Contents
The Greatness of the Prophet’s Way
Allah’s bounties and favours upon humankind are countless and unending; but, His greatest blessing has been His Guidance to enable humanity to understand His Reality, to recognize their Creator and the scheme of things He has designed for them, including the role and place of the humans within it. This Guidance, among other things, spells out the ideals and objectives of human life and the values, norms and rules of conduct that can establish justice (‘adl) in human affairs and lead to the good life here and success and salvation in the Hereafter (Qur’an 6: 73; 29: 4.4).
The creation of the heavens, the earth and all that lies in between is a basic premise on which the entire Islamic vision of life rests. This is how a leading Muslim thinker expounds this foundational principle:
It has been asserted again and again in the Qur’an that God created the heavens and the earth “in Truth”. This covers a wide range of meanings:
First, that the heavens and the earth have not been created just for the fun of it. This state of existence is not a theatrical farce. This world is not a child’s toy with which to amuse oneself as long as one wishes before crushing it to bits and throwing it away. Creation is rather an act of great seriousness. A great objective motivates it, and a wise and benevolent purpoce underlies it. Hence, after the lapse of a certain stage it is necessary for the Creator to take full account of the work that has been done and to use those results as the basis for the next stage.
Third, it means that God has founded the universe on the basis of right, and it is on account of being its Creator that He governs it. His Command in the Universe is supreme since He alone has the right to govern it, the Universe being nothing but His creation. No one else has any right to enforce his will?
The need and provision of hidayah is a logical requirement of the creation of the universe in Truth and the endowment of humans with free will and the opportunity to choose between right and wrong, truth and falsehood, and justice and oppression. The Qur’anic paradigm is very clear.
Men and women, as Allah’s vicegerents, were endowed with intellect and with knowledge, both the ‘names of all things’, along with the capacity to differentiate and choose between good and evil. Inculcated within every human being is the potential for both virtue and God-consciousness (taqwa) and evil and disobedience (fujar). The test lies in whether we voluntarily and consciously opt for the guidance (hidayah) that leads to success in life. Many verses of the Qur’an illuminate different aspects of this paradigm (2: 31; 64: 3; 87: 1-3; 91: 7-10; 95: 4). The challenging assignment of stewardship and vicegerency (istikhlaf) on the earth was combined with the light of Divine guidance (hidayah), clearly marking out the road to success and salvation (Surah al- Baqarah 2; 38-39).
The Islamic paradigm of guidance is founded on three pillars:
a. First, creation of the universe and all that is in it, is done by the Creator on the basis of Truth, and, as an integral part of that, the creation of human beings in the best of moulds, endowing them with the intellect and capacity to acquire knowledge using reason and resorting to imagination, innovation, experimentation, discretion and wisdom (Hikmah).
b. Divine revelation (wahy) in the form of the Book (al-Kitab) revealed through Allah’s prophets, and final revelation in its complete form through the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the form of the Noble Qur’an, preserved in its original form as the Word of God, to serve as the source of guidance for all times and places.
The human intellect is the starting point for benefiting from Divine guidance - through use of the faculties to learn, think, reflect, discuss, discern, judge and resolve and then to act righteously. All those endowed with intellect have the responsibility to make this effort and to pursue the right path (Qur’an 3: 190-191; 10: 5-6; 51: 20-21). Only the mentally-impaired are deemed to be exempted from this and are thus excused.
The role of intellect in discovering, understanding and re- sponding to Allah’s guidance has been described by the Qur’an as an integral part of this process. In Sarah al-Jathiyab, the discourse begins with:
Ha. Mim. This Book is a revelation from the Most Mighty, the Most Wise. (Sarah al-Jathiyab 45: 1-2)
Then the people are invited to reflect on the signs of Allah around them:
Behold, for those who believe there are [myriad] signs in the heavens and the earth and in your own creation; and in the animals which He spreads out over the earth and in the succession of night and day, and in the provision that Allah sends down from the sky wherewith He gives life to the earth after it had been lifeless, and in the change of the winds: [in all these| there are signs for people who use reason. (Surah al-Jathiyah 45: 3-5)
Finally, they are treated to a kind of shock therapy by asking them why they do not use their intellect to see the Reality:
These are Allah’s Signs that We rebearse to you in Truth. In what kind of discourse after Allah and His Signs will they, then, believe? (Surah al- Jathiyah 45: 6)
It is through intellect and understanding that the Qur’an brings humankind to the Divine revelation (10: 24; 21: 10). The centrepiece of this guidance is the Qur’an, the unadulterated Word of God, preserved in its fullness. This is the principal source of Divine guidance (Qur’an 2: 1-2; 3: 138; 10: 57; 17: 9-0).
The role of the Prophet ﷺ is pivotal in this process of guidance. The Qur’an is the ultimate guide and the source of light; the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the model, the authentic interpreter and teacher of the Book and a living embodiment of the Qur’anic vision of life and society. It is the life-example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, a human being like all humans, except that he received Divine revelation and was guided by Allah §§ to be the perfect and noble model (uswah hasanah) for all humanity. The Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah ؓ is reported to have said that he was the embodiment of the Qur’an. This is what the Sunnah is.
The Qur’in clearly spells out the status, authority and role of the Prophet # so as to illumine the entire process of Divine guidance:
O People! Now that the Messenger has come to you bearing the Truth from your Lord, believe in him, it will be good for you. If you reject, know well that to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (Surah al-Nisa’ 4: 170)
He it is Who has sent to the gentiles a Messenger from among themselves, one who rehearses to them His verses, purifies their lives, and imparts to them the [meanings of the] Book and the Wisdom although before that they were in utter error; and |He has also] sent bim to those others who have not yet joined them. He is the Most Mighty, the Most Wise. (Surah al-Jumah 62: 2-3)
Indeed, We sent Our Messengers with Clear Signs, and send down with them the Books and the Balance that people may uphold justice. (Surah al-Hadid 57: 25)
O Prophet! We have sent-you forth as a Witness, a Bearer of good tidings, and a Warner, as one who calls people to Allah by His leave, ond as an Upright Shining Lamp. (Surah al-Ahzab 33: 45-48)
The life of the Prophet ﷺ is a noble example, a perfect model, a beautiful and balanced life story, a framework for human conduct and a standard for emulation:
We have sent you [Muhammad] forth as nothing but a mercy to people of the whole world. (Surah al-Anbiya’ 2: 107)
And that is why he is the model and guide for all and for all times to come:
Surely there was a good example for you in the Messenger of Allah, for all those who look forward to Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much. (Surah al-Ahzab 33: 21)
The prescription and the criterion for success here and hereafter consists in (a) belief in Allah ﷻ and His Prophet ﷺ, and (b) a lifelong effort to follow and obey them and to strive hard to fulfill the mission and the assignment given to human beings as Allah’s vicegerents on the earth (Surah al-Nisa’ 4: 13-14).
Those who follow Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ will be in the best of company in the life to come.
He who obeys Allah and the Messenger — such shall be with those whom Allah has favoured — the Prophets, those steadfast in truthfulness, the martyrs, and the righteous. How excellent will they be for companionship. That is a bounty from Allah, and Allah suffices to know the truth. (Surah al-Nisa’ 4: 69-70)
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the only authentic and authorized representative of Allah for all ages. In the Islamic scheme of authority, no one else other than the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ enjoys the power to speak in the name of Allah stating what Allah wants from the believers. Everyone, howsoever high or low, is sub- ject to the guidance and value framework laid down by Allah and His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This establishes the principle of equality of all before the law. This discredits the concept of theocracy wherein a certain class of men of religion is given the power to speak in the name of God. The principle of the finality of Prophethood in the person of Muhammad ﷺ is the greatest guarantor of human dignity and equality.
As Muhammad ﷺ is the only intermediary by dint of his being Allah’s Messenger ﷺ, it is important to clearly understand the foundations of the relationship believers have with him. The five most important of these are as follows:
Faith (iman) in the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as Allah’s Prophet and Messenger. To accept all that he received from Allah as Allah’s revelation i.e. the Book, and to believe in all the articles of faith as spelled out by Allah 4 and His Prophet ﷺ belief in Allah, His angels, His Books, His prophets, the Day of Judgment, and life after death.
Faith in Muhammad ﷺ is much more than a formal acknowledgement of his Prophethood as Allah’s Messenger. It involves an unwavering belief in its truthfulness, an unshakable trust in his integrity and an uninflinching commitment to follow in his footsteps in order to seek Allah’s pleasure, success in this life and salvation in the life-to-come. It is to have a faith of conviction, confidence and understanding, both in one’s person and in the path he has shown. This requirement to hold fast to him was not meant solely for his Companions who had the honour of seeing him, but is also for those who came later. Holding fast to him is the everlasting path of success. His pleasure with us, his teachings and his example are the gateway to Allah’s good pleasure. This faith is characterized by a sense of complete satisfaction of mind, heart and soul with Allah, His Prophet ﷺ and the path spelled out by them. This has been summed up by the Prophet ﷺ in these words:
He has tasted the real flavour of faith who is content with Allah as the Lord, with Islam as the Way of Life and with Muhammad ﷺ as Prophet and Guide. Muslim, Book of Faith, Hadith no.
2. The Prophet ﷺ as Guide
The second foundation is to accept the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as the guide, the model, the lawgiver under Allah’s authority, the ultimate arbiter in all matters amongst the Muslims for all times to come. He alone can speak on behalf of Allah ﷻ and for that purpose his word and conduct are protected under Allah’s grace.
Say [O Muhammad]: I am no more than a human being like you; one to whom Revelation is made: Your Lord is the One and Only God! Hence whoever looks forward to meet his Lord, let him do righteous works, and let him associate none with the worship of his Lord. (Surah al-Kahf 18: 110)
The authority and the functions of the Prophet are clearly stated in the Qur’an as under:
Numerous verses of the Qur’an establish the Prophet ﷺ as the final authority in all matters of the Muslims (4: 64-65; 53:1-4; 59: 8).
3. Love of the Prophet ﷺ
Accepting the authority of the Prophet # is not merely a legalistic or formal relationship. It is an intensely personal, spiritual and reverential relationship rooted in faith, love and reverence. This brings us to the third foundation of this relationship - that of love, trust, reverence and devotion. This is a unique dimension of the relationship between the Muslims and the Prophet ﷺwho is their greatest benefactor and a mercy unto mankind. His own feelings towards the believers set the tone for this profoundly personal relationship.
There has come to you a Messenger from Allah from among yourselves, who is distressed by the losses you sustain, who is ardently destrous of your welfare and is tender and merciful to those that believe. (Surab al- Tawbah 9: 128)
Love for him and preferring him to everyone else is a cardinal virtue and a natural dimension of this relationship (Qur'an 9: 24; 33: 6). As the Prophet ﷺhas said:
No one can be a true believer unless I am closer and dearer to him than his children, parents and all other persons. Muslim, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 63.
So following the Prophet ﷺ is a logical consequence of love for Allah ﷻ. The counterpart of this equation and the greatest prize that can be thought of and yearned for is that the believers who follow the Prophet ﷺ are loved by Allah ﷻ.
[O Messenger], tell people: “If you indeed love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you and will forgive you your sins, Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate. (Surah Al Imran 3: 31)
It is this intense personal relationship of love and reverence for Allah ﷻ and His Prophet ﷺ that characterizes rhe Muslim psyche. That is why the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is central to the life of Muslims - men and women, young and old, individuals and communities.
4. Obedience of the Prophet ﷺ
This brings us to the fourth foundation of the Muslims’ telation- ship with the Prophet ﷺand that is obedience (ta‘ah). It is a logical demand of all the above three foundations of faith, authority and love. That is why the test of a Muslim’s acceptance of the Prophetic authority with trust and love, lies in following the letter and spirit of his instructions (Qur’an 3: 132; 24: 52; 33: 71), and obedience to the Propher # has been proclaimed to be synonymous with the obedience of Allah ﷻ (Surah al-Nisa’ 4: 80). The test of iman, loyalty and authority and love of the Prophet lies in obeying his directives and commands.
5. Emulation of the Prophetﷺ
It is important to understand this subtle difference between ta‘ah (obedience) and ittiba‘ (emulation). Obedience (ta‘ah) is in respect of laws, instructions and rules of conduct. But the rela- tionship with the Prophet ﷺ goes beyond obedience: it is emulation of his model, casting one’s life in the mould or life-pattern set by the Prophet ﷺ. This calls for something more than ta‘ab. It is ittiba‘ or the enthusiastic following of his personal example, emulating his conduct and behaviour. Allah’s commands are to be obeyed; the Qur’anic edicts are to be followed, but it is only the life-example of the Prophet ﷺ that can be emulated. This is the process through which one strives to pattern one’s life and conduct to the life-example (uswah) of the Prophet ﷺ.
The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ not only obeyed his commands and instructions, they also emulated his life and behaviour, his mode and manner and even the very style of everything he did from worship to governance in its full measure. They did not stop at following what he commanded and avoiding what he forbade. They lovingly and keenly observed each and every one of his acts, assimilating every fine detail of his behaviour and manners into their own lives. They strived hard to refashion their own lives in complete harmony with his. Allah’s love for the believers is the result not merely of their love of Allah and obedience (ta‘ah) to Allah % and His Prophet 3 but also emulation (ittiba‘) of the Prophet #, casting themselves in the life-pattern of the Prophet (Surah Al ‘Imran 3: 31).
2. For a very candid discussion on ta‘ah and ittiba’, see Mawlana Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tazkiyyah Nafs (Urdu), Pakistan, sth edition, 2008, pp. 113-123.
These are the five foundations upon which the relationship of the Muslim with the Prophet of Allah ﷻ rests. That is why his Way (Sunnah) is central to the lives of Muslims, for each individual as well as to the Ummah as community and nation. The Sunnah fashions their identity, providing the common elements in the lives and behaviour of the Muslims regardless of whenever or wherever they may be.
The Sunnah constitutes the everlasting framework for Muslim life and behaviour; it is the sheet-anchor and mainstay of Islam and Muslim life. This was guaranteed by the command of Islam (You must follow my Sunnah (Way) (Whoever detests my Sunnah does not belong to me (i.e. among my followers or my community). He is also reported to have said:
I am leaving behind with you two things. You will never go astray if you firmly adhere to them: The Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Muwatta’ Imam Malik, Book of the Congregation, Hadith no. 1395.
The Qur’an is the paramount source of guidance; the Sunnah is the application of that guidance to all aspects of individual and collective life. It is the key to understanding the Qur’anic guidance and the process through which it is translated into reality in our lives.
The Sunnab is the most authentic explanation and elaboration of the Word of God. As the Prophet ﷺwas the living example of Divine guidance, his Sunnah shows us how to live in accordance with the Divine command. The Sunnah makes the hidayah revealed in the Book easy to understand, follow, and put into practice. The Qur’an and the Sunnah represent two sides of the same coin; they are inseparable. That is the reason why the Qur’an says:
He who obeys the Messenger thereby obeys Allah (Surah al-Nisa’ 4: 80)
And the Prophet ﷺreiterates the same when he says:
Whoever obeys me obeys Allah and whoever disobeys me disobeys Allah. Bukhari, Book of Laws, Hadith no. 6604.
The sunnah is central to all aspects of Islamic spirituality, for itis through the emulation of the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ that the Muslim is able to gain certain of the virtues which are possessed in their fullness by the Prophet. The Muslims see the Prophet through his sunnah - how he acted, spoke, walked, ate, judged, loved and worshipped. The sunnah is, therefore, in a sense the continuation of the life of the Prophet for later generations.
A modern scholar of Islam steeped in the mystical tradition describes the importance of the Sunnah in the following words:
It is inconceivable that these virtues (of the sunnah) could have been practiced through the centuries down to our time if the founder of Islam had not personified them in the highest degree; it is also inconceivable that they should have been borrowed from elsewhere - and one cannot imagine from where since their conditioning and their style are specifically Islamic. For Muslims the moral and spiritual worth of the Prophet is not an abstraction or a supposition; it is a lived reality and it is precisely this which proves its authenticity retrospectively.
Annemarie Schimmel, a keen observer of the Islamic ethos, regards imitatio Muhammadi, an imitation of the Prophet’s actions and activity, as the principal force that has shaped Muslim identity:
But it was through this imitation of Mahammad’s actions as transmitted through the Hadith, that Islamic life as- sumed a unique uniformity in social behavior, a fact that has always impressed visitors of all parts of the Muslim world, [...] It is this ideal of the imitatio Muhammad that has provided Muslims from Morocco to Indonesia with such a
3. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, ‘Sunnah and Hadith’ in Seyyed Hossein Nasr (ed.), Islamic Spirituality (New York: Crossroad Publishing, 1997), 2 vols., Vol. I, pp. 97-110, quotation at p. 98.
4. Frithjof Schuon, Islam and the Perennial Philosophy, trans. by J.P. Hobson (London: AL-Tajir World of Islam Trust, 1976), Pp. 29.
Two more aspects of the Sunnah deserve to be mentioned. The first is that it covers all aspects of human life, from faith and worship to individual and collective life, from personal hygiene to social manners and mores, from individual piety to public morality, from family relations to economic and political dealings, from the depths of spiritual experience to the length and breadth of socio-economic life and the problems of good governance. The Sunnah provides guidance for all these dimensions of life and imparts to them a unity of purpose and vision. It is through the instrumentality of the Sunnah that all aspects of life are welded together into a comprehensive, holistic, integrated and harmonious Weltanschauung.
The other historic contribution of the Sunnah relates to its role in bringing about a complete reconciliation between the moral and the material, the spiritual and the mundane sides of life. Prayer and progress no longer represent different worlds: they are integrated into an organic whole. Devotional and spiritual matters are fully taken care of and the questions of daily life and social conduct have been permeated with a moral and spiritual ideal.
The Prophet ﷺhas bequeathed a model that treats life as a compound entity, a sum total of moral, spiritual, practical, individual, social, political and cultural manifestations. Life is not divided into the sacred and the secular, that-worldly and this-worldly, the spiritual and the mundane. The Sunnah shows how this integrated model of life can be actualized in both individual and collective behaviour. This is not to assert that
It is this effort to follow the Prophet ﷺand to bring one’s life and behaviour into consonance with his life and behaviour that makes a Muslim’s whole life a conscious, disciplined and meaningful exercise to pursue what is right and just and to avoid what is wrong and unjust.
Every saying (qawl), action (‘amal) or actions that had his tacit approval (taqrir) is a Sunnah and every Sunnah is a gem of virtue and piety. It radiates light that can illuminate our whole lives. But there is yet another very important dimension that must not be ignored. It is the totality of the life-model of the Prophet ﷺin which all the Sunan (plural of Sunnah) taken together go to make up what may be described as the grand Sunnah - ie. his role as da‘iyah ila Allah, one who calls people to the path of their Creator, or namely, the totality of his mission to imbibe the Divine message, convey it to others, live by it and strive to establish it in its entirety (iqamat al-Din or establishing the Islamic order). This grand Sunnah begins from the moment he received the Divine Call in Hira’ and shared it with his wife, the Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Khadijah & and his nearest relatives and friends. His efforts, throughout the Makkan and the Madinan periods until he breathed his last, centred round
6. Muhammad Asad, Islam at the Crossroads (Gibraltar: Dar al-Andalus, 1993 [1934]), pp. 82, 97.
this message (da‘wah). He lived, he strived, and suffered for only one purpose: witness (shahadah) of Truth and establishment of the Din in all areas of human existence.
If all of his Sunan are taken together, they go to make a beautiful mosaic, with a clear pattern and design, it is this struggle for sharing and establishing Din that constitutes his grand Sunnah. It is his prophetic mission for which he was raised by Allah and for which he strived all his life. It was a historic mission that he fulfilled; it is this mission that he has bequeathed to the Ummah, and to humanity at large, as our mission and destiny. Iqbal beautifully identifies this defining role of the Prophet ﷺ in his Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. Reflecting on the experience of the historic event of the Mi'raj (Ascension) in the Prophet's life, Iqbal writes:
7. Muhammad Iqbal, The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, Lahore: Shaikh Muhammad Ashraf, 1977, p. 124.
This missionary effort, spread over the twenty-three years of his prophetic ministry, directed towards sharing the truth, bearing witness to it and engaging in a ceaseless effort to transform the world constitutes the grand Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, the final Messenger and the Seal of the Prophets. All of his sayings and actions taken in their entirety were directed towards sharing the Divine message with humanity. He spared no individual and collective effort to transform the human condition so as to bring it into harmony with the Divine Will. He strived night and day to infuse the lives of the people with the light that has been bestowed upon him. He spent every effort to produce a new people, a new society and a new history so as to fulfil the task assigned to him as the Prophet of Allah ﷻWhile we must make every effort to learn, understand and live in accord with each and every Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, we must be equally mindful of pursuing the grand Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, in order to continue the Prophetic mission that was the be-all and end-all of his life and effort. The Qur’an obligates Muslims, individually and collectively, to bear witness to the Truth before humanity, just as the Prophet ﷺ was a witness unto them:
And it is thus that We appointed you to be the community of the middle way so that you might be witnesses to all mankind as the Messenger was made to be a witness to you. (Surah al-Baqarah 2: 143)
So establish Prayer, and pay Zakat, and hold fast to Allah. He is your Protector. What an excellent Protector; what an excellent Helper! (Surah al-Hajj 22: 78)
The Way of the Prophet is the translation of Intikhdb-e-Hadith, a collection of the sayings of the Prophet ﷺ compiled in 1956 by the late Mawlana ‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan, who was then head of the training department of the Jama‘at-i-Islami Pakistan, The respected Mawlana was a key resource person in the training programmes of the Islamic Movement in the 1950s. This collection grew out of the teaching sessions in Hadith that Mawlana ‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan used to conduct on a regular basis. In my student days from 1950 to 1956, I had the good fortune of learning at his feet most of the Ahadith contained in this collection. He used to live with us during these training programmes, spending all his time not only in formal lectures but in long-lasting sessions explaining the meaning and implications of these gems of wisdom. His effort was not confined to teaching us these Ahadith. He was always eager to ensure that we imbibed these Ahadith in our souls and articulated them in our conduct. His style of teaching and training was remarkable - clear, direct, affectionate, and friendly. He would generously welcome our questions and was never offended even if some of them were stupid. He always tried to explain difficult points in a very simple and pleasant manner with words that would sink directly into our hearts. For those of us who experienced this, it was the best and most enjoyable period of our lives.
