplary punishment should be carried out on anyone who makes adultery known. He said, “He has made indecency known.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 152. The fault-finder

327. Hukaym ibn Sa’d heard ‘Ali say, “Do not be hasty, spreading and divulging secrets. Ahead of you lies a severe, distressing affliction and events which would take a long time explain namely oppressive conflicts.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

328. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “When you want to mention your companion’s faults, remember your own faults.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

329. Ibn ‘Abbas spoke about the words of Allah Almighty, “Do not find fault with one another” (49:11) and he said that these words mean, “Do not attack one another.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

330. Ad-Dahhak said, “It was about us (the Banu Salima) that these words were revealed, ‘Do not find fault with one another’ (49:11)” He went on to say, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to us and there was not a man among us who did not have two names. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, began to say, ‘O so-and-so!’ and they said, ‘Messenger of Allah! That will make him angry!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: ‘O so-and-so!’ that is, heﷺ would call a person among them by his nickname which he disliked. Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (رحمه الله (explains, “If a person likes a particular nickname and it does not contain excess praise which makes it become prohibited legally, it is permissible or even recommended. But if he dislikes it, then it is either prohibited or disliked except if he is popular with it and would not be differenciated from other than him until the nickname is mentioned.”

331.’Ikrima was heard to say, “I do not know which o f them, either Ibn ‘Abbas or Ibn ‘Umar, was giving his companions food, and a slavegirl was working in their presence. One of them said to her, ‘Harlot!’ He said, ‘Easy! If she does not exact the hadd punishment (i.e. for slander) from you in this world, she will take it from you in the Next World.’ The man said, ‘And what do you think if it (what I said) is the truth?’ He replied, ‘Allah does not love anyone who greatly exceeds the sounds in speaking of indecencies.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration shows the followings: 1. ‘Ikrimah (الله رحمه (was precise in his narration. 2. The dispraise for insulting somebody even though they may be our servants or subordinates. 3. The Day of Ressurrection is a day of recompense; “Whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom shall see it.” (99: 7-8). 4. We should regularly keep the company of the pious who will always guide us towards good and caution us when we err. 5. One must not commit nor spread indecency.

332. ‘Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said. “The believer is neither a defamer nor a curser nor outrageous nor obscene.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: These traits are certainly blameworthy; when a Muslim engages in them it depicts his weak Eemaan (faith) and the weakness is to the extent of his engaging in it and other sins.

16. Praising People

153. What has come about praising people

333. Abu Bakr reported that a man was mentioned in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and someone praised him. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Woe to you! You have cut off the head of your companion!” and he repeated that several times. He went on, “If one of you must praise someone, he should say, ‘I consider that so-and-so is such-and-such.’ Allah is the One who will take account of him if he thinks that he is indeed like that, No one can appropriate Allah’s right to attest to someone’s character.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Wayhak or Waylak as in other wordings of the hadeeth translated as “Woe to You!” is an expression of caution to a person who is groundlessly getting into ruin. The one whose head is severed is taken from life to death; likewise, the one who is praised excessively is been taken from humility to self-importance and from the Garden to the Fire. So, the Prophetﷺ warned against such repeatedly. No one can say categorically how a person will end for that is from the Unseen, known to Allah Alone, the Mighty and Exalted. However, one could say what he thinks likely based on his knowedge of the person. Allah knows best.

334. Abu Musa reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, heard a man praise another man and he was using exaggeration in his praise of him. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “You have destroyed or broken the man’s back.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows how destructive praising a person could be especially when doing so involves exergeration. Thus, the Prophetﷺ said, “‘You have destroyed – or cut – the man’s back.’” However, Imam anNawawee (الله رحمه (explains, “There are many narrations in the two Saheehs containing (the permissibility) of praising a person in his presence. The scholars say that they are reconciled (with those that evince prohibition) by considering the prohibition to mean praising people without looking at undesirable consequences of such and being excessive or praising a person who may fall into the trial of self-importance and something like that if he hears of the praise. But for a person for whom that is not feared due to his piety and his intelligence and knowledge, it is not prohibited to praise him as long as it does not include being excessive. In fact, if doing so will be beneficial to him such as motivating him towards good or encouraging him to do more or sustaining him upon it or lead to his been emulated (by others); then such is even encouraged. Allah knows best.

335. Ibrahim at-Taymi reported that his father said, “We were sitting with ‘Umar and one man praised another man to his face.” He said, “You have wounded the man. May Allah wound you.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narration further indicates the seriousness of excessively praising a person in his presence. Perhaps the one who was praised is from those for whom ‘Umar feared been overtaken by the destructive trials of such praise; so he cautioned the one who gave the praise so strongly. Shaykh Fadlullah al-Jeelaanee (الله رحمه (explains, “Because the man did something that could destroy the Deen of his brother (i.e. his affairs in this world and the hereafter), it is permissible that ‘Umar invoked upon him regarding his worldly affairs.”

336. Zayd ibn Aslam reported that his father heard ‘Umar state, “Praise is slaughter.” The transmitter added, “He meant when it is accepted.” [* He is certain that his praise will nor produce pride or vanity.]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This narration is also authentically reported from the Prophetﷺ with the wording, “Beware of excessive praise; for it is slaughter.” See comment on hadeeth no. 333 and 334

chapter 154. Someone who praises his companion when he feels safe about him*

337. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The best of men is Abu Bakr. The best of men is ‘Umar. The best of men is Abu ‘Ubayda. The best of men is Usayd ibn Hudayr. The best of men is Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas. The best of men is Mu’adh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Jamuh. The best of men is Mu’adh ibn Jabal.” Then he said, “The worst of men is so-and- so. The worst of men is so-and-so,” until he had named seven men.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: So, the Prophetﷺ praised his companions, the most pious of Allah’s creatures after the Messengers and Prophets, (y). The books of hadeeth contain lots of authentic narrations from the Prophetﷺ wherein he praised those he mentioned here and many others amongst the companions, mentioning their virtues in different forms. There is no doubt that such words of commendation encouraged the companions, made them steadfast and inspires the love of these pious generation in the hearts of those who truly believe in the message of the Prophetﷺ thereby placing them in the position of emulation.

338. ‘A’isha said, “A man asked permission to come to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Messenger of Allah said, ‘He is an evil son of his tribe.’ When the man came in, the Prophet was courteous and cheerful towards him. When that man left, another man asked permission to come in. He said, ‘He is an excellent son of his tribe.’ When he came in, he was not cheerful towards him as he had been cheerful towards the other man. When he left, I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, you said what you said about so-and-so and yet you were courteous to him. You said what you said about so-and-so and I did not see you do the same.’ He said, ”A’isha, the worst of people are those who are feared on account of their bad language.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches that it is permissible to flatter someone because of the evil consequences of doing otherwise.

chapter 155. Throwing dust in the faces of those who praise people

339. Abu Ma’mar said, “A man began to praise one of the amirs. Al-Miqdad began to throw dirt in his face and said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded us to throw dust into the faces of those who praise people.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This clearly discourages praising people in their presence, and shows the companion’s keenness to obey the orders of the Prophetﷺ.

340. ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah reported that a man was praising another man in the presence of Ibn ‘Umar. Ibn ‘Umar began to throw dust towards his mouth. He said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘When you see those who praise people, throw dust in their faces.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As for the word, al-Maddaahoon, translated as “those who praise people”, Imam al-Khattabbee (الله رحمه (explains that, “they are those in the habit of praising people, who have made it a trade item by which they seek to be paid by the one been praised and (by that), they bring him to trial.”

341. Raja’ said. “One day Mihjan and I went to the mosque of the people of Basra. Burayda al-Aslami was sitting there by one of the mosque doors. Inside the mosque there was a man called Sabka who used to make the prayers long. We came to the mosque door which had a fringed woollen cloth over it. Now Burayda was someone who made jokes. He said, ‘Mihjan, don’t you pray as Sabka prays?’ Mihjan did not answer and went back. Mihjan said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, once took me by the hand and we went together to the top of Uhud. He looked down on Madina and said, “Woe to a town whose people will abandon it when it becomes very prosperous. Then the Dajjal will come to it and find two angels at each of its gates, so he will not enter it.” Then he went down until we reached the mosque and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw a man praying, prostrating and bowing. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked me, “Who is this?” and I began to praise him, saying, “Messenger of Allah, this is so-and-so and so-and-so.” “Stop!” he said, “Do not let him hear or you will destroy him.”‘” Raja’ continued, “He began to walk until he reached his rooms and then he began to shake the dust off his hands and said, ‘The best part of your deen is the easiest of it.’ and he repeated that three times.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The word, Wayl…, lexically translated as “Woe…” is employed by the Arabs to show commendation, not intending its lexical meaning. This hadeeth mentions some virtues of Madeenah: a thriving and booming city. It also encourages being of the middle-course in the performance of supererogatory prayers and not burdening one’s soul beyond its ability in recommended acts of worship. Excessively praising a person in his presence is also warned against in this narration.

chapter 156. The person who praises in poetry

342. Al-Aswad ibn Suray’ said, “I came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I have praised Allah and you in poems of praise and eulogies.’ He said, ‘As far as your Lord is concerned, He must be praised,’ and so I began to recite them. Then a tall bald man asked for permission to enter. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, told me, ‘Be silent.’ The man came in and spoke for a time and then left. Then I recited again. Then the other man came back and he made be silent again. Then the man left again. That happened two or three times. I asked, ‘Who is this man for whom I must be silent?’ He replied, ‘This is a man who does not like vain things.'” [It is said that it was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab]
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ approved of poetry that praises Allah the Mighty and Sublime since such is from wisdom.

chapter 157. Giving to a poet when you fear his evil

343. Abu Nujayd said, “A poet came to ‘Imran ibn Husayn and ‘Imran gave him something. ‘Imran was asked, ‘You give to a poet?’ He said, ‘I am preserving my reputation (from his satire).'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

17. Visiting and Guests

chapter 158. Do not honour your guest in a way which will be burdensome for him

344. Ibn ‘Awn reported, “They used to say, ‘Do not honour your guest in a way which will be burdensome for him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps the burden referred to here is the friend’s inability to materially repay the favour done to him since we have been told to repay favours done to us. When favour is repeatedly extended to a person by another, the situation may get him to feel some psychological loss of self- esteem.

chapter 159. Visiting

345. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When a man visits his brothers, Prophet tells him, ‘You have been good and your evening will be good and you can take your place in the Garden.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows the virtue in visiting the Muslim for the sake of Allah, Alone, whether the one visited is sick or in sound health. It also forms evidence for the fact that Allah the Mighty and Exalted really speaks to His creatures.

346. Umm ad-Darda’ said, “Salman came from al-Mada’in (Ctesiphon) to Syria to visit us on foot wearing a shirt (kisa’) and trousers.” Shawdhab said, “Salman was seen wearing a short with all his hair shaved off and his large ears showing. He was told, ‘You have made yourself ugly.’ He replied, “The real good is the good of the Next World.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The visit of Salman al-Faarisee from Madaain to Abu adDarda (عنهام الله ريض (in Syria is the point of reference in this narration; it shows the keenness of the companions to perform good deeds and earn rewards for them, and their great concern for one another. Ibn Shawdhab had basically heard this report from Malik bin Deenaar who narrated it from Aboo Gaalib on the authority of Umm Dardaa. Therefore, Ibn Shawdhab’s saying that, “Salmān was seen wearing…” is graded Mu’dal i.e. a narration with at least two missing narrators in succession in the chain of transmission. However, the statement, “The real good is the good of the World Hereafter” is authentically reported from the Prophetﷺ with another chain of transmission. See As-Saheehah no. 3198.

chapter 160. Someone who visits people and eats with them

347. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited one of the houses of the Ansar and ate some food with them. When he left, he asked for a place in the house and some water was sprinkled on a carpet for him. He prayed on it and made supplication for them.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: From the perfection of visits is that some food is presented to the visitor. Ibn Battaal (الله رحمه (said, “It is from the things that strengthen friendly-relations and increases mutual love.” The recommendation to partake in such meals is stronger if the visitor is a scholar or is in a position of emulation. It is also encouraged that the visitor supplicates for those he has visited before he departs.

348. ‘Abdullah, the client of Asma’, said, “Asma’ sent me a black wool shirt which had a brocade border a span wide on its sleeves. She said, ‘This is the of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He used to wear it for delegations and on Jumu’a.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Raahib (pl. Ruhbaan), monk, is the one who seeks worship by withdrawing from society; worldly things, its pleasure and people, and desiring its inconvenience, something for which Allah the Mighty and Exalted berated the Jews and Christians: “But the monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them, but (tey sought it) only to please Allah therewith, but they did not observe it with the right observance…” (Q 57:27). Here, Abū’l-‘Aliya decried Abdu’l-Karīm’s dressing which appears as that of a monk and encouraged him to beautify himself as is the way of the Muslims when they visit each other. It is necessary to note that in beautifying oneself, one must remain within the limits of the Sharee’ah.

349. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said, “‘Umar found a silk robe and brought it to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Buy this and wear it on Jumbo’s and when delegations come to you.’ The Prophet, peace be upon him, replied, ‘Only someone who has no portion in the Next World wears this.’ Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was brought some robes and sent one robe to ‘Umar, one to Usama, and one to ‘Ali. ‘Umar said, ‘Messenger of Allah! You have sent this to me when I heard you say what you said about it.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘You can sell it or take care of your needs with it.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Umar’s proposal that the Messenger of Allahﷺ should wear the robe on such important occasions like the Friday or when delegations visit him was upheld by the Messengerﷺ; he only rejected the silk robe particularly, and any other prohibited dress or mode of dressing as is known from other narrations by extension. However, the hadeeth shows the permissibility of selling silk clothes, earning profit thereby and connecting ties of kinship with non-Muslim relatives by giving them gifts.

chapter 161. The Excellence of Visiting

350. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A man visited a brother of his in a village, so Allah put an angel in wait for him on the road. He asked, ‘Where are you going?’ He replied, ‘To a brother of mine in this village.’ He said, ‘Is he responsible for some blessing you have?’ He said, ‘No, I love him for Allah.’ He said, ‘I am a messenger of Allah to you. Allah loves you as you love him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: While the Chapter on Visiting describes the validity of visiting, this chapter shows the virtues of visiting. Imam An-Nawawee (رحمه الله (said, “The hadeeth contains the virtue of Loving for Allah the Most High, and that it is a means to Allah’s loving a servant…”

chapter 162. When a man loves people and cannot join them

351. Abu Dharr said, “I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what if a man loves a people but cannot join them?’ He replied, ‘Abu Dharr, you are with the one you love.’ I said, ‘I love Allah and His Messenger.’ He said, ‘Abu Dharr, you are with the one you love.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Loving is in grades as following; and there are levels in the Garden. So, a servant’s level in the Garden is to the extent of his love for and following of the Messengerﷺ. Even the person in the lowest level in the Garden, he will also be with the Prophetﷺ in the garden even though his level will be low. The hadeeth shows the virtues of Abu Dharr .

352. Anas reported that a man asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “Prophet of Allah, when will the Final Hour come?” He said, “Have you not made preparation for it?” He replied, ” I am not prepared for a terrible event , but I love Allah and His Messenger.” He said, “A man is with the one he loves.”
Anas remarked, “I never saw the Muslims rejoice, except for the day that they became Muslim, more than they rejoiced on that day.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ asked what preparations the companion had made for the Last Hour since the main benefit of knowing about the Day or its signs is one’s preparation for it. The hadeeth is evidence that the companions (RA)truly love Allah and His Messengerﷺ; and so, they were glad to hear what shows that they will be with him again in the World Hereafter.

18. The Elderly

chapter 163. The excellence of the older person

353. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who does not show mercy to our children nor acknowledge the right of our old people is not one of us.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Children due to their young ages may show lack of knowledge and say a thing or perform an action which will be considered by the adult as irritatingly silly or time-wasting; and so, the adult should show mercy to them by teaching them and guiding them with gentlenss and affection. As for the elderly, they have spent many years on the earth and have thereby, acquired a wide-range of experience; thus they deserve to be shown honor and high regard. With respect to the expression, “…is not one of us…” Haafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (said, “that is, from those upon our lines of conduct and path; it does not mean his been disconnected from the religion. However, it is mentioned with this wording to emphasize the seriousness of falling into a thing like that…”

354. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As reported that it reached him that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who does not show mercy to our children nor acknowledge the right of our old people is not one of us.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Children due to their young ages may show lack of knowledge and say a thing or perform an action which will be considered by the adult as irritatingly silly or time-wasting; and so, the adult should show mercy to them by teaching them and guiding them with gentlenss and affection. As for the elderly, they have spent many years on the earth and have thereby, acquired a wide-range of experience; thus they deserve to be shown honor and high regard. With respect to the expression, “…is not one of us…” Haafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (said, “that is, from those upon our lines of conduct and path; it does not mean his been disconnected from the religion. However, it is mentioned with this wording to emphasize the seriousness of falling into a thing like that…

355. The same from ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb.

356. The same from Abu Umama.
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Children due to their young ages may show lack of knowledge and say a thing or perform an action which will be considered by the adult as irritatingly silly or time-wasting; and so, the adult should show mercy to them by teaching them and guiding them with gentlenss and affection. As for the elderly, they have spent many years on the earth and have thereby, acquired a wide-range of experience; thus they deserve to be shown honor and high regard. With respect to the expression, “…is not one of us…” Haafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (said, “that is, from those upon our lines of conduct and path; it does not mean his been disconnected from the religion. However, it is mentioned with this wording to emphasize the seriousness of falling into a thing like that…”

chapter 164. Respect for the Old

357. Al-Ash’ari said, “Part of respect for Allah is to show respect to an old Muslim and to someone who knows the Qur’an, as long as he does not go to excess in it nor turn away from it, and to respect a just ruler.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narration teaches the following among others: 1. The obligation to respect the old Muslim, the one who commits the Qur’an to memory and the just ruler. 2. Getting to old age, commiting the Qur’an to memory and being just as a ruler are from the favours of Allah upon the servant who is granted any of it. 3. Exhortation towards learning the Qur’an by heart and being just. 4. Immoderation is prohibited in Islam; and that includes being immoderate with the Qur’an such as getting engrossed in the matters of Tajweed and its application and abandoning pondering about the meaning the Qur’an and acting upon it. The Qur’an Recitation competitions popular around the Muslim world today forms a part of such immoderation regarding the Qur’an. 5. The prohibition of turning away from the Qur’an. 6. About every ruler would have been just at least once during his rule; but the ruling about attributing justice to the ruler is based on what is most common with him. So, to respect the one whose justice outweighs his unfairness is encouraged in this narration.

358. Same as 354.

chapter 165. The old person should be the first to speak and ask

359. Rafi’ ibn Khudayj and Sahl ibn Abi Hathama reported that ‘Abdullah ibn Sahl and Muhayyisa ibn Mas’ud came to Khaybar and parted when they were among the palm trees. ‘Abdullah ibn Sahl was murdered. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Sahl and Huwayyisa and Muhayyisa, the sons of Mas’ud came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and spoke to him about their (murdered) companion. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman, the youngest of those present, began to speak, but the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Let the oldest speak first.” (or “Exalt the eldest.”) They spoke about their companion and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked, “Will fifty of you take an oath that you are entitled to the blood-money of your murdered man?” They replied, “Messenger of Allah, this is something which we did not see.” He said, “Then will the Jews exonerate themselves by the oaths of fifty of them?” They protested, “Messenger of Allah, they are unbelievers!” So the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, himself paid his blood money.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Abdullāh b. Sahl who was murdered and ‘Abdu’r-Rahman b. Sahl are both brothers and nephews to Muhayyisa and Huwayyisa, the sons of Mas‘ūd (y). It is mentioned in the wording reported by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh, that the Messengerﷺ: “paid the blood-wit of hundered (camels) from the camels given for charity.” The hadeeth is evidence that the old person should be the first to speak except as delegated for reasons of greater knowledge and better expression that the younger may possess. The older person should also be given preference in the matters of imamate and marriage guardianship among others when the people are equal in other indices

chapter 166. When an older person does not speak, can the youngest speak then?

360. Ibn ‘Umar said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Tell me which tree is like the Muslim? It gives fruits at all times by the permission of its Lord and its leaves do not fall.’ It occurred to me that it was the palm tree, but I did not want to speak as Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, were both present. When they did not speak, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘It is the palm tree.’ When I left with my father, I said, ‘Father, I thought that it was the palm,.’ He asked, ‘What kept you from saying that? If you had said so, I would have preferred that to such-and-such.’ I said, ‘What kept me from doing so was that I did not see you or Abu Bakr speak, so I did not like to speak out.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The palm gives fruits at all times from when it begins to bear them. The fleshy part of its fruit is a chief article of food, it contains sugar, fat, protein and minerals, and its seed is food for livestock. Palm leaf stalks are used for basketry and wickerwork, its leaves are woven into bags and mats, and fiber from both is made into cordage. It has many other uses. Likewise the Muslim; he is certain in his faith, beautiful in his character and attributes, regular in his prayer and is always maintaining ties. He is amply generous and what comes from him of knowledge and benefit is nourishing to the soul; benefit is derived from him while he is alive and in his death. The hadeeth also highlights the following: 1. Children must be mannerly with their parents. 2. Parents should make efforts to nurture their children upon righteousness; encouraging them to meet well-grounded scholars and attend gatherings of learning. 3. It was a well-known fact amongst the companions (RA)that Abu Bakr and Umar (عنهام الله ريض (were the best amongst them even in the lifetime of the Prophetﷺ; and so, they accorded them great respects. 4. An eminent well-grounded scholar may not know something which is known to a relatively younger person. Yet, this does not reduce the eminence and status of the scholar in anyway nor imply that the younger should be illmannered towards the scholar

chapter 167. Making the old leaders

361. Hakim ibn Qays ibn ‘Asim reported that then his father was dying. he enjoined his sons: “Fear Allah and make the oldest among you your leaders. When people make the oldest among them their leaders, they follow their fathers. When they make the youngest among them their leaders, that lowers them in the sight of their peers. You must have wealth and use it well. It is an impetus for the generous and it will make you independent of critics. Beware of asking people. It is a man’s last source of earning. When I die, do not wail. There was no wailing for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. When I die, bury me in land where the Bakr ibn Wa’il will not know where I am died. I used to waylay on the roads in the time of the Jahiliyya.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration shows: 1. That the pious predecessors were really concerned, even while dying, about the proper guidance of their children. So, they adjured them among others, to fear Allah, follow the lines of conduct of the Messengerﷺ and shun innovations. 2. That one should avoid whatever lowers the elders before their peers and the young. 3. That it is encouraged to legitimately seek wealth and also expend it prudently. 4. Discouragement for begging. 5. That wailing at the death of a person contradicts the Sunnah. 6. The need to be cautious of about one’s antagonists especially when they are non-Muslims

19. Children

chapter 168. Fruits are given to the youngest of children

362. Abu Hurayra said, “When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was brought new dates, he said, ‘O Allah! Bless us in our city and in our mudd and sa’, blessing upon blessing.’ Then he would give one to the youngest of the children with him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: A Sa’ = 4 Mudds; and 1 Mudd = 1/2 Bushel or two handfuls. The hadeeth indicates the Prophet’s humility, generousity and care for children. It teaches that one should always seek the blessings of Allah for himself, his time, knowledge, children, wealth, food etc.

chapter 169. Mercy towards children

363. ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb reported from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who does not show mercy to our children nor acknowledge the right of our old people is not one of us.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Children due to their young ages may show lack of knowledge and say a thing or perform an action which will be considered by the adult as irritatingly silly or time-wasting; and so, the adult should show mercy to them by teaching them and guiding them with gentlenss and affection. As for the elderly, they have spent many years on the earth and have thereby, acquired a wide-range of experience; thus they deserve to be shown honor and high regard. With respect to the expression, “…is not one of us…” Haafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (said, “that is, from those upon our lines of conduct and path; it does not mean his been disconnected from the religion. However, it is mentioned with this wording to emphasize the seriousness of falling into a thing like that…”

chapter 170. Embracing children

364. Ya’la ibn Murra said, “We went out with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and we were invited to eat. Husayn was playing in the road and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, raced the people and then spread out his arms. The boy began to run this way and that and the Prophet made him laugh until he caught hold of him. He put one of his hands under his chin and the other on his head and then embraced him. Then the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Husayn is from me and I am from Husayn. Allah loves anyone who loves Husayn. Al-Husayn is one of my distinguished descendants.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ was so merciful to children; the duties of teaching the grown-ups, meeting with delegations, preparing for military assignments amongst other obligations did not prevent him from paying attention to the young. Here, heﷺ even raced the people to meet Husayn who, as is typical of children who are shown love, raced here and there before falling into the arms of the best of menﷺ who hugged him affectionately. “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow…” (Q 33: 21).

chapter 171. A man kissing a small girl

365. Bukayr reported that he saw ‘Abdullah ibn Ja’far kissing Zaynab, the daughter of ‘Umar ibn Abi Salama when she was about two years old.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Abdullah bin Ja’afar bin Abee Taalib is one of the companions of the Prophetﷺ as his father, Ja’far (عنهام الله ريض .(After his father was matyred in the battle of Mu’tah, Abdullah grew up in the household of the Prophetﷺ under his sponsorship. He was highly respected amongst the companions (RA)and their students generation after generation. Thus, such an action from this companion and scholar is far from being out of desire and lust. Therefore, a person whose impiety is known or who could easily become indecent as a result should not be allowed to relate with children in such a manner. Allah knows best.

366. Al-Hasan said, “If you avoid looking at the hair of anyone in your family except your wife or a little girl, then do so.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The females in our households here refers to those who are our Mahaarim; that is, those with whom we are permanently prohibited marriage. Otherwise, it is basically prohibited to look at the hair of nonMahaarim even when they are our relatives and are a part of our household. Still, the narration demonstrates playing with baby girls from which is kissing them if doing so is not feared to stir desire or lust.

chapter 172. Stroking a child’s head

367. Yusuf ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Sallam said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, named me Yusuf and let me sit in his room and stroked my head.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows that an adult could sit a child on his laps. It also encourages the scholars and true students of knowledge and the pious to stroke the head of children.

368. ‘A’isha said, “I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and my friends would play with me. When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, entered, they would hide from him and he would call them to join me and they would play with me.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Young people may play with dolls and other playthings as is evinced in this hadeeth; moreover, when play with such toys is beneficial in their tutelage. The permissibility of a wife having friends and playmates could also be drawn from the narration.

chapter 173. A man saying, “My son” to a child

369. Abu’l-‘Ajlan al-Muharibi said, “While I was in the army of Ibn az-Zubayr, a cousin of mine died and bequeathed one of his camels to be used in the Cause of Allah. I told his son, ‘Give me the camel since I was in the army of Ibn az-Zubayr.’ He replied, ‘Let us go to Ibn ‘Umar and ask him about the matter.’ We went to Ibn ‘Umar and he said, ‘Abu ‘Abdu’r-Rahman, my father died and bequeathed one of his camels to be used in the Cause of Allah. This is my cousin who is in the army of Ibn az-Zubayr. Shall I give him the camel?’ Ibn ‘Umar replied, ‘My son, the Cause of Allah includes every good action. if you father left his camel to be devoted to the Cause of Allah, I see that there are Muslim people who are carrying out expeditions against the idolaters, so give the camel to them. This man (Abu’l-‘Ajlan) and his companions are sons of a people who wish to use the seal (i.e. the seal authority, meaning to rule the people.).'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Fighting is in the way of Allah the Mighty and Exalted, if its purpose is to make Allah’s word supreme, such as fighting the idolaters and dissident or rebellious group of Muslims as is established in the Qur’an, the Sunnah and the way of the pious predecessors. But when the rebelling group cannot be specified, such as when it is a mere mutual contest for authority, then fighting is a Fitnah (tribulation) that the Muslim should eschew. The narration shows that one should seek clarification on matters before embarking on them. It also shows that the scholars should not flatter the people. However, the point of reference in this hadeeth with respect to the chapter heading is that Ibn Umar (عنهام الله ريض (referred to the questioner, saying, “My son!”

370. Jarir reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah Almighty will not show mercy to the person who does not show mercy to other people.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

371. ‘Umar was heard to say, “Anyone who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy. Anyone who does not forgive will not be forgiven. Anyone who does not pardon will not be pardoned or protected.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Each of the phrases regarding showing mercy, forgiving, pardoning and being cautious mentioned above from the statements of ‘Umar , is established in authentic hadeeths from the Prophetﷺ.

20. Mercy

chapter 174. The Most Merciful of those in the earth

372. ‘Umar was heard to say, “Anyone who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy. Anyone who does not forgive will not be forgiven. Anyone who does not turn in repentance will not be turned to nor will he be protected or guarded.”

373. Mu’awiya ibn Qurra reported that his father said, “A man said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I was going to slaughter a sheep and then I felt sorry for it (or ‘sorry for the sheep I was going to slaughter’).’ He said twice, ‘Since you showed mercy to the sheep, Allah will show mercy to you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narrations regarding showing mercy are general and so, they may be perceived to refer to the Muslims alone or to human beings alone. However, this narration shows that the ruling about showing mercy is more encompassing; it includes the humans and other animals such as the beasts, birds amongst others. Imam Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (has compiled some narrations in a section titled, Being Kind to Animals in his masterpiece, Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah no. 20 to 30 which demonstrate the fact that the Messengerﷺ was a mercy to all. Also, see Chapter 176 below.

374. Abu Hurayra said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the truthful confirmed one, Abu’l-Qasim, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘Mercy is only removed from the one who is destined for wretchedness.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The one from whose heart mercy is removed does not show mercy and so, will not receive mercy from the Most Merciful. This makes clear, the aspects of his failure. Therefore, it is obligatory to show mercy to oneself and to those on the earth to receive Allah’s mercy and be successful. May Allah make us among His merciful servants.Amin.

375. Jarir reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah will not show mercy to a person who does not show mercy to other people.”

chapter 175. Mercy towards the family

376. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was the most merciful of people towards members of his family. He had his son (Ibrahim) suckled in part of Madina and the husband of his wet-nurse was a blacksmith. We used to go to him and the house would be full of smoke from the bellows. He would kiss the child and take him in his lap.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ was most kind to his family, and in him you have a perfect example to follow. Being merciful to one’s family is not restricted to providing them with the needs of maintenance and accommodation; rather, it includes other things such as really paying attention to their education and general upbringing, sincerely loving them, overlooking their weak areas, and preventing and taking away their distress and agitations.

377. Abu Hurayra said, “A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with a child which he began to embrace. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said. ‘Do you show mercy towards me?’ ‘Yes,’ the man replied. He said, ‘Allah is more merciful towards you than you are towards this child. He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.;:
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This narration encourages kissing children, and that doing so is from soft-heartedness. One of the ways to correct the one who errs is to point out the error and mention the evil in it. The hadeeth also points to the fact that the actions of the limbs impact upon the soul. That is, whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy by Allah, he will not be rewarded by the Most-Merciful for being merciful. The Prophet’sﷺ love and care for children and his maintenance of the ties of kinship is shown in this narration. It also mentions the virtue of al-Hasan. The hadeeth shows the modesty of the Prophetﷺ and his love for children, for he was kind to al-Hasan ; he placed him on his shoulder and supplicated for him. It is from the Sunnah to love al-Hasan and al-Husain; but as our love for the Messengerﷺ must be within the limits of the Sharee’ah, we must not overstep the proper limits of the Sharee’ah also, in our love for al-Hasan and al-Husain and any other creature: “Allah loves not the trangressors”

chapter 176. Mercy to animals

378. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “One day a man became very thirsty while walking down the road. He came across a well, went down into it, and drank and then climbed out. In front of him he found a dog panting, eating the dust out of thirst. The man said, ‘This dog is as thirsty as I was.’ He went back down into the well and filled his show, putting it into his mouth (in order to climb back up) and then gave the dog water. Therefore Allah thanked him and forgave him.” They said, “Messenger of Allah, will we have a reward on account of animals?” He said, “There is a reward on account of every living thing.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This man’s saying, This dog is as thirsty as I was is evidence that he was motivated by the sincere concern for the condition of the dog and eagerness to show it compassion. The intensity of his concern and eargerness is further evinced by his enduring the difficulty of climbing back up the well which he did holding his sock in his mouth. As regards the Prophet’s saying, shakara Allahu lahu translated as Allah thanked him, Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “It means: He accepted his deed, rewarded him and forgave him.” The hadeeth teaches being kind to people, for if kindness to dog earned the man Allah’s forgiveness, then showing kindness to a Muslim earns far greater rewards. It also shows that Allah’s mercy is extensive and that no good deed should be considered worthless.

379. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A woman punished her cat by imprisoning it until it died of hunger and because of it, she entered the Fire. It was said and Allah knows best: ‘You did not feed it nor give it water when you imprisoned it nor did you release it and let it eat from the plants of the earth.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This contains proof that it is prohibited to imprison animals and deny them food, and that it is permissible to keep a pet on the condition that it is taken care of.

380. ‘Abdullah ibn al-‘As reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Show mercy and you will be shown mercy. Forgive and Allah will forgive you. Woe to the vessels that catch words (i.e. the ears). Woe to those who persist and consciously continue in what they are doing.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That the one who shows mercy is also shown mercy and that the one who pardons is granted pardon by Allah the Most Merciful are separately authentically reported from the Prophetﷺ in other narrations. They all exhort towards being merciful and forgiving. We ask Allah to grant us His mercy and pardon. From the worst of sinners are those who hear admonitions but fail to keep them in mind; when they remember them, they still disobey Allah’s injuctions consciously, being audacious. Such tendencies lead dangerously to a person’s complete abandonment of Islam – and Allah Alone grants refuge.

381. Abu Umama that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who shows mercy, even to an animal meant for slaughtering, will be shown mercy by Allah on the Day of Rising.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narrations regarding showing mercy are general and so, they may be perceived to refer to the Muslims alone or to human beings alone. However, this narration shows that the ruling about showing mercy is more encompassing; it includes the humans and other animals such as the beasts, birds amongst others. Imam Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (has compiled some narrations in a section titled, Being Kind to Animals in his masterpiece, Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah no. 20 to 30 which demonstrate the fact that the Messengerﷺ was a mercy to all. Also, see Chapter 176 below.

chapter 177. Taking an egg from a small bird

382. ‘Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stopped in a place and then someone took a bird’s eggs and the bird began to beat its wings around the head of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He asked, “Which of you has taken its eggs?” A man said, “Messenger of Allah, I have taken its eggs.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Return them out off mercy to the bird.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narrations regarding showing mercy are general and so, they may be perceived to refer to the Muslims alone or to human beings alone. However, this narration shows that the ruling about showing mercy is more encompassing; it includes the humans and other animals such as the beasts, birds amongst others. Imam Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (has compiled some narrations in a section titled, Being Kind to Animals in his masterpiece, Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah no. 20 to 30 which demonstrate the fact that the Messengerﷺ was a mercy to all. Also, see Chapter 176 below.

chapter 178. Birds in cages

383. Hisham ibn ‘Urwa reported that Ibn az-Zubayr was in Makka and the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, were carrying birds in cages.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

384. Anas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came in and saw a son of Abu Talha’s called Abu ‘Umayr. He had a sparrow which he used to play with.” He said, “Abu ‘Umayr, what happened to (or where is) the little sparrow?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-’Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (mentioned in his commentary of this hadeeth in Fath al-Baaree that Abu l-’Abbass Ahmad bin Abee Ahmad at-Tabaree (الله رحمه ,(a great Shafi’ee scholar of Islamic jurisprudence had compiled the various wordings and chains of this hadeeth, drawing the benefits in them in a separate volume. From the benefits mentioned by at-Tabaree as cited by Ibn Hajar is that: “the hadeeth is evidence for caging a bird or something like that or clipping some of the feathers of the bird since at least one of them both was the case here, and whichever of them it was actually, the other follows it in ruling”

21. Social Behaviour

chapter 179. Relating good things between people

385. Umm Kulthum, the daughter of ‘Uqba ibn Abi Mu’ayt, reported that she heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Someone who makes peace between people by saying something good or relates something good is not a liar.” She said, “I did not hear him make an allowance for any lie that people utilise except in three cases: making peace between people, a man speaking to his wife, and a woman speaking to her husband.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth evinces the prohibition of lying. That lying is allowed in the situations mentioned in the narration shows the importance of harmonious coexistence among spouses and in the community as a whole. In a wording of an authentically related narration, it says, “…or lying during war…” Collected by Ahmad and at-Tirmidhee. See: Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (545).

chapter 180. A liar is not behaving correctly

386.’Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “You must be truthful. Truthfulness leads to dutifulness and dutifulness leads to the Garden. A man continues to tell the truth until he is written as a siddiq with Allah. Beware of lying. Lying leads to deviance and deviance leads to the Fire. A man continues to lie until he is written as a liar with Allah.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As regards the word, al-Birr translated as dutifulness, Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-’Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (said, “Basically, it is being extensive in doing good deeds; it is a word that is employed for all good deeds but particularly used for a continous pure deed.” So, truthfulness leads to deeds that are free from fault and continous, upon which the person dies. May Allah grant us this out of His favor and mercy. He is written as a Siddeeq refers to truthfulness becoming from his innate disposition as lying becomes from the instinctive disposition of the one who lies until he is written with Allah as a liar. This hadeeth clearly warns against lying.

387.’Abdullah said, “Lying is not correct, neither in seriousness nor in seriousness nor in jest. None of you should promise his child something and then not give it to him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This narration warns against lying even during jests. Rightly, jokes are permissible as mentioned earlier, but they must not include lies. The Prophetﷺ in an uthentic hadeeth said, “Woe to the one who talks and lies to make the people laugh. Woe to him, woe to him.” Collected by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhee and others. Quite badly, making promises to children without fulfilling it is from the clear aspects of lying that many discount.

chapter 181. Someone who is patient when people injure him

388. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The believer who mixes with people and endures their injury is better than the person who does not mix with people nor endure their injury.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apparently, the hadeeth is proof that mixing with the people is better than secluding oneself from them. But if mixing with them weakens him and preoccupies from Allah, then leaving them and only mixing with them to the extent of preserving himself from harm is certainly better.

chapter 182. Enduring injury

389. Abu Musa reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “No one nothing is more patient in enduring an injury which he hears than Allah Almighty. They claim that He has a son, and yet He still cures them and provides for them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah the Mighty and Exalted is Most Forbearing even unto the non-Muslim who ascribes a son to Him and even equals. He forbears even when He is Able to punish them – we seek Allah’s refuge from His punishment. Yet, He cures them and provides for them. This teaches restraint and endurance at insults from detractors and more so with those who are basically friends to us.

390.’Abdullah said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, swore an oath like one of the oaths that people swear and a man of the Ansar said, ‘By Allah, it is not an oath by which the Face of Allah Almighty is desired.” I said, ‘I will tell the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. I went to him while he was with his Companions and I spoke to him in confidence. It clearly affected him greatly, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his face changed colour so that I wished that I had not told him. Then he said, ‘Musa was injured with greater than that and he endured it.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: After the Battle of Hunayn, the Prophetﷺ allotted something and gave shares to some of the eminent people among the Arab tribes that some others considered huge. In one of the wordings of this hadeeth as collected by the author, al-Bukhaari, and Muslim in their Saheehs, heﷺ said, “I did that to draw them nearer…” Yet, the Prophetﷺ endured the insult patiently as did Musa – peace be upon him. Hafidh Ibn Hajar al- ’Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (said, “The hadeeth contains evidence that it is permissible to inform the leader and the eminent people about what is said about them which does not befit them so that they could caution the one who made such statement…” Such reporting, even when it involves that the one been reported would detest been mentioned, is neither from backbiting nor talebearing. The hadeeth shows also, the virtue of Musa – peace be upon him, and the permissibility of mentioning the virtues of the virtuos behind him or even after his death. The narration generally exhorts towards being forbearing and patient at injuries.

chapter 183. Improving a state of friendship

391. Abu’d-Darda’ reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Shall I tell you a degree better than prayer, fasting and sadaqa?” “Yes,” they replied. He went to say, Improving a state of friendship. Causing discord in a state of friendship is what shaves things away.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Promoting mutual harmony brings about uniting upon the rope of Allah as He the Mighty and Exalted orders, while discord thwarts efforts on mutual cooperation upon piety and general peace among the people. That the virtue of promoting unity among people is compared with those of Prayer, fasting and charity shows its significance.

392. Regarding the ayat, “Fear Allah and put things right between you,” (8:1), Ibn ‘Abbas said, “This is an injunction from Allah to the believers to fear Allah and to put things right between them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Man is created to live and relate with others. Yet, people can only live together in a society when individuals recognize the rights of their Creator and those of the other members in the society, tolerate and amend the failings of one another with good words and nice character.

chapter 184. When you lie to a man and he believes you

393. Sufyan ibn Usayd al-Hadrami reported that he heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “It is great treachery to tell something to your brother so that he believes you when you are lying to him.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 185. Do not make a promise to your brother and then break it

394. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not dispute with your brother. Do not make dun of him. Do not make a promise to him and then break it.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 186. Attacking Lineage

395. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There are two courses that my Community will not abandon: wailing and attacking a person’s lineage.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This is in spite of the fact these things are from the ways of the Days of Ignorance. What actually matters most is Allah’s consciousness and fear that a person has which motivates him to obey Allah’s orders and abstain from His prohibitions. Otherwise, “He who slackens in doing good deeds, his descent (lineage) will not make him go ahead”. (Muslim).

chapter 187. A man’s love for his people

396. A woman called Fusayla said that she heard her father say, “I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, is it part of disobedience for a man to help his people in something which is unjust?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

22. Separation

chapter 188. Separating oneself from people

397. ‘Awf ibn al-Harith ibn at-Tufayl, the nephew of ‘A’isha, reported that ‘A’isha was told that ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr had said about something which ‘A’isha was selling or giving away as a gift, “By Allah, if she does not stop, I will debar her from disposing of her property!” She asked, “Is that truly so?” “Yes,” they replied. ‘A’isha exclaimed, “I vow to Allah that I will never again speak a single word to Ibn az-Zubayr!” Ibn az-Zubayr sought intercession through the Muhajirun with her when she had kept apart from him for a long a time. She stated, “By Allah, I will not let anyone intercede for him, and I will never break the vow which I have made!” After that had been going on for a long time, Ibn az-Zubayr spoke to al-Miswar ibn Makhrama and ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn al-Aswad ibn Yaghuth who were from the Banu Zuhra. He told them, “I ask you by Allah to got to ‘A’isha, for it is not lawful for her to vow to cut me off.” Al-Miswar and ‘Abdu’r- Rahman took him along with their cloaks wrapped around him and asked ‘A’isha’s permission to enter and visit her. They said, “Peace be upon Allah and the mercy of Allah and His blessings! May we come in?” “Come in,” ‘A’isha replied. They asked, “All of us, Umm al-Mu’minin?” “Yes,” she answered, “you can all come in,” not realising that Ibn az-Zubayr was with them. When they came in, Ibn az-Zubayr went into the screened-off section and embraced ‘A’isha and began to pleased with her in tears. Then al-Miswar and ‘Abdu’r-Rahman began to plead with ‘A’isha to speak to him and accept him. They said, “You know that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade cutting people off, as you know, and you know that it is not lawful for a Muslim to refuse to speak to his brother for more than three nights.” They continued to remind her and make things difficult for her until she began to remind them (of her vow) and weep, saying, “I have made a vow, and the vow is strong.” They kept at her until she spoke to Ibn az-Zubayr. Then she freed 40 slaves to atone for breaking her vow. After that whenever she remembered her vow, she would free forty slaves, and she wept until her tears made her veil wet.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains tremendous benefits including: 1. The importance of confirming a report before acting based on it. 2. It is the duty of Muslims to sort out relations between themselves and even seek the intervention of respected persons in the resolution of such disputes. 3. The need to seek permission of the people in a residence before entering inside it. 4. Women should be spoken to by those who are not their Mahaarim from behind the screens. 5.Those who intervene in a dispute between parties should implore the parties with good admonition depending largely upon the texts of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. 6. One should persist upon good deeds. The persistence of Ibn Zubayr, and al-Miswar and ‘Abdu’r-Rahmān is noteworthy. 7. It is not permissible to cut off a Muslim for more than three days. 8. Weeping out of fear of Allah, self examination, sincere repentance is encouraged. 9. We should take oaths seriously and atone for them when we fail to fulfill them. In a wording of the hadeeth, it said, “…and Abdullah bin Zubayr was the most beloved person to Aa’isha after the Prophetﷺ and Abu Bakr ; and he was most dutiful to her.” In another wording of the hadeeth, the complain of Ibn Zubayr (عنهام الله ريض (was about, “…a house belonging to her (Aa’isha) which she sold…”

chapter 189. Separating oneself from Muslims

398. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not hate one another nor envy one another nor shun one another. Slaves of Allah, be brothers! It is not lawful for a Muslim to refuse to speak to his brother (Muslim) for more than three nights.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Islam prohibits these things since they incite disharmony in the community. As regards separating from a Muslim, Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “It is forbidden that Muslims separate from themselves for more than three days textually; but it is permissible for three days connotatively. He is only pardoned for those three days because man innately gets angry; so he is not held responsible for the period so that he could reconsider the case and calm the anger.”

399. Abu Ayyub, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “It is not lawful for anyone to cut himself off from his Muslim brother for more than three nights so that when they meet, one of them turns his face away in avoidance and the other one turns his face away as well. The better of them is the one who initiates the greeting.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

400.Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not hate one another nor contend with one another. Slaves of Allah, be brothers.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

401.Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Two people do not love each other in Allah Almighty or in Islam if the first wrong action that one of them does creates a split between them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows one of the evil manifestations of sin committed by a person or a group of people: it leads to mutual hatred. Conversely, good deeds bring about mutual love and understanding amongst people.

402. Hisham ibn ‘Amir al-Ansari, the nephew of Anas ibn Malik whose father was killed in the Battle of Uhud, that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “It is not lawful for a Muslim to snub another Muslim for more than three nights. As long as they are cut off from each other, they are turning away from the Truth. The first of them to return to a proper state has his expiation for that inasmuch as he was the first to return to a proper state. if they die while they are cut off from each other, neither of them will ever enter the Garden. If one of them greets the other and he refuses to return the greeting or accept his greeting, then an angel returns the greeting to him and Shaytan answers the other.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: They would both be turning away from the Truth if they had cut off from each other merely for a worldly reason or Hawa (desire). However, if they had cut off for the sake of Allah, then it may be permissible or even encouraged or obligatory based on the condition. The death of any one of them both while they are still cut off (for worldly reasons or mere desire) from each other indicates that they will be meeting Allah the Mighty and Exalted, not having repented from that failing, thereby exposing themselves to nonentrance of the Paradise. The hadeeth is evidence that to extend the greeting of salam and responding to it is sufficient to end such break in relations.

403.’A’isha mentioned that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, told her, “I can see you when you are angry or pleased.” She asked, “How do you see that, Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “When you are pleased, you say, ‘Yes, by the Lord of Muhammad.’ But when you are angry, you say, ‘No, by the Lord of Ibrahim.'” She said that she replied, “Yes, I only cut out your name.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee explains, “Imam al-Bukhaari’s placement of this hadeeth under this chapter is to indicate the permissible form of cutting off, and that cutting off is in different forms depending on the reason for it. When it has to do with sin, they (i.e. the persons who commit such sins) deserve been cut off by not speaking to them as in the story of Ka’b and his two companions. As for that resulting from some mutual disagreement between members of a household or brothers, it would be permissible (based on this hadeeth) to leave out calling the person’s name, for example, or not showing friendly looks while not leaving to extend the greetings of salam and speech (with the person).” A’isha’s anger may result from matters of feelings of jealousy amongst the women in the household. Even at that, sincere love and great honor for the Prophetﷺ are deep-rooted in her heart such that she would only leave out his name while angry.

chapter 190. A person who cuts himself off from his brother for a year

404. Abu Khirash al-Aslami reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Whoever snubs his brother for a year has split his blood.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

405. ‘Imran ibn Abi Anas reported from a man of Aslam who was one of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Snubbing a believer for a year is like spilling his blood.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Snubbing the Muslim is likened to spilling his blood from the angle that as spilling his blood, snubbing him is a sin and it brings about Allah’s anger. It shows that, taking the life of a Muslim is one of the worst sins anyone would commit. We seek refuge with Allah.

chapter 191. Those who refuse to speak to one another

406. Abu Ayyub al-Ansari reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “It is not lawful for a Muslim to refuse to speak to his (Muslim) brother for more than three days so that when they meet, one goes this way and the goes that way. The better of the two is the one who initiates the greeting.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

407. Hisham ibn ‘Amir heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “It is not lawful for a Muslim to snub another Muslim for more than three nights. As long as they are cut off from each other, they are turning away from the Truth. The first of them to return to a proper state has his expiation for that inasmuch as he was the first to return to a proper state. If they die while they are cut off from one another, neither of them will ever enter the Garden.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: They would both be turning away from the Truth if they had cut off from each other merely for a worldly reason or Hawa (desire). However, if they had cut off for the sake of Allah, then it may be permissible or even encouraged or obligatory based on the condition. The death of any one of them both while they are still cut off (for worldly reasons or mere desire) from each other indicates that they will be meeting Allah the Mighty and Exalted, not having repented from that failing, thereby exposing themselves to nonentrance of the Paradise. The hadeeth is evidence that to extend the greeting of salam and responding to it is sufficient to end such break in relations.

chapter 192. Generosity

408. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not hate one another and do not envy one another. Let the slaves of Allah be brothers.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Islam prohibits these things since they incite disharmony in the community. As regards separating from a Muslim, Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “It is forbidden that Muslims separate from themselves for more than three days textually; but it is permissible for three days connotatively. He is only pardoned for those three days because man innately gets angry; so he is not held responsible for the period so that he could reconsider the case and calm the anger.”

409. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “You will find that the worst of people in the sight of Allah on the Day of Rising will be the two-faced person who presents one face to a group of people and another face to a different group of people.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The text shows the status of such persons in the sight of Allah the Mighty and Exalted. Worst still, the double-faced is also never loved by the two groups of people to whom he shows different faces. When he is with those whom he dislikes, he amends his words and actions to suit the situation, and when he returns to his true associates he is something else. So for him, words are ever changing depending on the situation. How can such be trustworthy?!

410. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Beware of opinion. Opinion is the most lying form of speech. Do not try to ensnare one another (in sales) nor envy one another nor hate one another nor shun one another. Rather be the slaves of Allah and brothers.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth prohibits bringing unfounded accusations against people such as a person who accuses another of illicit sexual relations based on mere feeling that such is true! This is more of falsehood than making an untrue statement. As such, the word, adh-Dhann was repeated to describe its graveness. An-Najsh occurs by a person’s increment of the price of a commodity not for his interest in it, but to deceive others whether in connivance with the seller or not.

411. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The gates of the Garden are opened on Mondays and Thursdays. Every person who does not associate anything with Allah is forgiven except for someone who has enmity between existing between him and another man. It is said, ‘Leave these two until they make peace.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The opening of the gates of the Paradise is followed with the descent of favors and mercy from the Most-Merciful; thus, the hadeeth follows with the fact that everyone who does not join partners with Allah is forgiven on such days. The hadeeth indicates the excellence of affirming Allah’s oneness (Tawheed) and the bad consequences of Shirk (joining partners with Him the Mighty and Exalted). From the benefits in the narration also is that mutual hatred between persons prevents them from been forgiven and granted favors.

412. Abu’d-Darda’ said, “Shall I tell you about something better for you than sadaqa and fasting? Improving the state of friendship. Hatred is what shaves things away.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: See comment on hadeeth no. 391. The hadeeth is cited under this chapter, even when it basically mentioned Bigdah (discord), because discord leads to hatred

413. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Three things are not concealed and He forgives everything else to whomever He wills: the one who dies and has not associated anything with Allah, the one who was not a sorcerer nor a follower of the sorcerers, and the one who did not have rancour towards his brother.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 193. The salam makes up for shunning

414. Abu Hurayra reported that he heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “It is not lawful for a Muslim man to refuse to speak to a believer for more than three days. When three days have passed, he should meet him and greet him. If he returns the greeting, they share in the reward. If he does not return the greeting, the one who gives the greeting is innocent of having severed relations.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

23. Advice

chapter 194. Separating young people

415. Salim ibn ‘Abdullah reported from his father that ‘Umar used to say to his sons, “Separate in the morning and do not meet together in the same house. I fear that you might split up or that some evil may take place between you.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 195. Someone giving advice to his brother when he has not been asked for advice

416. Ibn ‘Umar saw a shepherd with some sheep in a bad place and saw a place which was better than it. He told him, “Woe to you, shepherd! Move them! I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘Every shepherd is responsible for his flock.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth highlights the companions’ strict adherence to the directions of the Prophetﷺ and their keenness to resolve their affairs depending upon the texts of the two Revelations. They – may Allah be pleased with them all – feel great concerns for each other; and so, would invite each other unto what is good and beneficial in a nice manner even when their brother did not ask for their advice in the circumstance. Wayhak translated as ‘Woe to you’ is an expression of caution to a person who is needlessly getting into a ruin.

chapter 196. The person who dislikes bad

417. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “We do not give a bad example. The one who takes back his gift is like the dog who returns to his own vomit.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:T he prohibition of taking back gifts is demonstrated in this hadeeth. The exception to this rule is, “…the father, regarding what he gives to his son.” (Abu Dawud). The Muslims should not set bad examples: taking back one’s gift to a person is really bad.

chapter 197. What was mentioned about tricks and deception

418. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The believer is guileless and generous while the corrupt is a swindler and miserly.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: From the attributes of the true believer is that he is honest, not trying to hide anything or deceive, maintaining his nobility. Conversely, the immoral secretly plans to trick people, causing trouble and hurting the people. Allah alone grants refuge.

24. Defamation

chapter 198. Defamation

419. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Two men defamed one another in the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. One of them reviled the other who remained silent. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, remained seated. Then the other man answered him back and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, got up. He was asked, “You got up?” He said, “The angels left, so I left with them. While this man was silent, the angels were answering the one who cursed him. When he answered, the angels left.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

420. Umm ad-Darda’ reported that a man came up to her and said, “A man has said bad things about you in the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Malik.’ She said, “We are suspected of something which we did not do. How often we have been praised for what we did not do!”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: We should endure wicked criticisms and overlook them rather than giving vent to them. Humility, and not loving to be praised nor paying attention to unfair and devisive comments are from the symbols of Ikhlas (sincerity).

421. ‘Abdullah said, “When a man says to his companion, ‘You are my enemy,’ then one of them has left Islam or he is innocent of what his companion said.'” Abu Juhayfa reported that ‘Abdullah added, “Except the one who repents.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This is because if the person who uttered the statement, You are my enemy, is actually in the right, then the person to whom it is directed is a disbeliever; for enmity in its real sense is only with respect to the religion. However, if he is actually only being mischevious with the statement, then his criticism is, in the real sense, directed at the religion which makes a person leave the fold of Islam. As for the expression, except he who repents, this is understood easily owing to the fact that repentance erases past sins. May Allah grant us His pardon.

chapter 199. Giving water

422. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “There are 360 joints and each of them owes sadaqa every single day. Every good word is sadaqa. A man’s helping his brother is sadaqa. A drink of water which he gives is sadaqa. Removing something harmful from the road is sadaqa.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Each of the bones have an obligation to give thanks to Allah the Mighty and Exalted who has fashioned it; giving its limbs, joints which enable him fold and stretch. Every good deed is recorded for its doer as sadaqah, and from that is the provision of water. In an authentic hadeeth the Prophetﷺ said, “there is not a charity with greater reward than (provision) of water.” (Saheeh at-Targeeb wat-Tarheeb).

chapter 200. When two people revile one another, the responsibility for what they say rests on the first to speak

423. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When two people revile each other, the responsibility for what they say rests on the first to speak as long as the one who wronged does not become excessive.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That the burdens of the torrent of abuse from both parties fall on the shoulders of the first to speak is understandable from the fact that he started an odious thing and then, he caused the second person to do the same. This is as long as the second does not become excessive; otherwise he may equal or even exceed the first in the sin. Nevertheless, that the one who is abused maintains restraint and pardons is better. The Prophetﷺ said, “Allah increases the servant in honor whenever he overlooks.”

424. As 423, but from Anas.

425. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do you know what calumny is?” They said, “No, Prophet and His Messenger know best.” He said, “Telling people what other people have said in order to create dissension between them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps this hadeeth is placed under this heading to indicate that despite the efforts of those who may orchestrate campaigns of calumny between people, parties should maintain restraint and not be the first to speak abuse or be excessive in their response if they need to.

426. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah Almighty revealed to me that you should be humble and that you should not wrong one another.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: We learn from this hadeeth that: I. The Messengerﷺ received revelation from Allah apart from the Qur’an which contained Allah’s orders and prohibitions amongst other things as the Qur’an. 2. It is from Allah’s orders that one should be humble; showing reverence for Allah’s injuctions, not believing that one is better, more important or cleverer than other people, and therefore, expecting to be treated in a special way. 3. Allah the Mighty and Exa;ted prohibits wronging people.

chapter 201. Those who revile one another are two shaytans who accuse one another and deny one another

427. ‘Iyad ibn Himar said, “I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, there is someone who reviles me.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Those who revile one another are two shaytans who accuse one another and deny one another.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

428. ‘Iyad ibn Himar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble so that none of you will oppress anyone else and none of you will disdain another.’ I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, what do you think I should do when a man reviles me in a low assembly and then I answer him back? Do I incur any wrong action in doing that?’ He replied, ‘Two men who revile one another are two shaytans who accuse one another and deny one another.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Majid Ibn Taimiyyah (الله رحمه (explains, “Allah prohibited on the tongue of His Prophetﷺ, the two forms of feeling superior over people: pride and wronging the people. This is because if the one who feels superior does so correctly, he would have been proud, and if wrongly, he would have wronged the people. Thus, neither this nor that is allowed. If such a person is from a honourable group, it is not his place to feel proud that he is honourable, feeling self-important, because the honor of the group does not necessarily imply that he is particularly honourable. In fact, his sense of pride removes him from such group, and more so, when he feels arrogant and pompous being in the group.” The hadeeth clearly points to the prohibition of reviling and responding to a person who reviles us even when he does so in a gathering.

428. (sic) ‘Iyad said, “I was at war with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I gave him a she-camel before I became Muslim. He said, “I dislike the froth of the idolaters.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The correct word apparently, is hirmiyy and not harb. It is the terminology with which associates describe each other during the time of Jaahiliyyah whereby they would only eat their associate’s food and make the circumambulation of the Ka’bah only in the associate’s clothes whenever they performed the pilgrimage. It is explained that heﷺ rejected the gift when he was an idolater so that ‘Iyyad may find displeasure in that which may make him accept Islam. Or that he rejected it owing to the fact that accepting gifts brings about mutual inclination which is prohibited for the Muslim towards the idolater. As regards the Jews and Christains, it is allowed to accept gifts from them due to the Prophet’s acceptance of the gifts of the Abyssinian King. This position is further strengthened by the fact of the permmisibility of the food of the People of the Book and marriage to their females.

chapter 202. Reviling a Muslim is deviant behaviour

429.Sa’id ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Reviling a Muslim is deviant behaviour.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration proves amongst others, that: 1. It is prohibited to insult a Muslim except for a religious reason. Similarly, a muslim may only be fought for a religious reason. For example, those who would refuse to give the obligatory charity are to be compelled by the Authority to do so, and fought when they persist. 2. Islam prohibits whatever basically leads to evil. So, it prohibits insulting the Muslim which may eventually lead to fighting him which may even lead to spilling his blood! Allah alone grants refuge. 3. Eemaan (faith) is such that it rises with good deeds and falls with evil deeds. When a person insults a muslim, his eemaan drops which may lead him to fight him. 4. Some actions may be termed Kufr (disbelief); and conversely, some may be termed Eemaan. This demonstrates the fact that good deeds (actions) are from eemaan as opposed to the deviant position of the Murji’ah that a person’s eemaan is not affected by his actions – whether good or bad! 5. Not everything mentioned to be Kufr (disbelief) in the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah translates to disbelief that takes a person out of the fold of Islam. In this hadeeth, for example, fighting a Muslim is described as Kufr; yet, Allah refers to two Muslim parties that fall into a fight as brothers in faith between whom reconciliation should be sought. See Surat al-Mujadilah (9- 10)

430. Anas said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was neither coarse nor a curser nor a reviler, He used to say when he wanted to censure someone, ‘What is wrong with him? May his brow be dusty!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Tariba jabeenuhu, translated literally as, may his forehead be dusty is from those common expressions amongst the Arabs which have negative literal meanings but are rather intended as supplications for the one to whom it was said. It could be used likewise to call his attention to an important matter he is being oblivious about or the like. The hadeeth describes the beautiful character of the Prophetﷺ, and emphasises the need to emulate him – peace and blessings be upon him – by abstaining from insulting the people and cursing them.

431.’Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Reviling a Muslim is deviant behaviour and killing him is disbelief.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration proves amongst others, that: 1. It is prohibited to insult a Muslim except for a religious reason. Similarly, a muslim may only be fought for a religious reason. For example, those who would refuse to give the obligatory charity are to be compelled by the Authority to do so, and fought when they persist. 2. Islam prohibits whatever basically leads to evil. So, it prohibits insulting the Muslim which may eventually lead to fighting him which may even lead to spilling his blood! Allah alone grants refuge. 3. Eemaan (faith) is such that it rises with good deeds and falls with evil deeds. When a person insults a muslim, his eemaan drops which may lead him to fight him. 4. Some actions may be termed Kufr (disbelief); and conversely, some may be termed Eemaan. This demonstrates the fact that good deeds (actions) are from eemaan as opposed to the deviant position of the Murji’ah that a person’s eemaan is not affected by his actions – whether good or bad! 5. Not everything mentioned to be Kufr (disbelief) in the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah translates to disbelief that takes a person out of the fold of Islam. In this hadeeth, for example, fighting a Muslim is described as Kufr; yet, Allah refers to two Muslim parties that fall into a fight as brothers in faith between whom reconciliation should be sought. See Surat al-Mujadilah (9- 10)

432.Abu Dharr is reported as saying that he heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “If a man accuses another man of deviance or accuses him of disbelief, that accusation will come back on him if his companion is not as he said.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration has also been reported in the Two Saheehs from the hadeeth of Ibn Umar and Abu Dharr (y), and in Saheeh alBukhaari from the hadeeth Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) with slightly different wordings but the same meaning. It highlights amongst others, that: 1. It basically discourages accussing a Muslim of deviance or disbelief. The path of admonition with good words in a nice manner should be followed firstly, such that if such statements will be made, the deviance or disbelief of the person will be clear. 2, Only those who are well-grounded in the matters that make a person become a deviant or disbeliever should utter such statements. The interfering ignorant risks falling into grave errors. 3. If the one to whom the statement was made is as described, then it does not return to the one who made it. Explanations have varied regarding what actually returns to the person who wrongly says to his Muslim brother, “O disbeliever…”. Some explain that the accuser becomes a disbeliever if he believes that to wrongly accusse his brother is allowed in the Sharee’ah. Others say that his insult of his brother returns to him and he bears the sin of wrongly accussing his brother of disbelief. It is also explained that his wrongfully accussing his brother of disbelief may lead such a person to the disbelief that takes a person out of the fold of Islam. However, what appears most preponderant – and Allah knows best – is that such an accuser has committed a grevious sin but has not committed the disbelief that takes a person out of the fold of Islam. This is because in other wordings of the hadeeth, it says, “Whoever says to his brother: O disbeliever…” This expression indicates that they are both brothers; if anyone of them goes out of Islam they will not both be referred to as brothers in the first place. Secondly, despite the fact that the Khawaarij declared those who are Muslims by consensus – the companions and those upon their path – as disbelievers, the companions and their students still related with them as Muslims; observed the prayers behind them, and the scholars amongst them had intellectual discussions with such people. They did not rule them as disbelievers. Thirdly, the Prophetﷺ said, “Cursing the believer is like killing him. Whosoever accusses the believer of disbelief, its like killing him.” (al-Bukhaari and Muslim). It is known that killing a Muslim is a grevious sin which is not disbelief. See al-Ilmaam bi Sharh Nawaaqid al-Islam (21-25).

433.Abu Dharr states that he heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “A person who knowingly claims a father other than his own has disbelieved. A person who claims to be from a people when he is not one of them will take his place in the Fire. A person who calls a man an unbeliever or says, ‘Enemy of Allah,’ when that is not the case will have that come back on him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Claiming other than one’s father knowingly is a grevious sin; likewise wrongfully claiming to be from a people. These false claims confuse the people’s lineage and the rulings of the religion that are lineagebased become misplaced! However, if a person makes such wrong claims unknowingly then it is not a sin. The hadeeth also proves that one must properly look at things before affirming or denying it. It also shows that the word Kufr may be employed to refer to actions (sins), and so, conversely, Eemaan may also refer to actions (good deeds).

434.Sulayman ibn Surad, one of the Companions of the Prophet, said, “Two men reviled one another in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and one of them became angry. He became so angry that his face puffed out and changed colour. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘I know some words which will make what he feels depart if he says them.’ The man came to him and told him what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had said, He said, ‘Seek refuge with Allah from the Accursed Shaytan.’ He said, ‘Do you think that there is something wrong with me? Am I mad? Leave!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam an-Nawawee explains, “This demonstrates that: 1. To be angry for the sake of other than Allah the most High is from the insinuations of the accursed Satan. 2. Whosoever becomes so afflicted should seek refuge, and say, ‘A’oodhu billaahi min ash-Shaytaan ir-Rajeem (I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan). 3. It (i.e. to seek refuge as described) is a means to removing the anger. The hadeeth also proves that to seek refuge with Allah from the accursed satan is not restricted to the person who is mad in direct contradiction to the one who thought so in error and even sent his companion away. Perhaps for this reason, Imam al-Bukhaari placed this hadeeth under this heading because the person exceeded the limits of the Sharee’ah in his anger and his refusal to accept admonition.

