• Book 3: Mawlas
  • 39 Can a mawla say, “I am from so- and- so”?
  • 40 The mawla of a people is one of them

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.