This collection was originally made with a purpose. Within a span of some four hundred Ahadith, an effort was undertaken to give the course participant a feel for the immeasurable richness of the Prophetic guidance. This course was meant primarily for the students and workers of the Islamic Movement who were undertaking modern education and who had had no opportunity to learn the traditional Islamic sciences. After introducing them to the basic terms and concepts of Usul al-Hadith, including a brief account of Hadith compilation and criticism, the sayings of the Prophet ﷺ, dealing with different aspects of life were taught, together with short explanations. The participants were asked to memorize some of the shorter Ahadith. This present collection, with explanatory notes, reproduces what was taught to us.
It is my hope that the publication of the English translation will be a blessing for young Muslims in the English-speaking world, for non-Muslims it also provides a window into the life and mission of the Prophet of Islam. At a time when Islam is constantly misrepresented, particularly in the West, this short collection of the sayings of the Prophet ﷺ can enable all and sundry to get a clearer picture of Islam from the words of none other than the Last Prophet of Allah. May Allah ﷻ give the best of rewards to the late Mawlana ‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan for whom this constitutes a perpetual benefit (Sadaqah jartyah). May Allah ﷻ also reward his grandson Dr. Usama Hasan, who has ably translated this book into modern English, and all our colleagues at the Islamic Foundation and Kube Publications who have helped to bring out this noble collection in the best of forms.
Islamabad Khurshid Ahmad 1st Safar 1430 H 27th January 2009
It gives me great pleasure to present, by the grace of Allah Almighty, this translation of a concise yet profound work on Hadith by my esteemed teacher and paternal grandfather, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan, may Allah shower His Mercy upon him, for he departed from this world in March 2007.
Upon my return to London, I was able to complete the rranslation with the invaluable aid of my beloved father and teacher, Dr. Suhaib Hasan, who helped me with the work’s difficult passages, both Urdu and Arabic, and clarified their meaning.
I would like to thank Dr. Manazir Ahsan, Mr. Abdul Rashid Siddiqui, Yahya Birt and Haris Ahmad for their tireless efforts to bring this book to publication. ‘Thanks are due to Nasir Cadir for designing the cover. I am also indebted to Naeem Qaddoura and Medhat Singhab for their invaluable help with the layout of the manuscript.
Finally, citations from the Qur’an have been taken from Zafar Ishaq Ansati’s translation of Mawdidi’s Tajhtm al-Qur'an, published by the Islamic Foundation (Marlkfield, 2006).
In conclusion, I pray to Allah to accept and bless the contributions of all those who have participated in this work, and to enable this book to be an ongoing charitable act initiated by our dear departed teacher.
London Usama Hasan
Jumada al-Akhir 1429 June 2008
The objective of establishing the Jam ‘at-i-Islami as explained in its constitution is:
The objective of the Jama ‘at-i-Islami Pakistan and the goal of all its efforts is to establish the din |i.e. the establishment of the supremacy of Divine law, or the Islamic system of life in its entirety] and ultimately to earn the Divine pleasure and success in the Hereafter.
Clearly, it is necessary for those who adopt this vision to present to the world a resolve rooted:in faith, spiritual zeal and sincere determination. Their word and deed must correspond, and they must be the embodiment of good deeds and true pictures of sincerity. For the sake of this lofty aim, they must be ready to sacrifice their most beloved possessions, and they must have in their sights neither worldly profit nor material benefir, but only the Divine pleasure.
For Qur’anic study, one can benefit from Tafhim al-Qur’an1 and other reliable tafsirs and commentaries. However, for the study of Hadith, as far as my knowledge goes, there was no comprehensive and concise collection in Urdu that would be totally suitable and beneficial for the nurturing of character and the building of personality. Therefore, keeping this objective in mind, this work has been compiled.
[1. Tafhim al-Qur’an, by Sayyid Abul A‘la Mawdidi, Lahore, (six volumes). The English translation is being published under the auspices of the Islamic Foundation, Leicester, U.K., under che title: Towards Understanding the Qur’an, with vols. I to VIII published as of 2007.]
Features of this Compilation
1. In selecting the Ahadith, the idea has been that all aspects of human life related to individual and collective personality and morality should be illuminated in the light of the Sunnab of the Messenger, ﷺ and that in this respect no important example should be neglected. It can be gauged by glancing at the index of topics that, from individual dealings to international relations, there is no significant aspect of life that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace, has not been illuminated with guidance by his words and deeds.
2. In this compilation in general, those teachings of morality and matters of Figh (Islamic Law) have been included upon which the entire Islamic nation is agreed. As far as possible, I have avoided going into matters of detail about which there is disagreement: such a need can be fulfilled by a separate work.
3. (a) Righteous personality and pure character spring from sound beliefs and ideas, and are polished and refreshed precisely by the rituals of worship established in the Shari‘ah2.
On this basis, Ahadith dealing with these two topics have been placed first in this collection.
(b) A Muslim’s fundamental vision is to establish Islam in this world. However, this duty of establishing Islam cannot be fulfilled in a real sense unless the person is aware of the profound principles of da‘wah and tabligh (calling to Allah” and sharing the message of Islam). Therefore, narrations regarding these two topics have also been placed before the chapter on morality.
By studying the Abadith, filled with jewels of wisdom, that constitute this collection, it can be seen how worthless is the position of those people who pick and choose some narrations out of context and then pronounce them to be repugnant to reason and morality3. They have been spreading false propaganda against the entire treasure of Hadith. This is irrational as it is ignoble.
[3. Swami Diyanand, a nineteenth-century Hindu revivalist, separated some dydt from their contexts and attributed false meanings tu them in his Sathyartha Parkash in order to spread hatred against the Noble Qur’an. Similar vicious efforts have been made by others in the name of “reform” of Hadith. Detractors have always behaved in the same manner, their hearts throbbing in unison. This collection gives a comprehensive and integrated picture of the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.]
It is an accepted principle of Ussil al-Hadith that if any nar- ration, in the wealth of Hadith literature that has reached us through reliable means, apparently contradicts the intellect, then one can ponder and reflect and, as a last resort, abstain from commenting. However, this does not mean that on the basis of a few such narrations, this entire treasure of right- eous guidance should be thrown away! This collection is like a mirror in which the entire spectrum of the teachings of the Prophet ﷺcan be seen.
5. In translation and commentary, an effort has been made to use plain language and explanation for the ordinary mind, and to mention only concepts that are free from the confu- sion and complexity of philosophy and kalam. In this way, not only will the students at the training centres benefit, but this collection will also be beneficial for the ordinary Mus- lim who has only received a basic education.
The respected readers, especially the honoured people of knowledge, are requested, upon finding any shortcoming or mistake, to alert the author accordingly and to keep him informed of their sincere suggestions and constructive advice.
I pray to Allah that He makes this humble attempt a means of happiness and success in the Hereafter for me, and that He grants travellers on the path of Truth the capability to derive as much benefit as possible from it. Amin!
10th Rabi‘ al-Thani, 1376 ‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan 14th November, 1956
Not all the necessary and important issues in Hadith can be covered by this brief introduction: that would require a separate and independent work. The following brief sketch of the gathering and compilation of Hadith is presented, giving an idea of the stages through which the priceless treasure of the Prophetic Hadith has passed during thirteen centuries in reaching us. It also indicates who those pure souls were who dedicated their entire lives to transmitting these treasures of wisdom and guidance to future generations, and who would even risk their lives in this path if required.
2.1 THREE METHODS OF PRESERVING HADITH
The Abadith of the Messenger of Allah % have reached us through three reliable methods:
1. The practice of the Ummah.
2. Written memory-aids and compilations.
3. Memory-aided narration and transmission, i.e. the con- tinuous sequence of study and teaching.
2.2 FOUR PHASES OF HADITH PRESERVATION
2.2.1 The First Phase: From the Prophetic era to the end of the first century hijri
In this phase, the details of the preservers of Hadith and of written memory-aids and compilations are as follows:
2.2.11 Famous Preservers of Hadith The Companions (Sahabah,)
1. Aba Hurayrah ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Sakhr, 4, d. 59 H, aged 78, 5374 narrations. His students reach 800 in number.
2. ‘Abdullah b. ‘Abbas, 4, d. 68 H, aged 71, 2660 narrations.
3. ‘Aishah Siddiqah, #s, 4. 58 H, aged 67, 2210 narrations.
4. ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar, #, d. 73 H, aged 84, 1630 narrations.
5. Jabir b. ‘Abdullah, , d. 78 H, aged 94, 1560 narrations.
6. Anas b. Malik, d. 93 H, aged 103, 1286 narrations.
7. Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, 4%, d. 74 H, aged 84, 1170 narrations.
These are the majestic Companions who preserved more than a thousand Abadith each. Apart from them, ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As we, (d. 63 H), ‘Ali 8, (d. 40 H) and ‘Umar 2, (d. 23 H) fall into the category of those Companions whose narrations number between five hundred and a thousand each.
Similarly, Aba Bakr 2, (d. 13 H), ‘Uthman #, (d. 36 H), Umm Salamah #~, (d. 59 H), Aba: Musa al-Ash‘ari #, (d. 52 H), Aba Dharr al-Ghifati #, (d. 32 H), Abu Ayyub al-Ansari , (d. 51 H), Ubayy b. Ka‘b <, (d. 19 H) and Mu‘adh b. Jabal 4, (d. 18 H) have narrated between one hundred and five hundred Abadith each.
The Followers (Tabi ‘in)
Besides the Companions, the period of those senior Followers cannot be forgotten: those by whose wealth of selfless and sincere efforts, the Ummah of Muhammad will be enriched with the treasures of the sunnah until the Day of Judgment. Some of these seniors are introduced.as follows:
2. Urwah b. al-Zubayr. He is regarded as one of the outstanding people of knowledge in Madinah. He was the nephew of ‘A’ishah, and narrated Abddith mostly from his honoutable maternal aunt. He also had the honour of being the student of Aba Hurayrah and Zayd b. Thabic. Many people of knowledge, including the likes of Salih b. Kaysan and Imam al-Zuhri, were amongst his students. He died in 94 H.
3, Salim b. ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar, ra, is counted amongst the Seven Fuqaha4 of Madinah. He took the knowledge of Hadith from his illustrious father and other Companions. His students included Nafi‘ al-Zuhri and other famous Followers. He passed away in 106 H.
[4. Or jurists, literally “men of understanding”.]
4. Nafi‘, freed slave of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar -. He is the special student of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar, and the teacher of Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him. The traditionists regard this chain of narration (Malik from Nafi‘ from ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar from the Messenger of Allah % as the “Golden Chain”. He passed away in 117 H.
2.2.1.2 Written Legacy of the First Phase
1. Sahifah Sadiqah. This was compiled by ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As, d. 63 H, aged 77. He had a special inclination towards writing and compilation. Whatever he heard from the Prophet ﷺ, he would write down, and had permission from the Prophet ﷺ to do so. This compilation consisted of about a thousand Ahadith, and remained preserved amongst his family for a period; it can now be found in full within the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy upon him.
2. Sahifah Sahibah, compiled by Hammam b. Munabbih (d. ror H), one of Aba Hurayrah’s famous students who used to write down the narrations from his illustrious teacher. Manuscripts of this work are found in the libraries of Berlin and Damascus. Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal has included this entire sahifah in his famous Musnad under Aba Hurayrah’s section. A few years ago, the document was published in Hyderabad through the efforts of Dr. Hamidullah; it consists of 138 narrations. This sahifab is a subset of the totality of Abi Hurayrah’s narrations, and most of its narrations are also found in Bukhari and Muslim, with similar wording and no significant differences.
4. Musnad of Abi Hurayrah . Copies of this were written during the time of the Companions. One of these copies was in the possession of the father of ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al- ‘Aziz, ‘Abd al-‘Aziz b. Marwan (d. 86 H), the governor of Egypt. He wrote to Kathir b. Murrah, “Write down those Abadith that you have from the Noble Companions, but there is no need to send the narrations of Abii Hurayrah, since we have those with us in written form.” A copy of the
5. Mukbtasar Jami‘ Bayan al-‘Iim, pp. 36-37.
6. See Musnad Abmad, Vol. 2, pp. 312-8. For details, see the oe to Sabifab Hammam 6. Munabbih, ed. Dr. Hamidullah.
7. Jami‘ Bayan al-‘Ilm, Vol. 1, p. 72; Tabdbib ai-Tahdhib, Vol. 1, p. 470.
8. Preface to Sahifah Hammam, p. 50, quoting from Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 7,
Musnad of Aba Hurayrah, written by the hand of Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, exists in a library in Germany.
Sahifah of ‘Ali. Through Imam Bukhari’s description, we know that this collection was quite bulky.” Points related to zdkat, the sanctity of Madinah, the Sermon at the Farewell Hajj and the constitution of the Islamic amirate were recorded therein.
The written form of the Prophet’s Sermon. On the occasion of the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet, ﷺ ordered Aba Shah of Yemen to record in writing his detailed sermon, upon the latter’s request." This sermon consisted of important explanations regarding human rights.
Sabifah of Jabi. The narrations of Jabir b. ‘Abdullah were compiled in written form by his students Wahb b. Munabbih (d. 110 H) and Sulayman b. Qays al-Shukri. This collection covered the rites of Hajj and the Sermon of the Farewell Hajj.
Narrations of‘A’ishah Siddiqah %&. The Ahadith of ‘A ishah were recorded in writing by her nephew and student, “Urwah b. al-Zubayr .
The Sahifahs of Anas b. Malik. Said b. Hilal (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Anas b. Malik used to bring out his written notes and show them to us, saying, “I heard these statements personally from the Messenger of Allah,ﷺ
Introduction to Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi Sharh Tirmidhi, p. 165.
Sahih al-Bukbari, Kitab al-I‘tisam bi’l-Kitab wa’l-Sunnah, Vol. 1, p. 4ST.
Ibid., Vol. 1, p. 20; Mukbtasar Jami‘ Bayan al-‘Ilm, p. 36; Sahih Muslim, P. 439.
Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, Vol. 4, p. 215.
Ibid., Vol. 7, p. 183.
Sunan al-Darimi, p. 68.
After recording them in writing, I confirmed them by reading them back to him.”
‘Amr b. Hazm. When the Prophet ﷺ was sending him to Yemen as governor, he gave him a written code of instructions. He not only preserved this letter, but included other Prophetic statements alongside it, thus compiling a significantly-sized book.”
1. The treatise of Samurah b. Jundub. This was inherited by his son, and was a very large treasure of narrations.”
3. Sahifah of Sa‘d b. ‘Ubadah, the Companion who knew how to read and write from the Jahiliyyah period.
14. The writings of Nafi‘. Sulayman b. Musa narrated that ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar would dictate and Nafi‘ would record what he said in writing.
1s. Ma‘n narrated that ‘Abd al-Rahmaan b. ‘Abdullah b. Mas‘iid brought out a book before him and took an oath, saying that it was written by the hand of his father, ‘Abdullah b. Mas‘ud."
Were the process of investigation and verification to be continued, many more such examples and instances would be round.
15. Preface to Sahifah Hammam, p. 34, quoting from Khatib Baghdadi. Cf Mustadrak Hakim, Vol. 3, p. 574-
16. Al-Wathd"iq al-Siyasiyyah, p. 105. Also Dr. Hamidullah, quoting from Tabari, p. 104.
17. Tahdhib al-Tahdbib of Ibn Hajar, Vol. 4, p. 236.
18. Darimi, p. 69. Cf. Preface to Sahifah Hammam, p. 45, quoting from Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d.
19. Mukbtasar Jami‘ Bayan al-‘Ilim, p. 37.
2.2.2 The Second Phase
This second phase ends around the middle of the second century Miri. In this phase was produced a large group of Followers who absorbed the literature of the first phase into wider compilations.
20. 21.
2.2.2.1 Compilers of Hadith
Tahdhib al-Tahdbib of Ibn Hajar, Vol. 7, p. 172. Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, Vol. 1, p. 106. Mukhtasar Jami‘ Bayan al-‘Ilm, p. 38.
‘Abd al-Malik b. Jurayj (d. 150 H), in Makkah;
Imam Awza‘i (d. 157 H), in Syria;
Ma‘mar b. Rashid (d. 153 H), in Yemen;
Imam Sufyan Thawri (d. 161), in Kufa;
Imam Hammad b. Salamah (d. 167 H), in Basra; and
Imam ‘Abdullah b. al-Mubarak (d. 181 H), in Khurasan. Imam Malik b. Anas (b. 93 H, died 179 H). After Imam Zuhri, the distinction of compiling Hadith in Madinah was achieved by him. He learnt from Nafi‘, Zuhri and other outstanding people of knowledge; his teachers reached 900 in number. By way of his overflowing spring, thousands of thirsty seekers of the Sunnah were quenched in the Hijaz, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt and Africa. His students included such famous personalities as Layth b. Sa‘d (d..175 H), Ibn al-Mubarak (d. 181 H), Imam Shafi_i (d. 204 H) and Imam Muhammad b. Hasan al-Shaybani (d. 189 H).
2.2.2.2, Written Legacy of the Second Phase
Muwatta’ of Imam Malik. In this phase, many collections of Hadith were compiled, amongst which Imam Malik’s Muwatta’ occupies the highest rank. Compiled during the period 130-141 H, it has a total of over 1700 narrations, of which 600 are marfu‘ (narrations from the Prophet ﷺ), 228 are mursal (where a Follower quotes the Prophet directly without naming the Companion), 613 are mawquf (statements of the Companions), and 285 are maqtu (statements of the Followers).
The Jami‘ of Sufyan Thawri (d. 161 H).
The Jami‘ of Ibn al-Mubarak (d. 181 H).
The Jami‘ of Imam Awza‘i (d. 157 H).
The Jami‘ of Ibn Jurayj (d. 150 H).
Kitab al-Kharaj of Qadi Abu Yasuf (d. 182 H).
Kitab al-Athar of Imam Muhammad (d. 189 H).
In this phase, the Abddith of the Messenger of Allahﷻ the
athar of the Companions and fatawa of the Followers used to be arranged in the sate collection. However, it was always made clear whether a statement was that of a Companion or Follower, or the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷻ.
2.2.3 The Third Phase
This phase starts around the second half of the second century bijri and extends until the end of the fourth century.
2.2.3.1 Distinguishing Features of the Third Phase
The distinguishing features of this phase are as follows:
1. Abadith of the Prophet, ﷺ were compiled separately to the athar of the Companions and statements of the Followers.
2. Separate compilations of reliable transmissions were prepared. In this way, after investigation and verification, the works of the second phase were absorbed into the bulky books of the third phase.
3. Not only were narrations gathered in this phase, but in order to preserve the knowledge of Hadith, the noble muhaddithun laid the foundations of over a hundred sciences related to Hadith. Until today, thousands of books have been written on these sciences. May Allah accept their effort and grant them the best reward on our behalf!
2.2.3.2 The Sciences of Hadith
1. Asma’ al-rajal (Names of the Narrators). In this science, the situations of narrators, their dates of birth and death, details of their teachers and students and journeys secking knowledge, and the verdicts of Hadith experts regarding their reliability (whether reliable or unreliable) are recorded.
This science is extremely vast, very beneficial and highly interesting. Even some bigoted Orientalists were not able to avoid admitting that, as a result of this science, the biographies of 500,000 narrators have been preserved. This distinguishing feature is one in which the Muslim nation ts unrivalled.
Numerous books have been written in this science, of which some are:
1. Tabdhib al-Kamal by Imam Yasuf al-Mizzi (d. 742 H), the most important and authoritative work in its field.
b. Tahdhib al-Tahdbib by Hafiz Ibn Hajar, commentator on Bukhari. This work is in twelve volumes, and has been published from Hyderabad-Deccan.
c. Tadhkirat al-Huffaz by ‘Allamah Dhahabi (d. 748).
2. Mustalah or Usil al-Hadith (“Terminology of Foundations of Hadith”). In the light of this science the principles and conditions relating to the authenticity or weakness of Ahadith come to be known.” The most famous book in this field is ‘Ulam al-Hadith, also known as Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah, written by Abu ‘Amr ‘Uthman b. al-Salah (d. 577 H)- In the recent past, two books on Usul al-Hadith have been produced:
a. Tawjih al-Nazar by ‘Allamah Tahir b. Salih al-Jaza iri (d. 1338 H);
b. Qawd‘id al-Tahdith by ‘Allamah Sayyid Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi (d. 1332 H). The former is distinguished by its breadth of coverage, the latter by its excellent arrangement.
Gharib al-Hadith (“Rare words in Hadith”). In this science, linguistic analysis of difficult words occurring in Ahadith
Introduction to al-isabah, English ed., Springer, Calcutta, 1864. See a brief discussion on the classification and terminology of Hadith
Takhrij al-Hadith - Through this science, the original sources of narrations found in famous books of tafsir, fiqh, tasawwuf and ‘aqa‘id are traced. For example, the Hidayah by Burhan al-Din ‘Ali b. Abi Bakr al-Marghinani (d. 592 H) and Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din by Imam Ghazali (d. 505 H) contain many narrations without a chain of narration or reference. Now, if someone would like to find out the grade of authenticity of these narrations and which major works of Hadith they are found in, they should refer to Nasb al-Rayah by Hafiz Zayla‘i (d. 792 H) and al-Dirayah by Hafiz Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalani (d. 852 H) for the former, and to al-Mughni ‘an Hamil al-Asfar by Hafiz Zayn al-Din al-‘Iraqi (d. 806 H) for the latter. Al-Ahadith al-Mawda‘ah (“Fabricated Abddith”). In this field, the people of knowledge have compiled independent books - into which mawda‘ (fabricated) narrations have been sifted out. In this regard, al-Fawda id al-Majmu ‘ah by Qadi Shawkani (d. 1255 H) and al-La‘ai’ al-Masnu‘ah (“Artificial Pearls”) by Hafiz Jalal al-Din Suyuti (d. 911 H) are most prominent. AL-Nasikh wa'l-Mansukh (“Abrogating and Abrogated Hadith”). In this field, Kitab al-I ‘tibar by Imam Muhammad b. Musa Hazimi (d. 784 H aged 35) is the most famous and authoritative.