435.’Abdullah said, “There is a veil from Allah Almighty between every two Muslims. When one of them says ugly words to his companion, he has rent the veil of Allah. When one of them tells the other, ‘You are an unbeliever,’ then one of them has disbelieved.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 203. Someone who does not say things directly to people

436. ‘A’isha said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did something and thereby created a dispensation for doing it. Some people still refrained from doing. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, heard about that and he gave a speech and praised Allah. Then he said, ‘What is wrong with people who restrain themselves from doing something which I do? By Allah, I know Allah better than they do and I fear Him more than they do!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches amongst other things, that: 1. The Prophetﷺ should be followed in the various circumstances – in a matter of concession or ‘azeemah. 2. Things that are basically allowed in the Sharee’ah should not be abandoned for fear that it may not be allowed. 3. It is allowed to be annoyed when Allah’s limits are exceeded even if the person did so out of an interpretational error. 4. We should correct people when they err in a nice manner. 5. From the major benefits of knowledge is Allah’s fear. Thus, the Prophetﷺ said, “…I know Allah better than they do and I fear Him more than they do”. 6. One could mention some good qualities that he possesses if there is overbearing benefit in doing so and that does not lead one to self-importance.

437. Anas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, rarely told a man something to his face which he disliked. One day a man came to him with a trace of yellowish scent on him. When he stood up, he said to his Companions, ‘If only he would change or remove this yellow!'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 204. When someone calls someone else a hypocrite without meaning it literally

438. ‘Ali said. “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent for me and az-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam while we were both on horseback and said, ‘Go to such-and-such a meadow. There is a woman there who has a letter with her from Hatib to the idolaters. Bring her to me.’ We found her rising along on one of her camels as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had described her. We said, ‘[Give us] the letter you have with you.’ ‘I do not have any letter,’ she replied. We searched and her camel. My companion said, ‘I do not see it.’ I said, ‘The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, does not lie. By the One in whose hand my soul is, I will strip her unless she produces it!’ She put her hand in the knot of her shawl as she was wearing a black shawl and brought it out. We went back to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. ‘Umar exclaimed, ‘He (i.e. Hatim) has betrayed Allah, His Messenger, and the believers! Let me strike off his head!’ He asked, ‘What made you do it?’ Hatim said, ‘I believe in Allah, but I want to have some authority with the people.’ He said, ;He has spoken the truth, ‘Umar. Was he not present at Badr? Perhaps Allah has looked on them and said, “Do whatever you like. The Garden is guaranteed for you.”‘ ‘Umar wept and said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.””
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains many benefits including, 1. The Prophetﷺ received revelation apart from the Qur’an. The message of Hatib bin Balta’ah which was with the woman was from the unseen made known to the Prophetﷺ by revelation. 2. The companions – may Allah be pleased with them all – had unshaken belief in the Prophethood and Messengership of the Prophetﷺ and thus, would strip the woman rather than accept her statement that she hadn’t any letter with her. 3. Umar interpreted the action of Hatib to be from hypocrisy: being amongst the Muslims, deceiving them with the aim of spying for the disbelievers. Umar’s consideration was corrected by the Messengerﷺ that Hatib bin Bata’ah did not intend any of that and was not from such persons. 4. The right to implement legal punishments lies with the Authority. Thus, Umar – t – sought the Prophet’s permission to cut off Hatib’s head. 5. We should not hastily accuse people of disbelief even when the matter may appear so until proper verification is made by those versed in the matters regarding declaring disbelief. 6. As regards the statement, Do whatever you like. The Garden is guaranteed for you; “the scholars say that it is regarding the Hereafter. Otherwise, if any one amongst them was proven guilty, the apprioprate legal punishment would have been implemented on him”, Imam an-Nawawee explained. Ibn Hajar added that, “However, they all continued upon the deeds of the people of Paradise until they left this world. If anything came from any one of them, he quickly turned to Allah in repentance and stuck to the right path. This is clearly known to any one who studys their biographies.”

chapter 205. Someone says calls his brother an unbeliever

439. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If a man says to his brother, ‘You are an unbeliever,’ it is true for one or the other of them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration has also been reported in the Two Saheehs from the hadeeth of Ibn Umar and Abu Dharr (y), and in Saheeh alBukhaari from the hadeeth Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) with slightly different wordings but the same meaning. It highlights amongst others, that: 1. It basically discourages accussing a Muslim of deviance or disbelief. The path of admonition with good words in a nice manner should be followed firstly, such that if such statements will be made, the deviance or disbelief of the person will be clear. 2, Only those who are well-grounded in the matters that make a person become a deviant or disbeliever should utter such statements. The interfering ignorant risks falling into grave errors. 3. If the one to whom the statement was made is as described, then it does not return to the one who made it. Explanations have varied regarding what actually returns to the person who wrongly says to his Muslim brother, “O disbeliever…”. Some explain that the accuser becomes a disbeliever if he believes that to wrongly accusse his brother is allowed in the Sharee’ah. Others say that his insult of his brother returns to him and he bears the sin of wrongly accussing his brother of disbelief. It is also explained that his wrongfully accussing his brother of disbelief may lead such a person to the disbelief that takes a person out of the fold of Islam. However, what appears most preponderant – and Allah knows best – is that such an accuser has committed a grevious sin but has not committed the disbelief that takes a person out of the fold of Islam. This is because in other wordings of the hadeeth, it says, “Whoever says to his brother: O disbeliever…” This expression indicates that they are both brothers; if anyone of them goes out of Islam they will not both be referred to as brothers in the first place. Secondly, despite the fact that the Khawaarij declared those who are Muslims by consensus – the companions and those upon their path – as disbelievers, the companions and their students still related with them as Muslims; observed the prayers behind them, and the scholars amongst them had intellectual discussions with such people. They did not rule them as disbelievers. Thirdly, the Prophetﷺ said, “Cursing the believer is like killing him. Whosoever accusses the believer of disbelief, its like killing him.” (al-Bukhaari and Muslim). It is known that killing a Muslim is a grevious sin which is not disbelief. See al-Ilmaam bi Sharh Nawaaqid al-Islam (21-25).

440. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When someone says to another, ‘Unbeliever!’ then one of them is an unbeliever. If the one to whom he says it is an unbeliever, he has spoke the truth. If that is not the case, then the one who said it has brought down disbelief on himself.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 206. The gloating of enemies

441. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to seek refuge from an evil end and the glaoting of enemies.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: s encouraged for the servant to recognize his weakness before his Lord and regularly beseech Him. He should seek refuge with Allah the Mighty and Sublime from evil end and the enemy’s rejoice over his misfortunes.

25. Extravagance in Building

chapter 207. Extravagance in Property

442. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah is pleased with you about three things and He is angry with you about three things. He is pleased that you worship Him, not associating anything with Him, that you all take hold of the rope of Allah and that you give good counsel to those that Allah has put in authority over you. He dislikes you engaging in chitchat, asking a lot of questions and squandering wealth.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth highlights among others, 1. The obligation of serving Allah alone, not joining partners with him. 2. The virtue of the Muslims uniting upon the truth; the Qur’an and the Sunnah. 3. Being honest and truthful to those whom Allah places in the positions of Authority. One should pray for them for guidance, protection and success in their affairs. The leader should also be given sincere advice as apprioprate and in the best manner. The Prophetﷺ said, “Anyone who intends to give sincere advice to the person in authority should not do so in the open. He should rather hold on to his hands and withdraw with him to privacy. If he accepts such (advices), then (good); otherwise, such a person has fulfilled his obligation.” (Ahmad and others). 4. The prohibition of expending money in manners that are not allowed in the religion, or allowing wealth to be wasted without prudence, or even lending money to people without guarantee. See narrations no 444 and 445. 5. It is obligatory to guard the tongue and not speak except good. From the evil use of the tongue is asking inconsequential questions. 6. From the The hadeeth highlights among others, 1. The obligation of serving Allah alone, not joining partners with him. 2. The virtue of the Muslims uniting upon the truth; the Qur’an and the Sunnah. 3. Being honest and truthful to those whom Allah places in the positions of Authority. One should pray for them for guidance, protection and success in their affairs. The leader should also be given sincere advice as apprioprate and in the best manner. The Prophetﷺ said, “Anyone who intends to give sincere advice to the person in authority should not do so in the open. He should rather hold on to his hands and withdraw with him to privacy. If he accepts such (advices), then (good); otherwise, such a person has fulfilled his obligation.” (Ahmad and others). 4. The prohibition of expending money in manners that are not allowed in the religion, or allowing wealth to be wasted without prudence, or even lending money to people without guarantee. See narrations no 444 and 445. 5. It is obligatory to guard the tongue and not speak except good. From the evil use of the tongue is asking inconsequential questions. 6. From the

443. In commenting on the words of Allah Almighty, “Anything you spend will be replaced by Him. and He is the best of Providers,” (34:39) Ibn ‘Abbas said, “without extravagance or parsimony.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, He the Mighty and Exalted replaces whatever one spends which is not of extravagance or stinginess; and He is the best of Providers.

chapter 208. Those who squander

444. Abu’l-‘Ubaydayn said, “I asked ‘Abdullah about those who squander and he said, ‘They are those who spend incorrectly.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

445. Ibn ‘Abbas said that he said that “the squanderers” were those who wasted money incorrectly.
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

chapter 209. Improving Houses

446. Zayd ibn Aslam reported from his father that ‘Umar used to say on the minbar, “O people! Improve your homes but be careful about these house snakes [which are a form of jinn] before they make you afraid. Those among them which are Muslim will not be clear to you and, by Allah, we have not made peace with them since the time when we treated them as an enemy.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narration discorages the Muslim from being afraid of snakes and even running away from it, rather than seeking to remove its danger. It also reminds of the natural enmity between human beings and snakes. In a related hadeeth, the Prophetﷺ said, “We have not made peace with them (i.e. the snakes) since we fought with them. So whosoever leaves any of them fearfully is not amongst us.” (Aboo Dawood, Ahmad and others). Meaning that, such a person is not following the Sunnah regarding that. This debunks the view amongst the Arabs during the days of Ignorance that when a snake is killed, its companion soon returns to do a revenge; and as such, they were usually afraid of killing snakes! Perhaps. owing to the fact that snakes may find refuge in cluttered up dirty places, the narration emphasizes keeping our homes clean and orderly.

chapter 210. Building expenses

447. Khabbab said, “A man is rewarded for everything except building.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh Muhammad Luqman as-Salafee explains, “this is understood to refer to building what is not intended to seek nearness to Allah with, or what is quite unnecessary.”

chapter 211. A man working with his workers

448. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr was heard to say to a nephew of his who had left al-Waht, “Are your workers at work?” “I don’t know,” he replied. He said, “If you were clever, you would work as your workers work.” Then he turned towards us and said, “When a man works with his workers in his house (and Abu ‘Asim once said, ‘in his property’), he is one of the workers of Allah Almighty.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Al-Waht literally means a garden. However, in this narration it refers to the huge farmland belonging to ‘Amr bin al-‘Aas situated at Taif. A Thaqafiyy is a person from the Thaqeef tribe which settled in Taif and later, they spread across the Muslim lands. They were known for hard work. So, ‘If you were a Thaqafiyy…seemed to demonstrate that the Thaqafiyy is hardworking and would supervise, or even work along with his workers and would certainly know what his labourers do. The narration encourages helping our workers with their work.

chapter 212. Making buildings tall

449. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The Final Hour will not come until people compete with one another in the height of their buildings.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee said, “it could also mean competing with each other in beautifying and decorating (houses) or something more encompassing. Many of such have been seen and it is even on the increase.” This was in his time, about 600 years ago. Today, the increase is significant and rapid. Some of the people even seek loans from Riba-based institutions and acquire wealth from other prohibited sources for this purpose! Allah alone grants success

450. Al-Hasan said, “I used to go into the houses of the wives of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, during the khalifate of ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, and I could touch their ceilings with my own hand.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That was because the buildings were neither unnecessarily high nor lavishly decorated. Those understood the trifling nature of the worldly life, and employed what they had to build mansions for themselves in the everlasting abode. Today the reverse is the case for many of the people. See the narration that follows.

451. Da’ud ibn Qays said, “I saw that the rooms were made from the stumps of palm trees covered on the outside with smoothed hair. I think that the width of the house from the door of the room to the door of the house was about six or seven spans. The width of the room inside was ten spans. I think that the ceiling was between seven and right, or there about. I stopped at the door of ‘A’isha, which was facing the west.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

452. ‘Abdullah ar-Rumi said, “I visited Umm Talq and exclaimed, ‘How low the ceiling of your room is!’ ‘My son,’ she replied, ‘the Amir al-Mu’minin, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, wrote to his workers telling them: “Do not make your buildings tall. That will come about in the worst of your days.”‘”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 213. The person who builds

453. It is reported that Habba ibn Khalid and Sawa’ ibn Khalid came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was repairing a wall or a building of his, and they helped him.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

454. Qays ibn Abi Hazm said, “We went to visit Khubbab after he had been cauterised seven times. He said, ‘Our Companions who came before us have gone and this world did not cause the, loss. We have been struck by an affliction for which we find no place to put it down except the earth. If it were no that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade us to pray for death, we would pray for it.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Muslims who passed away earlier did not have as much wealth as these later ones, yet the early ones carried out their religious duties and were steadfast. Not having much wealth did not cause them loss of the things of the hereafter. When the Muslims were granted triumph over the lands and tremendous wealth came under their control, those who received charity became very few or practically unavailable such that the only things to do with excess wealth were building and things like it. Yet, in their expenditure, the later ones gave preference to the more important things over the important and so on. Nevertheless, for their knowledge and god-consciousness, these Muslims amongst the companions and their students – may Allah be pleased with them – recognized that the one who has more wealth has more things to account for before Allah; and as such, they disliked the condition. The companions – y – would not in the least disobey the Prophetﷺ.

455. He continued, “Then we came to him another time while he was building a wall and his and he said, ‘The Muslim is rewarded for everything on which he spends money except for what he spends on dust.’
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

456. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went by while I was repairing a hut I owned. He said, ‘What is this?’ I replied, ‘I am mending my hut, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ He said, ‘The business is too swift for that.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This is to emphasize that he should mend his inner behaviour and correct his ways, for it may be that he will die before completing the repairs to the hut.

chapter 214. A spacious dwelling

457. Nafi’ ibn al-Harith reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Part of a man’s happiness is a spacious dwelling, a good neighbour, and a good mount.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: While the spacious home basically provides cover and shelter, enables one to appriopriately segregate the household and accommodate visitors, the good ride helps its owner to fulfill the obligations that require him to move to distant locations. The good neighbour would aid one towards obedience to Allah and His Messengerﷺ; encouraging him upon what is good and forbidding him evil, and so he is happy and successful. In some wordings of the same hadeeth, it includes: “the pious wife”

chapter 215. A person who has upper rooms

458. Thabit reported that he was with Anas in a corner above one of his rooms. He said, “We heard the adhan and he came down and I came down as well. He took short stops and said, ‘I was with Zayd ibn Thabit and I walked with him in this fashion. He said, “Do you know why I did it to you? The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, walked in this manner and he said, ‘Do you know why I walked with you?’ I replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘So that there would be a greater number of steps in search of the prayer.'”‘”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: Thaabit mentioned here, is al-Bunaanee, the eminent student and companion of Anas bin Malik (may Allah shower blessings on them). Az-Zāwia is a place about six miles from Madinah where Anas bin Malik’s mansion is. We recall that in authentic narrations, the Prophetﷺ supplicated for him to be blessed in his wealth, life, lineage, and be entered into the Paradise.

chapter 216. Painting buildings

459. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The Final Hour will not come until people build houses which are like coloured garments.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee said, “it could also mean competing with each other in beautifying and decorating (houses) or something more encompassing. Many of such have been seen and it is even on the increase.” This was in his time, about 600 years ago. Today, the increase is significant and rapid. Some of the people even seek loans from Riba-based institutions and acquire wealth from other prohibited sources for this purpose! Allah alone grants success

460. Warrad, the scribe of al-Mughira ibn Shu’ba, said, “Mu’awiya wrote to al-Mughira, saying, ‘Write down for me what you heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say.’ So he wrote to him, ‘The Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say at the end of every prayer, “There is no god but Allah alone with no partner. His is the Kingdom and His is the praise and He has power over everything. O Allah, none can withhold what You give nor can anyone give what You withhold. Nor will the wealth of someone with wealth help him against You.’ He also write to him, ‘He forbade gossip, asking too many questions, and wasting money. He forbade disobeying mothers, burying daughters alive, and he forbade asking people (without real need).'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth encourages the recitation of the mentioned expressions of remembrance after the obligatory prayers. The prohibition of squandering wealth apparently connects the narration to the chapter heading.

461. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “None of you will be saved by his actions?” “Not even you, Messenger of Allah?” they asked. “Not even me,” he replied, “unless Allah covers me with mercy from Him. But act correctly and wisely and worship in the morning and evening and during part of the night. Keep to a middle path and you will arrive.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As much and good as deeds may be, they are hardly completely free from shortcomings of the doer. Thus, they only profit the doer out of Allah’s mercy on him. We beg Allah to shower His mercy on us. Nevertheless, the hadeeth urges towards good deeds and being of the middle course in them and warns against extremism. This hadeeth may appear to contradict some verses of the Qur’an and narrations from the Prophetﷺ which prove that the Paradise is attained by one’s actions alone, such as Allah’s saying: “This is the Paradise which you have been made to inherit because of your deeds which you used to do (in the life of the world).” (Az-Zukhruf: 72). However, they all are put in their places when one understands that good deeds are a basic condition for entrance into Paradise. Yet, such must be free of things that inhibit the entrance which are only removed by Allah’s mercy. So entrance into the Paradise is not attained because of the good deeds alone. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah – may Allah shower blessings on him – explained further: “Likewise the child; it is not given birth to by mere ejaculating the sperm into the virgina. How many have ejaculated without having a child (from such ejaculations)? The creation of the child must have been decreed by Allah, thereupon, the woman becomes pregnant and observes pre-natal care with all other things that perfect the child’s creation and the absence of whatever may inhibit same. The same applies in the affairs of the hereafter; a person will not attain success just by his deeds but they (i.e. the deeds) are only a means. Thus, the Prophetﷺ said, (then he mentioned the hadeeth under discourse).”

26. Compassion

chapter 217. Compassion

462.’A’isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A group of Jews came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, “Poison (‘sam’ instead of ‘salam’) be upon you.” ‘A’isha said, “I understood it and said, ‘And poison be upon you and the curse of Allah!’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ‘Easy, ‘A’isha! Allah loves compassion in everything.’ I said, ‘Didn’t you hear what they said?’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied, ‘I already said, “and upon you”.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It exhorts towards being gentle and eschewing harshness and coarseness; one should still be mannerly even while responding to an offensive from an adversary. The Prophetﷺ cautioned against being excessive in response to the non-Muslims in this hadeeth, not being excessive 213 with respect to the Muslim is therefore, with a greater need. Basically, the eminent may not invest time and energy to counteract inconsequential statements and dispositions from the stupid

463.Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever is denied compassion is denied good.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

464. Abu’d-Darda’ reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever has been given his portion of compassion has been given his portion of good. Whoever is denied given his portion of compassion has been denied his portion of good. Good character will be the weightiest thing in the believer’s balance on the Day of Rising. Allah hates a coarse, foul-mouthed person.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Showing sincere kindness and mercy to people is innately endearing. Thus, in addition to earning Allah’s love, such a person is liked by the people, and drawn nearer to benefits from them and protection from their evil. On the other hand, the coarse and abusive, like the plague, is avoided by everyone while he earns the wrath of the Most-Merciful!

465.’A’isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Forgive right- acting people their slips.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth appears forgotten by or unknown to many today, including the people of knowledge and its students. Thus, Muslims, known basically for righteousness are harshly scolded for every slip; the students and scholars berate each other as if they had never known themselves upon righteousness! Some are even glad when a person not known for other than righteousness errs; they throw every courtesy to the winds to publicize such slips! Allah alone grants refuge. In another wording of the hadeeth, it adds, “…except for those of legal punishment.” See Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth isSaheehah (638).

466. Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If there is roughness in anything it is bound to disgrace it. Allah is compassionate and loves compassion.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

467. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was more modest than a virgin in her tent. When he disliked something, we recognised that in his face.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It encourages being modest; and refutes the wrong notion that modesty is from the attributes of the weak minded.

468. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Right guidance, good behaviour and aiming for what is just and correct is a seventieth part of prophethood.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

469.’A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “I was on a camel which was somewhat intractable and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, remarked, ‘You must be compassionate. Whenever there is compassion in something, it adorns it, and when it is removed from something it disgraces it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: When kindness and carefulness are taken out of any affair, there is awkwardness, idiocy and hardness, humiliation and disgust! The hadeeth also proves that husbands should guide their wives at the most beneficial time with good words, and so should the teacher guide the students. In another version of the same hadeeth, A’isha (عنها الله ريض (said, “…a camel that was somewhat troublesome and I began to beat it…”

470. Sa’id al-Maqburi reported from his father that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Beware of avarice. It destroyed those before you. They shed one another’s blood and broke off relations with their relatives. Injustice will appear as darkness on the Day of Rising.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth warns strongly against greed. Excessive and reprehensible desire to possess more than one needs or deserves could cause its victim to commit destructive sins: spilling the other’s blood, severing the ties of kinship, cheating the people and taking their possessions unlawfully! Imam Abdur-Rauf al-Munaawee caps it all, “Avarice in all its forms, contradicts Eemaan (faith).” In recompense, a person who does that, or the nation in which such is widespread is met with perdition.

chapter 218. Compassion in livelihood

471. Kathir ibn ‘Ubayd said, “I visited ‘A’isha, the Umm al-Mu’minin, may Allah be pleased with her. She said, ‘Wait until I sew up my garment.’ So I waited and said, ‘Umm al-Mu’minin, when I go out, I will tell them that your enemy is miserliness.’ She said, ‘Look to your own business. There are no new clothes for anyone who does not wear shabby clothes.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Words that assist the one perceived to be making a mistake should be employed during correction. Wearing new clothes at all times may be considered from extravagance. The narration demonstrates the humility of the pious predecessors and their moderate, non-extravagant lifestyle.

chapter 219. What a slave is given for compassion

472. ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah is compassionate and loves compassion. He gives for compassion what He goes not give for harshness.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: From the Attributes of Allah is Ar-Rafeeq (The Gentle); His bringing about creation gradually in stages with His Wisdom and Perfection also demonstrates this Attribute. This is even when He is Able to bring it into existence as sudden as He wills – the Mighty and Exalted. So He enjoined gentleness and loves the gentle. Conversely, He prohibits harshness and dislikes the harsh. The gentle, therefore, gets what the harsh gets not. Imam Ibn al-Atheer (الله رحمه (said, “For every good found in gentleness, harshness contains an equivalent evil”!

chapter 220. Calming

473. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Make things easy and do not make things difficult. Calm people and do not arouse their aversion.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It contains the order to be easy in affairs and gentle with people, endearing Eemaan to them, rather than being harsh so that the hearts are not alarmed. This should be given greater consideration when it has to do with an individual who has just accepted Islam or children who are been encouraged to do good deeds. Similarly, one should not be hard upon himself in doing good deeds so that he is not worn-out which may lead to the complete abandonment of the deed. It prohibits unnecessarily raising alarms and worst still, when they are false.

474. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “A guest stayed among the tribe of Israel and there was a dog in the house. They said, ‘Dog, do not bark at our guest. The puppies were suckling from it. They mentioned it to one of their Prophets who said, ‘This is like a community which will come after you and whose fools will overcome its men of knowledge.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: It is also reported with a weak chain as a statement from the Prophetﷺ

chapter 221. Harshness

475. ‘A’isha said, “I was on a camel that was somewhat intractable and I began to beat it. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘You must be compassionate. Whenever there is compassion in something, it adorns it, and whenever it is removed from something it disgraces it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: When kindness and carefulness are taken out of any affair, there is awkwardness, idiocy and hardness, humiliation and disgust! The hadeeth also proves that husbands should guide their wives at the most beneficial time with good words, and so should the teacher guide the students. In another version of the same hadeeth, A’isha (عنها الله ريض (said, “…a camel that was somewhat troublesome and I began to beat it…”

27. Attending to this world

476. Abu Nadra said, “One of our men called Jabir or Jubayr said, ‘I went to ‘Umar while he was Khalif to ask for something which I needed. I reached Madina during the night and went straight to him. I am someone with intelligence and a ready tongue or he said speech (meaning eloquence). I had looked at this world and thought little of it. I had abandoned it as not being worth anything. At ‘Umar’s side there was a man with white hair and white clothes. When I had finished speaking, he said, “All that you have said is correct except for your attack on this world. Do you know what this world is? This world is that in which we reach (or he said, ‘where our provision is’) the Next World. It contains our actions for which we will be rewarded in the Next World.” He said, “A man who knows this world better than I do worked in it.” I asked, “Amir al-Mu’minin, who is this man at our side?” He replied, ‘The master of the Muslims, Ubayy ibn Ka’b.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: As for his saying, the leader of the Muslims, it was a title with which ‘Ubayy bin Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) was commonly known amongst the pious predecessors. See Da’eef (41)

477. The Messager of Allah, peace be upon him, said “Pompousness is evil.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: From the great evils in being ungrateful to people is that such a person will not also give thanks to Allah the Mighty and Exalted for His favors on him!

chapter 222. Putting Property in Order

478. Hanash ibn al-Harith reported that his father said, “One of our men had a mare which became pregnant which he then slaughtered, saying, ‘Will I live long enough to ride this horse?’ Then we received ‘Umar’s letter telling us to attend to the provision that Allah has given us in order to make it thrive since there is still time in the business.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It encourages engaging in good deeds; giving thanks to Allah for His favors, preserving them and being broad-minded and optimistic about life.

479. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If the Final Hour comes while you have a palm-cutting in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth emphasizes the tremendous benefits of planting trees and whatever is like it from which people generally derive benefit such as providing water. A Muslim is encouraged to carry out these deeds even at the last life opportunity because if he dies, he continues to get rewarded for the deed as the people benefit from such things until the Last Day. In the same vein it discourages wastage of any kind at any point in time.

480. Dawud ibn Dawud said, “‘Abdullah ibn Sallam said to me, ‘If you hear that the Dajjal has come out while you are planting young palm trees, it is not too soon to put it in order, for people will still have livelihood after that.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 223. The supplication of the one who is wronged

481. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There are three supplications which are answered: the supplication of the person who is wronged, the supplication of the traveller, and the supplication of a parent for his child.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: See narration no. 32 above. In another authentic narration, its says, “Beware of the supplications of the one who is wronged even if such is a non-muslim; for nothing screens it (from acceptance)”

224. Asking Allah for provision because of His words, “Provide for us and You are Best of Providers.”

482. Jabir reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on the minbar. He looked towards the Yemen and said, “O Allah, bring their hearts,” and he looked towards Iraq and said something similar. He looked towards every horizon and said the like of that. He said, ‘O Allah, provide for us out of the legacy of the earth and bless us in our mudd and our sa’.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

28. Injustice

chapter 225. Injustice is Darkness

483. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Fear injustice. Injustice will appear as darkness on the Day of Rising. Fear avarice. Avarice destroyed people before you and led them to shed one another’s blood and to make lawful what was unlawful for them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Qaadee ‘Iyyaad (الله رحمه (explained, “It (i.e. injustice) will be darkness over the unjust on the Day of Rising. He will not be guided by it as the believer will be guided by his light.” Justice brings about benefaction and maintaining ties while injustice causes severance of ties. See also comment on narration no.

484.Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “During the final days of my community there will be distortion, slander and tyranny, and it will begin with people who commit injustices.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

485. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Injustice will appear as darkness on the Day of Rising.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Qaadee ‘Iyyaad (الله رحمه (explained, “It (i.e. injustice) will be darkness over the unjust on the Day of Rising. He will not be guided by it as the believer will be guided by his light.” Justice brings about benefaction and maintaining ties while injustice causes severance of ties. See also comment on narration no

486. Abu Sa’id reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When the believers are saved from the Fire, they will be stopped on a bridge between the Garden and the Fire. They were be interrogated concerning the injustices which occurred between them in this world. When they have been cleansed and they have been disciplined, then they will be given permission to enter the Garden. By the One who holds the soul of Muhammad in His hand, one of them is better guided in his position than he was in this world.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In a wording of the same hadeeth it says, “When the believers have crossed the bridge over the Fire…” The Siraat is a very thin and slippery bridge erected over the Fire after which is the Garden. People will cross the bridge according to their good deeds; some will cross in the twinkling of an eye, some like (speed of) lightning, some like the (speed of) wind. Others will cross like (i.e in the speed of) a horse, some like the riding of a camel. Some will run, some will walk, some will crawl and some will be wrenched away and thrown into the Fire. Those amongst the sinful Muslims who fall into the Fire will remain for as long Allah wills, but will later be pardoned and removed from the Fire. The Qantarah is the end part of the Siraat after which is the Garden. May Allah protect us from the Fire. Therefore, despite the great success of crossing the Bridge, Allah the Mighty and Exalted will not allow the people to go into the Garden until they have been cleansed and purified of all sorts of injustice.

487. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Beware of injustice. Injustice will appear as darkness on the Day of Rising. Beware of coarseness. Allah does not love those who are coarse and foul mouthed. Beware of avarice for it destroyed those before you. They cut off their relatives. Allah summoned them and they made lawful what was unlawful.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

488. Jabir reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Beware of injustice. Injustice will appear as darkness on the Day of Rising. Fear avarice. It destroyed those before you and caused them to shed one another’s blood and to make lawful what was unlawful.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

489. Abu’d-Duha said, “Masruq and Shutayr ibn Shakal met in the mosque. The people sitting in circles in the mosque moved towards them. Masruq said, ‘I can only think that these people are gathering around us in order to hear good from us. If you relate from ‘Abdullah, I will confirm you. If I relate from ‘Abdullah, you can confirm me.’ He said, ‘Abu ‘A’isha, relate!’ He said, ‘Did you heart ‘Abdullah say, “The eyes commit fornication. The hands commit fornication. The feet commit fornication, and then the genitals either confirm or deny that”?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘I have heard it.’ He said, ‘Did you hear ‘Abdullah say, “There is no ayat in the Qur’an which is greater in combining the halal and the haram and the command the prohibition than this ayat: ‘Allah commands to justice and doing good and giving to relatives’ (16.90)?”‘ ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘I have heard it.’ He said, ‘Did you hear ‘Abdullah say, “There is no ayat in the Qur’an swifter in bringing relief than His words, “Whoever has taqwa of Allah He will give him a way out” (65:20?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘I have heard it.’ He said, ‘Did you hear ‘Abdullah say, “There is no ayat in the Qur’an stronger in entrusting things to Allah than His words, “My slaves, you have transgressed against yourselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah” (39:53)?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘I heard that.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narration highlights the following, among others: 1. From the beneficial use of the mosque is for the people of knowledge and its students to conduct learning circles in them. 2. One should approach the people of knowledge and seize any right opportunity to benefit from their knowledge. 3. Knowledge can be reffered to as Khayr (good). 4. From the best of knowledge is that transmitted by the companions – may Allah be pleased with them all. 5. The people of knowledge should cooperate to teach the people from the Khayr that Allah has bestowed on them. 6. One should be careful of what he looks at, touches, and where he goes. The senses should not be employed in sins. 7. If one fears Allah in the open and the secret, He will make a way out for Him. 8. Allah the Mighty and Sublime is so merciful to His creatures. He forgives whoever turns to Him in repentance. 9. The best speeches are the concise and all-encompassing ones. Allah Knows best.

490. Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, reported that Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said: “My slaves! I have forbidden injustice for Myself and I have made it forbidden among you, so do not wrong one another.
“My slaves! You err by night and day and I forgive wrong actions and do not care. Ask me for forgiveness and I will forgive you.
“My slaves! All of you are hungry unless I have fed you, so ask Me to feed you, and I will feed you. All of you are naked unless I have clothed you, so ask Me to clothe you and I will clothe you.
“My slaves! If all of you, the first of you and the last of you, the jinn among you and the men among you, were to be as godfearing as the most godfearing heart of any one of you, that would not add anything to My kingdom. If they were to be as corrupt as the most corrupt heart of any one of you, that would not decrease anything in My kingdom. If they were to join together in one place and then ask of Me, and I gave every man among them what he asked for that, that would not reduce My kingdom at all, except as the sea is decreased if a needle is dipped into it.
“My slaves! It is only your actions which I have appointed for you. Whoever finds good should praise Allah. Whoever finds other than that should only blame himself.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches that: 1. Allah the Mighty and Sublime is Able to do all things, yet He is ever Just. He says, “And your Lord will never be unfair to anyone.” (Q 18: 49). 2. Allah prohibits the creatures from wronging themselves. So a person should neither wrong himself nor anyone else. 3. Allah is Kind and Merciful towards His creatures; He feeds them, clothes them, pardons and grants tremendous favors on them. 4. The servant should regularly supplicate to Allah the Most High for his wordly needs as he would beseech Him for guidance and pardon. 5. One should be optimistic of been granted forgiveness of his errors when he sincerely seeks Allah’s forgiveness. 6. The vastness of Allah’s kingdom; for as nothing really reduces from the sea if the needle is dipped into it, nothing reduces from Allah’s kingdom if he grants all creatures their needs at the same time! 7. We should be godfearing at all times keeping in mind that our deeds – secret and open – are recorded, and that we will be recompensed accordingly. 8. The righteousness of a person does not bring any benefit to Allah the Mighty and Exalted. 9. Allah is ever Just; so the one who finds other than good reward has only reaped what he sowed. 10. The pious predecessors were full of reverence for Allah’s words

29. Illness and visiting those who are ill

chapter 226. The expiation of someone who is ill

491. Ghatif ibn al-Harith said that a man came to Abu ‘Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah while he was in pain and asked, “What is the reward of the amir?” Abu ‘Ubayda said, “Do you know that for which you will be rewarded?” The man replied, “We will be rewarded for things which happen to us which we dislike.” Abu ‘Ubayda said, “Rather you will be rewarded for what you spend in the Cause of Allah and what is spent on you. Then there is a reckoning for all parts of the saddle, even the horse’s bridle. Allah will remove your errors from you for the sake of this fatigue which has afflicted your bodies.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

492. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A Muslim does not encounter fatigue, tiredness, concern, sorrow, injury or grief, or even a thorn which pricks him without Allah expiating his errors for him by that.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah’s mercy over the Muslim is extremely great. Apart from the favors of not affirming servitude to any deity except Allah, and believing in and following the Prophetﷺ, his pains and sorrow also bring benefits to him as long as he bears them patiently, not wailing over them. Wondrous is the affair of the Muslim, all his affairs are good for him!

493.’Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Sa’id reported that his father said, “I was with Salman when he visited a sick person in Kinda. When he went in, he said, ‘Good news! Allah makes the illness of the believer an expiation for him and a restoration, whereas the illness of the corrupt person is like a camel whose people hobble it and the let it go. It doe sot know why it was hobbled or released.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The believer gains from his illness: they expiate for him his sins and draw him close to Allah’s mercy. When we visit the sick, it is recommended that they should be reminded about things that gladden them and help relieve their pains. If the sick person is known to be from the righteous, he could even be reminded of his deeds and the reward that awaits him with Allah the most High. The hadeeth also relates the huge loss upon which is the disbeliever. We seek Allah’s refuge from disbelief.

494. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Affliction will continue to trouble the believers, men and women, in their bodies, their families, and their property until they meet Allah Almighty purified of every wrong action.” Another transmission adds, “and in their children.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadīth describes how any illness or anxiety that besets a Muslim results in purification of his soul and forgiveness for his shortcomings. Therefore if a person is tested in this way he should be patient and expect reward from Allah as expiation from his sins. In this context though trouble is not sought after as the Prophetﷺ always asked for well-being and good health and often prayed seeking refuge from serious illness, it is a sign of the mercy of Allah that one sometimes has minor illnesses to make one remember Allah’s bounty of good health and strength

495. Abu Hurayra said, “A bedouin came and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked, ‘Has Umm Mildam (fever) got hold of you?’ ‘What is Umm Mildam?’ he asked. He said, ‘The heat between the skin and the flesh.’ The bedouin said, ‘No.’ He asked, ‘Have you got a headache?’ ‘What is headache?’ the man asked. He replied, ‘A wind which appears in the head and beats the veins.’ ‘No,’ he said, When he stood up, he said, ‘Whoever wants to look at a man who is one of the people of the Fire,’ i.e. ‘let them look at that man.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

Chapter 227: Visiting Someone Ill During The Night

496. Khalid bin al-Rabi, reported that when the illness of Huzayfah became serious his group and the Ansar heard of it. They visited him at night or in the (early) morning. Sayyidina Huzayfah asked, “What time is it?” They said, “It is midnight or nearing morning.” He said, “I seek refuge in Allah from the morning which heralds admittance to Hell.” He then asked, “Have you brought the cloth? Do no shroud me in costly (cloth), for if there is good for me with Allah then I will be given a better replacement but if it is the other way then even this will be taken away quickly”.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

497. It is reported by Ayeshah that the Prophet said, “When a Believer falls ill, Allah cleans him of sin as a kiln removes the rust from iron”.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah) said: “Perhaps the author – may Allah shower blessings on him – placed this hadeeth under the chapter (with this heading) to demonstrate that the pains could be severe on the sick requiring that he be visited in the night.”

498. It is narrated by Ayeshah (ra) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “when a Muslim is afflicted by an anxiety, pain or sickness then, because of that, his sins are atoned. So much, so that if a thorn pricks him or he suffers a simple, minor injury (His sins are forgiven)”.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

499. It is narrated by Sayyidah Ayeshah daughter of Sad that her father Sad bin Abu Waqqas said:
I was seriously ill at Makkah and the Prophet visited me. I said to him “Messenger of Allah, I shall leave behind me a good fortune and I have only a daughter (as my heir). Shall I bequeath two-thirds of my property to be spent in charity and leave one-third (for the heir)?” He said, “No!” Then I asked, “Shall I bequeath half and leave her half?” He again said, “No”. Then I asked, “Shall I Bequeath one-third and leave two- third (for her)?” the Prophet said,”(You may bequeath) one-third, but even one-third is much”.
He then placed his hand on my forehead and passed it over my face and stomach and made this supplication. “O Allah, cure sad and completed his emigration.” Ever since I have not ceased to sense the pleasant cool of his hand on my liver.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee said, “From the benefits in this hadeeth is, “(the recommendation for) the leader and those below him to visit the sick, more so when the sickness is severe. And placing the hand upon the forehead of the sick, and rubbing his face and the area where he feels the pains with the hand…(It also demonstrates) the permissibility of the sick’s telling about the severity of the sickness when that does not include something prohibited or disliked of show of vexation and annoyance. This is more so if that is done by way of seeking supplications or medicine, infact such is conceivably encouraged. (The hadeeth also prove that) that does not contradict the encouraged patience…” The hadeeth forms a major proof in the matters of inheritance.

Chapter 228: A patient is credited with the deeds that he used to do when healthy

500. It is narrated by Abdullah bin Amr that Prophet (ﷺ) said, “When a person falls ill then the reward of those deeds is also recorded for him which he used to perform when he was healthy.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth demonstrates the significance of engaging in lots of good deeds while one is healthy before one becomes prevented by illness. However, during illness, in order to establish the rewards earned from good deeds performed while healthy, the ill should intend that were he healthy, he would have continued upon the good deeds.

501. Anas bin Maalik has reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “When Allah involves a Muslim in bodily [pain then he is credited with a reward for those deeds which he was used to do when he was healthy as long as he is ill. Thus, if Allah gives him healing, He washes him (clean of sins). But, if he causes him to die then he forgives him.
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The word, ‘asalahu is taken from the word, ‘Asal meaning, ‘extolment’

502. Abu Hurayrah said that fever presented itself before the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). It said to him, ’’Send me to those people with whom you have a very deep connection. The Prophet (ﷺ) sent it to the Ansar. So, fever gripped them for six days and six nights. Their feverish condition became very serious and the Prophet visited them at their homes. Thy complained of fever and the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) went to each house and prayed for their health. When he was returning, one of their women followed behind him and said, “By Him who has sent you with the truth, I am of the Ansar and my father is also one of the Ansar. Just as you have prayed for the Ansar, pray for me too.” The Prophet sg asked her, “What is it that you wish? If you wish, I will pray to Allah that he grant you health but if you are patient then paradise is for you.” She said, “I will endure (fever) patiently and will not risk (my chance of) admission to paradise.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The expressions, “Fever came…”, “…and said…” “…the Prophet sent it…” are clear and should not be given other than its apparent meaning for the Prophetﷺ conveyed the message of his Lord the Most High, in the most clear language without ambiguity. Owing to the Prophet’s preference for them, the Ansar are also loved by Allah the Exalted and were therefore, tried with the affliction which in turn, increased them in faith, endurance, patience and forgiveness from Allah. The hadeeth shows that the companions t were never ready to stake entrance into the Garden for the pleasures of this World

503. Abu Hurayrah said that he did not like any illness more than fever because it went into each of his limbs. And, Allah grants each limb its share of reward.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadīth describes how any illness or anxiety that besets a Muslim results in purification of his soul and forgiveness for his shortcomings. 329 Therefore if a person is tested in this way he should be patient and expect reward from Allah as expiation from his sins. In this context though trouble is not sought after as the Prophetﷺ always asked for well-being and good health and often prayed seeking refuge from serious illness, it is a sign of the mercy of Allah that one sometimes has minor illnesses to make one remember Allah’s bounty of good health and strength

504. It is reported by Abu wail that someone said to Abu Nuhaylah (when he was ill), “Pray to Allah.” So, he made this supplication, “Oh Allah, lessen the illness but do not diminish the reward.” He was again asked to supplicate Allah and he said, “O Allah, let me be among the near ones and make my mother among the hoor (maids of Paradise)”.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It is reported that Abu Nuhayla – may Allah be pleased with him – sustained the injury for which he was asked to supplicate from an arrow-shot which reached him during a military expedition. It describes the sincere crave of the companions – may Allah be pleased with them – for rewards from Allah and forgiveness of sins. Even during illness, children should not forget to supplicate for their parents.

505. Ata bin Abu Rabah said that Ibn Abbas asked him if he would like him to show him a woman who would go to paradise. So, he said that he would certainly like (him to show him the woman). Ibn Abbas said to him. “This is a black woman who came to the Prophet and said to him, “Messenger of Allah, I am subject to fits and become uncovered, so make a supplication to Allah to cure me, “The Prophet (ﷺ) said to her, “If you endure it patiently, you will be rewarded with paradise, but if you wish I will make a supplication to Allah to cure you.” The woman said, ’I shall endure it. But, (when I get fits) I become uncovered, make supplication to Allah that I may not become uncovered. So, he made a supplication for her.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah) said: “It shows the permissibility of describing (a person’s) color, height or shortness in order that such a person is known when that is necessary and there is no other way (to give the description), while not intending humiliation and insult.” Rather than showing vexation and annoyance because of certain illness one may suffer, we should endure patiently, supplicate to Allah to remove the distress and seek other legitimate means of cure while craving to be rewarded and forgiven our sins. See also narrations no. 506 and 507.

506. It is reported by Ibn Jurayj that Ata said to him, “I saw the woman, Umm Zufar, on the steps of the Kabah. (She was) a black woman, tall in height”. Ayeshah, said that the Prophet said, “If a thorn pricks a Believer or he is hurt more than that then that is an expiation for his sins.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

507. Abu Hurayrah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying, “if a thorn pricks a Muslim in this world and he hopes for the reward against it then Allah forgives him his sins on the day of Resurrection”.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

508. It is narrated by Jabir that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, “If a believing man or a believing woman or a Muslim man or Muslim woman falls ill then Allah, the exalted, forgives them their sins (because of their illness).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah’s mercy over the Muslim is extremely great. Apart from the favors of not affirming servitude to any deity except Allah, and believing in and following the Prophetﷺ, his pains and sorrow also bring benefits to him as long as he bears them patiently, not wailing over them. Wondrous is the affair of the Muslim, all his affairs are good for him.

chapter 229. Is it a complaint when a sick person says, “I am in pain”?

509. Hisham reported that his father (‘Urwa ibn az-Zubayr) said, “‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr and I went to visit Asma’ ten nights before ‘Abdullah was killed. Asma’ was in pain and ‘Abdullah asked her, ‘How are you feeling?’ ‘In pain,’ she replied. He said, ‘I am near death.’ She said, ‘Perhaps you desire my death and that is the reason you desire it? Do not do that. By Allah, I do not want to die until I reach one of the two ends: either you will be killed and I will leave you to Allah or you will win and I will be content. Beware of having your portion presented to you and then you do not agree with it. Accept it, even though you dislike death.” Ibn az-Zubayr meant that he would be killed and that would grieve her.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in the hadeeth is the permissibility of saying, “I am in pain” during illness and that it does not amount to impatience and complaint

510. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that he came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he had a fever. He had a covering over him. He placed his hand on him and discovered that it was hot above the covering. Abu Sa’id exclaimed, ‘How hot your fever is, Messenger of Allah!’ He said, ‘We are like that. The affliction is hard on us, but the reward is doubled for us.’ He said, ‘Messenger of Allah, which people have the greatest affliction?’ He replied, ‘The Prophets, and then the righteous. One of them was tested by poverty to such an extent that he could only find a robe to cover himself with and he wore it. Another was tested by fleas until they killed him. They have greater joy in affliction than one of you has in gifts.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Similarly, the Prophetﷺ said, “The greatnes of reward is with the severity of affliction. If Allah loves a people, he afflicts them. So, whoever endures (patiently), earns (Allah’s) pleasure and whoever feels bitter and angered earns (Allah’s) displeasure.” (At-Tirmidhee and others). These narrations and others in their meaning about afflictions, show as Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (explained, “that the stronger the believer gets in faith, the more he is afflicted and tried, and vice-versa.” The point of reference in the hadeeth here, is that mentioning the severity of one’s illness or affliction, does not basically count as bitterness and indignance.

chapter 230. Visiting someone who has fainted

511. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said, “I was ill, and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came with Abu Bakr to visit me. They came on foot. They found that I had fainted, so the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did wudu’ and then poured his wudu’ water on me. I came to and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was there. I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what should I do with my property? Give me a judgement regarding my property.’ He did not give me any answer until the ayat of inheritance was revealed.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth is evidence that, that a person looses consciousness during an illness should not prevent us from visiting him. Apart from the benefit he gets from the supplications of those who visit, the relatives of the sick gain moral strength from such visits. The concern of the Prophetﷺ for the welfare of his companions – y – is also highlighted in this hadeeth.

chapter 231. Visiting children who are ill

512. Usama ibn Zayd reported that a child of one of the daughters of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was very ill. His mother sent word to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to say that her child was dying. He told the messenger, “Go and tell her that to Allah belongs what He takes and what He gives. Everything is with Him until a stated term. She should be patient and leave him to Allah.” The messenger went back and told her. She sent to him again to plead with him to come. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, got up with a group of his Companions, including Sa’d ibn ‘Ubada. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took the child and put him on his breast. The child was shaking like a leaf against his chest. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wept and Sa’d said, “Do you weep, Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “I weep out of compassion for the child. Allah only shows mercy to those of His slaves who are merciful.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It encourages that the people of knowledge and piety should visit the dying person and that they may even be pleadingly requested to do so at such times. We should condole the bereaved family, urging them to be patient and hopeful of reward from Allah; one does not need to be invited to attend funeral rites or pay condolence visits as is the case with feasts. The Prophet’s daughter whose child was ill was Zaynab as is clearly stated in other versions of the narration. See comments on the narrations in Chapter 53

chapter 232. Chapter

513. Ibrahim ibn Abi ‘Abla said, “My wife was ill and I used to go to Umm ad-Darda’. She asked me, ‘How’s your family?’ ‘Ill,’ I replied. She called for some food for me and I ate. Then I went back and she did the same thing again. I visited her yet again and she asked, ‘How are they?’ ‘They are almost well,’ I replied. She said, ‘I called for good for you when you told me that your family were ill. Since they are almost well know, we will not call for anything for you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The pious predecessors were concerned with the welfare of other Muslims. They would provide their needs according to their abilities, and would not pretend in the least.

chapter 233. Visiting Bedouins

514. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went to visit a bedouin when he was ill and said, “Do not worry. It is a purification if Allah so wills.” He said that the bedouin said, “It is a fever which boils in an old man and will cause him to visit the graves.” “It is a blessing then,” he concluded.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth exhorts towards visiting the sick and supplicating for them. The statement of the Prophetﷺ, ‘Then it is so…’ after the man contradicted him was not a supplication against the Bedouin but an information about what will become of him as is pointed to by other reports of the narration. Nevertheless, we are warned against opposing the Prophetﷺ: ‘And let those who oppose the Messenger’s commandment beware, lest 343 some trials and afflictions should befall them…

chapter 234. Visiting the sick

515. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked, “Which of you is fasting today?” Abu Bakr said, “I am.” He asked, “Which of you has visited a sick person today? “I have,” Abu Bakr stated. Then he asked, “Who has attended a funeral today?” “I have,” Abu Bakr said. He asked, “Who has fed a poor person today?” Abu Bakr said, “I have.” Marwan, the transmitter, said, “I heard that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, observed, “These qualities are not brought together in one man on a single day but that he will enter the Garden.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (explains, “It contains the virtue of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq t and glad tidings for him that he will enter the Garden, and the narrations on that are nice and many. It also contains the excellence of combining these qualities on a single day, and that their been found in a single person is glad tiding of the Garden (for such person). May 344 Allah make us from its people.”

516. Jabir said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited Umm as-Sa’ib while she was sighing. He asked, ‘What is wrong with you?’ ‘The fever,’ she replied, “May Allah debase it!’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Gently! Do not curse it. It removes the errors of the believer as the bellows remove the dross of iron.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apart from the lessons of the encouragement to visit the sick, supplicating for and guiding them towards what will benefit them, the hadeeth emphasizes endurance and patience during illnesses and the prohibition of cursing illnesses.

517. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah says: ‘I asked you for food and you did not feed Me. He (His slave) will say, ‘Lord, how could I feed You when You did not ask me for food and You are the Lord of the universe?’ He will say, ‘Do you not know that My slave so-and-so asked you for food and you did not feed him? Do you not know that if you had fed him, you would have found that action with Me? Son of Adam, I asked you for water and you did not give Me water.’ The slave will reply, ‘O Lord, how could I give you water when You are the Lord of the universe?’ He will say, ‘My slave so-and-so asked you for water and you did not give him water. Do you not know that if you had given him water, you would have found that action with Me? Son of Adam, I was ill and you did not visit Me.’ He will say, ‘O Lord, how could I visit You when You are the Lord of the universe?’ He will say, ‘Do you not know that My slave so-and-so was ill. If you had visited him you would have found that action with Me (or you would have found Me with him).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah the Exalted has connected what the servant should have done of feeding, visiting the sick and so on, to Himself – Glorious is He – showing Allah’s kindness towards the sick.

518. Sa’id reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Visit the sick. Follow funeral processions. Remind yourselves of the Next World.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: While some of the scholars rule visiting the sick as Suprerogatory, others among them view that it is Obligatory. Firstly because the basic ruling regarding the orders of Allah and His messengerﷺ is obligation. Secondly for the fact that visiting the sick is from the rights of one Muslim over the others as pointed to in the next hadeeth under this chapter, and it is obligatory to maintain the rights of people. This is the correct position – Allah willing. Following funeral processions has the same ruling for the same reasons. The journey to the world hereafter is preceded by sickness, death and funeral performed on the dead. So visiting the sick and taking part in funeral rites reminds of and encourages one to prepare apprioprately for the ultimate end, death, and procession to the Hereafter. May Allah grant us good end; Amin.

519. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There are three things which are all a duty for every Muslim: to visit the sick, to attend funerals, and to say, ‘may Allah have mercy on you’ when someone sneezes if he praises Allah Almighty.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Tashmeet al-‘Aatish in the Arabic text means, “to say, ‘May Allah have mercy on you’”. In other reports, the obligations include: replying his greeting of salam and attending invitation. (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim). In another report in Muslim, it adds: “And when he seeks your counsel be sincere to him”.

235. Someone who visits a sick person making supplication that he will get well

520. Three of the Banu Sa’d related from their father that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited Sa’d (ibn Abi Waqqas) in Makka and Sa’d wept. He asked, “Why are your weeping?” Sa’d replied, “I fear that I will die in the land from which I have emigrated as Sa’d (ibn Khawla) died.” The Prophet said, “O Allah, heal Sa’d!” three times. Sa’d said, “I have a lot of property which my daughter will inherit. Shall I will all of it away?” “No,” he replied. Sa’d asked, “Two- thirds?” “No,” he replied. “A half then?” Sa’d asked. “No,” he answered. Sa’d asked, “A third?” “A third,” he said, “but a third is a lot. What you give as sadaqa from your property is sadaqa. What you spend on your family is sadaqa. What your wife eats of your food is sadaqa for you. It is better for you to leave your family in a state of plenty (or he said “livelihood”) than to leave them where they have to importune people.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The three children of Sa’d bin Abee Waqqas are: ‘Aamir, Mus’ab and A’aisha – may Allah shower blessings on them them. The hadeeth highlights the following: 1. The Companions’ sincere crave for Allah’s beautiful rewards and their fear for loosing them; So, Sa’d cried. 2. Their sincere love for the Prophetﷺ. 3. They would seek his counsel even in pressing conditions, and he would ever guide them towards the best. 4. It encourages working hard to provide the needs of our household and discourages begging. 5. It exhorts towards supplicating for the sick. See comments on hadeeth no. 499.

236. The excellence of visiting someone who is ill

521. Abu Qilaba reported from Abu’l-Ash’ath as-San’ani that Abu Asma’ said, “Whoever visits his brother is in a tent of the Garden.” I (the transmitter) asked Abu Qilaba, “What is the tent of the Garden?” “Its fruits,” he replied. I said to Abu Qilaba, “From whom did Asma’ transmit?” “From Thawban from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,” he replied.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Visiting the sick draws near the Garden and distances from the Fire.

chapter 237. The hadith about the person who is ill and the person who visits him

522. Abu Bakr ibn Juz’ and Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir were some people from the mosque who visited ‘Umar ibn al-Hakam ibn Rafi’ al-Ansari. They said, “Abu Hafs! Relate to us!” He said, “I heard ‘Abdullah say that he heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “When someone visits a sick person, he dives into mercy to such an extent that when he sits with him, he settles in it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apart from the tremendous virtues of visiting the sick, the hadeeth encourages whoever is giving an admonition to consider the apprioprateness of whatever he is going to talk about. The point of reference in it is the permissibility for the visitors to request the sick person to talk to them.

chapter 238. Someone who prays in the presence of a sick person

523. ‘Ata’ said, “Ibn ‘Umar visited Ibn Safwan and the time came for the prayer. So Ibn ‘Umar prayed two rak’ats with them and then observed, ‘I am travelling.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 239. Visiting a mushrik

524. Anas reported that a Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The boy became ill and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went to visit him. He sat by his head and said, “Become a Muslim.” The boy looked at his father who was also sitting by his head. His father said to him, “Obey Abu’l-Qasim (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).” So the boy became a Muslim. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, left saying, “Praise be to Allah who has saved him from the Fire!”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It shows the Prophet’s kindness towards all. Even while the boy was dying, heﷺ invited him to accept Islam and was very glad after the boy’s acceptance. Allah the Exalted said: “We have sent you (O Muhammad) not, but as a mercy to all that exists.” (Al-Anbiyaa: 107)

chapter 240. What to say to someone who is ill

525. ‘A’isha said, “When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to Madina, Abu Bakr and Bilal came down with a fever. I visited them and asked, ‘Father, how are you? Bilal, how are you?’ When Abu Bakr’s fever worsened, he said:
‘Every man is struck down among his people in the morning, when death is closer than the strap of his sandal.’
“When the fever left Bilal, he raised his voice:
‘And whether one day I will go the waters of Majinna!
Will the mountains of Shama and Tafil appear to me?'”
‘A’isha continued, “I then went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and told him what they had said. He said, ‘O Allah! Make us love Madina as we love Makka or even more! Make it healthy. Bless us in its sa’ and its mudd. Take its fever away and put it in al-Juhfa.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (said, “It contains evidence that a woman may visit a sick man if she is apprioprately dressed, and no trial is feared thereof.” Majinna is a location some miles from Makkah; while Shama and Tafeel are two wells near Makkah. In their verses, Abu Bakr and Bilal (recalled Makkah and its serene atmosphere, its sweet water, fascinating mountains and cool breeze which implied their inclination towards the city. Thus, the Prophet’s supplication, so that they do not nurse the least desire to return to Makkah after they had migrated from it. Imam an-Nawawee (explained that the hadeeth, “has evidence of praying for sicknesses, ailment and destruction against non-Muslims” for that will certainly distract them from the Muslims. Juhfah at the time was

526. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went to visit a bedouin who was ill. When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited someone who was ill, he would say, ‘There is no harm in it. It is a purification, Allah willing.” That man then said, “A purification! No, rather it is a fever which boils (or appears) in an old man and will cause him to visit the graces.” The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “All right then.”
Commentary: Similar to No. 514, with a different isnād.

527. Nafi’ reported that when Ibn ‘Umar visited someone who was ill, he would ask him how he was. When he left him, he would say, “May Allah choose what is best for you.” He did not say more than that.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 241. What the sick person answers

528. ‘Amr ibn Sa’id said, “Al-Hajjaj visited Ibn ‘Umar while I was with him, He asked, ‘How are you?’ ‘Sound,’ he replied. He asked, ‘What is wrong with you?’ He replied, “I have been afflicted by the business of carrying arms on a day when it is not lawful to carry them.’ He was referring to al- Hajjaj.*” * That was when al-Hajjaj was laying siege to ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr in the Haram.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Hajjaj mentioned here, is Ibn Yūsuf ath-Thaqafī, the notorious ruler of Banū Umayya. Ibn ‘Umar (عنهام الله ريض (was wounded in the sole of his feet with an arrowhead and his feet would stick to the stirrups of his ride. The narration indicates the courageousness of the Companions, and the fact that they upheld practicing caution in advance. Unnecessarily taking arms to public gatherings, unfortunately contradicts this noble practice. The point of reference in the narration vis-à-vis the chapter heading is the companion’s response to his visitor.

chapter 242. Visiting someone who is a deviant (fasiq)

529. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As said, “Do not visit wine-drinkers when they are ill.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: If it is allowed to visit a sick non-Muslim, and more so, when such may lead to the person’s acceptance of Islam, visiting the erring Muslim is encouraged if doing so would encourage him to abandon his errors and turn to Allah in repentance. See hadeeth no. 524. Nevertheless, the erring Muslim is still a Muslim and the basic ruling about visiting sick Muslims is obligation. See hadeeth no. 518 and 519.This hadeeth which apparently points to the contrary is even weak

chapter 243. Women visiting a man who is ill

530. Al-Harith ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ansari said, “I saw Umm ad-Darda’ going to visit an Ansari man from the mosque and she was on her mount in an uncovered howdah.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (said, “It contains evidence that a woman may visit a sick man if she is apprioprately dressed, and no trial is feared thereof.” Majinna is a location some miles from Makkah; while Shama and Tafeel are two wells near Makkah. In their verses, Abu Bakr and Bilal (عنهام الله ريض (recalled Makkah and its serene atmosphere, its sweet water, fascinating mountains and cool breeze which implied their inclination towards the city. Thus, the Prophet’s supplication, so that they do not nurse the least desire to return to Makkah after they had migrated from it. Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (explained that the hadeeth, “has evidence of praying for sicknesses, ailment and destruction against non-Muslims” for that will certainly distract them from the Muslims. Juhfah at the time was

chapter 244. Someone who dislikes for visitors to look at other things in his house

531. ‘Abdullah ibn Abi’l-Hudhayl said, “‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud went to visit a sick person with some other people. There was a woman in the room and one of the men began to look at her, ‘Abdullah said to him, ‘It would have been better for you if your eyes had been gouged out.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Dislike mentioned in the chapter heading is of prohibition based the statement of Ibn Mas’ud – t – the like of which is authentically reported from the Prophetﷺ about a person unlawfully looking around the house. Since the eyes were contradicting the essence of their creation: obedience and not disobedience to Allah, it would have been better if they were gouged out than been employed for sin!

chapter 245. Visiting someone with eye trouble

532. Zayd ibn Arqam said, “I had a pain in my eyes and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited me and said, ‘Zayd, if tour eyes were to go blind because of their illness, what would you do?’ He said, ‘I would be steadfast and reckon my reward to be with Allah.’ He said, ‘If that happens to your eyes and you are steadfast and reckon your reward to be with Allah, then your reward will be the Garden.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: However, the beginning of the hadeeth that the Prophetﷺ visited him when he had conjunctivitis (translated as pains) is authentic. See: Saheeh by Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه .(The hadeeth “shows the encouragement of visiting the sick even if the illness is not threatening, and that such is also considered as visiting the sick and its reward is established too. However, some have reported that visiting the one with conjunctivitis and toothache is against the Sunnah but the hadeeth 357 refutes that. I do not know how it became easy for them to assert that it is against the Sunnah while the Sunnah actually contradicts that! We seek refuge with Allah from the evils of our souls.” See Sharh Saheeh al-Adab alMufrad by Shaykh al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah).

533. Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad reported that one of the Companions of Muhammad lost his eyesight and people visited him. He said, “I used to look at the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, but now that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has died, by Allah, what has happened to my eyes is as easy for me to bear as one of the gazelles of Tibala (in Yemen).”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

534. Anas said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say that Allah Almighty said, ‘When I test him in his two precious ones (i.e. his eyes) and he is steadfast, I will repay him with the Garden.'”
534. Anas said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say that Allah Almighty said, ‘When I test him in his two precious ones (i.e. his eyes) and he is steadfast, I will repay him with the Garden.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: What a great recompense! While the delight of the eyesight ends with the world, the delight of the Garden is everlasting. It shows Allah’s mercy over His creatures.

535. Abu Umama reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah says, ‘O son of Adam, when I take what is precious from you and you are steadfast in the face of the blow and reckon that your reward is with Allah, the only reward which I am content for you to have is the Garden.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The reward of the Garden could refer to being amongst those who will be liberated from the Fire, if such Muslim was very erring deserving the Fire or that he will be given a special status in the Garden. This narration and the one before it are like beneficial words with which the person suffering from an eye illness could be comforted when visited

chapter 246. Where does should a person sit when he visits a sick person?

536. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited a sick person, he would sit by his head and then say seven times, ‘I ask Allah the Immense, the Lord of the Immense Throne, to cure you.’ If the time of the invalid had not yet come, he would be cured of his pain.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

537. Ar-Rabi’ ibn al-Hasan said, “I went with al-Hasan to visit Qatada. He sat by his head and asked after him and made supplication for him. He said, ‘O Allah, heal his heart and cure him of his illness!”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

30. General Behaviour

chapter 247. What a man does in his house

538. Al-Aswad said, “I asked ‘A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, ‘What did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, do when he was with his family?’ She replied, ‘He would do chores for his family, and when it was time for the prayer, he would go out.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ is the best of people to his household. So, he would humbly help in the house chores. The pious predecessors – may Allah 360 shower blessings on them – craved to learn about and follow the Prophetﷺ in all aspects of his life including how he related with his family which are from the aspects of his life they may not know unless they ask the people in the household.

539. Hisham ibn ‘Urwa said that his father said, “I asked ‘A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, ‘What did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, do in his house?’ She replied, ‘He mended his sandals and worked as any man works in his house.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

540. Hisham said, “I asked ‘A’isha, ‘What did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, do in his house?’ She replied, ‘He did what one of you would do in his house. He mended sandals and patched garments and sewed.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: “…what anyone of you would do in his house…” demonstrates that the generation of the companions and those after them was a generally humble one where the leaders of the households helped in the house chores. They were not arrogant nor prideful; more so, that it was known to them that their beloved leader and Allah’s messenger, Muhammadﷺ, also helped in the chores.

541. ‘Amra reported that ‘A’isha was asked, “What did the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, do in his house?” She replied, “He was a man like other men. He removed the fleas from his garment and milked his sheep.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 248. When a man has love for his brother he should tell him

542. Al-Miqdam ibn Ma’dikarib reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you has love for his brother, he should inform him that he loves him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: From the benefits of telling him of his love for him is that when he knows that he loves and is fond of him, he would readily take his counsels and will not reject his words regarding a fault of his that he tells him about which he may ordinarily reject and consider as from jealousy or unnecessary rivalry. As for the one who informs his brother of his love for him, his first gain is his obeying the order of the Prophetﷺ that the one who loves his brother should tell him of it. Secondly, he benefits from the supplication of the other for him that Allah should love him as shown in the next hadeeth.

543. Mujahid said, “One of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, met me and took hold of my shoulder from behind. He said, ‘I love you,’ and he went on to say, ‘The One for whose sake I love you loves you.’ He continued, ‘If it had not been that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When a man has love for another man, he should tell him that he loves him,” I would not have told you.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It demonstrates the sincerity of the early Muslims; owing to his love for him he offered to marry a young girl to him. The word ‘Awraa (translated as, ‘one-eyed’) could also mean, ‘a female without a brother or sister from her own father and mother’. This may be the meaning reffered to in this narration. Allah knows Best.

544. Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When two men have love for one another, the better of them is the one who has the strongest love for his companion.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narrations in this chapter encourage mutual love among 363 Muslims.

chapter 249. When someone has love for a person, he should not quarrel with him not ask about him

545. Mu’adh ibn Jabal said, “When you have love for your brother, do not quarrel with him or treat him badly nor ask questions about him, It may be that an enemy of his will appear and say something about him which is not true and will thereby cause a split between you.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Asking around of someone we already love who has faults – and every human has his own faults – that are unknown to us may destroy the love between us. We should eschew whatever may sow discord between we and our loved ones and expend time and energy on matters that will strengthen our relationship upon goodness.

546. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who has love for his brother in Allah and for Allah should say, ‘I love you for Allah,’ and they will both enter the Garden. The one who has love for someone in Allah has a degree over the one he loves because of his love.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: This hadeeth is graded weak by Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (as mentioned above. He said, “It has (in its chain), Abdur-Rahman – and he is Ibn Ziyad bin An’um al-Ifreeqee – a weak reporter.” (Da’eef al-Adab alMufrad). However, in the foreward of his checking and editing of Sharh Sunan Ibn Maajah by Imam ‘Alaauddeen al-Muglataay (الله رحمه ,(Shaykh Ahmad Ibn Abee al-‘Aynayn (hafizahullah) referred to the extensive discussion on the status of this reporter – Abdur-Rahman al-Ifreeqee – by Imam al-Muglataay. He cited the comments of eminent scholars such as Ahmad bin Salih al-Misree, al-Bukhaaree, Abu Bakr Ibn Abee Daawood, Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Maalikee and Imam as-Suhnoon (rahimahumullah) which extol the virtues of al-Ifreeqee, declaring his being a trustworthy reporter and defending some of the issues raised by those who grade him weak amongst the scholars. Most of these comments by these scholars, according Shaykh Ibn Abee al-‘Aynayn, are only found in the works of al-Muglataay who concluded that the most correct opinion is that AbdurRahman al-Ifreeqee is a reliable reporter. In that case, the hadeeth on Anas bin Malik above will not be leseer that Hasan (Sound). Allah knows Best.

chapter 250. The intellect is located in the heart

547. ‘Iyad ibn Khalifa heard ‘Ali say at Siffin, “The intellect is located in the heart. Mercy is located in the liver, Compassion is located in the spleen. The self (nafs) is located in the lungs.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The trials and tribulations that befell the Muslims at Siffeen, where over 50,000 Muslims lost their lives is well known. Perhaps Alee in the address implied by his saying that intelligence is in the heart, that: since the heart is the morsel of flesh in the body which when sound, the rest of the body is upright and which when bad, the rest of the body goes bad likewise. So when the heart is sound, the intellect and its contemplations will be sound; likewise the character and thereupon, mercy and compassion will have their right places. If conversely, the heart is sick, the intellect and its contemplations will be sick and character will be bad leading to further shedding of blood among the people.

chapter 251. Pride

548.’Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when a bedouin man wearing a robe with a border approached him until he stood before the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said, ‘Your companion has debased every horseman and elevates every shepherd.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took hold of the folds of his robe and said, ‘I see that you are wearing the clothes of someone who is without intelligence.’ Then he went on, ‘When the Prophet Nuh, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he told his son, “I will give you some instructions. I command you to things and I forbid you two things. I command you to say, ‘There is no god but Allah.’ If the seven heavens and the seven earths were a dark ring, they would be cut by ‘There is no god but Allah’ and ‘Glory be to Allah and by His praise.’ It is the prayer of every thing and by it everything has its provision. And I forbid you to associate others with and Allah and to be proud.’ “I asked (or “it was asked”), ‘Messenger of Allah, we know about shirk (associating others with Allah), but what is pride? Is it that one of us has a robe which he wears?’ The Prophet replied, ‘No.’ ‘Is it that one of us has a pair of fine sandals with two good straps?’ I asked. ‘No,’ he replied. ‘Is it that one of us has an animal which he rides?’ I asked. ‘No,’ he replied. ‘Is it that one of us has companions who come and sit with him?’ I asked. ‘No,’ he replied. I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, so what is pride then?’ He replied, “It is ignoring the truth and being ungrateful to people.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains the following points of benefit among others: 1. It is apprioprate to criticize a person for dressing improperly and lowly if he is from those who have the ability to do better. 2. The Prophets and pious people would give counsels to their household and peoples even when their death drew near. Examples abound in the books of biographies and Islamic history. 3. It shows the excellence of Laa ilaaha illallah (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah) and Subhaanallah wa bihamdihi (Glorious is Allah and by His praise). 4. It proves that the heavens are seven and the earths are seven! It is not proper to leave this truth, affirmed by the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth for human conjectures that go contrary. 5. Creatures apart from mankind and jinns give remembrance of Allah with the expressions: Laa ilaaha illallah (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah) and Subhaanallah wa bihamdihi (Glorious is Allah and by His praise). It is only correct to accept this fact as told from revelation. 6. It warns against joining partners in worship with Allah and being arrogant. 7. Wearing good clothes and shoes, and having good rides and company of people do not mean arrogance. 8. The companion’s questions about whether the use of these things mean arrogance show that they were ready to leave them if they actually imply arrogance. 9. From the methods of teaching is that teachers give the students the opportunity to explore answers for their questions while they supervise them. 10. The one with the slightest disregard for truth involving actually joining partners with Allah will not enter the Garden!

549. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If anyone behaves insolently or walks with an arrogant, he will meet Allah Almighty covered with His anger.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The insolent shows overbearing pride over others, considering the favors of Allah on him as only from his own knowledge, efforts and right! The people are ordinarily displeased with such persons and the arrogant will 368 meet Allah the Exalted while He is angry with him. Thus, arrogance brings about loss in both worlds. We ask for Allah’s protection from His anger. See narration no. 553.

550. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Someone who eats with his servant, rides a donkey in the markets, and ties up his sheep and milks it is not proud.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The hadeeth exhorts towards the actions that help to purify the soul and remove arrogance. See comments on the narrations in Chapter 100.

551. Salih, the garment-seller, reported that his grandmother said, “I saw ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, buy fates for a dirham and put them in his blanket. I said to him (or a man said to him), ‘I will carry it for you, Amir al-Mu’minin.’ He said, ‘No, the father of the family is the one who is the most entitled to carry it.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

552. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said that Allah Almighty said, “Might is My wrapper and pride is My cloak. I will punish anyone who contends with Me over either of them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

553. An-Nu’man ibn Bashir was heard to say on the minbar, “Shaytan has snares and traps. The snares and traps of Shaytan are to exult ungratefully in the blessings of Allah, to boast about the gifts of Allah, to have pride at the expense of the slaves of Allah, and to follow passion for other than the sake of Allah.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

554. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The Garden and the Fire quarrelled and the Fire said, ‘The tyrants will enter me and the proud will enter me.’ The Garden retorted, ‘The weak will enter me and the poor will enter me.’ Allah Almighty said to the Garden, ‘You are My mercy and I show you to whomever I will.’ Then He said to the Fire, ‘You are My punishment with which I will punish whomever I will. Each of you will have your fill.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The weak and the poor mentioned here, are the modest ones among them who humble themselves for the sake of Allah, keep His limits and regularly seek His forgiveness and pardon hoping for His mercy and favour. As for the tyrants and arrogant, they are the audacious who oppress His creatures and scorn His rulings! This narration further demonstrates that the creatures of Allah apart from mankind, the jins and angels, speak as Allah the Exalted Wills. We beg Allah’s protection against the Fire

555. Abu Salama ibn ‘Abdu’r-Rahman said, “The Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, were neither niggardly nor weak (in worship). They used to recite poems to one another in their gatherings and they mentioned matters of the Jahiliyya. But when one of them was asked about something concerning Allah, his eyes went around as if he were mad.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The companions – y – lived simply and were neither harsh with themselves nor slack and sluggish! This proves that denying oneself of the comfort of life – unfortunately considered as from the epitomes of faith and character by some – actually has nothing to do with the religion! So the companions used to joke, recite poems and give narrations of their past even during the lifetime of the Prophetﷺ who would remain silent sometimes and even smile with them at other times as contained in the authentic hadeeth of Jabir bin Samurah collected by Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee and others. Nevertheless, their jokes did not, in the least, include taking the rulings of the religion with levity. In this chapter heading, the hadeeth evinces that it may translate to arrogance to consider those who joke, recite poems or tell narrations within the limits of the Share’ah as lowly.

556. Abu Hurayra reported that a man who was handsome came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, “I love beauty and I have been given what you see so I do not want anyone to be superior to me (and he either said ‘by the strap of a sandal’ or ‘by a red sandal-thong’). Is that pride?” “No,” he replied. “Pride is when someone disdains the truth and is contemptuous of people.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains the following points of benefit among others: 1. It is apprioprate to criticize a person for dressing improperly and lowly if he is from those who have the ability to do better. 2. The Prophets and pious people would give counsels to their household and peoples even when their death drew near. Examples abound in the books of biographies and Islamic history. 3. It shows the excellence of Laa ilaaha illallah (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah) and Subhaanallah wa bihamdihi (Glorious is Allah and by His praise). 4. It proves that the heavens are seven and the earths are seven! It is not proper to leave this truth, affirmed by the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth for human conjectures that go contrary. 5. Creatures apart from mankind and jinns give remembrance of Allah with the expressions: Laa ilaaha illallah (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah) and Subhaanallah wa bihamdihi (Glorious is Allah and by His praise). It is only correct to accept this fact as told from revelation. 6. It warns against joining partners in worship with Allah and being arrogant. 7. Wearing good clothes and shoes, and having good rides and company of people do not mean arrogance. 8. The companion’s questions about whether the use of these things mean arrogance show that they were ready to leave them if they actually imply arrogance. 9. From the methods of teaching is that teachers give the students the opportunity to explore answers for their questions while they supervise them. 10. The one with the slightest disregard for truth involving actually joining partners with Allah will not enter the Garden!

557.’Amr ibn Shu’ayb reported via his father that his grandfather related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “On the Day of Rising, the proud will be gathered like specks in the form of men. Abasement will envelop them on every side. They will be driven to a prison in Jahannam called Bulas. The hottest of fires will rise over them. They will have to drink the pus of the people of the Fire, the foul fluid that their skins excrete.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: This is severe warning against arrogance and pride! We beg Allah’s protection from arrogance and its consequence. Amin.

chapter 252. Someone who takes revenge for injustice

558. ‘A’isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Go ahead, take revenge.” [It is clear that this is part of the next hadith, but with a different wording.]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

559. ‘A’isha reported that the wives of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent Fatima to the Prophet and she asked for permission to enter while the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was with ‘A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, who was wearing a wool dress. He gave her permission to enter and she came in. She said, “Your wives have sent me to ask you for justice regarding the daughter of Abu Quhafa (i.e. ‘A’isha).” He said, “Daughter, do you love what I love?” “Yes,” she replied. He said, “Then love this woman.” She got up and left and told them. The wives said, “You have not helped us at all. Go back to him.” She said, “By Allah, I will never speak to him about her again!” ‘A’isha said, “So they sent Zaynab, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and she asked for permission to go in and he gave her permission. She said the same thing to him, and then Zaynab began to disparage and revile me, so I looked to see whether the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would give me permission. I waited until I saw that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was not averse to me taking my revenge. I attacked Zaynab and I did not hesitate to inflict a severe defeat on her. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, smiled and said, ‘You are indeed the daughter of Abu Bakr.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Companions of the Prophetﷺ knew that the Prophetﷺ loved ‘Ā’isha very much, so people used to send gifts when he was in ‘Ā’isha’s house more than when he was in anyone else’s house. The wives of the Prophetﷺ asked him to suggest to the Companions that they should send gifts to everyone and not particularly to ‘Ā’isha’s house. The request was rejected, because it was not for the Prophetﷺ to suggest the people as to whom they should give presents, for the people themselves should decide this. The hadeeth shows the calmness and fairness with which the Prophetﷺ handled domestic disagreements.

chapter 253. Mutual help in scarcity and famine

560. Abu Hurayra said, “There will be a famine at the end of time and whoever encounters it will not be just to those with hungry stomachs.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

561. Abu Hurayra reported that the Ansar said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “Divide the palm trees between us and our brothers.” “No,” he replied. He said, “Spare us the trouble of their upkeep and we will let you share in the fruit.” They replied, “We hear and obey.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It demonstrates the love for and openhandedness of the Ansar towards their brothers, the Muhaajiroon, as they all cooperate upon piety and goodness. So, the Muhaajiroon would water the palm-trees and clear the gardens and they all shared in the harvests.

562. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab spoke in the Year of the Drought*, which was a severe, disastrous year, after ‘Umar had done his best to help the Bedouins with camels, wheat and oil from the fields to the point where all the fields were dried up as a result of those efforts. he stood up to make supplication, saying, “O Allah! Provide them at the tops of the mountains!” Allah answered that supplication for him and the Muslims. When abundant rain fell, he said, “Praise belongs to Allah! By Allah, if Allah had not given us relief, I would not have left the people of any Muslim’s house with wealth without putting a like number of poor people with him. Two will not die with food which will support one person.” [* 18 AH, a year in which many people and animals perished due to a long drought in which the earth became like ashes.]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

563. Salama ibn al-Akwa’ reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “As for your sacrifices, none of you should have any of it left in his house after a period of three days. When the following year came, they aid, ‘Messenger of Allah, should we do the same as we did last year?’ He said, ‘Eat and store up, That was a year in which we were in difficulty and I wanted you to help.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth highlights the following amongst others: 1. The concern leaders should have for the welfare of their subordinates. The Prophetﷺ left the companions – may Allah be pleased with them all – upon this virtue as is demonstrated in the preceding narration. 2. We should not store food when those around us suffer severe difficulties of hunger. 3. Verdicts would change as the reasons for them change.

chapter 254. Trials

564. Hisham ibn ‘Urwa reported that his father said, “I was sitting with Mu’awiya and he muttered to himself and then came to his senses. [This is when he was ill.] He said, ‘No one has forbearance without it being put to the test.’ He repeated that three times.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The statement of Mu’awiyah came after he pondered thoroughly about this great issue. The character of being patient, able to control one’s emotions and willing to forgive someone who has upset one will only be achieved when one benefits from his past rights and builds upon them, or considers his errors and avoids repeating them. The narration shows the virtue of experience, and that mere notions are not sufficient for life.

565. Abu Sa’id said, “No one is forbearing unless he himself has made a mistake., No one is wise unless he himself has been tested.” This is related from Abu Sa’id from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: “No one is forbearing unless he has made an error”; that is, he has done something wrong of which he is ashamed and wants to shield anyone who has done the same.

chapter 255. Someone who feeds one of his brothers for Allah

566. ‘Ali said, “I prefer to have a group of my brothers join around a sa’ or two of food to going out to the market and setting a slave free.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 256. The Alliance of the Jahiliyya

567. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn ‘Awf reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I was present with my uncles at the alliance of the clan of Muttalib. I would not wish to break it, even for red camels.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Ibn al-Atheer (الله رحمه (explained, “Banū Hāshim, Banū Zuhra and Banū Taym, gathered in the house of Ibn Jud‘ān during the days of Ignorance. They brought perfume in a bowl into which they dipped their hands and made a vow to help one another and claim the rights of the oppressed from the aggressor. So it was called the alliance of ‘Mutayyibīn (perfumers).” Unfortunately, many of the people wrongly consider this report as from the narrations of the companion, Ibn ‘Awf, rather than a report from him from the Prophetﷺ. See Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad (441). The hadeeth encourages supporting the oppressed against the aggressor, and making alliances that facilitate maintaining the ties of kinship – of course, within the limits of the Sharee’ah.

chapter 257. Brotherhood

568. Anas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, formed a pact of brotherhood between Ibn Mas’ud and az-Zubayr.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

569. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, formed an alliance between Quraysh and the Ansar in my house in Madina.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 258. There is no alliance in Islam

570. ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb reported via his father that his grandfather, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sat down on the steps of the Ka’ba in the year of Conquest* and praised and glorified Allah. Then he said, ‘Whoever is party to an alliance made in the Jahiliyya , Islam only increases its strength. There is no hijra after the Conquest.'” [* The Conquest of Makka]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Yes, Islam strengthens the “alliances that are in line with its rulings such as connecting the ties of kinship and supporting the oppressed and others. As for what contradicts it, Islam wipes it out and annuls it!” As such, the hadeeth, “There is no alliance in Islam”, collected by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh also from Anas bin Malik only refers to the alliances that are not in line with the rulings of Islam. Likewise, the expression, “There is no Hijra after the Conquest (of Makkah)” only means that migrating from Makkah has stopped since it then became from the lands of Islam and will ever remain so. Nevertheless, whenever the Muslims in the lands of the nonMuslims face the trials and difficulties in practising and showing their religion as faced by the early Muslims while in Makkah, then they should migrate too. Thus, the Prophetﷺ said in an authentic hadeeth collected by Imam Aboo Dawood in his Sunan, “Hijra will not stop until seeking repentance stops, and seeking repentance will not stop until the sun rises from its place of set.”

chapter 259. Someone seeking the blessing of the rain when it first begins to fall

571. Anas said, “Rain fell on us while we were with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took of his garment so that the rain could fall on him. We said, ‘Why did you do that?’ He said, ‘Because it has newly come from its Lord.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam An-Nawawee (الله رحمه (explained, “It forms an evidence for the view of our scholars that it is recommended during the first rain to expose other than our Awrah (parts of the body prohibited to be seen by other people) so that the rain touches it. It also proves that when the subordinate sees something from the superior which he does not know, he should ask him so as to know it, act upon it and teach others too.” The hadeeth also encourages craving for whatever is good and beneficial. It is evidence for the fact Allah the Mighty and Sublime is above His creatures.

chapter 260. Sheep are a blessing

572. Humayd ibn Malik ibn Khuthaym said, “I was sitting with Abu Hurayra on some land he owned at ‘Aqiq when some of the people of Madina came to him on their animals and dismounted. Abu Hurayra said, ‘Go to my mother and tell her, “Your son sends you greetings and asks you to give us something to eat.”‘” Humayd went on, “She put three barley loaves, some oil and salt on a platter and I put it on my head and carried it to them. Abu Hurayra said, ‘Allah is greater and praise belongs to Allah who has given us our fill of this bread after our only food was the two black ones dates and water.’ The other people did not eat any of this food. When they left, he said, ‘Nephew, be goof to your sheep. Brush the dust off of them. Make their evening pasture good and pray near them, They are among the animals of the garden. By the One who has my soul in His hand, it has almost reached the point when a time will come in which it will be better for someone to have many sheep than to be in the house of Marwan.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The chapter heading itself is coined from the authentic hadeeth collected by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad that the Prophetﷺ said, “Rear sheep for there is blessing in them.” However, the narration of Abu Hurayrah and his mother – may Allah forgive them both and shower blessings on them – shows that keeping sheep includes providing them good feed, drink, cleaning them up, treating them when they fall ill and so on. It demonstrates also that the companions did not allow the paltry pleasures of this world to distract them from the matters of the hereafter, and were very thankful of Allah’s favors on them. See narration no. 575 and 577.

573. ‘Ali reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “One sheep in a house is a blessing, two sheep are two blessings and more sheep are all blessings.:
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 261. Camels are a cause of pride in their owners

574. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The head (or summit) of disbelief lies towards the east and the pride and arrogance lie in people who possess horses and camels who are also coarse the bedouins. Tranquillity lies in people who possess sheep.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Some of the scholars explain that, the expression, ‘disbelief lies towards the East’ referred to the arrogant and tyrannical rule of the Fireworshippers which was Eastern vis-a-vis the city of Madeenah at the time. Others say, it refers to the widespread of disbelief and tribulation at the appearance of Dajjal, and the Yajooj and Maajooj during the End times. Perhaps the humility that follows those who possess sheep results from the fact that they are usually of a lower category of plenitude of wealth than the owners of horses and camels. So while that may lead them to being humble, abundant wealth may lead its possessor to arrogance and pride.

575. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “I never cease to wonder at dogs and sheep. Such-and-such a number of sheep were slaughtered in the year and such-and-such a number were sacrificed for hajj. One bitch has a litter of such-and-such a number of puppies, and sheep have more than the dog.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah is the Creator of the heavens and the earths and all that they contain. He is their Controller and Sustainer; He increases what He Wills, when He wills and how He wills – Glorious is He the Mighty and Sublime!

576. Abu Dhubyan related that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab asked him, “Abu Dhubyan, how large is your (soldier’s) stipend?” “2500,” he replied. He told him, “Abu Dhubyan, it was taken from agriculture and increased livestock before the lads of Quraysh were appointed over you. They do not consider the stipend to be income.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narration generally encourages taking to the means of attaining nobility and honor since huge harvests and livestock were from the major things of honor amongst the Arabs at the time

577. ‘Abda ibn Hazn said, “The people of camels and the people of sheep vied with one another for glory. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Musa was sent, and he was a shepherd. Da’ud was sent, and he was a shepherd. I was sent, and I used to herd sheep for my people at Ajyad.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The chapter heading itself is coined from the authentic hadeeth collected by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad that the Prophetﷺ said, “Rear sheep for there is blessing in them.” However, the narration of Abu Hurayrah and his mother – may Allah forgive them both and shower blessings on them – shows that keeping sheep includes providing them good feed, drink, cleaning them up, treating them when they fall ill and so on. It demonstrates also that the companions did not allow the paltry pleasures of this world to distract them from the matters of the hereafter, and were very thankful of Allah’s favors on them. See narration no. 575

chapter 262. A man going back to live as a Bedouin

578. Abu Hurayra said, “There are seven major wrong actions. The first of them is to associate things with Allah, then killing someone, slandering chaste women, and going back to live as a Bedouin after having made hijra.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: These seven greatly destructive sins have been mentioned in many verses of the Qur’an and authentic ahaadeeth of the Prophetﷺ. The rest of them are: running away from the battle field, taking the wealth of the orphan and consuming interest. See Silsilat al-Ahaadeethis as-Saheehah (2244). Imam Ibn Atheer (الله رحمه (noted, “The one who returned to his place after making the Hijrah without excuse used to be considered like a renegade from the religion!”

chapter 263. Someone who lives in villages

579. Thawban said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, told me, ‘Do not live the suburbs. The person who lives in the suburbs is like someone who lives in the graves.'” The transmitter said that “kufur ” or “suburbs” are the villages which are next to great cities.
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: People who live in remote places are deprived of Jumu‘a prayers and other good gatherings where they obtain knowledge and religious training. Due to their being in remote places, they do not also come in contact with other aspects of human advancements except littly and lately! In a related authentic narration from Abu Hurayrah , the Prophetﷺ said, “The one who resides in the village will be coarse…” (Ahmad and others). However, mere visits to villages and hamlets are allowed as indicated in the next hadeeth. Ahmad here is Ibn ‘Aasim, Abu Muhammad al-Balkhee, the Shaykh from whom the author, Imam Al-Bukhaaree, reported the hadeeth.

chapter 264. Going out to water-courses

580. Shurayh said, “I asked ‘A’isha about going out to the desert. I said, ‘Did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, go out to the desert?’ ‘Yes,’ she replied, ‘Yes, he went out to those hillside streams.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

581. ‘Amr ibn Wahb said, “I saw Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Usayd riding when he was in ihram. He placed his garment on his shoulder and he placed it on his thighs. I said, ‘What is this?’ He replied, ‘I saw ‘Abdullah act like this.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 265. Someone who wants to conceal secrets and to sit with a group of people and recognise their qualities

582. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn ‘Abdu’l-Qari reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab and an Ansari man were sitting together when ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn ‘Abdu’l-Qari came and sat with them. ‘Umar said, “We do not want to stop our conversation.” ‘Abdu’r-Rahman said, “I will not sit with those people, Amir al-Mu’minin.” ‘Umar said, “Sit with so-and-so and so-and-so and do not stop our conversation. Then he asked the Ansari, “Who do you think should be the khalif after me?” The Ansari counted off some men among the Muhajirun, but did not mentioned ‘Ali. ‘Umar asked, “What do they have against Abu’l-Hasan (i.e. ‘Ali)? By Allah, if he were in charge of them, he would be the best suited to set them on the Path of the Truth.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 266. Deliberation in Affairs

583. Al-Hasan related that a man died and left a son and a mawla. He appointed the mawla as his son’s guardian. This was not remiss and continued to look after the lad until he came of age an then he found him a wife. Then the boy said to him, “Equip me so that I can seek for knowledge.” He fitted him out. The boy then went to a man of knowledge and asked him to teach him. The man said, “Tell me when you want to leave and I will teach you.” The boy said, “I feel should leave, so instruct me.” The scholar said, “Have taqwa of Allah. Have patience. Do not be hasty.” Al-Hasan remarked that this contains all good. He left and he could hardly forget these things for there were only three of them. When he reached his family, he dismounted. When he entered the house, there was a man sleeping apart from his wife who was asleep there. He exclaimed, “By Allah, what am I am waiting for with this man!” He went back to his mount and wanted to pick up his sword, but then he repeated, “Have taqwa of Allah. Have patience. Do not be hasty.” So he went back until he was standing at the man’s head and then said, “I will not wait at all to deal with this man!” He went back to his mount and again wanted to take up his sword, but he again remembered the words. He went back again and while he was standing at the man’s head he woke up. When the man woke up, he ran to him, embraced him and kissed him. he asked him, “What happened to you after (you left) me?” He replied, “By Allah, I received a lot of blessing. By Allah, after I left you, I reached the point where I spent the night going three times between my sword and your head, and it was the knowledge which I have obtained which kept me from killing you.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The point of reference in this narration vis-a-vis the chapter heading is the scholar’s advice to the boy not to be hasty in his worldly affairs since one may not really know how they will end up. So due contemplation should be made. As regards the affairs of the religion and hereafter, the Prophetﷺ said in an authentic hadeeth: “Holding back should be in all things except the actions of the hereafter.” (Aboo Daawood and others). Slowing down on the matters of the hereafter is calamitous!

chapter 267. Deliberation in Affairs

584. Ashajj ‘Abdu’l-Qays said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me, ‘You have two qualities which Allah loves.’ I asked, ‘What are they, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,?’ He said, ‘Forbearance and modesty.’ I asked, ‘Have I had them for a long time or are they new?’ He replied, ‘You have had them for a long time.’ I said, ‘Praise be to Allah who fashioned me with two qualities which Allah loves!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration shows the virtues of forbearance and carefulness in affairs, the excellence of the companion, ‘Abdul-Qays , and extols towards giving thanks to Allah for His favors on us.

585 and 586. As 584.

587. Mazida al-‘Abdi said, “Ashajj came and took the hand of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and kissed it. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, told him, ‘You have two qualities which Allah and His Messenger love.’ He asked, ‘Was I born with them or are they characteristics which I have acquired?’ He said, ‘No, they are part of the natural character on which you were formed.’ Ashajj said, ‘Praise belongs to Allah who has created me with what Allah an His Messenger love!'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 268. Tyrannical Behaviour

588. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “If one mountain had acted tyrannically towards another mountain, the aggressor would have been pulverised.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration shows the virtues of forbearance and carefulness in affairs, the excellence of the companion, ‘Abdul-Qays , and extols towards giving thanks to Allah for His favors on us.

589.See hadith 554.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The weak and the poor mentioned here, are the modest ones among them who humble themselves for the sake of Allah, keep His limits and regularly seek His forgiveness and pardon hoping for His mercy and favour. As for the tyrants and arrogant, they are the audacious who oppress His creatures and scorn His rulings! This narration further demonstrates that the creatures of Allah apart from mankind, the jins and angels, speak as Allah the Exalted Wills. We beg Allah’s protection against the Fire.

590. Fadala ibn ‘Ubayd reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not ask about three: a man who parts company with the community, rebels the ruler and dies while he is a still a rebel. Do not ask about him. Or a slave or slavegirl who runs away from his master. Or a woman whose husband is absent and who has sufficient provision and then displays her adornments to strangers and mixes freely. Do not ask about three: a man who contends with Allah regarding His cloak. His cloak is pride and His wrapper is His might. Also a man who doubts the command of Allah. and someone who despairs of Allah’s mercy.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: These persons should not be asked about for they are ruined! Apart from rebellion, parting with the community of Muslims here, could mean renegading from Islam. The hadeeth strongly discourages men from undertaking journeys that make them stay away from their homes for too long and warns against women generally being diaobedient to Allah and particularly cheating on their spouses.

591. Bakkar ibn ‘Abdu’l-‘Aziz reported from his grandfather that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah will defer whatever wrong actions He wills until the Day of Rising except for tyrannical behaviour, disobeying parents or cutting off relatives. He will punish the one who commits those things in this world before he dies.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

592. Abu Hurayra said, “One of you looks at the mote in his brother’s eye while forgetting the stump in his own eye.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, looking at other’s minor mistakes and forgetting one’s own big ones. May Allah shower blessings on the one who protects his heart and tongue, leaving what concerns him not, busy with his own affairs and not maligning his brother’s honor. Perhaps the author, Imam Al-Bukhaaree (رحمه الله ,(has placed this narration under this section to show that getting busy with people’s minor mistakes is from aggression against them.

593. Mu’awiya ibn Qurra said, “I was with Ma’qil al-Muzn when he removed something harmful from the road. Then I saw something and went over to it. He asked. ‘What made you do that, nephew?’ He replied, ‘I saw you do something, so I did it.’ He said, ‘Nephew, you have done well. I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Whoever removes something harmful from the road of the Muslims has a good deed written for him. Anyone who has his good deed accepted will enter the Garden.”‘”
Commentary: See hadeeth no. 422. If the one who removes something harmful from the road of the Muslims is so rewarded, the one who places something harmful on their road and brings them grief and sorrow or maligns them has actually aggressed against them. And Allah the Mighty and Sublime seriously warns against aggression.

chapter 269. Accepting gifts

594. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Give gifts and you will love one another.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

595. Anas said to his son, Thabit, “My son, exchange gifts, it will bring about love between you.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 270. Someone who does not accept a gift when there is hatred towards people

596. Abu Hurayra said, “A man from the Banu Fazara gave a camel tot he Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he gave him something in exchange for it. That angered the man and I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, state on the minbar, ‘One of you gives a gift and when I give him something in exchange he becomes angry. By Allah, after this year, I will never accept a gift from any Arab except for Quraysh, the Ansar, a Thaqifi or a Dawsi!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: See hadeeth no. 215. Perhaps the Bedouin scorned the gift of the Prophetﷺ because he expected to get more in return for his than he was actually given. In Sunan at-Tarmidhee, it is authentically reported that the Prophetﷺ gave the man 6 she-camels in return! The hadeeth shows dislike for giving gifts and expecting to get more in return, and accepting gifts from the one who shows such intents.

chapter 271. Modesty

597. Abu Mas’ud ‘Uqba reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Part of what people have learned from the words of prophethood is the statement: ‘If you do not feel ashamed, do whatever you like.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (explained that Hayaa, “Juristically, is a trait which prompts staying away from vicious acts and prevents failing regarding the rights of people.” Thus, those who have become the slaves of their desires – especially against Allah’s dictates – are driven by lack of modesty! And as Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (الله رحمه ( puts it: “If the veils of desires were put off him, he would realize that he has failed where he could have succeeded and that he only earned grief where he thought he was glad, and harmed himself where he thought he was enjoying; like the bird which was deceived (into a trap) with a seed of wheat; it neither gets the seed nor out of what it got into!”

598. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Faith consists of sixty (or seventy) branches. The best of them is ‘There is no god but Allah.’ The lowest of them is to remove harmful things from the road. Modesty is also a branch of faith.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

599. Abu Sa’id said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had more modesty than a virgin in her tent. When he disliked something, that could be seen in his face.”
Commentary: As No. 467, with a different isnād

600. Sa’id ibn al-‘As reported that ‘Uthman and ‘A’isha told him that Abu Bakr asked for permission to come in to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was lying of ‘A’isha’s bed, wearing ‘A’isha’s woollen shirt. He gave Abu Bakr permission to enter while he was like that. he gave him what he needed and then Abu Bakr left. Then ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, asked for permission to come in and he gave him permission to come in while he was like that.
He gave him what he needed and then ‘Umar left. ‘Uthman said, “Then I asked for permission to come in and he sat up and told ‘A’isha, ‘Take your garment.’ I told him what I needed and then I left.’ ‘A’isha asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, why did I see that you did not do for Abu Bakr and ‘Umar what you did for ‘Uthman?’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ”Uthman is a modest man and I feared that if I gave him permission to come in while I was in that state he would not tell me what he needed.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth highlights the excellence of shyness, the status of the companion, Uthman bin ‘Affan – may Allah be pleased with him –, and the Prophet’s yearnings towards fulfilling the needs of his companions – may Allah be pleased with them all.

601. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whenever there is modesty in a thing, it adorns it. Whenever there is outrage in a thing, it debases it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This is because modesty prevents one from shameful and evil acts that make a mess of things. Conversely, deviance leads to absurdities and so destroys anything into which it comes. See hadeeth no. 469.

602. Salim reported from his father that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by a man who berating his brother about his modesty. He told him, “Let him be. Modesty is part of faith.”
Another variant has Ibn ‘Umar saying, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by a man who was berating his brother about his modesty to the point where he told him, ‘I will beat you!’ The Prophet said, ‘Let him be. Modesty is part of faith.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The expression, بك أرض) adarra bika) meaning, “it has caused you harm” in the second version has been mistakenly read as (adribuka) and translated as, “I will beat you”! Since modesty only adorns matters, the Prophetﷺ corrected the person who was chiding the other about the later’s modesty.

603.’A’isha said, “The Prophet was lying down in my room with his thigh uncovered when Abu Bakr asked for permission to enter. He gave him permission to enter, remaining as he was. Then ‘Umar asked for permission to come in and he gave him permission, remaining as he was. Then ‘Uthman asked for permission to enter and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sat up and arranged his garment and then came in and spoke. When he left, I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr came in and you did not exert yourself nor concern yourself with him. Then ‘Umar came in and you did not exert yourself nor concern yourself with him. Then ‘Umar came in and you sat up and arranged your garment.’ He said, ‘Should I not be modest before a man before whom the angels are modest?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It was the thigh of the Prophetﷺ that was actually uncovered as is reported without doubt from the versions collected with authentic chains in Mushkil al-Aathaar by Iman At-Tahhaawee (الله رحمه (and Saheeh Ibn Hibban. See Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad by Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه .(However, this hadeeth is not clear-cut evidence that the thigh is not from the ‘Awrah for it is authentically reported from the Prophetﷺ that, “That between the navel and the knee is ‘Awrah” (Aboo Dawood and others); and that, “The thigh is ‘Awrah” (Irwaa al-Galeel 1/295). Therefore, the occasions of the Prophet’sﷺ thigh remaining uncovered probably took place before his statements about the thighs being mentioned to be from the ‘Awrah indicating an abrogation, or that his statement that the thighs are from the ‘Awrah are given preference over his action. Allah knows Best. See Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (1687). The hadeeth is evidence that shyness is from the attributes of the angels.

31. Supplication

 chapter 272. What to say in the morning

604. Abu Hurayra said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would say in the morning, ‘We have reached the morning and the kingdom belongs to Allah and all praise belongs to has no partner. There is no god but Allah and to Him is the gathering.’ In the evening he would say, ‘We have reached the evening and the kingdom belongs to Allah and all praise belongs to Allah who has no partner. There is no god but Allah and to Him is the return.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 273. Someone who uses other supplications

605. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The noble son of the noble son of the noble son of the noble son was Yusuf son of Ya’qub son of Ishaq son of Ibrahim, the Khalil (close friend) of the Merciful, the blessed and Exalted.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If I had remained in prison for as long as Yusuf remained in prison and then the man with the invitation had come to me, I would have accepted it. When the messenger came to him, he said, ‘Go back to your master and enquire of him what happened about the women who cut their hands. ‘ (12:50) Allah showed mercy to Lut when he sought refuge in a strong pillar when he said to his people, ‘If only I had the strength to combat you or could seek refuge in a some powerful support!’ (11:80) Allah did not send any Prophet after him but that he was one of the wealthy of his people.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Yoosuf combined the nobility of messengership, knowledge, handsomeness, modesty, good character, fairness and leadership – peace be upon him –. Lut (alayhis-Salam) wished that he could seek refuge in some strong family background by way of seeking a means. Otherwise, he had his refuge with Allah the Mighty and Sublime; he – peace and blessings be upon him – had said: “My Lord, Give me victory of the people who are mischiefmakers”. (Q 29: 30). The point here is the supplication of the Prophetﷺ for his brother, Lut – peace be upon him.

chapter 274. Sincere supplication

606. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Yazid said, “Ar-Rabi’ used to go to ‘Alqama every Friday. When I was not there, they would send for me. Once he came when I was not there. ‘Alqama met me and told me, ‘Did you not see what ar-Rabi’ brought? He said, “Do you not see how frequently people make supplication and how rarely they are answered? That is because Allah Almighty only accepts the sincere supplication.”‘ I asked, ‘Didn’t ‘Abdullah say that?’ He asked, ‘What did he say?’ I said that ‘Abdullah said, ‘Allah does not listen to someone who wants other people to hear not someone who shows off nor who plays. He only listens to the one who makes a supplication firmly from his heart.’ He said, ‘Did he mention ‘Alqama?’ ‘Yes’ was the answer.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah the Mighty and Sublime only accepts righteous deeds done for His Sake including supplications. If the condition was as described in that generation in which many of the people were amongst the students of the companions, the situation is certainly worse today – and the one who is safe is he that is protected by Allah! Therefore, we must purify our righteous deeds from show-off and not seek popularity with the same actions with which we should seek only the Face of Allah the Mighty and Sublime.

chapter 275. Be firm in supplication, for Allah cannot be forced

607. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you makes a supplication, he should not say, ‘If you wish.’ He should be firm in asking and he should have great hope. Allah does not think that anything that He gives is too great.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

608. Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you makes a supplication, he should be firm in the supplication and not say, ‘O Allah, if you like, give to me.’ Allah cannot be forced against His will.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: We should be humble and hopeful of answer in our supplications, and not be arrogant and evasive, for Allah is Beneficent and Merciful Who loves to be asked and is Able to do what He Wills

chapter 276. Raising the hands in supplication

609. Abu Nu’aym, who is Wahb, said, “I saw Ibn ‘Umar and Ibn az-Zubayr making supplication, cupping their palms in front of their faces.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

610.’A’isha say that she saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, making supplication with his hands raised, saying, ‘I am a man, so do not punish me. If I harm any man of the believers or revile him, do not punish me for that.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: From the points of benefit in this hadeeth are: 1. One could offer his daughter or sister to a pious person to marry. 2. The Muslim should make efforts to reconcile between his brothers if he got aware of any disagreement between them. Nevertheless, he should confirm whatever he hears in that regard. 3. Muslims, the scholars and the students of knowledge especially, should always avoid to make statements that cause disaffection and polarize the community. 4. The companions had respect for one another; they would even alarm one another with a fellow companion during a disagreement. 5. The Prophetﷺ is a human being; so, he gets annoyed too as is from the nature of human beings to get annoyed. 6. The Prophetﷺ dearly loved his community; and so, he supplicated that his curse or abuse of the one who does not deserve it should be made blessings for such a person. 7. Bringing food items and other needs of one’s household even if it be in a sack on one’s shoulders and serving the household is from good character

611. Abu Hurayra said, “At-Tufayl ibn ‘Amr ad-Dawsi came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, Daws have rebelled and rejected, so ask Allah to curse them.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, faced the qibla and raised his hands and the people thought that he was going to curse them. He said, ‘O Allah, guide Daws and lead them!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

612. Anas said, “No rain fell for a year and so one of the Muslims went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on Jumu’a (Friday). He said, ‘Messenger of Allah, there has been no rain and the ground is dry and people’s wealth has been destroyed.’ He raised his hand when there was not a cloud to be seen in the sky. He stretched out his arms until I could see the whiteness of his armpits and asked Allah for rain. As soon as we finished the prayer, (the rain was such that) the youth whose house was near was afraid to return to his family. It last past Friday, The following Friday, they said, ‘Messenger of Allah, the houses have fallen down and the paths are blocked.’ He smiled and observed how quickly the son of Adam becomes discontented. He said while making a gesture with his hand, ‘O Allah, around us and not on us.’ And the rain cleared away from Madina.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeth highlights the following amongst others: 1. The excellence of supplications; and that by it Allah the Mighty and Sublime brings relief to the distressed. 2. The Prophetﷺ’s concern for the welfare of the people. 3. The permissibility seeking supplications from the pious. 4. It is recommended to raise our hands during supplications. 5. It forms evidence for Allah’s Existence and that He Hears and is above the heavens.

613.’Ikrima heard ‘A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, say that she say the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, raise his hands in supplication, saying, ‘O Allah, I am a mortal, so do not punish me. If I harm or revile a Muslim man, do not punish me for it!'”
Commentary: As No. 610, with a different isnād.

614. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that at-Tufayl ibn ‘Amr asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “Do you want a fortress and a citadel? The fortress of Daws.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, refused it because of what Allah had stored up for the Ansar. At-Tufayl made hijra and a man of his people made hijra with him. The man fell ill and was in torment (or words to that effect) and he crawled over to a quiver, took out an arrow, sliced his veins and died. At-Tufayl saw him a dream and asked him, “What has been done to you?” He replied, “I was forgiven because of my hijra to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” He asked, “What happened to your hands?” He replied, “It was said, ‘We will not put right in you that part of your hands which you destroyed.'” He said that at-Tufayl related that tot he Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Prophet said, “O Allah, forgive his hands!” and he raised his hands when he said it.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

615. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to seek refuge with Allah, saying, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with you from laziness. I seek refuge with You from cowardice. I seek refuge with you from senility. I seek refuge with You from miserliness.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Laziness, to lack courage, mental and physical weakness due to old age and being stingy are traits, each of which affects the religious and mundane responsibilities of the servant. The victim is either only able to partially carryout the duties or completely abandons them! The hadeeth encourages towards fulfilling one’s duties by seeking protection from whatever hinders that.

616. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said that Allah Almighty said, “I am according to My slave’s opinion of Me, and I am with him when He calls on Me.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: When the slave raises up his hand in supplication out of humility, seeking his needs from the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, full of hope in Him to grant his requests, he finds that his supplications are granted, for Allah is Merciful, He Hears and Responds.

chapter 277. The best way of asking for forgiveness

617. Shaddad ibn Aws reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The best way of asking forgiveness is ‘O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no god but You. You created me and I am Your slave. I follow Your covenant and promise as much as I can. I acknowledge Your blessing and I confess to my wrong actions, so forgive me. Only You can forgive wrong actions. I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I have done.’ If he says it in the evening and then dies, he will enter the Garden or he said that he will be one of the people of the Garden. If he says it in the morning and dies that day it is the same.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The servant – in these wonderful expressions of the Prophetﷺ is taught to humble himself before Allah, affirm His Lordship and the fact that He alone deserves to be worshipped; to acknowledge and thank Allah for His favors on him, and seek His protection from the consequences of his sins before asking to be forgiven and pardoned. It follows with an affirmation that He alone forgives sins, and it encourages towards sincerely seeking forgiveness for sins.

618. Ibn ‘Umar said, “We used to say this a hundred times in the assembly of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ‘O Lord, forgive me and turn to me. You are the Ever-Turning, the Merciful.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Heﷺ had said, “Seek repentance from Allah for I seek repentance from Him a hundred times every day” and that, “By Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent unto Him more than seventy times in the day.” (Al-Bukhaaree). If the one who had been forgiven his past and future sins seek forgiveness and repent unto Allah this much, then it behoves us to sincerely hasten towards this righteous act. May Allah forgive us all; Amin.

619. ‘A’isha said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed the Duha prayer and then said, ‘O Lord, forgive me and turn to me. You are the Ever-Turning, the Merciful’ a hundred times.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

620. See 617.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Same as hadeeth no. 617 with slight difference.

621. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘Turn in repentance to Allah. I turn to Him a hundred times every day.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

622. Ka’b ibn ‘Ujra said, “Those who repeat the supplications which follow the prayers will not be disappointed. They are: ‘Glory be to Allah’; ‘Praise be to Allah’; and ‘There is no god but Allah’ a hundred times.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In the version in Saheeh Muslim of the same hadeeth, it says, “Those who repeat what is after every obligatory prayer…” showing that the appropriate time to read the formula is after the daily obligatory prayers. The direct ascription of the statement to the Prophetﷺ is also authentic. See Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad by Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه ,(no. 486.

chapter 278. The supplication for someone when he is absent

623.’Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The swiftest supplication to be answered is the supplication of someone for another person who is not present.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

624. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq was heard to say, “The supplication of a brother in Allah is answered.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

625. Safwan ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Safwan, who was married to the daughter of Abu’d-Darda’, said, “I visited them in Syria and found Umm ad-Darda’ in the house, but not Abu’d-Darda’. She asked, ‘Are you intending to go on hajj this year?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied. She said, ‘Make supplication to Allah and ask for good for us. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The supplication of a Muslim man for his absent brother is answered. At his head there is a guardian angel. Whenever he asks Allah to give his brother good, the angel says, ‘Amen, and may you have the same.'”‘ I met Abu’d-Darda’ in the market and he said something similar which was related from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It highlights the permissibility of requesting the person going on hajj or a journey to supplicate for one during the journey. The report of Abu Darda is collected in Saheeh Muslim.

626.’Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that a man said, “O Allah, forgive me and Muhammad alone!” The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “You have veiled it from many people.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The people of knowledge are to teach the people and guide them towards that which is more beneficial in whatever they do. The narration discourages restricting supplications to include only a few – and to mention a few in a supplication does not mean restriction. In another report of the same hadeeth, it says: the man said, “O Allah, show mercy unto me and Muhammad, and do not show mercy to anyone along with us!” during the Prayer. When the Prophetﷺ had finished the prayer he said, “You have restricted something broad.” (Al-Bukhaaree).

627. Ibn ‘Umar said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asking Allah to forgive him a hundred times in this assembly with the words, ‘O Allah, forgive me and turn to me and show mercy to me. You are the Ever-Turning, Merciful.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Heﷺ had said, “Seek repentance from Allah for I seek repentance from Him a hundred times every day” and that, “By Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent unto Him more than seventy times in the day.” (Al-Bukhaaree). If the one who had been forgiven his past and future sins seek forgiveness and repent unto Allah this much, then it behoves us to sincerely hasten towards this righteous act. May Allah forgive us all; Amin.

chapter 279. Chapter

628. Ibn ‘Umar said, “I make supplication in everything I do even that Allah will make the stride of my animal long so that I find ease in that.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

629. It is reported that ‘Umar used to make supplication with his words, “) Allah, let me die with the pious and do not leave me among the evil. Join me to the good.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The pious predecessors – may Allah be pleased with them all – paid serious attention to piety. So, they supplicated a great deal to be blessed with righteous deeds that will out of Allah’s mercy join them with the pious.

630. It is related that ‘Abdullah used to use these supplications a lot: ‘Our Lord, make peace between us and guide us on the path of Islam. Save us from the darkness (and bring us) to the light. Remove acts of deviance from us, both open and hidden. Bless us in our ears, our eyes, our hearts, our wives and our children. Turn to us. You are the Ever-Turning, Most Merciful. Make us thankful for Your blessing and make us among those who give praise for it and proclaim it. Perfect it for us.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

631. When Anas made supplication for his brother, he said, “May Allah bless him with the blessing of those who are pious. They are neither unjust nor corrupt. They stand at night in prayer and fast in the day.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

632.’Amr ibn al-Harith said, “My mother took me to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and stroked my head and prayed for provision to be given to me.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: See hadeeth no. 88 and its comment.

633. Anas ibn Malik was told, “Your brothers have come to you from Basra (and that day he was at the zawiyya) wanting for you to make supplication to Allah for them.” He said, “O Allah, forgive them and show mercy to them. Give them good in this world and good in the Next World and protect them from the punishment of the Fire.” They asked him to say more and he said repeated the same thing. He said, “If you are given this, you have been given the good of this world and the Next.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It encourages seeking supplications from a person whose religion is trusted even if that would require journeying, and that one should employ brief and encompassing words in prayers. Explaining the report of Anas bin Malik that: “Most of the supplications of the Prophetﷺ was: Rabbanaa ’ātinā fi’d-dunyā hasanatan wa fi’l-’ākirati hasanatan wa qinā ‘adh-āba’n-nār (Our Lord Give us good in this world and good in the World Hereafter and protect us from the punishment of the Fire)”, Qaadee Abu Musa, ‘Iyyaad bin Musa (الله رحمه (said, “He would mostly supplicate with this verse because it includes the imports of all supplications of the affairs of this world and the hereafter.”

634. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took a bough and shook it and not all the leaves fell off. Then he shook it again and not all the leaves fell off. Then he shook it a third time but not all the leaves fell off. He said, ‘Saying, “Glory be to Allah and praise be to Allah and there is no god but Allah” makes errors fall away as the leaves of a tree fall away.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: From the methods of teaching is illustration; the Prophetﷺ likened the dropping of the leaves to how sins fall-off when the formula is sincerely read. The hadeeth shows the virtue of the formula and encourages towards seeking means of shedding our sins. May Allah grant us His forgiveness; Amin.

635. Anas reported that a woman came to the Prophet, to complain to him of a need. He said, ‘Shall I show you something better than that? You should say, ‘There is no god but Allah’ 33 times when you go to sleep and say ‘Glory be to Allah’ 33 times and say ‘Praise be to Allah’ 34 times and then that hundred is better than his world and all that it contains.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: However, the narration is authentically reported through Alee in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Muslim and Sunan at-Tirmidhee. See hadeeth no. 1216.

636. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If someone says, ‘There is no god but Allah’ one hundred times, ‘Glory be to Allah’ one hundred times’ and ‘Allah is greater’ one hundred times, that is better than freeing ten slaves and slaughtering seven camels.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

637. A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, “Messenger of Allah, what is the best supplication?” He answered, “Asking Allah for forgiveness and well-being in this world and the Next world.” Then he came to him the following day and asked, “Prophet of Allah, what is the best supplication?” He answered, “Asking Allah for forgiveness and well-being in this world and the Next world. When you are given well-being in this world and the Next, then you have achieved success.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The word, al-‘Aafiyah (translated as ‘well-being’) means being protected from different forms of evil: trials and tribulations, sicknesses and other afflictions. It would also include protection from the difficulties of the grave and the Day of Recompense. As such, to seek forgives and ‘Aafiyah is from brief supplications with all-encompassing meanings.

638. Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The words which Allah loves most are: ‘Glory be to Allah who has no partner. His is the Kingdomand praise is His and He has power over allthings. There is no power nor strength except by Allah. Glory be to Allah and by His praise.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As joining partners with Allah the Exalted is the most hated sin to Allah, the most beloved words to Him – Glorious is He – are those that declare His Oneness, praise and glorify Him and rightly ascribe Power and Authority to Him.

639. Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Abu Bakr, reported that ‘A’isha said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to me while I was praying when he needed something. I was taking a long time and he said, ”A’isha, you must make the comprehensive supplication.’ When I finished, I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what is the comprehensive supplication?’ He said, ‘Say: “O Allah, I ask You for all good, both sooner and later, what I know of it and what I do not know. I seek refuge with You from all evil, both sooner and later, what I know of it and what I do not know. I ask You for the Garden an d whatever words or actions bring one near to it. I seek refuge with You from the Fire and whatever words or actions bring one near to it. I ask You by what Muhammad asked You and I seek refuge from You by what Muhammad sought refuge from and whatever fate You have decreed for me, make its end right guidance.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth exhorts towards being brief but encompassing in our supplications. In an authentic hadeeth collected by Imam Aboo Dawood in his Sunan, ‘A’aisha (عنها الله ريض (said, “The Prophetﷺ would prefer encompassing supplications, and he left other than that.” Good deeds and actions that lead to the Garden include seeking the knowledge of the rulings of the religion and acting according to it. Asking for whatever the Prophetﷺ asked for and seeking refuge from all what he sought refuge from further shows the comprehensiveness of this supplication.

chapter 280. The prayer on the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace

640. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If any Muslim does not have anything to give as sadaqa, he should say in his supplication, ‘O Allah, bless Muhammad, Your slave and Your Messenger and bless the believers, both men and women, and the Muslims, both men and women.’ That will be sadaqa for him.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

641. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If anyone says, ‘O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Shower blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You showered blessings on Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Show mercy to Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You showed mercy to Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim,’ I will testify for him on the Day of Rising and I will intercede for him.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

642. Malik ibn Aws ibn al-Hadathan said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out to open ground to answer a call of nature and did not find anyone to follow him. ‘Umar went out and followed him with a clay pot or wudu’ vessel. He found him prostrating in a river bed. He fell back and sat behind him until the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, lifted his head. He said, ‘You have done well, ‘Umar. When you found me prostrating, you went behind me. Jibril came to me and said, ‘If someone says the prayer on you once, Allah will pray ten times on him and raise him ten degrees.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains the following benefits among others: 1. It is beneficial to be in the company the scholars. Umar t followed the Prophetﷺ and benefitted. 2. Teachers should acknowledge good things done by their students; more so, when such will lead them to doing more good things. 3. It exhorts towards saying Salaat and Salaam on the Prophetﷺ. Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (explained, “The best of what is said about the meaning of Salaat on the Prophetﷺ is that of Abu l-‘Aaliyah, that: Allah’s Salaat on His Prophet is His praising him and extolling him; and the Salaat of the angels and others on him is: asking (for more of) that from Allah the Exalted.” 4. Allah the Mighty and Sublime rewards the good deeds of His slaves in manifolds.

643. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If anyone says the prayer on me once, Allah prays on him ten times and removes ten errors from him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 281. Someone who hears the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned in his presence and does not bless him

644. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went up the minbar. When he reached the first step, he said, “Amen”. When he ascended to the second step, he said, “Amen,” and when he stepped onto the third step, he said, “Amen.” They said, “Messenger of Allah, we heard you say ‘Amen’ three times.” He said, “When I went up the first step, Jibril, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to me and said, ‘Wretched is the slave to whom Ramadan comes and when it passes from him is not forgiven.’ I said, ‘Amen.’ Then he said, ‘Wretched is the slave who has one or both of his parents alive and they do not let him enter the Garden.’ I said, ‘Amen.’ Then he said, ‘Wretched is a slave who does not bless you when you are mentioned in his presence,’ and I said, ‘Amen.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: See hadeeth no. 21. However, the point in this hadeeth vis-avis the chapter heading is that, it is obligatory that whenever the Prophet’s name is mentioned in our presence, we should send salutations to him – peace and blessings be upon him. From the benefits of saying salutation upon the Prophetﷺ is success and prosperity which in the parlance of the Sharee’ah really refers to entrance into the Garden.

645. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If anyone prays once on me, Allah will pray ten times on him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

646.Similar to 644 except it has “Shame on” rather than “Wretched isÉ”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)

647. Juwayriyya, the daughter of al-Harith ibn Abi Dirar, (whose name had been Barra but the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had renamed her Juwayriyya) reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had left her and he did not want to go back in while her name was Barra. Then he went back to her while it was late in the day and found that she was still sitting. “Are you still sitting?” he asked, “After I left you I uttered four phrases three times. If they were to be weighed against all your words, they would outweigh them. They are: ‘Glory be to Allah and by His praise in number as great as His creation and in accordance with His own pleasure and the weight of His Throne and the extent of His words.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows: 1. The virtues of these expressions. 2. It is even more beneficial to employ comprehensive formulas during supplications. 3. The excellence of Juwayriyyah (radiya Allahu anha). She would sit for such a long time giving remembrance of Allah 4. That it is allowed to change one’s name if it is from those names that are prohibited or discouraged in the Sharee’ah such as names that show disobedience to Allah, or that have roots with evil people or the like. 5. The benevolence of the Prophetﷺ; he would guide the people to the best and easiest form of attaining their lofty goals

648. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Seek refuge with Allah from Hellfire. Seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave. Seek refuge with Allah from the sedition of the Dajjal. Seek refuge with Allah from the trials of life and death.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Seeking refuge from the tribulations that the Dajjal (Impostor) will bring about in the End times implies refuge from following him. As for the trials of life and death, Imam Ibn Daqeeq al-‘Eid (الله رحمه (said it is, “what one faces of trials with worldly things, desires and things we do not know – and the greatest of them – is the issue of (one’s) end at the point of death. As regards the trials of death, it could mean the trials while one is passing away and it (i.e. the trial) is joined with death because of its nearness to it. It could also mean the trial in the grave.

chapter 282. A man’s supplication for someone who has wronged him

649. Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “O Allah, let my hearing and sight be sound and make them remain sound until I die. Turn away from me the one who wrongs me and give me revenge on him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Basically, this report is weak because it has in its chain, Layth bin Abee Sulaym, a weak reporter, and so, he reported, Allaahumma aslih lī (O Allah, let my…be sound) rather than, Allaahumma matti’nee (O Allah, let my …remain sound) as in the report of Imam al-Bazzaar (الله رحمه (also from Jabir which corresponds with other reports from the companions – may Allah be pleased with them all – from the Prophetﷺ about the same supplication. See Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (3170). Our sight and hearing are great blessings from Allah the Mighty and Sublime; and so, they should not be employed in disobedience to Allah so that He does not consequently withdraw this great favor!

650. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say, “O Allah, let me enjoy my sight and hearing and make them remain sound until I die. Turn away my enemy and grant me revenge on him.”
Commentary: As No. 649, from Abū Hurayra, with a different isnād.

651. Tariq ibn Ashyam al-Ashja’i said, “We used to go and visit the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. On one occasion a man and woman came and the man asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what should I say when I pray?’ He replied, ‘Say, “O Allah, forgive me, show mercy to me, guide me and provide for me.; They will combine this world and the Next world for you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 283. Someone who makes supplication for a long life

652. Umm Qays reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to her, “What she said will make her life long. They said, “We do not know of any woman who was given the long life that she was given.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: It is part of a story transmitted by an-Nasaaee in which she said, “A son of mine died and I became very grieved. I said to the person who was bathing his body (before burial), ‘Don’t wash my son with cold water for it will kill him.’ ” ‘Ukkāsha went to the Prophetﷺ and informed him of what she had said. The Prophetﷺ smiled and said, “What did she say? May she live long.”

653. Anas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to come to us, the people of his house. One day he came to us and made supplication for us. Umm Sulaym said, ‘Won’t you make supplication for your little servant?’ He said, ‘O Allah, give him a lot of wealth and children. Make him live long and forgive him.’ “He made supplication for me three times. I have so far buried 103 children (out of the many I have had). My fruits can be eaten twice in the year and I lived a long time until I was embarrassed in front of people, and I hope for forgiveness.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains the following points of benefit: (1) The leader should visit his adherents as was the practice of the Prophetﷺ. (2) The Taabi’oon showed great interest in the matters of the religion especially the prayer. (3) The one who prays alone with the imam should stand on the right side of the imam and not on his left side, nor behind him. (4) One could request a person whose religion is trusted to supplicate for him; and such supplications could be made in the presence of the one who requested for it. (5) The parent should always seek and follow the means by which the child earns the blessings of this World and the Hereafter. Umm Sulaim had given her son, Anas to the service of the Prophetﷺ at the prophet’s arrival in Madeenah. So Anas was nurtured in the prophetic household; he was there until the Prophetﷺ died. (6) It is encouraged to ask Allah for abundant wealth and many children as they are both from the favors of Allah. Quite badly, many abort pregnancies today for the flimsiest reason and seek other means of reducing child birth! (7) It is legitimate also, to beseech Allah for long life as is contained in other wordings of the same hadeeth, just as one supplicates for wealth and children. This does not contradict preordainment. (8) The prophet’s supplication for Anas was granted; he lived for over a hundred years, he had over a hundred and twenty children and grand children, and was one of the richest among the Ansar.

chapter 284. Someone say says, “A person is given an answer as long as he does not seek to hasten it”

654. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The supplication of any of you is answered as long as he does not get impatient and say, ‘I made supplication and was not answered.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

655. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The supplication of any of you is answered as long as he does not make supplication for something which is a wrong action or cutting off ties of kinship or become impatient and say, ‘I made supplication and was not answered,’ and so he stops making supplication.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: After explaining the virtues of supplicating and stating the best forms of supplication, the author, Imam Al-Bukhaaree, pointed out in this chapter, some of the things that may hinder the acceptance of one’s supplications. We beg Allah to accept our supplications; Amin.

chapter 285. Someone who seeks refuge in Allah from laziness

656. ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb reported that his grandfather said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from laziness and debt. I seek refuge with You from the trial of the Dajjal. I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the Fire.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: To seek refuge from debt means that death might not befall us while we owe people’s rights. See comment on hadeeth no. 648.

657. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to seek refuge with Allah from the evils of life and death and the punishment of the grave and the evil of the Dajjal.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 286. Allah is angry with the person who does not ask Allah

658. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah is angry with someone who does not ask of Him.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: This is because such a person is either despairing of Allah’s mercy or an arrogant!

659. Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When you call on Allah, be definite in your supplication. None of you should say, ‘If You will, give it to me.’ No one can force Allah.”
Commentary: As No. 608, with a different isnād

660. ‘Uthman said that he heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “A person will not be harmed by anything if he says every morning and evening 33 times, ‘In the Name of Allah by whose Name nothing in the earth or the heaven is harmed. He is the All-Hearing, the All- Knowing.'”
‘Uthman had been afflicted by partial paralysis and the man to whom he said this looked at him (with surprise). He understood that and said, “The hadith is as I have told you, but I did not say it that day and so the decree of Allah was carried out.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In another authentic report of the same hadeeth, it says, “No sudden trial will afflict him.” (Aboo Daawood).

chapter 287. Supplication in the battle ranks in the Cause of Allah

661. Sahl ibn Sa’d said, “There are two hours in which the gates of heaven are opened. At those times very rarely is the supplication of someone who makes supplication rejected: when the call to prayer has been given and when in battle ranks in the Cause of Allah.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth is also authentically reported from the Messenger of Allahﷺ in Sunan Abee Daawood.

chapter 288. The supplications of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace

662. Abu Sirma reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say, “O Allah, I ask You to make me wealthy and make my mawla wealthy!”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

663. Shakal ibn Humayd said, “Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication that will benefit me.” He said, “Say: ‘O Allah, protect me from the evil of my sight and hearing, my tongue, my heart, and the evil of my desire.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth highlights the following: 1. The companions’ love for supplications. 2. We should ask the scholars of the matters of the religion when such are unknown to us, or in order seek further benefits or just to benefit others from the answer of the scholar. 3. Apart from making sincere efforts to keep Allah’s limits, one should seek refuge with Allah against falling into sins. 4. The favours of Allah on us may also be sources of trials!

664.’Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say, “O Allah, help me and do not help against me. Support me and do not support anyone against me. Make guidance easy for me.”

665. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, making supplication with these words: ‘O Allah, help me and do not help anyone against me. Devise for me and do not devise against me. Make guidance easy for me. Avert from me the one who attacks me. O Lord, make me grateful to You, remember You, fearful of You, obedient to You and humble to You, supplicating, penitent. Accept my repentance. Wash away my wrong actions and answer my supplication. Establish my proof and guide my heart. Make my tongue correct and make resentment flow out of my heart.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The expression, wa’mkur lī wa lā tamkur ‘alayya, translated as, ‘devise for me and do not devise against me’ means, according to Imam Alee al-Qaaree (الله رحمه” ,(O Allah, guide me to the path of warding off my enemies from myself, and guide not my enemies to the path of warding me off himself.” As for ascribing Makr (plot) to Allah the Exalted, Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (الله رحمه (explained that, “Makr (plot) may be, in some situation, praise and disparagement in another situation: If it is to counter someone who is plotting, then it is praise because it implies that you are stronger than him. If not, then it is dispraise and is called deception. As such, Allah has not described Himself with it except by way of countering and with specification as He the Exalted said: “So they plotted a plot, and We plotted a plot, while they perceived not.” (Q 27: 50), and: “… they were plotting and Allah too was plotting” (Q 8: 30). Allah – Glorious is He and Most High – should not be generally described with it. So one should not say (for example), ‘Allah is a Maakir (Plotter)’! Not by way of informing or naming. Similarly, it should not be said, ‘Allah is a Kaaid (Schemer)’! Not by way of informing or naming. That is because, the meaning could be praise in one situation and dispraise in another. We should not describe Allah with it in a general sense.” Sharh al-‘Aqeedat al-Waasitiyyah (1/331-332).

666. Mu’awiya ibn Abi Sufyan said on the minbar, “None can withhold what You give nor give what Allah withholds. The effort of a person who makes an effort does not benefit him. When Allah desires good for a person, He gives him understanding in the deen.” He added, “I heard these words from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This is clear-cut evidence that basically, the understanding of the religion is gained out of Allah’s favor on the servant. Therewith, He grants the servant steadfastness upon obedience to Him and abstinence from His prohibitions in this world leading the servant to the good of the hereafter. May Allah grant us the understanding of the religion; Amin.

667. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The firmest supplication is to say, ‘O Allah, you are my Lord and I am Your slave. I have wronged myself and I admit my wrong action. Only You forgive wrong actions, Lord, forgive me.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

668. Abu Hurayra reported, “The Messenger of , may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to use this supplication: ‘O Allah, make my deen correct it is the support of my affairs. Make my deen correct it contains my livelihood. Make death a mercy for me from every evil.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

669. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to seek refuge “from the trouble of affliction, meeting with wretchedness, an evil decree, and the gloating of enemies.” (Sufyan, one of the transmitters said, “There were three items in the hadith. I added one, but I do not know which one.”)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Sufyan mentioned here, is Ibn ‘Uyaynah al-Hilaalee (رحمه الله (one of the great scholars of hadeeth. 2. The one he added here of the four things he mentioned was, ‘the gloating of enemies’. This became obvious, from the reports of the same narration authentically reported from Sufyan (الله رحمه (and collected by Ibn Abee ‘Aasim in his book, As-Sunnah and Imam Ismaa’eelee in his Mustakhraj. Both reports did not include the fourth item. 3. However, seeking refuge from ‘the gloating of the enemies’ is authentically reported from the Prophetﷺ in another hadeeth reported by Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin al-‘Aas collected in Musnad Ahmad and others. As such, the addition that Sufyan bin ‘Uyaynah (الله رحمه (mentioned here was not basically his own idea – may Allah shower blessings on him. 4. It shows the intellectual opulence of the scholars of hadeeth and their strictness in reporting and accepting ahaadeeth.

670.’Umar said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to seek refuge from five things: laziness, miserliness, bad pride, the trial of what is in the breast, and the punishment of the grave.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

671. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from incapacity, laziness, cowardice and old age. I seek refuge with You from the trials of life and death. I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

672. Anas said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from concern, sorrow, incapacity, laziness, cowardice, miserliness, being deeply in debt and being overpowered by men.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

673. Abu Hurayra said, “One of the supplications of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was ‘O Allah, forgive me for my past and future wrong actions, what I conceal and what I divulge, and what You know of me. You are the One who puts ahead and delays. There is no god but You.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah the Mighty and Exalted is the One Who brings forward and places them in their right places and whatever requires been brought forward He brings it forward; and He holds back, and puts things in their right places. This supplication is from the brief and comprehensive supplications of the Prophetﷺ.