Al-Tawfiq bayn al-Ahadith (“Reconciling Ahadith”). In this science, the correct explanation is given of those narrations which are apparently mutually contradictory or conflicting. The first to discuss this field was Imam Shafi‘ (d. 204 H), and his treatise is famously known as Mukhtalif al-Hadith. Another beneficial book in this field is Mushkil al-Athar by Imam Tahawi (d. 321 H).
Al-Mukhtalif wa'l-Mu’talif (“Narrators with similar names”). In this science, special attention is given to those narrators whose names, bynames, nicknames and names of fathers, grandfathers or teachers are similar, leading to the possibility of a person unfamiliar with these matters to become embroiled in error. In this field, the most comprehensive book is Hafiz Ibn Hajar’s Ta’bir al-Munabbib.
Figh al-Hadith (“Jurisprudence of Hadith”). In this science, the secrets and wisdoms in Ahadith related to legal rulings are unveiled. On this subject, one can benefit from the book ‘Ilam al-Muwaqqi‘in of Hafiz Ibn Qayyim (d. 751 H) and Hujjat Allah al-Balighah of Shah Waliullah of Delhi. Apart from these, the people of knowledge have also devoted separate compilations to different aspects of life. For example, in the area of transactions, Kitab al-Amwal (“Book of Wealth”) by Aba ‘Ubayd Qasim b. Sallam (d. 224 H) is well-known, and in the issues related to land, ‘ushr, kharaj (land-tax) etc., the best work is Kitab al-Kharaj by Qadi Abu Yusuf. Therefore, study of the following works can establish the authority of the Sunnah as a source of Law and expose the misconceptions spread by the rejecters of Hadith:
24. The latest encyclopaedias of Hadith, in both printed and electronic
form, now have vast indexes of Hadith narrations. - Trans. Note
Kitab al-Umm by Imam Shafii
Al-Risalah of Imam Shafi‘
Al-Muwafagat by Abu Ishaq Shatibi (d. 790 H)
Sawaiq Mursalah by Ibn Qayyim
Al-lhkam by Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi (d. 456 H)
The introduction to Tarjuman al-Sunnah (Urdu) by
Mawlana Badr-i-‘Alam Mirthi
g. Ithabat al-Khabar by my respected father, Mawlana Hafiz “Abd al-Sattar Hasan ‘Umarpuri (d. 1916/1334 H aged 34)
i. Inkar-e-Hadith ka Manzar awr Pas Manzar (“The Back- ground and Context of Hadith-Rejection”) by Iftikhar Ahmad Balkhi is also interesting and informative. So far, two parts of it have been published.
j. A while ago, ‘Allamah Mustafa Sibai began an ex-
tremely beneficial series of articles on the authority of
Hadith in Risdlah al-Muslimain, Damascus. This has been
translated into Urdu by my colleague Malik Ghulam
‘Ali, and published as a booklet named Sunnat-e-Rasul salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
The following works on the history of the science of Hadith and related topics are models of comprehensiveness and benefit: the introduction to Fath al-Bari by Hafiz Ibn Hajar; Jami ‘Bayan al-‘Ilm wa Ahlih by Hafiz Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr al-Andalusi (d. 463 H); Ma‘rifah ‘Ulum al-Hadith by Imam Hakim (d. 405 H); and the introduction to Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi by the muhaddith Mawlana ‘Abd al-Rahman Mubarakpuri (d. 1353 H/1935). In the works of the recent past, this book is a masterpiece in terms of its comprehensiveness and benefit. Similarly, the introduction
25. Itwas during the lifetime of my esteemed grandfather, Mawlana Hafiz ‘Abd al-Jabbar Muhaddith ‘Umarpuri (d. 1334/1016) that the Hadith-rejection fitnah of Maulvi ‘Abdullah Chakralwi reared its head. My respected grandfather began a series of beneficial refutations and researched articles in his monthly Diya’ al-Sunnah at the time.
to Fath al-Mulhim by Mawlana Shabbir Ahmad ‘Uthmani and Tadwin-i-Hadith (in Urdu) by the late Mawlana Manazir Ahsan Gilani are jewels in their breadth of information.
2.2.3.3 The Compilers of Hadith in the Third Phase
The following is an introduction to the outstanding and well- known compilers of Hadith and reliable works of this phase:
2. Imam Muhammad b. Isma‘il al-Bukhari (b. 194 H, d. 256 H). His year of birth equates to sidq” (“truthfulness”), and his year of death to nar (“light”). Of all his works, Imam Bukhari’s most important and authoritative book is Sahih al-Bukbari. Its full name is al-Jami‘ al-Sahih al-Musnad al- Mukhtasar min Umar Rasul Allah salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa alihi wa sallam wa ayyamih (The Comprehensive, Authentic, Fully- Traced Abridgement from the Matters of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace, and his Days), and took sixteen years to compile. The number of students that studied the Sahih directly with Imam Bukhari reached 90,000. Sometimes, the audience in one sitting would reach 30,000 in number. In such a
26, This equivalence is worked out according to the Abjad numerical system, where the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet take numerical values ranging from 1 (alif) to 1,000 (ghayn). - Trans. Note
gathering, the number of people conveying words to the audience would exceed 300. The total number of Ahadith in the Sahi is 9,684. If repeated narrations, taliqat (narrations without isnad), reports from the Companions and mursal Ahadith are omitted, the number of marfu narrations is 2,623. Compared to other muhaddithtin, Imam Bukhari kept his criteria for accepting narrators very high.
3. Imam Muslim b. Hajjaj Qushayri (b. 202 H, d. 261 H). Imam Bukhari and Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal are amongst his teachers, and Imam Tirmidhi, Aba Hatim Razi, and Abu Bakr b. Khuzaymah are counted amongst his students. His book Sahih Muslim is regarded as most outstanding in terms of its excellent arrangement.
4. Imam Abu Dawud, Ash‘ath b. Sulayman Sijistani (b. 202, d. 275 H). His most important work is famous by the name of Sunan Abu Dawud, and comprehensively gathers narrations mostly regarding legal rulings. It is a brilliant source for juristic and legal issues, and consists of 4,800 Ahadith.
6. Imam Ahmad b. Shu‘ayb Nasa’ (d. 303 H). His work is called al-Sunan al-Mujtaba.
7. Imam Muhammad b. Yazid ibn Majah Qazwini (d. 273 H). His book is famous by the name of Sunan Ibn Majah.
Apart from Musnad Ahmad, the other six books in the terminology of the muhbaddithin are known as the Sihah Sittah (“Six Authentic Collections”). Some of the people of knowledge include the Muwatta’ of Imam Malik amongst the Sihah Sittah instead of Sunan Ibn Majah. Apart from these, many other beneficial and comprehensive compilations were produced in this phase, but there is no scope here for going into details of those. .
The collections of Bukhari, Muslim and Tirmidhi are known as Jami‘ (“Comprehensive Works”), i.e. they include Ahadith about beliefs, worship, manners, transactions and many other topics.
The works of Abu Dawud, Nasai’ and Ibn Majah are known as Sunah (“Traditions”), ie. they mostly have narrations related to practical matters of life.
2.2.3.4 Grades of Hadith Books
With regards to authenticity and strength, the muhaddithin have graded all books of Hadith into four levels:
1 _Muwatta’ Imam Malik, Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. With regards to the authenticity of their chains of narration and reliability of transmitters, these three books occupy the highest station.
9. The Sunan collections of Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasai’. Some of the narrators in these books are below those of the highest grade in terms of reliability. However, they are nevertheless regarded as reliable. Musnad ahmad is also included in this category.
4. The works of Ibn Jarir Tabari (d. 310 H), Khatib Baghdadi (d. 463 H), Aba Nu‘aym (d. 403 H), Ibn ‘Asakir (d. 571 ), Daylami (author of Musnad al-Firdaws, d. 509 H), Kamil of Ibn ‘Adi (d. 365 H), the compilations of Ibn Mardawayh (d. 410 H), Wagidi (d. 207 H) and the works of other authors such as these are included in this category. These compilations are a collection of “ripe” as well as “rotten” material, and even include many fabricated narrations. Public preachers, historians and Sufis mostly depend upon these books. However, with careful sifting, precious gems can be extracted from them, acceptable for presentation.
2.2.4 The Fourth Phase
This begins around the fifth century hijri, and continues even today.
2.2.4.1 Types of Work in this Phase
At the beginning of this phase, the style of compilation of the third phase had reached its conclusion. Since then, the details of the work that has been done during this long period is as follows:
1. Important books of Hadith had commentaries and marginal notes written upon them, and were translated into other languages.
2. In the sciences of Hadith mentioned earlier, many works were produced and commentaries and abridgements were made based upon them.
3. The people of knowledge have compiled beneficial books by selecting Ahadith from the works of the third phase, according to taste or necessity. Some of these are:
a. Mishkat al-Masabih (“The Niche of Lamps”) by Wali al- Din Khatib Tabrizi. This gathers narrations related to beliefs, worship, transactions, character, manners and the Resurrection and Judgment.
c. Muntaqa al-Akhbar (“Selection of Reports”) by Majd al-Din Abda’l-Barakat ‘Abd al-Salam b. Taymiyyah
(d. 652 H), the grandfather of the famous Shaykh al- Islam Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728). A commentary on this work in eight volumes has been written by Qadi Shawkani, with the name Nayl al- Awtar (“Achieving the Aims”).
d. Bulugh al-Maram (“Attaining the Objective”) by Hafiz Ibn Hajar (d. 852 H), commentator on Sahih Bukhari. This contains Ahadith mostly related to worship and transactions. The commentaty in Arabic, Subul al- Salam (“Paths of Peace”), flowed from the pen of Muhammad b. Isma‘il al-San‘ani (d. 1182 H). Another commentary, Misk al-Khitam (“Musk of the Seal”), was compiled in Persian by Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan (d. 1307 H).
Most of these works were translated and published in Urdu, quite some time ago.
2.2.4.2, The Science of Hadith in Undivided India
The first person to shine the candle of the science of Hadith in undivided India was Shaykh ‘Abd al-Haqq Muhaddith Dehlawi b. Sayf al-Din Turk (d. 1052 H). After him, the lifelong sacrifices and strenuous efforts of Shah Waliullah (d. 1176 H) and his children, grandchildren and inspired students led to the Light of the Sunnah shining brightly in this land. And the earth shall shine by the light of its Lord.”
Since Shah Waliullah, may the Mercy of Allah be upon him, the sacred work of preparing and publishing translations, commentaries, and selections of Hadith has continued to this day. It is hoped that this work, Intikhab-e-Hadith (“Selection of Hadith”), will also be a link in this chain.
It is a favour from Allah that the author of this collection achieves the good fortune of imitating the servants of Hadith, otherwise, where is this humble servant compared to those great
27. Surah al-Zumar,39- 69.
souls who devoted their entire lives to collecting and spreading the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
By consulting the above survey of the science of Hadith, it can be gauged that from the Prophetic era until today, there has never been a period when the chain of writing and transmitting Hadith has been interrupted. This is that chain of knowledge whose day is bright and its night is also full of shining lights and illuminating lamps. [As is related in an authentic Hadith] its night is like its day.
Between the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and present-day students of Hadith, there is a chain of 23 or 24 teachers. On the following pages, following the way of the muhaddithin, the sanad (chain of transmission) of the author of this book is presented diagrammatically, bringing some 1,400 years of the chain of narrators of Hadith right before the eyes. And their cry will always end with: “All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the entire Universe”. Our Lord! Accept this from us; You are All-Hearing, All-Knowing! My Lord, dispose me that I may give thanks for the bounty that You have bestowed upon me and my parents, and dispose me that I may do righteous deeds that would please You, and also make my descendants righteous. I repent to You, and I am one of those who surrender themselves to You."
16th Rabi‘ al-Thani 1376 H ‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan 20th November 1956
28. This is a couplet attributed to Imam al-Shafi', as it occurs in his Diwan. In one version, the lines continue thus:
I hate the one whose trade is in vice, although we're involved in the same business! [Trans. Note]
29. Surah Yunus, 10: to. 30. Surab al-Baqarah, 2: 127. 31. Surah al-Araf, 46: 15.
2.3. HADITH TERMINOLOGY
Hadith: The sayings, actions and approvals of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ are known as Hadith.
Athar. The saying or action of a Companion is known as athar
(pL. Athar) Sanad: The chain of narrators of a Hadith. Matn: The text of a Hadith.
i. in every era, transmission and narration continue for generation after generation, widely and generally, e.g. the Majestic Qur'an;
ii, practical tawatur, e.g. the prayer times, and the basic forms of adhan and salat,
iii. tawatur in isnad, e.g. the Hadith, “He who invents a lie upon my authority, let him prepare his seat in the Fire”, has over a hundred narrators in just the generation of the Companions, and, similarly, the narration about
the Finality of Prophethood;
iv. tawatur in meaning: ie. the common content of numerous narrations reaches the level of tawatur, e.g. the miracles of the Prophet, raising hands in supplication, etc. (from the introduction to Fath al- Mulhim).
Ahad (pl. ahad) or wahid report: The number of narrators does not reach the level of being mutawatir. Hadith scholars divide this into three categories:
a. mashhur. where the number of narrators is never less than three, after the stage of the Companions,
32. Approval (taqrir) means that something was done in the presence of che Prophet, and he did not forbid it.
b. ‘aziz: where the number of narrators is at least two in every stage;
c. gharib: where there is only one narrator in any stage.
Marfu‘: A Hadith artributed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Mawquf: A narration attributed to a Companion, i.e. his/her Saying or action.
Muttasil (continuous): There is no reporter missing from the chain of narration.
Munqati (discontinuous): Opposite of muttasil.
Mu‘allaq: One or more narrators are omitted from the beginning of the sanad, or the entire sanad is omitted. The act of omission is called ta ‘liq.
Mu ‘dal: Two or more consecutive reporters are missing from a
Mursal: No Companion is mentioned between a Follower (Tabi'‘i) and the Prophet ﷺ.
Shadhdh (peculiar): A narration where a reliable narrator contradicts a stronger narrator. The narration of the stronger narrator is known as mahfuz (preserved).
Munkar (rejected): If a weak reporter contradicts a reliable reporter, the former’s narration is called munkar (rejected); the latter’s is called ma‘ruf (approved).
Mu ‘allal (subtly flawed): A narration that has a hidden defect, such that only experts in the science of Hadith can detect it, e.g. erroneously making a mawqdf narration marfu or vice-versa.
Sahih (genuine, authentic): a narration that satisfies the following conditions:
a. the chain is muttasil (continuous);
b, the reporters are trustworthy, ie. reliable based on their biographies and character;
c. their memory is sound;
d. the narration is not shadhdh; e, the narration is not mu ‘allal.
Hasan: A natration that satisfies the conditions of sabib, except that the narrators are of a slightly lesser grade with regard to memory. if such a hasan narration is supported by another hasan narration, it is known as sahih li ghayrithi (sahih due to external support).
Da ‘if (weak): A narration that does not meet the conditions of sahib or hasan. Several da‘if narrations can collectively rise to the level of hasan li ghayrihi (hasan due to external support), with the condition that the weakness is not due to corruption in the character and morality of the reporters (Qawd ‘id al-Tahdith, p. 90). The most unreliable level of weakness is that where the reporters’ own taqwa is suspect; such a narration is called mawdu (fabricated).
2.4 A TREE OF HADITH TRANSMISSION
THE MOST NOBLE MESSENGER ﷺ
Humayd al-Tawil b. Abi Humayd. (68-143 H)
Muhammad b. ‘Abdullah al-Ansari (118-215 H)
Muhammad b, Ismail al-Bukhari (194-256 H)
Muhammad b. Yusuf al-Firabri (231-320 H)
‘Abdullah b. Ahmad al-Sarkhasi (d. 381 H)
‘Abd al-Rahman b. Muzaffar al-Dawudi (374-467 H)
‘Abd al-Awwal b, ‘Isa al-Sijizzi (458-553 H)
Husayn b. Mubarak al-Zubaydi(546-631 H)
Ahmad b, Abi Talib al-Hajjar (d. 730 H)
Ibrahim b. Ahmad al-Tanukhi (d 800 H)
Abd al-Rahim b. Husayn al-‘lraqi (725-806 H)
Ahmad b. ‘Ali b, Hajr al-‘Asqalani (774-852 H)
Ahmad Zakariyya al-Ansari, commentator on Sab al-Bukhari (d. 925 H)
Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Ramli (d. 1004 H)
Ahmad b. ‘Abd al-Quddus al-Shinawi (d. 1028 H)
Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Qashashi (d. 1071 H)
Ibrahim b. Hasan al-Kurdi al-Madani (1045-1101 H)!
Muhammad b. Ibrahim Aba Tahir al-Madani (d. 1145 H)
Shah Waliullah of Delhi (1114-1176 H)
Shah ‘Abd al-‘Aziz of Delhi (1159-1239 H)
Shah Ishaq of Delhi (d. 1262 H)
Abdullah b. Salim al-Basri (d. 1134 H)
Ahmad b, Muhammad Sharif al-Ahdal (d. ?)
Sulayman b. Yahya (d. 1197 H)
Abd al-Qadir b. Ahmad al-Kawkabani (1135-1207 H)
Abd al-Rahman b. Sulayman (1179-1270 H)
Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Shawkani, Author of Nayl al-Awtar (1172-1250 H}
Ahmad b. Muhammad al- Shawkani (d. 1281 H)
Husayn b. Muhsin al-Ansari (d. 1327 H)
Mawlana Ahmadullah, Shaykh-al-Hadith, Madrasah Rahmaniyyah, Delhi (d. 362 H, aged approx. 65 years)
‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan (sanad granted on 20 Sha‘ban 1354 H)
33. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan taught thousands of students from over eighty countries around the world and granted the isndd and ijazah (chain of transmission with permission co teach) to many of them. They include his own sons and scholars of Hadith, Suhaib Hasan and Suhail Hasan, and Prof. Khurshid Ahmad of the Pakistan Senate, amongst other luminaries. I was therefore extremely honoured to receive the isndd and ijazah myself from my grandfather on 14th Muharram, 1421 (20th April, 2000). - Trans. Note
CK 28
2.4.1 Clarifications
2. Only the sanad of Sahih al-Bukhari is presented here as a “Tree of Hadith Transmission”. Besides this there are other chains for other important sources of Hadith, for details of which there is insufficient space here. There are numerous chains of narration from Imam Bukhari to the Prophet 3. Here, just one of the minimum-length chains is given.
3. Apart from Mawlanad Ahmadullah , the writer of these lines has also studied some of the books of Hadith with Mawlana ‘Abd al-Rahm4n Nigranhsawi , Mawlana Muhammad Surti and Mawlana ‘Ubaydullah Rahmani Mubarakpari. He has also had the opportunity to benefit briefly from Mawlana ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhaddith Mubarakpiri, commentator on Sunan al-Tirmidb.
All praise is due to Allah, by Whose Favour righteous actions are completed.
17th Jumada al-Ula 1376 H ‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan 30th December 1956
3.1 BELIEFS AND PILLARS OF ISLAM
Commentary
1. The meanings of Islam, Iman and Ihsan have been explained in this Hadith. In the Qur’an and Hadith, wherever Iman and Islam are mentioned together, Iman denotes certainty and affirmation by the heart, whilst Islam means verbal affirmation of Tawhid and Prophethood as well as regular performance of the physical rites of worship.
The word Ihsan is derived from Husn, which means beauty. Beauty can only appear in worship when the awareness is deeply-rooted in the mind that we are present before Allah Exalted, as though we are seeing Him. Even if this awareness is not able to settle in the mind, then no-one can dispute the reality that Allah Exalted is nevertheless watching us. No action of the servants is hidden from His Gaze.
2. “The slave-woman gives birth to her mistress” means that near the Day of Resurrection, mutual co-operation, compassion and maintenance of family ties amongst people will instead be generally replaced by greed, selfishness and the breaking of family ties. The culture of respecting and obeying elders will end, to such an extent that even the daughter, who naturally has a strong affection for her mother, will trear her mother the way a mistress treats her slave-girl. Thus, the mother will not have given birth to her daughter, but to her mistress.
3.2 TAWHID (AFFIRMING THE UNITY OF GOD)
[2] On the authoricy of Aba Dharr, who said: I came to the Prophet but he was asleep, dressed in a white garment. I came to him again when he had woken up. He said, “Any servant [of Allah] who says, “There is no god except Allah,’ and then dies upon that, will [definitely] enter [nothing but] the Garden.”
Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 26).
Commentary
In this Hadith, “He who says, ‘14 ilaha illa’Llah’,” does not mean simply a ritual declaration of the tongue. Rather, what is meant is such a declaration that is accompanied by certainty and affrmation of the heart, as occurs in other narrations, “with certainty in his heart”, or “with affirmation by his heart”, i.e. this declaration and confession must come with certainty and truthfulness of the heart. Clearly, when the declaration is made in this way, there will be a distinct change in a person’s life and behaviour, and there will be positive effects upon all aspects of life.
[3] On the authority of Sufyan b. ‘Abdullah al-Thagafi who said: I asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Tell me a word in Islam that I need nor ask of anyone after you.” He replied, “Say: ‘I have believed in Allah’, and then remain steadfast [upon that].” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 15).
[4] On the authority of al-‘Abbas b. ‘Abd al-Muttalib who said: the Messenger of Allah said, “He has tasted the delight of faith: he who is pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Messenger.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 9).
3.3 FAITH IN PROPHETHOOD
3.4 FOLLOWING THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH
[6] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “None of you will be a believer until his desires follow that [Law] which I have brought.”
Transmitted by Baghawi in his Sharh al-Sunnah and Nawawi, who authenticated it in his Forty Hadith by saying, “This is an authentic tradition that we have transmitted in The Book of Proof with a genuine chain of narration.” (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 167).
3.5 LOVING THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH ﷺ
[7] On the authority of Anas 4, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “None of you will be a believer until I become more beloved to him than his father, his son and all mankind.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 7).
[8] On the authority of Anas, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, “O my son! If you are able to begin the morning and begin the evening with no malice towards anyone, then do so.” He then said, “O my son! For that is my Way: he who loves my Way has loved me; and he who loves me will be with me in the Garden.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 175).
3.6 AVOIDING EXTREMISM AND HAVING A BALANCED BELIEF REGARDING THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH ﷺ
Commentary This Hadith sheds light on several important matters:
1. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was a human being, and not superhuman. Thus it was not necessary that his personal view on worldly crafts and transactions should turn out to be correct. However, no doubt should be created about anything that he stated based on revelation.
2. This Hadith apparently distinguishes between din and dunya (“religion” and “the world”, respectively); however, the reality is that this is not the case. By “matters of the world’ is meant issues related to crafts, e.g. crafts, agriculture, carpentry, etc. Clearly, the noble Prophets do not come to this world in order to teach such sciences and crafts. The context and text of this Hadith also support this meaning. There remain the different branches of life, such as economics, social matters, politics and ethics. Just as the noble Prophets explain the details of ritual worship, their duties also include conveying the Divine instructions regarding these other branches of life.
3.7 FAITH IN PREDESTINATION
{10} On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer; nevertheless, there is goodness in both of them. Covet that which benefits you. Seek Allah’s help, and do not lose resolve. If any difficulty befalls you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such-and-such, such-and-such would have happened,’ but say, Allah predetermined: whatever He wished, He did’;for saying, If only opens the door to Satan’s work.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5298).
Commentary
In this Hadith, the “strong believer” means one who is firm in his resolve and determination. Conversely, the “weak believer” is a Muslim who loses all resolve at the slightest failure.
(3) When you ask, ask from Allah. (4) When you need help, ask for Allah’s help. (5) Know that if the people were to come together to benefit you with something, they could only benefit you as much as Allah had pre-ordained for you; if they were to come together to harm you in some way, they could only harm you as much as Allah had decreed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5302).
[12] On the authority of Aba Khizamah’s father @&, who said: I asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Do you see the spiritual cures we use, the medicines by which we treat each other, the defences that we set up [against enemy attack] - do they repulse any of Allah’s Predetermination?” He replied, “They are part of Allah’s Predetermination.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 97).
3.8 ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE HEREAFTER
[13] On the authority of Ibn Mas ‘ud, that the Prophet ﷺ said, “The feet of the son of Adam will not move from their place [on the Day of Judgment] until he is asked about five things: (1) About his life, in which deeds he spent it? (2) About his youth, how he utilised it? (3) About his wealth, from where did he earn it and (4) on what did he spend it? (5) What did he do, based on what he knew?” Tirmidhi (Misbkdt, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5197).
3-9 THE TRANSITORY NATURE OF THE WORLD
[14] On the authority of Ibn Mas’ ud, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I used to forbid you from visiting the graves. Now visit them, for they teach non-atrachment to the world, and remind you of the Hereafter.” [bn Majah (Mishkar, Book of Funerals, Hadith no. 1769).
[15] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar &, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took my shoulder and said, “Be in the world as though you are a stranger or a traveller.” Ibn “Umar used to say, “When you reach the evening, do not wait for the morning. When you reach the morning, do not wait for the evening. Take [a provision of righteous deeds] from your health for your illness, and [a wealth of good action] from your life for your death.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Book of Funerals, Hadith no. 1604).
[77] On the authority of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, who said: A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “Give me some brief advice.” He replied, “When you stand for Prayer, pray the prayer of one who is bidding farewell. Do not say words for which you will apologise the following day. Finally, despair totally of that which is in the hands of people.” Ahmad (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5226) and Ibn Majah (Sahih al-Jami‘ al-Saghir, no. 742).
[18] On the authority of “Uqbah b. ‘Amir, from the Prophet ﷺ, who said, “When you see Allah, Mighty and Magnificent, granting a servant thing that he loves from the world despite his disobedience, then [know that] this is nothing but a gradual respite [before punishment].” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then recited, So when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We opened the gates of all things so that while they rejoiced in what they had been granted We suddenly seized them and they were plunged into despair. [al-An ‘am, 6: 44] Ahmad (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5201).
Commentary
It is incorrect for a person or nation to think that Allah is happy with them based purely on worldly affluence or power. Rather, it is the form of a severe affliction that after such affluence, the Divine Punishment suddenly envelops wrongdoers. A similitude of the Divine Law of gradual respite is that of a fisherman who does not extract the fish from the water immediately after catching the hook in its throat. Rather, he keeps the tackle loose. When the fish becomes tired after swimming and circling around, he suddenly brings the fish out onto dry land with a strong jetk. During this process, the unsuspecting fish thinks that it is breathing freely in the expanses of freedom!
3.10 THE SPIRIT OF ISLAM (SINCERITY)
[20] On the authority o: Abu Musa , who said: A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked, “A man fights for booty, another fights for fame, another fights to show off [his bravery]: which of these is [a warrior] in the way of Allah?” He replied, “He who fights such that the word of Allah is uppermost: only he is [the warrior] in the way of Allah.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Jihad, Hadith no. 3814).
[21] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Truly, Allah does not look at your forms and wealth; rather, He looks at your hearts and deeds.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5314).
[22] On the authority of Abi Umamah who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “He who loves [people] for the sake of Allah and hates for the sake of Allah, gives for the sake of Allah and withholds for the sake of Allah: such a person has advanced his faith to [the level of] perfection.” Abu Dawid (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 30 and Sahih al-jami ‘al-Saghir, no. 5965).
3.11 MODERATION AND BALANCE
[23] On the authority of ‘A’ishah #, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Take [upon yourself] as much work as you can bear, for truly Allah does not reduce His reward until you become weary.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 1243).
Commentary
This means that Allah the Exalted does not close the door to His reward and forgiveness until a person deprives himself by his own lack of personal discipline.
Commentary
This means that those matters about which there is neither explicit permission nor prohibition, it is not appropriate to question or probe them deeply, and there is no revulsion legally in employing them.
[25] On the authority of Hudhayfah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “How excellent is moderation in prosperity! How excellent is moderation in poverty! How excellent is moderation in worship!” Musnad al-Bazzar (Kanz al-‘Ummal).
[26] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Truly, the religion is ease. Anyone who tries to outdo the religion in strictness, it will overcome him. So remain steadfast and be moderate, and seek help with journeys of the morning and evening and a part of the night.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 1246),
Commentary
Just as a traveller does not travel continuously, but rather proceeds during mild and cool times, using the remainder of the time to rest himself and his mount, thus should be the traveller on the path of Islam. Taking upon oneself more difficulty than one can bear and emphasising voluntary actions in a way opposed to the Sunnah are all deeds that open the door to extremism in the religion. Anyone who gets caught up in extremism and excessiveness and then tries to wrestle with the religion does not harm the religion at all; rather, he has to retreat in the end.
[27] On the authority of Hudhayfah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “It does not befit a believer to humiliate himself.” They asked, “How does he humiliate himself?” He replied, “He takes on burdens that he cannot bear.” Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Bayhaqi. Tirmidhi said that this Hadith is hasan gharib (Mishkat, Book of Supplications, Hadith no. 2503).
Commentary
Here. this misconception has been corrected that the more a person puts himself to hardship and pain, the more Allah is pleased with him.
[29] On the authority of “Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As i, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, “O ‘Abdullah! Have I not been informed thar you fast every day and stand every night [in prayer]?” I replied, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He said, “Do not do so. Fast, and break your fast; stand [in prayer], and also sleep; for truly, your body has a right over you; and truly, your eyes have a right over you; and truly, your wife has a right over you; and truly, your visitors have a right over you. One who fasts every day has not fasted: fasting three days every month is [equivalent to] fasting for all time. So fast three days in every month, and recite the Qur’dn [completely] in every month.” I said, “I can bear more than that.” He said, “Then fast the best of [voluntary] fasting, the fasting of [the Prophet] Dawud fast one day and break the fast the next day; and recite [the Qur’an| completely once in every seven nights, and do not increase upon that.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Fasting, Hadith no. 2054).
Commentary
By recitation of the Qur’an is not meant parrot-fashion recitation, but recitation with understanding, contemplation, concentration and reflection. From another narration, it is known that the Qur’an should not be completely recited in less than three days under any circumstances.
[30] On the authority of Sa‘d b. Abi Waqqas’s father, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to visit me in the year of the Farewell Hajj, due to a severe illness I had. I said, “O Messenger of Allah! The illness has affected me as much as you see. I have much wealth, but no-one inherits me except one daughter: should I then give two-thirds of my weaith in charity?” He said, “No.” I said, “Then a half, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “No.” I said, “Then a third, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Yes, a third, but a third is a lot. That you leave your inheritors wealthy is better than leaving them poor, begging from the people.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Inheritance and Wills, Hadith no. 3071).
[31] On the authority of al-Miqdam b. Ma‘di Karib, that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “What you feed yourself is charity for you. What you feed your child is charity for you. What you feed your wife is charity for you. What you feed your servant is charity for you.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad.
Commentary
This means that if a person earns his living through lawful means and thus feeds himself and his children, then he deserves reward and blessings from Allah for this.
[32] On the authority of Abu Dharr, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Truly, every glorification [of Allah] is charity. Every magnification [of Allah] is charity. Every praise [of Allah] is charity. Every declaration of Allah’s Unity is charity. Enjoining goodness is charity. Forbidding evil is charity. Fulfilling your sexual desire is charity.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ One of us fulfils his lust and is rewarded for it?” He replied, “Do you see that if he fulfilled it in a prohibited way, would it not be a sin upon him? Similarly, if he fulfils it in a lawful way, there will be reward for him.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Zakat, Hadith no. 1898).
3.13 THE BELIEVER’S VIEW OF THE WORLDLY LIFE
[33] On the authoricy of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri from the Prophet ﷺ who said, “Truly, the world is sweet and green, and Allah has placed you in it as vicegerents [trustees], in order to see what you do.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Marriage, Hadith no. 3086; Book of Etiquette, Hadith no. 5145.)
Commentary
The favours that Allah the Exalted has granted humanity: their real owner is Allah the Exalted. Man has only been given the post of vicegerent and deputy: his task is to fulfil the will of the real Master regarding the things he has been granted.
[34] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The world is the believer’s prison and the unbeliever’s garden.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. §158).
Commentary
[35] On the authority of Shaddad b. Aws that the Prophet ﷺ said, “The wise person is the one who calls himself to account, and works for what is after death. The incapable [unambitious] person is the one who allows his self to follow its desires, and maintains vain hopes [of bounty and generosity] of Allah.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5289).
[36] On the authority of Abi Sa‘id al-Khudri that the Prophet ﷺ said, “The similitude of a believer and of faith is that of a horse tied to its post. He wanders around, and then returns to his post. Truly, the believer errs but then returns to faith. So feed your food to the pious, and benefit the believers with your kindness.” Ahmad (Hadith no, 11526), Bayhaqi (Branches of Faith, Hadith no. 10964) and Aba Nu‘aym (Mishkat, Book of Food, Hadith no. 4250).
[37] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Four matters, if a person is granted them, he has been granted the goodness of the world and the Hereafter: (1) a grateful heart; (2) a remembering tongue; (3) a body patient upon trials; and (4) a wife who does not seek to betray him regarding herself or his wealth.” Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Book of Marriage, Hadith no. 3273).
[38] On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar from the Prophet ﷺ, who said, “The Muslim who mixes with the people and endures their harms patiently is better than the one who neither mixes with them nor endures their harms patiently.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkdt, Book of Etiquette, Hadzth no. 5087).
[39] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The Muslim [submitter] is he from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe. The Mu’min [believer] is the one whom people entrust with their blood and wealth.” Transmitted by Tirmidhi and Nasa’i. Bayhaqi added in The Branches of Faith from the narration of Fadalah:
“The Mujahid [warrior] is the one who strives against his self in obeying Allah. The Mubajir [emigrant] is the one who leaves [the path] of disobedience and sins.” Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith nos.
4.1 VIRTUES OF KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND TEACHING THE RELIGION
[40] On the authority of Ibn Mas ‘ud, who said: The Mes- senger of Allah # said, “Envy is only allowed in the case of two people: (1) a man to whom Allah has given wealth and enabled him to spend it in truth; (2) a man to whom Allah has given wisdom, so he decides amongst people by it and teaches it to them.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkdt, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 202).
Commentary
[41] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas &, who said, “Studying and teaching knowledge for an hour of the night is better than staying awake [in prayer] for all of it.” Abu Hurayrah said, “Truly, I split the night up into thirds: I sleep a third, I stand in prayer for a third and I recollect the teachings of the Messenger of Allah, ﷺfor a third.” Darimi (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 256).
[42] On the authority of Abi Hurayrah ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A word of wisdom is the lost property of the wise person: wherever he finds it, he has most right over it.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 216.)
[43] On the auchority of Ibn Mas ‘ud ؓ, who said; The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “May Allah brighten the face of a person who hears my teaching, preserves and understands it, and delivers it as he heard it, for sometimes one to whom it was conveyed may remember it better than the [initial] hearer.” Shafi‘, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith nos. 228 and 230).
4.2. WISDOM IN PREACHING AND REFORM
[44] Ontheauchority ofIbn ‘Abbas ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Teach [the religion] and make things easy, teach [the religion] and make things easy,” three times, “and when you become angry, be silent,” twice. Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad.
[46] On the authority of Anas ؓwho said, “The Prophet ﷺwould rarely confront a man with something he disliked. A man came to him one day with a yellow stain [on his garment]. When the man left, he said to his Companions, ‘If he were to change or remove this yellowness [it would be better]’.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad and Abu Dawud.
Commentary
If influential and responsible members of society correct people directly regarding every matter, then it is possible that, instead of positive effects, the diseases of obstinacy and stubbornness would appear. Thus, a wise approach should be taken in reform.
[47] On the authority of ‘Ikrimah that Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ: said, “Address the people once a week. If you must, then twice. If you wish more, then three times: do not make the people bored of this Qur’an. Let me not find you coming to a people whilst they are in the midst of their conversation and you begin admonishing them, interrupting their conversation and making them resentful. Rather, keep silent until they request you: then speak to them when they desire it eagerly. Beware of rhyming prose in supplication and avoid it, for I have witnessed the Messenger of Allah ﷺand his Companions: they did not do it.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 252).
[48] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓThe Messenger of Allah ﷺsent Mu‘adh [b. Jabal] to Yemen and said, “You will come to a nation who are people of Scripture. Therefore, invite them to bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they obey you in that, then inform them that Allah has made five prayers obligatory for them during the day and night. If they obey you in that, rhen inform them that Allah has obligated them to take alms from the rich amongst them and return it to their poor. If they obey you in thar, then beware of their most precious wealth [i.e. avoid forcibly taking the best of their wealth in charity) and fear the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Zakat, Hadith no. 1772).
[49] On the authority of Anas ؓwho said: “The Prophet ﷺ, when he stated something, would repeat it three times until it was understood, and when he came to a people and greeted them with peace, he would greet them three times.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 208).
[50] On the authority of Ayyub b. Musa from his father from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “No parent gave their child a gift better than beautiful manners.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Etiquette, Hadith no. 4977).
Commentary
This means that the best gift and most valuable present for children from their parents is good manners and a sound upbringing.
34. One explanation as to why greeting with peace three times is part of the Sunnah is to greet when seeking permission to enter somewhere, then upon entry and finally upon leaving. Another explanation is that this applies solely to seeking permission to enter somewhere, for which a limit of three attemprs is given in other Abadith. - Trans. Note
[51] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “When a man dies, his deeds cease except for three actions [that remain]: (1) continuous charity [i.e. such charity and benevolence that continues to benefit people for a long time], (2) knowledge by which people benefit, and (3) righteous children who pray for him.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no, 203).
[52] On the authority of ‘Amr b. Shu‘ayb from his father from his grandfather ؓwho said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Command your children to pray when they are seven years old. Smack them upon [neglecting] it when they are ten years old, and put them to sleep in separate beds.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 572).
Commentary
This means that children should be familiarised with teachings of the religion from a young age. If after trying to making them understand and verbal warning, they do nor become regular at prayer, then appropriate strict measures can also be taken. When children reach the age of ten, they should be made to sleep separately: it is not correct to put them to bed together.
4.4 FORBIDDANCE OF IRRESPONSIBLE TALK REGARDING THE RELIGION
[54] On the authoricy of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr ss, who said: I went to the Messenger of Allah 32 one afternoon. He heard the voices of two men disputing about a verse [of the Qur’dn], so he came out to us with anger evident in his face and said, “Truly, those before you perished due to their disputing about the Scripture!” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 152).
Commentary
This means that mutual discussion and exchange of views is allowed in understanding and studying the Qur’an, but dispute and argumentation are opposed to the spirit of Islam.
[55] On the authority of ‘Awf b. Malik al-Ashja‘i ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “No-one speaks in public except the ruler, one appointed or one arrogant.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 240).
Commentary
“Speaking in public” refers to story-telling, conveying news and admonishing. The right of admonishing and public speaking and pronouncement belongs to the ruler or one appointed by him; otherwise these are the actions of an arrogant person. This means that in matters of religion and public responsibility, the right of addressing the public belongs to the ruler or one appointed by him. Apart from these two situations, a person who adopts this role is taking an irresponsible path that leads to corruption and the spread of mischief in society.
[56] On the authority of Ibn Abi Nu‘m , who said: I was a witness when Ibn ‘Umar was asked by a man about killing a mosquito, He asked, “From which people are you?” The man replied, “From the people of ‘Iraq.” He said, “Look at this one! He asks me about killing a mosquito, when they have killed the son of the Prophet ﷺ! I heard the Prophet ﷺsaying, ‘These two [Hasan and Husayn] are my sweet-basils [i.c. perfumed flowers] in this world’.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Book of Virtues, Hadith no. 6136).
Commen tary
[57] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Whoever is given a legal opinion without knowledge, his sin [of acting on the legal opinion] is upon the one who gave the legal opinion. Whoever advises his [Muslim] brother on a matter when he knows that another way is better and truer, he has betrayed him.” Abu Dawud and Darimi (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 242).
4.5 EVIL PEOPLE OF KNOWLEDGE
[58] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓwho said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever acquires some [sacred] knowledge by which the Countenance of Allah is sought, and yet he only learns it in order to attain a worldly gain, he will not [even] smell the fragrance of the Garden on the Day of Resurrection.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 227).
[59] On the authority of Aba Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Whoever is asked about knowledge that he knew and then concealed it, will be bridled on the Day of Resurrection with a harness of fire.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 223).
[60] Onthe authority of Sufyan ؓ, that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab asked Ka‘b ؓ, “Who are the masters of knowledge?” He replied, “Those who act by what they know.” He asked, “So what expels [the blessing and light of] knowledge from the hearts of the people of knowledge?” He replied, “Greed [for this world].” Darimi (Mishkat, Hadith no. 266).
[61] On the authority of Ka‘b b. Malik’s father ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Whoever seeks knowledge to compete with the people of knowledge, or to debate with fools, or to turn people’s faces towards himself [i.e. to seek popularity], Allah will enter him into the Fire.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 225).
[63] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b, Mas‘ud , who said: “Were the people of knowledge to protect knowledge and place it only before those who deserve it, they would be the leaders of the people of their time. However, they spend it for the people of this world in order to gain something of their world, so they become humiliated in the eyes of che latter. I heard your Propher ﷺsay, whoever makes all his concerns into one concern, [by forgetting all concerns except} the concern of his Hereatter, Allah suffices him for his worldly concerns. Whoever is fully occupied by his concerns, with worldly affairs, Allah does not care in which valley of the world he perishes’.” Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 263).
[64] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Seek refuge with Allah from the Well of Grief.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What is the Well of Grief?” He replied, “A valley in Hell, from which Hell itself seeks refuge four hundred times every day.” It was said, “O Messenger of Allah! Who will enter it?” He replied, “Those reciters [people of knowledge] who show off their actions.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah; the latter added: “Amongst the most hated of reciters to Allah the Exalted are those who visit the rulers.” Al-Muharibi [one of the narrators of the Hadith] said, “This-means the tyrannical rulers.” Mishkat, Book of Knowledge, Hadith no. 275.
5.1 THE EFFORT TO RENEW AND REVIVE THE RELIGION (DIN)
[65] On the authority of Aba Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The
Messenget of Allah ﷺsaid, “Islam began as a stranger and will return as it began, so glad-tidings and congratulations to the strangers!” Muslim. In a narration of Tirmidhi, there is the addition: “They are those who reform that which the people corrupt of my Sunnah after me.” Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith nos. 159 and 170.
[67] On the authority of Anas ibn Malik ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “There will come to the people a time when the one remaining steadfast on his religion will be like one holding a burning coal.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5367).
Commentary
Here, “religion” is meant in its broadest sense, i.e. that which applies to every branch of life. This is the same religion with whose rise unbelieving and corrupt powers are shaken. However, if religion is understood as being limited to the rulings on prayer, fasting, circumcision and funerals, then no power of falsehood feels any danger from it.