674. ‘Abdullah said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to make this supplication, ‘O Allah, I ask You for guidance, virtuousness and wealth.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The expression is brief and encompassing. Those who reported the hadeeth along with Imam Al-Bukhaaree (الله رحمه (from ‘Amr – Ibn Marzooq – have reported the increment, ‘and piety’. The increment is also authentically reported in Saheehs of Imam Muslim and Ibn Hibban (rahimahumallah).

675. Thumana ibn Huzn said, “I heard a shaykh call out in a loud voice, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from unadulterated evil.’ I asked, ‘Who is this shaykh?’ I was told, ‘Abu’d-Darda’.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

676. ‘Abdullah ibn Abi ‘Awfa reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say, “O Allah, purify me with ice, snow and cold water as the dirty garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah, our Lord, praise is Yours in quantity as great as the sky and as great as the earth and as great as You wish from anything beyond that.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah (الله رحمه (was asked, “How should sins be cleansed with cold water when hot water better cleanses?” He said, “Sins bring about heat, dirt and weakness in the heart; it is like the fuel that keeps the fire burning and lit. The more the sins, the more the fire in the heart glows and it (the fire) weakens it. But water cleanses the dirt and quenches the fire. So if it is cold it suits the body and strengthens it. When it is accompanied with ice and snow it brings more coldness and strength to the body. Thus, it better takes away the effects of sins.” See: Rashsh al-Barad Sharh al-Adab al-Mufrad (pg. 357) by Dr. Muhammad Luqman as-Salafee.

677. Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to make supplication with this supplication, “O Allah, give us good in this world and good in the Next World and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Other reports of the same hadeeth collected by Imam AtTayaalisee and Ahmad show that Imam Qatadah only said, “Anas used to say this” without the above increment. This appears to be the right thing more so, that Qatadah in an authentic report had related the hadeeth from Anas from the Prophetﷺ. See hadeeth no. 682.

678. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say, “O Allah, I seek refuge with You from poverty, need and abasement. I seek refuge with You from being unjust or wronged.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Qillah translated as ‘deprivation’ refers to the wretchedness due to lack of good deeds. Dhillah (Abasement) here refers to the humiliation that result from sinfulness, and the lowliness that is written on the face of the poor in front of the rich. We seek Allah’s refuge from all that His messengerﷺ has sought refuge; Amin.

679. Abu Umama said, “We were with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he made many supplications which we did not remember. We said, ‘You make supplications which we do not remember.’ He said, ‘I will inform you of something which will combine all of them for you: “O Allah, We ask You for what Your Prophet Muhammad asked You, and we seek refuge with You from what Your Prophet Muhammad sought refuge. O Allah, You are the One to whom one turns for help and You are the One who brings it about. There is no power nor strength except by Allah,” or words to that effect.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

680.’Amr ibn Shu’ayb reported that his grandfather said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the trial of the Dajjal and I seek refuge with You from the trial of the Fire.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)

681. Ibn ‘Abbas used to say, “O Allah, make me content with the provision You have given me and bless me in it and appoint good for me in every thing which I do not have.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

682. Anas said, “The most frequent supplication of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was, ‘O Allah, give us good in this world and good in the Next World and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

683. Anas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, most frequently said, “O Allah, O Overturner of hearts, make my heart firm in Your deen.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains the following lessons: 1. The Prophet’s humility towards His Lord the Mighty and Sublime. 2. No one should feel completely secured from trials including that the heart is turned away from the religion. In an authentic narration in Sunan Abee Daawood, Umm Salamah (radiya Allahu anha) enquired why the Prophetﷺ frequently said this supplication; and he said, “There is not any of the children of Adam except that his heart is between two of the Fingers of Allah. Whomever He likes, He makes steadfast and He strays whomever He likes.”

684.’Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to use this supplication: ‘O Allah, praise is Yours in quantity as great as the heavens and in quantity as great as the earth and in quantity as great as You wish from anything else. O Allah, purify me with ice, snow and cold water. O Allah, purify me from wrong actions and clean me as the white garment is cleansed of dirt.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

685.’Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said, “One of the supplications of the Messenger of Allah was, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the disappearance of Your blessing and from the loss of good health and Your sudden vengeance and all of Your anger.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The supplications of the Prophetﷺ were brief but full of meanings; they seek the good of this World and the Hereafter and seek refuge from the evils of both Worlds.

chapter 289. Supplication in heavy rain and ordinary rain

686. ‘A’isha said, “When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw a cloud rising from the horizon, he would leave what he was doing, even if it was the prayer, and face towards it. If Allah dispersed it, he praised Allah, and if it rained, he said, ‘O Allah, make it a useful fall!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: “If Allah dispersed it, he praised Allah” for it could be carrying Allah’s torment as was the case when ‘Ad was punished. Allah the Exalted said, “When they saw it as a dense cloud coming towards their valleys, they said, ‘This is a cloud bringing us rain!’ Nay, but it is that (torment) which you were asking to be hastened – a wind wherein is a painful torment…” (Q 46: 24). And when it rained, the Prophetﷺ prayed that it was beneficial and not destructive for the people of Nooh – peace and blessings be upon him – were destroyed with rains when: “We opened the gates of the heaven with water pouring forth.” (Q 54: 11). See hadeeth no. 717 and 718

chapter 290. Supplication for death

687. Isma’il ibn Qays said, “I came to Khabbab when he had been cauterised seven times. He said, ‘If it had not been that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had forbidden us to pray for death, I would have done so.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Muslims who passed away earlier did not have as much wealth as these later ones, yet the early ones carried out their religious duties and were steadfast. Not having much wealth did not cause them loss of the things of the hereafter. When the Muslims were granted triumph over the lands and tremendous wealth came under their control, those who received charity became very few or practically unavailable such that the only things to do with excess wealth were building and things like it. Yet, in their expenditure, the later ones gave preference to the more important things over the important and so on. Nevertheless, for their knowledge and god-consciousness, these Muslims amongst the companions and their students – may Allah be pleased with them – recognized that the one who has more wealth has more things to account for before Allah; and as such, they disliked the condition. The companions – y – would not in the least disobey the Prophetﷺ.

chapter 291. The supplications of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace

688. Abu Musa reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to make this supplication, “O Allah, forgive my errors, my ignorance and my excess in all my affairs, and what You know better than me of these things. O Allah, forgive all my errors, what I do intentionally or out of my ignorance or in jest and in all that I do. O Allah, forgive me my past and future wrong actions, what I conceal of them and what I divulge. You are the One who puts things ahead and the One who delays them. You have power over all things.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

689. Abu Musa al-Ash’ari used to use this supplication, “O Allah, forgive my errors, my ignorance and my extravagance in my affairs and what You know better than I do. O Allah, forgive me what I do both in jest and seriousness, my errors and what I do intentionally and all that I do.”
Commentary: It is a part of the above hadīth, with a different isnād.

690. Mu’adh ibn Jabal said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took my hand and then said, “Mu’adh!’ ‘At your service!’ I said. He said, ‘I love you.’ I replied, ‘And, by Allah, I love you.’ He asked, ‘Shall I teach you some words to say at the end of your prayer?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied. He said, ‘Say: “O Allah, help me to remember You and thank You and help me to the best manner of worshipping You.”‘”
Commentary: The hadeeth highlights: 1. The virtues of Mu’adh bin Jabal : the Prophetﷺ loves him and he loves him too. 2. It encourages telling a Muslim brother that we love him if we really do. 3. One could swear by Allah even when he is not asked to do so in order to stress a point he seeks to make. 4. Teachers should guide their students to things that benefit them in this world and the hereafter. 5. The excellence of this supplication. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah (الله رحمه (said, “I have considered which supplication is best and found that it is to ask Allah regarding what pleases Him. Then I saw it in al-Fatha: You Alone shall we worship; and from You Alone shall we seek for help.” See Tasheeh ad-Du’aa (pg. 35) by Shaykh Abu Zayd, Bakr bin .(رحمه الله)

691. Abu Ayyub al-Ansari said, “A man said in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ‘Praise belongs to Allah with blessed and abundant praise.; The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Who said that?’ The man was silent, thinking that it was a reprimand from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for something he disliked. He asked again, ‘Who was it? He said nothing incorrect.’ The man said, ‘I did, and I hope for good by it.’ He said, ‘By the One in whose hand my soul is, I saw thirteen angels racing one another to see which of them would take it to Allah Almighty.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: After the companion made the statement hoping for good therewith, the Prophetﷺ approved it, showing that it is correct. Therefore, the hadeeth does not contain evidence that the one who intends good from a particular action could innovate such and count it as from the religion. The Prophetﷺ had warned that, “Whoever does a deed to which we have not given approval, it shall be rejected.” (Muslim).

692. Anas said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wanted to enter the lavatory, he said, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from foulness and foul things.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

693.’A’isha said, “When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, left the lavatory, he said, ‘Your forgiveness!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

694. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to teach us this supplication as he taught us the suras of the Qur’an: ‘I seek refuge with You from the punishment of Hellfire, and I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave. I seek refuge with You from the trial of the Dajjal and the I seek refuge from the trials of life and death. I seek refuge with You from the trial of the grave.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

695. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “I spent the night at the house of my aunt. Maymuna. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, got up to answer a call of nature and then washed his hands and face and slept. Then he got up and took the water-skin and loosened its strap and then did a medium sort of wudu’ and no more but he did it adequately. Then he prayed. I stood up and went slowly, not wanting him to see that I was observing him. I did wudu’. Then he stood up to pray and I stood at his left. He took my hand and brought me around to his right. His complete night prayer consisted of twelve rak’ats. Then he lay down and went to sleep until he snored. When he slept, he would snore. Bilal gave the adhan for the morning prayer and he prayed without doing wudu’. One of his supplications was, ‘O Allah, put light in my heart and light in my hearing and light on my right and light on my left and a light above me and a light behind me and a light in front of me and a light behind him and make my light great.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth highlights: 1. Ibn Abbass’ crave for knowledge despite his young age at the time. 2. It is allowed to make some slight movements during the prayer without turning away from the Qiblah. 3. A supererogatory prayer may be observed in congregation without specifically inviting the people to it as averred by Imam Ahmad and corroborated by Imam Al-Albaanee and others (rahimahumullah). 4. One may lead another person in congregation. In such cases, the follower will stand to the right hand of the leader. 5. It is allowed to correct a praying-person while one is also praying without making any speech. 6. One may lie down after the latenight prayer before the Fajr prayer. 7. Basically, deep sleep negates ablution based on the authentic report from the Prophetﷺ that, “The eye is the drawstring of the anus. So whoever sleeps should perform ablution.” (Aboo Daawood and others). Thus, Hafidh Ibn Hajar (الله رحمه (explained, “It proves that sleep is not an impurity although it may lead to impurity. But for him, his eyes sleep while his heart does not.” 8. He supplicated for light upon his limbs; so, the light of the heart brings about love of Allah and His Messengerﷺ, good deeds, the righteous and dislike for evil and its people. The light of the hearing will aid only listening to things that are allowed, and so on.

696.’Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed the night prayer, and finished his prayer, glorifying Allah as he deserves, he said at the end of it, ‘O Allah, give me a light in my heart and give me a light in my hearing and give me a light in my sight. Give me a light on my right and a light on my left and give me a light in front of me and a light behind me and increase me in light. Increase me in light, and increase me in light.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

697.’Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas said “When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, rose to pray in the middle of the night, he would say, ‘O Allah, Yours is the praise. You are the light of the heavens and the earth and whoever is in them. Yours is the praise. You are the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whoever is in them. You are the Truth and Your promise is true and the meeting with You is true. The Garden is true and the Fire is true and the Hour is true. O Allah, I have surrendered to You and I have believed in You. I have trusted in You and I repent to You. I argue by You and I have come to You for judgement. Forgive me my past and future wrong actions, what I conceal and what I show. You are My God. There is no god but You.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

698. Ibn ‘Umar said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to make this supplication: ‘O Allah, I ask You for pardon and good health in this world and the Next. O Allah, I ask You for good health in my deen and my family. Veil my faults and assuage my terror. Guard me before me, behind me, on my right and my left and above me. I seek refuge with You from unexpected destruction from beneath me.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: This report with this numbering (i.e. 698) was not found in Saheeh or Da’eef al-Adab al-Mufrad. However, in the checking and editing of Shaykh Sameer bin Ameen az-Zuhayree and Dr. Muhammad Luqman asSalafee (hafizahumallah), it occurs as a report from Ibn ‘Abbass .( However, while Shaykh Sameer graded the chain weak, as cited above and referred to a similar but authentic report from Ibn Umar on no. 1200 – which is the correct thing -, Dr. Muhammad Luqman appended the reference and ruling given by Imam al-Albaanee for hadeeth 1200 to this hadeeth and repeated it on hadeeth 1200 despite the fact that the chains of narrations for both narrations (698 and 1200) are different! The wordings are also slightly different, and the references cited by Imam Al-Albaanee only have the chain for hadeeth no. 1200. See hadeeth no. 1200.

699. Rifa’a az-Zurqi said, “In the Battle of Uhud when the idolaters retreated, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Form straight ranks so that I can praise my Almighty Lord.’ They formed in ranks behind him. He said, ‘O Allah, all praise is due to You. O Allah, none can contract what You expand nor bring near what you put far away. None can put far away what You bring near. None can give what You withhold nor withhold what You give. O Allah, expand to us some of Your blessings, mercy and favour and give us provision! O Allah, I ask You for the abiding blessing which is neither changed nor removed. O Allah, I ask You for blessing on the Day of Utter Poverty and security on the Day of Fear. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the evil of what You give us. O Allah, make us love belief and adorn our hearts with it. Make us hate disbelief, deviance and rebellion. Place us among the rightly-guided. O Allah, make us die Muslims and make us live as Muslims and join us to the rightly, acting, who are neither disappointed nor afflicted. O Allah, fight the unbelievers who bar your path and who deny Your Messengers. Place You abasement and punishment over them. O Allah, fight the unbelievers who were given the Book, O Lord of Truth!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 292. Supplication in affliction

700. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made the following supplication during affliction: ‘There is no god but Allah, the Immense, the Forbearing. There is no god but Prophet, the Lord of the heavens and the earth and the Lord of the Immense Throne.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam An-Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “If it is said, ‘this is a formula of remembrance of Allah (rather than a supplication)’ its reply that: this formula of remembrance is used to commence the supplication after which he asks whatever he desires.”

701. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Abi Bakra reported that he said to his father, “I heard you making this supplication every morning: ‘O Allah, make me healthy in my body. O Allah, make me healthy in my hearing. O Allah, make me healthy in my sight. There is no god but You.’ and repeat it three times in the evening and three times in the morning. You say, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from disbelief and poverty. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave. There is no god but You,’ and you repeat it three times in the evening and three times in the morning.” He replied, :Yes, my son. I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say them and I like to follow his sunna.”
He reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The supplications of the person in distress are: ‘O Allah, I hope for our mercy! Do not leave me to myself for the blink of an eye. Put all of my affair in order. There is no god but You.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows how the companions love and stick to the Sunnah. 2. Parents and guardians should be pious in their actions and statements; for their children will follow them upon what they are – except as Allah wills! 3. The formula is from the brief and comprehensive supplications of the Prophetﷺ.

702. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made the following supplication during affliction: ‘There is no god but Allah, the Immense, the Forbearing. There is no god but Prophet, the Lord of the heavens and the earth and the Lord of the Immense Throne.’ O Allah, avert its evil.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam An-Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “If it is said, ‘this is a formula of remembrance of Allah (rather than a supplication)’ its reply that: this formula of remembrance is used to commence the supplication after which he asks whatever he desires.”

chapter 293. Supplication in the Istikhara

703. Jabir said, “The Prophet. may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to teach us the istikhara in matters just as if it was a sura of the Qur’an. He said, ‘When someone is concerned about something, he should pray two rak’ats and then say, ‘O Allah, I ask You for the good by Your knowledge and I ask You for strength by Your power and I ask You for some of Your immense abundant favour, You have the power and I do not. You know and I do not know. You are the Knower of the Unseen Worlds. O Allah, if You know that this affair is good for me in my deen, my livelihood and the end of my affair (or he said ‘in the beginning of my affair’) and its conclusion, then avert it from me and avert me from it. Decree for me the good wherever it is and then make me content.” Then he should state what he needs.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Istikhaarah prayer is not supplication to know the Unseen; it is rather a servant’s humble of himself before Allah the Exalted, praising Him and asking Him for guidance and success in this world and the hereafter about the matter and protection from failure in both worlds. Thus, Imam Zamlakaanee (الله رحمه (explained, “After one has performed the prayer he should go ahead afterwards with what he likes whether his mind is settled upon it or not for the good is in it even though his mind is not settled upon it. The hadeeth does not contain a condition of the mind been settled upon it (if it is good).” Fadlullaahi as-Samad (2/482). Similarly, it does not contain a condition that the correct thing will be seen in a vision or dream as is widely opined, albeit wrongly, by many. 2. Hafidh Ibn Hajar cited Ibn Abee Jamrah to have said, “A person does not basically need to make Istikhaarah on whether to perform a Waajib (Obligatory) or Mustahabb (Supererogatory) act. Likewise, Istikhaarah is not performed about abstinence from a Haraam (Prohibited) or Makrooh (Disliked) matter. Therefore, the prayer is restricted to things that are Mubah (Permissible) and Mustahabb (Supererogatory) when there is conflict, in order to determine which to start with or limit oneself to.”

704. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made supplication in this mosque, the Mosque of Victory, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and it was answered for him between the two prayers on Wednesday,” Jabir said, “Whenever anything severe and serious happened to me and I singled out that time and made supplication to Allah concerning it between the two prayers on Wednesday, I found the answer.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: That was on the occasion of the Battle of the Trench. The hadeeth encourages continuance and persistence in our supplications. See narrations under Chapter 284.

705. Anas said, “I was with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when a man made supplication, saying, ‘O Originator of the heavens! O Living, Self-Subsistent! I ask of You.’ He said, ‘Do you know by what he has made supplication? By the One in whose hand my soul is, he has asked Allah by the Name that He answers when He is asked by it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: “The scholars have differed regarding what exactly is the AlIsm Al-A’zam (Allah’s Greatest Name). About forty views (have been mentioned). Imam as-Suyootee has authored a separate book on the subject. Al-Hafidh (Ibn Hajar) said, ‘the most correct of them from the angle of its chain is: Allahu Laailaaha illa Huwa al-Ahad as-Samad al-Ladhee lam yalid walam yoolad walam yakun lahu kufwan ahad (Allah, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, the One the Self-Sufficient Master, Who begets not nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable to Him). Al-‘Allaamah Ash-Shawkaanee said, ‘In my opinion, the Greatest Name is Laa ilaaha illa Huwa al-Hayyu al-Qayyoom (There is no deity worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all).’ ” Shaykh al-Albaanee (الله رحمه ( averred that the Name mentioned in the above hadeeth is Allahu. See Sharh al-Adab al-Mufrad (2/382).

706. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr was heard to say, “Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ‘Teach me a supplication which I can use in my prayer.’ He said, ‘Say, “O Allah, I have wronged myself greatly. Only You forgive wrong actions. Forgive me with forgiveness directly from you. You are the Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 294. When one is in fear of the ruler

707. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud said, “When there is a ruler in charge of you whose arrogance or injustice is feared, you should say, ‘O Allah, Lord of the Seven Heavens and Lord of the Immense Throne, be my Protector against so-and-so, the son of so-and-so, and his followers among Your creatures so that none of them exceeds the bounds towards me or oppresses me. Your protection is mighty and Your praise is great. There is no god but You.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

708. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “When you go to an awesome ruler and fear that he will attack you, say, ‘Allah is greater. Allah is mightier than all His creation and Allah is greater than all that is feared and all that you are wary of. I seek refuge with Allah. There is no god but Him, the One who keeps the seven heavens from falling onto the earth by nothing except His permission, from the evil of your slave so- and-so and his armies and followers and supporters, both among jinn and men. O Allah, be my protector against their evil. Your praise is great and Your protection is immense, Blessed is Your Name. There is no god but You’ three times.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

709. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Whoever has a worry, sorrow or grief or fears a ruler, should use this supplication and he will be answered. It is: ‘I ask You by (the words) “There is no god but You, the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Immense Throne” and I ask You by (the words) “There is no god but You, the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Immense Throne” and I ask You by (the words) “There is no god but You, the Lord of the seven heavens and the seven earths and what is in them. You have power over all things.'” Then he should ask for what he needs.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 295. The reward and wage stored up for a person who makes supplication

710. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “No Muslim makes supplication unless he is someone who has cut off his relatives but that he is given one of three things: either his supplication is answered quickly, or it is stored up for him in the Next World, or an evil equal to it is averted from him.” It was said, “Then many supplications will be made.” He replied, “Allah has more still to give.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

711. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “No believer turns his face to Allah and asks Him for something but that He gives it to him, either by giving it to him sooner in this world or storing it up for him in the Next World, as long as he does not try to make it come quickly.” They asked, “Messenger of Allah, what does ‘making it come quickly’ mean?” He said, “He says, ‘I asked and asked and do not think that I will be answered.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It shows the superiority of some good deeds over others, and the virtue of being of good character. The one who combines between both is certainly better in the sight of Allah the Mighty and Exalted.

chapter 296. The excellence of supplication

712. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Nothing is dearer to Allah than supplication.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The significance of Dua and its status before Allah is pointed to in this hadeeth. It is itself worship and Allah the Exalted has created man and Jin for His worship. So, Dua is very dear to Him and He is angry with whomever does not supplicate to Him. See hadeeth no. 658.

713. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The noblest act of worship is supplication.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

714. An-Nu’man ibn Bashir reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Supplication is worship.’ Then he recited, ‘Call on Me and I will answer you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

715. ‘A’isha said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, ‘Which type of worship is best?’ He replied, ‘A man’s supplication for himself.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

716. Maqil bin Yasar (ra) said that he came to the Prophet (ﷺ) with Abu Bakr (ra). He said, “O Abu Bakr, polytheism enters your people more quietly (secretly) than the movement of ants.” Abu Bakr asked, “Is there a kind of polytheism besides associating anything with Allah?” The Prophet (ﷺ) said,” By him who has my life in his power, polytheism is more concealed than the movement of ants. Shall I not teach you something which if you say will eliminate minor or major (polytheism)?” He then said, “Say `O Allah! I seek refuge in you lest I associate anything with you while I know it, and I seek your forgiveness for what I do not know.’”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shirk, referred to here is show-off, fame-seeking and pride. They are so named because they involve the servant’s joining partners with Allah in worship which should be for Allah Alone. So he does them for the sake of Allah and to be seen by the people or just to gain popularity and acceptance! The hadeeth is evidence that despite a person’s knowledge and piety, he may still be affected by these subtle and destructive traits. The hadeeth also teaches the manner of preventing one’s deeds from the lethal ailment of Shirk.

chapter 297. Supplication when the breeze blows

717. Anas (ra) said that when a strong wind blew the Prophet (ﷺ) made this supplication: “O Allah, I ask you from the good with which it is sent and I seek your protection from the evil with which it is sent”.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: “If Allah dispersed it, he praised Allah” for it could be carrying Allah’s torment as was the case when ‘Ad was punished. Allah the Exalted said, “When they saw it as a dense cloud coming towards their valleys, they said, ‘This is a cloud bringing us rain!’ Nay, but it is that (torment) which you were asking to be hastened – a wind wherein is a painful torment…” (Q 46: 24). And when it rained, the Prophetﷺ prayed that it was beneficial and not destructive for the people of Nooh – peace and blessings be upon him – were destroyed with rains when: “We opened the gates of the heaven with water pouring forth.” (Q 54: 11). See hadeeth no. 717 and 718.

718. It is reported by Yazeed that when the wind was very strong Salamah (ra) made this supplication: ” O Allah cause this wind to bring rain and let it not be without benefit”.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 298. Do not curse the wind

719. Ubayy bin Kab (ra) said,” Do not denounce wind. When you behold in it something that you dislike make this supplication: (O Allah! We ask you the good of this wind and the good of what is therein and the good with which it is sent.)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The wind, when it blows, does so by the command of its Lord. So it does not deserve to be cursed. See hadeeth no. 720, below. Imam atTirmidhee has, in his Sunan, collected this supplication with an authentic 473 chain from the Prophetﷺ.

720. It is stated by sayidina Abu Hurayrah (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said “Wind is the mercy of Allah. It brings mercy or punishment. Do not denounce it but ask Allah, the exalted, for the good of it and seek the protection of Allah from its evil.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 299. Supplication during lightning

721. It is reported by Salim bin Abdullah on the authority of his father (Abdullah bin Umar (ra)) that when the prophet (ﷺ) heard a thunder-clap or a thunder-bolt, he would make this supplication: “O Allah, slay us not with your lightening and destroy us not with your punishment. But, preserve us before that.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 300. When one hears a thunder-clap

722. Ibn Abbas (ra) made this supplication when he heard a cloud burst: “Glory be to him whom you glorified.” He said that the thunderclap is an angel who yells at the rainclouds as a shepherd yells at his sheep/goats.
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: In a similar hadeeth, authentically collected by at-Tirmidhee in his Sunan and others the Prophetﷺ said, “The thunder is one of the angels put in-charge of the cloud. He has swords of fire with which he drives the cloud. The sound that is heard from it is his hurling of the clouds when he drives it until it stops wherever he orders.”

723. Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (ra) stopped speaking when he heard a thunder-clap and said: “Glory be to him whose praise the thunderclap sings and the angels glorify in awe of him”. He used to say, then, that the thunder-clap is a stern warning for the dwellers of earth.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 301. He who asks Allah for security

724. Awsat bin Ismail has narrated that he heard Abu Bakr (ra) say after the death of the Prophet (ﷺ) “This is the very place where the Prophet (ﷺ), had stood in the first year of Hijrah”. Saying that, he began to weep and added, “Hold on to truth because that is piety and both these things will carry a man to paradise. And, keep away from falsehood because it is a very grave sin and both of them will carry one to hell. And ask Allah for security because nothing greater than it is given to anyone apart from belief, and do not sever ties among yourselves. Do not turn your backs to one another nor be jealous of one another. And do not harbor mutual hatred. And, live as slaves of Allah, brothers of one another.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The companions were seriously disturbed by the death of the messenger of Allahﷺ. They would shed tears when they remember the best of companionship with the best man to step the earth’s surface – peace and blessings be upon him. Anas bin Malik said, “On the day the messenger of Allahﷺ arrived Madeenah, everything in it beamed light. But on the day that he died everywhere was gloomy. As we dusted off our hands from the (burial of the) Messenger of Allahﷺ we were sickened.” (At-Tirmidhee 476 Al-Adab Al-Mufrad and others). From his counsels they never forgot was seeking well-being. See hadeeth no. 637

725. Muaz (ra) said that the Prophet (ﷺ) passed by a man who was saying: “O Allah, I ask you for all of the blessing.” He asked the man whether he knew what all the blessing meant and he said that it meant admittance to paradise and safety from Hell. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) passed by another man who was saying: “O Allah! I ask you for patience”. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, “You have asked your lord for trial and difficulty over yourself. So, now ask him also for safety (aafiyah)”. The Prophet (ﷺ) then came across a third man who said: “O owner of majesty and splendor!”. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, “Make a request!” (because you have called Allah by this great attribute).
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 302. It is Makrooh to request involvement in trial

726. Abbas bin Abdul Mmuttalib (ra) said that he requested the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to teach him a supplication whereby he May request Allah for his needs. The Prophet (ﷺ) said,”0 Abbas, ask Allah for aafiyah (security). After some days, he again met the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked,” Teach me a supplication to beseech Allah for my want.” He said, “O Abbas! O uncle of the messenger of Allah! Ask Allah for aafiyah (security) in this world and the next.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh Abdul-Haadee bin Hasan Wahbee explained, “The messenger of Allahﷺ would place his uncle, al-‘Abbass, in the position of his father and render to him, the rights a child would give to the parent. Thus, his specifying this supplication and restricting him to just supplicating for well-being should agitate the zeal of devoted worshippers towards sticking to it, and that they should make it from the greatest of what they seek nearness to their Lord and protection from their anxieties with.” Al-Waseelat al-Kaafiyah fee Tahseel Al-‘Aafiyah (pg. 17-18). See hadeeth no. 737.

727. Anas (ra) said that a man made this supplication in the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ) “O Allah, you have not bestowed upon me wealth so I cannot give Sadaqah, hence involve me in anxiety so that I may earn reward against that. The prophet said,” Subhan Allah! You cannot endure difficulty. Why did you not make this supplication?: (O Allah, let us have the good of this world and the good of the hereafter and save us from the torment of the fire).
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It shows, as we have seen in many narrations previously, the companions’ strong desire for righteous deeds and good rewards. 2. In another version of the same hadeeth it said that the man had been so affected by illness that he had become like a chick. See the next hadeeth.

728. Anas said that the Prophet (ﷺ) visited a sick man who had withered from sickness to such an extent that he could be compared to a bridling whose feathers had been plucked out. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, “Make supplication for health.” So, he began to supplicate Allah, ” O Allah whatever punishment you intend to give me in the hereafter, give it to me here, in this life”. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Subhan Allah! You are not able to bear that. Why did you not make this supplication?: O Allah, grant us what is good in this world and what is good in the hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire.” Then the Prophet (ﷺ) made a supplication for him and Allah, the Mighty, the Gracious, gave him cure from sickness.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 303. He who requests refuge from severe trial

729. Abdullah bin Amir (ra) said that a man says: (O Allah, I seek refuge in you from the distress of trial and then stops. When he makes this supplication he should also say (except a trial that produces elevation of ranks)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:See narrations under Chapter 228

730. Abu Hurayrah (ra) has narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) sought refuge in Allah from the distress of trial, being overtaken by a tribulation, malicious rejoicing of enemies, and perversity of fate.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Sufyan mentioned here, is Ibn ‘Uyaynah al-Hilaalee (رحمه الله (one of the great scholars of hadeeth. 2. The one he added here of the four things he mentioned was, ‘the gloating of enemies’. This became obvious, from the reports of the same narration authentically reported from Sufyan (الله رحمه (and collected by Ibn Abee ‘Aasim in his book, As-Sunnah and Imam Ismaa’eelee in his Mustakhraj. Both reports did not include the fourth item. 3. However, seeking refuge from ‘the gloating of the enemies’ is authentically reported from the Prophetﷺ in another hadeeth reported by Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin al-‘Aas collected in Musnad Ahmad and others. As such, the addition that Sufyan bin ‘Uyaynah (الله رحمه (mentioned here was not basically his own idea – may Allah shower blessings on him. 4. It shows the intellectual opulence of the scholars of hadeeth and their strictness in reporting and accepting ahaadeeth.

chapter 304. Repeating others words when angry

731. Abu Naufal bin Abu Aqrab has narrated on the authority of his father that he asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about (voluntary) fasts. He said,”observe one fast every month.” He submitted, “May my father and mother be ransomed to you, permit me to keep more. “The Prophet (ﷺ) repeated (in anger) what he had said, “permit me to keep more, permit me to keep more.” He then added,” keep two fasts every month”. But, Abu Nawafal’s father again requested, “May my parents be ransomed to you, allow me to keep more because I find myself able (to observe more), I find myself able, I find myself able.” He then maintained silence and it seemed that he would not give permission any more until he said,” keep three fasts every month.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in this hadeeth in relation to the chapter heading is the Prophet’s repetition of the companion’s words as he gently reproved him.

chapter 305. Chapter

732. Jabir bin Abdullah (ra) said that they were with the Prophet (ﷺ) when a very stinking gush of wind blew over there. The Prophet (ﷺ) they asked his companions (ra) if they knew what that was. He added, “It is the (stinking) air of those people who backbite the believers.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: To say something unpleasant of one’s brother when he is not present is an unequivocally detestable thing in Islam. Here, it was made to be sensed so offensively, and perhaps, as unpleasant as the act itself! While strongly berating the action in the Qur’an Allah asked: “Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You will hate it!” (Q 49: 13). Backbiting is extremely an unpleasant thing! See narration no. 736.

733. Jabir (ra) said that (once) a bad smelling wind blew in the times of the prophet Ig. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,” The hypocrites are backbiting the Muslims. That is why this wind blows”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

734. It is reported by Qasim bin Abdur Rahman as-Shami that he heard Ibn Unm Abd say, “If a believer is backbitten before someone and he helps the believer (by refuting backbiting) then Allah will reward him well in this world and the next. And, if a believer is backbitten before someone and he does not help him (by not refuting the backbiting) then Allah will give him a bad return for that in this world and the next. Further, if anyone does not take a morsel more than backbiting in his mouth and says that which he knows about him then he has backbitten him but if he says what he does not know about him then he has slandered him.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In a related authentic hadeeth collected by Imam Ahmad and others, the Prophetﷺ said, “Whoever defends the honour of his brother in this world; Allah will remove his face from the Fire on the Day of Rising.” See Chapter 150.

chapter 306. Backbiting And Allah’s words “And backbite not one another”

735. It is reported by Jabir bin Abdullah (ra) that they had accompanied the messenger of Allah when they came to two graves. Both the inmate of the graves were being punished. He said,” They are being punished not for committing a grave sin. But, yes! (They are grave sins though on the face of it they are ordinary and it is easy to avoid them but their punishment is severe.) One of them was given to backbite other people while the other was not. Careful to clean himself of urine drops (over his body)”. He then asked for one or two branches of fresh date palm and split them and dug them on each grave. He said afterwards,” Soon their punishment will be softened as long as the branches are green.” Or he said, “Until they dry up.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apart from the Qur’an, the Prophetﷺ received revelation from Allah, and was shown some of the matters of the Unseen. Allah the Exalted says: “(He Alone is) All-Knower of the unseen, and he reveals to none, his Unseen. Except to a messenger whom He has chosen…” (Q 72: 26- 27). 2. Abstinence from backbiting and turning to Allah in repentance from backbiting are some of the ways of seeking protection from the punishment of the graves. We seek Allah’s refuge from the punishment of the grave. 3. The narration expresses the kind-heartedness of the Prophetﷺ

736. It is reported by Qays that Amr bin al-Aas (ra) was going somewhere with his friends. They saw a dead mule whose belly had swollen up. Amr (ra)said,” By Allah, it is better for one to eat to his full from this (dead mule) than to eat the flesh of a Muslim” (He meant to say that to backbite anyone is worse than eating the meat of a dead animal).
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 307. Backbiting the Dead

737. It is reported by Abu Hurayrah (ra) that Maiz bin Maalik al-Aslami (ra) came to the Prophet (ﷺ) repeatedly (so that he may be given the prescribed punishment for the sin he had committed). When he came the fourth time, the Prophet (ﷺ) gave orders for Rajam and he was stoned to death. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and a few of his companions afterwards passed by him. One of the companions remarked,” How many times this perished man came to the Prophet, and each time he turned him away until he was stoned like a dog.” The Prophet (ﷺ) did not say anything and walked ahead till they came to the corpse of a donkey with its legs in the air. He said,”Eat some of this (corpse).” They asked “Messenger of Allah, from this dead donkey?” He said to them.” That you have just backbited your brother is more serious than eating some of it (the donkey’s corpse). By him in whose hand the soul of Muhammad is, he (Mariz bin Maalik) is now among the rivers of paradise plunging into it”.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 308. He who strokes the head of a boy with his father and invokes blessings on him

738. Ubadah bin Walid said that he came out with his father Ubadah bin al-Samit and he was a young man at that time. They met an elderly Shaikh who had a mantle over him and Maafi garments. His slave too had a mantle and Maafai. The narrator (Ubadah bin Walid) said,” My uncle! In this way, you would have had a pair of good quality garments and he would have had one striped mantle”. The man turned to Ubadah bin al-Samit and asked,” Is he your son?” He said,” yes” Ubadah bin Walid said that the Shaikh stroked his head and said,” May Allah bless you! I bear testimony that I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say that we must feed the slaves the same thing that we eat and clothe them that which we wear. O son of my brother! It is more dear to me that I lose the possessions of this world than I lose anything of the hereafter”. Ubadah bin Walid asked his father who the Shaikh was and he said.” He is Abu al-Yasr Kab bin Amr”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains a great deal of benefits; including: the companions’ love for knowledge, and the humility of the father to learn along with his child. The companions (RA)gave serious consideration to the words of the Messengerﷺ; and so, they memorized it, acted upon it and feared the evil consequences of contradicting his orders. One should kindly treat his dependants and servants; providing them from he eats and wears.

32. Guests and Spending

chapter 309. Intimate relations of Muslims with one another

739. Muhammad bin Ziyad said that he found that the predecessors (that is, the companions and their successors) lived together with their families. When a guest of one of them arrived and he found the cooking pot of another on the stove, he would take it serve his guest from it. When the owner of the cooking pot found it missing, he would enquire and the man who had taken it would tell him that he took it for his guest. There upon the owner would exclaim.” May Allah bless it for you,” or he would make a similar exclamation. And Muhammad said, when bread was baked (the one with the guest would take all of it). Their homes were separated by walls made of canes”. A narration of the Hadith, Baqiyyah, said,” I too found (my teacher) Muhammad bin Ziyad and his colleagues observe this practice.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This level of mutual trust and love among the early Muslims, the like of which humanity had not seen, can only be attained when people, despite having only little, seek the greater and longer-lasting rewards of the hereafter with the things of worldly pleasure. After describing these early Muslims, Allah said: “And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful.” (Q 59:9)

chapter 310. Serving the guest oneself

740. Abu Hurayrah (ra) said that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He sent message to his homes that they should send him if they had anything (to entertain his guest). They all sent back a reply that they had nothing but water. The messenger of Allah ^ asked (his companions),” Who will entertain this guest?” One of the Ansar volunteered to serve the guest. This companion took him and said to his wife,” Honour the guest of the Messenger of Allah.” She responded that they only had the food of their children and nothing more. He said to her,” Prepare to serve and set the lantern and send the children to sleep”. When they decided to have their meal, she laid the food on the cloth and set the lantern after putting her children to sleep.

She then stood pretending to set right the lantern but, in the process, she extinguished it. Both husband and wife sat down leaving an impression on their guest that they were partaking the meal with him. Both of them passed the night in hunger. In the morning, that companion went to the Prophet (ﷺ) who said to him,” Allah is pleased with your deed and revealed to me this verse: ” … but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul – it is those who will be the successful.” (al-Hashr,59:9)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “It contains the excellence of preferring others and an exhortation towards it. The scholars are agreed concerning the virtuousness of giving preference to others with relation to food and things like that, from the worldly matters and things that the heart desires. As for matters of nearness to Allah; the best is not giving preference to others in them because the rights involved in them are of Allah the Exalted.” See also, hadeeth no. 102

chapter 311. Sumptuous meal for the guest

741. Abu Shurayh at Adawi (ra) said that his ears heard eyes observed that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was saying,” he who believes in Allah and the last day should honour his neighbor. He who believes in Allah and the Last Day should take great care of the Jaizah his guest.” (Jaizah is a provision for a guest that is superior to one’s everyday meal.) The narrator asked,” what is his Jaizah, O messenger of Allah?” The Prophet (ﷺ) said,” his Jaizah, extends over one day and one night while (general) hospitality extends over three days. And beyond that t(that is after three days) is counted as Sadaqah (meaning, whatever the host spends after three days on his guest will be under the head of Sadaqah because hospitality ends at three days). And he who believes in Allah and the last day should speak a good word or keep silent.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration shows some difference between Jaaizah: what we give the guest on his arrival, of warm reception including food, drink and other things he may need to settle down from the difficulties of journeying, and Diyaafah: general hospitality shown a guest. While the first is for a day and night, the later lasts for only three days after which the rights of the guests ceases such that whatever the host offers is only supererogatory charity. The author, Imam al-Bukhaaree (الله رحمه ,(due to the difference between Jaaizah and Diyaafah has mentioned them in separate chapters..

chapter 312. Hospitality is for three days

742. Abu Hurayrah (ra) has reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,”Hospitality extends over three days and what is beyond that (more than three days) is Sadaqah.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 313. Should not stay so long that the host gets tired

743. Abu Shurayh al-Kabi al-Adawi (ra) has reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “He who believes in Allah and the last day should speak a good, decent conversation otherwise remain silent. And he who believes in Allah and the last day should honour his guest whose Jaizah (a provision for the guest better than one’s own meals) is the length of a day and a night. And hospitality extends for three days and whatever is beyond that (more than three days) is Sadaqah. it is not proper for a guest to tax his host by overstaying (so that he is tired of him). Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The stage that follows the periods of Jaaizah, Diyaafah and Sadaqah is when the guest becomes a burden to his host! This is prohibited. It is evidence for the weak faith in whoever does that. However, this does not include when the host himself requests the stay or when it is most preponderant to the guest that he is not of any sort of burden to the host. Yet, it is from strong faith to avoid whatever may lead to a sin.

chapter 314. If the guest stays on till morning

744. Al-Miqdam Abu karimah al-Shamee (ra) has reported the prophet j|| as saying,” If a guest arrives then it is Wajib on every Muslim to serve him the night’s meal. And, if a guest stays at his house until morning then the morning meal is a debt on him which the guest may receive or forsake.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:That is; if the guest likes he should demand for his right of Diyaafah from the host, and if he likes too, he may leave it. The hadeeth is from the clearest evidences for the obligation of Diyaafah for the guest over the host. In another authentic version in Sunan Ibn Maajah, it says, “Entertaining the guest for the first night is an obligation…”

chapter 315. If he receives no hospitality

745. Uqbah bin Aamir (ra) said that he said to the Prophet (ﷺ),” O Messenger of Allah, what do you say about a situation when you send us to a people who do not give us hospitality.” He said,” If you go to a people and they present you what a guest needs then accept it. But if they do not serve you then take from them the right of a guest that they ought to have given”.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In the wording collected by Imam at-Tirmidhee (الله رحمه (in his Sunan with an authentic chain, it says, “…if they refuse, such that you have to take it forcibly, then do take it.” That the guest is allowed to take his need for the first night from his guest despite the fact that the property of the Muslim is inviolable emphasizes the fact that it is obligatory upon the host to entertain the guest for the first night.

chapter 316. A man serving his guest himself

746. Abu Usayd as-Sa’idi invited the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to his wedding. His wife, who was the bride, served them that day. She said, “Do you know what I served the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace? I served him some dates which had been infused in a pot overnight.”
746. Abu Usayd as-Sa’idi invited the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to his wedding. His wife, who was the bride, served them that day. She said, “Do you know what I served the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace? I served him some dates which had been infused in a pot overnight.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Considering the hadeeth in relation to the chapter heading, Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (said, “This is what is contained in the book basically but it does not conform with the hadeeth because the one who served in it was the (man’s) wife as is clear. So, the correct thing is the title he gave it ‘the Book of Marriage’ in the Saheeh (i.e. Saheeh al-Bukhaaree): Chapter on The Wife’s Serving the Men During the Wedding Feast Herself.” This is more so since the author already gave a title about the man serving the guest in Chapter 310, he may not have repeated the title again here. Allah knows best. That the wife serves the guest during the marriage ceremony is, however, based on the conditions that she is appropriately dressed according to the Sharee’ah and no temptation is feared therefrom.

chapter 317. Someone who brings his guest food and then stands up to pray

747. Nu’aym ibn Qa’nab said, “I went to Abu Dharr and did not find him at home. I asked his wife, ‘Where is Abu Dharr?’ ‘Fetching some things for the house. He will be back presently.’ I sat down to wait for him and he came with two camels. One of them was lined up behind the other and each of the camels had a waterskin on its neck. Abu Dharr took them off. Then he came and I said, ‘Abu Dharr! There was no man who I desired to meet more than you and there was none that I hated to meet more than you!’ He said, ‘Your father belongs to Allah! How can these two be joined together?’ I replied, ‘In the Jahiliyya, a buried a daughter alive and I feared that I would meet you and you would say, “There is no way for you to repent. There is no way out.” On the other hand, I used to hope that you would say, ‘There is a way for you to repent. There is a way out.”‘ “Abu Dharr asked, ‘Was it during the time of the Jahiliyya that you did it?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied. He said, ‘Allah has pardoned what was already done.’ Then he told his wife, ‘Bring us some food.’ She refused. Then he ordered again and she refused. This continued until their voices were raised in argument. Abu Dharr said, ‘All right then! They (women) do not consider what the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said!’ ‘What did the Messenger of Allah say about women?’ I asked. He replied, ‘Woman is a crooked rib. If you try to straighten her out, you will break her. If you coax her gently, there will be love and a sufficient means (of obtaining what you want).’ She went and brought a stew, behaving like a dove. “Abu Dharr said, ‘Eat. Don’t let me alarm you. I am fasting.’ Then he got up to pray. He began to perform rak’ats in quick succession. Then he turned and ate. I exclaimed, ‘We belong to Allah! I never thought that you would lie to me!’ He replied, ‘Your father belongs to Allah! I have never lied since the moment I met you!’ I said, ‘Did you not tell me that you were fasting?’ ‘Yes, he replied, ‘I have fasted three days of this month and so the reward for an entire month has been written for me and it is therefore lawful for me to eat.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: It highlights: 1. The companion’s concern for the upkeep of their household. See narration no. 234 and Chapter 247. 2. Allah’s mercy over His creatures. He has made turning to Him in repentance a means of cleansing a person’s past sins, no matter how grievous or enormous they may be. 3. Spouses should be patient with each other and show kindness when they correct themselves. The husband, however, requires more patience in dealing with his wives so that he does not ‘break her’. 4. Good deeds are rewarded in manifolds. 5. The point of reference here is Abu Dharr’s getting up to pray after serving the guest.

chapter 318. A man spending on his family

748. Thawban reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The best dinar a man spends is the dinar which he spends on his family, the dinar which he spends on his companions in the Way of Allah, and the dinar which he spends on his riding animal in the Way of Allah.” One of the transmitters, Abu Qilaba, said, He began with the family, Who has a greater reward that the man who spends on small children until such time that Allah Almighty makes them able to support themselves.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Good deeds are of categories as mentioned earlier. As regards charity, from the best of expenses is what one spends on his household. Then, spending on the little children in one’s household until they become autonomous is, certainly, very rewarding and full of blessings. The Prophetﷺ had said, “It is sufficient sin for a man that he abandons his dependents.” (Muslim and others)

749. Abu Mas’ud al-Badri reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When someone spends something on his family and reckons its reward to be with Allah, then it is sadaqa for him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It evinces the excellence of spending on one’s family and the need to do so for the sake of Allah, Alone, seeking to be rewarded by Him. Thus, if a man does such a virtuous deed but for the sake of other than Allah, seeking fame or show-off thereby, he loses the reward for the deed. See hadeeth no. 716.

750. Jabir said, “A man said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I have a dinar.’ He said, ‘Spend it on yourself.’ The man said, ‘I have another.’ He said, ‘Spend it on your servant (or he said, ‘on your child’).’ The man said, ‘I have another.’ He said, ‘Use it in the Way of Allah, but that is the least form of sadaqa.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

751. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There are four dinars: a dinar which you give to a poor person, a dinar you give to free a slave, a dinar you spend in the Way of Allah, and a dinar which you spend on your family. The best of them is the dinar which you spend on your family.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 319. There is a reward for everything, even the morsel given to a wife

752. Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas transmitted that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, “You do not spend anything by which you desire the face of Allah Almighty but that you art rewarded for it, even what you place in your wife’s mouth.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 320. Supplication in the last third of the night

753. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, descends to the lowest heaven every night when a third of the night remains. He says, ‘Who is calling on Me so that I can answer him? Who is asking Me for something so that I can give to him? “Who is asking Me for forgiveness so that I can forgive him?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (explained that, “This wording of this hadeeth is an authentic Mutawaatir report (i.e. collected by large number of people in every generation) as is affirmed by the great scholars of hadeeth such as Ibn Abdil-Barr in at-Tamheed (7/128) who then said, ‘It contains evidence that Allah the Mighty and Sublime is above the heavens on the ‘Arsh above the seven heavens as the community (of the scholars of the Ummah) have said. It is from their proofs against the Mu’tazilites and the Jahmites in their opinion that: Allah the Mighty and Sublime is everywhere!’” The Imam – may Allah shower blessings on him – continued that the like of the position of the Jahmites and Mu’tazilites is that of the one that says, “Allah is neither within the universe nor outside of it”! From the points of benefit in the hadeeth is the virtue of waking up for prayer and supplication during the last third part of the night although it is the time that many of the people ‘enjoy’ sleep heedlessly and more so, during the winter.

33. Speech

chapter 321. Someone’s words, “So-and-so with the curly black hair” or someone “tall” or “short” when he intends to describe him and does not mean to slander him

754. Abu Ruhm, one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who had offered his allegiance to the Prophet under the Tree [i.e. at Hudaybiyya] was heard to say, “I went on the expedition to Tabuk with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. While we were travelling at night at al-Akhdar, I was near to the Prophet. A deep sleepiness overcame us, but I began to wake up when my camel wandered near to the Prophet’s camel. I was worried that when it came close, it would his foot in the stirrup. I began to pull my camel back, but at a certain point in the night I feel asleep. Then my camel jostled against the camel of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while his foot was in stirrup, hitting his foot. I did not wake up until he exclaimed, ‘Ow!’ I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, ask for forgiveness for me!’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Never mind.’ “Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, began to ask about those of the Banu Ghifar who had stayed behind. He asked, ‘What happened to the people with thin red beards?’ I replied that they had stayed behind. He asked,, ‘What did the people with the short black curly hair with camels in Shabakatu Shadakh do?’ Then I remembered that they were among the Banu Ghifar, but I did not remember them until I remembered that they were a party from Aslam. So I replied, ‘Messenger of Allah, they are from Aslam.’ He said, ‘What kept one of these men who failed to come letting one of his camels by ridden by an man eager in the Way of Allah? The most painful thing for me is that Muhajirun from Quraysh, the Ansar, Ghifar and Aslam should stay behind.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: Shabakah sharakh is the name of a place in Hijāz.

755. ‘A’isha said, “A man asked for permission to come in to see the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Prophet remarked, ‘He is a bad brother of his tribe.’ When the man came in, the Prophet was cheerful towards him. I asked the Prophet about that and he said, ‘Allah does not love anyone who is obscene and coarse.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam an-Nawawee – may Allah be pleased with him – explained, “The man’s name was ‘Uyaynah bin Husayn. He had not actually embraced Islam at the time even when he pretended to have accepted Islam. Thus, the Prophetﷺ wanted to expose his true condition so that those who know not his condition are not deceived by what he showed…” See: Tuhfat al-Ahwadhee. However, the Prophetﷺ was cheerful with him to encourage him to truly accept Islam. The statement was intended to describe him and not slander.

756. ‘A’isha said, “Sawda, who was a heavy, sluggish woman, asked for permission to come in (to see the Prophet) on the night of Jam’ (Muzdalifa) and he gave her permission.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 322. Someone who does not see any harm in a historical story

757. Ibn Mas’ud said, “When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, divided the booty of Hunayn at Ji’rana, the people crowded up against him. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Allah sent on of His slaves to a people and they rejected him and wounded him in the head. He wiped the blood from his brow, saying, “O Allah, forgive my people for they do not know.”‘” ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud added, “I can almost visualise the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, telling about the man wiping his brow.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The point in the hadeeth in relation to the chapter heading is the Prophet’s narration to the companions –may Allah be pleased with them all. However, when we tell narrations we should be sure that they are true and beneficial to our listeners.

chapter 323. Someone who shields a Muslim

758. Abu’l-Haytham said, “Some people came to ‘Uqba ibn ‘Amir and said, ‘We have some neighbours who drink (wine) and behave incorrectly. Shall we bring them before the ruler?’ ‘No,’ he replied, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Whoever sees the fault of a Muslim and then veils it, it is as if he brought girl buried alive back to life from her grave.””
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 324. Someone saying, “People are destroyed.”

759. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When you hear a man saying, ‘People are destroyed,’ then he has destroyed them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration has been reported in two versions: Ahlakuhum as mentioned above, meaning, ‘he is the most wicked of them’, and Ahlakahum; that is, ‘he presents them as if they are ruined when they are not really ruined’. The dispraise for the statement is regarding the one who utters such statements by way of scorning and pluming over the people. As for the one who says that by way of describing the actual condition of the people out of grief over their general weakness in their religion, then it is permissible

chapter 325. Do not call a hypocrite “master (sayyid)”

760. ‘Abdullah ibn Burayda reported from his father that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not call a hypocrite ‘master’. He is not your master and you will have angered your Lord, the Mighty and Exalted.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: See hadeeth no. 210. Allah is angered when evil and its people are accorded the respect and honour due to the pious! To do that is itself falsehood and hypocrisy.

chapter 326. What someone says when he is praised

761. ‘Adi ibn Arta’ said, “When one of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was praised, he said in supplication to Allah), ‘Do not take me to task for what they say and forgive me for what they do not know.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It is authentically collected that one of the pious predecessors, when he is praised would say the above with the increment, “wa-j’alnee khayran minmaa yazunnoon (And make me better than they think).” (Shu’ab al-Eemaan by Al-Bayhaqee). Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah) explained, “It shows their humility, not being vain-glorious, recalling their sins and fearing been taken to task about what is said of them. They would hasten to supplication, seeking nearness to Allah in their prayers through asking for forgiveness and not been taken to task. They also have hope in Allah to make them better than they are considered.” See hadeeth no. 333.

762. Abu Qilaba reported that ‘Abdullah said to Abu Mas’ud or Abu Mas’ud said to ‘Abdullah, “What did you hear the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say about ‘(false) assertion?” He said, “It is a bad mount for a man.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It means that the Prophetﷺ condemned a man for giving information about something that he was not sure about, relating it to others on the basis of allegations and hearsay. One should first check information before relating it to others. In an authentic hadeeth, the Prophetﷺ said, “It is sufficient lie for a man that he tells just whatever he hears.” (Muslim)

763. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “Abu Mas’ud, what did you hear the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say about ‘People who make false claims?” He replied, “I heard him say, ‘A bad mount for a man’ and I heard him say, ‘Cursing a believer is like killing him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: So, the one who hears another telling things based on mere hearsays should not use that as basis to curse a believer. He would have, thereby, depended on something baseless to commit a sin worse than the sin of the one who was telling him lies: the sin of killing a Muslim!

chapter 327. One should not say about something he does not know, “Allah knows it”

764. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “None of you should say about a thing which he does not know, ‘Allah knows it’ when Allah may know that it is other than what he said and thus he (tries to) teach Allah what he does not know. That is something terrible in Allah’s sight.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As for the companions’ response to the questions of the Prophetﷺ in many circumstances, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best’, they would say this to affirm belief in Allah’s Knowledge and declare their not knowing at the same time. In the later times, some of the people disliked answering that they don’t know when asked what they really don’t know and resorted to different forms of vague or even deceptive means of giving responses. Such a person may even say a thing doubtfully and ascribe his doubt, which may be the wrong thing, to Allah’s knowledge! This is odious! The pious predecessors, on the other hand, would say and teach their students to say, ‘I don’t know’ when they don’t know, and doubt is also part of absence of knowledge. However, “if he intends by his saying, ‘Allah knows it’, that Allah’s knowledge encompasses that thing in its actual form in that circumstance, then he has said the truth.” See Fadlullaah is-Samad (2/583)

chapter 328. The rainbow

765. Ibn Abbas said, “The Milky Way is one of the gates of the heavens. The rainbow is security from being destroyed by flood after the people of Nuh, peace be upon him.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 329. The Milky Way

766. Ibn al-Kawwa’ asked ‘Ali about the Milky Way. He said, “It is the water-trough (or loop of the bag) from which the heaven opens up flowing water.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

767. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The rainbow is security for the people of the earth that they will not be drowned. The Milky Way is the door of the heavens and forms a furrow through it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 330. Someone who dislikes for it to be said, “O Allah, place me in the Abiding Abode of Your mercy”

768. Abu’l-Harith al-Kirmani heard a man say to Abu Raja’, “I greet you and I ask Allah to join both of us together in the Abiding Abode of His mercy.” Abu Raja’ said, “Is anyone capable of that?” He continued, “What is the Abiding Abode of His mercy?” “The Garden,” the man replied. “That is not correct,” he said. The man asked, “Then what is the Abiding Abode of His mercy?” “The Lord of the Worlds,” he replied.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Abu Raja, Milhan bin ‘Imran al-‘Utareedee accepted Islam during the lifetime of the Prophetﷺ even though he did not meet him. He was a noble scholar, well-grounded in the science of reading the Qur’an and blessed with long life. Concerning his response to the man, Imam al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (explained, “This narration from him points to his nobility and knowledge and his sagacity. For it is not possible that the Garden is ‘the abiding abode of His Mercy’ since it (i.e. His Mercy) is one of His Attributes while the Garden is one of Allah’s creatures although the believers’ dwelling in it (i.e. the Garden) is out of His Mercy…”

chapter 331. Do not curse time

769. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “None of you should say, ‘May time (ad-Dahr) be disappointed. Allah is time (ad-Dahr).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah causes day and night, he sends them and could withdraw them when and how He Wills: He has power over all things. So when a person is afflicted with anything, he should not curse the time, thinking that it brought him the affliction. Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (الله رحمه (warned, “The person who curses time is basically between one of two things: he is either cursing Allah or joining partners with Him. If he believes that the time does a thing along with Allah he is a polytheist, and if he believes that Allah alone did that and he is cursing whoever did it, then he has cursed Allah.” See Mawsoo’at al-Manaahee ash-Shar’iyyah (1/76). The one who is afflicted should rather patiently turn to Allah in supplication and properly consider his own actions and act rightly.

770. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “None of you should say, ‘May time be disappointed!’ Allah Almighty said, ‘I am time (ad-Dahr). I send the night and the day. If I so wished, I could take them away.’ None of you should the grape-vine ‘karm” (instead of ‘inab). Karm* is the Muslim man.” [* Karm suggests honour.]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Arabs used the word “Karm” (generosity) for grape-vines because they thought that a man is more generous when he is drunk. Islam prohibited the use of that term, lest Shaytān tempts someone to the vice itself. The Muslim’s heart is the fountain of piety, light, guidance and as such, he is ennobled to be given the ascription, Karm.

chapter 332. A man should not look sharply at his brother when he turns away

771. Mujahid said, “It is disliked for a man to stare at his brother or let his eye follow him when he turns his back or to ask, ‘Where have you come from? Where are you going?'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 333. Someone saying to someone else, “Bother you”

772. Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw a man driving a sacrificial camel. “Ride it,” he told him. The man replied, “It is a sacrificial camel.” “Ride it,” he repeated. The man said again, “It is a sacrificial camel.” “Ride it,” he repeated. The man said, “It is a sacrificial camel.” The Prophet said, “Ride it, and bother you!”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ out of concern for the man told him to ride the animal. But the man retorted that it was for sacrifice, thinking that the Prophetﷺ did not know that it was for sacrifice, and which in his thought should not be ridden. But the Prophetﷺ knew that it was for sacrifice because it was marked for sacrifice and so, he repeatedly encouraged him to ride it, and so, he chided him by way of discipline.

773. Al-Miswar ibn Rifa’a al-Quruzi said, “I heard a man ask Ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Should I do wudu’ after I have eaten bread and meat?’ He replied, ‘Woe to you! Would you do wudu‘ on account of good things?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps the companion (radiya Allahu anhuma) intended that it is not obligatory to make ablution after eating meat, intending by that, the kinds of meat which when taken do not require ablution. Otherwise, it is obligatory to perform ablution when one eats camel meat – as in the hadeeth of Baraa bin ‘Aazib in Sunan Ibn Maajah -, and recommended if one eats whatever is cooked over fire (and meat is cooked before been taken) – as in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah collected by Muslim and others. Wayhak or Waylak as in other wordings of the hadeeth translated as “Woe to You!” is an expression of caution to a person who is groundlessly getting into an error

774. Jabir said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was at al-Ji’rana on the Day of the Battle of Hunayn with the spoils in the custody of Bilal. The Prophet was dividing them out. A man came up to him and said, ‘Be just! You are not being just!’ The Prophet said, ‘Bother you! Who will be just if I am not just?’ ‘Umar said, ‘Messenger of Allah, let me strike off the head of the hypocrite!’ The Prophet said, ‘This man is with his followers who recite the Qur’an and it does not go beyond their throats. They pass through the deen as an arrow passes through the target (i.e. nothing of it remains on the arrow).'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In another report collected by Imam al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, it says, the man said to the Prophetﷺ,“This division was not done for the sake of Allah!” And the Prophetﷺ replied that, “Woe to you! Am I not the most deserving of the people of the earth to be fearfully conscious of Allah?!” (Muslim). “Who then will obey Allah if I disobey Him? Should I be entrusted with the people of the earth and you will not trust me?!” (Muslim). It is also reported that in the Prophet’s response to Umar’s request to chop off the man’s head, heﷺ said, “I seek refuge with Allah! Let not the people say that I kill my companions.” (Muslim). Similarly, Khaalid bin Waleed asked for permission to decapitate the man but the Prophetﷺ said to him, “No, perhaps he prays” to which Khaalid replied, “Many pray but say what is not in their hearts!” The Prophetﷺ then remarked, “I have not been ordered to quest for the hearts of people nor lay bare their stomach!” (Muslim). 2. Their reading of the Qur’an will not go beyond their throats because apart from the reading, they would neither ponder about its message nor follow its injunctions. So their reading does not leave any effect on their religion; their entering into Islam is just like their leaving it: It never got to their hearts! 3. It is also reported that the man’s name is Dhu Khuwaysirah at-Tameemee who later became one of the heads of the misguided Khawaarij sect that declared the companions of Allah’s Messenger including Alee, Ibn Abbass and others as disbelievers! He was reported to have been killed during the battle of Nahrawaan when he fought against Alee and the rest of the companions and their students (radiya Allahu anhum). 4. The point of reference in this hadeeth in relation to the chapter heading is the Prophet’s statement, ‘Waylak’.

775. Bashir ibn Ma’bad as-Sadusi (whose name was Zahim ibn Ma’bad) made hijra (emigration) to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Prophet asked him, “What is your name?” “Zahim,” he replied. The Prophet said, ‘No, you are Bashir.” Bashir said, “While I was walking with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he passed the graves of some idolaters. He said, ‘These people have missed much good’ three times. Then he passed by the graves of the Muslims and observed, ‘These people have obtained much good.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, suddenly looked up and saw a man wearing sandals walking among the graves. He said, ‘You with the ox-hide sandals, take off your sandals!’ When he saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he removed his sandals and threw them away.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains evidence for, amongst others, that: 1. The Muslim should not be buried with the non-Muslims in the grave. The graveyards of the Muslims and the non-Muslims should be different! 2. It is obligatory to remove one’s shoes in a graveyard.

chapter 334. Building

776. Muhammad ibn Hilal reported that he saw the rooms of the wives of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The rooms were made of palm trunks covered with hair. The transmitter (Muhammad ibn Abi Fudayk) said, “I asked him about ‘A’isha’s room and he said, ‘Its door faced Syria.’ I asked, ‘Was it one or two spans?’ ‘Its door was one span,’ he replied. I asked, ‘And what was it made of?’ He said, ‘From cypress or teak wood.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

777. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The Final Hour will not come until houses’ adornments resemble painted garments.” Ibrahim (the transmitter) said, “He meant striped garments.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee said, “it could also mean competing with each other in beautifying and decorating (houses) or something more encompassing. Many of such have been seen and it is even on the increase.” This was in his time, about 600 years ago. Today, the increase is significant and rapid. Some of the people even seek loans from Riba-based institutions and acquire wealth from other prohibited sources for this purpose! Allah alone grants success

chapter 335. A man saying, No, by your father”

778. Abu Hurayra said, “A man came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, which sadaqa has the best reward?’ He said, ‘By your father, you will learn of it. It is that you give sadaqa while you are healthy and avaricious, fearful of poverty and desirous of wealth. You should not delay it until you are at the point of death and then say, “This much is for so-and-so. This much is for so-and-so. This much is for so-and-so.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The phrase, ‘Wa Abeek!’ (by your father) is the point of reference in the hadeeth. However, the same phrase is the part of the hadeeth that is inauthentic. See Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth id-Da’eefah (4992). Yet, it is reported in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophetﷺ said to a man who had asked him about the pillars of Islam and promised to stick to them that, “he will be successful, by his father, and he will enter the garden, by his father, if he is true to his words.” Thus, it is used as evidence that it is permissible to swear by one’s father. However, this deduction is contradicted by the authentic and widely reported sayings of the Prophetﷺ that prohibit swearing by other than Allah the Exalted. This apparent conflict is resolved on the fact that swearing by a person’s father as was the custom of the people before Islam, was initially allowed and later, it became prohibited. The evidence for the abrogation of the allowance is contained in the authentic hadeeth of Ibn Umar (radiya Allahu anhuma) who reported that, “The Messenger of Allahﷺ said, ‘Whoever wants to swear should only swear by Allah’. But the people of Quraysh used to swear by their fathers. So heﷺ said, ‘Do not swear by your fathers!’” (Ahmad). This is also the conclusion of Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (in Fath al-Baaree (1/444 [Darussallam]) and Shaykh Saleem bin ‘Eid al-Hilaalee (hafizahullah) in Mawsoo’at alManaahee ash-Shar’iyyah (1/64).

chapter 336. When a person seeks something, he should ask for something small and not praise the person

779. ‘Abdullah said, “When one of you seeks something he needs, he should ask for something small. He will have what is decreed for him. None of you should go to his companion and then praise him and thus break his back.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It emphasizes the basic fact that whether a person is decent and simple while asking or resorts to unnecessary flattery of his brother, he cannot get more than what is decreed for him. See narrations on Chapter 153.