[68] On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar ؓthat the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Establishing one of the limits [hudud| of Allah is better than forty nights’ rain in the lands of Allah, Mighty and Majestic.” Ibn Majah and Nasa’i (Mishkat, Book of Limits, Hadith nos. 3588-9).
[69] On the authority of Abii Sa‘id al-Khudri ؓthat the Prophet ﷺsaid, “The best Jihad is to speak a word of truth before an oppressive, tyrannical ruler.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Ahmad and Nasa’i (Mishkat, Book of Governance and Judgment, Hadith nos. 3705-6).
[70] On the authority of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri ؓwho said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “Whoever amongst you sees an evil must change it with his hand. If he is not able [to do so], then with his tongue. If he is not able [to do even this], then with his heart, and that is the weakest [level] of faith.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Etiquette, Hadith no. 5137).
Commentary
Evil can only be removed by the hand, i.e. with power, when Allah- fearing leadership is in control. Otherwise, were every person to take the law into his own hands, there would be widespread corruption and anarchy in society, and the structure and fabric of the country would be reduced to ruin,
5.2 A RELIGIOUS SENSE OF HONOUR
[72] On the authority of ‘A’ishah, ؓ, who said: “Never was the Messenger of Allah ﷺgiven a choice between two matters except that he chose the easier one, as long as it was not sinful. If it was sinful, he would be the most distant of men from it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺnever took revenge for himself: only if a sanctity [limit] of Allah was violated, he would take revenge for the sake of Allah, Mighty and Majestic.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of the Excellence and Virtues of the Messenger of Allah, Hadith no. 5817).
[73] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺcame out to us whilst we were arguing about predestination [qadar]. He became so angry that his face reddened as though pomegranate-seeds had been squeezed over his cheeks, saying, ‘Is this what you were commanded to do? Is this what I have been sent with? Those before you were destroyed only when they began arguing about this matter [of predestination]. I urge you, I urge you: do not argue about this!” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith nos. 98-99).
[74] On the authority of Mujahid, from ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar ؓthat the Prophet osaid, “Let no man forbid his wife from attending mosques.” A son of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar said to him, “We certainly ferbid our wives [from attending mosques].” ‘Abdullah replied, “I narrate to you from the Messenger of Allah ﷺand you say this?” and he refused to speak to him until he died. Ahmad (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 108.4).
Commentary
The perfume mentioned here is one that contains saffron and stains the garment yellow, a colour disliked by the Prophet ﷺfor men.
2. Avoiding giving greetings to people of sin is only appropriate when the duty of invitation and preaching has been fulfilled and a pious society has been created on the basis of this message.
[76] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al- ‘As -&, who said, “Do not visit drinkers of wine when they fall ill.” Bukhari’s ALAdab ai-Mufrad, Chapter on Visiting the Rebellious.
[77] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ،ؓwife of the Prophet ﷺ, who learnt that a family living in her house had backgammon pieces. She sent them the message, “If you do not turn these [instruments of gambling] out of the house, I shall turn you out of my house”, and she scolded them severely. Bukhari’s Al-Adab al- Mufrad (Chapter on Expelling People of Falsehood), Malik and Bayhaqi.
[78] On the authority of Aslam, the freed-slave of ‘Umar ؓ, who said: when we came to Syria with ‘Umar b. al-Khattab, a village-elder came to him and said, “O Commander of the Believers! I have prepared some food for you and would like you to come to me along with the noblest people accompanying you, for this will be most supportive of me in my work and most honourable for me.” He replied, “Truly, we are not able to enter these churches of yours containing images and statues.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on The Invitation of a Non-Muslim Subject.
Commentary
[79] On the authority of Ibrahim b. Maysarah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, heaves honours a person of innovation has assisted in the demolition of Islam.” Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 189).
5.3 [HAD IN THE PATH OF ALLAH
[80] On the authority of Abi Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Whoever dies, neither taking part in an expedition [of jihad] nor having the thought of participating in his heart, dies upon a branch of hypocrisy.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of jihad, Hadith no. 3873).
[81] Ontheauthority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Two eyes will not be touched by the Fire: (1) the eye thar wept from the fear of Allah; and (2) the eye that spent the night keeping watch in the path of Allah.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Jihad, Hadith no. 3829).
6.I THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER (SALAT)
[82] On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar ؓ, who said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Whoever has no trustworthiness, has no faith. Whoever has no purity, has no prayer. Whoever has no prayer, has no religion: the position of prayer in the religion is none other than as the position of the head in the body.” A-Ma ‘jam al- Saghir of Tabarani.
[83] On the authority of Abii Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do you see that if there were a river at the door of one of you, and he was to bathe in it five times a day, would there be any dirt left upon him?” They replied, “No dirt would be left upon him.” He said, “That is the example of the five prayers: Allah erases sins by way of them.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 565).
In Malik’s narration, “that is ribat”, is repeated twice. Malik, Muslim and Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Purification, Hadith nos. 282-3).
[85] On the authority of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “When you see a man regularly attending the mosque, bear witness that he has faith, for Allah the Exalted truly says, ‘It only becomes those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish Prayer and pay Zakah [Alms-tax] and fear none but Allah to visit and tend the mosques of Allalh” © Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 723).
[86] On the authority of Buraydah al-Aslami ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Give glad-tidings of brilliant light on the Day of Resurrection to those who regularly walk to the mosques in darkness.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith nos, 721-2).
6.2 ZAKAT (GIVING ALMS)
[87] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “The similitude of the miser and the giver is that of two men wearing iron suits of armour, with their arms pressed against their chests and necks. Whenever the benefactor gives charity, the armour loosens for him. Whenever the miser thinks of giving charity, the armour tightens and each link [of the chain-mail] remains firmly in its place.” Sahih Muslim, Book of Zakat.
[88] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaying, “Whenever zakat wealth mixes with any wealth, it destroys it.” Shafid, Himaydi, Bukhari in his Tarikh and Bayhaqi. (Mishkat, Book of Zakat, Hadith no. 1793).
Commentary
The commentators on this Hadith have given two meanings for the mixing of zakat wealth.
2, If a person takes zakat from people despite being well-off and undeserving of zakat, he makes all his wealth impure by mixing zakat and charity with his lawful earnings.”
6.3 FASTING
[89] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Whoever does not give up speaking falsehood and acting upon it, Allah has no need of his [fasting and] giving up his food and drink.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Book of Fasting, Hadith no. 1999).
6.4 HAJJ (PILGRIMAGE)
[90] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever visits this House [of Allah] and does not become involved in obscenity and sinfulness, he returns [purified and clean] as the day his mother gave birth to him.” Sahih Muslim, Book of Hajj.
6.5 THE IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTARY WORSHIP
37. This explanation of the hadith is giver. by Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal, as quoted in Mishkat. - Trans. Note
38. This means that the reward of fasting is removed, but not its obligation. - Trans. Note
[91] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Aliah ﷺ said, “Truly, the first matter for which a servant [of Allah] will be taken to account on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayers. If these are sound, he will have succeeded; if they are corrupt, he will have failed and lost. If chere is any shortcoming in his obligatory duties, the Lord, Blessed and Exalted, says, ‘See: does my servant have any voluntary deeds by which the shortcoming in his obligatory duties may be rectified?’ Next, all his deeds will be assessed in this manner.” In one narration, “Next, the zakat will be assessed similarly; then, all the deeds will be taken [account of] in this way.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Nasai, Tirmidhi and Hakim (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith nos. 1330-1).
[93] On the authority of Mu‘ adh b. Jabal ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Any Muslim who goes to sleep remembering Allah in a state of purity, then awakes at night and asks Allah for goodness and blessing, Allah answers [his supplication] and grants it to him.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 1215).
6.6 REMEMBRANCE AND RECITATION
[94] On the authority of Abi Sa‘id ؓ, who said: A man came to the Prophet ﷺand said, “O Messenger of Allah! Advise me.” He replied, “Make the taqwa [fear, consciousness] of Allah binding upon yourself, for it gathers every goodness. Make Jihad binding upon yourself, for it is the monasticism of the Muslims. Make the remembrance of Allah and the recitation of His Book binding upon yourself, for it is a light for you on the earth and a remembrance of you in the heavens. Withhold your tongue from everything except goodness, for then you will surely overcome Satan.” Al-Mu ‘jam al-Saghir of Tabarani and Musnad of Aba Ya‘la.
[95] Onthe authority of Ibn ‘Umar ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Truly, these hearts rust the way iron rusts when touched by water.” It was asked, “O Messenger of Allah! How can they be polished?” He replied, “By plentiful remembrance of death and recitation of the Qur’an.” Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Book of the Virtues of the Qur'an, Hadith no. 2168).
[96] On the authority of Jundub b. ‘Abdullah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ: said, “Recite the Qur’an as long as your hearts are drawn towards it. When you feel drawn away from it, then [stop reciting and] get up.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of the Virtues of the Qur’an, Hadith no. 2190).
Commentary
The Majestic Qur’an should be recited in a state of joy and enthusiasm. If one feels burdened by it, it is not appropriate to force oneself to recite the Qur’an.
6.7 ABUNDANT REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH swt
[98] On the authority of Aba Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Whoever sits somewhere without remembering Allah, will be punished by Allah. Whoever lies down somewhere without remembering Allah, will be punished by Allah.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Supplications, Hadith no. 2272).
6.8 SUPPLICATION AND ITS ETIQUETTE
[99] On the authority of Abu Huraiah ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “The servant’s supplications continue to be answered as long as he does not ask for something sinful or for the severing of family relations, and as long as he is not hasty.” He was asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What is meant by haste [here]?” He replied, “The person says, ‘I have supplicated, I have supplicated, but my supplication has not been answered,’ and he becomes weary and ceases supplicating.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Supplications, Hadith no. 2227).
[100] On the authority of Abu’l-Zubayr ؓ, who said that he heard ‘Abdullah b. al-Zubayr saying, whilst preaching from the pulpit: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had invoked the greeting of peace at the end of his prayers, he would say at the top of his voice, “There is no god except Allah, alone. He has no partner. To Him belongs the Kingdom, and to Him belongs all Praise. He is Powerful over all things. There is neither movement nor power except by Allah. There is no god except Allah, and we worship no-one but Him. To Him belongs all Grace, to Him belongs all Bounty, and to Him belongs all Beautiful Praise. There is no god except Allah, making the religion sincere for Him, even if the unbelievers detest this.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 963).
[101] On the authority of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari ؓ, who said: when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had eaten or drunk something, he would say, “Praise be to Allah, Who enabled us to eat and drink, made the meal agreeable and provided a way out for it [ie. for bodily waste].” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Foodstuffs, Hadith ro. 4207).
[39 i.e. by saying Allabu akbar (“Allah is the Greatest”).]
journey of ours: goodness and God-consciousness, and those deeds with which You are pleased. O Allah! Make this journey of ours easy for us, and fold up its distance for us. O Allah! You are our Companion during the journey, and our Trustee over our households. O Allah! Truly, I seek refuge with You from the hardship of travelling, from seeing sorrowful sights and from returning to find misfortune affecting wealth and family.” When he began the return journey, he would also say these words and add, “[We are] returning, repentant, devoted: for our Lord, full of praise.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Supplications, Hadith no. 2420).
[103] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say, “O Allah! Rectify my religion for me, for it is my protection. Rectify my worldly matters for me, for my livelihood is there. Rectify my Hereafter for me, for it is my destination. Increase life for me in every goodness, and make death an escape for me from every evil.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Supplications, Hadith no. 2483).
[104] On the authority of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri ؓ, who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺentered the mosque one day and found a man from the Ansar there called Abu Umamah. He asked him, “O Aba Umamah! Why do I see you sitting in the mosque outside the times of prayer?” The man replied, “Worries and debts have taken hold of me, O Messenger of Allah!” He replied, “Should I not then teach you some words which, if you say them, Allah will remove your worries and enable you to repay your debts?” He said, “Of course.” He said, “Every morning and every evening, say: O Allah! Truly, I seek refuge with You from worry and grief. I seek refuge with You from incapacity and laziness. I seek refuge with You from cowardice and miserliness. I seek refuge with You from being overcome by debt and overpowered by men.” He said, “So I did that: Allah removed my worries and enabled the repayment of my debts.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Supplications, Hadith no. 2448).
[106] On the authority of Abu Malik al-Ash‘ari ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “When a man enters his house he should say, ‘O Allah! I ask of You goodness when entering and goodness when leaving. With the Name of Allah, we enter, with the Name of Allah we exit, and upon Allah, our Lord, we rely’ He should then greet his family.” AbU DawUd (Mishkat, Book of Supplications, Hadith no. 24.44).
[107] On the authority of Umm Ma‘bad ؓ,who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaying, “O Allah! Purify my heart from hypocrisy, my deeds from ostentation, my tongue from lying and my eye from treachery; for truly, You know the treachery of the eyes and what the hearts conceal.” Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Book of Supplications, Hadith no. 2501).
7.1 THE IMPORTANCE OF MORALITY IN ISLAM
[108] On the auchority of Malik , whom it reached that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I was [only] sent to complete the noblest ethics.” Malik and Ahmad, who transmitted it on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (Mishkat, Book of Etiquette, Hadith nos. 5096-7).
Commentary
By makarim al-akhlaq (the noblest ethics) is meant the best concepts, principles and qualities of morality, upon which a pure human life and a righteous human society may be based. By completion of the makarim al-akblaq is meant that previous prophets علیھم السلام and their righteous followers upheld various aspects of various morality through their teachings amongst different nations and lands at different times. Further, they continued to present outstanding manifestations of this morality in their practical lives. However, no all-embracing personality appeared during that time to explain completely the correct principles of morality related to all aspects of human life. Further, no such person had manifested these principles in his own life on the one hand, and built and maintained a society and system of government based on these principles on the other hand. This task remained outstanding, and it was precisely to fulfil it that the Prophet ﷺwas sent.
7-2 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH AND MORALITY
[t09] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “The most complete of the believers in faith are those with the best character [and morals].” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Darimi (Mishkat, Book of Etiquette, Hadith no. 5101; Book of Marriage, Hadith no. 3264).
Commentary
In this narration, good morals and character have been made the measure of faith.
[110] On the authority of Aba Umamah ؓ: that a man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, “What is faith?” He replied, “When your good deeds please you and your evil deeds grieve you, then you are a person of faith.” The man asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Then what is sin?” He replied, “When something causes uncertainty in your heart, leave it.” Ahmad (Mishkat, Book of Faith, Hadith no. 45).
Commentary
This criterion of good and evil can only be considered when one’s conscience is alive and the original natural state (fitrah) has not been disfigured by the negative effects of one’s environment and evil deeds.
8.1 PIETY
[111] On the authority of ‘Atiyyah al-Sa‘di ؓ, one of the Companions of the Prophet, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “A person does not reach the stage of being amongst the pious unless he leaves that which [apparently] has no sin, being wary of falling into that which is sinful.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Transactions, Hadith no. 2775)-
Commentary
[112] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “O ‘A’ishah! Beware of trivial sins, for truly there will be accountability before Allah regarding them.” Ibn Majah, Darimi and Bayhaqi (Misbkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5356).
Commentary
Just as major sins endanger the salvation of a Muslim, minor sins are no less dangerous. A minor sin apparently seems small, but if it is committed over and over again, the heart becomes rusty and the hatred of major sins vanishes. Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim has written, “Do not look at how small the sin is. Bear in mind the Greatness of the Lord Who is being disobeyed.” If the Majesty of the Master of the Day of Judgment and the terrors of His punishment were always kept in mind, a person would not dare to incline towards the smallest of sins.
8.2 PURITY OF METHODS AND MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD
[113] On the authority of Ibn Mas‘ud ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “No soul dies until it acquires all its livelihood [decreed by Allah]. Therefore, fear Allah and seek livelihood beautifully [i-e. lawfully]. Do not let a delay in acquiring livelihood prompt you to seek it through disobeying Allah, for what is with
Him can only be acquired through obeying Him.” Baghawi and Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5300).
Commentary
This narration unveils some basic realities of the religion:
1. If a person experiences failure or delay in earning a livelihood, he should not despair. The livelihood that Allah has decreed for him will reach him all the same, sooner or later.
2. A person may disobey Allah and apparently be content and comfortable. However, this is actually a respite from Allah, after which the Divine Punishment lashes him. The real happiness and tranquillity is that gained by obeying Allah.
does not remove the impure.” Ahmad and Baghawi (Mishkat, Book of Transactions, Hadith no. 2771).
8.3. THE SEAT OF PIETY
[115] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Do not envy one another. Do not inflate prices over each other. Do not hate each other. Do not turn your backs on each other. Do not undercut one another in business transactions. Be servants of Allah, as brothers. The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim. He should not oppress him. He should not disgrace him [by leaving him helpless]. He should not regard him with contempt. Piety is here” - and he pointed to his chest, repeating the last sentence three times. “it is enough evil for a person to regard his brother Muslim with contempt. Every Muslim is totally inviolable for all Muslims: his blood, his wealth, his dignity.” Muslim (Misheat, Book of Etiquette, Hadith no. 4959).
Commentary
In this Hadith, several matters have been indicated:
1. It is a requirement of Islamic brotherhood that a Muslim must neither oppress another Muslim nor hand him over to oppressors. He must not regard anyone else with contempt due to his own superiority in wealth, family, physique or knowledge.
The real seat of taqwa (piety) is the heart. If the seed of taqwa takes root in the heart, a person’s exterior will remain evergreen and fresh with the sprouting of righteous actions. However, if there is not even a trace of taqwa in the heart, then external pious forms and actions will neither improve a person’s character nor save him in the Hereafter.
3, In a Muslim society, to violate any Muslim’s life, wealth or dignity is an extremely despicable act. The punishment for this is severe in this world, and the perpetrator cannot easily escape Allah’s punishment in the Hereafter.
Commentary
If a matter is doubtful on the basis of direct and circumstantial evidence and there is no obvious indication of lawfulness or prohibition, then instead of becoming involved in uncertainty and doubt, such a course of action should be taken that is based on certainty or at least on a strong likelihood. However, this does not mean that one becomes unnecessarily involved in speculation, creating doubts and misconceptions.
[117] On the authority of Asma’ bint Yazid ؓ that she heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “Shall I not inform you of the best among you?” They replied, “Of course, O Messenger of Allah!” He said, “The best of you are those who, when they are
seen, Allah the Mighty and Majestic is remembered.” Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Book of Etiquette, Hadith nos. 4871-2, 5023).
Commentary
When the joy of taqwa appears in the heart, its effects become manifest externally, the insight and intelligence of a believer become so perceptive that no matter what, he remains a person of Truth whose fear of Allah affects all that is around him.
8.5 EXTREMISM IN PIETY
[118] On the authority of Abu Huryrah ؓ, who said: The Prophet ﷺsaid, “When one of you visits his Muslim brother, he should eat from his food and not enquire about it, and drink from his drink and not enquire about it.” Transmitted by Ahmad, Bayhaqi, and Mishkat, Book of Marriage, Hadith no. 3228.
Commentary
[119] On the authority of Anas b. Malik ؓ, who said that a man asked, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Shall I tie my camel and crust [in Allah] or release it and trust [in Him]?” He replied, “Tie it and trust in Allah].” Transmitted by Tirmidhi.
[120] On the authority of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab ؓ, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “Were you to place your trust [totally] in Allah as it should be placed, He would give you sustenance the way He sustains the birds: they go out in the morning hungry and return in the evening with bellies full.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5299).
40. This commentary endorses Imam Bayhaqi’s own explanation of this Hadith. - Trans. Note
Commentary
By this comparison with the birds, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has unveiled the reality that tawakkul (trust in God) is not that a person sits at home with his hands and feet inactive: rather, tawakkul is to employ God-given methods and means whilst entrusting the results to Allah.
[121] On the authority of ‘Awf b, Malik ؓ that the Prophet passed judgment between two men. The one against whom the verdict went said, “Allah is sufficient for me and what an excellent Guardian He is!”, as he turned to go. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Lacking aspiration is blameworthy before Allah. Have ambition and determination, but if a matter overpowers you, then say, ‘Allah is sufficient for me and what an excellent Guardian He is!” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Governance and Judgment, Hadith no. 3784).
8.7 A MODEL OF TRUST IN GOD
[122] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ who said: “Enough for us is Allah, an excellent Protector!” was said by Ibrahim when he was thrown into the fire, and by Muhammad ﷺwhen they said, “Behold, a host has gathered around you and you should fear them.” But it only increased them in faith, and they said: “Allah
is sufficient for us; and what an excellent Guardian He is?” [Qur’an, Al ‘Imran, 3: 173| Bukhari.
[123] On the authority of Aba Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “One who eats gratefully is at the same level as one who fasts patiently.” Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Datimi (Mishkat, Book of Foodstuffs, Hadith nos. 4205-6).
Commentary
This means that the one who shows patience and fasts optionally and the one who shows gratitude and eats of God-given lawful earnings during the day are equal in rank before Allah. The Hadith gives some idea of the exalted status of gratitude before Allah.
(124] On the auchority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Look at those below you [in wealth, power and reputation] and do not look at those above you [in these respects], for that will lead you to not belittle Allah’s favours upon you.”
In one narration, “If one of you looks at someone who has been favoured over him in wealth and power, then he should look at someone who is below him [in these respects].” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5242).
8.9 SABR (PATIENCE, PERSEVERANCE, STEADFASTNESS)
[125] On the authority of Suhayb ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Wonderful is the situation of the believer: all his matters are good for him, and this is only for the believer. If good fortune befalls him, he shows gratitude, so that is good for him. lf misfortune afflicts him, he has patience, and that is also good for him.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith NO. 5297).
Commentary
In other words, he gains goodness in every situation.
8.10 PATIENCE IN DIFFICULTY
8.11 PATIENCE IN OBEYING ALLAH ﷻ
[127] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “The Garden is surrounded by hardships [i.e. chose things disliked by the self], while the Fire is surrounded by lusts [i.e. those things desired by the self].” Muslim
(Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5160).
Commentary
This means that a Muslim cannot deserve the Garden without sacrificing his or her desires and comfort. Similarly, the doors of the Fire are wide upon for those who become worshippers of the self without discriminating between the lawful and the prohibited. 8.12 PATIENCE IN ONE’S PRINCIPLES: A PRINCIPLED LIFE [128] On the authority of Hudhayfah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “[O people!] Do not be unprincipled, saying, ‘If the people behave well we also will treat them well, but if they behave badly, we will also be unjust.’ Rather, train yourselves: if people behave well, we also treat them well; if they behave badly, do not be unjust.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Etiquette, Hadith no. 5129).
Commentary
This means that we should always choose the path of justice and kindness, no matter what path society follows.
41. In the narration of Bukhari there occurs, “veiled” (hujibat) instead of “surrounded” (huffat). Hence, the Garden and Fire are respectively veiled from us by hardships and lusts. - Trans. Note
8.13 STEADFASTNESS IN FACING THE ENEMY
Commentary
It is known from this Hadith that it is not approved to wish to meet the enemy in combat and to boast about chivalry. However, if the enemy is stubborn then they should be fought with all one’s might.
8.14 PATIENCE IN POVERTY AND DESTITUTION
[130] On the authority of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri ؓthat some people of the Ansar presented their needy situation to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so he gave them wealth to fulfil their need.
They then asked him again and he fulfilled their need, until all that he had was exhausted. When he had given them everything, he said, “Any wealth there is, I will not hoard it [and keep it] away from you. Whoever seeks contentment, Allah makes him content. Whoever seeks independence, Allah entiches him. Whoever seeks patience, Allah grants him steadfastness. Of all the qualities that a person is given in his character, no one has been given a quality better and broader {in terms of results and fruits] than patience.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Zakat, Hadith no. 1844).
8.15 DISCIPLINE AGAINST THE DESIRE FOR REVENGE
[131] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ, who said: ‘Uyaynah b. Hisn b. Hudhayfah b. Badr came to ‘Umar b. al-Khattab and said, “Hey, son of al-Khattab! By Allah, you neither give to us with generosity nor judge between us with justice.” ‘Umar became so angry that he was about to jump upon him, when Hurr [‘Uyaynah’s nephew] said, “O Commander of the Believers! Truly, Allah has said to His Propher, ‘Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and avoid the ignorant and truly, this man is amongst the ignorant.” By Allah, “Umar did not go any further when he recited this verse to him. ‘Umar would always stop at the Book of Allah {i.e. at Allah’s Command]. Bukhari and Riyad al-Salihin.
Commentary
This incident happened when some polytheists deceived some Companions from Madinah and captured them, bringing them to Makkah where they were imprisoned in various houses. Later, they were hanged.
Even though Khubayb knew for certain that the polytheists would kill him after a while, he did not think of allowing himself to be overcome by the desire for revenge and to kill the child. Had he done so, this would have certainly been against the Shari‘ah. It is transmitted in a hadith that the Messenger of Allah ﷺhas said, “Do not kill women and children.” Khubayb ؓhas set the most excellent example of character for all Muslim prisoners and captives until the Day of Judgment.
9.1 SELF-CONTROL
[133] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “The strong man is not the one who wrestles another to the ground: the strong man is the one who controls himself when angry.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Etiquette, Hadith no. 510 5
[134] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ that a man said to the Prophet ﷺ, “Advise me.” He replied, “Do not become angry.” The man repeated this question several times, each time receiving the answer, “Do not become angry.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Book of Etiquette, Hadith no, 5104).
Commentary
The Prophet ﷺ would point out that weakness by which the person was most afflicted. It seems that this person was extremely prone to being overcome by anger, so he ﷺ impressed upon him repeatedly to avoid this weakness.
Commentary
By “character of faith” is meant that these three matters are among the fundamental requirements of faith; without them, the essential substance of faith itself no longer remains.
9.2 FORGIVENESS AND FORBEARANCE
[136] Onthe authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺnever took revenge for himself about anything at all. It was only if one of the sanctities of Allah [sacred symbols or limits set by Allah] were violated, that he would take revenge for the sake of Allah.” Bukhari and Muslim (Riyad al-Salihin).
9.3 MAGNANIMITY
[137] On the authority of Abu’l-Ahwas al-Jushami from his father ؓ, who said: I asked, “O Messenger of Allah! If I visit a man who does not show me hospitality or treat me appropriately as his guest, and then he later visits me: should I show him hospitality or recompense him |i.e. treat him as he treated me, inhospitably and stingily]?” He answered, “Nay, show him hospitality.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Food, Hadith no. 42.48).
9.4 HAYA’ (MODESTY, SHAME, SHYNESS)
[138] On the authority of Ibn “Umar ؓ, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by a man from the Ansar who was admonishing [ie. scolding] his brother about his shyness. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Leave him, for shyness is part of faith.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Etiquette, Hadith no. 5070).
[339] On the authority of Anas ؓ, who said: When the Prophet ﷺ intended to answer the call of nature, he would not raise his garment until he was [crouched down] near the ground. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi (Mishkat, Book of Purification, Hadith no. 346).
9.5 DIGNITY AND SOLEMNITY
{141] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “When you hear the iqamah [the call immediately before prayer], then walk to the prayer [i.e. to the mosque] with tranquilliry and dignity: do not rush.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 686).
9.6 KEEPING SECRETS
[142] On the authority of Mu‘adh b. Jabal ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “Help yourselves to fulfil your needs successfully by concealing your secrets, for every possessor of grace is envied [i.e. he becomes the target of jealousy and envy].” Al-Mu ‘jam al-Saghir of Tabarani (Sahih al-Jami ‘al-Saghir, Hadith no. 943).
Commeniary
A person should not be so naive as to tell people all about his intentions before the appropriate time, otherwise he will not be safe from the poisonous effects of the envious and their plots.
[143] On the authority of ‘Amr b. al- ‘As, who said, “I am amazed at the man who flees from his destiny when he will surely meet it [one day], who sees the speck in his brother's eye but forgets the log in his own eye, and who wishes to remove rancour from his brother’s heart but leaves the rancour [and hatred towards others] in his own heart. I have never entrusted my secret to another person and then condemned him for spreading it: how can I blame him when I was bursting with it myself?” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Revealing Secrets (Sahih al- Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith no. 681).
9.7 HUMILITY
[145] On che authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr ؓ, who said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was never at all seen eating whilst reclining, and he was never seen with two people walking behind him.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Food, Hadith no. 4212).
Commentary
The Prophet ﷺ had such humility and self-effacement that he never ate whilst resting against a pillow, and it was not his way to walk ahead of people with them following behind. He did not even approve of walking ahead of two people: even this was regarded as pomposity. Both of these matters are regarded as characteristics of those who seek fame and reputation and are arrogant.
9.8 HUMILITY AND SELF-EFFACEMENT
[146] On the authority of Umm Salamah ؓ, who said: The Prophet ﷺ saw a servant of ours called Aflah blowing [on the ground to clean it] when prostrating, so he said, “O Aflah! Rub your face in the dust!” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Prayer, Hadith no. 1002).
[147] On the authority of Sa‘d ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allab ﷺsaid, “Truly, Allah loves the pious, rich [or content], obscure servant.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5284).
Commentary
By “rich” in this Hadith can be meant self-sufficiency and contentment, or affluence can also be intended. If affluence and richness is accompanied by taqwa, then this is also a great favour from Allah, especially when the person is not hungry for fame and reputation. The latter quality is what is meant by “obscure.”
9.10 CONTENTMENT
[148] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “He has truly succeeded: the one who embraces Islam, is given sufficient livelihood to meet his needs and Allah makes him contented with what He has bestowed upon him.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Heart-Softening Matters, Hadith no. 5165).
Commentary
The permission is given to beg from the righteous in a situation of necessity because such people will neither want recompense for themselves nor remind the beggar of their kindness, thus damaging his self-respect.
[150] On the authority of Anas b. Malik ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Begging is not lawful, except for three types of people: (1) one in desperate poverty, (2) one facing overwhelming debt, or (3) one responsible for painful blood-money.” Abi Dawad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Zakat, Hadith nos. 1850-1).
Commentary
One of the Ansar came begging to the Prophet ؓ. He asked, “Do you have any possessions in your house?” He replied, “We have a blanket: we use part of it to spread on the floor and part of it to cover ourselves, and we have a bowl in which we drink water.” The Prophet ﷺcalled for the two items and sold them for two dirhams, which he gave to the man, saying, “Buy food with one dirham and an axe with the other. Then come to me.” When he did so, the Prophet ﷺ fitted a piece of wood to the axe with his own blessed hand and said, “Go to the wilderness and chop firewood. Do not return to me in less than fifteen days.” The Ansari began chopping firewood and selling it, and when he returned to the Prophet ﷺafter fifteen days he had a pouch of ten dirhams, with which he bought food and clothing. The Prophet ﷺ said, “This [working for a living] is better for you than [the humiliation of] begging appearing on your face on the Day of Resurrection in the form of specks and blotches.”
[151] On the authority of Umm Salamah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “(1) Never did wealth decrease because of charity. (2) Never did a man forgive an injustice, except that Allah increased him in honour by it, so forgive - Allah will honour you! (3) Never did a man open the door to begging for himself, except that Allah opene! upon him the door of poverty.” Al-Ma ‘jam al-Saghir of Tabarani. A similar Hadith is transmitted by Muslim, Ahmad and Tirmidhi on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (Sahih al- Jami‘ al-Saghir, Hadith no. 5809).
In this Hadith, attention has been drawn to three issues of morality:
1. Wealth does not decrease because of zakat or charity: rather, the Qur’an explicitly states that in fact wealth increases in this way.
“As for the zakat, that you give, seeking with it Allah’s good pleasure, that is multiplied manifold.” (Surah al-Rum, 30: 39)
Through charity and zakat, a person’s wealth apparently decreases. However, the reality is that in this way the communal capital of society increases. Simultaneously, the giver of zakat is purified from undesirable qualities such as greed, miserliness and selfishness.
2. Usually, not taking revenge upon one’s enemy is regarded as humiliation and cowardice. However, this Hadith reaches that by forgiving oppression and injustice, a person increases in honour and achieves leadership in character and acceptance amongst people. 3. Begging apparently increases a person’s wealth. However, he loses self-independence and dignity, and is degraded in the eyes of the people.
9.11 SIMPLICITY IN LIFESTYLE
[152] Ontheauthority of ‘Abdullah b. Mas‘ud ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do not collect much possessions or property, lest you become desirous of the world.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Softening the Hearts, Hadith no. 5178).
Commentary
From another narration, it is known that it is not a sin to acquire land and build houses within lawful limits. The matter that is forbidden here is that which leads to a person’s attitude becoming confined to material progress and neglecting the real purpose of life.
[153] On the authority of ‘Abdullah al-Rumi ؓ who said: I visited Umm Talq and said to her, “How low the roof of your house is!” She replied, “O my son! The Commander of the Believers, ‘Umar b. al-Khattab, wrote to his governors, ‘Do not build your buildings up high, for that is [a sign] of the worst of times.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith no. 452.
Commentary
By “simplicity” is meant a lifestyle that is not polluted by contrived behaviour and artificial appearances. Islam does not prohibit neat appearances and presentability, but these considerations exceed the bounds, if a person wastes his wealth in extravagance, futile spending, pomposity and show. Based on this, Islam teaches a path in between the extremes of extravagant, luxurious living
and monastic renunciation of the world. This is what is denoted by the term “simplicity” in this narration.
[155] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “He is free from pride and arrogance: the one whose servant eats with him, who rides a donkey in the marketplaces, and who keeps an ewe and milks it himself.” Bukhari’s A-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Pride, Hadith no. 550.
[156] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ that she was asked, “What did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ use to do in his house?” She replied, “He was a human being like anyone else: he would remove insects from his clothes, milk his ewe, and do his own chores.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on What a Man Does at Home, Hadith no. 541. It is also transmitted by Ahmad and Tirmidhi in his Shama’il.
[157] On the authority of Mu‘adh b. Jabal ؓ, that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent him to Yemen, he said, “Beware of luxurious living, for the servants of Allah do not live in luxury.” Ahmad (Mishkat, Book of the Virtue of the Poor, Hadith no. 5262).
Commentary
However, excessiveness in beautification borders on luxuriant living whilst neglecting beautification leads to monastic life. All that remains is the specification of the limits of excessiveness and neglect: the Shari‘ah leaves this to the live and perceptive conscience of a believer. The instruction, “Consult your heart for a verdict”, is applicable to this kind of situation.
[158] On the authority of ‘Amr b. Shu‘ayb from his father from his grandfather ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Eat, drink, give in charity and wear garments - as long as neither extravagance nor pride is involved.” Ahmad, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Dress, Hadith no, 4381).
9.12 MODERATION
[159] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. Sarjis al-Muzani ؓ, that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Beautiful conduct [i.e. righteous behaviour], gentleness and moderation constitute one of twenty-four parts of Prophethood.” Tirmidhi, Haditi no. 2010 (Mishkat, Hadith no. 5059).
43. This instruction is part of an authentic Hadith transmitted by Imam Nawawi in his famous collection of forty Ahadith. - Trans. Note
Commentary
This means that:
1. These qualities are prominent in the lives of the noble prophets. As far as a person adopts these qualities, to that extent he is following the way of the prophets.
2, Moderation means that a person should adopt a balanced way in all matters of life, rather than excessiveness of shortcomings, examples of which are extravagance and miserliness, respectively, between them, a path of generosity should be followed. The Shari‘ah gives importance to moderation in all areas of life.
[160] On the authority of ‘Ammar #s, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “Truly, the lengthy nature of a man’s prayer and the brevity of his sermon are a sign of his wisdom.
9.13 CONSTANCY
[161] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Truly, the most beloved [aspects] of religion to Allah are the acts that a person does regularly [even if they
are few].” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Moderation in Works, Hadith no. 12.42).
Commentary
If even a small number of good actions is done regularly and constantly, the end results are much better than those of sudden energetic activity carried out in a fit of passion followed by a long period of inaction.
[162] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amar b. al- ‘As ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ advised me, “O ‘Abdullah! Do not be like so-and-so, who used to stand in prayer at night but later abandoned the practice.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Encouraging Prayer at Night, Hadith no. 1234).
Commentary
Constancy and consistency are a must in compulsory and mandatory duties, but are also important in voluntary works.
[163] On the authority of Nafi’ from ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaying, “When Allah provides a means of sustenance for one of you, he should not abandon it unless it changes [with harmful consequences] or becomes [morally] repulsive to him.” Ahmad (Mishkat, Chapter on Earning, Hadith no. 2785) and Ibn Majah (no. 2148).
Commentary
[164] On the authority of Jabir ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Completing good works is better than beginning them.” Tabarani’s Al-Mu ‘jam al-Saghir.
Commentary
This means that if one shows goodness and kindness to someone, they should see this act through to completion, otherwise half-finished kind actions are not regarded as being from good character; rather, these usually lead to negative complaints and the good that has been done is also often forgotten.
9.14 GENEROSITY
[165] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. al-Zubayr ؓ, who said, “I have not seen two women more generous than ‘A’ishah and Asma’44. Their generosity was of different kinds: ‘A’ishah would save wealth until it reached a sizeable amount, when she would distribute it [amongst the needy]; Asma’ would not keep anything for the following day [i.e. she would distribute it immediately].” Bukhari’s ALAdab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Generous- Heartedness, Hadith no. 280.
[44. ‘Abdullah b. al-Zubayr was the son of Asma’, sister of ‘A’ishah, both of whom were daughters of Abu Bakr ؓ, the first caliph of Islam.]
9.15 HONESTY AND TRUSTWORTHINESS
[166] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr ؓ, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “There are four qualities such that, if you have them, it will not harm you to be deprived of anything in the world: (1) safeguarding trusts, (2) truthfulness in speech, (3) good character and (4) purity of livelihood.” Ahmad (Mishkat, Book of Softening the Hearts, Hadith no. 5222 and Sahih al-Jami, Hadith no. 873).
[167] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “If someone entrusts you with something, safeguard the trust. Do not betray the one who betrays you.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi (Mishkat, Book of Partnership, Hadith no. 2934).
10.1 NARCISSISM (SELF-ADMIRATION)
[168] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “There are three qualities that earn salvation, and three that cause destruction. Those that earn salvation are taqwa of Allah, in private and in public, speaking the truth in happiness and anger [i.e. in every situation], and moderation in poverty and affluence [i.e. in every situation]. Those that because destruction is desire that enslaves the person following it, greed that is obeyed, and a person’s self-admiration, [the third] being the most dangerous of the three.” Bayhaqi’s Branches of Faith (Mishkat, Hadith no. 5122).
Commentary
A person’s becoming proud about his knowledge, wealth, physical prowess or even his renunciation of the world and piety, is a moral disease. If one becomes afflicted by it, he becomes infected by self-deception, neither admitting his mistakes nor having a desire to seek the truth.
10.2 PREVENTING SELF-ADMIRATION
[169] On the authority of al-Miqdad ؓ, who said: The
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When you see those who flatter others, throw sand in their faces.” Muslim (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4826).
Commentary
This means that one should prevent them from attaining their objective of flattery and excessive praise.
10.3 AVOIDING SELF-ADMIRATION
[170] On the authority of ‘Adi b. Artah ؓ, who said: When a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ was praised, he would say, “O Allah! Punish me not for what they say; forgive me what they know not!”4 Bukhari’s ALAdab al-Mufrad, Chapter on What Should a Man Say If He is Praised, Hadith no. 76r.
Usually, a person’s listening to flattery of himself leads to his being afflicted with self-deception and self-admiration. This is why in such a situation; the noble Companions would turn in supplication to Allah in order to be saved from this evil. On the one hand, they would ask not to be punished for the flattery; on the other hand, dreading that their ego may be inflated by listening to praise, they would ask Allah’s forgiveness, bringing to mind their own defects and weaknesses.
45. Another tradition of Muslim provides some interesting context about the transmission of this teaching. On the authority of Ab: Ma‘mar, who said: A man stood up and praised one of the governors, upon which al-Miqdad began throwing dust at him, and said, “The Messenger of Allah #8 ordered us to throw sand in the faces of those who indulge in flatrery.” - Trans. Note
46. Bayhagi’s transmission of this prayer in his Branches of Faith adds the sentence, “Make me better than what they think about me.” (Saith al-Adab al- Mufrad, Hadith no. 585/761) - Trans. Note
[171] On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever wears a garment of fame in this world, Allah will make him wear a garment of humiliation on the Day of Resurrection.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Dress, Hadith no. 4346).
Commentary
A “garment of fame and show” is of two types:
1. That people of authority and wealth wear colourful and dazzling costumes so that their air of prestige and authority is emphasised in the minds of the general public.
2. Religious figures, monks and renouncers of the world wear dervish-costumes in order to convey a sense of holy sanctity and pure spirituality.
In an Islamic society, there is neither a specific form of dress for the rich and powerful, nor is there any religious elite that can show its spiritual holiness through a particular style of clothing.
10.5 ARROGANCE
Commentary
If a person chooses beautiful clothing and a standard of living in accordance with his means and status and within lawful limits, he cannot be accused of pride and arrogance. Pride and arrogance is to be so obsessed with worldly delights and pleasures that a person neither fulfils the rights of Allah nor cares abour the rights of His servants.
10.6 SELF-ABASEMENT
[173] On the ‘authority of Aba’l-Ahwas from his father ؓ, who said: I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, wearing simple clothing. He asked me, “Do you have wealth?” I replied, “Yes.” He asked, “What kind of wealth?” I replied, “Every kind of wealth. Allah has bestowed upon me camels, cattle, sheep, horses and slaves.” He said, “If He has bestowed wealth upon you, the traces of Allah’s Bounty and Favour should be visible upon you.” Ahmad and Nasa’i (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4352).
Commentary
This Hadith forbids self-abasement or a lowly mentality that can lead to ingratitude towards the Divine favours. However, the manifestation of such favours should not be pursued to such an extreme that becomes pride and show, extravagance and the wasting of wealth.
10.7 TIGHT-FISTEDNESS
[174] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “One who takes his gift back is like the dog who licks up his [own] vomit. There is no worse example than that!” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter on Gifts, Hadith no. 3018).
10.8 SELFISHNESS
Commentary
If a man intends to marry a second wife, the second wife-to-be should not ask him to divorce his first wife before marrying her, in order for her to receive, in place of the first wife, whatever the latter was receiving.
10.9 MISERLINESS AND NARROW-MINDEDNESS
[176] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ, who said: The
Prophet ﷺ said, “The believer is not the one who eats his fill while his next-door neighbour goes hungry.” Bayhaqi’s Branches of Faith and Bukhari's AL-Adab al-Mufrad (Mishkai, Hadith no. 4991).
10.10 DISHONOURABLE AND MEAN BEHAVIOUR
[177] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever is invited [to a meal] and does not accept, has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger. Whoever attends without invitation enters as a thief and leaves as a bandit.” Abu Dawud (Hadith no. 3741; Mishkat, Hadith no. 3222)
Commentary
In order to maintain and develop the brotherly relations of Islam, it is necessary that people should exchange presents and gifts and be concerned about inviting and hosting others. A person who does not accept the invitation of his Muslim brother is actually severing these ties of brotherhood that Islam wishes to maintain.
Attending a meal without being invited is a sign of meanness and a dishonourable nature. However, if the host is very welcoming and informal, then there is no harm in such a visit. Similarly, if a person does not accept the invitation of his Muslim brother due to a legally-valid excuse, he does not fall under the threat explained in this Hadith.