780. Abu ‘Izza Yassar ibn ‘Abdullah al-Hudhali reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When Allah wants a slave to die in a particular country, he makes him have some reason for being there.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps, the narration in relation to the chapter heading seeks to also emphasize preordainment: that enduring the pains of journey to meet a need does not really mean that the need will be fulfilled.

chapter 337. Someone’s words, “May the one who hates you not have good!”

781. Abu ‘Abdu’l-‘Aziz said, “Abu Hurayra spent the night with us and looked at a star before him. Then he said, ‘By the One who holds Abu Hurayra in his hand, some people wish that they would be appointed commanders in the earth while their actions are as if they were handing from that star. They are not appointed to those positions of command not to those positions.’ Then he turned to me and said, ‘May the one who hates you not have good! Is all of this allowed by the people of the east in the east?’ ‘Yes, by Allah,’ I replied. He said, ‘May Allah make them ugly and drive them like angry camels as if their faces were beaten shields until they give the owner of a field his field and the owner of sheep his sheep!'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 338. Someone should not say, “Allah and so-and-so”

782. Mughith claimed that Ibn ‘Umar once asked him about his mawla and Mughith replied, “By Allah and so-and-so.” Ibn ‘Umar responded, “Do not speak like that. Do not put anyone with Allah. Say “so- and-so: after you have said, “Allah.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 339. Someone saying, “What Allah wills and you will”

783. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “A man said, to the Prophet, ‘Whatever Allah wills and you will.’ He said, ‘You have put an equal with Allah. It is what Allah alone wills.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: After citing narrations with similar meanings, Imam AlAlbaanee (الله رحمه (explained, “These hadeeths contain that a man’s statement to another, ‘whatever Allah wills and you will’, is counted as from Shirk (joining associates with Allah) in the Sharee’ah. It is from the Shirk in expressions because it gives an impression that the will of the slave is of the same level with the Will of the Lord – Glorious is He, the Exalted – due to the connection that is made between the two.” See Sharh Saheeh al-Adab alMufrad (2/477)

chapter 340. Singing and Play

784.’Abdullah ibn Dinar said, “I went out with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar to the market. He passed by a small slave-girl who singing and remarked, ‘Shaytan. If he had left anyone, he would have left this girl.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Shaytan does not leave anyone; he declared enmity against Adam (alayhis-salam) and his progeny and so, he keeps trying to mislead them in every form possible. We seek Allah’s protection from the evils of the accursed Shaytan. The narration evinces that getting busy with singing, and worst still, music, is from the deceptions of the Shaytan.

785.Anas ibn Malik heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “I have nothing to do with diversions and diversions have nothing to do with me.” He meant that he does not do anything worthless.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

786. Ibn ‘Abbas said about “There are some people who trade in distracting tales” (31:5) that it means singing and things like it.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The verse prohibits engaging oneself with any worthless thing including music and singing. When Abdullah bin Mas’ud was asked the meaning of the verse, he said, “It is singing, by the One beside Whom none is worthy of worship!” He reapeated it thrice. (Tafseer at-Tabaree).

787. Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Spread the greeting to people and you will be safe. The saw is evil.” Abu Mu’awiya said that the “saw” means amusement.
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The mention of idle talk as evil is the point of reference in the hadeeth here. The pious predecessors consider singing and music as mojor examples of idle talk.

788. Fadala ibn ‘Ubayd was at a meeting when he heard that some people were playing backgammon. He got up in anger to forbid it in the strongest possible terms. Then he said, “The one who plays in order to live on his winnings is like a person who eats pig meat and does wudu‘ in blood.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 341. Guidance and good behaviour

789. Ibn Mas’ud was heard to say, “You are living at a time when there are many men of understanding and few orators. There are few who ask and many who give. In it there is more action than diversion. After you there will come a time when there are few men of understanding and many orators. There will be many who ask and few who give. Guidance in it directs action. Know that right guidance at the end of time is better than some actions.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Oratory does not essentially mean knowledge. The narration dispraises speaking without knowledge, begging, stingyness and following the desires, and exhorts towards being of good thoughts and character.

790. Abu’t-Tufayl said, “I was asked, ‘Did you see the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘and I do not know of any man left alive on the face of the earth except myself who saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ He went on, ‘The Prophet had white skin and a handsome face.'”
In another transmission, al-Jurayri said, “I and Abu’t-Tufayl (‘Amir ibn Wathila l-Kinani) were doing tawaf of the House when Abu’t-Tufayl said, ‘There is no one remaining who saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, except me.’ I asked, ‘Did you actually see him?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied. I asked, ‘What was he like?’ He said, ‘He was white-skinned, handsome, and of medium stature.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

791. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Right guidance, correct behaviour and being moderate form a twenty-fifth portion of prophethood.” In another variant, “Right guidance, correct behaviour and moderation form a seventieth part of prophethood.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The hadeeth does not mean that prophethood can be acquired or that the person with good thoughts and character has aspects of prophethood. It rather demonstrates the importance of being of good thoughts and refined in behaviour. Allah the Exalted selected the prophets and ended prophethood with His Messenger, Muhammadﷺ. In another version, it says: “…make up a seventieth portion of prophethood.”

chapter 342. When news comes to you from someone you do not furnish with travel provisions

792. It is related that ‘Ikrima said, “I asked ‘A’isha, ‘Did you ever hear the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, quoting poetry?’ She replied, ‘Sometimes when he entered a house, he would say, “News will come to you from someone you do not furnish with travel provisions.”*'” [*. A line of poetry written by Abu Khirash.]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Sometimes he – peace and blessings be upon him – would imitate poetry of one line or even lesser which did not include sinful words nor agitate towards or praise sins or sinful people. As eloquent as the Prophetﷺ was, he did not use to compose poems even though some of the people took aspects of his expressions, albeit wrongly, for lines of poetry.

793. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “This is something that a Prophet said, ‘News will come to you from someone you do not furnish with travel provisions’ (meaning that he had quoted it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, it used to be cited by a prophet, meaning, the Messenger of Allahﷺ

chapter 343. Wishing which is disliked

794. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you wishes for something, he should look to what he desires. He does not know what he will be given.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 344. Do not call the grape “kurm“

795. ‘Alqama ibn Wa’il reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “None of you should say ‘kurm.’ Rather use ‘habala‘ for grape-vines.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah causes day and night, he sends them and could withdraw them when and how He Wills: He has power over all things. So when a person is afflicted with anything, he should not curse the time, thinking that it brought him the affliction. Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (الله رحمه (warned, “The person who curses time is basically between one of two things: he is either cursing Allah or joining partners with Him. If he believes that the time does a thing along with Allah he is a polytheist, and if he believes that Allah alone did that and he is cursing whoever did it, then he has cursed Allah.” See Mawsoo’at al-Manaahee ash-Shar’iyyah (1/76). The one who is afflicted should rather patiently turn to Allah in supplication and properly consider his own actions and act rightly.

chapter 345. Someone saying, “Bother you”

796. See 772.
Commentary:Similar to No. 772, from Abū Hurayra, with a different isnād.

chapter 346. Someone saying, “O person!”

797. Hamna bint Jahsh said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘What is it, O person?'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

798. Habib ibn Sabhan al-Asadi said, “I saw ‘Ammar praying the obligatory prayer. Then he said to a man at his side, ‘O person!’ Then he got up.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

799. Ash-Sharid said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, rode with me behind him and said, “Do you know any of the poetry of Umayya ibn Abi’s-Salt?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied and recited a line. ‘Go on,’ he said, until I had recited a hundred lines.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: One could benefit from other peoples in the matters that conform to Islam – not contradicting it – including poetry, history, science and technology. In another version, no. 869, the Prophetﷺ said, “He (that poet) almost became a Muslim.”

chapter 347. Someone saying, “I am lazy”

800. ‘A’isha said, “Do not forget to stand up at night to pray. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not neglect to do it. If he was either ill or lazy, he prayed sitting down.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth is evidence for the permissibility of observing supererogatory prayers while sitting when one is inactive even though one is able to stand up. Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (had cited a consensus of the scholars on that. As regards the chapter heading, the hadeeth evinces that if one could speak of another person as being inactive, that he could say that about himself is with a greater reason.

chapter 348. Someone who seeks refuge from laziness

801. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to often say, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry, sorrow, incapacity, laziness, cowardice, avarice, being overburdened by debt and being overcome by other men.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: When the slave raises up his hand in supplication out of humility, seeking his needs from the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, full of hope in Him to grant his requests, he finds that his supplications are granted, for Allah is Merciful, He Hears and Responds.

chapter 349. Someone’s words, “May my self be your ransom!”

802. Anas ibn Malik said, “Abu Talha used to kneel before the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and sprinkle water on his quiver and say: ‘May my face be a protection for your face And my self be a ransom for your self.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

803. Abu Dharr said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went towards al-Baqi’ and I began to follow him. He turned and saw me and said, ‘Abu Dharr!’ I said, ‘At your service, Messenger of Allah. May I be your ransom.’ He said, ‘Those who are rich will be poor on the Day of Rising except those who say, “Such-and-such and such-and-such is for a right (which was performed).”‘ I said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘That is how it is’ three times.
Then we came to Uhud. He said, ‘Abu Dharr!’ I replied, ‘At your service, Messenger of Allah. May I be your ransom.’ He said, ‘It would not delight me if Uhud were to become gold for the family of Muhammad and then have them spend a night with a dinar or he said a mithqal.’ Then we were at a wadi and he went ahead, so I thought that he felt a call of nature, and so I sat down at the edge of the wadi. He was gone a long time and I feared for him. Then I heard him and it seemed as if he were talking to a man. Then he came out to me my himself. I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, who was the man you were talking to?’ ‘Did you hear him?’ he asked. I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘That was Jibril. He came to me and gave me the good news that whoever of my community dies without associating anything with Allah will enter the Garden.’ I said, ‘Even if he commits adultery or steals?’ He said, ‘Yes.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth emphasizes the importance of Tawheed and Eemaan and warns against Shirk, joining partners with Allah. The Prophet’s question to Jibreel, “Even if he commits adultery and steals?” points to the gravity of stealing and adultery. The keynote from the hadeeth vis-a-vis the chapter heading is the companion’s response to the Prophetﷺ, “Ana Fidauka, May I be your ransom.” In another version of the same hadeeth, it says, “Ja’alaniya Allahu fidaa-aka, May Allah make me your ransom.” Based on this hadeeth and others in its meaning, Imam at-Tabaraanee (رحمه الله (said, “These narrations point to the permissibility of making that statement.”

chapter 350. A man saying, “May my father and mother be my ransom”

804. ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad said, “I heard ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, say, ‘I did not see the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying, (“May my father and mother be) your ransom” after Sa’d. I heard him say to him, “May my father and mother be your ransom.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Sa’d bin Abee Waqqas , and the permissibility of saying: “May my father and mother be ransomed for you” even if they have both passed away. As regards the Prophetﷺ having made this statement to Sa’d bin Abee Waqqas alone, another report is authentically collected by Imam al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh from Alee bin Abee Talib with the same meaning. However, Abdullah bin az-Zubayr (radiya Allahu anhuma) reported that the Prophetﷺ made the same statement to Zubayr bin al-‘Awwaam during the battle of the Trench as collected also by Imam al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh. Hafidh Ibn Hajar (الله رحمه (explained that, “Perhaps Alee did not know that, or he only intended a restriction (for Sa’d) to the day of Uhud – Allah knows best.”

805. ‘Abdullah ibn Burayda related that his father said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out to the mosque while Abu Musa was reciting and asked, ‘Who is this?’ ‘I am Burayda,’ I replied, ‘May I be your ransom!’ He said, ‘This man has been given one of the flutes of the family of Da’ud.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Here, the Prophetﷺ likened the beauty and splendour of the companion to the sound from instruments. The expression cited here seeks the person as the ransom and not his father and mother as in others in this chapter. Perhaps that shows that if it is allowed to say that regarding oneslf, then it is allowed regarding one’s parents. Allah knows Best.

chapter 351. A man saying, “My son” to someone whose father did not become Muslim

806. As-Sa’b ibn Hakim reported that his grandfather said, “I came to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. He began to say, ‘Nephew.’ Then he questioned me and I told him my lineage and so he knew that my father had not become Muslim. He began to say, ‘My son, my son.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

807. Anas said, “I used to serve the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” He continued, “I used to enter without asking for permission to enter. One day I came and he said, ‘My son, there is a new situation. You should not come in unless you have permission.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This was on the occasion of the revelation of the order for veiling. The expression, my son, demonstrates the Prophet’s kindheartedness towards the young while he implemented the order of his Lord the Most High.

808. Ibn Abi Sa’sa’sa reported from his father that Abu Sa’id al-Khudri called him “my son”.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

352. Someone should not say, “khabuthat nafsi” * (an expression meaning “I am overcome with nausea”)

809. ‘A’isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “None of you should say, ‘khabuthat nafsi‘. He should say, ‘Laqisat nafsi.'” [* Khabutha has a connotation of foulness.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Both expressions have the same meaning but the first one has other meanings as well, e.g. ‘I have become wicked’. As for Laqisat nafsī it only means ‘I have been overcome by nausea because of a full stomach’. This is why the Prophetﷺ recommended the second expression which has no unpleasant connotations.

810. Same with another isnad.
Commentary:As No. 809, from Sahl b. Hunayf with a different isnād

34. Names

chapter 353. The kunya Abu’l-Hakam

811. Hani’ ibn Yazid related that when he came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with his people, the Prophet heard them using the kunya Abu’l-Hakam. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, called him and said, “Allah is the Judge (al-Hakam) and He has judgement. Why have you been given the kunya Abu’l-Hakam?” He said, “When my people disagree about something, they bring it to me and I judge between them so that both parties are content.” “How excellent this!” the Prophet exclaimed. Then he asked, “Do you have any children?” Hani’ replied, “I have Shurayh, ‘Abdullah and Muslim, the Banu Hani’.’ He asked, “Which of them is the oldest?” “Shurayh,” he replied. He said, “You are Abu Shurayh,” and he made supplication for him and his children.
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then heard them call a man among them ‘Abdu’l-Hajar [slave of the Stone]. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked, “What is your name?” “‘Abdu’l-Hajar,” he replied. “No,” he said, your name is ‘Abdullah.”
Shurayh said, “When Hani was ready to return to his land, he came to the Prophet, ‘Abdullah and said, “Tell me something that will make the Garden certain for me.” He said, “You must speak good and give food.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The following could be deduced from the hadeeth: 1. In Arabia a person is usually called by his kunya as a sign of respect. The practice was affirmed in Islam afterwards such that the Prophetﷺ even gave kunyas to children. 2. It is encouraged, or even obligatory to change names and kunyas that back sin and sinful people. 3. It is allowed to take one’s kunya from the name of one’s oldest child. 4. The narration is a masterpiece for lessons on speech, dialogue, persuasion, leadership and influence.

chapter 354. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, liked good names

812. ‘Abdullah Hudud related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Who will drive these camels of ours?” or “Who will deliver these camels of ours?” A man said, “I will.” He asked, “What is your name?” “So-and-so,” he said. He said, “Sit down.” Then another stood up and the Prophet asked, “What is your name?” The man said, “So-and-so.” He said, “Sit down.” Then another man stood up and the Prophet said, “What is your name?” “Najiyya (Rescuer),” he said. “The Prophet said, “You will do it. Drive them.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 355. Swiftness in walking

813. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came forward swiftly while we were sitting, He approached in such a manner that we wee alarmed by the speed with which he came towards us. When he reached us, he greeted us and said, ‘I came swiftly to you to tell you about the Night of Power. I forgot it in the time it took me to get to you, so look for it in the last ten nights (of Ramadan).'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: However, that he “…forgot which night…” to the end of the hadeeth is authentic from other narrations regarding the Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power).

chapter 356. The names which Allah Almighty loves the most

814. Abu Wahb, a Companion, reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Name yourselves with the names of the Prophets. The names which Allah Almighty loves most are ‘Abdullah and ‘Abdu’r-Rahman. The most truthful names are Harith and Humam. The ugliest names are Harb and Murra.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah the Mighty and Exalted created man and jinn for His worship; so He loves everything that shows the servant’s praise and worship of Him. 2. At all times, people sow what they will reap either in this world or in the hereafter, as the word al-Haarith depicts. Likewise, they all have the zeal for various achievements as the name, Hammaam shows. So they are both truthful names. 3. Harb (war) and Murrah (bitter) are names intrinsically displeasing! 4. Although it is permissible from other authentic narrations to name our children by the names of the Prophets (see narrations in Chapter 371); the first phrase here, “Name yourselves with the names of the Prophets”, is weak and should therefore not be ascribed to the Prophetﷺ like an authentic statement from him.

815. Jabir said, “A man had a child and named him al-Qasim. We said, ‘We will not give you the kunya Abu’l-Qasim nor will we so honour you. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was told and said, ‘Call your son ‘Abdu’r-Rahman.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The scholars have viewed differently about the permissibility of taking a Kunya after that of the Prophetﷺ. One of the views is that taking the Kunya, Abu al-Qasim, is only prohibited for the one whose name is Muhammad based on the weak hadeeth that the Prophetﷺ said, “Whoever takes after my name should not take my Kunya…” However, this position is clearly weak due to the weakness of the hadeeth upon which it is based. Others hold that it was only prohibited during the lifetime of the Prophetﷺ in order to avoid mix-up based on the hadeeth of Anas bin Malik (hadeeth no. 837); and that it became allowed after his death. The third opinion – and which is the correct position, Allah willing – is that it is generally prohibited to take the Kunya, Abu al-Qasim, whether during the lifetime of the Prophetﷺ or after him or whether the person is also named Muhammad or not. This is because the Prophetﷺ stated the reason for the prohibition: “I am Abu’l-Qāsim. Allah gives and I distribute” (hadeeth no. 844), and this is a status that is not conferred on anyone during his lifetime nor after him. Thus, no one should also bear the kunya. Also, if it were allowed in his time and after himﷺ, it would not have been necessary for Alee to ask for permission to give his son the kunya, Abu al-Qasim. And Alee’s statement, “…and it became allowed for me…” as collected authentically by Imam At-Tirmidhee in his Sunan will be meaningless. As such, Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (الله رحمه (concluded that, “The correct thing is that to name after his name is allowed but to take his kunya is prohibited and the prohibition is worse during his lifetime, and to combine them (i.e. his name and kunya) is also prohibited.”

chapter 357. Changing one name to another

816. Sahl said, “Al-Mundhir ibn Abi Usayd was brought to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he was born and the Prophet placed him on his thigh while Abu Usayd was seated near him. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was busy with something in front of him, so Abu Usayd told someone to take his son from the Prophet’s leg. When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, became aware of it, he asked, ‘Where is the child?’ Abu Usayd replied, ‘We sent him home.’ The Prophet asked, ‘What is his name?’ He replied, ‘Such-and- such.’ The Prophet said, ‘No, rather his name is al-Mundhir.’ So we called him al-Mundhir from that day.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This is one of the ahaadeeth that proves that a person should change his name if the name is one that is prohibited or disliked in the Sharee’ah. It also proves that the name could be changed by the one in authority such as the judge or the like over his subordinate. See hadeeth no. 820 to 826.

chapter 358. The name which Allah Almighty hates the most

817. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The name which hates the most is that a man be called the King of Kings.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prohibition indicated here includes all names that have the same meaning; such as Shaahaan Shah (Shah is the title of Persian kings in the past) and the like

chapter 359. Someone who calls another person using the diminutive of his name

818. Talq ibn Habib said, “I was the most vehement person in denying intercession. I questioned Jabir and he said, ‘Tulayq, I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “They will come out of the Fire after entering it,” and we recite (the same Book) you recite.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 360. Calling someone by the name he loves the most

819. Hanzala ibn Hidhaym said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to like to call a man by the name that he liked best and by his favourite kunya.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 361. Changing the name ‘Asiya (meaning “rebellious”)

820. Ibn ‘Umar said that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, changed a woman’s name from ‘Asiya (rebellious), saying, “You are Jamila (beautiful).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

821. Muhammad ibn ‘Ata’ related that he visited Zaynab bint Salama and she asked him about the name of one of his sisters. He reports: “I said, ‘Her name is Barra.’ She said, ‘Change her name. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, married Zaynab bint Jahsh. Her name was Barra and he changed it to Zaynab. I visited Umm Salama when she married him and my name was Barra. He heard her call me Barra and said, ‘Do not adorn yourselves. Allah is the One who knows those who are pious (barra) among you and those who are deviant. Call her Zaynab.’ Umm Salama said, ‘She is Zaynab.’ I said to Zaynab, ‘Give her a name.’ Zaynab said, ‘Change it to what the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, changed it.'” So he called her Zaynab.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 362. Surm (meaning “separation”)

822. Ibn ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Sa’id al-Makhzumi, whose name was as-Surm, reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, named him Sa’id (happy). He related that he had seen ‘Uthman reclining in the mosque.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

823. ‘Ali said, “When al-Husayn was born, I named him Harb (war). The Prophet came and said, ‘Show me your son. What have you named him?’ ‘Harb,’ we replied. He said, “He is Hasan.’ When al- Husayn was born, I named him Harb. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came and said, ‘Show me your son. What have you named him?’ ‘Harb,’ we replied. He said, “He is Husayn.’ When we had a third son, I named him Harb. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came and said, ‘Show me your son. What have you named him?’ ‘Harb,’ we replied. He said, “He is Muhassin.” Then he said, ‘I have named them according to the names of the sons of Harun: Shabr, Shubayr, and Mushabbir.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 363. Ghurab (meaning “crow”)

824. It is reported that al-Harith ibn Abza said, “I was present at Hunayn with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he asked me, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Ghurab,’ I replied. He said, ‘No, your name is Muslim.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 364. Shihab (meaning “flame”)

825. ‘A’isha said, “A man called Shihab (flame) was mentioned in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Rather you are Hisham.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

chapter 365. Al-‘As (meaning “rebel”)

826. Muti’ said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say on the day of the Conquest of Makka, ‘No Qurayshi will be killed in custody from today until the Day of Rising.'” None of the rebels of Quraysh except Muti’ became Muslim. His name had been al-‘As and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, renamed him Muti’ (obedient).
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (explained. “The scholars say that it (i.e. this hadeeth) is information that the people of Quraysh will all accept Islam and no one will apostasize among them as others did after himﷺ from those who were fought, captured and slain. It does not mean that they will never be captured and slain unlawfully for what happened to the people of Quraysh (of unlawful capture and slay), thereafter is well-known. Allah knows Best.”

chapter 366. Someone who calls his companion and shortens or leaves out part of his name

827. ‘A’isha said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “‘A’ish! Jibril sends you greetings.” She said, “And peace be upon him and the mercy of Allah.” She remarked, “He sees what I do not see.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains points of benefit including: 1. The virtue of ‘A’aisha (radiya Allahu anha); greetings of Salam were extended to her by angel Jibreel (u). 2. The correct word to employ to convey a persons greeting of Salam to the other is: ‘Fulan, yaqrau ‘alayka as-salam’ (So-and- so extends the greetings of Salam to you). 3. The person to whom the greeting of Salam is conveyed returns the greeting using the secong person singular: wa alayhi as-Salam. 4. The permissibility of calling a person in a shortened form of his name.

828. Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Thumama, related that she went out to answer a call of nature,. Her brother, al-Makhariq ibn Thumama, said, “Go to ‘A’isha and ask her about ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan. People have said a lot about him. She said, “I went to her and said, ‘One of your brothers sends you greetings and asks you about ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan.’ ‘A’isha said, ‘Peace be upon and the mercy of Allah.’ ‘A’isha then went on, ‘I testify that I saw ‘Uthman in this house one hot night when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had received revelation through Jibril. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, struck the palm or held the hand of Ibn ‘Affan, saying, ‘Write, ‘Uthma! Allah has placed in this house with His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, only a man who is honoured with Him. If anyone curses Ibn ‘Affan, the curse of Allah is on him.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 367. Zahm (meaning “crowd”)

829. Bashir ibn Nuhayk said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came and said, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Zahm,’ I said. He said, ‘You are Bashir (bringer of good news).’ While I was walking and keeping pace with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he said, ‘Ibn al- Khasasiyya! Are you resentful towards Allah? Do you keep pace with the Messenger of Allah?’ I said, ‘May my mother and father be your ransom, I do not hold any resentment against Allah. I have every blessing.’ The Prophet came to the graves of the idolaters and said, ‘These people have missed a lot of good. Then he came to the graves of the Muslims and said, ‘These people have obtained much good.’ There was a man wearing ox-hide sandals walking between the graves. The Prophet said, ‘You with the ox-hide sandals! Remove your sandals!’ So he removed his sandals.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Al-Khasāsiyya was the grandmother of Bashīr. The point in this hadeeth vis-à-vis the chapter heading is that the Prophetﷺ changed his name from Zahm to Basheer. See hadeeth no. 775.

830. Part of previous hadith.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 368. Barra (meaning “pious”)

831. Ibn ‘Abbas said that Juwayriyya’s name had been Barra and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had renamed her Juwayriyya.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

832. Abu Hurayra said, “Maymuna’s name was Barra and then the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, renamed her Maymuna.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 369. Aflah (meaning “most successful”)

833. Jabir reported: “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘If I will, I will prohibit my community, if Allah so wills, from any of them taking the name Baraka (blessing), Nafi’ (Helper) or Aflah (Most Successful),’ and I do not know if he said, Rafi’ (one who elevates) or not. Someone asks, ‘Is Baraka (blessing) here?’ and is told, ‘He (or it) is not here.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died because he could forbid that (using those names).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

834. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wanted to forbid people calling themselves Ya’la (to rise), Baraka (blessing), Nafi’ (Helper), Yasar (good fortune), Aflah (most successful) and names like that. Then he was silent about that matter and did not say anything.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Samurah bin Jundub reported in the hadeeth collected by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh that the Prophetﷺ said, “Do not name your servant Yasar (wealth), nor Rabah (profit), nor Najeeh (saved), nor Aflah (most fortunate)…” Thus, while Jabir knew and reported the Prophet’s wish to forbid the names, Samurah was aware of the Prophet’s prohibition of the names, and so, he reported it. 2. Some of the scholars including Imam atTabaree, an-Nawawee and Al-Albaanee (rahimahumullah) have, based on other narrations, such as the hadeeth of Rabaah below, mentioned that the names are actually only discouraged and not absolutely prohibited. 3. Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (الله رحمه (went on that, “It (i.e. the dislike) includes names in the meaning of these, such as Mubaarak (blessed), Muflih (successful), Khayr (good), Suroor (joy), Ni’mah (favour) and others like that. (This is) because the reasons for the Prophet’s discouragement of those four are also contained in them. It could be said, ‘Is Khayr (good) with you?’ ‘Is Suroor (joy) with you?’ ‘Is Ni’mah (favour) with you?’ and he says, ‘No’ and the heart becomes disturbed as a result…” 4. Some of the pious predecessors – may Allah shower blessings on them – might have borne any of these names being unaware of the narrations that show discouragement for it. Allah knows Best,

chapter 370. Rabah (meaning “profit”)

835. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, withdrew from his wives, I was with Rabah, the slave of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I called, ‘Rabah, ask permission for me to come in to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: These are from the narrations that show that the prohibition mentioned in the hadeeth of Samurah bin Jundab only imply discouragement. Allah Knows Best

chapter 371. The Names of the Prophets

836. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Name yourselves with the names of the Prophets, but do not use my kunya.” I am Abu’l-Qasim.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

837. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was in the market when a man said, ‘Abu’l-Qasim!’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, turned towards him. He said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I was calling this man.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Call yourselves with my name but do no use my kunya.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Basically, the orders of the Messengerﷺ have a ruling of obligation. However, the command to name ourselves with his name, Muhammad here, implies that it is allowed to call ourselves by that name; otherwise, it will be obligatory for every Muslim to be called Muhammad which is known to be incorrect by consensus. The fact that he – peace and blessings be upon him – named children with other than Muhammad is also evidence here that the other implies allowance and encouragement. 2. The Prophet, Muhammadﷺ, is the leader of Allah’s prophets and messengers. Therefore, if it is allowed to call ourselves with his name, then the permissibility of naming ourselves after the name of other prophets – peace and blessings be upon them all – is with a greater reason. 3. As for the prohibition of taking his kunya, it is generally prohibited. See comment on hadeeth no. 815.

838. Yusuf ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Sallam said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, named me Yusuf and let me sit in his room and stroked my head.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

839. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said, “One of our men among the Ansar had a son and wanted to call him Muhammad. The Ansari said, ‘I put him on my shoulder and took him to the Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. [Another variant has: “He had a son and they wanted to name him Muhammad.”] The Prophet said, ‘Name yourselves with my name but do not use my kunya. I have been made the distributor (Qasim) to divide things between you.'” Husayn said that he added, “I was sent as a distributor to divide between you.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

840. Abu Musa said, “I had a son and I brought him to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he named him Ibrahim. He chewed up a date and gave it to him and made supplication for him to be blessed and then gave him back to me.” He was Abu Musa’s oldest son.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 372. Hazn (meaning “rough”)

841. Sa’id ibn al-Musayyab reported that his grandfather went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He asked, “What is your name?” “Hazn (rough),” he replied. The Prophet said, “You are Sahl (easy).” He said, “I will not change a name which my father gave me.” Ibn al-Musayyab said, “Roughness (hazuna) remained among us afterwards.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The scholars of genealogy have mentioned that the descendants of Hazn were known for coarseness in their character. The narration evinces the fact that people are influenced by the name they call themselves. We seek Allah’s protection from crude character.

35. Kunyas

chapter 373. The Prophet’s name and kunya, may Allah bless him and grant him peace

842. Jabir said, “One of our men had a son and named him al-Qasim. The Ansar said, “We will not give you the kunya of Abu’l-Qasim to make you happy.’ He went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and told him what the Ansar had said. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘The Ansar did well. Call yourselves with my name but do not use my kunya. I am Qasim (the divider).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth contains the major reason for the prohibition of the use of the kunya, Abu al-Qasim. Since no one can be given that status, then no one is allowed to take the kunya whether during the lifetime of the Prophetﷺ or after him. See comment on hadeeth no. 815.

843. Ibn al-Hanafiyya was heard to say, “There was an allowance made for ‘Ali. He asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, if I have a son after you can I name him with your name and use your kunya?’ Yes,’ he replied.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

844. Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade for someone to have both his name and his kunya. He said, ‘I am Abu’l-Qasim. Allah gives and I distribute.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The scholars have viewed differently about the permissibility of taking a Kunya after that of the Prophetﷺ. One of the views is that taking the Kunya, Abu al-Qasim, is only prohibited for the one whose name is Muhammad based on the weak hadeeth that the Prophetﷺ said, “Whoever takes after my name should not take my Kunya…” However, this position is clearly weak due to the weakness of the hadeeth upon which it is based. Others hold that it was only prohibited during the lifetime of the Prophetﷺ in order to avoid mix-up based on the hadeeth of Anas bin Malik (hadeeth no. 837); and that it became allowed after his death. The third opinion – and which is the correct position, Allah willing – is that it is generally prohibited to take the Kunya, Abu al-Qasim, whether during the lifetime of the Prophetﷺ or after him or whether the person is also named Muhammad or not. This is because the Prophetﷺ stated the reason for the prohibition: “I am Abu’l-Qāsim. Allah gives and I distribute” (hadeeth no. 844), and this is a status that is not conferred on anyone during his lifetime nor after him. Thus, no one should also bear the kunya. Also, if it were allowed in his time and after himﷺ, it would not have been necessary for Alee to ask for permission to give his son the kunya, Abu al-Qasim. And Alee’s statement, “…and it became allowed for me…” as collected authentically by Imam At-Tirmidhee in his Sunan will be meaningless. As such, Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (الله رحمه (concluded that, “The correct thing is that to name after his name is allowed but to take his kunya is prohibited and the prohibition is worse during his lifetime, and to combine them (i.e. his name and kunya) is also prohibited.”

845. See hadith 837.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:As No. 837, with a different isnād.

chapter 374. Can one use a kunya for an idolater?

846. Usama ibn Zayd reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, arrived at a gathering which included ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul before ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy had become Muslim. He said, “Do not bother us in our gathering.” The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went to Sa’d ibn ‘Ubada and said, “Sa’d, did you not hear what Abu Hubab said?” He meant ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in relation to the chapter heading is the reference to Ibn Ubayy bin Salul as Abu Hubab at the time he was a declared polytheist. However, the man added deception of the Muslims to polytheism when he announced Islam while actually harbouring bitter hatred for it! He became known as the leader of the hypocrites!

chapter 375. A kunya for a child

847. Anas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited us. I had a young brother who used the kunya of Abu ‘Umayr. He had a sparrow which he used to play with it and it had died. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came it and saw that he was sad. He asked, ‘What is wrong with him?’ He was told, ‘His sparrow has died.’ The Prophet said, ‘Abu ‘Umayr, what has happened to the little sparrow?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches among others, that: 1. The prohibition of much mixing with people is restricted to those from whom harm is feared. 2. A child and more so, an adult could have a Kunya, for the Prophetﷺ called the boy by a Kunya, Abu ‘Umayr. 3. It is encouraged that children are allowed to play and even provided playthings as long it is permissible to play with such things. 4. One should relate with people according to their intelligence. 5. It is encouraged to joke with children within the limits of the Sharee’ah.

chapter 376. Having a kunya before having a child

848. ‘Abdullah gave ‘Alqama the kunya Abu Shibl when he had no children. 849. ‘Alqama said, “‘Abdullah gave me a kunya before I had a child.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Since it is permissible from the hadeeth of Anas bin Malik and his brother Abu ‘Umayr (radiya Allahu anhuma) for a child to take a kunya, then its allowance for someone more elderly is with a greater reason even if such has not had a child. This point is further proven in these narrations from the pious predecessors.

chapter 377. Kunyas for women

850. ‘A’isha said, “I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, you give your wives kunyas, so give me a kunya.’ He said, ‘Take the kunya of your nephew, ‘Abdullah.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth is authentic without the expression, “…you give your wives kunyas.” Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (said, “It is a strange increment.”

851. ‘A’isha said, “Prophet of Allah, will you not give me a kunya?” He said, “Use the kunya of your son,” i.e. ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr. She was given the kunya Umm ‘Abdullah.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The allowance of taking kunya for women – as could be deduced already from the narrations regarding children and men – is emphasized in these narrations. The practice is a well-known one among the Muslims – generation after generation

chapter 378. Someone who gives a man of kunya because of something he is doing or with one of their names

852. Sahl ibn Sa’d related that the name which ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, liked best was Abu Turab and that he was happy when he was called that. Only the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, called him that. One day ‘Ali was cross with Fatima and went out and reclined against the wall of the mosque. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to look for him and was told that he was leaning against the wall. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went up to him and found that his back was covered with dust. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, began to wipe the dust off his back and said, ‘Sit down Abu Turab (father of dust)!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Hafidh Ibn Hajar (الله رحمه (said, “It contains evidence of a person taking more than one kunya and giving a laqab (nickname) in the form of a kunya and from the condition of a person.” 2. It also shows the high moral standards of the Prophetﷺ. He looked for Alee in order to please him despite the status of messengership and his love for his daughter. Rather than blame him for being angry with his daughter, the Prophetﷺ even dusted off his back and gave him a nickname which became so beloved to him.

chapter 379. How does a person walk with the great men and people of superiority

853. Anas said, “While the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was in one of our palm groves where the trees belonged to Abu Talha, he went out to answer a call of nature. Bilal was walking behind him. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, honoured him by asking him to walk at his side. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by a grave and stood there until Bilal reached him. he said, ‘Woe to you, Bilal. Did you hear what I heard?’ He replied, ‘I did not hear anything.’ He said, ‘The man in the grave is being punished.’ He found that it was a Jew.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

853. Anas said, “While the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was in one of our palm groves where the trees belonged to Abu Talha, he went out to answer a call of nature. Bilal was walking behind him. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, honoured him by asking him to walk at his side. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by a grave and stood there until Bilal reached him. he said, ‘Woe to you, Bilal. Did you hear what I heard?’ He replied, ‘I did not hear anything.’ He said, ‘The man in the grave is being punished.’ He found that it was a Jew.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Placing this hadeeth under this chapter heading demonstrates that Imam Al-Bukhaaree (الله رحمه (deduced from it that one should walk behind noble people rather than by their sides by way of showing respect to them. The narration of Abu Hurayrah in narration no. 44 lends credence to this point.

chapter 380. Chapter

854. Qays said, “I heard Mu’awiya say to a young brother of his, ‘Mount your slave behind you.’ He refused. Mu’awiya said to him, ‘How badly you have been taught!’ I heard Abu Sufyan say, ‘leave your brother alone.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:Perhaps this narration should be under the previous chapter because it talks about the manner of walking with superiors. Allah knows Best.

855. Musa ibn ‘Ali reported from his father that ‘Amr ibn al-‘As said, “When you have a lot of close friends, you have a lot of creditors.” The transmitter asked Musa, “What are creditors?” “Rights owed,” he replied.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

36. Poetry

chapter 381. There is some wisdom in poetry

856. Khalid ibn Kaysan said, “I was with Ibn ‘Umar when Iyyas ibn Khaythama got up and said to him, ‘Shall I recite some poetry, Ibn al-Faruq?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘but only recite good poetry to me.'” He recited until he came to something which Ibn ‘Umar disliked whereupon he told him to stop.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

857. Mutarrif said, “I accompanied ‘Imran ibn Husayn from Kufa to Basra. Very rarely did he arrive at my house without reciting some poetry to me. He said, ‘Indirect speech accords great scope in avoiding lies.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah) explained that, “this is when one is constrained to do that to put off lies. But if their is no need or dire necessity, then no (it is not permissible)… Its connection with the chapter heading is that poetry involves allusions which prevent lying.”

858. Ubayy ibn Ka’b mentioned that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There is some wisdom in poetry.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, not all forms of poetry is vain and evil; some poems involve things that affirm the truth and exhort towards good deeds. Likewise speech, it is lawful when it contains good and unlawful when it contains vain and evil things. See hadeeth no. 792 and 865.

859. Al-Aswad ibn Suray’ said, “Messenger of Allah, I have praised my Lord, the Almighty and Exalted, in some words of praise.” He said, “Your Lord loves praise,” and did not say anything more.
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ approved of poetry that praises Allah the Mighty and Sublime since such is from wisdom.

860. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “It is better for a man to fill his belly with oozing pus than to fill it with poetry.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah) explains, “The meaning is that, when poetry becomes dominating on him, engrossing him so much that he gets busy away from the Qur’an and other sciences of the Sharee’ah and the remembrance of Allah the Exalted. Then, this is prohibited, no matter the kind of poetry it is. But if the Qur’an and hadeeth and other sciences of the Sharee’ah are the predominant, then there is no harm in memorizing some poetry alongside since his bowels would not have been filled with poetry.” Imam Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shinqeetee (الله رحمه ( gave a similar explanation of the hadeeth.

861. Al-Aswad ibn Suray’ said, “I was a poet and went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked, ‘Shall I recite some praises I have written for my Lord?’ He said, ‘Your Lord loves praise,’ and did not say anything more.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

862. ‘A’isha said, “Hassan ibn Thabit asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for permission to satirise the idolaters. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘And what about my lineage?’ He said, ‘I will extract you from them as a hair is taken from dough.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: To criticize disbelief and its people is certainly wise and praiseworthy when it is done within the limits of the Sharee’ah. Similarly, the hadeeth is evidence that it is not allowed to compose satires that bring the noble and pious to disrepute. This is certainly not wise!

863. Hisham reported that his father said, “I began to abuse Hassan [ibn Thabit] in the presence of ‘A’isha and she said, ‘Do not abuse him. He used to defend the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows the virtue of Hassan bin Thabit , and exhorts towards defending one’s brother behind him when someone speaks of him inapprioprately and mentioning his praises in such circumstance especially his zeal to spread the truth and refute falsehood.

chapter 382. The good in poetry is like the good in words while some of it is bad

864. See hadith 858.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

865. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Poetry is in the same position as speech. The good of it is like good words and its bad part is like bad words.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

866. ‘A’isha said, “Poetry is both good and bad. Take the good and leave the bad. I have related some of the poetry of Ka’b ibn Malik. That included an ode of forty verses and some less than that.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It shows the great zeal with which Aa’isha (radiya Allahu anhaa) acquired knowledge. Apart from being amongst those who reported majority of the Sunnah including the Qur’an and the explanation of its verses and the legal deductions from both, she also learnt poetry diffrenciating the good of it from its evil. ‘Urwah bin Zubayr (الله رحمه (was one the greatest scholars among the students of the companions; he said, “I had been in Aa’isha’s company; I did not find anyone more knowledgeable about a verse revealed or an obligation or a recommendation or poem, or who recited it more or that was more knowledgeable about the history of the period of Ignorance or genealogy or in this or that or about the rulings or medicine than she was.” Imam Adh-Dhahabee (الله رحمه (summed it up: “I do not know (of any woman) in the Ummah of Muhammadﷺ, infact, of all women generally, who is more knowledgeable than her.”

867. Shurayh said, “I ask ‘A’isha, may Allah be pleased her with, ‘Did the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, recite any poetry?’ She said, ‘He used to recite some of the poetry of ‘Abdullah ibn Rawaha: ‘Someone to whom you have not given provision brings you news.'”
Commentary: Sometimes he – peace and blessings be upon him – would imitate poetry of one line or even lesser which did not include sinful words nor agitate towards or praise sins or sinful people. As eloquent as the Prophetﷺ was, he did not use to compose poems even though some of the people took aspects of his expressions, albeit wrongly, for lines of poetry.
868. See hadith 859.
Commentary:Similar to No. 861, with a different isnād.

chapter 383. Someone who recites poetry

869. Ash-Sharid said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked me to recite the poetry of Umayya ibn Abi’s-Salt and I recited it. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, began to say, ‘Go on, go on!’ until I had recited a hundred lines.’ The Prophet said, ‘If only he had become Muslim.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: One could benefit from other peoples in the matters that conform to Islam – not contradicting it – including poetry, history, science and technology. In another version, no. 869, the Prophetﷺ said, “He (that poet) almost became a Muslim.”

chapter 384. Someone who dislikes for someone to be dominated by poetry

870. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “It is better for one of you to fill his belly with pus than to fill it with poetry.”
Commentary: As No. 860, from Ibn ‘Umar, with a different isnād.

871. In respect of “And as for the poets, is the misled who follow them. Do you not see how they ramble on in every style and that they say things which they do not do?” (26:223-225), Ibn ‘Abbas said that it was abrogated and that an exception was made in His words, “except for those who believe and do right actions Éthe kind of reversal they will receive.” (26:226)
Commentary: See comments on the narrations in Chapter 381.

chapter 385. Someone saying, “There is magic in eloquence”

872. Ibn ‘Abbas said that a man or a bedouin came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and spoke some eloquent words. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There is some magic eloquence and some wisdom in poetry.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Magical spells make the victim perceive evil as good and viceversa. Likewise, listeners to powerful and articulate speech may get busy contemplating the articulation and eloquence and get swayed to accept falsehood as truth and vice-versa. Therefore, such use of eloquence is prohibited as magic is completely prohibited.

873. ‘Abdu’l-Malik ibn Marwan entrusted the teaching of his children to ash-Sha’bi and said, “Teach them poetry so that they will possess dignity and vigour. Feed them meet so that their hearts will be strong. Cut off their hair so that their necks will be strong. Make them sit with men of distinction who will contradict them in words.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 386. Poetry which is disliked

874. ‘A’isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The greatest of criminals is the poet who satirises the entire tribe and a man who disclaims his father.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

37. Words

387. Too Many Words

875. Ibn ‘Umar said, “Two men came from the east as orators in the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They stood up, spoke and then sat down. Thabit ibn Qays, the orator of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stood up and spoke and the people liked what he said. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stood up and said, ‘O people, say what you have to say. seeking to present words is the best manner is from Shaytan.’ Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘There is some magic in eloquence.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Here the Prophetﷺ exhorted being calm and factual in our speeches avoiding unnecessary artificiality and sweet-talking. Shaytan would deceive such speakers to tell lies, speak irrelevances and even speak the truth for pride and popularity. The Prophetﷺ had said in an authentic hadeeth that, “The best speech is that which is brief and direct.” Read the next narration.

876. Anas said, “A man gave a speech in the presence of ‘Umar and said a lot. ‘Umar said, ‘Too many words in orations comes from the skills of shaytan.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

877. Abu Yazid or Ma’n ibn Yazid reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Gather in your mosques. When the people are gathered, come and tell me.’ The first of those to whom he came was us and he sat down. One of the speakers spoke and said, ‘Praise be to Allah. No praise can be directed to anyone except Him nor is there any escape without Him.’ The Prophet got angry, stood up and we blamed one another. Then he went to another mosque and sat in it. We sent to him and spoke to him. He came with us and sat where he had been sitting or near to it. Then he said, ‘Praise be to Allah who puts whatever He wishes before Him and whatever He wishes behind Him. There is some magic in eloquence.’ Then he commanded us and taught us.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: This unnecessary aritificiality and tattling which the Prophetﷺ prohibited in this hadeeth forms the order of the day in many Friday and ‘Eid sermons people deliver today!

chapter 388. Wishing

878. ‘A’isha said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sleepless one night and said, ‘Would that a man of righteous action among my Companions would come and guard me tonight!’ Then he heard the sound of weapons. He asked, ‘Who is it?’ ‘Sa’d,’ came the answer. Sa’d said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I have come to guard you.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, slept and we heard him snore.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in the hadeeth in relation to the chapter topic is the Prophet’s saying, “…I wish…”. In another version of the same hadeeth collected by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh, “the Messenger of Allahﷺ then prayed for him…”. From the lessons in this narration is that the people should protect their leader and that such does not contradict reliance on Allah the Exalted.

chapter 389. When someone says, “It is a sea” about a man, thing or horse

879. Anas ibn Malik, “There was some alarm in Madina and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, borrowed a horse belonging to Abu Talha called al-Mandub. He rode it, and when he returned he said, ‘We did not see anything and he found the horse to be a sea.” [Referring to its running]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It is deduced from this narration that one could name a riding animal and borrow a ride from a friend or associate. The horse was likened to a sea in its race. It was also reported that al-Mandub, was hitherto sluggish in its movement but became unequalled in its speed and smooth movement afterwards.

chapter 390. Beating someone for grammatical mistakes

880. Nafi’ said, “Ibn ‘Umar used to strike his son for making grammatical mistakes.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The companions y were very keen on imparting knowledge to their children and others. They would correct them when they err in the way the Arabic language is customarily spoken, and discipline them as apprioprate.

881. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn ‘Ajlan said, “‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, passed by two men who were shooting. One man said to another, ‘Do hit it (using the letter sîn instead of sâd).’ ‘Umar observed, ‘A bad grammatical mistake is worse than a bad shot.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 391. Someone describing something by saying, “It is nothing,” meaning that it is not true

882. ‘A’isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “People asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about soothsayers. He told them, ‘They are nothing.’ They said, But, Messenger of Allah, they speak about things which are true!’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, responded, ‘That is a word which Shaytan steals and then he mumbles it into the ear of his protégé with a sound like the clucking of a chicken. Then they mix a hundred lies with it.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point in this hadeeth here is the Prophet’s saying: “laysoo bi shay-in” i.e. what they say is not true or that they are not upon the truth. From the lessons in this hadeeth is that students should not hesitate to seek clarification from the teacher about difficult areas in their studies. In an authentic hadeeth collected by Imam Ahmad and others, the Prophetﷺ warned, “Whosoever approaches a fortune-teller and believes what he says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad.”

chapter 392. Indirect Allusion

883. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was on one of his journeys and the camel-drive was chanting (to make the camels move). The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Gently, Anjasha! Be careful with the glass vessels (meaning the women).'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:See comment on hadeeth no. 264 and 884.

884. ‘Umar said, “A man is reckoned to be lying when he gives voice to all that he hearts.” He said, “As for cases of indirect allusion, are they enough to keep a Muslim from lying?”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Generally a person would hear things some of which will be true and some, of course, will be lies. So when a person tells just whatever he hears, he would transmit something that is not true becoming one of the liars knowingly or unknowingly. In indirect allusions however, the speaker would disguise his expressions such that the listener may understand other than what the speaker intended. For example, the Prophet’s statement to ‘Anjasha: “Be gentle when you are driving glass vessels!” (no. 264 and 883) could be understood by the women to mean that they should be driven gently while it was an allusion to ‘Anjasha that the women could easily be put to trial through his sonorous voice.

885. Mutarrif ibn ‘Imran ibn ash-Shakhir said, “I accompanied ‘Imran ibn Husayn to Basra. Every day he used to recite poetry to us and he said, ‘Indirect allusions give ample scope to avoid lying.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah) explained that, “this is when one is constrained to do that to put off lies. But if their is no need or dire necessity, then no (it is not permissible)… Its connection with the chapter heading is that poetry involves allusions which prevent lying.”

chapter 393. Divulging secrets

886. ‘Amr ibn al-‘As said, “I am astonished at a man who flees from fate when he is all the time attacking it and who sees the mote in his brother’s eye and not the trunk in his own eye. He uncovers the rancour in his brother’s heart and not the rancour in himself. I have never entrusted anyone with a secret of mine and then blamed him for divulging it. How could I blame him when I have given him something he is incapable of doing?”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 394. Mockery

887. ‘A’isha said, “A man suffering from an affliction passed by some women and they laughed together, mocking him, and so one of them got that same affliction.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

38. General Behaviour

chapter 395. Deliberation in things

888. Az-Zuhri reported that a man from Bali said, “I came to visit the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with my father. My father spoke to him while I was not there. I said to my father, ‘What did he say to you?’ He replied, ‘When you desire something, then you must proceed slowly until Allah shows you a way out of it or until Allah makes a way out for you.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

889. Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya said, “Not wise is he who does not deal correctly with a person whose company he cannot avoid until Allah appoints for him a release or a way out.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This would include one’s wives, parents, servants, neighbours, superiors in offices, workers, in-laws and so on. Since one may not disconnect ties with these people easily, due contemplation would suggest strongly that one deals with them in a good manner until Allah the Exalted brings relief.

chapter 396. Someone who guides down an alley or on a path

890. Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If anyone gives a gift or guides down a land or a path that, for him, is equivalent to freeing a slave.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah’s favors on His servants are limitless; just guiding somebody to a place is rewarded with the equivalent of the reward of the one who frees a slave! The hadeeth encourages giving gifts and helping people to locate their destinations. Conversely, it prohibits misleading people. See narration no. 892

891. Abu Dharr is reported as saying, “Your putting some of the water from your bucket in your brother’s bucket is sadaqa. Your removing stones. thorns and bones from people’s path is sadaqa. Your guiding a man in a place where there are no guides is sadaqa.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:Imam Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “That is, it has the ruling of sadaqah in terms of reward.” This contains evidence that every good deed one performs or says is written down for him as sadaqah.

chapter 397. Someone who misguides a blind person

892. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah curses anyone who misguides a blind person and leads him away from the path.”
Grade:Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It shows how odious and wicked this action is such that it brings its perpetrator no less than the wrath of the Most Merciful! We seek Allah’s refuge from His curse.

chapter 398. Tyranny (baghy)

893. Ibn ‘Abbas told Shahr (ibn Hawshab), “While the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sitting in the courtyard of his house in Makka, ‘Uthman ibn Maz’un passed by and smiled at the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, ‘Why don’t you sit down?’ ‘I will,’ he said. So the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sat facing him. While he was conversing with him, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stared at the sky and said, ‘A messenger from Allah, ‘Abdullah came to me just now when you sat sown?’ He asked, ‘What did he say to you?’ He said, ‘Allah commands justice and doing good and giving to relatives. And He forbids indecency and doing wrong and tyranny. He warns you so that hopefully you will pay heed.’ (16:90) ‘Uthman said, ‘That was when belief was established in my heart and I loved Muhammad.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 399. The punishment for outrage

894. Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I will enter the Garden with someone who brings up two daughters until they come of age, and we will be like these two,” and he indicated his index finger and middle finger.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

895. “Two doors come quickly in this world: outrage and cutting off relatives.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This report is the concluding part of the hadeeth that precedes it and contains the point of reference vis-à-vis the chapter heading. It strongly condemns aggression and severing the ties of kinship. See comment on hadeeth no. 29.

chapter 400. Noble descent

896. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The noble son of the noble son of the noble son of the noble one was Yusuf ibn Ya’qub ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Yoosuf combined the nobility of messengership, knowledge, handsomeness, modesty, good character, fairness and leadership – peace be upon him –. Lut (alayhis-Salam) wished that he could seek refuge in some strong family background by way of seeking a means. Otherwise, he had his refuge with Allah the Mighty and Sublime; he – peace and blessings be upon him – had said: “My Lord, Give me victory of the people who are mischiefmakers”. (Q 29: 30). The point here is the supplication of the Prophetﷺ for his brother, Lut – peace be upon him.

897. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “My friends on the Day of Rising will be those with taqwa, even if one lineage is closer than another. People will not bring me their actions. They will come carrying this world on their shoulders and they will call out, ‘Muhammad!’ I will say, ‘no,’ to such-and-such, and I will have full power over them.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: 1) The hadeeth orders maintaining ties with the near relatives without restricting it to the Muslims among them alone. The Prophetﷺ would quickly act upon the instructions of the Qur’aan and give admonitions employing methods that depicted the importance of what he said. (2) The hadeeth forms evidence that the Muslim could still relate himself to his fathers: grand-fathers, great grand-fathers and further above, whether they were Muslims or not for the verse reffered to some of the non-Muslim grand parents of the Messengerﷺ and mentioned them as his near relatives. (3) Everyone is enjoined to hasten towards acting upon good deeds and not depend on nor take pride in family ties. Connecting family ties is emphasized in the hadeeth.

898. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “I do not know anyone who acts by this ayat: ‘Mankind! We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you might come to know each other. The noblest among you in Allah’s sight is the one with the most taqwa.’ (49:13) One man says to another man, ‘I am more noble than you are.’ No one is nobler than another person except by taqwa.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, acting upon the meaning of this verse, no one will say to another person, ‘I am nobler than you’ since the verse will hold him back from that. Unfortunately, many of the people are soaked in arrogance over their lineage. And Ibn Abbass – may Allah be pleased with them both – was from the people with the best lineage.

899. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “What do you reckon to be nobility? Allah has made nobility clear. The noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the one with the greatest taqwa. What do you reckon as lineage? The best of you in lineage is the best of you in character.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 401. The arwah (spirits) are a massed army

900. ‘A’isha said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘The arwah are a massed army. When they already know each other, they are friendly. When they do not know each other, they disagree.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The inclination of the souls towards each other is a function of their dispositions towards good or evil as the case may be. So, when their intrinsic dispositions are alike they incline towards each other. Imam Ibn alJawzee (الله رحمه (explains, “It could be deduced from this hadeeth that if a person finds enstrangement in himself towards the noble and pious, it is necessary that he finds out the reason for that, so that he hastens to remove it and gets purified from the negative attribute.

901. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The spirits are massed armies. Those of them that knew one another are friendly. Those that did not know one another disagree.”
Commentary: As No. 900, from Abū Hurayra, with a different isnād.

chapter 402. A man saying, “Glory be to Allah!” when he is amazed

902. Abu Hurayra said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘While a shepherd was tending to his sheep, a wolf came and snatched one of the sheep. The shepherd went after the wolf which turned to him and said, ‘Who will look after them on the ‘Day of Wild Beasts’? They will have no shepherd but me.’ People said, ‘Glory be to Allah!’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘I believe it I, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: ‘The Day of Wild Beast’ refers to the time of trials and tribulations when people will be forced to abandon their herds without any shepherd to the wild beasts. 2. The hadeeth highlights the virtue of the two great Shaykhs, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (radiya Allahu anhuma). In another version in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, it said, “And they were both not present there (at the time).” 3. The point in this hadeeth in relation to the chapter heading is the companions’ statement, Subhaanallah; Glorious is Allah, because they were surprised at the narration.

903. ‘Ali said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was in a funeral procession an he picked up something and began to scratch the ground with it. He said, ‘There is none of you who does not have his seat written either in the Fire or in the Garden.’ They said, ‘Messenger of Allah, then should we not rely on what is written for us and abandon action?’ ‘Act.’ he said. ‘Every thing is easy if you were created for it.’ He added, ‘As for someone who is one of the people of happiness, it is easy for him to perform the actions of happiness. As for someone who is one of the people of wretchedness, it is easy for him to perform the actions of wretchedness.’ Then he recited, ‘As for him who gives out and has taqwa and confirms the Good É’ (92:5-10)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah the Mighty and Sublime has absolute knowledge of all things – generally and specifically – ever before (which negates been preceded by Ignorance) and everlastingly (which negates forgetfulness) whether it has to do with His actions or those of His creatures. All these are written down in the Laoh al-Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet). This definitely includes where every person will endup – whether in the Fire or the Garden. This clearly refutes the wrong position of the Qadarites that Allah has no knowledge or record of events before they occur! 2. The Prophetﷺ ordered the people to “Act”; that is, carry out Allah’s commands and abstain from His prohibitions by way of giving servitude to Him showing that they have will and ability to actually obey or disobey. Thus, it refutes the position of the Jabarites who hold – albeit wrongly – that the servant does not have will or ability and that they carry out acts of obedience and disobedience under coercion! Every mentally balanced person knows the difference between the actions they perform out of their own volitions and those they perform out of coercion.

chapter 403. Wiping the ground with the hand

904. Usayd ibn Abi Usayd reported that his mother said, “I said to Abu Qatada, ‘Why don’t you relate something from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?’ Abu Qatada said, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Whoever tells lies about me, eases the way for himself to a bed in the Fire.” When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said that, he began to wipe his hand on the ground.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (explains, “The mother of Usayd is an unknown reporter; but the hadeeth is authentically reported in Mutawaatir form with the word: ‘Whoever deliberately ascribes any falsehood to me should find his place in the Fire.’

chapter 404. Slings

905. ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal al-Muzani said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade slings. He said, ‘They do not kill game nor injure the enemy. They gouge the eye and break the teeth.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:T he Prophetﷺ prohibited Khazf, hurling stones by placing them between the first finger and the thumb which was common during the time. He – peace and blessings be upon him – gave the reason for the prohibition in the hadeeth: it is of no benefit and very harmful. Therefore, as Imam Ibn Maalik (الله رحمه (puts it, “Everything with the same implications is joined to it (in ruling).”

chapter 405. Do not curse the wind

906. Abu Hurayra said, “A fierce wind blew when the people were on the road to Makka while ‘Umar was making hajj. ‘Umar asked those around him, ‘What is the wind?’ They did not give any answer. I urged my camel forward and I caught up with him and said, ‘I have heard that you asked about the wind. I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “The wind (rîh) is from the spirit (ruh) if Allah. It brings mercy and it brings punishment. Do not curse it. Ask Allah for the good of it and seek refuge from its evil.”‘”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Alee Qaaree (الله رحمه (explained the expression, Min Raoh al-Allah, as ‘from the Mercy of Allah’ and Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه ( affirmed it. However, it may be asked, ‘How could the wind be from Allah’s mercy and yet, it could still bring punishment?’ Dr. Muhammad Luqman asSalafee (hafizahullah) explained that, “If it is punishment for the wrongdoers; then it is mercy for the righteous.” See Chapter 298.

39. Omens

chapter 406. Someone’s words, “We have been given rain by the rising of such-and-such and such-and-such (a star)”

907. Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, led us in the Subh prayer at Hudaybiyya after it had rained on us during the night. When he finished, he faced the people and said, ‘Do you know what your Lord has said?’ They replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘This morning My slaves have become divided up into believers and unbelievers. Those who said, “We had rain by the favour and mercy of Allah,” believe in Me and reject the stars. Those who said that it was because of a certain star, disbelieve in Me and believe in the stars.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: To believe that rainfall is actually caused and controlled basically by a particular star is disbelief that takes a person out of the fold of Islam. However, if a person makes such a statement believing that rainfall is by the favour and mercy of Allah and that the rising of a particular star is usually a sign of rainfall, then such is not disbelief. The hadeeth exhorts towards watching our statements so that we do not unknowingly make statements of disbelief. We seek Allah’s refuge from disbelief.

chapter 407. What someone says when he sees clouds

908. ‘A’isha said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw a cloud in the sky, he would get up and down and walk to and fro, and his face would change colour. When it rained, that would leave him.” When A’isha commented on that, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I do not know. Perhaps it will be as Allah Almighty says: ‘When they saw it as a storm cloud advancing on their valleys…’ (46:24)”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: See hadeeth no. 251 and comment on no. 686.

909. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Paying attention to the bad omen (tayyara ) is association (shirk). It has nothing to do with us. Allah will remove it by reliance on Him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: At-Tiyara is so called because during the days of Ignorance, when a person intends to travel or do something and comes out of his house, he may find some birds (sing. Tayr) flying towards the right – which in their thoughts was good omen, or to the left – which they held to mean evil omen! So, the Sharee’ah prohibited this superstition. 2. The expression, wamaa minnaa (lit. ‘and there is not any of us’, but translated here as, ‘one who follows it is not one of us’) according to Imam Ibn al-Atheer, “has been reported like that, disconnected, without mentioning the exemption: ‘except that superstition comes over him and disapproval (for superstition) quickly comes to his mind’. However, it is omitted for summary hoping that the listener already understands the intent.” 3. Tiyara is from the aspects of Shirk, joining partners with Allah, because it involves belief that if they followed the implications of the direction of the flight of the birds, it will basically bring them fortune or prevent evil. 4. However, by Allah’s guiding the servant to rely on Him the Exalted, he takes away such superstitious notions.

chapter 408. The bad omen (tayyâra )

910. Abu Hurayra heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Bad omens. The best of that is the good omen. They asked, “What is the good omen?” “A good word which one of you hears,” he replied.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: At-Tafaa’ul is for example, that a sick person hears been referred to as, ‘Salim (One who is well)’. So he regards it as a good sign of what will happen to him soon. It is connected to Tiyara because they are both notions but is different because it involves having good opinion about Allah, hopeful of His favours.

chapter 409. The excellence of someone who does not take note of omens

911. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The nations were presented to me on the Festival in the days of hajj, and I was astonished at the great number of my community. They filled the plains and mountains.” They said, “Muhammad, are you content?” “Yes, O Lord!” he said. He said, “In addition to these people there are seventy thousand who will enter the Garden without any reckoning. They are those who do not use charms nor cauterise themselves nor seek omens and who rely on their Lord.” ‘Ukkasha exclaimed, “Ask Allah to place me among them!” Then another man said, “Ask Allah to put me among them!” The Prophet said, “‘Ukkasha has beaten you to it.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth discourages the use of charms, making cauterization and having evil omens. It also shows the favour of Allah upon this Ummah, and the virtue of the companion, ‘Ukasha . However, the point of reference in this hadeeth vis-a-vis the chapter heading is the virtue of not having ill omens.

chapter 410. Bad omens taken from the jinn

912. ‘Alqama reported that ‘A’isha used to go to children when they were born and make supplication for them. She came to a child and removed its pillow and found a straight razor under his head. She asked about the razor and they said, “We put it there against the jinn. She took the razor, threw it away and forbade them to use it. She said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, disliked and hated seeing bad omens in things. She forbade doing that.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 411. Good Omens

913. Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There is no infection and there are no bad omens, although I am pleased by a good omen a good word.”
Commentary: ‘Adwaa (translated as ‘contagion’) is the belief during the times of Ignorance that, for example, a camel infected by scabbies would be kept away from other camels so that the scabbies does not get transmitted to them thinking that the disease can by itself infect. Islam rejected this belief and affirms that sickness and cure are by Allah’s Will and what He ordinarily allows. See hadeeth no. 909 and 910.

914. Hiba at-Tamimi related from his father that he heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There is no avenging spirit (hama*), and the most truthful of omens is the good omen. The Evil Eye is a reality.” [Hama : a superstitious belief of the pre-Islamic Arabs, that the unavenged spirit of a murdered person took the form of a night bird.]]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Hāma is a night bird, usually an owl, said to embody the spirit of the dead calling for vengeance. People in Jāhiliyya used to believe in this but Islam rejected it.

chapter 412. Seeing blessing in a good name

915. ‘Abdullah ibn as-Sa’ib reported that in the year of al-Hudaybiyya, when ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan told the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that Suhayl had been sent to him by his people to make a truce with them on the basis that, provided that he leave them this year, they would leave Makka empty for him for three days. When ‘Uthman came and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was told, “Suhayl has come,” he said, “Allah has made our business easy (sahhala).”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

chapter 413. Bad luck in horses

916. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Bad luck can be found in houses, women and horses.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

917. Sahl ibn Sa’d said, “If there is bad luck in anything, it is in houses, women and horses.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ rejected ill omen in authentic narrations as cited earlier. Here, he also rejected it and mentioned the things about which the people easily and widely opine evil omen. However, as mentioned ealier, heﷺ said, “…Allah removes it through reliance (on Him).” See hadeeth no. 918.

918. Anas ibn Malik said, “A man said, ‘Messenger of Allah, we were in a house and there were a large number of us and we had a lot of property in it. Then we moved to another house and our numbers decreased and our property became less in it (the new house).’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Go back to it (the first house) or leave it (the second house) it is bad.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

40. Sneezing and Yawning

chapter 414. The Sneeze

919. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah loves sneezing and hates yawning. When one of you sneezes and praises Allah Almighty, it is a duty for every Muslim who hears him to say to him, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ Yawning comes from Shaytan. When one of you yawns, he should control it as much as possible. When a man says, ‘Aawh!,’ Shaytan laughs at him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, it is bad since it was leading them to a wrong belief that they began to suffer deprivation because of the new house. Otherwise, Allah alone increases and reduces wealth when He Wills.

chapter 415. What to say when you sneeze

920. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “When one of you sneezes and says, ‘Praise be to Allah,’ the angel says, ‘The Lord of the Worlds.’ When you say, ‘The Lord of the Worlds,’ the angel says, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.'”
Grade:
Commentary: Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah) explained that Allah loves the sneeze, “because it makes the sneezer vigorous in worship”, and that He dislikes the yawn, “because it weakens the yawner in worship and brings about inadvertence. Thus Satan gladdens at it…” 2. This hadeeth evinces the point that it is an individual obligation upon anyone who hears the sneezer giving thanks to Allah after sneezing to say the supplication, yahdeeka Allahu wa yuslih baalak (may Allah guide you and set your affairs right). This is because, duties we owe our brothers are basically obligatory and while expressing the order to supplicate for him, he – peace and blessings be upon him – emphasized that the duty is “for every Muslim.” 4. It is obligatory for the person that sneezes to also say, Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) and to supplicate for him as mentioned above, depends on his saying Alhamdulillah. See hadeeth no. 921, 923 and 930.

921. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you sneezes, he should say, ‘Praise be to Allah,’ and his brother or companion should say to him, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ Then he should say, ‘May Allah guide you and put your affairs in order.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 416. Wishing mercy on the sneezer

922. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Ziyad ibn An’am al-Ifriqi said, “My father told me that they were taking part in a sea raid in the time of Mu’awiya. He said, ‘Our ship was right up against the ship of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. When it was time for our midday meal, we invited him and he came over. He said, “You invited me, but even though I am fasting, I cannot avoid accepting your invitation because I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘A Muslim owes six things to his brother. If he neglects any of them, he has neglected an obligatory duty owed to his brother. He should return his greeting when he greets him. He should accept when he gives him an invitation. He should ask for mercy on him when he sneezes. He should give him good counsel when he asks him for advice.'”‘” He said, “There was a man with us who was giving to joking and he said to the man who served our food, ‘May Allah repay you good and piety.’ The man got angry at him when he said it to him a lot. Then the first man said to Abu Ayyub, ‘What do you think about a man who becomes angry and reviles me when I say to him, “May Allah repay you good and piety”?’ Abu Ayyub remarked, ‘We used to say, ‘If someone is not put right by good, he will be put right by evil.”‘ So he turned to the man and said to him when he came, ‘May Allah repay you with evil and disgrace!’ The man laughed and was pleased and said, ‘Will you not stop joking?’ The man said, ‘May Allah repay Abu Ayyub al- Ansari with good!'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

923. Ibn Mas’ud reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “There are four things that one Muslim owes another Muslim: to visit him when he is ill, to be with him when he dies, to accept when he invites him, and to ask for mercy on him when he sneezes.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

924. Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, instructed us to do seven things and forbade us seven. He instructed us to visit the sick, to join funeral processions, to bless people who sneeze, to fulfil our oaths, to help the wronged, to return the greeting, and to accept invitations. He forbade us gold rings, silver vessels, red (silk) saddle clothes, Qassi (silk and flax) garments, thick brocade, embroidered silk, and pure silk.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

925. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A Muslim owes another Muslim six duties.” He was asked, “And what are they, Messenger of Allah?” He said, “To greet him when he meets him, to accept when he gives him an invitation, to give him good counsel when he asks for advice, to wish mercy on him when he sneezes and says, ‘Praise be to Allah,’ to visit him when he is ill, and to join the funeral procession when he dies.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in these narrations is that to supplicate for the one who sneezes and says, Alhamdulillah is from the obligations he is owed by everyone who hears him say, Alhamdulillah.

chapter 417. When you hear a sneeze, you should say, “Praise be to Allah”

926. ‘Ali said, “When someone hears a sneeze and says, ‘Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, in every situation,’ he will never get a toothache or earache.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 418. How to wish for mercy on a person when you hear a sneeze

927. Abu Salih reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you sneezes, he should say, ‘Praise be to Allah.’ When he says, ‘Praise be to Allah, ‘ his brother or companion should say to him, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ Then let the person who sneezed say, ‘May Allah guide you and put your affairs in order.'”
Commentary: As No. 921, with a different isnād.

928. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah loves the sneeze and dislikes yawning. When one you sneezes and praises Allah, it is a duty for every Muslim who hears him to say, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.;’ As for the yawn, it comes from Shaytan. When one of you yawns, he should repress it as much as possible. When one of you yawns, Shaytan laughs at him.”
Commentary: Similar to No. 919, with a different isnād.

929. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “When someone is wished mercy, he should say, ‘May Allah protect us and you from the Fire. May Allah have mercy on you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

930. Abu Hurayra said, “We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when a man sneezed and praised Allah. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ Then another man sneezed but the Prophet did not say anything to him. The man, ‘Messenger of Allah! you responded to the other man, but did not say anything to me!’ The Prophet replied, ‘He praised Allah and you were silent.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, it is bad since it was leading them to a wrong belief that they began to suffer deprivation because of the new house. Otherwise, Allah alone increases and reduces wealth when He Wills

chapter 419. When someone does not praise Allah, do not wish mercy on him

931. Similar to 930, but from Anas.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

932. Abu Hurayra said, “Two men sat in the presence of the Prophet may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and one of them was from a noble family than the other. The nobler of the two sneezed and did not praise Allah, so the Prophet did not ask for mercy for him. Then the other man sneezed and praised Allah, so the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked for mercy on him. The noble man said, ‘I sneezed in your presence and you did not ask for mercy for me. This other than sneezed and you asked for mercy on him.’ The Prophet said, ‘This man mentioned Allah, so I mentioned him. You forgot Allah, so I forgot you.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narrations stress the points raised earlier that the supplication, Yarhamukallaahu (may Allah be merciful to you) should not be said for the one who sneezes and does not say, Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah).

chapter 420. What should someone who sneezes say first?

933. Nafi’ said that when ‘Abdullah ibn ÒUmar sneezed, they said to him, “May Allah have mercy on you,” and Ibn ‘Umar said, “May He have mercy on us and you. May He forgive us and you.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In a related authentic narration from Nafi’ (الله رحمه ,(it says, “A man sneezed near Ibn ‘Umar and said, ‘Alhamdulillah, was-salaat wassalaam ‘ala Rasoolillah (Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the messenger of Allah)’. Ibn ‘Umar retorted, ‘I also praise Allah and send His peace and blessings upon the Prophet; but that was not how the messenger of Allahﷺ taught us. He taught us to say, Alhamdulillah ‘alaa kulli haal (Praise be to Allah no matter the circumstance).’” (At-Tirmidhee and others). Thus, Ibn ‘Umar insisted on what the Prophetﷺ had taught rejecting an addition. Imam Ibn ‘Aabideen and Suyootee have also rejected additions to the formula taught by the Prophetﷺ. Therefore, while commenting on the addition in the narration of Ibn Abbass (no. 929), Imam Al-Albaanee said, “Perhaps Ibn Abbass – may Allah be pleased with them both – did not stick to it. The same thing will be said regarding the addition of Ibn ‘Umar on no. 933: ‘and on you’. You should keep this in mind because what is reported from the Prophet is: ‘Yarhamukallah’ as in the next narration and others. And sticking to the Sunnah is preferred.” Saheeh Adab al-Mufrad (pg. 248).

934. ‘Abdullah said, “When one of you sneezes, he should say, ‘Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.’ Let anyone responding to him say ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ Then the person who sneezed should say’May Allah forgive me and you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

935. Iyas ibn Salama related that his father said, “A man sneezed in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Prophet said, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ Then the man sneezed again and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘This man has a cold.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In another authentically reported hadeeth from Abu Hurayrah , the Prophetﷺ said, “If any one amongst you sneezes, those seated around him should supplicate for him. If he exceeds the third, then he has cold, and the supplication should not be made after the third.” (Ibn Sunnee and others). Imam at-Tirmidhee also collected an authentic report with the same meaning in his Sunan. So, the supplication could still be said after the second and third sneezing. 2. “If it is asked, ‘since he was ill, he is in greater need to be supplicated for?’ The response is that, ‘It is recommended to supplicate for recovery for him and not do the supplication for the sneezer.’” Sharh Saheeh Adab al-Mufrad (3/64).

chapter 421. Someone who says, “May Allah have mercy on you if you praised Allah.”

936. Makhul al-Azdi said, “I was beside Ibn ‘Umar when a man sneezed on one side of the mosque. Ibn ‘Umar said, ‘May Allah have mercy on you if you praised Allah.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 422. Do not say, “Ab”

937. Mujahid said, “When a son of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, either Abu Bakr or ‘Umar, sneezed, he said, ‘Ab!’ Ibn ‘Umar said, ‘What is this “Ab”? Ab is the name of one of the shaytans who comes between the sneeze and the praise.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 423. When someone sneezes several times

938. See hadith 935.
Commentary:As No. 935, with a different isnād

939. Abu Hurayra said, “Wish mercy on a person once, twice and three times. Anything more than that is a cold.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In another authentically reported hadeeth from Abu Hurayrah , the Prophetﷺ said, “If any one amongst you sneezes, those seated around him should supplicate for him. If he exceeds the third, then he has cold, and the supplication should not be made after the third.” (Ibn Sunnee and others). Imam at-Tirmidhee also collected an authentic report with the same meaning in his Sunan. So, the supplication could still be said after the second and third sneezing. 2. “If it is asked, ‘since he was ill, he is in greater need to be supplicated for?’ The response is that, ‘It is recommended to supplicate for recovery for him and not do the supplication for the sneezer.’” Sharh Saheeh Adab al-Mufrad (3/64).

chapter 424. When a Jew sneezes

940. Abu Musa said, “The Jews used to sneeze in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, hoping that he would say to them, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ He used to say to them, ‘May Allah guide you and put you in order.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Jews know that the Prophet, Muhammadﷺ is truly the Messenger of Allah even though they reject his message! So during his time they would wish that he prayed Allah’s Mercy for them and so, would pretend to sneeze in his presence. Since he – peace and blessings be upon him – was a mercy to the entire mankind, he supplicated to Allah for them for guidance to Islam and recitification of affairs which are prerequisites for the mercy they wanted him to pray for. It evinces the fact that it is not permissible to say the word, Yarhamukallahu meant for the people of Eemaan to the people of Kufr.

chapter 425. How a man wishes mercy on a woman when she sneezes

941. Abu Burda said, “I came to Abu Musa while he was in the house of Umm al-Fadl ibn al-‘Abbas and I sneezed and Abu Musa did not wish mercy on me. Umm al-Fadl sneezed and he wished mercy on her. I told my mother, so when Abu Musa came to her, she confronted him and said, ‘My son sneezed and you did not wish mercy on him. She (Umm al-Fadl) sneezed and you wished mercy on her.’ Abu Musa replied, ‘I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “When one of you sneezes and praises Allah, you should wish mercy on him, if he does not praise Allah, do not wish mercy on him.” My son sneezed and did not praise Allah, so I did not wish mercy on him. She sneezed and praised Allah, so I wished mercy on her.’ She said, ‘You did well.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As regards the expression, “while he was in the house of Umm al-Fadl bint Abbass”, our Shaykh, Shaykh Sameer bin Ameen azZuhayree (hafizahullah) said, “that is how it is in the two manuscripts: ‘while he was in the house of Umm al-Fadl bint al-Abbass’. But in Saheeh Muslim (it says): ‘while he was in the house of the daughter of Fadl bin Abbass’. Imam an-Nawawee said: ‘This was Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Fadl bin Abbass, the wife of Aboo Moosa al-Ash’aree. He married her after Hasan bin Alee’s separation with her and she gave birth for Aboo Moosa who died while still married to her.’” 2. It demonstrates the companion’s adherence to the Sunnah. 3. It evinces the permissibility of saying, Ahsanta, ‘you did well’, to some one who acts rightly. 4. Males are permitted to pray for Allah’s mercy on the female if she sneezes and praises Allah.

chapter 426. Yawning

942. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you yawns, he should repress it as much as possible.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, it is bad since it was leading them to a wrong belief that they began to suffer deprivation because of the new house. Otherwise, Allah alone increases and reduces wealth when He Wills.

chapter 427. Someone who says, “At your service (Labbayk)” when he answers

943. Mu’adh said, “I was riding behind the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he called out, ‘Mu’adh!’ ‘At your service!’ I replied. Then the Prophet said the same thing three times and went on, ‘Do you know what Allah’s right on His slaves is? That they should worship Him and not associate anything with Him.’ Then he rode on for an hour
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in relation to the chapter heading is Muadh’s saying, Labbayka, wa sa‘dayka, ‘At your service’, when the Prophetﷺ called him.

chapter 428. A man standing up for his brother

944. Ka’b bin Maalik (ra) related his account when he lagged behind in the Battle of Tabook. He said: When Allah accepted my repentance and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) announced at the time of the fajr prayers that Allah had accepted my repentance, people met me in large number and congratulated me on the acceptance of my repentance. They said, “Congratulations to you. Allah has approved your repentance.” And I entered the Masjid Nabawi. People were sitting around him. Talhah bin Ubayd Allah ran towards me after standing up and shook hands with me and congratulated me. By Allah, one of the Muhajirs besides him stood up for me. I will not forget this demonstration of Thalhah’s.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains the following points of benefit amongst others: 1. It shows the seriousness of sins. 2. The love of the Prophetﷺ and the companions (RA)for one another. They were all glad that Ka’b and the two others were forgiven. 3. We should be satisfied with the apparent disposition of people and not poke around about their intentions. 4. From the ways of congratulating people is to stand up and shake them. 5. Shaykh Saleem bin ‘Eid al-Hilaalee (hafizahullah) gave a commentary of the hadeeth in a separate work titled, Ithaaf as-Saalik bi Fawaaid Hadeeth al-Mukhallifeen min Riwaayati Ka’b bin Maalik in over 300 pages and explained 110 points of benefits from this hadeeth.

945. Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (ra) said that some people (the Jews of Banu Quraysh) came down at the command of Sa’d bin Mu’az . He was called and he came riding a donkey. When he approached the mosque, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Rise up for one better than you”, or he said “Rise up for your chief. And he also said, “O Sa’d these people have come down on your orders”. Sa’d said, “Those of them that are their fighting men should be slain and their young children should be made captives”. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “You have judged according to Allah’s decree”, or he said, “You have decided in the light of the King’s command.)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Sa’d bin Mu’adh who was in the Prophet’s mosque recovering from the serious injury he sustained during the Battle of Trench came to meet the Prophetﷺ and the rest of the people in a mosque temporarily set up for the daily obligatory prayers during the sieged on the Jews of Qurayza after their treachery. 2. In another authentic narration of the same hadīth, it says, “Qoomoo ilaa sayyidikum (Stand up to your leader (i.e. Sa’d bin Mu’adh))”; and in another, with the addition, “fa anziloohu (… and help him alight)”. Based on these expressions, Imam al-Albaanee (رحمه الله (averred, “So it appears to me – and Allah knows Best – that the author (may Allah shower blessings on him) actually only intended to relate the meaning of the hadeeth (and not the exact wording) in order to draw attention that it is not connected with a man’s standing up for his brother out of respect as is common place but (he could do that) only to help him come down, for he (Sa’d bin Mua’dh) was ill (at the time). If heﷺ had intended the first meaning, (i.e. standing for a person to show respect), he would have said, ‘Qoomoo li sayyidikum (stand up for the sake of your leader)’ which is not contained in any of the chains of report of the hadeeth.” Therefore, the narration establishes standing up to meet our brother, in order to offer help to him or the like. It could even imply standing up to a person to slap or beat him. However, to stand up out of respect for him does not have any basis in this hadeeth. Allah knows Best. See hadeeth no. 977 and Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah (67).

946. Anas said, “There is no one that people loved to see more than the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. But when they saw him, they did not stand up for him since they knew that he disliked that.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In other versions of this hadeeth collected by Imam AtTahaawee in Mushkil al-Aathaar and Abu Ya’alaa in his Musnad, the above expression, ‘lam yaqoomoo ilayhi (translated as, ‘they did not stand up to him’), occurs as lam yaqoomoo lahu (they would not stand up because of him). According to Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه” ,(Apparently, this is the correct thing (i.e. that they would not stand up because of him) due to the earlier cited difference between, ‘standing up because of him’ and ‘standing up to him’. While the first is that which is disapproved, the second standing is clearly permissible (since it has to do with helping him fulfill a particular need), regarding even the general people how much more their leaders as is in the hadeeth of Sa’d bin Mu’adh…” In the report of Imam al-Bayhaqee, it says, “lam yataharrakoo (they would not even move)” indicating that what was known to be detested is to stand up because of him because, ‘to stand up to him’ would mean to help him which may even be obligatory and not detested. While stating this report, Imam al-Bayhaqee said, “Abu Abdillah, al-Haafidh (i.e. Imam Hakim) said, ‘I attended the lesson of Abu Muhammad, Abdur-Rahman bin Mirzabaanee al-Khazzaaz – the great scholar of hadeeth of his time – at Hamdan. He came out to us while we were sitting down looking at him. When he drew near us, we all stood up. He forbade and prevented us from that and then said…(he then related the chain of narration up to Anas bin Malik and read this hadeeth).’” Thereafter, Imam al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (said, “There are many of such reports from the pious predecessors such that if compiled, could make a treatise.” These shed light on the fact that what the Prophetﷺ disapproved was standing up because of a person. See hadeeth no. 977.

947. ‘A’isha, the Umm al-Mu’minin, said, “I have not seen anyone who more resembled the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in words or speech or manner of sitting than Fatima.” ‘A’isha continued, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw that she had come, he would greet her and then he stood up for her, kissed her, took her hand and brought her forward and made her sit in hi place. When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited her, she greeted him, stood up for him, and kissed him. She came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in his final illness and he greeted her, kissed her, and told her a secret. She wept. Then he confided something else to her and she laughed. I said to the women, ‘I see that this woman is superior to other women, let she is one of them. First she wept and then she laughed.’ I asked her, ‘What did he say to you?’ She replied, ‘I would be telling a secret.’ When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died, Fatima said, ‘He confided to me, “I am dying,” so I wept. Then he confided to me, “You will be the first of my family to join me,” so I was happy and pleased at that.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in this hadeeth in relation to the chapter heading is the expression, “qaama ilayha (he would stand up to her)”, and it has been mentioned that it differs from ‘standing up because of her’ which is disapproved. The import of his standing up here is similar to that of hadeeth no. 944.

chapter 429. A man standing up for someone sitting down

948. Jabir said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was ill and we prayed behind him while he was sitting down. Abu Bakr relayed his takbir to the people. The Prophet turned towards us and saw that we were standing. He indicated to us that we should sit down. So we prayed sitting down with him. When he said the taslim, he said, ‘You were about to do what the Persians and Romans do. They stand in front of their kings when they are seated. Do not do that. Follow your Imams. If the Imam prays standing, then pray standing. If he prays sitting down, then pray sitting down.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth prohibits standing before a person while he is seated by way of showing reverence to him which was from the ways of the non-Muslims. As such, it also prohibits imitating the non-Muslims regarding things that are basically exclusive to them.

chapter 430. When someone yawns, he should put his hand over his mouth

949. Abu Sa’id reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you yawns, he should put his hand over his mouth. Otherwise Shaytan might enter it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: When the mouth opens due to something which is detested in the Sharee’ah, it becomes a path for Satan who is given the ability to enter the belly of man and move within it as blood moves within the veins. Therefore, it is only noble for one to repress the yawn as much as possible as mentioned earlier, or put his hand over his mouth to prevent the great enemy access into his body.

950. Ibn Abbas said, “When someone yawns, he should place his hand over his mouth. Yawning comes from Shaytan.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

951. Same as 949.
Commentary:As No. 949, with a different isnād.

41. Gestures

chapter 431. Should anyone delouse someone else’s head

952. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to visit Umm Hiram, the daughter of Milhan who was married to ‘Ubada ibn as-Samit, and she would give him food and delouse his head. Then he slept and woke up laughing.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “the scholars are agreed that she is from those relations permanently prohibited in marriage to him – peace and blessings be upon, but differ on how. Ibn Abdil-Barr and others hold that she was one of his foster aunts. Others say she was an aunt to his father or grandfather since Abdul-Muttalib’s mother was from the Najjaar tribe.” 2. Hafidh Ibn Hajar (الله رحمه (explained that, “It does not imply that he had anything on his head. She was only teasing apart the hair of the Messenger of Allahﷺ to soothe him since teasing apart the hair makes one feel relaxed.” 3. He became cheerful when he woke up owing to the dream he had that, a group of people in his Ummah will sail on the sea as kings on their thrones. This is authentically related in another version in the two Saheehs.

953. Qays ibn ‘Asim as-Sa’idi said, “I came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said, ‘This is the master of the people of the desert.’ I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, how much property can I have without owning anything to someone who comes with a request or a guest?’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘The best property is forty. A lot of property is sixty. Woe to those who have hundreds except for he who gives away something precious, lends an animal with abundant milk or sacrifices a fat animal to eat and feeds beggars and the poor.’ I asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, which is the noblest of these qualities?’ The valley where I am does not support many flocks.’ The Prophet replied, ‘So what do you give as a gift?’ I replied, ‘I give virgin camels and she-camels.’ The Prophet asked, ‘How much do you give as a loan?’ I said, ‘I lend a hundred.’ He asked, ‘What do you do with she-camels that are ready to be mated?’ He replied, ‘People bring their ropes (to use as halters for the male camels) and no man is prevented from taking a camel on which he puts a halter. He takes the male camel he thinks is the proper one (for mating and keeps it) until he returns it.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Which do you love more ? your property or your mawali (i.e. your heirs).’ (‘My property,’ he replied.) The Prophet said, ‘Your share is what you eat of your property and consume or what you give away and spend. The rest of it belongs to your heirs.’ I said, ‘When I go back, I must lessen it.'” When he was neat death, his sons gathered around and he said, ‘My sons, listen to me. You will not listen to anyone who will give you better advice than me. Do not wail over me. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was not wailed for. I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbid wailing. Shroud me in the garment in which I used to pray. Make the eldest of you your leader. If you make the eldest of you your leader, you will continue to have a successor from your father among you. If you make the youngest of you your leader, then the eldest of you will be debased in front of people. Be abstinent among yourselves. Have a good livelihood and you will be free of the need to ask from other people. Beware of begging. It is the lowest of a man’s earnings. When you bury me, flatten my grave. There was some bad feelings between me and the tribe of Bakr ibn Wa’il in this area because of wounds I inflicted. Do not trust a fool to bring something which might bring about disgrace in your deen (i.e. if he were to reveal the site of the grave.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narration shows: 1. That the pious predecessors were really concerned, even while dying, about the proper guidance of their children. So, they adjured them among others, to fear Allah, follow the lines of conduct of the Messengerﷺ and shun innovations. 2. That one should avoid whatever lowers the elders before their peers and the young. 3. That it is encouraged to legitimately seek wealth and also expend it prudently. 4. Discouragement for begging. 5. That wailing at the death of a person contradicts the Sunnah. 6. The need to be cautious of about one’s antagonists especially when they are non-Muslims

chapter 432. Shaking the head and biting the lip when surprised

954. ‘Abdullah ibn as-Samit said, “I questioned my close friend Abu Dharr who said, ‘I brought some water for wudu’ to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He shook his head and bit his lip. I said, “May my father and mother be your ransom, have I injured you?” “No,” he replied, “but you will meet amirs ? or imams ? who will delay the prayer until it is past its time.” “So what do you command me to do?” I asked. He replied, “Pray the prayer at the proper time. If you come across them, then pray with them and do not say, ‘I have already prayed, so I will not pray again.'”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point in this hadeeth in relation to the chapter heading is the permissibility of striking a person’s thigh without any negative intention. As regards the Prophet’s statement in another version of the same hadeeth, (954): “…you will meet amirs who delay the prayer beyong its time”, Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (explains, “That is, its preffered time; not completely beyond its prescribed time. This is because, what is reported from the amirs – both the earlier and later ones – is that they used to delay it beyond its preffered time. No one of them delayed it completely beyond its prescribed time. Therefore, it is pertinent to understand these narrations in the light of what really happened.” The hadeeth also exhorts towards observing the prayers at their preffered times, and avoiding difference and confrontation with the rulers.

chapter 433. A man striking his hand on his thigh when he is amazed or for some other reason

955. ‘Ali reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, knocked at the door of ‘Ali and Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, “Don’t you pray?” ‘Ali said, “I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, our spirits are with Allah. When He wishes to wake us up, we will make up.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, left without saying anything to me. Then I heard him strike him thigh after his back was turned. He said, ‘More than anything else, man is argumentative.’ (18:54)”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apart from being evidence for the permissibility of a man’s striking his own thighs when he is astonished, the prophet’s use of this verse as proof against Alee’s response – even though the late-night prayer is not obligatory, and he only sought to give an excuse for not having stood up up till the time – disproves the view of those who give preordainment as excuse for their laxity in their religious obligations.

956. Abu Razin said about Abu Hurayra, “I saw him striking his brow with his hand whole saying, ‘People of Iraq, do you claim that I lie against the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace? Do you have enjoyment while I have the wrong action? I testify that I heard the , Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “When one of you breaks his sandal-strap, he should not walk in his other sandal until it is mended.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference is Abu Hurayrah’s striking his forehead with his hand. The hadeeth also highlights: 1. Disaproval for walking in a single sandal or leather socks or socks since it contradicts sedateness. 2. Islam exhorts towards paying serious attention to good manners in every aspect of life. 3. The companions of the Prophet – may Allah be pleased with them all – love and really believe in the Prophetﷺ. So, they report his words with great precision and conviction.

chapter 434. When a man strikes his brother’s thigh and does not intend anything bad by it

957. Abu’l-‘Aliyya al-Bara’ said, “‘Abdullah ibn as-Samit passed by me and I gave him a chair. He sat down. I told him, ‘Ibn Ziyad has delayed the prayer. What do you command?’ He hit my thigh (and I think he said, ‘So that it left a mark on me’) and then he said, ‘I asked Abu Dharr as you asked me and he hit my thigh as I have hit yours. He said, “Pray the prayer at the proper time, but if you come across some of them, pray with them and do not say, ‘I have already prayed,’ and then not pray.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point in this hadeeth in relation to the chapter heading is the permissibility of striking a person’s thigh without any negative intention. As regards the Prophet’s statement in another version of the same hadeeth, (954): “…you will meet amirs who delay the prayer beyong its time”, Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (explains, “That is, its preffered time; not completely beyond its prescribed time. This is because, what is reported from the amirs – both the earlier and later ones – is that they used to delay it beyond its preffered time. No one of them delayed it completely beyond its prescribed time. Therefore, it is pertinent to understand these narrations in the light of what really happened.” The hadeeth also exhorts towards observing the prayers at their preffered times, and avoiding difference and confrontation with the rulers.

958. It is related that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar reported that ‘Umar went with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with a group to visit Ibn Sayyad. They found him playing with some children in the hills of Banu Maghala. Ibn Sayyad, who was approaching puberty, did not notice them until the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, patted him with his hand and then said to him, ‘Do you testify that I am the Messenger of Allah?’ Ibn Sayyad looked at him and said, ‘I testify that you are the Messenger of the unlettered.’ Ibn Sayyad said to the Prophet, ‘Do you testify that I am the Messenger of Allah?’ He refuted it and said, ‘I have believed in Allah and His Messengers.’ Then he said to him, ‘What dreams do you have?’ Ibn Sayyad replied, ‘Both truthful people and liars come to me.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘You are in a state of confusion.’ Then the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, ‘I am concealing something from you.’ Ibn Sayyad said, ‘It is just smoke.’ He said, ‘Shame on you! You will not go too far.’ ‘Umar said, ‘Messenger of Allah, let me cut his head off?’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘If it is him (i.e. the Dajjal), you will not be able to get the better of him. If it is not him, there is no point in killing him.'” Salim reported that he heard ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar say, “After that, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went with Ubayy ibn Ka’b al-Ansari to the palm-grove where Ibn Sayyad was staying. He wanted to hear something from Ibn Sayyad without Ibn Sayyad seeing him. The Prophet, Messenger of Allah entered and hid behind the palm trunks, trying to hear something from Ibn Sayyad before he saw him. Ibn Sayyad was lying on his bed, covered by a wrapper and there was a murmuring sound coming from him. The mother of Ibn Sayyad saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, hiding behind the palm trunk and she said to Ibn Sayyad, ‘Saf! (which was a name of Ibn Sayyad) Muhammad is here.’ So Ibn Sayyad got up. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘If she had left him, the business would have been clear.'” Salim reported that he heard ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar say, ” “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stood up among the people and praised Allah as He deserves and then he mentioned the Dajjal and said, ‘I warn you about him, and there is no Prophet who did not warn his people about him. Nuh warned his people about him, but I will say something to you which no Prophet has said to his people. You should know that he is one-eyed and that Allah is not one-eyed.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in the hadeeth vis-à-vis the chapter heading is the expression, “…until he struck him on the back with his hand…” However, it contains other lessons including that: 1. The Dajjal cannot be overpowered by any single person – no matter how pious or powerful – except Nabiyy ‘Eesa – peace be upon him –, as contained in other authentic narrations, after his descent which is from the Major Signs of the Hour. 2. It is prohibited to kill a person without a just cause. Allah the Exalted says: “Do not kill anyone whose killing Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause…” (Q 17 : 33). 3. We should only act based on clear knowledge and not illusions and suppositions. This informed the Prophet’s painstaking effort to verify the person of Ibn Sayyad. 4. The Authority has the responsibility of unraveling mysterious or complicated matters of interest to the general populace. It was widely feared then that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal about whose trial and tribulation the Prophets (alayhim as-Salam) have warned their people. 5. The Authority also has the duty of warning the people apprioprately about any impending danger as the Prophetﷺ warned about the coming of Dajjal and even gave additional information because his coming was no doubt in his Ummah. 6. It supports the fact that Allah the Mighty and Sublime has two Eyes.

959. Jabir said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was in janaba, he would pour three cupfuls of water over his head.” Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad [ibn al-Hanafiyya] said, “Abu ‘Abdullah, I have more hair than that.” Jabir struck his hand on al-Hasan’s thigh and said, “Nephew, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had more hair than you have and better hair as well.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin al-Hanafiyyah (الله رحمه (only sought to point out that, the Prophetﷺ perhaps, only used three handfuls because his hairs were not much and that for those with much hair, they would require more handfuls. However, the companion’s response is evidence that even though the Prophet’s hair was much more and better, which should, based on al-Hasan’s thought, require him to use many handfuls, he – peace and blessings be upon him – sufficed with three handfuls. “It demonstrates what the pious predecessors were upon, of giving evidence with the action of the Prophetﷺ and submitting to it.” Sharh Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad (3/101). In this narration also, the allowance of striking one’s hand on the thigh of another person when no evil is intended is established.

chapter 435. The person who dislikes people sitting and rising for him

960. Jabir said, “In Madina, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was thrown from a horse onto a palm trunk and dislocated his foot. We used to visit him in the room of ‘A’isha. We came upon him while he was praying sitting down and we prayed standing behind him. He indicates to us that we should sit down. When he finished the prayer, he said, ‘When the Imam prays sitting, then pray sitting. When he prays standing, then pray standing. Do not stand while the imam is sitting as the Persians do with their great men.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

961. He also said, “One of the slaves of the Ansar had a son whom he named Muhammad, The Ansar said, ‘We will not give you the kunya of the Messenger of Allah until we have sat in the road and asked the Prophet about the Final Hour.’ The Prophet said, ‘You have come to me to ask me about the Hour?’ ‘Yes,’ we replied. He said, ‘There is no one alive now who will see it, even if he lives a hundred years.’ We said, ‘A slave of the Ansar has had a son and named him Muhammad. The Ansar said, “We will not call you by the kunya of the Messenger of Allah.”‘ The Prophet said, ‘You have done well. Call yourselves with my name, but do not use my kunya.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The prophecy mentioned in this hadeeth was one of the miracles of the Prophetﷺ that no one who was alive at that time lived more than a hundred years after that. As to their question it is also an indirect answer, as in another hadīth, ‘whoever dies, his Hour has come’ , means he cannot do anything after that except to stand in front of his Lord so it is no use knowing the actual time of the Hour. See narrations in Chapter 373.

chapter 436. Chapter

962. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed through the market, entering from part of the high part of the city and the people were on both sides of him. He passed by a dead one-eared goat and reached out and took its ear. Then he said, “Who would like to buy this for a dirham?” They said, “Why would we want it when it is worthless? What would we do with it?” He said, “Would you like to have it?” “No,” they replied. He asked them that three times and they said, “No, by Allah! If it were alive, it would have a defect as it only has one ear. Why would we want it when it is dead?” The Prophet said, “By Allah, this world is less in the sight of Allah than this goat is to you.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

963. ‘Utayy ibn Damura said, “I saw a man with my father who was consoling another man in the way people used to console each other in the Jahiliyya. My father bit him and would not use his kunya. His companions looked at my father and he said, ‘It appears that you disapprove of that.’ He said, ‘I will never respect anyone who does this! I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “If someone consoles people in the way people consoled each other in the days of the Jahiliyya, then bite him, and do not use his kunya.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 437. What a man says when his foot goes to sleep

964. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Sa’d said, “Ibn ‘Umar’s foot went to sleep and a man said to him, ‘Mention the person you love most.’ He said, ‘Muhammad.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

42. Greetings

chapter 438. Chapter

965. It is related that Abu Musa was with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in one of the gardens of Madina. He said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had a twig in his hand with which he was striking the water and mud. A man came and asked for the garden to be opened, and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Open it for him and give him the good news of the Garden.’ I went and it was Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. I opened the gate for him and gave him the good news of the Garden. Then another man asked to be let in and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Open the door and give him the good news of the Garden.’ It was ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, and I let him in and gave him the good news of the Garden. Then yet another man asked to be let in. The Prophet had been reclining, but he then sat up and said, ‘Open it for him and give him the good news of the Garden along with an affliction which will befall him ? or which will happen.’ I went and it was ‘Uthman, I opened the door and told him what the Prophet had said. He said, ‘Allah is the One who is asked for help. ‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 439. Shaking hands with children

966. Salama ibn Wardan said, “I saw Anas ibn Malik shake hands with some people and he asked me, ‘And who are you?’ I said, ‘The mawla of the Banu Layth.’ He stroked my head three times and said, ‘May Allah bless you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration shows the kindheartedness of the companion , and encourages shaking and stroking the head of the young and supplicating for them.

chapter 440. Shaking Hands

967. Anas ibn Malik said, “When the people of Yemen came, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘The people of Yemen have arrived and they have gentler hearts than you. They are the first to offer the handshake.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth cites the connection between tenderheartedness and handshake, and encourages handshake. In another authentic narration collected by Imam Aboo Daawood, at-Tirmidhee and others, the Prophetﷺ said, “No two Muslims meet and shake hands except that they are both forgiven before they depart.”

968. Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib said, “Part of the full greeting is to shake your brother’s hand.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 441. A woman stroking a child’s head

969. Ibrahim ibn Marzuq ath-Thaqafi related that his father (who had belonged to Allah ibn az-Zubayr) told him, “‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr sent me to his mother, Asma’ bint Abi Bakr and he told her how al-Hajjaj was treating them. She made supplication for me and stroked my head. I was a young boy at that time.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

970. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said, “I purchased a camel and rode it hard for a month until I reached Syria. ‘Abdullah ibn Unays was there, and I sent word to him, saying, ‘Jabir is at the door.’ The messenger returned and said, ‘Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied. So ‘Abdullah came out and embraced me. I said, ‘A hadith reached me which I had not heard before and I feared that one of us might die.'” He went on, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘Allah will gather His slaves ? or people ? naked, uncircumcised, without anything.’ We asked, ‘What is meant by “without anything”?’ The Prophet said, ‘They will have nothing with them.’ (The Prophet went on,) ‘They will be called by a voice that is heard from afar (and I think that he said, ‘as if it was from close at hand’), saying, “I am the King. None of the people of the Garden will enter the Garden while any of the people of the Fire are seeking him for some injustice he did to him. None of the people of the Fire will enter the Fire while any of the people of the Garden are seeking him for an injustice he did to him.”‘ I asked, ‘How is this? We come to Allah naked and without any worldly goods?’ He said, ‘This applies to good actions and evil actions.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in this hadeeth vis-a-vis the chapter heading is that Abdullah came out and then embraced Jabir bin Abdullah (radiya Allahu anhum). Anas bin Malik reported that, “When the companions of the Prophetﷺ meet, they would shake each other. And when they return from journeys, they embraced each other.” See Silsilat alAhaadeeth is-Saheehah (1/301).

chapter 443. A man kissing his daughter

971. ‘A’isha, the Umm al-Mu’minin, said, “I did not see anyone who more resembled the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in manner of speaking that Fatima. When she came to him, he stood up for her, made her welcome, kissed her and had her sit in his place. When the Prophet came to her, she stood up for him, took his hand, made him welcome, kissed him, and made him sit in her place. She came to him during his final illness and he greeted her and kissed her.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 444. Kissing the hand

972. Ibn ‘Umar said, “We were on a raid and the people fled. We said, ‘How can we meet the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when we have run away? It has been revealed, “unless he is withdrawing to rejoin the fight” (8:16).” We said, ‘We will not go to Madina and then no one will see us.’ Then we said, ‘Perhaps we should go.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came from the Fajr prayer and we said, ‘We fled.’ He said, ‘You are those rejoining the fight.”‘ We kissed his hand. He said, ‘I am your group.*'” [* The ayat continues, “or withdrawing to support another group”]
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

973. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Razin said, “We passed by az-Zubda and were told, ‘There is Salama ibn al- Akwa’. I went to him and he greeted us. Then he brought out his hands and stated, ‘With these two hands I offered allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ He held out his palm which was as huge as a camel’s foot, and we got up and kissed it.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Explaining similar narrations, Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه ( explained, “As for kissing the hand, there are many narrations which all point to its establishment from the Prophetﷺ and the pious predecessors. Thus, it is our opinion that it is permissible to kiss the hand of a scholar if the following conditions are fulfilled: 1. It should not be made a custom such that the scholar becomes used to stretching out his hands to his students and the students also get used to seeking blessings through that. This is because although the Prophet’s hand was kissed, it was rare, and whatever is like that should not be taken as continous practice as is known from the Fundamentals of Islamic Jurisprudence. 2. That it should not lead to the scholar being arrogant towards others, feeling self-important, as is the case with some Shaykhs today. 3. That it should not lead to suspending a well-known Sunnah such as the Sunnah of handshake which is approved from his actions and statements, and which brings about the falling-off of the sins of the two persons shaking hands as is reported in many hadeeths. So, it is not allowed to cancel it because of an act which is, to say the most, only permissible.” See Sharh Saheeh Adab al-Mufrad (3/117).

974. Anas was asked, “Did you touch the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with your hand?” He replied, “Yes,” so they kissed it.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 445. Kissing the Foot

975. Al-Wazi’ ibn ‘Amir said, “We came and were told, ‘That is the Messenger of Allah.’ We took his hands and feet and kissed them.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

976. Suhayb said, “I saw ‘Ali kiss the hands and feet of al-‘Abbas.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 446. A man rising out of respect for another man

977. Abu Mijaz said, “Mu’awiya came while ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amir and ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr were seated. Ibn ‘Amir got up while Ibn az-Zubayr remained seated, and he was weightier of the two. Mu’awiya said, ‘The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever likes to have the slaves of Allah stand up out of respect for him should take his place in the Fire.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth shows, as Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (said, that “one: prohibition of the one coming to meet the people desiring their standing up for him. This is clear-cut, not requiring explanation. The other: Disaproval for those sitting to stand up for the one coming even if the person dislikes the standing; and that is from the aspects of cooperating upon goodness and closing the door of evil. This point is very precise and is pointed to us by the reporter of the hadeeth – Mu’awiyyah by his disapproving of Abdullah bin ‘Aamir’s standing up for him. He then advanced the hadeeth as evidence…”

chapter 447. Giving the greeting first

978. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah created Adam, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his height was 60 spans. He said, ‘Go and greet those (a group of angels who were sitting down) and listen to how they answer you. It is your greeting and the greeting of your descendants.’ He said, ‘Peace be upon you,’ and they replied, ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.’ They added, ‘and the mercy of Allah’. All who enter the Garden will have his form, but creation has continued to decline until now.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 448. Giving the greeting to people

979. Al-Bara’ reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Make the greeting common practice among you and you will be safe.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

980. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “You will not enter the Garden until you believe and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I tell you something the doing of which will give you love of one another?” “Yes, Messenger of Allah,” they replied. The Prophet said, “Make the greeting common practice among you.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

981. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Worship the All-Merciful and feed people. Make the greeting common practice among you and you will enter the Garden.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narrations under this chapter highlight the virtues of extending the greetings of Salam: safety, loving one another, increases Eemaan and leads to the Garden. May Allah enter us into His Garden. See hadeeth no. 987.

chapter 449. The person who greets first

982. Bashir ibn Yasar said, “No one preceded ? or got ahead of ? Ibn ‘Umar when giving the greeting.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In an authentic hadeeth collected by Imam at-Tirmidhee in his Sunan, the Prophetﷺ said, “The best of the people with Allah are those who go ahead of them to give the greeting of Salam.” The practice of Ibn Umar (radiya Allahu anhuma) shows the keenness of the companions – may Allah be pleased with them – to earn rewards from good deeds by adhering to the Sunnah. See narration no. 984 and 1006.

983. Jabir said, ” “Someone riding should greet someone walking, and someone walking should greet someone sitting down. When there are two people walking, the better of them is the one who gives the greeting first.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

984. Ibn ‘Umar said that al-Agharr (who was a man from Muzayna and had been a Companion of the Prophet) was owed some measures of dates by a man from the Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf who came to him many times. He said, “I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he sent Abu Bakr as-Siddiq with me.” He continues, “Everyone we met greeted us. Abu Bakr said, ‘Don’t you know that when people give the greeting before us, they have the reward? Give the greeting before them and you will have the reward.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

985. Abu Ayyub reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “It is not lawful for a Muslim man to separate himself from his brother for more than three days. When they meet, and one turns away and the other turns away, the better of them is the one who gives the greeting first.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Islam prohibits these things since they incite disharmony in the community. As regards separating from a Muslim, Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (said, “It is forbidden that Muslims separate from themselves for more than three days textually; but it is permissible for three days connotatively. He is only pardoned for those three days because man innately gets angry; so he is not held responsible for the period so that he could reconsider the case and calm the anger.”

chapter 450. The excellence of the greeting

986. Abu Hurayra reported that a man passed by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while hew as in an assembly and said, “Peace be upon you.” “Ten good deeds,” he said. Another man passed by and said, “Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.” The Prophet said, “Twenty good deeds.” Then yet another man passed by and said, “Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessing,” and the Prophet said, “Thirty good deeds.” Then a man in the gathering got up and did not give the greeting. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “How quickly your companion forgets! When one of you comes to an assembly, he should give the greeting. If he thinks he should sit down, he sits down. When he stands up, he gives the greeting. Neither is a greater duty than the other.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (observes, “Saying the greeting of Salam when one gets up to leave a gathering is an etiquette that is being abandoned in some of the lands. And the most apprioprate of those to revive it are the people of knowledge and its students. Thus it is pertinent that they say the Salam when they join the students in the class, for example, and likewise when they leave for the first is not more meritorious than the other.

987. ‘Umar said, “I was riding behind Abu Bakr and he passed by some people. He said, ‘Peace be upon you.’ They said, ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.’ He said, ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.’ They said, ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.’ Abu Bakr said, ‘Today the people have been very much better than us.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

988. ‘A’isha reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The Jews do not envy you for anything the way that they envy you for the salam and the Amin.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Jews are jealous of the Muslims for many of the Muslims’ beliefs and practices, which quite badly, has led to their serious hatred for the Muslims. Allah the Exalted says: “Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers (Muslims) the Jews and those who are polytheists…” (Q 5: 82) 2. The hadeeth highlights the virtues of the greeting of Salam and the saying of Amin (O Allah, accept the supplication) during congregational Salat

chapter 451. Peace (as-Salam) is one of the Name so Allah

989. Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “As- Salam (peace) is one of the Names of Allah Almighty which Allah has placed in the earth. Therefore give the greeting among yourselves.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

990. Ibn Mas’ud said, ” They were doing the prayer with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and someone said, ‘Peace be upon Allah.’ When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, finished the prayer, he said, ‘Who said “Peace be upon Allah”? Allah is Peace. Rather say, “Greetings belong to Allah and good words and prayers. Peace be upon you, O Prophet and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon all the right-acting slaves of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.”‘” Ibn Mas’ud said, “They used to learn that as one of you would learn a sura from the Qur’an.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth and the one that precedes it are evidences that establish that As-Salaam is from the Names of Allah the Mighty and Sublime. They show the significance of the expression, As-Salam alaykum… and encourage extending greetings to one another with the formula. In other versions of the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood, it added that after the death of the Prophetﷺ, they would say, “assalamu ‘ala an-Nabiyy – Peace be upon the Prophet” and not, “assalamu ‘alayka ayyuha an-Nabiyy – Peace be upon you, O Prophet”.

chapter 452. It is a duty for one Muslim to greet another Muslim when he meets him

991. Abu Hurayra said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘The rights a Muslim has over another Muslim are five.” He was asked, “What are they?” He replied, “When he meets him, he should greet him, When he gives him an invitation, he should accept. When he asks him for advice, he should give him good counsel. When he sneezes and praises Allah, he should wish him mercy. when he is ill, he should visit him. When he dies, he should accompany him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in this hadeeth here is that, it is from the rights of the Muslim that one extends the greeting of Salam to him. The point of reference in these narrations is that to supplicate for the one who sneezes and says, Alhamdulillah is from the obligations he is owed by everyone who hears him say, Alhamdulillah.

chapter 453. Someone walking greets the person sitting down

992. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Shibl said that he heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The person riding should greet the person on foot. The person on foot should greet the person who is seated. The smaller group should greet the large. Whoever answers the greeting, that is for him. Whoever does not answer it, has nothing.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Since it is from the right of every Muslim that he is given the greeting of Salam when approached, this hadeeth clarifies the one with the greater obligation of starting the greeting. As regards the phrase, “…whoever does not answer it has nothing”, Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (noted, “That is, he has nothing of rewards; that (i.e. the reward) is only for the individuals that responded amongst the group. It (also) contains strong evidence that the single person’s reply is sufficient on behalf of the group…”

993. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The person riding greets the person walking. The person walking greets the person sitting. The small group greets the large group.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

994. Jabir said, “When two people walking meet, then the one who gives the greeting first is the better of them.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It could be deduced from this narration and those in Chapter 449 in relation to the chapter heading here, that although certain grups of people have greater obligation to commence the greeting, the other group too could initiate the greeting as was the practice of the companions – may Allah be pleased with them all – : “The better of them is the one who gives the greeting first.” See narration no. 997.

chapter 454. The person riding greets the person sitting

995. See 993.
Commentary: As No. 993, with a different isnād.

996. Fadala reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The person riding greets the person sitting and the small group greets the larger.”
Commentary: As Nos. 993-995. from Fadāla, with a different isnād.

chapter 455. Does the person walking greet the person riding?

997. Ash-Sha’bi said that he met a rider and gave the greeting first. I said, “Did you give the greeting first?” He said, “I saw Shurayh walking and he gave the greeting first.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It could be deduced from this narration and those in Chapter 449 in relation to the chapter heading here, that although certain grups of people have greater obligation to commence the greeting, the other group too could initiate the greeting as was the practice of the companions – may Allah be pleased with them all – : “The better of them is the one who gives the greeting first.”

chapter 456. A small group greets the large group

998. See 996.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

999. See 996.
Commentary: As above, with a different isnād.

chapter 457. The young person greets the old

1000. See 993.
Commentary: Similar to No.999, from Abū Hurayra, with a different isnād.

1001. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The young person greets the old person, the person walking greets the person sitting down, and the small group greets the large group.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in the narration vis-a-vis the chapter heading is that, the older have a right to be greeted first by the young, and exhorts towards showing respect for elders.

chapter 458. The end of the greeting

1002. (sic) Abu’z-Zinad said, “Kharija (ibn Zayd ibn Thabit) used to write on the letter of Zayd when he said the salam, ‘Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu’minin, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings and His forgiveness and the best of His prayers.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps this narration from the companion – Zayd bin Thaabit – was mentioned with this chapter heading to show that one may add things like, “wa magfiratuh, wa teeb salawaatuhu (His forgiveness and the best of His blessings)” to the word, “wabarakatuhu (and His blessings)” when one initiates the greeting. However, it is authentically reported that Abdullah bin Abbass and Ibn Umar (radiya Allahu anhum) would disapprove of that. In the narration collected by Imam Malik in the Muwattau upon which Ibn Hajar was silent in al-Fath, Ibn Abbass said to the one who initiated the greeting with an addition that, “The greeting ends at al-Barakah (and His blessings).” This is the correct view more so, that an addition was neither taught by nor authentically linked to the Prophetﷺ. This was also the position of Imam Ibn Katheer and others (rahimahumullah). 2. As regards adding “wamagfiratuhu” to the expression, “wabarakatuh” while replying the greeting of Salam, Zayd bin Arqam reported that the Prophetﷺ said, “When the Prophetﷺ greets us with the Salam we would say, ‘Wa ‘alayka as-Salam warahmatullah wabarakatuh wamagfiratuh (And peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings and His forgiveness).’” Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (1449).

chapter 459. The person who greets by a gesture

1002. Abu Qurra al-Khurasani said, “I saw Anas pass by us and he indicated to us with his hand that he was giving the greeting., The gesture made that clear. I saw al-Hasan using yellow dye while wearing a black turban. Asma’ said, ‘The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, waved his hand to indicate the greeting to women.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1003. Sa’d reported that he went with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar and al-Qasim ibn Muhammad. They stopped at place and ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr commanded and made a gesture of greeting to them and it was answered.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: The one who does a thing found disquieting by those around him may explain the reason for his action. 2. ‘Awf bin Malik was a companion of the Prophet ([r]) who witnessed the Triumph over Makkah; yet he sought to only have pious people around him. Katheer bin Murrah (الله رحمه (was a student of the companions; he met about seventy of those who fought at Badr among the companions – radiya Allahu anhum.

1004. ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah said, “They used to dislike a greeting made with the hand,” or he said, “He disliked greeting with the hand.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Perhaps the basis for the disapproval of giving the greeting with the hand is the authentic narration collected by Imam at-Tirmidhee (رحمه الله (in his Sunan in which the Prophetﷺ prohibited it and mentined that it was from the ways of the Jews and the Christians.

chapter 460. Make it heard when you greet

1005. Thabit ibn ‘Ubayd said, “I came to a group which included ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar who said, ‘When you greet, make it clearly audible, for it is a greeting from Allah containing great blessing.:
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: From the Sunnah regarding the greeting is to make it audible to the person been greeted.

chapter 461. Someone who goes out, greets and is greeted

1006. At-Tufayl ibn Ubayy ibn Ka’b related that he used to visit ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar and would go with him to the market. He said, “When we went to the market, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar did not pass by any rubbish collector nor merchant nor poor person nor anyone else without greeting them.” At-Tufayl said, “I came to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar one day and he asked me to follow him to the market. I said, ‘What is the point of you going to the market? You do not engage in selling nor ask about goods nor bargain for them nor sit in any of the groups in the market. Let us sit here and talk.’ ‘Abdullah said to me, ‘You with the belly! (at-Tufayl had a large belly.) We go out in the morning only for the sake of the greeting we give to those we meet.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 462. The greeting when someone comes to a gathering

1007. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you comes to a gathering, he should give the greeting. If he leaves, he should give the greeting. Neither is more of a duty than the other.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (observes, “Saying the greeting of Salam when one gets up to leave a gathering is an etiquette that is being abandoned in some of the lands. And the most apprioprate of those to revive it are the people of knowledge and its students. Thus it is pertinent that they say the Salam when they join the students in the class, for example, and likewise when they leave for the first is not more meritorious than the other.

chapter 463. The greeting when someone leaves a gathering

1008. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When a man comes to a gathering, he should give the greeting. When he sits down and then thinks that he should leave before the gathering has broken up, he should give the greeting. Neither is more of a duty than the other.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (observes, “Saying the greeting of Salam when one gets up to leave a gathering is an etiquette that is being abandoned in some of the lands. And the most apprioprate of those to revive it are the people of knowledge and its students. Thus it is pertinent that they say the Salam when they join the students in the class, for example, and likewise when they leave for the first is not more meritorious than the other.

chapter 464. The duty of someone who gives the greeting when he stands up

1009. Mu’awiya ibn Qurra said, “My father told me, ‘If you sit in a gathering expecting good to come from, but then something occurs which makes you leave, say, ‘Peace be upon you,’ and you will share in any good that they obtain in that gathering. There are no people who sit in a gathering and then split up without Allah having been mentioned, but that it is as if they were leaving the corpse of a donkey.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1010. Abu Hurayra said, “Whoever meets his brother should greet him. If a tree or wall comes between them and then he meets him, he should greet him on the other side.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration is also authentically reported from the companion, Abu Hurayrah from the Prophetﷺ. See narration no. 1011.

1011. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to gather and they would turn towards the tree and a group of them would go to the right and a group to its left. When they met again, they would greet one another.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: See narrations on Chapter 448.

chapter 465. The person who oils his hand for the handshake

1012. It is reported by Thabit al-Bannani that Anas used to oil his hand with scented oil in the morning for the sake of shaking hands with his brothers.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It shows the great importance the companions attached to the greeting of Salam. They would give the greeting in the most perfect form being the first to extend the greeting, give handshakes and even oil and perfume their hands before the shake. It also showed the importance they attached to clean and healthy life as opposed to the coarse, austere, self-imposed life some of the people live, claiming to seek Allah’s pleasure thereby: “Allah is clean and He only accepts that which is clean”!

chapter 466. Greeting those you know and those you do not know

1013. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that a man said, “Messenger of Allah, which aspect of Islam is best?” He replied, “Feeding people and greeting those you know and those you do not know.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In other authentic reports, the Prophetﷺ outrightly mentioned giving the greeting of Salam only to those we know as from the signs of the Last Hour. Abdullah bin Mas’ood reproached the one who did that. The Sunnah is to give the greeting of Salam to those we know and those we do not know amongst the Muslims, fulfilling our duties to them and not being miserly as contained in the ahaadeeth mentioned earlier. However, when the Hour draws near the people will abandon this Sunnah, being undutiful and miserly giving the greeting only to those whom they know!

chapter 467. Chapter

1014. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade people to sit in courtyards and roads. The Muslims said, “We will not be able to avoid it. We cannot undertake it.” He said, “If not, then give it its due.” They said, “What is it due?” He said, “Lower the eye, guide the traveller, wish for mercy on the person who sneezes when he praises Allah and return the greeting.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It indicates that students and subordinates may ask their teachers and superiors how to resolve a difficult matter into which they may fall due to particular instructions already given by them regarding the matters.

1015. Abu Hurayra said, “The most miserly of people is the person who is miserly with the greeting. The one who is cheated of good is the one who does not return it. if a tree comes between you and your brother, and you are able to be the first to begin the greeting before the other person, then do it.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1016. Salim, the mawla of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, said, “When Ibn ‘Umar was greeted, he returned it with increase. I came upon him sitting down and said, ‘Peace be upon you,’ and he said, ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.’ Then I came another time and said, ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah,; and he said, ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.’ Then I came to him another time and said, ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings,’ and he said, ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings and the bet of His prayers.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 468. Do not greet a deviant person

1017. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘as said, “Do not greet anyone who drinks wine.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1018. Al-Hasan said, “There should be not sense of respect between you and a deviant person.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: They would both be turning away from the Truth if they had cut off from each other merely for a worldly reason or Hawa (desire). However, if they had cut off for the sake of Allah, then it may be permissible or even encouraged or obligatory based on the condition. The death of any one of them both while they are still cut off (for worldly reasons or mere desire) from each other indicates that they will be meeting Allah the Mighty and Exalted, not having repented from that failing, thereby exposing themselves to nonentrance of the Paradise. The hadeeth is evidence that to extend the greeting of salam and responding to it is sufficient to end such break in relations. Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee explains, “Imam al-Bukhaari’s placement of this hadeeth under this chapter is to indicate the permissible form of cutting off, and that cutting off is in different forms depending on the reason for it. When it has to do with sin, they (i.e. the persons who commit such sins) deserve been cut off by not speaking to them as in the story of Ka’b and his two companions. As for that resulting from some mutual disagreement between members of a household or brothers, it would be permissible (based on this hadeeth) to leave out calling the person’s name, for example, or not showing friendly looks while not leaving to extend the greetings of salam and speech (with the person).” A’isha’s anger may result from matters of feelings of jealousy amongst the women in the household. Even at that, sincere love and great honor for the Prophetﷺ are deep-rooted in her heart such that she would only leave out his name while angry.

1019. ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah was heard expressing his dislike for chess and said, “Do not greet someone who plays it. It is a kind of gambling.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 469. Not greeting a man wearing khaluq-perfume and those in rebellion (against Allah)

1020. ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, walked past some people who included a man who used khaluq perfume. He looked at them and gave them the greeting, but turns away from that man. The man asked, ‘Have you turned away from me?’ He replied, ‘There is redness between your eyes.'” [Khaluq is a reddish-yellow perfume usually used by women.]
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The Khaluq is coloured perfume used exclusively by women. So he – peace and blessings be upon him – turned away from the man because he imitated women in its use. Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awayisha (hafizahullah) advices, “It is good to look at the result of cutting off the sinner and not greeting him and things like that. If we note that doing that will further keep him away from Allah and make him persist in sin, then we should leave the cut-off and say the greeting to him.” Sharh Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad (3/155).

1021. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah reported that a man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wearing a gold signet-ring on his finger. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, turned away from him. When the man saw his dislike of the gold, he threw the ring away. He made an iron ring and wore that. He came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said, “This is worse. This is the ornament of the people of the Fire.” The man went away, threw it off and put on a silver ring and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not say anything about it.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

1022. Abu Sa’id said, “A man came from al-Bahrayn to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and greeted him, but the Prophet did not answer him. The man was wearing a gold ring and a silk robe. The man went away in sorrow. He complained to his wife and she said, ‘Perhaps the Messenger of Allah objects to your robe and your ring. Throw them away and then go back.; he did that and then the Prophet returned his greeting. he said, ‘I came to you yesterday and you turned away from me.’ He said, ‘You had a coal of the Fire on your hand.’ He said, ‘I came then with any coals.’ He said, ‘As for what you brought, there is no one who is free from dependence on these stones. But it is the enjoyment of the life of this world.’ He said, ‘What should I make a ring from?’ ‘From silver, brass, or iron,’ he replied.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 470. Greeting the Amir

1023. ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdu’l-‘Aziz asked Abu Bakr ibn Abi Hathama, “Why did Abu Bakr write, ‘From Abu Bakr, the Khalifa (Successor) of the Messenger of Allah’ and then ‘Umar wrote after him, ‘From ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, the khalifa (successor) of Abu Bakr’? Who was the first to write ‘the Amir al- Mu’minin’?” He replied, “My grandmother, ash-Shifa’, related to me, and she was one of the first to write ‘the Amir al-Mu’minin’?” He said, “My grandfather, ash-Shifa’ related to me, (and she was one of the first Muhajirun and when ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab entered the market, he visited her), saying, ”Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote to the governor of Iraq requesting him to send him two trustworthy noble men so that he could question them about Iraq and its people. He sent him a master of Iraq, Labid ibn Rabi’a and also ‘Adi ibn Hatim, and they came to Madina. They made their camels kneel in the courtyard of the mosque, entered it and found ‘Amr ibn al-‘As. They said to him, ”Amr, ask permission for us to visit the Amir al-Mu’minin, ‘Umar.’ ‘Amr got up and went to ‘Umar. He said, ‘Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu’minin.’ ‘Umar said to him, ‘Ibn al-‘As, what made you use this name? You have deviated from what you normally say.’ He said, ‘Yes, Labid ibn Rabi’a and ‘Adi ibn Hatim came and said to me, “Ask permission for us to visit the Amir al-Mu’minin.” I said, “You two, by Allah, have hit upon the correct name. He is the amir and we are the believers.”‘ The title originated on that day.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point in this hadeeth with respect to the chapter title is ‘Amr’s greeting ‘Umar (radiya Allahu anhuma) with the greeting of Salam.

1024. ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdullah said, “Mu’awiya went on his first hajj when he was the khalifa and ‘Uthman ibn Hanif al-Ansari came to him and said, ‘Peace be upon you, Amir, and the mercy of Allah.’ The people of Syria objected to that and said, ‘Who is this hypocrite who shortens the greeting of the Amir al-Mu’minin!’ ‘Uthman made his camel kneel and said, ‘Amir al-Mu’minin! These men object to something which you know better than them. By Allah, I used to this greeting for Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman, and none of them objected to it.’ Mu’awiya said to those of the people of Syria who had spoken, ‘Take it easy! It was partly as he stated. But when the civil war engaged the people of Syria, they said, “Do not shorten the greeting of our khalifa in our presence (i.e. from Amir al- Mu’minin to Amir).” People of Madina, I will treat you as friends even though you use ‘Amir” for a zakat collector.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: ‘Uthman bin Hunayf who had knelt down to show the significance of the matter rather than by way of greeting the Amir cited the fact that he had greeted Abu Bakr, Umar and ‘Uthman similarly since the Prophetﷺ had ordered the Ummah to follow the ways of these righteous caliphs. 2. The caliph – Mu’awiyah bin Abee Sufyan – reconciled the varying notions on the subject showing that dialogue is an important instrument to bring about peace and harmony. 3. The point in this hadeeth here is the greeting of Salam given to the Amir

1025. Jabir said, “I visited al-Hajjaj and did not greet him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: See narrations in the preceding chapter. Hajjaaj bin Yoosuf was was a tyrannical ruler who shed the blood of the people with impunity!

1026. Tamim ibn Hadhlam said, “I will mention the first to be greeted as ‘Amir’ in Kufa. Al-Mughira ibn Shu’ba left by the Bab ar-Rahba and a man of Kinda came up to him. They claim that it was Abu Qurra al-Kindi. He greeted him and said, ‘Peace be upon you, O Amir, and the mercy of Allah.’ He disliked it. So the man said, ‘Peace be upon you, O Amir, and the mercy of Allah. Peace be upon you. Am I one of you or not?'” Sammak ibn Salama ad-Dabi said, “After that it became an established practice.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1027. Ziyad ibn ‘Ubayd (ar-Ru’ayni) said, “We went to Ruwayfa’, the Amir of Antabulis. A man came and greeted him, saying, ‘Peace be upon the Amir.’ From ‘Abda, he said, ‘Peace be upon the Amir.’ Ruwayfa’ said to him, ‘If you had greeted us, we would have returned the greeting. But you greeted Maslama ibn Mukhallad (Maslama was in charge of Egypt). Go to him and he will return your greeting.'” Ziyad said, “When we arrived, we greeted Ruwayfa’ while he was in his assembly, saying, ‘Peace be upon you.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 471. Greeting someone asleep

1028. Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to come at night and would give the greeting in such a way that it would not awaken anyone asleep, but the person who was awake would hear it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 472. May Allah preserve you

1029. ‘Umar said to ‘Adi ibn Hatim, “May Allah preserve you from recognition.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 473. Welcome

1030. ‘A’isha said, “Fatima walked in the same manner that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, walked. He used to say to her, ‘Welcome, my daughter!’ Then he would have her sit down on his right or his left.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1031. ‘Ali said, “‘Ammar asked for permission to enter to visit the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Prophet recognised his voice and said, ‘Welcome with the best and purest greeting!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 474. How to return the greeting

1032. ‘Uqba ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr who said, “While we were sitting with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the shade of a tree while travelling between Makka and Madina, a bedouin, who was an example of the coarsest and fiercest kind of people came up and said, ‘Peace be upon you,’ and they said, ‘And upon you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1033. Abu Jamra said, “I heard Ibn ‘Abbas say when he was greeted, ‘And upon you and the mercy of Allah.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This is not a well-known way of responding to the greeting of Salam. However, it is authentically established from the Prophetﷺ and is therefore, acceptable.

1034. Qayla reported that a mans aid, “Peace be upon you, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” He said, “And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)

1035. Abu Dharr said, “I came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he had finished his prayer. I was the first person to be greeted with the greeting of Islam. He said, ‘And on you and the mercy of Allah. From where have you come?’ I said, ‘From Ghifar.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1036. ‘A’isha reported, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ”A’ish! This is Jibril who sends you greetings.’ I said, ‘And peace be upon him and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. You see what I do not see.” By that she meant the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1037. Mu’awiya ibn Qurra said that his father said to him, “My son, when a man passes by you and says, ‘Peace be upon you (plural).’ Do not say, ‘And on you (singular)’ as if you were singling out that greeting out for him alone. Rather say, ‘Peace be upon you (plural).'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 475. Someone who does not return the greeting

1038. ‘Abdullah ibn as-Samit said, “I said to Abu Dharr, ‘I passed by ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Umm al- Hakam and I greeted him and he did not answer me at all. He said, ‘Nephew, what harm have suffered from that? Someone better than him answered you ? the angel on his right.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth encourages disseminating the greeting of Salam and appeases the one who does not get response from the one to whom he extends the greeting. Although the ascription of the report here stops at the companion, similar narrations have been authentically reported from the Prophetﷺ. See Silsilat al-Ahaadeth is-Sahehah (184).

1039. ‘Abdullah said, “Peace is one of the Names of Allah which Allah has placed on the earth. Extend it among you. When a man greets people and they answer him, then he has a higher degree than them because he reminds them of peace. If no one answers him, he will be answered by one who is better and more excellent.'”
1039. ‘Abdullah said, “Peace is one of the Names of Allah which Allah has placed on the earth. Extend it among you. When a man greets people and they answer him, then he has a higher degree than them because he reminds them of peace. If no one answers him, he will be answered by one who is better and more excellent.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1040. Al-Hasan said, “Greeting is an act of obedience while the answer is a duty.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Some of the scholars have generally mentioned the like of the statement above; that initiating the greeting is only Mandoob (recommended) while responding is Wajib (obligatory). As regards the validity of the position, al-Imam al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (asserted: “The correctness of this generalization is disputable in my opinion because it implies that if two Muslims meet and no one amongst them both first greets his brother with the Salam – they just started talking – that they have not sinned! This clearly contradicts the various ahaadeeth that command giving the greeting of Salam and disseminating it and that it is from the duties of the Muslim to his brother to first initiate the greeting of Salam to him when he meets him and that the most miserly of the people is the one who is miserly with the greeting of Salam amongst other texts that emphasize that it is Wajib (obligatory) many of which had been cited earlier in this blessed book – Allah willing. Infact, that (i.e. the obligation) is further emphasized by the fact that he gave an array of who will be the first to initiate the greeting in some circumstances…” Saheeh Adab al-Mufrad (pg. 305).

chapter 476. Someone who is miserly with the greeting

1041. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As said, “A liar is someone who lies in his oath. A miser is someone who is miserly with the greeting. A thief is someone who steals the prayer.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1042. Abu Hurayra said, “The most miserly of people is the one who is miserly with the greeting. The most incapable of people of people is the one who is the most incapable of supplication.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This forms one of the evidences upon which the ruling on the obligation of initiating the greeting of Salam is based.

chapter 477. The Greeting to Children

1043. Thabit al-Bannani reported that Anas ibn Malik walked by some children and greeted them. He said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to do that.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:It shows the tenderheartedness of the Prophetﷺ and demonstrates that children should be nutured along the lines of righteousness right from their very early ages.