10.11 GREED
Commentary
Islam teaches moderation in this matter. One should neither reject totally the pleasures and delights of the world like monks, nor be so consumed by them that the original purpose of life is wasted. In this narration, the abundance of wealth has been declared as being more dangerous than the situation of poverty and need. The undesirable effects of poverty and need are relatively limited: they do not lead to a wicked and corrupt system, caused by an abundance of wealth, that uproots and discards all principles of character and morality.
10.12 ARTIFICIALITY AND UNNATURAL BEHAVIOUR
[179] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ, who said: The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah has cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter on Combing the Hair, Hadith no. 4429).
Commentary
Here, imitation of the other sex is not being forbidden in specific or general matters; rather, the meaning is that men and women should not allow their appearances to deteriorate to such an extent that it becomes difficult to distinguish between them outwardly.
10.13 ARTIFICIALITY AND AFFECTATION IN CONVERSATION
[180] On the authority of Abu Tha‘labah al-Khushani ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Truly, the most beloved and nearest of you to me on the Day of Resurrection will be the best among you in character. Truly, the most hateful to me and furthest from me will be the worst among you in character, whose tongues move like scissors, who puff up their mouths in contrived speech, and are arrogant.” Bayhaqi’s Branches of Faith, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Ibn Hibban and Tabarani (Mishkat, Hadith nos. 4797-8).
Commentary
10.14 FALSE FORMALITY
[181] On the authority of Asma’ bint ‘Umays ؓ, who said: We presented one of the Messenger of Allah’s wives ؓ to him as a bride. When we entered upon him, he took out a bowl of milk and drank from it. He then passed it to his wife, upon which she said, “I do not desire it.” He replied, “Do not combine hunger and lying!” Tabarani’s Al-Mu ‘jam al-Saghir and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter on Hospitality, Hadith no. 4256).
Commentary
Generally, it has become a fashion nowadays that if a friend or colleague presents some food or drink, one rejects it despite being hungry, protesting that one is not actually hungry. In the above-mentioned narration, it is precisely this kind of lie, induced by excessive formality, that is forbidden.
10. 15 EXTRAVAGANCE AND EXAGGERATED FORMALITY
[182] On the authority of Jabir b. ‘Abdullah ؓ, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him, “There is [in a house] one bed for the man {head of the household], one bed for his wife, a third for the guest, and a fourth for Satan.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Dress, Hadith no. 4310).
Commentary
A Muslim’s house should contain furniture and other possessions only according to the need. Having lots of furniture and household items for the purposes of excessive formality and ostentation is a satanic code of behaviour that is extremely displeasing to Allah. The objective of this Hadith is not to specify the number of beds in a household; rather, it is to erase the mentality that gives rise to a love of luxurious and extravagant living.
[183] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al- ‘As ؓ, that the Prophet ﷺ passed by Sa ‘d, who was performing his ablution, and said to him, “What is this extravagance, O Sa‘d?” He asked, “Can there be extravagance in ablution?” He replied, “Yes, even if you were on the bank of a flowing river.” Ahmad and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter on the Etiquette of Ablution, Hadith no. 427).
The purpose of this style of instruction is to prevent an extravagant mentality. In some situations, even though extravagance may not have any outward harmful effects, this kind of behaviour must still be avoided, for otherwise it is likely that extravagant habits on other occasions may lead to perdition in this world and the Hereafter. Again, it is made clear here that extravagance is not only forbidden in worldly transactions, but it is also a sin in acts of ritual worship.
[184] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, that the Prophet ﷺ said, “On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will not look at the one who drags his lower garment [along the ground] out of pride.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Dress, Hadith no. 4311).
Commentary
Pride and pomp, arrogance and seif-delusion are totally repugnant to Allah. This is why in Islam all actions and attitudes that can lead to pride and self-delusion are prohibited.
10.16 EXTRAVAGANCE AND LUXURY
[185] On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar ؓ, that the Prophet said, “If anyone drinks from a utensil of gold or silver, or from a utensil containing any amount of gold or silver, he is only pouring [or gulping] into his belly the Fire of Hell.” Daraqutni (Mishkat, Chapter on Drinks, Hadith no. 4285). Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4271) transmit a similar narration on the authority of Umm Salamah.
Commentary
The idea here is that Islam seeks to guard Muslim society against alien formalities and ostentation in wealth. Only drinking is mentioned in the Hadith. However, the reality is that it applies to all such utensils of eating and drinking by which wealth is flaunted.
10.17 DESPAIR AND LOSS OF ASPIRATION
[186] On the authority of Anas b. Malik ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “None of you should wish for death due to an affliction that befalls him. If you must do, then you should say, ‘O Allah! Grant me life as long as life is better for me, and take me when death is better for me.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Wishing for Death, Hadith no. 1600).
In Islam, wishing for death is not allowed, let alone committing suicide! The reason for this is that amongst the countless favours of Allah, life itself is a great favour. Therefore, to hope for the cessation or removal of this favour is actually ingratitude and lack of appreciation towards it. Thus, it is obviously sinful.
10.18 SELF-DELUSION
[187] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “If one of you feels something in his stomach, and then is unsure as to whether or not anything has escaped from it, he should not leave the mosque unless he hears a sound or smells an odour.” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: What Necessitates Ablution, Hadith no. 306),
Commentary
This means that prayer should not be abandoned purely out of doubt or conjecture, but rather only when there is certainty.
11.1 UNDERSTANDING AND INTELLIGENCE
[188] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: I heard Abul-Qasim ﷺ saying, “The best of you in Islam are the best of you in character, if they have understanding [of the religion}.” Ahmad and Bukhari's Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith no. 285.
[189] On the authority of Abu Mas‘ud al-Ansari ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to touch our shoulders [to straighten our rows| for the prayer and say, “Be level [in the row]: do not step out of line, otherwise there will be dissension amongst your hearts. The people of maturity and understanding should be closest to me, followed by those next to them, followed by those next to them.” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on the Congregation, Hadith no. 1088).
47. The narrator, Abu Mas‘ud, remarked after transmitting this tradition to the next generation, “Today, you are divided far more.” - Trans. Note
Commentary
11.2 INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE
[190] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The believer is not bitten from the same [snake’s or scorpion’s] hole twice.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Hadith no. 5053).
Commeniary
A believer remains so alert and perceptive that even if he is deceived once, he does not fall into a trap again. However, since out of the fear of Allah he is content with lawful earnings, no matter how little, he does not even raise his glance towards the opposing stacks of unlawful wealth piled up. Therefore, worldly people regard him as foolish, and it is on this basis that some natrations describe the believer as ghirr karim (naive and noble) whilst the hypocrite is described as khabb la’im (deceptive and despicable). This meaning is also transmitted in the narration that says that, “Truly, the People of the Garden are simple folk.”
[191] On the authority of Abu Sa ‘id ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Only one who has endured tribulation can be forbearing. Only one who has experience can be wise.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Warning, Hadith no. 5056).
11.3 PURIFICATION AND CLEANLINESS
[192] On the authority of Abu Malik al-Ash‘ari ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Purification is half of faith.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Purification, Hadith no. 281).
Commentary
Islam does not only teach spiritual and moral purification and cleanliness, but it also simultaneously emphasises physical hygiene and purity and a sense of presentability. On this basis, physical purification and cleanliness is declared as being half of faith in this Hadith.
Commentary
“Matters involving dirt” means that the Prophet ﷺ would use his left hand for things such as nasal discharge. Conversely, he would perform clean acts with his right hand.
[194} On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. Mughaffal ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “None of you should urinate in his place of washing and then bathe or perform ablution there.” Aba Dawid, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i (Mishkat, Chapter: Toilet Etiquette, Hadith NO. 353).
Commentary
This means that there should be separate places for urination and washing. If such matters are not given due consideration, one’s purification and cleanliness become dubious.
[195] On the authority of Abu Musa ؓ, who said: I was with the Prophet ﷺ one day, when he needed to urinate. He found a soft patch of ground at the base of a wall and urinated there. He then said, “When one of you needs to urinate, he should find an appropriate place for it,” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter: Toilet Etiquette, Hadith no. 345).
[196] On the authority of ‘Umar ؓ, who said: The Prophet ﷺ saw me urinate standing, so he said, “O ‘Umar, do not urinate standing!” I never did it again. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter: Toilet Etiquette, Hadith no. 363).
Commentary
One can urinate standing due to an excuse or if it is unavoidable, otherwise the ruling given in this Hadith must be followed.
Commentary
1. There is disagreement amongst the jurists and Imams regarding the issue of facing towards or away from the qiblah when answering the call of nature. From all the legal evidences, the position of Imam Shafi‘ seems to be the strongest one, i.e. that the restriction applies to open areas, but not to built-up areas (where there is a wall between the person and the qiblah).
2. There are three ways of purification after answering the call of nature: (a) the use of three stones or clods of earth; (b) the use of water; and (c) a combination of the two methods.
[198] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ that she said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “There should be no prayer when food has been served, or when either of the two calls of nature are troubling a person.” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: The Congregation, Hadith no. 1057).
Commentary
If one is hungry and food is ready, then one should eat to one’s satisfaction first, so that one can offer the prayer with full concentration and focus of the heart. However, if one is not too hungry, it is better to perform the prayer first.
48. As Imam Ibn al-Qayyim argued, the use of cotton, bark or leaves is analogous to that of stones and earth, and therefore perfectly acceptable. In our times, this ruling can easily be seen to extend to the use of toilet paper. - Trans. Note
2. It is never appropriate to pray whilst resisting the basic calls of nature.
[199] On the authority of Mu‘adh b. Jabal ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Beware of three accursed places [when answering the call of nature]: (1) river-banks, (2) public paths and (3) shady spots.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter: Toilet Etiquette, Hadith no. 355).
Commentary
1. That those who are inclined towards cleanliness find such disgusting behaviour to be revolting: and
2. To answer the call of nature in such places where the general public pass by and take rest is a proof of utter shamelessness and extreme selfishness.
[200] On the authority of Mu‘awiyah b. Qurrah from his father ؓ, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade the produce of these two plants, ie. onion and garlic, and said, “Whoever eats these must not come near our mosque.” He also said, “If you really must eat them, then kill their odour by cooking them.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter: The Mosques, Hadith no. 736).
Commentary
There is so much attention given to cleanliness and social etiquette in Islam that it is forbidden to enter the mosque after eating things whose odour is usually regarded as repulsive. We learn two matters from this ruling:
1. that one should avoid eating and using such things that give off extremely repulsive odours;
2. that at the time of public gatherings and social occasions, one should respect one’s companions.
11.4 ETIQUETTE OF EATING
[201] On the authority of ‘Umar b. Abi Salamah ؓ, who said: I was a young boy being brought up in the household of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. At mealtimes, my hand would rove all around the dish, so he ﷺ said to me, “Mention the Name of Allah, eat with your right hand and eat from [the side of the dish] that is nearest to you.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Foodstuffs, Hadith no. 4159).
Commentary
It should be remembered that ‘Umar b. Abi Salamah was the step-son of the Prophet ﷺ, being the son of Mother of the Believers Umm Salamah and her first husband, Abi Salamah. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ took care of his upbringing just as he would take care of his own child.
[202] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Prophet ﷺ never criticised food at all. If he desired it, he would eat it; if he disliked it, he would leave it. Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Foodstuffs, Hadith no. 4172).
Commentary
The essential thing is to eat in order to live, and not to live in order to eat. This is why one who keeps the highest objectives in mind, neither finds fault in food and drink nor causes conflict within his household by criticising every small matter.
[203] On the authority of Wahshi b. Harb from his father from his grandfather ؓ, that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “O Messenger of Allah! Truly, we eat but are not satisfied.” He replied, “Perhaps you eat separately?” They said, “Yes.” He said, “Then come together over your meals and mention the name of Allah: you will be blessed in your food.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter: Hospitality, Hadith no. 422).
Commentary
It is legally permissible to eat separately, but eating communally is more approved and brings goodness and blessing. Since the communal way in the matter of eating can be so effective, we can gain some idea of the results and fruits of collective work in every aspect of life.
[204] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever spends the night with his hand sticky, not having washed it, should only blame himself if he is afflicted with some harm.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter: Foodstuffs, Hadith no. 4219).
Commeniary
This means that it is necessary to wash the hands after eating, especially when they are sticky.
[205] On the authority of Ya‘la b. Mamlak ؓ, that he asked Umm Salamah about the recitation of the Prophet ﷺ, so she described it as being lucid, clearly articulating each letter. Tirmidhi (Hadith no. 2923), Abu Dawud and Nasa’i (Mishkat, Chapter: Virtues of the Qur’an, Hadith no. 2204).
Commentary
Therefore, the Prophet’s recitation was neither hurried nor nervous but rather it was firm and clear, distinguishing each letter, manifesting the greatest dignity and confidence.
11.6 BEAUTY OF VOICE
[206] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “He who does not recite the Qur’an melodiously is not one of us.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter: Virtues of the Qur’an, Hadith no. 2194).
Commentary
Reciting the Qur’an melodiously with a beautiful voice without contrived artificiality is a recommended matter. Reciting the Qur’an with a contrived, artificial or monotonous voice is displeasing to Allah.
11.7 CLARITY OF DISCOURSE
[207] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said, “Truly, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would not speak quickly the way you do. He would speak in such a way that if someone were to count his words, he would be able to do so.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Character of the Prophet, ﷺ, Hadith no. 5815).
11.8 PURITY OF TONGUE
[208] On the authority of Anas ؓ, who said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would not engage in obscene talk, constant cursing or hurling insults. When he wished to criticise someone, he would simply say, “What is the matter with him? May his forehead be rubbed in dust!’” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter: Character of the Prophet, ﷺ, Hadith no. 5811).
[209] On the authority of Jabir ؓ, that the Prophet ﷺ, upon seeing a man with unruly hair, said, “Why does one of you disfigure himself?” and he indicated with his hand that the man should trim his hair. Tabarant’s Al-Mu ‘jam al-Saghir.
11.10 GOOD-NATUREDNESS
[210] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. al-Harith b. Jaz’ ؓ, who said, “I never saw anyone smiling more than the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Chapter: Character of the Prophet, ﷺ, Hadith no. 5829).
Commentary
The temperament of the Prophet ﷺ was such that it was neither extremely dry and uninspiring nor so jolly that he would burst out laughing at the smallest things; rather, his demeanour was balanced and moderate.
11.11 AVOIDING EXCESSIVE LAUGHTER
[211] On the authority of ‘Wishah ؓ, who said, “I never saw the Prophet ﷺ burst out laughing such that his uvula became visible. He would only smile.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter: Character of the Prophet, ﷺ, Hadith no. 5814).
49. The uvulais a fleshy lobe at the back of the throat. - Trans. Note
11.12 ETIQUETTE OF TRAVELLING
[212] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ: said, “Travelling is a piece of punishment: it prevents you from your sleep, food and drink. Therefore, when you have finished your business, hurry back to your family.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Etiquette of Travelling, Hadith no. 3899).
[213] On the authority of Jabir b. ‘Abdullah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When one of you is away for a long time, he should not return to his family at night.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Etiquette of Travelling, Hadith no. 3903).
Commentary
[214] On the authority of Ka‘b b. Malik ؓ, who said, “The Prophet ﷺ would only return from journeys in the morning [before noon]. Upon arrival, he would fist proceed to the mosque, where he would pray two tak ‘ahs.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter: Etiquette of Travelling, Hadith no. 3906).
Commentary
Offering a two-rak ‘ah prayer is the best and most effective way to express gratitude for returning safe and sound from a journey, especially from a long journey.
11.13 TAKING PRECAUTIONS
[215] On the authority of one of the Companions of the Prophet #8 that he said, “If someone sleeps near the edge of a roof and falls off, or travels by sea when it is stormy, and perishes, then no-one is liable.” Ahmad and Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Whoever Sleeps on an Unfenced Roof, Hadith no. 1194.
Commentary
Life is also one of Allah’s great favours, and therefore to lose or harm it through heedlessness or lack of caution is forbidden for a believer.
[216] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. Sarjis ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “None of you should urinate into a [snake’s or scorpion’s| hole.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i (Mishkat, Chapter: Toilet Etiquette, Hadith no. 354).
11.14 ETIQUETTE OF SLEEPING
[217] On the authority of Abu Umaimah ؓ, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by a man lying face-down in the mosque so he prodded him with his foot and said, “Get up! This is a hellish sleeping postur e.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab dl-Mufrad, Chapter on Lying Face- Down, Hadith no. 1188.
11.15 PROTECTING HEALTH
Commentary
We can gain an idea of the love and concern that the Prophet ﷺ had for his people. In even very small matters, he would take care that no-one was harmed.
11.16 ETIQUETTE OF WALKING
[219] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “None of you should walk wearing one sandal: you should either remove both or wear both.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter on Sandals, Hadith no. 4411).
12.1 RIGHTS OF PARENTS
[220] On the authority of Abu Usayd ؓ, who said: I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when a man of the Ansar came to him and asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Is there anything left after the death of my parents by which I may show kindness to them?” He replied, “Yes, there are four activities: (1) supplicating and praying for forgiveness for them, (2) implementing their promises and bequests, (3) treating their friends kindly and (4) maintaining your parental family ties.” Ahmad and Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith no. 35.
Commentary
The last instruction means that one should show due care and respect towards one’s paternal and maternal uncles and aunts.
[221] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al- ‘As ؓ, who said: A man came to the Prophet ﷺ, leaving his parents weeping, in order to pledge his allegiance after having performed hijrah, so the Prophet 3 said to him, “Return to them and make them laugh as you made them weep.” Ahmad and Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith no. 13.
Commentary
[222] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ, that Sa‘d b. ‘Ubadah sought a legal verdict from the Prophet ﷺ regarding fulfilment of a vow that was incumbent upon his mother, but she had died before fulfilling it. He gave the verdict that Sa‘d should fulfil it on her behalf. Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Vows, Hadith no. 3433).
12.2 MAINTAINING FAMILY TIES
[223] On the authority of Bakkar ibn ‘Abd al- ‘Aziz, from his father from his grandfather ؓ, that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah will delay the punishment of every sin, if He wishes, until the Day of Resurrection, except for (1) sedition and rebellion, (2) disobedience to parents and (3) severing family ties. For these sins, the person will be punished in this world before his death.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter.on Sedition and Rebellion, Hadith no. 591 (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4945).
12.3 OBEYING THE HUSBAND
[224] On the authority of Aba Sa ‘ad ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A woman must not fast unless it is with her husband’s permission.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter: Treatment and Rights of Women, Hadith no. 3269).
Commentary
This Hadith refers to voluntary fasting. For an obligatory fast, she must fast irrespective of her husband’s approval, as another Hadith states that, “There is no obedience to the created in disobedience to the Creator.” However, a voluntary fast should not be performed without the husband’s permission.
12.4 THE VIRTUOUS WIFE
[225] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A woman is married for four things: (1) her wealth, (2) her family lineage, (3) her beauty and (4) her religion. Choose the one possessing religion, may your hands be full of dust [i.e. may you be happy and content]!” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Marriage, Hadith no. 3082).
[226] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al- ‘As ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The world, all of it, is for enjoyment, and the best worldly enjoyment is a righteous wife.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Marriage, Hadith no. 3083).
Commentary
It is a reality that no matter how pious and righteous a man may be, if his wife is not vircuous then he will never live in peace and tranquillity in this world.
12.5 THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCEPTING PROPOSALS FROM THE VIRTUOUS
[227] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When a marriage proposal is made
by someone whose religion and character you approve of, accept
the proposal. Unless you do so, there will be much tribulation
and comprehensive corru ption in the land.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Marriage, Hadith no. 3090).
Commentary
To reject or stall proposals from appropriate suitors on the basis of tribal considerations or cultural restrictions mostly causes severe tribulation within society. Hence, it is described as “comprehensive corruption” in this Hadith.
12.6 A HAPPY MARRIED LIFE
[228] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A believing man [i.e. a husband] must not hate a believing woman [i.e. his wife]. If he dislikes one of her qualities, he will like another.” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Treatment and Rights of Women, Hadith no. 3240).
Commentary
12.7 THE IMPORTANCE OF A HAPPY MARRIED LIFE
[229] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, that when the Prophet ﷺ would congratulate a person on marrying, he would say, “May Allah bless you, may He shower His blessings upon the two of you, and join you together in a relationship of goodness.” Ahmad, Tirmi dhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter on Supplications, Hadith no. 2445).
12.8 AN EASY-GOING RELATIONSHIP
[230] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, that she was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on a journey. She said, “I ran a race against him and won. Later, when I had put on weight, I raced him again
51. Cf. Qur’an, Surah al-Nisa’ (Chapter: Women), 4: 19, “Ifyou dislike them [your wives], it may be that you dislike something in which Allah has placed much good for you.” - Trans. Note
but he won this time and said, ‘This win is in return for that one’.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud (Mishhkat, Chapter on the Treatment and
Rights of Women, Hadith no. 3251).
Commentary
This Hadith contains a nice example of a happy married life. A man should not be dry and formal with his family, but be extremely informal and good-natured.
12.9 WINNING THE WIFE’S HEART
[231] Onthe authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said, “I used to play with dolls in the house of the Prophet ﷺ, and I had friends who would play with me. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would enter, they would hide from him so he would [find them] and send them to me so that they could play with me.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on the Treatment and Rights of Women, Hadith no. 3243).
12.10 TREATING ONE’S WIVES EQUALLY
52. The Prophet ﷺ married ‘A’ishah whilst she was still very young, but the marriage was certainly only consummated when she was an adult. - Trans. Note
travel in her company.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Sharing, Hadith no. 3232).
Commentary
A number of matters are learnt from this Hadith:
1. Aman who has more than one wife should treat his wives equally and justly: he should not even prefer one particular wife when travelling.