1044. ‘Anbas said, “I saw Ibn ‘Umar greet children in the schools.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 478. Women greeting men

1045. Umm Hani’, the daughter of Abu Talib, said, “I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was performing a major ablution. I greeted him and he asked, ‘Who is this?’ ‘Umm Hani’,’ I replied. He said, ‘Welcome.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1046. Al-Hasan said, “Be women who greet men.”
Commentary: This hadeeth and report from one of the pious predecessors and others in its meaning evince the fact that it is basically allowed for a woman to greet a man even though he is none of her Mahaarim. The Prophetﷺ was not a Mahram to Umm Hani (radiya Allahu anha) and the instance was on the day of the Triumph over Makkah not in the early days of Islam as some may wish to counter. However, based on the legal maxim of giving precedence to warding off evil over seeking benefits, “whosoever can vouch for himself about being steadfast should greet, but the one who cannot guarantee himself should not.” Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad (pg. 288).

chapter 479. Greeting women

1047. Asma’ was heard to say that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by a group of women sitting down in the mosque. He said to the salam with his hand and said, “Beware of the ingratitude of those with blessings. Beware of the ingratitude of those with blessings.” One of them said, “We seek refuge with Prophet, Prophet of Allah, from ingratitude for the blessings of Allah.” He said, “Yes. One of you women might have been without a husband for a long time (and then Allah provides her with one) and she becomes angry and says, ‘By Allah, I have never seen a hour of good from you. That is ingratitude for the blessings of Allah. That is the ingratitude of those with blessings.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Asma here is bint Yazeed al-Ansaariyyah as mentioned in the next report. 2. The Prophetﷺ repeated the warning to show the seriousness of the matter. 3. It encourages seeking clarifications regarding an evil, seeking Allah’s refuge from it and avoid it. 4. The hadeeth points to the fact that being granted spouse is from the favours of Allah. As it should be with the women, the men should recognize this favour and treat their spouses kindly. 5. It is prohibited to be ungrateful of the favours of Allah. 6. The point of reference in the hadeeth is the permissibility of giving the greeting of Salam to women. This refutes the view of those who give a blanket ruling that it is prohibited.

1048. Asma’, the daughter of Yazid al-Ansari, said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by me while I was with some young slavegirls belonging to me. He greeted us and said, ‘Beware of the ingratitude of those with blessings.’ I was the boldest of them in coming forward to question him and I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, what is the ingratitude of those with blessings?’ He replied, ‘Perhaps one of them with remain unmarried for a long time with her parents and then Allah provides her with a husband and provides her with children from him and then she gets angry and is ungrateful and says, “I have never seen any good at all from you.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Asma here is bint Yazeed al-Ansaariyyah as mentioned in the next report. 2. The Prophetﷺ repeated the warning to show the seriousness of the matter. 3. It encourages seeking clarifications regarding an evil, seeking Allah’s refuge from it and avoid it. 4. The hadeeth points to the fact that being granted spouse is from the favours of Allah. As it should be with the women, the men should recognize this favour and treat their spouses kindly. 5. It is prohibited to be ungrateful of the favours of Allah. 6. The point of reference in the hadeeth is the permissibility of giving the greeting of Salam to women. This refutes the view of those who give a blanket ruling that it is prohibited.

chapter 480. Someone who dislikes to greet a particular person

1049. Tariq said, “We were sitting with ‘Abdullah when his doorkeeper came and said, ‘The iqama for the prayer has been given.’ He got up and we got up as well and went to the mosque. He saw the people doing ruku’ at the front of the mosque. He said the takbir, bowed, and we went and did the same thing that he had done. Then a man rushed past and said, ‘Peace be upon you, Abu ‘Abdu’r- Rahman.’ He said, ‘Allah has spoken the truth and His Messenger conveyed the Message.’ When we finished the prayer, he returned and went back to is people. We remained sitting in out places, waiting for him until he came out. We said to each other, ‘Which of us will ask him?’ Tariq said, ‘I will ask him,’ and he did so. ‘Abdullah said, ‘From the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said, “Before the Final Hour people will single out one individual for the greeting, commerce will increase until a woman helps her husband in business, people will sever their links with their relatives, knowledge will spread, false testimony will appear and true testimony will be concealed.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Sunnah is to give the greeting of Salam to those we know and those we do not know amongst the Muslims, fulfilling our duties to them and not being miserly as contained in the ahaadeeth mentioned earlier. However, when the Hour draws near the people will abandon this Sunnah, being undutiful and miserly giving the greeting only to those whom they know! In other authentic reports, the Prophetﷺ outrightly mentioned giving the greeting of Salam only to those we know as from the signs of the Last Hour. Abdullah bin Mas’ood reproached the one who did that. The Sunnah is to give the greeting of Salam to those we know and those we do not know amongst the Muslims, fulfilling our duties to them and not being miserly as contained in the ahaadeeth mentioned earlier. However, when the Hour draws near the people will abandon this Sunnah, being undutiful and miserly giving the greeting only to those whom they know!

1050. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that a man asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “Which is the best of Islam?” He replied, “Feeding people and giving the greeting to those you know and those you do not know.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In other authentic reports, the Prophetﷺ outrightly mentioned giving the greeting of Salam only to those we know as from the signs of the Last Hour. Abdullah bin Mas’ood reproached the one who did that. The Sunnah is to give the greeting of Salam to those we know and those we do not know amongst the Muslims, fulfilling our duties to them and not being miserly as contained in the ahaadeeth mentioned earlier. However, when the Hour draws near the people will abandon this Sunnah, being undutiful and miserly giving the greeting only to those whom they know!

43. Asking permission to enter

chapter 481. How was the Ayat of Veiling revealed?

1051. Anas said that he was ten years old when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to Madina. He said, “My mothers decided that I would serve him and I served him for ten years. He died when I was twenty. I am the person who knows best about the business of the veil. The first instance that was revealed occurred when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, built a room for Zaynab bint Jahsh. He celebrated the wedding there, invited the people who came, ate and then left. A group remained with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They stayed for a long time and then the Prophet went out and I went out hoping that they would leave. He walked and I walked with him until he came to the threshold of ‘A’isha’s room. Then, thinking that they would have left, he returned and I returned with him. He went to Zaynab but they were still sitting there. He left again and I left with him until he once more reached the threshold of ‘A’isha’s room. When he thought that they would have gone, he went back again and I went back with him. This time they had indeed left. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then put up a curtain between me and him, and the veil was revealed.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: By his statement, “my mothers”, Anas bin Malik meant his mother and his aunts. In the verse – Q 33: 53 – Allah the Exalted prohibited: 1. Entering the Prophet’s house unless permission is given for a meal, and even then, not so early as to wait for its preparation. 2. Waiting after the meal, holding conversations. 3. Women been asked for anything directly by those who are their non-Mahrams without the screen. 4. The wives of the Prophetﷺ been married by anyone after his death.

chapter 482. Three times of nakedness

1052. Tha’laba ibn Abi Malik al-Qurazi reported that he rode to ‘Abdullah ibn Suwayd, one of the Banu Haritha ibn al-Harith, to ask him about the three times of nakedness. ‘Abdullah used to observe these times. Tha’laba said, “‘Abdullah asked, ‘What do you want?’ I replied, ‘I want to observe them.’ He said, ‘When I take off my garment at midday, none of my family who have reached puberty comes to me without my permission unless I call them. Nor do they do that when it is Fajr until people know that I have prayed, nor when I have prayed ‘Isha’ and removed my clothes so that I can sleep.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The three times are: 1. During the midday heat. 2. Before the dawn until after the Subhi prayer. 3. After the ‘Isha prayer. These times are also mentioned in Q 24: 58. These rulings show how seriously the Muslim should hold adherence to noble manners in his dealings

chapter 483. A man eating with his wife

1053. ‘A’isha said, “I used to eat date and butter mixture with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. ‘Umar visited and the Prophet invited him and he ate. ‘Umar’s hand touched my fingers and he said, ‘Oh! If I were to be obeyed about you, no eye would ever see you!’ Then the veil was revealed.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: While the ruling of the permissibility of a man eating with his wife in a single bowl still remains with the revelation of the verse on the veil, it became prohibited for a man to eat or even see a woman who is not his Mahram without her being veiled. By his statement, “my mothers”, Anas bin Malik meant his mother and his aunts. In the verse – Q 33: 53 – Allah the Exalted prohibited: 1. Entering the Prophet’s house unless permission is given for a meal, and even then, not so early as to wait for its preparation. 2. Waiting after the meal, holding conversations. 3. Women been asked for anything directly by those who are their non-Mahrams without the screen. 4. The wives of the Prophetﷺ been married by anyone after his death.

1054. Umm Habiba bint Qays (Khawla) was heard to say, “My hand and that of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mixed together in the same vessel.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The scholars have given various explanations for this instance since the Prophetﷺ was not a Mahram to Umm Sabiyyah (radiya allahu anha). Thus, Imam ash-Shawkaanee (الله رحمه (said, “The best thing is to say is that it was not prohibited to perform it (i.e. the ablution) together before the verse of Hijab came down, but afterwards, it became restricted to the Mahaarim and the husbands.” Nayl al-Awtar. 2. Perhaps the author, Imam Al-Bukhaaree (الله رحمه ,(sought evidence from this narration for the chapter from the angle that since it is allowed for men to scoop up water from the same container with their wives and Mahaarim while performing ablution, to take out food together from the same bowl is also allowed. Allah knows Best.

chapter 484. When someone enters a house which is uninhabited

1055. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said, “When someone enters a house which is not lived in, he should say, ‘Peace be upon the righteous slaves of Allah.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

1056. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The verse, ‘Do not enter houses other than your own until you have asked permission and greeted their inhabitants’ (24:27) has an exception made to it when Allah says, ‘There is nothing wrong in your entering houses where no one lives where there is some service for you. Allah knows what you divulge and what you conceal.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narrations explain what the companions y would do when entering a house in which nobody lives: it does not require asking for permission which includes giving the greeting of Salam and knocking the door asking to be allowed in. Since some of those buildings might have been taken as an abode by the Jins, amongst whom are Muslims and non-Muslims, the greeting of Salam is said in a manner that makes it exclusive for the Muslims among them.

chapter 485. “Those you own as slaves should ask your permission to enter”(24:56)

1057. Regarding the ayat, “Those you own as slaves should ask your permission to enter” (24:56), Ibn ‘Umar said, “That applies to men rather than women.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

486. The words of Allah, “Once your children have reached puberty”(24:57)

1058. Ibn ‘Umar reported that when his children had reached puberty and he had withdrawn to his room, none of them entered where he was except with his permission.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The three times are: 1. During the midday heat. 2. Before the dawn until after the Subhi prayer. 3. After the ‘Isha prayer. These times are also mentioned in Q 24: 58. These rulings show how seriously the Muslim should hold adherence to noble manners in his dealings.

487. Someone asking permission to come in to visit his mother

1059. ‘Alqama said, “A man came to ‘Abdullah and said, ‘Should I ask permission to go in where my mother is?’ He said, ‘At all times. Do you want to see her (exposed)?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1060. Muslim ibn Nadhir said, “A man asked Hudhayfa, ‘Should I ask permission to enter where my mother is?’ He replied, ‘If you were not to ask her permission, you would see what you dislike.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: These narrations show the adherence of the companions – t– to the rulings of the Sharee’ah, and give a clue on one of the major reasons for the prohibition of entering people’s homes without asking for permission: seeing things we will detest or seeing people in conditions they detest been seen in. The prohibition of entering upon our fathers, sisters and other matured members of our household without asking for permission could be deduced from the narration.

chapter 488. Asking permission to enter where one’s father is

1061. Musa ibn Talha said, “I entered where my mother was with my father. He went in and I followed him. He turned and pushed me in the chest so that I fell on my bottom. Then he said, ‘Will you enter without permission!'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 489. Asking permission to go in to one’s father and one’s child

1062. Jabir said, “A man should ask permission from his son and his mother, even if she is old, his brother, his sister and his father.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 490. Asking a sister’s permission to enter

1063. ‘Ata’ said, “I asked Ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Does one ask permission of one’s sister?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ I repeated it and said, ‘My two sisters live in my room and I provide for them and spend on them, so do I ask them for permission?’ He said, ‘Yes. Do you want to see them naked?’ Then he recited, ‘O you who believe! Those you own as slaves and those of you who have not as yet reached puberty should ask your permission to enter at three times: before the Dawn Prayer and when you have undressed at noon and after the Night Prayer – three times of nakedness for you.’ (24:56) Ibn ‘Abbas said, ‘He did not command these individuals to ask permission other than at these three times of nakedness.’ Then he went on to say, ‘The verse in Surat an-Nur:57 is: ‘Once your children have reached puberty, they should ask your permission to enter as those before them also asked permission.'” Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Asking permission is obligatory.” Ibn Jurayj added, “For all people.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 491. Asking your brother for permission to enter

1064. ‘Abdullah said, “A man asks permission of his father, his mother, his brother and his sister.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 492. Asking permission three times

1065. ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr reported that Abu Musa al-Ash’ari asked permission of ‘Umar ibn al- Khattab, but he did not grant him permission. It seemed that he was busy. Abu Musa came back and ‘Umar had finished. He said, “Didn’t I hear the voice of ‘Abdullah ibn Qays? Give him permission to enter.” He was told, “He has gone away,” so he sent after him. Abu Musa said, “We were commanded to behave like that (i.e. to go away after having asked permission to enter three times).” ‘Umar said, “Bring me a clear proof of it.” He then went to the gathering of the Ansar and questioned them. They said, “Only the youngest of us will attest to that Abu Sa’id al-Khudri.” He went with Abu Sa’id. ‘Umar said, “Is something of what the may Allah bless him and grant him peace,, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded hidden from me? Doing business in the markets distracted me,” i.e. going out to trade.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apparently, ‘Umar took the matter very serious and insisted on getting clarification because Aboo Moosa ascribed his turning back after asking for permission three times to the Prophetﷺ. In another version of the report collected by Imam al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, Aboo Moosa said, “…and the Messenger of Allahﷺ had said, ‘If any of you seeks permission thrice and he is not permitted, he should go back.’” 2. The youngest of them could have been brought to testify to show that it was something well-known at the time. 3. Hafidh Ibn Hajar (الله رحمه (said, “It proves that an eminent companion who was always in the company of the Messenger of Allahﷺ may not know of his affairs while those relatively lower in status would know it.” 4. The point in the hadeeth here is the fact that asking for permission is thrice after which the one asking for permission should go back

chapter 493. Asking permission to enter is not a greeting

1066. Regarding the person who asks for permission to enter before he gives the greeting, Abu Hurayra said, “He is not given permission until he has first given the greeting.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1067. Abu Hurayra said, “When someone comes in and does not say, ‘Peace be upon you,’ then say, ‘No,’ until he brings the key which is the greeting (salam).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, saying the greeting of Salam and asking for permission to come in are two different things. The narration indicates that the correct thing is to start with saying the greeting which the companion likened to the key to the house. 1. The difference between saying the greeting and asking for permission to enter is highlighted here; it proves that the earlier should precede the later. See hadeeth no. 1067. 2. When a person enters without following these prescripts, he should be taught the right thing and asked to go back and follow the etiquette.

chapter 494. When someone looks without permission, his eye is gouged out

1068. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If a man looks into your house and you take some pebbles and gouge out his eye, there is no fault in you.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It shows the greviousness of peeping, or looking into people’s houses without permission. Similarly, it proves the significance of the privacy of the people such that when violated, it is allowed to gouge out the peeping eye.

1069. Anas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was standing in prayer and a man looked into his room. He took an arrow from his quiver and aimed it at his eyes.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 495. Asking permission without looking

1070. Sahl ibn Sa’d told him that a man looked from a room through the door of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had a comb with which he was scratching his hair. When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw him, he said, “If I had known that you were looking at me, I would have stabbed you in the eye with this!”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1071. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The ear is put in the place of the eye.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:See narrations and comments on Chapter 487.

1072. Anas said, “A man looked through a gap into the room of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Messenger of Allah aimed an arrow-head at him, and the man withdrew his head.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: These narrations categorically prohibit looking into a person’s house without his permission; and the prohibition covers all people.

chapter 496. When a man greets another man in his room

1073. ‘Ubayd ibn Hunayn related to him that Abu Musa said, “I asked permission three times to come in to ‘Umar, but he did not give me permission and so I went away. He said, ”Abdullah, is it hard on you to be kept waiting at your door.’ I said, ‘I asked permission from you three times and you did not give me permission, so I went away (and we were commanded to do that).’ ‘Umar said, ‘From whom did you hear this?’ I replied, ‘I heard it from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ ‘Umar said, ‘Did you hear something from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, which I did not hear? If you do not bring me a clear proof, I will make an example of you!’ Therefore I went to a group of Ansar who were sitting in the mosque. I asked them and they said, ‘Does anyone doubt this?’ I told them what ‘Umar had said. They said, ‘Only the youngest of us will go with you.’ So Abu Sa’id al-Khudri or Abu Mas’ud went with me to ‘Umar. He said, ‘We went out with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he was going to Sa’d ibn ‘Ubada. He gave the greeting, but Sa’d did not give permission. Then he greeted him a second time and then a third time, but Sa’d did not give him permission. So the Prophet said, ‘We have done what we must.’ Then he went back and Sa’d caught up to him and said, ‘Messenger of Allah! By the One who sent you with the Truth, every time you greeted me, I heard and answered you, but I wanted to have a lot of greeting (peace) from you for me and the people of my house.'” Abu Musa said, “By Allah, I am a guardian of the hadith of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” ‘Umar said, “Yes, but I wanted to make sure.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apparently, ‘Umar took the matter very serious and insisted on getting clarification because Aboo Moosa ascribed his turning back after asking for permission three times to the Prophetﷺ. In another version of the report collected by Imam al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh, Aboo Moosa said, “…and the Messenger of Allahﷺ had said, ‘If any of you seeks permission thrice and he is not permitted, he should go back.’” 2. The youngest of them could have been brought to testify to show that it was something well-known at the time. 3. Hafidh Ibn Hajar (الله رحمه (said, “It proves that an eminent companion who was always in the company of the Messenger of Allahﷺ may not know of his affairs while those relatively lower in status would know it.” 4. The point in the hadeeth here is the fact that asking for permission is thrice after which the one asking for permission should go back

chapter 497. A man’s invitation is his permission

1074. ‘Abdullah said, “When a man is given an invitation, that is his permission to enter.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1075. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you gives someone an invitation and the person you invited comes with your messenger, that is his permission to enter.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Abdur-Rauf al-Munaawee (الله رحمه (said, “That is, it takes the place of his permission, being satisfied with the fact of been sought. Therefore, there is no need to ask for permission again. (However), that is if the interval between the coming and invitation was not long or when the situation does not basically require asking for permission; otherwise, it is still obligatory to give the greeting of Salam and ask for permission.” Imam al-Bayhaqee further clarified, “this is when no wife or any other woman is in the house; otherwise, it is generally obligatory to ask for permission.” Sharh Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad (3/202).

1076. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A man’s messenger to another man is his permission to enter.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1077. Abu’l-‘Alaniyya said, “I came to Abu Sa’id al-Khudri and greeted him, but he did not give me permission. Then I greeted him again and he did not give me permission. Then I greeted him a third time, raising my voice and said, ‘Peace be upon you, people of the house,’ and he did not give me permission. Then I went off to one side and sat down. A slave boy came out to me and said, ‘Enter.’ I entered and Abu Sa’id said to me, ‘If you had said it any more times, I would not have given you permission.’ I asked him about vessels (i.e. those used for wine) and other things. He said, ‘Haram.’ I asked him about an old milk-skin made into a bucket for fermentation purposes. ‘Haram,’ he said.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in this hadeeth in relation to the chapter heading is the invitation of the young boy to Abu al-‘Aaliyah (الله رحمه (to come in. It served as the permission to enter. It is one of the narrations that demonstrate the companions’ strict adherence to the teachings of Islam.

chapter 498. How does someone stand at a door

1078. ‘Abdullah ibn Busr, the Companion of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said that when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to a door when he wanted to ask permission to enter, he did not face it directly. He stood to the right or the left. If he was given permission, he went in. Otherwise he went away.
Commentary: Here, the Prophetﷺ demonstrated another prescript of asking for permission to enter a house: one must not stand in front of the door to avoid looking in to the house for whatever reason. “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow…” (Q 33: 21)

chapter 499. When someone asks permission to enter, he says, “When shall I leave? Where shall I sit?”

1079. Mu’awiya ibn Hudayj said, “I came to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, and asked him for permission to enter. They told me, ‘Stay where you are until he comes to you.’ I sat down near his door.” He continued, “‘Umar came out to me, called for water and did wudu’. Then he wiped over his leather socks. I said, ‘O Amir al’-Mu’minin, is this on account of urine?’ He replied, ‘On account of urine or other things.'”
Commentary: To rub over the Khuff (leather socks), the socks and shoes during ablution – whether on account of urine or having evacuated the bowels – they would have been put on while one was in a state of ablution. Subsequently the traveller could wipe over them for three days and nights while the non-traveller can do so for a whole day. The point in the hadeeth here, however, is Mu’awiyah’s sitting down near the Amir’s door, waiting for the Amir after asking for permission to enter.

chapter 500. Knocking on a door

1080. Anas ibn Malik reported that people knocked on the door of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, using their fingernails.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (explained, “The companions – may Allah be pleased with them all – used to do that with reverence and regards (for the Prophetﷺ). So it becomes known that it is not proper to knock at the door of the scholars except sofly, using the fingernails, and then the fingers and then the knuckles. Rightly, if the place is far from the door such that the sound of the knock with the fingers will not be heard then the knocking should be done with something more than that within the limits of need.”

chapter 501. When someone enters without having asked permission

1081. Kalda ibn Hanbal reported that Safwan ibn Umayya sent him to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, during the Conquest of Makka with some milk, gazelle, and cucumber. (Abu ‘Asim said that the meant vegetables.) The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was at the top of the valley and I did not give the greeting nor ask for permission. He said, “Go back and say, ‘Peace be upon you. May I enter?’ That was after Safwan had become Muslim.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The difference between saying the greeting and asking for permission to enter is highlighted here; it proves that the earlier should precede the later. See hadeeth no. 1067. 2. When a person enters without following these prescripts, he should be taught the right thing and asked to go back and follow the etiquette. The hadeeth contains the following points of benefit among others: 1. One could say, “a-alij” or “a-adkhul” to ask for permission to enter. They are both approved and they have the same meaning. 2. The one who wrongly seeks to enter should be taught the correct prescripts of entering. 3. The companions – may Allah be pleased with them – keenly obeyed the Prophetﷺ. 4. While anwering questions, one could start by giving a synopsized response before following with its explanation. 5. The hadeeth mentions the five pillars of Islam as cited in other authentic ahaadeeth such as the hadeeth of Ibn Umar (radiya Allahu anhuma) collected by alBukhaaree and Muslim in their Saheehs. 6. Students should not unnecessarily jerky and be ambiguous when they ask questions, they should present their questions confidently, clearly and mannerly. 7. Allah the Exalted says: “And of Knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little.” (Q 17: 85).

1082. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If someone looks inside, he should not be given permission to enter.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 502. When someone says, “Can I come in?” and does not give a greeting

1083. ‘Ata’ reported that Abu Hurayra said, “When someone says, “Can I come in?” and does not give the key.'” ‘Ata’ said, “Peace?” and Abu Hurayra replied, “Yes.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, saying the greeting of Salam and asking for permission to come in are two different things. The narration indicates that the correct thing is to start with saying the greeting which the companion likened to the key to the house. 1. The difference between saying the greeting and asking for permission to enter is highlighted here; it proves that the earlier should precede the later. See hadeeth no. 1067. 2. When a person enters without following these prescripts, he should be taught the right thing and asked to go back and follow the etiquette.

1084. Rib’i ibn Hirash reported that a man of the Banu ‘Amir came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, “Can I come in?” The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, told his slavegirl, “Go out and say to him,, ‘Say, “Peace be upon you. Can I come in?” He is not good at asking permission to enter.” The man said, “I heard that before the slavegirl came out to me and I said, ‘Peace be upon you. Can I come in?’ Then the Prophet said, ‘And on you. Enter!'” The man continued, “I went in and asked, ‘Why have you been sent?’ The Prophet replied, ‘I have only brought good. I have come to you in order that you worship Allah alone with no partner and stop worshipping al-Lat and al-‘Uzza and pray five prayers in the night and day, fast a month in the year and go on hajj to this House. You are to take from the property of your rich men and give it toy our poor.’ I said to him, ‘Is there anything you do not know?’ The Prophet replied, ‘Allah knows the good. There is knowledge which no one except Allah knows. There are five things which only Allah knows: “Truly Allah has knowledge of the Hour and sends down abundant rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no self knows what it will earn tomorrow and no self knows in what land it will die.” (31:34)'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains the following points of benefit among others: 1. One could say, “a-alij” or “a-adkhul” to ask for permission to enter. They are both approved and they have the same meaning. 2. The one who wrongly seeks to enter should be taught the correct prescripts of entering. 3. The companions – may Allah be pleased with them – keenly obeyed the Prophetﷺ. 4. While anwering questions, one could start by giving a synopsized response before following with its explanation. 5. The hadeeth mentions the five pillars of Islam as cited in other authentic ahaadeeth such as the hadeeth of Ibn Umar (radiya Allahu anhuma) collected by alBukhaaree and Muslim in their Saheehs. 6. Students should not unnecessarily jerky and be ambiguous when they ask questions, they should present their questions confidently, clearly and mannerly. 7. Allah the Exalted says: “And of Knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little.” (Q 17: 85).

chapter 503. How to ask permission to enter

1085. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “‘Umar asked permission to visit the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Peace be upon the Messenger of Allah! Peace be upon you! Can I come in?'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 504. The one who says, “Who is it?” and is answered, “Me”

1086. Jabir said, “I came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about a debt my father owed. I knocked at the door and he asked. ‘Who is it?’ ‘Me,’ I replied. He said, ‘Me? Me?’ as if he disliked that.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (explained, “The scholars say: when a person asks for permission and he is asked, ‘who is it’ it is disapproved for him to say, ‘I’, based on this hadeeth, and because his saying, ‘I’ has not brought any benefit or addition. The ambiguity still remains. He should rather say, ‘So-and-so’ mentioning his name. If he says, ‘I, so-and-so’, there is no blame in that as Umm Hani (radiya Allahu anha) said when she sought for permission and the Prophetﷺ asked, ‘Who is it?’ and she said, ‘I, Umm Hani.’”

1087. Burayda said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out to the mosque while Musa was reciting. He said, ‘Who is it?’ I said ‘I am Burayda, may I be your ransom!’ The Prophet said, ‘This man has been given one of the flutes of the family of Da’ud.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 505. When someone asks permission, he is told, “Enter with peace”

1088. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Ju’dan said, “I was with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar and he asked permission from the people of the house to enter. He was told, ‘Enter with peace,’ and he refused to enter them.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It seems that he did not like the expression ‘enter with peace’ because Allah, Exalted is He, says on the Day of Judgement to the believers: “Enter it with peace without fear” (Q 15: 46), so it is not befitting for a human to use the expression used by Allah, Exalted is He.

chapter 506. Looking into houses

1089. Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When the eye enters, permission to enter should not be given.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1090. Muslim ibn Nadhir said, “A man asked permission to enter from Hudhayfa. He looked in and said, ‘May I come in?’ Hudhayfa replied, ‘As for you eye, it has already entered. As for your bottom, it has not entered.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The companion – t – berated the man for peeping into the house before been allowed to come in. As mentioned ealier, looking into the house while seeking permission before been allowed in is prohibited for it violates people’s privacy and defeats the whole essence of asking for permission before entrance.

1090 (b). A man said, “Shall I ask permission from my mother?” He replied, “If you do not ask her permission, you will see something you might dislike.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: These narrations show the adherence of the companions – t– to the rulings of the Sharee’ah, and give a clue on one of the major reasons for the prohibition of entering people’s homes without asking for permission: seeing things we will detest or seeing people in conditions they detest been seen in. The prohibition of entering upon our fathers, sisters and other matured members of our household without asking for permission could be deduced from the narration.

1091. Anas ibn Malik reported that a bedouin came to the house of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and put his eye to the crack of the door. Therefore the Prophet took an arrow or a sharp stick and aimed it at the bedouin as to gouge out his eye. The man left and the Prophet said, “If you had stayed, I would have gouged out your eye.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1092. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said, “Anyone who fills his eye with the contents of a house before he has been given permission has gone astray.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1093. Thawban, the mawla of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “It is not lawful for a Muslim man to look inside a house until he has been given permission. If he does so, he has entered. He should not act as the imam of a people and then single himself out for supplication to the exclusion of others. He should not pray while he needs to urinate until he has relieved himself.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The one who looks into a house before being allowed to enter gets the sin of one who has entered without permission. 2. The expression: “And no one should act as the Imām of a people and single himself out for supplication to the exclusion of others until he leaves” is graded weak by some of the scholars including Ibn Taimiyyah and Ibn Qayim (الله رحمه .(The Prophetﷺ has been authentically and widely reported to have made supplications using singular personal pronouns.

chapter 507. The excellence of someone who enters his house saying “Peace”

1094. Abu Umama reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, Allah is responsible for three: if they live, they will have enough, and if they die, they will enter the Garden. Allah Almighty is responsible for whoever enters his house , saying ‘Peace’. Allah is responsible for whoever goes out to the mosque. Allah is responsible for whoever goes out in the Way of Allah.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1095. Jabir said, “When you come in to your family, greet them with a greeting from Allah which is blessed and good.” He added, “I only think that it is what is meant by His words, ‘When you are greeted with a greeting, greet with one better than it or return it.’ (4:86)”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It seems that the companion – Jabir bin Abdullah – ordered that the greeting should be said when one enters his house because of the various orders from the Prophetﷺ to give the greeting and in order to ward off the evil of the Shaytan.

chapter 508. When someone does not mention Allah when he enters his house, shaytan spends the night in it

1096. Jabir reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When a man enters his house, he should Allah mention Allah Almighty, both when he enters and he eats. If he does so, Shaytan says (i.e. to the shayatin), ‘You cannot spend the night or eat.’ When he enters and does not mention Allah when he enters, Shaytan says, ‘You have got your lodgings for the night and your supper.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 509. What one is not given permission for

1097. A’yan al-Khwarizmi said, “We came to Anas ibn Malik while he was sitting his foyer with anyone else with him. My companion greeted him and said, ‘May I come in?’ Anas said, ‘Come in. This is a place where no one asks for permission.’ He had food brought to us and we ate. Then a cup of sweet nabidh was brought and we drank and were full.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 510. Asking permission in shops in the market

1098. Mujahid said, “Ibn ‘Umar did not ask permission to enter shops in the market.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1099. ‘Ata’ said, “Ibn ‘Umar used to ask permission to enter market-stalls.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: “Dhullat al-Bazzaaz” translated as ‘market-stalls’ actually refers to a shop where clothings are sold. Thus, Ibn Umar (radiya Allahu anhuma) would not ask for permission in the market shops except while entering the boutiques since a buyer may be removing or wearing a cloth such that not asking for permission before entrance may lead to violating the person’s privacy. Allah knows Best.

chapter 511. How to ask permission from Persians

1100. Abu Malik, the mawla of Umm Miskin, the daughter of (‘Umar) ibn ‘Asim ibn ‘Umar ibn al- Khattab, said, “My mistress sent me to Abu Hurayra and he came with me. When he was at the door, he asked in Persian, ‘Can we come in?’ ‘Come in!’ she replied.’ Then she said, ‘Abu Hurayra, if visitors come to me after ‘Isha’, should I enter into conversation with them?’ He replied, ‘Converse as long as you have not done the witr prayer. If you have down the witr, there is no conversation after it.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

44. The People of the Book

chapter 512. When a dhimmi writes and gives the greeting, he is answered

1101. Abu ‘Uthman an-Nahdi said, “Abu Musa wrote to a Persian grandee and greeted him in his letter. He was asked, ‘Do you greet him when he is an unbeliever?’ He replied, ‘He wrote to me and greeted me, so I have answered him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It could be deduced from the narration that the companion – t – agreed with the rest of the people that it was not allowed to give the greeting of Salam to the non-Muslims, but he clarified that the prohibition is restricted to initiating the greeting of Salam such that if a non-Muslim clearly says the greeting of Salam to us, we should respond with the greeting of Salam too. Imam al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (explains, “It contains the virtue of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq t and glad tidings for him that he will enter the Garden, and the narrations on that are nice and many. It also contains the excellence of combining these qualities on a single day, and that their been found in a single person is glad tiding of the Garden (for such person). May 344 Allah make us from its people.”

chapter 513. Do not initiate the salam with dhimmis

1102. Abu Basra l-Ghifari reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I will ride to the Jews tomorrow. Do not give them the greeting first. If they greet you, then say, ‘and on you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth prohibits giving the Salam first to the nonMuslims, and teaches that when the non-Muslims greet us first with the Salam, we should say, “Wa ‘alaykum, and upon you.” However, it appears this manner of replying their greeting of Salam, was because the non-Muslims used to say, “As-Saam ‘alaykum, death (instead of peace) be upon you” as in hadeeth no. 311, 1105 and 1106. They should be answered with the like of what they say.

1103. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not give the People of the Book the greeting first. Force them to the narrowest part of the road.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:The one who ascribes to Allah what He is not and gives worship to other than the One Who created and provides for all is, to say the least, an ingrate, not deserving of the reverence of first been greeted with the Salam. And from the ignominy that follows him for his disbelief is his been constrained to the sides of the road!

chapter 514. A person greeting a dhimmi with a gesture

1104. ‘Alqama said, “‘Abdullah used to greet the Persian grandees with a gesture.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (deduced from this narration that one could initiate greeting a non-Muslim first with other known forms of greeting such as “good morning”, “how are you” and similar others. See Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (2/320)

1105. Anas said, “A Jew passed by the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying, ‘Peace be upon you.’ His Companions returned the salam.’ The Prophet said, ‘The Jew said, ‘Poison (sam) be upon you.’ He caught hold of the Jew who admitted it.’ The Prophet said, ‘Answer him with what he said.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apparently, the Prophet ([r]) disapproved of the companions’ response to the Jew because he said, “death be upon you” instead of “peace be upon you”. Therefore, to ‘answer them with what they say’ would imply also, that if they clearly express the greeting of Salam they should be replied with the Salam too.

chapter 515. How to answer dhimmis

1106. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of the Jews greets you and says, ‘Poison be upon you (as-samu ‘alaykum ),’ say, ‘And on you.'”

1107. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Return the greeting to whomever it is, Jew, Christian, or Magian. That is because Allah says, ‘When you are greeted with a greeting, greet with one better than it or return it.’ (4:86)”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Perhaps the author, Imam al-Bukhaaree (الله رحمه (cited this narration here, and in fact the one before it, to demonstrate that if a nonMuslim greets us first with a clear greeting of Salam, we should respond also with the greeting of Salam. Imam Ibn Battal (الله رحمه (and others among the pious predecessors averred similarly. It could be deduced from the narration that the companion – t – agreed with the rest of the people that it was not allowed to give the greeting of Salam to the non-Muslims, but he clarified that the prohibition is restricted to initiating the greeting of Salam such that if a non-Muslim clearly says the greeting of Salam to us, we should respond with the greeting of Salam too. Imam al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (explains, “It contains the virtue of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq t and glad tidings for him that he will enter the Garden, and the narrations on that are nice and many. It also contains the excellence of combining these qualities on a single day, and that their been found in a single person is glad tiding of the Garden (for such person). May 344 Allah make us from its people.”

chapter 516. The greeting to the gathering which includes both Muslims and idolaters

1108. Usama ibn Zayd related that one day the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was riding on a donkey on a straw saddle covered by a blanket from Fadak. Usama ibn Zayd was riding behind him. He was on his way to visit Sa’d ibn ‘Ubada. He passed by a meeting which included ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul before the enemy of Allah had become Muslim. The gathering contained a mixture of Muslims, associaters and idolaters. He greeted them.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (explained that, “The Sunnah is that if a person passes by a gathering in which there are Muslims and nonMuslims, he should say the greeting of Salam in a manner that encompasses all while intending the Muslims.” Sharh Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad (3/229)

chapter 517. How does one write to the People of the Book?

1109. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas related that Abu Sufyan ibn Harb sent him to Heraclius, the Byzantine Emperor, and he called for the letter of the Messenger of Allah which Dihya had brought to the governor of Busra, who in turn passed it on to Heraclius. He read it out, saying, ‘In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, from Muhammad, the slave of Allah and His Messenger, to Heraclius, ruler of the Byzantines. Peace be upon the one who follows guidance. I call you to Islam. If you become Muslim, you will be safe and Allah will double your reward. If you turn away, then you incur the wrong action of your subjects. “O People of the Book! Come to a proposition which is the same for us and you É (to His words) Bear witness that we are Muslims.” (3:54)'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: From the points of benefit in this hadeeth are: 1. It establishes correspondence as one of the means of inviting to the religion. 2. It is recommended to commence letters with the expression, “Bismillah irRahmaan ar-Raheem”. See Chapter no. 527. 3. If it were permissible to start greeting a non-Muslim first with the Salam, the Prophetﷺ would have done so in this letter. 4. The expression, “Amma ba’d, To proceed”, is also used in letters as in speeches. See Chapter 526. 5. A person who leads others towards goodness is also rewarded with goodness practiced by those he has guided towards it. Similarly, he bears the burdens of the sins of those he led to sin along with his own sin.

chapter 518. When the People of the Book say, “Poison be upon you”

1110. Jabir said, “Some of the Jews greeted the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, by saying, ‘Poison be upon you (as-Samu ‘alaykum)’ and the Prophet replied, ‘And on you.’ ‘A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, said angrily, ‘Didn’t you hear what they said?’ The Prophet replied, ‘Yes, and I answered them. What I said about them will be accepted and what they said about me will not be accepted.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apparently, the Prophet ([r]) disapproved of the companions’ response to the Jew because he said, “death be upon you” instead of “peace be upon you”. Therefore, to ‘answer them with what they say’ would imply also, that if they clearly express the greeting of Salam they should be replied with the Salam too.

chapter 519. The People of the Book are forced to the narrowest part of the road

1111. See 1103.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 520. How to make supplication for a dhimmi

1112. ‘Uqba ibn ‘Amir al-Juhani passed by a man who looked like a Muslim who greeted him. ‘Uqba answered him, saying, “And on you and the mercy of Allah and his blessings.” His slave said to him, “He is a Christian.” ‘Uqba got up and followed him until he caught up to him. He said, “The mercy of Allah and His blessings are for the believers, but may Allah make your life long and give you much wealth and many children.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: It could be deduced that the companion – t – viewed that it is not allowed to return the greeting of Salam to the non-Muslim that greets us with it. However, the earlier position is more preponderant because it is corroborated by, amongst other narrations, the verse cited by Abdullah bin Abbass (radiya Allahu anhuma). The point of reference in this narration is the permissibility of supplicating for the non-Muslim.

1113. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “If Pharaoh had said to me, ‘May Allah bless you,’ I would have said, ‘And you.’ But Pharaoh is dead.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apparently, the Prophet ([r]) disapproved of the companions’ response to the Jew because he said, “death be upon you” instead of “peace be upon you”. Therefore, to ‘answer them with what they say’ would imply also, that if they clearly express the greeting of Salam they should be replied with the Salam too.

1114. Abu Musa said, “The Jews used to sneeze in the presence in the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, hoping that he would say to them, ‘May Allah have mercy on you,’ but he used to say, ‘May Allah guide you and out your affairs in order.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference in this hadeeth here is the permissibility of supplicating for the non-Muslim for guidance, the greatest of which is been guided unto Islam. The Jews know that the Prophet, Muhammadﷺ is truly the Messenger of Allah even though they reject his message! So during his time they would wish that he prayed Allah’s Mercy for them and so, would pretend to sneeze in his presence. Since he – peace and blessings be upon him – was a mercy to the entire mankind, he supplicated to Allah for them for guidance to Islam and recitification of affairs which are prerequisites for the mercy they wanted him to pray for. It evinces the fact that it is not permissible to say the word, Yarhamukallahu meant for the people of Eemaan to the people of Kufr.

chapter 521. When someone greets a Christian whom he does not recognise

1115. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman said, “Ibn ‘Umar passed by a Christian who greeted him and Ibn ‘Umar returned the greeting He was told that the man was a Christian. When he learned that, he went back to him and said, ‘Give me back my greeting.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: It contains further proof for the prohibition of initiate the greeting with a non-Muslim, and shows the companion’s keenness to extend the greetings of Salam.

chapter 522. When someone says, “So-and-so sends you his greetings”

1116. ‘A’isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to her, “Jibril sends you the greeting.” She replied, “And peace be upon him and the mercy of Allah.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains points of benefit including: 1. The virtue of ‘A’aisha (radiya Allahu anha); greetings of Salam were extended to her by angel Jibreel (u). 2. The correct word to employ to convey a persons greeting of Salam to the other is: ‘Fulan, yaqrau ‘alayka as-salam’ (So-and- so extends the greetings of Salam to you). 3. The person to whom the greeting of Salam is conveyed returns the greeting using the secong person singular: wa alayhi as-Salam. 4. The permissibility of calling a person in a shortened form of his name.

45. Letters and greetings

chapter 523. Answering a letter

1117. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “I think that answering a letter is a duty, just like returning the greeting.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: That is, it is obligatory to respond to the greeting of Salam in a correspondence as it is obligatory in speech. Imam an-Nawawee (الله رحمه (explained that, “The Sunnah is that if a person passes by a gathering in which there are Muslims and nonMuslims, he should say the greeting of Salam in a manner that encompasses all while intending the Muslims.” Sharh Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad (3/229)

chapter 524. Letters to women and their reply

1118. ‘A’isha bint Talha said, “I spoke to ‘A’isha when I was under her protection. people used to visit her from all places. Shaykhs used visit me because of my place with her. Young men used to treat me as a sister and give me presents and write to me from their cities. I said to ‘A’isha, ‘Aunt, this is a letter from so-and-so and his gift.’ ‘A’isha told me, ‘My girl, answer him and reward him. If you do not have anything to give, I will give you something.’ She told her to give it to her.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Aa’isha bint Talha (rahimahallah) was the daughter of Umm Kulthum, sister of ‘Aa’isha both daughters of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (radiya Allahu anhum). She was a very beautiful, brilliant and pious woman. The point of reference, however, in this narration is that it is allowed to write letters to the scholars about the matters of the religion and send gifts to them too even if they are females. It encourages exchanging gifts and helping one another upon goodness.

chapter 525. How to write the beginning of a letter

1119. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar wrote to ‘Abdu’l-Malik ibn Marwan in order to pledge him his allegiance. He wrote to him, “In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful. To ‘Abdu’l-Malik, the Amir al-Mu’minin, from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar. Peace be upon you. I praise Allah to you. There is no god but Him. I offer you obedience according to the sunna of Allah and the sunna of His Messenger as much as I can.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 526. “Following on from that”

1120. Zayd ibn Aslam said, “My father sent me to Ibn ‘Umar and I saw him write, ‘In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful. Following on from thatÉ'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1121. Hisham ibn ‘Urwa said, “I saw some of the letters of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. After the introduction he said, ‘Following on from thatÉ'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 527. Beginning letters with “In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful”

1122. It is reported that Zayd ibn Thabit wrote this letter: “In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful. To the slave of Allah, Mu’awiya, the Amir al-Mu’minin, from Zayd ibn Thabit. Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu’minin, and the mercy of Allah. I praise Allah to you. There is no god but Him. Following on from thatÉ'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Allah the Exalted has connected what the servant should have done of feeding, visiting the sick and so on, to Himself – Glorious is He – showing Allah’s kindness towards the sick.

1123. Abu Mas’ud al-Jurayri related to him that a man asked al-Hasan about reading, “In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful.” He said, “That should be put at the beginning of letters.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 528. The one who is put first in a letter

1124. Nafi’ said, “Ibn ‘Umar needed something from Mu’awiya and he wanted to write to him. People said, ‘Begin with his name.’ They kept on at him until he wrote, ‘In the Name of Allah, the All- Merciful, Most Merciful, to Mu’awiya.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1125. Anas ibn Sirin said, “I wrote for Ibn ‘Umar and he said, ‘Write: “In the Name of Allah, the All- Merciful, Most Merciful. Following on from that: To so-and-so.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1126. Anas ibn Sirin said, “A man wrote in the presence of Ibn ‘Umar, ‘In the Name of Allah, the All- Merciful, Most Merciful, to so-and-so.’ Ibn ‘Umar forbade him and said, ‘Say: ‘In the Name of Allah. It is for Him.'” [This had to do with using “ilâ” instead of “li“.]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: These narrations show that we should begin with the name of the addressee in correspondences before writing the sender’s name. However, it seems that it is also permissible to start with the sender’s name since the Prophet ([r]) started with his own name in his letter to the Byzantine Emperor. From the points of benefit in this hadeeth are: 1. It establishes correspondence as one of the means of inviting to the religion. 2. It is recommended to commence letters with the expression, “Bismillah irRahmaan ar-Raheem”. See Chapter no. 527. 3. If it were permissible to start greeting a non-Muslim first with the Salam, the Prophetﷺ would have done so in this letter. 4. The expression, “Amma ba’d, To proceed”, is also used in letters as in speeches. See Chapter 526. 5. A person who leads others towards goodness is also rewarded with goodness practiced by those he has guided towards it. Similarly, he bears the burdens of the sins of those he led to sin along with his own sin.

1127. See 1122.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1128. Abu Hurayra said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘A man from the tribe of Israel and he mentioned the entire hadith had his friend write to him, ‘From so-and-so to so-and-so.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 529. How are you this morning?

1129. Mahmud ibn Labid said, “When Sa’d’s eye was gravely wounded in the Battle of the Ditch, they moved him to the house of a woman called Rufayda who used to treat the wounded. When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by him, he would inquire, ‘How are you this evening?’ and in the morning, ‘How are you this morning?’ and he would tell him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1130. It is related from Ka’b ibn Malik, who was one of the three to whom Allah turned that Ibn ‘Abbas informed him that ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib emerged from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in his illness from which he died and the people said, “O Abu’l-Hasan! How is the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, this morning?” He said, “Praise be to Allah, he is well this morning.” ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abdu’l-Muttalib took him by the hand and said to him, “By Allah, in three days time you will be a subject. By Allah, I think that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, will die of this illness. I recognise death in the faces of the Banu Abdu’l-Muttalib when they are dying. Let us go to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and ask him who will have this authority. If it is for us, then we will know that, and if it is for other than us, we will know it and he can advise him to look after us.” ‘Ali replied, “By Allah, if we ask him for it and he refuses us, then the people would never give it to us afterwards. By Allah, I will not ask it from the Messenger of Allah.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point in this narration is the question of the people that: “How is the Messenger of Allahﷺ this morning?” It should be noted however, that the question is only rightly asked after the exchange of the greetings of Salam

chapter 530. Someone who writes at the end of a letter, “Peace be upon and the mercy of Allah” and writes so-and-so, son of so-and-so on the 20th of the month

1131. Ibn Abi-Zinad related from his father that he tool this letter from Kharija ibn Zayd and from the great members of the family of Zayd: “In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful. To the slave of Prophet, Mu’awiya, the Amir al-Mu’minin, from Zayd ibn Thabit. Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu’minin, and the mercy of Allah. I praise Allah to you. There is no god but Him. Following on from that, you asked me about the inheritance of the grandfather and brothers (and he mentioned the letter). We ask Allah for guidance, preservation and firmness in all our affairs. We seek refuge with Allah from being misguided or ignorant or taking on what we have no knowledge of. Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu’minin, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings and His forgiveness. Wuhayb has written it on Thursday, the 20th Ramadan, 42 (AH).”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Here, the author seeks to describe the elements of the end of correspondences as he cited narrations on how to begin letters.

chapter 531. How are you?

1132. Anas ibn Malik reported that he heard ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab being greeted by a man and he returned the greeting. Then ‘Umar asked the man, “How are you?” The man replied, “I praise Allah to you.” ‘Umar said, :This is what I wanted to hear from you.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 532. How to answer when someone asks you, “How are you this morning?”

1133. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, “How are you this morning?” He replied, “Well. Away from people who do not attend funerals or visit sick people.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

1134. Muhajir (who is as-Sa’igh) said, “I was sitting with one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, called Dakhm, from al-Hadramaym. When someone asked him, ‘How are you this morning?’ Dakhm replied, ‘We do not associate anything with Allah.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Meaning as long as we are Muslims we are well.

1135. Sayf ibn Wahb reported that Abu’t-Tufayl asked him, “How old are you?” “Thirty-three years old,” he replied. He said, “Shall I tell you a hadith which I heard from Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman? A man from Muharib ibn Khasafa called ‘Amr ibn Sulay’, a Companion, was my age on that day and I was your age. Hudhayfa came to us in the mosque and sat at the edge of the people. ‘Amr went over until he was standing in front of him and asked, ‘How are you this morning (or evening), slave of Allah?’ Hudhayfa said, ‘I praise Allah.’ ‘Amr said, ‘What are these hadiths which have come to us from you?’ Hudhayfa said, ‘What have you heard from me, ‘Amr?’ He said, ‘Hadiths which I have not heard from anywhere else.’ Hudhayfa said, ‘By Allah, if I were to relate to you all that I have heard, you would be here with me until the middle of the night. ‘Amr ibn Sulay’, if you see Qays taking control of Syria, then beware and again beware. By Allah, Qays will not leave a believing slave of Allah without causing him to be in a state of fear or killing him. By Allah, a time will come to you in which the flood will not be stopped.’ He said, ‘Then what will help you against your people, may Allah have mercy on you?’ He said, ‘That is my business.’ Then he sat down.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: The point of reference in this hadeeth vis-à-vis the chapter heading is from its weak aspects. However, the warning of Hudhayfah about Qays’ taking over Syria, up to his saying, “…a time will come to them when they will be left helpless” is authentically related from the Prophetﷺ.

46. Gatherings

chapter 533. The best gathering is the most expansive one

1136. ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn Abi ‘Amra al-Ansari related to him, “Abu Sa’id al-Khudri was told of a funeral.” He continued, “It seemed that he was hanging back until people had taken their seats. Then he came. When the people saw him, they quickly made room for him. One of them stood up for him to let him sit in his place. He said, ‘Don’t. I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “The best gathering is the most expansive one.” ‘Then he went to the side and sat in an expansive gathering.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The excellence of spacious gatherings may be understood from the fact that they allow the people to be relaxed and prevent grudge bearing and repugnance brought about by constricted sittings. 2. It seems the companion refused to sit in the place of the one who stood up for him since that may lead to making people leave their sits for others to sit which is prohibited by the Prophet ([r]). The religion prohibits embarrassing the people, making them stand up from their sits for others to sit, and encourages spreading out, creating space and honouring one another

chapter 534. Facing qibla

1137. Munqidh said, “In most of the gatherings of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, he would face qibla. Once Yazid ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Fusayt recited Sajda after sunrise. He prostrated and the people there prostrated with the exception of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar. When the sun rose, ‘Abdullah uncurled his legs and then prostrated. He said, ‘Did you see the prostration of your companions? They prostrated at a time when the prayer should not be done.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 535. When someone stands up and then returns to his place

1138. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you gets up from his place and then returns to it, he is more entitled to.”
Grade:
Commentary: Therefore, if he returns he could request the one who took the place to rise and then he sits there. It shows an exception for the prohibition of making a person leave a sit for another

chapter 536. Sitting in the road

1139. Anas said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to us when we were children. He greeted us and sent me to get something he needed. He sat in the road waiting for me until I came back to him.” Anas continued, “I kept Umm Sulaym [his mother] waiting and she asked, ‘What kept you?’ I replied, ‘The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent me for something he needed.’ ‘What was it?’ she asked. ‘It is a secret,’ I replied. She said, ‘Keep the secret of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference from the hadeeth in relation to the chapter title was the Prophet’s sitting on the road as he waited for Anas . However, the permissibility of sitting on the road has some conditions cited in other narrations. See Chapter 544

chapter 537. Making room in a gathering

1140. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “None of you should make a man rise from his seat and then sit in it. Rather make room and spread out.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The religion prohibits embarrassing the people, making them stand up from their sits for others to sit, and encourages spreading out, creating space and honouring one another

chapter 538. A man sitting at the edge of a gathering

1141. Jabir ibn Samura said, “When we came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, we would sit at the edge of the group.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: On the other hand, the person(s) who are to address the gathering may move forward to their places as was the case when Jibreel – alayhis-salam – came to teach the people their religion while the Prophet ([r]) was in a sitting with the companions (radiya Allahu anhum). In the report of Aboo Hurayrah and Aboo Dharr (radiya Allahu anhuma) in Sunan an-Nasaaee and others, it says: “The stranger asked, ‘Should I come close, O Muhammad?’ The Prophet ([r]) answered, ‘Come close.’ The stranger kept on asking to come close many times and he was told, ‘come close.’ So he stepped over the shoulders of the people until he sat down before the Prophet ([r]) in the manner each of us sits in his Salat.”

chapter 539. Do not separate two people

1142. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “It is not lawful for a man to separate two people except with the permission of both of them.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

chapter 540. Stepping over people to move towards the leader of a gathering

1143. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “When ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was attacked, I was one of those who carried him into his house. He said to me, ‘Nephew, go see who wounded me and who was wounded with me.’ I went and returned to tell him, but the room was full at that time. I did not want to step over people’s necks because I was young, and so I sat down. ‘Umar’s rule when he sent someone for a need was that he commanded him not to tell about it. ‘Umar had a cover over him. Ka’b came and said, ‘By Allah, if the Amir al-Mu’minin makes supplication, Allah will let him remain alive and restore him to this community until he does such-and-such and such-and-such for them’ until Ka’b mentioned the hypocrites. He actually named them and used their kunyas. I said, ‘Shall I convey to him what you have said?’ Ka’b said, ‘I only said it because I intended that it be done.’ I plucked up courage and stood up, I stepped over people’s necks until I sat by ‘Umar’s head. I said, ‘You sent me to find out such-and-such. Thirteen people were wounded with you. Kulayb ibn al-Jazzar was wounded while he was doing wudu’ from the cistern. Ka’b swore such-and-such by Allah.’ He said, ‘Summon Ka’b.’ He was summoned and ‘Umar asked, ‘What did you say?’ He replied, ‘I said such-and-such.’ He said, ‘No, by Prophet, I will not make supplication. ‘Umar will be wretched if Allah does not forgive him.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1144. Ash-Sha’bi said, “A man came to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr when there were some people sitting with him. He stepped over them in order to reach him. They stopped him and ‘Abdullah said, ‘Leave the man.’ He approached until he sat with him and then said, ‘Tell me something which you heard from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ ‘Abdullah said, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe. An emigrant (muhajir) is someone who abandons what Allah has forbidden.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: On the other hand, the person(s) who are to address the gathering may move forward to their places as was the case when Jibreel – alayhis-salam – came to teach the people their religion while the Prophet ([r]) was in a sitting with the companions (radiya Allahu anhum). In the report of Aboo Hurayrah and Aboo Dharr (radiya Allahu anhuma) in Sunan an-Nasaaee and others, it says: “The stranger asked, ‘Should I come close, O Muhammad?’ The Prophet ([r]) answered, ‘Come close.’ The stranger kept on asking to come close many times and he was told, ‘come close.’ So he stepped over the shoulders of the people until he sat down before the Prophet ([r]) in the manner each of us sits in his Salat.”

chapter 541. The noblest of people for a person is his companion

1145. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The most precious of people in my opinion is my sitting companion.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah) explains, “It encourages a man to honour those who sit with him and his visitors. This is doubtlessly restricted to pious companions because their sitting with him helps him upon righteousness and cooperating upon the truth and mutual encouragement on patience.” 1. The one who does a thing found disquieting by those around him may explain the reason for his action. 2. ‘Awf bin Malik was a companion of the Prophet ([r]) who witnessed the Triumph over Makkah; yet he sought to only have pious people around him. Katheer bin Murrah (الله رحمه (was a student of the companions; he met about seventy of those who fought at Badr among the companions – radiya Allahu anhum.

1146. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The most precious of people in my opinion is my sitting companion. This is so much the case that he can step over the shoulders of people until he sits with me.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 542. Can a man put his foot in front of someone he is sitting with

1147. Kathir ibn Murra related, “I entered the mosque on Friday and found ‘Awf ibn Malik al-Ashja’i sitting in a circle of men. He stretched out his feet in front of him. When he saw me, he pulled his feet back in. Then he said to me, ‘Do you know why I put my foot out? So that a righteous man might come and sit down.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The one who does a thing found disquieting by those around him may explain the reason for his action. 2. ‘Awf bin Malik was a companion of the Prophet ([r]) who witnessed the Triumph over Makkah; yet he sought to only have pious people around him. Katheer bin Murrah (الله رحمه (was a student of the companions; he met about seventy of those who fought at Badr among the companions – radiya Allahu anhum.

chapter 543. When someone in a group of people spits

1148. Al-Harith ibn ‘Amr as-Sahmi related, “I came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he was at Mina or at ‘Arafa. People crowded around him and some Bedouins arrived. When they saw his face, they said, ‘This is a blessed face.’ I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, pray for forgiveness for me.’ He said, ‘O Allah, forgive us!’ I said, ‘Ask forgiveness for me.’ He said, ‘O Allah, forgive us!’ I turned and said, Ask forgiveness for me.’ He said, ‘O Allah, forgive us!’ He spat on his hand and wiped it on his sandal. He did not want it to get on anyone around him.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: It shows the high moral standard of the Prophetﷺ: he was extremely careful not discomfort anyone. However, it is permissible to use the handkerchief if one finds it.

chapter 544. Gatherings on roads

1149. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade gatherings in the road. They said, “Messenger of Allah, it is hard for us to sit in our houses.” He said, “If you must sit there, then fulfil the rights of the gathering.” They asked, ‘What is their right, Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “Guiding anyone who asks for directions, returning the greeting, lowering the eye, commanding the correct and forbidding the bad.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It indicates that students and subordinates may ask their teachers and superiors how to resolve a difficult matter into which they may fall due to particular instructions already given by them regarding the matters.

1150. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Beware of sitting in the road.” They said, “Messenger of Allah, we must meet where we can sit to talk.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If you must do it, then give the road its due. “What is the due of the road, Messenger of Allah,” they asked. He replied, “Lowering the eye, avoiding doing anything harmful, commanding the correct and forbidding the bad.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 545. Someone who sits dangling his feet in a well with his legs uncovered

1151. Abu Musa al-Ash’ari said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out one day to one of the walled gardens of Madina, and I went out after him. When he entered the garden, I sat at the gate and said, I will be the doorkeeper of the Messenger of Allah today even if he has not commanded me to do it.’ The Prophet went and answered a call of nature and then sat on the edge of the well. He uncovered his legs and dangled them in the well. Abu Bakr came and asked for permission to enter.’ I said, ‘Stay where you are until I ask permission for you.’ He waited and I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, it is Abu Bakr asking permission to come in.’ He said, ‘Let him in and give him the good news of the Garden.’ He entered and sat at the right side of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. uncovered his legs and dangled them in the water. Then ‘Umar came. I said, ‘Stay where you are until I ask permission for you.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Let him in and give him the good news of the Garden.’ ‘Umar went in and sat at the left side of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, uncovered his legs and dangled his feet in the well. The rim of the well was then full and there was no place left to sit. Then ‘Uthman came. I said, ‘Stay where you are until I ask permission for you.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Let him in and give him the good news of the Garden as well as an affliction which will befall him.’ ‘Uthman came in and could not find a place with them. He moved around until he was facing them on the other side of the well, uncovered his legs and dangled them in the well. I began to wish that a brother of mine would come and I asked Allah to make him come, but he did not come before they had got up.” Sa’id ibn al-Musayyab said, “I interpreted it as their graves. They (the Prophet, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar) were buried together here, but ‘Uthman was alone.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam An-Nawawee (الله رحمه” ,(The hadeeth contains the virtues of those three, and that they are from the people of the Garden and the virtue of Aboo Moosa. It also has a clear miracle for the Prophetﷺ in his telling about the story of ‘Uthman and the tribulations. (It also includes that) the three will continue upon Eemaan (true faith) and guidance.” The point of reference is their sitting at the edge of the well, uncovering their shanks and dangling them in the well.

1152. Abu Hurayra said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out in the heat of the day. He did not speak to me nor did I speak to him until he came to the market of Qaynuqa’. He sat in the courtyard of Fatima’s house and asked, ‘Is the little one here? Is the little one here?’ Fatima held her son back for a short time. I think that she was putting a necklace on him or washing him. Then he came running and he hugged him and kissed him. He said, ‘O Allah, love him and love those who love him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 546. When a man rises to give place for someone in a gathering, that person should not sit in it

1153. Ibn ‘Umar said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade anyone forcing a man to rise from his seat so that someone else could sit in his place.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The excellence of spacious gatherings may be understood from the fact that they allow the people to be relaxed and prevent grudge bearing and repugnance brought about by constricted sittings. 2. It seems the companion refused to sit in the place of the one who stood up for him since that may lead to making people leave their sits for others to sit which is prohibited by the Prophet ([r]). The religion prohibits embarrassing the people, making them stand up from their sits for others to sit, and encourages spreading out, creating space and honouring one another The religion prohibits embarrassing the people, making them stand up from their sits for others to sit, and encourages spreading out, creating space and honouring one another

47. Behaviour with people

chapter 547. The Trust

1154. Anas said, “I was serving the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, one day. When I thought I had finished serving him, I said, ‘The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is having a midday nap.’ So I left him and there were some children playing. I stood looking at them and their game. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came out, and came up to them and greeted them. Then he called me and sent me to get something he needed. He remained in the shade until I came back to him. I was late for my mother and she and he asked, ‘What kept you?’ I replied, The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent me for something he needed.’ ‘What was it?’ she asked. I replied, ‘It is a secret of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ She said, Keep the secret of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ I did not tell anyone that secret. If I had told it, I would have told it to her.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Anas bin Malik never told the secret to anyone; neither to his dear mother (radiya Allahu anha) nor to his eminent student, Thaabit alBunaanee (الله رحمه (who reported this hadeeth from him.

chapter 548. When he turned, he turned completely

1155. Abu Hurayra described the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with the words, “He was of medium height, but nearer to being tall. He was very white with a black beard and good front teeth. He had long eye-lashes. He was very broad between the shoulders and had full cheeks. He walked on his entire foot, but they did not have a hollow. He turned completely towards people or turned his back completely. I have not seen anyone like him before or since.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ was handsome in nature and character. So, when he faced or turned away from people, he did so completely. This mind alertness aids obedience to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime and refraining from His prohibitions. It also leads to attaining absolute sincerity and modesty.

chapter 549. When a man is sent to another man for some reason and he does not tell him what it is

1156. Aslam said, “‘Umar said to me, ‘If I send you to a man, do not tell him why I sent you to him. If you do, Shaytan will prepare a lie for him in that.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 550. Should you say, “Where have you come from?”

1157. Mujahid said, “It is disliked for a man to look sharply at his brother or to follow him with his glance when he leaves or to ask him, ‘Where have you come from and where are you going?'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1158. Malik ibn Zubayd said, “We passed by Abu Dharr at ar-Rabadha. He said, ‘Where have you come from?’ We said, ‘Makka or from the Ancient House.’ He said, ‘Is this what you have done?’ We said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘And was there commerce or selling with it?’ ‘No,’ he replied. He said, ‘Then resume your actions anew.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: That Allah has forgiven all your sins and you can resume your life anew.

chapter 551. Someone who listens to people’s conversation when they dislike for him to do that

1159. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever fashions an image will have to breathe life into it and he will be punished since he will not be able to breathe life into it. Anyone who claims to have seen a vision in a dream will have to string two beads of barely together and he will be punished because he will not be able to string them together. Anyone who listens to people’s conversation when they move away from him will have molten lead poured into his ears.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth only prohibits making images of all kinds of animals as is indicated by other texts that allow making images of trees and similar other things, lying about dreams and eavesdropping on people’s private talks.

chapter 552. Sitting on an elevated seat

1160. Al-‘Iryan ibn al-Haytham said, “My father came to Mu’awiya when I was a body. When he reached him, he said, ‘Welcome, welcome.’ A man was sitting with him on the elevated seat. He said, ‘Amir al-Mu’minin, who is this you are welcoming?’ He said, ‘This is the master of the people of the east. This is al-Haytham ibn al-Aswad.’ I asked, ‘Who is this?’ They replied, ‘This is ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As.’ I said to him, ‘Abu so-and-so. From where will the Dajjal emerge?’ He said, ‘I have not seen the people of a town who asked about what is far nor left what is near. You are from the people of a town.’ Then he said, ‘He will emerge from the land of Iraq with the trees and palm trees.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1161. Abu’l-‘Aliyya said, “I sat with Ibn ‘Abbas on an elevated seat.” Abu Jamra said, “I used to sit with Ibn ‘Abbas. He used to make me sit on his seat. He told him, ‘Stay with me so that I can allot you a portion of my property.’ I stayed with him for two months.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: “Sareer” could literally refer to “a bed”, or “seat” or “bier”. However, the context in which it is used in the narrations in the chapter indicates that it refers to “seat” See hadeeth no. 1164. Shaykh Husayn al- ‘Awaayishah (الله رحمه (remarked that, “Perhaps the intent of the author for this chapter titling and the narration is that one should not avoid sitting on a chair, and establishing its permissibility (in the Sharee’ah).” Sharh Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad (3/283).

1162. Abu Khulda reported that he heard Anas ibn Malik when he was with al-Hakam, the amir of Basra, on a seat. He said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was hot, he delayed the prayer until a cooler time of the day. When it was cold, he made the prayer early.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1163. Anas ibn Malik said, “I came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was on a seat with a bad woven on it. He had a pillow under his head made of skin stuffed with fibre. There was a cloth between his skin and the seat. ‘Umar visited him and wept. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘What made you weep, ‘Umar?’ He said, ‘By Allah, Messenger of Allah, I am only weeping since I know that you are more noble with Allah than Chosroes and Caesar. They both live in what they live of this world while you, Messenger of Allah, are in the place I see.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Are you not content, ‘Umar, that they have this world while we have the Next?’ I replied, ‘Yes, Messenger of Allah.’ He said, ‘That is the way of it.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In another version of the hadeeth collected in the two Saheehs, it said that ‘Umar began to weep when he saw the signs of the straw mat on the sides of the Prophetﷺ. 2. Indeed the Chosroes and Caesar lived in material comfort in this transient and trifling life, they will live in the worst punishment and ignominy in the Hereafter. Allah the Exalted says: “Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. A brief enjoyment; then, their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.” (Q 3 : 196-197)

1164. Abu Rifa’a al-‘Adawi said, “I came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was speaking [i.e. on Jumu’a]. I said, ‘Messenger, a stranger man has come to ask about his deen. He does not know what his deen is.’ He turned to me and stopped speaking. He was brought a chair which I think had iron legs. (Hamid [one of the transmitters] said, ‘I think that it was black wood like iron).’] He sat down on it and began to teach me what Allah had taught him. Then he finished his speech.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1165. Musa ibn Dihqan said, “I saw Ibn ‘Umar sitting on a bridal seat wearing a red garment.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1165. (sic) ‘Imran ibn Muslim said, “I saw Anas sitting on a bed, placing one foot over another.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 553. When someone sees people conversing secretly, he should not enter where they are

1166. Sa’id al-Maqburi said, “I passed by Ibn ‘Umar who had a man with him with whom he was conversing. I went to them, and he struck me on the chest and said, ‘When you find two men conversing, do not go up to them nor sit with them until they give you permission.’ I said. ‘May Allah make you prosper, Abu ‘Abdu’r-Rahman. I hoped that I would hear something good from you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration is evidence that good intentions do not justify actions; the action too must be correct as the intention to be acceptable before Allah the Exalted. It also shows the religion outrightly prohibits violating people’s privacy.

1167. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Whoever listens to people’s conversations when they do not want him to do so will have molten lead poured into his ears. Anyone who lies about a dram will be obliged to string a barley bead.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 554. Two should not converse to the exclusion of a third

1168. ‘Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When there are three people, two should not converse together to the exclusion of the third.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As it prohibits eavesdropping on people’s private talks, the religion also prohibits alienating a third person in a group of three which may lead him to listen in their conversation. This hadeeth is also evidence that whatever essentially leads to a prohibited act is also prohibited.

chapter 555. When there are four people

1169. ‘Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When there are three people, two should not converse together to the exclusion of the third for that would grieve him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1170. Ibn ‘Umar reported something similar from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He stated, “We said, ‘If there are four?’ He said, ‘Then it will not harm him.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: When two persons converse privately, the rest of the people could continue with whatever they were doing without feeling neither estranged nor been tempted to listen in the talk. Thus the permission mentioned in the hadeeth. This forms evidence for the legal maxim that: “Rulings change with their causes.”

1171. ‘Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Two should not converse to the exclusion of another until they are mixing with people since that would distress him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1172. Ibn ‘Umar said, “When there are four, there is no harm.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 556. When someone sits without someone else, he should ask his permission to leave

1173. Abu Burda ibn Abi Musa said, “I sat with ‘Abdullah ibn Sallam. He said, ‘You have sat down with us, but now it is time for us to leave.’ I said, ‘If you like.’ He got up and I followed him to the door.”

chapter 557. Do not sit in the edge of the sunlight

1174. Qays related that his father arrived while the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was speaking. He stood in the sun and the Prophet told him to move to the shade.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In another report it says: “He prohibited sitting between sunlight and shade and said: ‘It is the seat of Shaytan.’” See Silsilat alAhaadeeth is-Saheehah (838)

48. Sitting and lying down

chapter 558. Sitting wrapped up in a garment

1175. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade two types of dress and two sales transactions. He forbade the sales transactions called mulamasa and munabadha .* The two types of dress are samma’ ** and wrapping oneself up in garment while sitting down [with the legs drawn up] without anything covering the private parts.” [*Mulamasa is when a person touches something and that completes the sale without him examining it properly. Munabadha is when the seller throws the garment to someone and that completes the sale, without any inspection. ** Samma’ is put the corner of the garment over one shoulder so that one side is uncovered with nothing covering it.]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 559. Someone who has a cushion thrown to him

1176. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported his fasting was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to visit me and I threw him a leather cushion stuffed with palm fibre, but he sat on the ground. The cushion remained between me and him. He asked me, ‘Are three days every month enough for you?’ I said, ‘Messenger of Allah!’ He said, ‘Five?’ I said, ‘Messenger of Allah!’ He said, Eleven?’ I said, ‘Messenger of Allah!’ Then he said, ‘Do not exceed the fast of Da’ud. Half of the time. Fast one day and break the fast the next.'” [‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr was fasting every day.]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference vis-a-vis the chapter heading is that the Prophet was given a skin cushion stuffed with fibre.

1177. ‘Abdullah ibn Busr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by ‘Abdullah’s father who threw the Prophet a rug on which he sat.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 560. Squatting

1178. Qayla related, “I saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sitting squatting. When I saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, humble in his form of sitting, I trembled from dear.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

chapter 561. Sitting cross-legged

1179. Dhayyal ibn Hanzala said, “I visited the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I saw him sitting cross-legged.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

1180. Abu Ruzayq related that he saw ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas sitting cross-legged with one foot crossed over the other, the right on the left.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1181. ‘Imran ibn Muslim said, “I saw Anas ibn Malik sitting like that cross-legged, with one of his feet over the other one.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 562. Wrapping oneself up

1182. Salim ibn Jabir al-Hujaymi said, “I came up to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he was wrapped up in a cloak whose edges were cover his feet. I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, advise me.’ He said, ‘You must have fearful awareness of Allah. Do not scorn anything correct, even pouring water from your bucket into the bucket of someone else who asks you for water or talking to your brother with a happy face. Beware of dragging your waist-wrapper it is part of arrogance and Allah does not like it. If a man blames you for something he knows about you, do not blame him for anything you know of him. Leave him to his own evil. You will have your reward. Do not abuse anything.'” He said, “After that, I did not ever abuse anything, animal or man.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1183. It is related that Abu Hurayra said, “I never sae al-Hasan without my eyes overflowing with tears. That is because the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out one day and I found him in the mosque. He took my hand and I went along with him. He did not speak to me until we reached the market of Banu Qaynuqa’. He walked around it and looked. Then he left and I left with him until we reached the mosque. He sat down and wrapped himself in his garment. Then he said, ‘Where is the little one? Call the little one to me.’ Hasan came running and jumped into his lap. Then he put his hand in his beard. Then the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, opened his mouth and put his tongue in his mouth. Then he said, O Allah, I love him, so love him and the one who loves him!'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The point in these narrations is the Prophet’s wrapping himself up in his garment.

chapter 563. Someone who kneels

1184. Anas ibn Malik related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed Dhuhr with them. When he said the taslim, he stood on the minbar and talked about the Final Hour. He mentioned terrible things about it. Then he said, ‘Whoever wants to ask about something should ask about it. By Allah, whatever you ask me about, I will tell you as long as I am in this place.’ People wept a great deal when they heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say that. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, repeated frequently, ‘Ask.’ ‘Umar knelt on knees and said, ‘We are content with Prophet as a Lord, with Islam as a deen and Muhammad as a Messenger.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was silent when ‘Umar said that. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Better! By the One in Whose hand the soul of Muhammad is, I have been shown the Garden and the Fire inside this garden while I was praying. I have not seen any good and evil such as I have seen this day.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: “Baraka ‘ala rukbatayh, knelt on his knees” involves resting one’s body on the knees such that the buttocks rest on the heels while the thighs rest on the shanks, similar to the (Iftirash) sitting in Salaat as is contained in other versions.

chapter 564. Lying down

1185. ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn ‘Asim al-Mazini said, “I saw him.” Malik ibn Isma’il asked Ibn ‘Uyayna (who had transmitted this to him), “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?” He replied, “Yes, lying down with one of his feet over the other.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Istilqaa is “having the body flat on the floor with the nape (and the back) on the ground whether it is followed with sleep or not.” One should be sure in such situations that the private areas are not exposed.

1186. Al-Miswar said, “I saw ‘Abdu’r-Rahman ibn ‘Awf lying down with one of his feet over the other.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 565. Lying on one’s face

1187. Ibn Tikhfa al-Ghifari reported that his father told him that he had been one of the People of the Bench. He told him, “I was sleeping in the mosque during the last part of the night, lying on my stomach. Someone came to me and moved me with his foot, saying, ‘Get up. This is a manner of lying down which Allah hates.’ I raised my head and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was standing by my head.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1188. Abu Umama reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by a man in the mosque who was lying on his front. He kicked him with his foot and said, “Get up. It is the sleep of Jahannam.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 566. Only give or take things with the right hand

1189. Ibn ‘Umar said, “the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘None of you should eat with his left hand nor drink with his left hand. Shaytan eats and drinks with his left hand.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The deduction of Nafi’ (الله رحمه ,(which forms the point of reference of the hadeeth under the chapter title here, is also authentically reported directly from the Prophetﷺ. See Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth isSaheehah (1236)

chapter 567. Where you should place your sandals when you sit down

1190. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Part of the sunna is that when a man sits down, he removes his sandals and puts them at his side.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 568. Shaytan comes with a stick or something to chase a person out of bed

1191. Abu Umama said, “Shaytan comes to one of you in bed after his family has covered him and wished him good night. He throws sticks, stones or other things on him to make him angry with his family. When he feels that, he should not get angry with his family.’ He said, ‘It is part of the work of Shaytan.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

chapter 569. Someone who spends the night on a roof without any covering

1192. ‘Ali reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If anyone spends the night on the top of his house without protection, Allah has no responsibility for (protecting) him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (noted that the correct word is “Hijar, whatever protects from fall” instead of “Hijab” as seen in the Arabic text. The hadeeth emphasizes that reliance upon Allah the Mighty and Sublime does not foreclose following means to the objectives.

1193. ‘Ali ibn ‘Umara said, “Abu Ayyub al-Ansari came and went up on the flat roof. He came down and said, ‘I almost spent the night with no protection.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1194. Zuhayr reported that one of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If anyone spends the night on a flat roof (without walls) and then falls off of it and dies, no one bears any responsibility for him. If anyone embarks on the sea when it is fierce (i.e. stormy) and is destroyed, no one bears any responsibility for him.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Imam Al-Albaanee (الله رحمه (noted that the correct word is “Hijar, whatever protects from fall” instead of “Hijab” as seen in the Arabic text. The hadeeth emphasizes that reliance upon Allah the Mighty and Sublime does not foreclose following means to the objectives.

chapter 570. Should you let your feet dangle while you are sitting?

1195. Abu Musa al-Ash’ari related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sitting in a walled garden on the rim of a well, dangling his feet into the well.
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 571. What to say when you go out for something

1196. When Ibn ‘Umar left his house, he used to say, “O Allah, keep me and those with me safe!”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1197. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say when he left his house, “In the Name of Allah. Reliance is on Allah. There is no power nor strength except by Allah.”

chapter 572. Can a man put his feet out in front of his companions and can he lie down in their presence?

1198. Some of the delegation of ‘Abdu’l-Qays heard him mention the following: “When it became clear to us that we should go to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, we travelled until we were in sight of our destination. We were met by a man on a young camel. He greeted is and we returned the greeting. Then he stopped and asked, ‘Which tribe are you from?’ We replied, ‘We are the delegation of ‘Abdu’l-Qays.’ The man said, ‘Welcome. I was looking for you. I came to give you good news. Yesterday the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, looked towards the east and told us, “Tomorrow from that direction (i.e. the east) there will come the best delegation of the Arabs.” I spent the night preparing to leave. This morning I rode long and hard on my camel until dawn rose. Then I thought of returning, but I caught sight of the heads of your mounts.’ “Then he turned his mount with his reins and went back the way he had come until he reached the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who was surrounded by his Companions from both the Muhajirun and the Ansar. The man said, ‘May my father and mother be your ransom, I have come to give you the good news of the delegation of the ‘Abdu’l-Qays!’ The Prophet said, “‘Umar, where did you see them?’ He said, ‘They are coming after me.’ When he mentioned that, the Prophet said, ‘Allah gives you good news of blessings.’ The people prepared their places. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sitting and took the end of his robe in his hand. He was lying on it with his feet stretched out. “The delegation arrived and the Muhajirun and Ansar expressed joy at seeing them. When they (the delegation) saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the Companions, they made their mounts prance for joy. They came forward swiftly. The people made room for them while the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, remained reclining. Al-Ashajj, who is Mundhir ibn ‘A’idh ibn Mundhir ibn al-Harith ibn an-Nu’man ibn Ziyad ibn ‘Asar, stayed back. He rounded up their mounts and made them kneel. He removed their loads and collected their baggage together. Then he took out a bag which belonged to him, removed his travel garments, and put on a robe. Then he came walking slowly. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked,, ‘Who is your master and leader and the one in command?’ They all pointed at al-Ashajj. He said, ‘Is this man the son of your leaders?’ They replied, ‘His fathers were out masters in the time of the Jahiliyya and he led us to Islam.’ When al-Ashajj arrived, he wanted to sit in a corner, but the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sat upright and said, ‘Here, Ashajj!*’ It was the first day that al-Ashajj was called that. He had got some redness in his skin when he was weaned. It was like a moon on his face. The Prophet seated al-Ashajj at his side and was kind to him and acknowledged his higher position over them. People came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to ask him things and he answered them (and so on to the end of the hadith.) “Then the Prophet said, ‘Is there someone with you who will give you anything to eat?’ ‘Yes,’ they said. They got up quickly, every man going to his load. They brought a heap of dates in their hands and placed them on a amt before him. Also in front of him there was a palm branch less than two arm- spans and more than one span long. He was sorting them. When he had divided them up, he pointed with it to a pile of those dates and said, ‘You called these Ta’dud?’ ‘Yes,’ they said. He said, ‘And you call these ones Sarafan?’ ‘Yes,’ they replied. He continued, ‘And you call these ones Barni?’ ‘Yes,’ they said. He said, ‘They are the best of your dates and the one beneficial for you.’ “One of the shaykhs of area said, ‘They have the greatest blessing, We had a lot which we used to feed our camels and donkeys. When we returned from the delegation, that increased our desire for them and we asked for them until their price increased. We saw the blessing in them.” [* meaning to have a mark on his forehead.]
“One of the shaykhs of area said, ‘They have the greatest blessing, We had a lot which we used to feed our camels and donkeys. When we returned from the delegation, that increased our desire for them and we asked for them until their price increased. We saw the blessing in them.” [* meaning to have a mark on his forehead.]
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

49. Mornings and evenings

chapter 573. What to say in the morning

1199. Abu Hurayra said, “In the morning, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would say, ‘O Allah, We enter the morning by You and we enter the evening by You. We live by You and we die by You and to You is gathering.’ In the evening, he would say, ‘O Allah, we enter the evening by You and we enter the morning by You and we live by You and we die by You and to You is the return.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1200. Ibn ‘Umar said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not omit saying the following words in the morning and evening: ‘O Allah, I ask you for well-being in this world and the Next. O Allah, I ask you for forgiveness and well-being in my deen and in this world and in my family and my property. O Allah, veil my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, give me protection in front of me and behind me, on my right and my left and above me. I seek refuge by Your might from being overwhelmed from under me.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ sought Allah’s protection, mentioning all the directions from which afflictions reach man. The narration encourages being brief and encompassing in supplications.

1201. Maymuna, the wife of the Prophet, said, “I heard Anas ibn Malik say that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Whoever days in the morning, “O Allah, we bear witness to you and we bear witness to the bearers of You Throne and Your angels and all Your creation. You are Allah. There is no god but You alone with no partner and Muhammad is your slave and Messenger”, by that Allah will free a quarter of him from the Fire on that day. If someone says it twice, Allah will free half of him from the Fire. If he says it four times, Allah will free him completely from the Fire on that day.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 574. What to say in the evening

1202. Abu Hurayra reported that Abu Bakr said, “Messenger of Allah, teach me something that I can say morning and evening.” The Prophet said, “O Allah, Knower of the Unseen and the Visible, Creator of the heavens and the earth, everything is in Your hands. I testify that there is no god but You. I seek refuge with You from the evil of myself and the evil of shaytan and his (encouragement to) associate others (with You).” Say it in the morning and the evening and when you go to sleep.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Regarding the expression, “wa shirkihi”, Imam al-Khattaabee (rahimahullah) said, “It has been reported in two wordings: with a kasra below the Shin (shirkihi), meaning the invitations and insinuations of Shaytan including joining partners with Allah; that others besides Allah benefits or fulfill his needs. Secondly, with a fatha over both the sheen and raa (sharakihi) meaning, the traps and webs of Shaytan.”

1203. A similar report from Abu Hurayra in which he said, “The Lord of everything and its Master.” He said, “The evil of shaytan and his encouragement to associate.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1204. Abu Rashid al-Hayrani said, “I came to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar and asked him to relate to us what he had heard from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He handed me a paper and said, ‘This is what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wrote for me.’ I looked at it and it read: ‘Abu Bakr as-Siddiq asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “Messenger of Allah, teach me what to say in the mornings and evenings.” He said, “Abu Bakr, say, ‘O Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Knower of the Unseen and Visible. the Lord of all things and their Master. I seek refuge with You from the evil of shaytan and his encouragement to associate and that I bring evil on myself or bring it on another Muslim.'”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

50. Sleeping and going to bed

chapter 575. What to say when you go to bed

1205. Hudhayfa said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wanted to go to sleep, he said, ‘By Your Name, O Allah, I die and live.’ When he woke up, he said, ‘Praise be to Allah who gave us life after He made us die, and to Him is the gathering.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth proves that sleep is a form of death, and that even when we wake up from sleep; our final return is to Allah. Therefore, as we live by His Name, we should conduct our lives according to His dictates.

1206. Anas said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went to bed, he said, ‘Praise be to Allah who has given us food and drink, and given us enough and given us refuge. How many people have neither enough nor refuge!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1207. Jabir said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not sleep until he had recited, ‘Alif-Lam-Mim. The Sending-down’ (32) and ‘Blessed is the One in whose hand the kingdom is’ (67).'” Abu’z-Zubayr (the transmitter) observed, “They are better than every sura in the Qur’an to the amount of seventy good deeds. Anyone who recites them will have seventy good actions written for him, will be raised seventy degrees by it, and will have seventy errors falls from him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The statement is only authentically related from Abu az-Zubayr al-Makkee (rahimahullah). However, reading the two chapters before bed is an established Sunnah.

1208. ‘Abdullah said, “Going to sleep during dhikr comes from Shaytan. if you like, you can put it to the test. When one of you goes to bed and wants to go to sleep. he should mention Allah Almighty.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaytan is an avowed enemy of man; he tries hard to interrupt and prevent him from giving obedience to Allah the most High. So, one should be conscious while giving remembrance of Allah especially in the evenings after the day’s toil, before going to bed. 1. The formulas will be 150 on the tongue when we say them as mentioned during the five daily obligatory prayers. 2. The hadeeth shows that deeds are rewarded in manifolds. 3. It encourages sitting calmly in the mosque after the obligatory prayers and basically discourages hastily leaving the mosque. 4. The Sunnah is to count the fingers of the right hand during remembrance of Allah the Exalted. If there were any other permissible means, the Prophetﷺ would have practised such. 5. Shaytan is really our enemy; we should be wary of him at all times and seek Allah’s protection from his traps and webs

1209. Jabir said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not go to sleep until he had recited ‘Blessed’ (67) and ‘Alif-Lam-Mim. The Sending-down’ (32).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1210. Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘When one of you goes to bed, he should undo the inside of his lower garment and dust the bed with it. He does not know what has come on his bed since he left it. He should lie down on his right side and say, ‘In Your Name I have laid down on my side. If You take my soul, then have mercy on it. If You release it, then preserve it in the manner in which You preserve the men of right action.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1211. Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went to bed, he laid down on his right side. Then he said, ‘O Allah, I have turned my face to You and I have surrendered my self to You and I have committed my back to You out of fear and desire for You. There is no place of safety or refuge from You except with You. I have believed in Your book which You revealed and Your Prophet whom You sent.’ He said, ‘Whoever says it at night and then dies, dies in fitra (natural state).'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As for the expression, “alja’tu Zahree ilayk, I have committed my back to you”, it means: I rely on You in all my affairs, so that You help me in what is beneficial to me.

1212. Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say when he went to bed, ‘O Allah, Lord of the heavens and the earth, and Lord of all things, Splitter of the grain and seeds, the One who sent down the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur’an! I seek refuge with You from every evil. You take by the forelock. You are the Outward, and there is nothing above You. You are the Inward and there is nothing below You. Pay my debts for me and keep me safe from poverty.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth contains points of benefit, including: 1. From the recommended manners of supplication is to ask Allah by His Ruboobiyyah (Lordship). 2. The Taoraah was a revealed book from Allah the Exalted. 3. It shows that from Allah’s Names are: Al-Awwal, al-Aakhir, az-Zaahir and al-Baatin, and gives their meanings. 4. It shows that Allah is above His creatures and is not dependent on them. 5. It encourages seeking refuge from the evils of the soul. 6. It is appropriate to ask Allah for sufficiency and sustenance. 7. It is allowed to seek the means towards lawful earning and settling one’s debts. 8. Poverty leads to great evils; so the Prophetﷺ asked Allah’s protection from poverty. We seek Allah’s protection from poverty.

chapter 576. The excellence of making supplication when going to sleep

1213. See 1211.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As for the expression, “alja’tu Zahree ilayk, I have committed my back to you”, it means: I rely on You in all my affairs, so that You help me in what is beneficial to me.

1214. Jabir said, “When a man enters his house or goes to bed, an angel and shaytan hasten to him. The angel says, ‘Seal it with good!’ The Shaytan says, ‘Seal it with evil.’ If he praises Allah and remembers Him, he chases the shaytan away and spends the night with him guarding him. When he wakes up, the angel and shaytan hasten to him and say the same thing. If he mentions Allah and says, ‘Praise be to Allah, who keeps firm hold of the heavens and earth, preventing them from vanishing away. And if they vanished no one could then keep hold of them. Certainly He is Most Forbearing, Ever-Forgiving.’ (35:41) Praise be to Allah who holds back the sky preventing it from falling on the earth, except by His permission. Allah is All-Compassionate to mankind, Most Merciful ‘ (22:63) If he dies, he dies a martyr, If he gets up and prays, he prays in virtue.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 577. Placing one’s hand under his cheek

1215. Al-Bara’ said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wanted to go to sleep, he put his hand under his right cheek and said, ‘O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the Day you raise up Your slaves.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It demonstrates the following etiquettes of sleeping: lying on the right side, placing the right hand under the right cheek and supplicating. As for the various formulas, one could say any of them or combine them. The supplications before sleep remind about death and resurrection. We ask Allah’s protection from His wrath. While commenting on this narration, Imam Al-Albaanee (rahimahullah) said, “As for the addition: ‘three times’, it is Munkar (strange) or Shaadh (irregular)…”

chapter 578. Chapter

1216. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If a Muslim man persists in two actions, he will enter the Garden. They are easy, but those who do them are few.’ He was asked, ‘What are they, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?’ He said, ‘That you say “Allahu akbar” ten times, “al-hamdu lillah” ten times, and “Subhana’llah” ten times after every prayer. That is 150 on the tongue and 1500 in the balance.’ I saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, counting them with his hand. Then he said, ‘When you go to bed, you should say, “Subhana’llah”, “al-hamdu lillah”, and “Allahu akbar” . That is 100 on the tongue and 1000 in the balance. Who among you can do 2500 bad actions morning and night?’ He was asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, how is it that they are not counted?’ He said, ‘Shaytan comes to one of you while he is praying and reminds him of something he has to do such-and-such and such-and-such, so he does not remember to do it.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The formulas will be 150 on the tongue when we say them as mentioned during the five daily obligatory prayers. 2. The hadeeth shows that deeds are rewarded in manifolds. 3. It encourages sitting calmly in the mosque after the obligatory prayers and basically discourages hastily leaving the mosque. 4. The Sunnah is to count the fingers of the right hand during remembrance of Allah the Exalted. If there were any other permissible means, the Prophetﷺ would have practised such. 5. Shaytan is really our enemy; we should be wary of him at all times and seek Allah’s protection from his traps and webs.

chapter 579. When someone gets up from his bed and then goes back to it, he should dust it

1217. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you goes to bed, he should dust his bed with the inside of his lower garment. he should say, ‘In the Name of Allah.’ He does not know what might have come on it after he left it. If he wants to lie down, he should lie down on his right side and say, ‘Glory be to You, my Lord, I have laid down on my side by You and I raise it up by You. If you take my soul, then forgive it. If you release it, then guard over it as You guard over Your righteous slaves.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 580. What to say when you wake up in the night

1218. Rabi’a ibn Ka’b related, “I used to spend the night at the door of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I would give him his wudu’ water.” He said, “After a long period of the night had passed, I heard him say, ‘Allah hears whoever praises Him,’ and I heard him say after a long period of the night had passed, ‘Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It encourages saying these formulas when one wakes up during the night.

chapter 581. Someone who goes to sleep with grease on his hand

1219. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever goes to sleep with grease on his hand before washing it off and is afflicted by something should not blame anyone except himself.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Since he was negligent about cleaning his hands properly after food, he should only blame himself for the repercussions of his negligence.

1220. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who spends the night with grease on his hand and is afflicted by something should not blame anyone but himself.”
Commentary: As No. 1219, from Abū Hurayra, with a different isnād.

chapter 582. Putting lamps out

1221. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Lock the doors, tie the water-skins, turn over the vessels, cover the vessels, and put out the lamps. Shaytan does not open a locked door, nor untie a water-skin, nor uncover a vessel. A mouse can cause a house to burn down with its inhabitants inside it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1222. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “A mouse came and began to drag the wick. The slavegirl moved to stop it. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Leave it.’ The mouse brought the wick and put it on the mat where he was sitting. It burned a hole in it the size of a dirham. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘When you go to sleep, put out the lights. Shaytan guides things like this and then they burn you.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apparently, since the mouse would drag the wick and set the house ablaze, the Prophetﷺ prohibited going to sleep while the fire burns either from the wick or anything like it. Thus, the order to put out fire in a room before going to sleep may not be related to present-day electric lamps if the possibility of electric surges that cause appliances to catch fire is remote.

1223. Abu Sa’id said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, woke up one night and found that a mouse had taken the wick and climbed onto the roof with it to burn the house down over them. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, cursed it and it became lawful to kill it in the Haram.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 583. A fire should not be left burning in the house when people go to sleep

1224. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not leave the fire burning in your house when you go to sleep.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1225. ‘Umar said, “Fire is an enemy, so beware of it.” He used to go around an put out the fires of his family before he went to sleep at night.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1226. Ibn ‘Umar heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Do not leave a fire burning in your houses. It is an enemy.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1227. Abu Musa said, “A house in Madina burned down with its inhabitants during the night. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was informed about that and said, ‘Fire is your enemy. When you go to sleep, put out the fires.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Apparently, since the mouse would drag the wick and set the house ablaze, the Prophetﷺ prohibited going to sleep while the fire burns either from the wick or anything like it. Thus, the order to put out fire in a room before going to sleep may not be related to present-day electric lamps if the possibility of electric surges that cause appliances to catch fire is remote.

chapter 584. Seeing the Blessing of Rain

1228. Abu Mulayka related that when it rained, Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Slavegirl! Bring out my saddle and bring my garment. Allah says, ‘We sent down blessed water from the sky. ‘ (50:9)”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam An-Nawawee (الله رحمه (explained, “It forms an evidence for the view of our scholars that it is recommended during the first rain to expose other than our Awrah (parts of the body prohibited to be seen by other people) so that the rain touches it. It also proves that when the subordinate sees something from the superior which he does not know, he should ask him so as to know it, act upon it and teach others too.” The hadeeth also encourages craving for whatever is good and beneficial. It is evidence for the fact Allah the Mighty and Sublime is above His creatures.

chapter 585. Hanging up a whip in the room

1229. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded that whips be hung up in houses.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration exhorts towards teaching and enforcing Islamic morals in the household. The whip would indicate that discipline will be ensured at all times within the limits of the Sharee’ah. In a similar narration collected by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad it says, “Do not leave them without the whip by way of discipline. Make them be conscious of Allah.” (Ahmad)

chapter 586. Locking the door at night

1230. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Beware of conversing after the night is still. None of you knows what creatures Allah will send, so lock your doors, tie up the water-skins, cover vessels and put out the lamps.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: As regards the word, “as-Samar”, translated here as ‘conversing’, Imam Al-Albaanee (rahimahullah) clarified that the correct word is rather, as-Sayr, ‘walking around’ as the context shows and as is indicated in other versions of the hadeeth. See hadeeth no. 1233. However, the point of reference in this hadeeth vis-a-vis the chapter heading is that the doors of the house must be shut up before bed

chapter 587. Bringing children inside when evening falls

1231. Jabir reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Keep children in until the evening has completely fallen. That time is the hour when the shaytans come out.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

51. Animals

chapter 588. Making animals fight each other

1232. It is reported from Mujahid that Ibn ‘Umar disliked making animals fight each other.
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The reason for such disapproval is that it involves needlessly tiring out and causing pains to the animals! See narrations on Chapter 176.

chapter 589. The barking of dogs and braying of donkeys

1233. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said “Do not go out often after the night is still. Allah has animals which he sends out. Anyone who hears the barking of a dog or the braying of a donkey should seek refuge with Allah from the Accursed Shaytan. They see what you do not see.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In another version of this hadeeth, it says, “…because it saw a satan.” This report also show that seeking refuge with Allah when we hear the barking of a dog or the braying of the donkey is restricted to the night; not any other time of the day.

1234. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When you hear a dog barking or a donkey braying in the night, seek refuge with Allah. They see what you do not see. Shut the doors and mention the Name of Allah over them. Shaytan will not open a door which has been shut and had the name of Allah mentioned over it. Then cover the pots, tie the water-skins and cover the vessels.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1235. See previous two hadiths.
Grade:
Commentary: Similar to No. 1233, with a different isnād.

chapter 590. When you hear a cock

1236. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When you hear the crowing of a cock in the night, it has seen an angel. Ask Allah for its blessing. If you hear the braying of a donkey in the night, it has seen a shaytan, so seek refuge with Allah from shaytan.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 591. Do not curse fleas

1237. Anas ibn Malik reported that a man cursed fleas in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Do not curse them. A flea woke up one of the Prophets for the prayer.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

52. Midday Naps

chapter 592. Sleeping at Midday

1238. ‘Umar said, “Sometimes some of the men of Quraysh sat at the door of Ibn Mas’ud. When the shadows shifted from west to east, he said, ‘Get up, Any time spent here after this is for Shaytan.’ He made everyone he passed by get up. While we were getting up, someone said to him, ‘This is the mawla of the Banu’l-Hashas who composes poetry.’ ‘Umar called and said, ‘What have you got to say?’ The man said: ‘Say farewell to Salma if you prepare to go in the morning, White hair and Islam is enough prohibition for a man’ ‘Umar said, ‘Enough! You have spoken the truth. You have spoken the truth.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

1239. As-Sa’ib ibn Yazid said, “‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to pass by us in the middle of the day or near to it and say, ‘Get up and take a midday nap. Any time spent here after this is for shaytan.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ in a report checked and graded authentic in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah (1647) similarly ordered taking the midday rest. Siesta rests the body and helps towards waking up for the late-night prayer. This narration also warns about falling into the traps of Shaytan.

1240. Anas said, “They used to gather and then take a midday nap.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Anas bin Malik referred to the companions – may Allah be pleased with them all – by his statement, “They used to…” They would observe the siesta after the Friday congregational prayer during the time of the Prophetﷺ as in other authentic reports.

1241. Anas said, “At the time that wine was made unlawful, there was no drink that the people of Madina liked better than that made from dried dates and unripe dates. I used to give the drink to the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They were in the home of Abu Talha when a man passed by and announced, ‘Wine has been forbidden.’ They did not say, ‘When?’ or ‘Wait until we see.’ They said, ‘Anas, break them!’ Then they said in the presence of Umm Sulaym, ‘Wait until it becomes cool and we have washed ourselves.’ Then Umm Sulaym put perfume on them. Then they went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the news was as the man had said.” Anas added, “After this they never drank it again.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The point of reference here is their having a midday nap.

chapter 593. Sleeping at the end of the day

1242. Khawwat ibn Jubayr said, “Sleeping during the beginning of the day is stupidity. Sleeping during the middle of the day is also stupidity, and sleeping at the last part of it is imbecility.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps the one who would sleep in the mornings is unaware of the Prophet’s supplication to Allah to bless the early morning endeavors of his Ummah. If such a person knows but still chooses to sleep at the beginning of the day without necessity, then both lack of knowledge and deliberately contradicting knowledge are forms of ignorance. However, sleeping in the middle of the day is a good habit as evinced from other authentic narrations. Likewise, the habit of sleeping in the evenings without necessity may be considered goofy since it contradicts the noble habit of observing the siesta.

chapter 594. Banquet

1243. Maymun (ibn Mahran) said, “I asked Nafi’, ‘Did Ibn ‘Umar ever invite people to a banquet?’ He said, ‘A camel of his once broke something and so we sacrificed it. Then Ibn ‘Umar said, “Gather the people of Madina for me.” I said, “Abu ‘Abdu’r-Rahman, for what? We do not have any bread.” He said, “O Allah, praise belongs to You. These are bits of meat and this is broth,” or he said, “Broth and meat chunks. Whoever wishes can eat and whoever wishes can leave it.”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It further demonstrates the keenness of the companions – radiya Allahu anhum – to do good deeds and earn rewards therefrom. The narrations under this chapter highlight the virtues of extending the greetings of Salam: safety, loving one another, increases Eemaan and leads to the Garden. May Allah enter us into His Garden.

53. Circumcision

chapter 595. Circumcision

1244. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Ibrahim, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was circumcised when he was eighty years old. He was circumcised with an axe (qadum).” Abu ‘Abdullah said that “qadum” refers to the name of a place (rather than an axe).”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah) said, “It shows that a matured person who had not been circumcised should do so or when he becomes a Muslim.” Sharh Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad (3/354). This noble practice of the Fitrah is been abandoned by many of the parents for their daughters on the flimsy excuse that it is only Mustahabb (recommended)! Quite badly, some Muslim countries have even legislated against female circumcision!

596. Female circumcision

1245. An old woman from Kufa, the grandmother of ‘Ali ibn Ghurab, reported that Umm al-Muhajir said, “I was captured with some girls from Byzantium. ‘Uthman offered us Islam, but only myself and one other girl accepted Islam. ‘Uthman said, ‘Go and circumcise them and purify them.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 597. Supplication during circumcision

1246. Salim said, “Ibn ‘Umar, Nu’aym and I were circumcised and they sacrificed a ram on our behalf. I think that we were more happy about it than the other children since a ram had been sacrificed on our behlaf.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 598. Diversion during circumcision

1247. Umm ‘Alqama related that when the nieces of ‘A’isha’s brother were circumcised, ‘A’isha was asked, “Shall we call someone to amuse them?” “Yes,” she replied. ‘Adi was sent for and he came to them. ‘A’isha passed by the room and saw him singing and shaking his head in rapture and he had a large head of hair. ‘Uff!’ she exclaimed, ‘A shaytan! Get him out! Get him out!'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narration demonstrates that it was a normal practice amongst the early Muslims to circumcise girls. This is further asserted in the hadeeth checked and graded in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah, that: “The women migrated (from Makkah to Madeenah) and amongst them was Umm Habeebah who was known to circumcise girls. When the Messengerﷺ saw her, he said to her, ‘O Umm Habeebah! Do you have with you today what you always had with you?’ She said, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah! Except it is not permissible so you can prohibit me.’ So the Messengerﷺ said, ‘No, it is allowed; come closer so that I can teach you (how to do it).’ She came closer and he said, ‘When you do it do not cut deep for that (i.e. to slightly remove a part of it) better brightens the face (of the woman) and is found more honorable by the husband.’” 2. The hadeeth shows that entertainment could be permissible or even encouraged when they do not involve sins. 3. Sins should not be tolerated; the Muslims should seek appropriate means to quickly discourage them.

chapter 599. The dhimmi ‘s invitation

1248. Aslam, the client of ‘Umar, said, “When we came to Syria with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, the chief came to him, ‘Amir al-Mu’minin, I have prepared some food for you and I would like you to bring some nobles with you. That will be a stronger and nobler action for me.’ ‘Umar said, ‘We cannot enter these churches of yours with the images which are inside them.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 600. Circumcising slavegirls

1249. See 1245.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 601. Circumcision of an older person

1250. Abu Hurayra said, “Ibrahim, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was circumcised when he was 120 years old. Then he lived eighty years after that.” Sa’id ibn al-Musayyab said, “Ibrahim was the first to be circumcised, the first to give hospitality, the first to trim his moustache, the first to cut his nails and the first to get white hair. He said, ‘O Lord, what is this?’ ‘Gravity,’ Allah replied. Ibrahim said, ‘O Lord, increase me in gravity!'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The report ascribed to the Prophetﷺ here is not authentic; it was even graded Mawdoo’ (fabricated) by Imam al-Albaanee (rahimahullah) in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth id-Da’eefah (2112). See hadeeth no. 1244. As for the statement of Sa’eed bin Musayyib (rahimahullah), they are authentically reported from him. However, reliance on such reports from a taabi’ee requires corroborating evidences from the Prophetﷺ

1251. It is reported that al-Hasan said, “Are you not astonished by this man? (i.e. Malik ibn al- Mundhir) He went to some of the old people of Kaskar who had become Muslim and examined them and then commanded that they be circumcised although it was winter. I heard that some of them died. Greeks and Abyssinians became Muslim with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and they were not examined at all.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Commenting on this narration, Imam Albaanee (rahimahullah) said, “Rightly, they were not examined. However, that did not prevent them from been ordered to circumcise, and even to completely shave the hair of the period of disbelief which is from the obligations upon the Muslim. Likewise other traits of Fitrah. In the hadeeth collected by Aboo Daawood and others, (it says) that the Prophetﷺ said to a man: ‘Shave off the hairs of the period of disbelief and circumcise.’ See Saheeh Abee Daawood (383). The next narration strengthens it.”

1252. Ibn Shihab said, “When a man became Muslim, he was ordered to have himself circumcised, even if he was old.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam az-Zuhree, Muhammad bin Muslim bin Shihaab (rahimahullah), was from the scholars among the students of the companions (radiya Allahu anhum). So, his statement here demonstrates that circumcision was a well established custom among the early Muslims. 1. The narration demonstrates that it was a normal practice amongst the early Muslims to circumcise girls. This is further asserted in the hadeeth checked and graded in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth is-Saheehah, that: “The women migrated (from Makkah to Madeenah) and amongst them was Umm Habeebah who was known to circumcise girls. When the Messengerﷺ saw her, he said to her, ‘O Umm Habeebah! Do you have with you today what you always had with you?’ She said, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah! Except it is not permissible so you can prohibit me.’ So the Messengerﷺ said, ‘No, it is allowed; come closer so that I can teach you (how to do it).’ She came closer and he said, ‘When you do it do not cut deep for that (i.e. to slightly remove a part of it) better brightens the face (of the woman) and is found more honorable by the husband.’” 2. The hadeeth shows that entertainment could be permissible or even encouraged when they do not involve sins. 3. Sins should not be tolerated; the Muslims should seek appropriate means to quickly discourage them.

chapter 602. An invitation when a child is born

1253. Bilal ibn Ka’b al-‘Ukki said, “We Ibrahim ibn Adham, ‘Abdu’l-‘Aziz ibn Qarir, Musa ibn Yasar and I visited Yahya ibn Hassan (al-Bakri al-Filistini) in his village. He brought us some food, but Musa held back because he was fasting. Yahya said, ‘We had a man with the kunya of Abu Qursafa from the Banu Kinana who had been one of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he was in this mosque for forty years. He would fast one day and break the fast the next day, My father had a son born to him and he invited this man on the day that he was fasting and he broke his fast.’ Ibrahim stood up and swept him with cloak and Musa broke his fast.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 603. Rubbing a child’s gums

1254. Anas said, “On the day he was born, I took ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Talha to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. I found him wearing a woollen robe while he was marking one of his camels with tar. The Prophet said, ‘Do you have any dates with you?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied. I gave him some dates. He chewed the dates and opened the child’s mouth and put some chewed dates into the child’s mouth. The child licked his lips. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘The Ansar love dates,’ and gave him the name ‘Abdullah.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It demonstrates among other things that one could seek the learned and pious to give the child tahneek and name him.

chapter 604. Supplication at birth

1255. Mu’awiya ibn Qurra said, “When Iyas was born to me, I invited a group of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I fed them and they made supplication. I said, ‘You have made supplication, so may Allah bless you for your supplication. If I make supplication, then you say, “Amen”.’ He went on, ‘I made a lot of supplication for him for his deen, his intellect and things like that.’ He added, ‘I still recognise the supplication of that day in him.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration encourages supplicating for a child at birth and even asking the righteous to do same. It shows that it is allowed for people to say, Ameen to the supplication of a single person, and that one could invite people to a banquet when a child is born.

chapter 605. The person who praises Allah when he is born if he is well-formed and is not concerned whether it is a boy or a girl

1256. Kathir ibn ‘Ubayd said, “When someone in the family of ‘A’isha had a child, she did not ask, ‘Boy or girl?’ She asked, ‘Was he created well-formed?’ If the answer was ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 606. Shaving public hair

1257. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Five things are included in the fitra: trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, shaving the public hair, plucking the armpits, and using the siwak (arak stick for cleaning the teeth).”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: The tooth-stick is only authentically reported as from the Fitrah in the hadeeth of A’aisha (radiya Allahu anhaa). Thus, the Sunnah of plucking the armpits, which forms the point of reference in this hadeeth is established from authentic reports.

chapter 607. The time for cutting the nails and hair

1258. Nafi’ reported that Ibn ‘Umar used to trim his nails every fifteen days and shave his pubic hair every month.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It highlights the adherence of the companion to the Sunnah, and how he attended to personal hygiene. However, in an authentic hadeeth, collected in Sunan Abee Dawood and others, Anas bin Malik said, “The Messenger of Allahﷺ gave a forty days range for us to shave the armpits, cut the fingernails, trim the moustache and shave the pubes.” Thus Imam ash-Shawkaanee (rahimahullah) said, “Therefore, it is not permissible to exceed it, and the one who leaves trimming and its like after it gets long for up to that limit is not considered to be contradicting the Sunnah.” See Nayl al-Awtaar (1/164).

54. Betting and similar pastimes

608. Betting

1259. Ja’far ibn Abi’l-Mughira said, “Sa’id ibn Jubayr stayed with me and said tht Ibn ‘Abbas related to me that he used to say, ‘Where are those who play with gambling arrows for the slaughtered camel? They buy a camel with ten shares. Then they shuffle the arrows and it becomes nine shares and they continue until comes down to one share. The others lose their shares to the one share. That is gambling (arrow-shuffling).'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1260. Ibn ‘Umar said, “Arrow-shuffling is gambling.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah) explained that the word Qimaar is “every game which involves betting in which the loser gives the winner something previously agreed upon by them both.”

609. Betting a cock

1261. Rabi’a ibn ‘Abdullah ibn al-Hadir ibn ‘Abdullah reported tht two men wagered two cocks in the time of ‘Umar. ‘Umar ordered that the cock be killed and a man of the Ansar said to him, “Will you kill a something which glorifies Allah?” So ‘Umar left it.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 610. Someone who says to his companion, “Come, I’ll make a bet with you”

1262. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If any of you makes an oath and swears in his oath by al-Lat and al-‘Uzza should say, ‘There is no god but Allah.’ If any of you tells him companion, ‘Come on, I will make a bet with you’ should give sadaqa.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As explained earlier, people were used to swearing with other than Allah during pre-Islamic times. So when that became prohibited in Islam, some would still mistakenly utter such words. Thus, saying the statement of testimony in the Oneness of Allah apart from reaffirming faith is from the aspects of hastening towards good deeds after committing an error. Likewise inviting someone to a bet; it is a sin for which the offender should give charity in atonement.

chapter 611. Betting a pigeon

1263. Husayn ibn Mus’ab reported that someone told Abu Hurayra, “We wager two pigeons and we do not want for there to be a third unwagered pigeon between them so that the unwagered pigeon might take the winnings.” Abu Hurayra said, “That is how children behave. You are at the point where you should abandon that.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 612. Doing the camel-chant for women’s camels

1264. It is related tht al-Bara’ ibn Malik used to do the camel-chant for the men and Anjasha used to do the camel-chant for the women. He had a good voice and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anjasha, be gentle when you drive the glass-vessels.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Here the Messenger of Allahﷺ referred to the women employing their tender nature: the fragile vessels. He cautioned that they be driven gently so that they do not fall over the beast of burden and be wounded. Some of the scholars have viewed that the Prophetﷺ cautioned the cameleer, ‘Anjasha , regarding his songs so that the fragile vessels were not put to trial therefrom as is shown in other wordings of the same hadeeth. ‘Anjasha , was known to sing with sonorous voice. Yet, the hadeeth evinces the permissibility of singing songs and poems when they don’t involve forbidden words and musical instruments, and when doing so does not lead to something prohibited. It also shows the permissibility of using implied expressions, and good-natured teasing.

chapter 613. Singing

1265. Ibn ‘Abbas said that the words of Allah in Luqman (35:6), “There are people who trade in distracting tales” mean “singing and things like it.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1266. Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Extend the greeting and you will be safe. The saw is evil.” Abu Mu’awiya (one of the transmitters) said, “The ‘saw’ is trivial pursuit.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: See comments on narration in Chapter 340.

1267. Salman al-Ilhani reported that Fadala ibn ‘Ubayd was in a gathering. He heard that some people were playing backgammon. He got up in anger and forbade it in the strongest possible terms. Then he said, “Anyone who plays it in order to consume its winnings is like someone who eats pig meat and does wudu’ with blood.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 614. The person who does not greet backgammon players

1268. Al-Fadil ibn Muslim reported that his father said, “When ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, went out through the Bab al-Qasr, he saw some backgammon players. He took them and locked them up from morning to night. Some of them he only locked up for half the day. Those he locked up until night were those who used silver. Those he locked up for half the day were those who played it. He also commanded that they should not be greeted.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 615. The wrong action of someone who plays backgammon

1269. Abu Musa al-Ash’ari reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who plays backgammon has rebelled against Allah and His Messenger.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: This hadeeth categorically prohibits playing backgammon; and apparently, whether it involves betting or not. See narration no. 1277. Obviously, it becomes worse when joined with gambling!

1270. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud said, “Beware of these two marked cubes. They should be forcibly prohibited. They are part of gambling.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1271. Burayda reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Someone who plays backgammon is like a person who puts his hand in the meat and blood of a pig.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Imam an-Nawawee (rahimahullah), “The meaning of staining his hand in the meat and blood of a pig is while he eats from it. It is a form of likening of its prohibition to the prohibition of the two things (the blood and flesh of swine).”

1272. Abu Musa reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who plays backgammon has rebelled against Allah and His Messenger.”
Commentary: As No. 1269, with a different isnād

chapter 616. Manners and removing those who play backgammon and the people of trivial pursuits (ahl al-batil)

1273. Nafi’ related that if ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar found any of his family playing backgammon, he would beat them and break the board.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1274. ‘Alqama ibn Abi ‘Alqama reported from his mother that ‘A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, heard that some people living in a room in her house had a backgammon game. She sent to them, saying, “If you do not remove it, I will evict you from my house.” He censured them for playing that.
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The companions – may Allah be pleased with them all – did not tolerate sin; they sought every permissible means to discourage disobedience to Allah and His Messengerﷺ

1275. Kulthum ibn Jabir said, “Ibn az-Zubayr addressed us and said, ‘People of Makka, I have heard that there are men of Quraysh who play a game called backgammon. It is done with the left hand. Allah says, ‘Wine and gambling.’ (5:90) I swear by Allah that if anyone who plays it is brought before me, I will punish him in his hair and skin, and I will give his booty to the one who brings him to me.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: Apart from prohibiting backgammon, it evinces the fact that rulers must prohibit their subjects from sinful acts and punish offenders accordingly.

1276. Ya’la ibn Murra reported that he heard Abu Hurayra speaking about someone who plays backgammon and bets on it, saying that he is like someone who eats pig meat and that the person who plays it without betting on it is like someone who washes his hands in pig’s blood. The person who sits looking at it is like someone who looks at pig’s meat.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1277. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As said, “Someone who plays dice for a bet is like a person who eats pig met. Someone who plays it without betting is like someone who washes his hands in pig’s blood.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This hadeeth categorically prohibits playing backgammon; and apparently, whether it involves betting or not. See narration no. 1277. Obviously, it becomes worse when joined with gambling!

chapter 617. A believer is not harmed by the same stone twice

1278. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A believer is not hurt by the same stone twice.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hole is mentioned since most of what comes from it rather harm than benefit. Explaining the hadeeth, Imam al-Khattaabee (rahimahullah) said, “This expression is of information but it implies command. That is, the believer should be wise and careful not to be hit due to nonchalance and so, he is deceived one time after the other. That could be from the aspects of religion as it could also be in worldly matters…” As for the indifferent believer, he could be hit hard many times!

chapter 618. Someone who shoots at night

1279. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who shoots at night is not one of us.” [Abu ‘Abdullah [i.e. al-Bukhari] noted, “There is something doubtful in its isnad.]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, the one who shoots in people’s direction at night. As regards the expression, “…is not one of us”, it may means that, ‘he is not acting in accordance with our Sunnah for it is not from our Sunnah to harm fellow Muslims’, or ‘he is of the non-Muslims who direct harm towards the Muslims.

1280. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Anyone who bears arms against us is not one of us.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: However, it should be noted that, the fact that it is from the ways of the non-Muslims to bear arm against Muslims does not mean that it basically forms an act of disbelief. In his Saheeh, the author related that the Prophetﷺ said, “No one of you should point arm at his brother. He may not know, the Satan may prompt his hand, and he so, he falls in a pit of the Fire.”

1281. Same hadith as 1280, but from Abu Musa.
Commentary:As No. 1280, from. Abū Mūsā, with a different isnād

55. Various

chapter 619. When Allah wants to take the soul of one of His slaves in some land, he gives him a reason for going there

1282. Abu’l-Malih reported from one of his people (who was a Companion) that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When Allah wants one of His slaves to die in some land, he makes him have a reason for going there.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Perhaps, the narration in relation to the chapter heading seeks to also emphasize preordainment: that enduring the pains of journey to meet a need does not really mean that the need will be fulfilled.

chapter 620. The person who blows his nose in his garment

1283. Muhammad ibn Sirin related that Abu Hurayra blew his nose in his garment and then said, “Excellent! Excellent! Abu Hurayra blows his nose in cotton. You saw me lying prone between ‘A’isha’s room and the minbar when people said I was mad, but I was only hungry.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Bakh, bakh is used to express surprise. The companion – t – thanked Allah the Exalted for easing his affairs such that he could blow his nose in cotton after he could only barely feed. However, in relation to the chapter title, it demonstrates that, rather than harm others with phlegm we should blow our noses in handkerchiefs or other similar things.

chapter 621. Whispering

1284. Abu Hurayra related, “Some people said, ‘Messenger of Allah, we feel in ourselves something which we do not want to speak about and we have been in that state since sunrise.’ He said, ‘Have you really felt like that?’ ‘Yes,’ they said. He said, ‘That is clear belief.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth highlights the true Eemaan of the companions – may Allah be pleased with them all. Clear belief is to believe and follow the Messengerﷺ in everything that he says, and not prefer or be deceived by any other

1285. Shahr ibn Hawshab said, “I and my maternal aunt visited ‘A’isha and said, ‘Sometimes something occurs to one of us such that, if he had spoken about it, that would have been the end of his hopes for the Next World. If it were to be revealed, he would be killed for it.’ She said the takbir three times and then said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked about that and said, “If that happens to one of you, he should say the takbir three times. Only a believer feels that.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1286. Anas ibn Malik said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘People will continue to ask about things that do not exist to such an extent that they will say, “Allah created everything, so who created Allah?”‘”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: In a similar report collected in the two Saheehs it says, “When that comes to him he should seek refuge with Allah and hold back (such thoughts).” In another report such a person is asked to say: “Allahu Ahad. Allahu as-samad. Lam yalid walam yoolad, walam yakun lahu kufwan Ahad (Allah is One. Allah is the Self- Sufficient Master. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none co-equal or comparable to Him). Then he should spit to his left three times and seek refuge against the Satan.” See Silsilat alAhaadeeth is-Saheehah (118)

chapter 622. Opinion

1287. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Beware of opinion. Opinion is the most lying form of speech. Do not spy. Do not fight one another. Do not try to ensnare one another (in sales). Do not hate one another. Be slaves of Allah and brothers.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1288. Anas said, “While the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was with one of his wives, a man passed by and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, called him and said, ‘So-and-so, this is my wife so-and-so.’ The man said, ‘Whoever I might suspect, I would not suspect you!’ The Prophet said, ‘Shaytan flows in the son of Adam like blood flows.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1289. ‘Abdullah said, “The person who has had something stolen from him continues to be suspicious until he is worse than the thief.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The narration shows the seriousness of suspicion; it could be worse than theft!

1290. Bilal ibn Sa’d al-Ash’ari related that Mu’awiya wrote to Abu Dharr, “Write down for me the deviants of Damascus.” Abu Dharr said, “What do I have to do with the deviants of Damascus and how would I know them?” His son Bilal said, “I will write them,” so he wrote them. Abu Dharr said, “How do you know? You would only know that they are deviants if you were one of them. Begin with yourself and do not send their names.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 623. The slavegirl and wife shaving the husband

1291. ‘Abdul-‘Aziz ibn Qays said, “I visited ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar while a slavegirl was shaving his hair.” He said, “The lime depilatory makes the skin supple.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 624. Plucking the armpits

1292. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The fitra consists of five: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, plucking the armpits, clipping the moustache and clipping the moustache.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1293. As 1292 but a different order.
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: As No. 1292, with a different isnād.

1294. Similar to 1292.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary:It is an athar of Abū Hurayra, but the words are similar to Nos. 1292 and 1293, and with a different isnād.

chapter 625. Good contract

1295. Abu’t-Tufayl reported, “I saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, divide the meat at al-Ji’rana. At that time, I was a boy who carried the joint of the camel (after it had been sacrificed). A woman came to him and he spread out his robe for her. I asked, ‘Who is this?’ The reply was, ‘This is the woman who suckled him.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 626. Recognition

1296. Al-Mughira ibn Shu’ba reported that a man said, “May Allah make the amir thrive! Your chamberlain recognises certain men and gives them preference in permission to enter.” He said, “May Allah excuse him! Recognition helps with a voracious good and attacking camel.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 627. Children playing with nuts

1297. Ibrahim said, “Our companions used to allow us all sorts of play things except for dogs.” (Abu ‘Abdullah said that he meant the children.)
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayisha (hafizahullah) said, “The author cited this narration under this section to show the permissibility of children playing with nuts. However, it should not be along with betting and it should not take much time so that they do not get used to that when they mature, and so that it does not prevent them from acts of obedience they should master and be nurtured upon. Allah Knows Best.”

1298. Abu ‘Uqba said, “I once walked along the road with Ibn ‘Umar. I passed some Abyssinian lads who were playing and he brought out two dirhams which he gave to them.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1299. ‘A’isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to call her companions to her who were playing with dolls.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Young people may play with dolls and other playthings as is evinced in this hadeeth; moreover, when play with such toys is beneficial in their tutelage. The permissibility of a wife having friends and playmates could also be drawn from the narration.

chapter 628. Sacrificing pigeons

1300. Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw a man following a dove and said, ‘A shaytan following a shaytan.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound) and Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Turning away from good is the lexical meaning of the word, ash-Shatn, from which Shaytaan is coined. Thus, the one who followed the dove, getting busy with that, being prevented from worship and beneficial things lexically falls in the category. Likewise the cause of such distraction.

1301. Al-Hasan said, “‘Uthman did not speak on any Jumu’a without commanding the killing of dogs and slaughtering of doves.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 629. Someone who has a need is the person most entitled to go out for it

1302. Zayd ibn Thabit reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab came to him to ask to see him one day and he gave him permission while his head was in the hands of a slavegirl of his who was combing his hair. He removed his head and ‘Umar said to him, ‘Let her comb it.’ He said, ‘Amir al-Mu’minin, if you were to send for me, I would come to you.’ ”Umar said, ‘It is my need.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narration demonstrates the humility of ‘Umar and that the companions – radiya Allahu anhum – were full of respect for each other. It also teaches that subordinates and students should respect their superiors and teachers.

630. When someone spits when he is with people

1303. Abu Hurayra said, “When someone spits in the presence of people, let him catch it with his palms so that his spit does not fall on the ground. When he fasts, he should oil his palm so that the trace of the fast is not seen on him.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

chapter 631. When a man speaks to people, he does not turn to one particular person

1304. Habib ibn Abi Thabit said, “When a man spoke, they used to like that he not turn to one particular man, but rather he should address everyone.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

56. Aspects of Behaviour

chapter 632. Excess looking

1305. Ibn Abi’l-Hudhayl said, “Messenger of Allah visited a man with one of his companions. When he entered the house, his companion began to look around. ‘Abdullah told him, ‘By Allah, it would have been better for you if your eyes had been gouged out.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: That is, your eyes have been created to be used in obedience to Allah the Exalted; but instead, it was been unnecessary employed in something non-beneficial, and perhaps, sinful. As such that you don’t have the eye is better than having it and making it engage in sin. The narration disapproves curiously looking here and there. . The one who looks into a house before being allowed to enter gets the sin of one who has entered without permission. 2. The expression: “And no one should act as the Imām of a people and single himself out for supplication to the exclusion of others until he leaves” is graded weak by some of the scholars including Ibn Taimiyyah and Ibn Qayim (الله رحمه .(The Prophetﷺ has been authentically and widely reported to have made supplications using singular personal pronouns.

chapter 633. Excess words

1307. Abu Hurayra said, “There is no good in excess words.”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)

1308. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The worst of my community are those who speak a lot, those who are diffuse in speech and those who fill their mouth with words. The best of my community are the best of them in character.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

chapter 634. The two-faced

1309. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The worst person is someone who is two-faced. He is the person who comes to one group of people with one face and another group of people with another face.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The text shows the status of such persons in the sight of Allah the Mighty and Exalted. Worst still, the double-faced is also never loved by the two groups of people to whom he shows different faces. When he is with those whom he dislikes, he amends his words and actions to suit the situation, and when he returns to his true associates he is something else. So for him, words are ever changing depending on the situation. How can such be trustworthy?!

chapter 635. The wrong action of the two-faced

1310. ‘Ammar ibn Yasir said, “I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “The person who has two faces in this world will have two tongues of the Fire on the Day of Rising.’ He passed by a stout man and said, ‘This is one of them.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narration seriously condemns being double-faced and indicates that such persons will be punished in the Fire in the manner they employed their tongues while dealing with the people in the world. The Prophet’s knowledge of such persons was through revelation and his pointing at him would encourage the person to repent from the sin and further discourage others from falling into the sin.

chapter 636. The worst person is the one from whose evil one must be on guard

1311. ‘Urwa ibn az-Zubayr heard ‘A’isha say, “A man asked permission to visit the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Prophet said, ‘Give him permission. He is an evil brother of his tribe.’ When he entered he spoke kindly to him. I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, you said what you said and then you spoke kindly to him.’ He replied, ‘Yes, ‘A’isha. The worst of people is the one people leave alone fearing his coarseness.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches that it is permissible to flatter someone because of the evil consequences of doing otherwise. That is, being vulgar or obscene; unrefined.

chapter 637. Modesty

1312. ‘Imran ibn Husayn said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Modesty brings nothing but good.” Bashir ibn Ka’b said, “It is written in books of wisdom, ‘From modesty comes gravity. From modesty comes tranquillity.”” ‘Imran said, “I relate to you from the Messenger of Allah and you then relate to me from some page!”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Modesty will ever bring about good because it drives towards abstinence from sin and adherence to obedience to Allah and His Messenger ([r]). The aversion of the companion – t – to Bushayr’s reference to a book of wisdom is not from the angle of the content of the book but from the aspects of citing it in connection with the statement of the messenger of Allah ([r])

1313. Ibn ‘Umar said, “Modesty and belief are together. If one of them is removed, the other is removed.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: It encourages good character and points to the virtue of a person with good character. It prohibits being obscene and ill-mannered.

chapter 638. Coarseness

1314. Abu Bakra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Modesty is part of belief. Belief is in the Garden. Foul language is part of coarseness and coarseness is in the Fire.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1315. Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had a large head and large eyes. When he walked, he bent forward as if he was walking up a hill. When he turned around, he turned completely.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ was handsome in nature and character. So, when he faced or turned away from people, he did so completely. This mind alertness aids obedience to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime and refraining from His prohibitions. It also leads to attaining absolute sincerity and modesty.

chapter 639. If someone is not shy, let him do whatever he likes

1316. Abu Mas’ud said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Part of what people know of the words of first prophethood is that if someone is not shy, he can do whatever he likes.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee (الله رحمه (explained that Hayaa, “Juristically, is a trait which prompts staying away from vicious acts and prevents failing regarding the rights of people.” Thus, those who have become the slaves of their desires – especially against Allah’s dictates – are driven by lack of modesty! And as Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (الله رحمه ( puts it: “If the veils of desires were put off him, he would realize that he has failed where he could have succeeded and that he only earned grief where he thought he was glad, and harmed himself where he thought he was enjoying; like the bird which was deceived (into a trap) with a seed of wheat; it neither gets the seed nor out of what it got into!”

57. Anger

chapter 640. Anger

1317. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The person who is strong is not strong because he can knock people down. The person who is strong is the one who controls himself when he is angry.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)

1318. Ibn ‘Umar said, “There is nothing that is swallowed greater with Allah in reward than a slave of Allah who swallows and contains his rancour out of desire for the pleasure of Allah.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary:The statement is also authentically related from the Prophetﷺ.

chapter 641. What to say in anger

1319. Sulayman ibn Surad said, “Two men abused one another in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and one of them began to get angry and his face got red. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, looked at him and said, ‘I know some words that, if he says them, will remove this from him. They are: “I seek refuge with Allah from the Accursed Shaytan.”‘ The man went to that man and said, ‘Do you know what he said? He said, “I seek refuge with Allah from the Accursed Shaytan.”‘ The man retorted. ‘Do you think me mad?'”

1319. (sic) Another variant of 1319.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Imam an-Nawawee explains, “This demonstrates that: 1. To be angry for the sake of other than Allah the most High is from the insinuations of the accursed Satan. 2. Whosoever becomes so afflicted should seek refuge, and say, ‘A’oodhu billaahi min ash-Shaytaan ir-Rajeem (I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan). 3. It (i.e. to seek refuge as described) is a means to removing the anger. The hadeeth also proves that to seek refuge with Allah from the accursed satan is not restricted to the person who is mad in direct contradiction to the one who thought so in error and even sent his companion away. Perhaps for this reason, Imam al-Bukhaari placed this hadeeth under this heading because the person exceeded the limits of the Sharee’ah in his anger and his refusal to accept admonition.

chapter 642. A person should remain silent when he is angry

1320. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘ Teach and make it easy. Teach and make it easy.’ three times. He went on, ‘When you are angry, be silent’ twice.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: That is, teach the people what they should know from the matters of their religion and in doing that, make things easy and not difficult. Anger could be from the insinuations of the satan; it could take a person out of his normal self to such an extent that he might say or do any evil. He might also harbour hatred and other evils including disbelief. However, when the angry person keeps silent, it calms his anger and grants him control over it. So, the Prophetﷺ repeated it twice for emphasis. In an authentic hadeeth collected by the author, Al-Bukharee, and Imam Muslim in their Saheehs, the Prophetﷺ said regarding a person who was angry, “I know a statement which will take away what he feels if he says it; where he to say, A’oodhu billaah minash Shaytaanir Rajeem’ (I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed satan)”.

chapter 643. Loving the one you love is an easy matter

1321. ‘Ali was heard to say to Ibn al-Kawwa’, “Do you know what the first one said? ‘Loving the one you love is an easy matter. It may be that one day he will be the one you hate. Hating the one who hate is an easy matter, It may be that one day he will be the one you hate.'”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)

chapter 644. Do not let your anger be destruction

1322. Aslam said, ” ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said, ‘Do not let your love be a total infatuation. Do not let your anger be destruction.’ I asked, ‘How is that?’ He replied, ‘When you love, you are infatuated like a child. When you hate, you desire destruction for your companion.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Loving a person should be for the sake of Allah the Exalted; likewise hating. However, some of the people develop unreasoning love for or passion in people leading them to behave irrationally. Similarly, when they dislike a person, they desire that such persons are put to destruction! These two extremes demonstrate that their love and hatred are not for the sake of Allah and this is disapproved – And the refuge is only with Allah.

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