2. In some disputed issues, the matter can be resolved by drawing lots.
3. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would care so much about the education and heartfelt happiness of his purified wives that he would take one of them with him when travelling. This is an ideal example of a good husband.
[233] On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar ؓ, that the Prophet ﷺsaid, “To Allah the most hated of the lawful acts is divorce.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter: Divorce, Hadith no. 3280).
Commentary
This has been taught so that the matter of divorce does not become one of play and sport within Muslim society. Divorce is only allowed when all possibilities of reconciliation have been exhausted.
12.11 THE RIGHTS OF FAMILY
[234] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Which charity is best?” He replied, “That which results from the efforts of the poor and destitute. Begin with your dependants.” Abu Dawud (Hadith no. 1677 - Mishkat, Chapter: The Virtues of Charity, Hadith no. 1938).
Commentary
1. Any charity that is given on a sincere basis reaches the station of acceptance with Allah. However, the charity that is given by a poor or destitute Muslim after laborious efforts has a more beloved and virtuous rank with Allah.
2. A person must first care for his dependants (i.e. charity begins at home). It often happens that in pursuit of fame and reputation, needy relatives are overlooked and charity and donations are showered upon others.
[235] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah said, “The best charity is that which still leaves one in a state of affluence. Begin with your dependants.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter: The Virtues of Charity, Hadith no. 1929).
Commentary
These two Ahadith apparently seem to contradict. However, the reality is that the first Hadith seeks to remove the feeling of inferiority because of which a poor man may think that his humble contribution is worthless compared to the charity and donations of the wealthy. The point is that Allah the Exalted grants reward according to the sincerity of the heart, not according to the outward amount of charity. The purpose of the second Hadith is to teach that a person should not distribute his wealth so freely in charity that he is forced to beg from others to provide for himself and his children.
[236] On the authority of Ibn “Umar ؓ, that there was a man in his presence who had several daughters. The man expressed the wish that they would die, upon which Ibn ‘Umar became very angry and said, “Are you the one who provides for them?” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith no. 83.
[237] On the authority of Nabit b. Shurayt ؓ, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “When a daughter is born to a person, Allah sends angels who say, ‘Peace be upon you, O people of the house!’ They shade her with their wings and caress her head with their hands, saying, ‘A weak one, born of a weak one. The one who looks after her will be helped until the Day of Resurrection’.” Tabarani’s Al-Mu ‘jam al-Saghir.
Commentary
[238] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said: A woman came to me begging, and she had two daughters with her. I only had one date, so I gave it to her and she divided it between her daughters without eating any of it. She then stood up and left. When the Prophet ﷺ came, I narrated this incident to him, upon which he said, “Whoever is tested by [being blessed with] daughters and treats them kindly, they will be a barrier for him or her from the Fire.” Bukhari and Muslim (Misbkat, Chapter on Compassion, Hadith no. 4949).
12. 12 EQUAL TREATMENT OF CHILDREN
[239] Onthe authority of al-Nu‘man b. Bashir ؓ, who narrated whilst upon the pulpit: My father gave me a gift, upon which [my mother] ‘Amrah bint Rawahah said, “I will not approve of this until you ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to bear witness over it.” My father came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, “Truly, I have given a gift to my son from ‘Amrah, and she has asked me to seek your witness over it, O Messenger of Allah!” He asked, “Have you given all your children something like it?” He replied, “No.” He said, “Then fear Allah, and deal justly amongst your children!” So he returned and recalled his gift.
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Truly, I do not bear witness to injustice.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Gifts).
Commentary
Children have the right over their parents that they treat their children justly and equally. Regarding this, the Imams disagree as to whether sons and daughters have to be treated equally, or whether they should inherit according to the ratio of inheritance. Some of the people of knowledge hold that sons should be given twice as much as daughters, based on the principles of the share of inheritance. However, the correct position in this regard is that there is no need for differentiation in this matter: sons and daughters should be given gifts in equal proportions.
12.13. MAINTAINING FAMILY TIES
Commentary
This charity is a good act of worship in its own right. However, if needy relatives benefit from the charity, it attracts a two-fold reward: one reward for the charity, the other for treating one’s relatives well.
12. 14 SERVING HUMANITY
53. This means that to present the slave-girl as a gift to needy relatives who would treat her well in their possession would have been better than freeing her and thus leaving her with no support at all. The Prophet’s advice was for the mutual benefit of the slave as well as his wife’s relatives. —- Trans. Note
[241] On the authority of Anas and ‘Abdullah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “All of creation is Allah’s family [ic. dependants], and the most beloved of creation to Allah are those who show kindness to His family [i.e. dependants].” Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Chapter on Compassion, Hadith nos. 4998-9).
Commentary
If there is any action in Islam that is most important after the worship of the Creator, it is serving His creation, i.e. helping and caring for the weak and unsupported individuals in the society. Actually, this is also a kind of worship of Allah.
[242] On the authority of Sahl b. Sa‘d ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The leader of a people in a journey is their servant. They cannot overtake the one who becomes foremost by serving them with any achievement except martyrdom [i.e. the martyr’s status is higher than the one engaged in the Jihad of serving humanity].” Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Etiquette of Travelling, Hadith no. 3925).
12.15 GOOD NEIGHBOURLINESS
[243] On the authority of Nafi ‘b. ‘Abdul Harith ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “The signs of a person’s happiness and good fortune are (1) a good neighbour, (2) a comfortable riding-beast and (3) a spacious dwelling.” Ahmad and Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith nos. 116 and 457.
Commentary
By “neighbours” here is meant every person who has a close association in some way, whether a neighbour of one’s house, a colleague at the office or a companion during a journey - this Hadith includes all of them. In other words, it refers to those people who live nearby and those who can observe one’s public actions and movements. Their witness is more worthy of consideration in this regard, with the condition that the thinking of the one bearing witness has not been corrupted by evil and sinful influences.
12.16 RIGHTS OF THE GUEST
[245] On the authority of Abu Shurayh al-‘Adawi ؓ, who said: I heard with my own two ears and saw with my own two eyes, the Prophet ﷺ saying, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must honour his neighbour. Moreover, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must honour his guest with the required hospitality.” He was asked, “What is the required hospitality, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “The [minimum] required hospitality is a day and night; full hospitality is for three days; anything more than that is charity on behalf of the host. It ts not permitted for the guest to stay for so long as to trouble his host. And whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must speak goodness or remain silent.” Bukhari’s A-LAdab al-Mufrad, Chapter: The Guest Must Not Stay So Long As To Trouble His Host, Hadith no. 741.
Commentary
In this Hadith, two requirements of faith in Allah and the Hereafter have been explained:
1. Guarding the tongue, i.e. shunning backbiting, bad language and idle chatter, and using the tongue instead in beneficial ways.
12.17 RIGHTS OF SLAVES AND SERVANTS
[246] On the authority of Abu Dharr ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Your [slaves are your] brothers, whom Allah has placed under your authority. A brother whom Allah has placed under your authority, you must feed him with the food you eat yourself and clothe him with the garments you wear yourself. Moreover, you must not burden him with so much work that it oppresses him. If you burden him with more than he can bear, then you must assist him with the task.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Spending, Hadith no. 3345).
[247] On the authority of ‘Ali ؓ, who said: The last words of the Prophet ﷺ were, “The prayer, the prayer! Fear Allah regarding those whom your right hands possess.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith no. 158.
Commentary
This means, “Be mindful of observing the prayer and treat your slaves kindly: do not oppress or mistreat them.” This Hadith combines emphasis upon the importance of prayer and the kind treatment of slaves, and indicates that when a person’s heart is overcome by the awe and fear of Allah through the performance of prayer, he will not dare to violate the rights of the weakest sections of society.
12.18 KIND TREATMENT OF PRISONERS
As pointed out by one of the commentators, this glorious and final Prophetic teaching combines the duty of direct prayer to the highest being (Allah) and rhe treatment of the most vulnerable amongst society, i.e. slaves. In a sense, therefore, it also includes duties to all beings in between. - Trans. Note
Commentary
This Hadith gives us an indication of Islam’s care for the rights of the weak, Muslim or non-Muslim. Even an enemy non-Muslim captive deserves kind treatment in a Muslim society.
[249] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Truly, Allah does not purify a nation in which the rights of the weak are not granted,” Transmitted by Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunnah (Mishkat, Chapter; Reviving Dead Land, Hadith no. 3004).
Commentary
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once granted ‘Abdullah b. Mas‘ud some land in Madinah. This land was adjacent to some dwellings and date-orchards belonging to the Ansar. One of the families of the Ansar, the Bani ‘Abd b. Zuhrah, asked Ibn Mas‘ud to move from there, upon which the Prophet ﷺ said, “Then why did Allah send me as a Messenger?” Or, in other words, the objective of the Prophet's mission was to liberate the weak and oppressed from the injustices of the strong and powerful. However, if the weak were still oppressed and ejected from their lands after his appearance, then what would have been the point of his mission?
12.19 CARING FOR THE POOR
[250] On the authority of Mus‘ab b. Sa‘d ؓ, who said: Sa‘d thought that he was better than people less well-off than him, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Are you helped and sustained [by Allah] for any reason other than the presence of the weak amongst you?” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter: Virtues of the Poor, Hadith no. §232).
Commentary
This means that people who are physically or financially strong should not treat those who are physically or financially weak with contempt. This affluence and strength is actually a test from Allah, that well-off people should not become so decadent in Allah’s blessings that they despise the weaker sections of humanity.
12.20 THE RIGHTS OF THE POOR OVER THE WEALTH OF THE RICH
Commentary
This occurred during a battle situation. In such critical times, the amir is legally permitted to impose a tax, besides zekat, on the wealthy or to distribute their spare possessions amongst the deserving poor.
12.21 HELPING THOSE AFFLICTED BY TRIBULATIONS
[252] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. Ja‘far ؓ, who said: When the news of Ja‘far’s death was announced, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Prepare food for the family of Ja‘far, for there has come to them that which distracts them [from worldly matters].” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter: Weeping Over the Dead, Hadith no. 1739).
12.22 RESPECT FOR ELDERS
[253] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “I saw myself in a dream cleaning my teeth witha tooth-stick, when two men of unequal age came to me. I offered the tooth-stick to the younger of them, upon which I was told, ‘The elder!’ So I gave it to the elder of the two.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: The Tooth-Stick, Hadith no. 385).
12.23 SOCIAL ETIQUETTE
[254] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Treat people according to their positions [in society].” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter: Compassion, Hadith no. 4949).
Commentary
12.24 RIGHTS OF FRIENDSHIP AND COMPANIONSHIP
[255] On the authority of Ibn “Umar ؓ, who said: When the Prophet ﷺ would bid farewell to a person, he would take his hand and not let go of it until the man released his hand himself. He would say [upon bidding farewell], “I place your religion, trust and your last actions [in one narration, ... the seal of your actions”] in the care of Allah.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Chapter: Supplications, Hadith no. 2435).
12.25 INFORMALITY WITH CLOSE FRIENDS
[256] On the authority of Bakr b. ‘Abdullah ؓ, who said, “The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ would throw watermelon at each other [when playing and joking], but when real situations [of war and battle] occurred, the same people were real men [for the occasion].” Bukhari’s A-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Joking, Hadith no. 266).
[257] On the authority of Muhammad b. Ziyad ؓ, who said: I experienced the way of the previous generations. Several of them would stay with their families in the same house. Often a guest would visit one of them, while another’s cooking-pot would be over the fire, so the guest’s host would take the pot for his guest. The pot’s owner would find it missing and ask after it, so the guest’s host would say that he had taken it for his guest. The pot’s owner would say, “May Allah put blessings in the pot for you.” Similar would be the situation when one of them was baking bread. Only walls of reeds would separate the families.
Baqiyyah b, al-Walid said that he found Muhammad b. Ziyad behaving similarly with his companions. Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith no. 739.
Commentary
This can only happen when there is a high level of murual trust and sincerity, otherwise in general such informality can also create strife.
[258] On the authority of ‘Abd al-Rahman ؓ, who said: The Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were neither drynatured nor morbid. They would chant poetry to each other in their gatherings, and mention some of the matters of their Days of Ignorance [Jabiliyyah]. However, if any of them was asked to do something against the command of Allah, the pupils of his eyes would revolve as though he were mad. Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Pride, Hadith no. 555.
Commentary
This means that the Noble Companions learnt a balanced nature from the company of the Prophet ﷺ: they were neither dry-natured like monks and ascetics nor totally obsessed with amusement and story-telling like those captivated by this world. Rather, as well as having sweet temperaments, their hearts were also full of religious honour and zeal.
12.27 CONCERN FOR THE WEAK AND DISADVANTAGED
[259] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When one of you leads the people in prayer, he must shorten the prayer, for there are amongst them the weak, the sick and the elderly.” In another narration, “... and those with needs to attend to. When you pray by yourself, then you may lengthen the prayer as much as you wish.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Duties of the Imam, Hadith no. 1131).
Commentary
Shortening the prayer means that the recitation, bowing and prostration must not be lengthened more than is established in the Sunnah, it does not mean that the prayer should be so hurried that dignity, calmness and tranquillity disappear from the prayer.
12.28 CONCERN FOR WORKERS
[261] On the authority of Jabir ؓ, who said: Mu‘adh [b. Jabal] used to pray with the Prophet ﷺ and then come and lead his people in prayer. One night, he prayed the ‘Isha’ prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and then came to his people and led them in prayer. He began to recite Surah al-Baqarah, so one man separated from the congregation, completed the prayer by himself and went away. The people asked him, “Have you become a hypocrite?” He replied, “No, by Allah! I will go to the Messenger of Allah.” He did so and said, “O Messenger of Allah! We tend camels that water the fields: we work all day. Mu‘adh prayed ‘Isha’ with you and then came to his people and began reciting Surah al-Baqarah” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned to Mu‘adh and said, “O Mu‘adh! Are you one determined to put people through tribulation? You should recite [short or medium-length] surahs [such as] al-Shams, al-Layl and al-A‘la [nos. 91, 92, and 87 respectively].” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Recitation in Prayer).
12.29 CONCERN FOR POOR OR UNINFLUENTIAL PERSONS
[262] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, that a black woman [or man] used to sweep the mosque. One day, the Prophet ﷺ missed her [or him], so he asked about her [or him]. They informed him that the person had died, so he replied, “Why did you not inform me?” It was as though they regarded the matter as unimportant. He said, “Show me the grave.” They pointed out the grave to him, so he prayed [the funeral prayer] over the person. Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Walking with the funeral.
Commentary
A number of matters are learnt from this Hadith:
1. Usually, many people are overlooked in society due to their lack of knowledge, wealth or fame. The Prophet ﷺ used to be extremely concerned about such people too.
2. If a person is unable to participate in a funeral prayer for some reason, he can go and perform the prayer at the person’s graveside.
12.30 HELPING THE NEEDY
12.31 KIND TREATMENT OF ORPHANS
[264] On the authority of Jabir ؓ, who said: I asked, “O Messenger of Allah! In which situations am I allowed to smack the orphan under my care?” He replied, “In the same situations that you smack your own child.” He added, “You must neither save your wealth at the expense of his wealth, nor embezzle any of his wealth.” Tabarani’s Al-Mu ‘jam al Saghir.
12.32 KIND TREATMENT OF SERVANTS
(265] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Mes- senger of Allah ﷺ said, “When your servant endures heat and smoke to prepare and serve your meal, you must sit him down with you, and he should eat [without feeling embarrassed]. If the food is little, you should [at least] place one or two morsels in his hand.” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Spending, Hadith no. 3347).
12.33 COMPASSION TOWARDS ANIMALS
[266] Ontheauthority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “An ant bit one of the Prophets, so he ordered that the whole colony of ants be burned, upon which Allah revealed to him, ‘Because one ant bit you, you burned a whole community that glorified [Me]?” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: What is Lawful to Eat, Hadith no. 4122).
Commentary
We know from another Hadith that the Prophet ﷺ has forbidden punishing with fire. Based on this, the people of knowledge do not allow the killing of harmful creatures such as poisonous beetles using boiling water, and rule that the method mentioned in this Hadith (i.e. a Prophet’s use of fire) has been abrogated for the nation of Muhammad. The best resolution of this issue is that the Hadith prohibiting the use of fire for such purposes should rule in general. However, if a critical situation arises, even the method mentioned in this Hadith can be used.
[267] On the authority of Sahl b. al-Hanzaliyyah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by a camel so emaciated that its back was touching its stomach, so he said, “Fear Allah regarding these dumb animals. Ride them when they are healthy [i.e. suitable for riding] and leave them healthy (i.e. with some strength).” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter on Spending, Hadith no. 3370).
Commentary
This means that one should not work them so much that one leaves them utterly exhausted, but should release them so that they are suitable for more work in future.
12.34 SHOWING MERCY TO PEOPLE IN GENERAL
[268] On the authority of Jarir b. ‘Abdullah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah does not show mercy to the one who does not show mercy to people.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Compassion, Hadith no. 4947).
13.1 SINCERE ADVICE
[269] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Ihe Muslim is the brother of the Muslim: he does not betray him, speak lies to him, disgrace him [leaving him needy and helpless] or oppress him. Each of you is the mirror of his brother: if he sees a fault, he should remove from him.” Tirmidhi (Hadith nos. 1927 and 1929; Mishkat, Hadith nos. 4959 and 4985).
Commentary
In this Hadith, a Muslim has been declared to be the mirror of another Muslim. This is a profoundly meaningful comparison. Keeping this comparison in mind, the following aspects of a Muslim’s relationship with another Muslim become apparent:
1. A mirror reflects only those spots and stains that actually exist. It neither reduces nor enlarges them.
2. The mirror only reveals spots and stains when the face is present. If the person goes away, the tongue of the mirror is silenced.
4. The mirror only reveals the spots and stains when it is level with the person’s face. If the mirror is above or below the face, it does not serve its essential purpose.
Instead of simile and metaphor, it can be stated in plain words that through the comparison with the mirror, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has given us four pieces of guidance:
1. If there is a need to mention a Muslim’s defect, it should only be described as far as it exists.
2. The defect should be mentioned in the person’s presence, not behind their back.
3. Ifsomeone informs us of a defect or criticises us, we should be grateful to them instead of being annoyed with them.
4. When a sincere adviser or critic criticises, he should neither show himself as greater and higher, nor use flattery and sycophancy.
13.2 PREVENTING OPPRESSION
[270] On the authority of Anas ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or oppressed.” A man asked, “I can help him when he is oppressed, but how can I help him when he is an oppressor?” He replied, “Prevent him from oppressing others that will be your helping him.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Compassion, Hadith no. 4957).
13.3 LOVE AND COMPASSION
[271] On the authority of Abu Musa ؓ, thar the Prophet ﷺ said, “Believers are like parts of a building that strengthen each other [in their mutual conduct].” He then interlocked his fingers. Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Compassion, Hadith no. 4955).
Commen tary
[272] On the authority of al-Nu‘man b. Bashir ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The believers are like a single person: if his eye hurts, his whole body hurts; if his head hurts, his whole body hurts.” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Compassion, Hadith no. 4954).
[273] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The believer is loving and caring. There is no good in one who does not love and care for others and is not loved and cared for by others,” Ahmad (Mishkat, Chapter on Compassion, Hadith no. 4995).
13.4 GENEROSITY IN DEALINGS
[274] On the authority of Abu Qatadah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever gives respite to a debtor in hardship or waives the debt, Allah will save him from the hardships of the Day of Resurrection.” Muslim (Mishkat, Hadith no.
[275] On the authority of Jabir b. ‘Abdullah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “May Allah have mercy on a person who is gentle and generous when he sells, buys or demands the settlement of a debt.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter-on Mutual Flexibility, Hadith no. 2790).
[276] On the authority of Aba Sa‘id ؓ, who said: The Messen- ger of Allah ﷺ said, “The honest trader will be [raised] with the Prophets, the truthful ones and martyrs.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Chapter on Mutual Flexibility, Hadith nos. 2796-7).
Commentary
This Hadith makes it clear that Islam is not merely a few rituals of worship; rather, honesty and integrity in trade are also important parts of the religion, without which the performance of worship rituals have no weight with Allah.
13.5 DEFENDING A MUSLIM BROTHER
[277] On the authority of Asma’ bint Yazid ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever defends his brother’s flesh in his absence, it will be binding upon Allah to liberate him from the Fire.” Ahmad, Tabarani and Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Chapter on Compassion, Hadith no. 4981).
This means that if a Muslim is being backbitten, the audience should not remain silent; rather, they should fully defend their oppressed brother or sister. The metaphor here, “his brother’s flesh”, is taken from the Qur’anic ayah, “Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother?” (Surah al-Hujurat, 49: 12)
13.6 THINKING WELL OF OTHERS
[278] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Thinking well of others is part of worshipping [Allah] in the best manner.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Hadith no. 5048).
Commentary
The relationship between one Muslim and another should be on the basis of a positive view of each other. This optimistic view should remain until a person proves himself to be unworthy of it.
13.7 ETIQUETTE OF SOCIAL INTERACTION
[279] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. Mas‘ud ؓ, who said: The Prophet ﷺ said, “When there are three of you, two of you should not speak privately to the exclusion of the third, for that will cause him grief.” In one narration: We asked, “What if there are four of us?” He replied, “Then there is no harm.” Bukhari’s A- Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on When There Are Four, Hadith nos. 891-3 (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4965).
[280] On the authority of Said al-Muqbari ؓ, who said: I passed by Ibn ‘Umar, who was talking to another man. I joined the two of them, upon which Ibn ‘Umar slapped my chest and said, “When you find two people conversing, do not join them or sit with them without asking their permission.” I replied, “May Allah give you righteousness, O Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman! I expected nothing but hearing some goodness from you.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on When Someone Sees People Speaking Privately, He Should Not Join Them, Hadith no. 889.
[281] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said, “If someone needs to blow his nose in the presence of others, he should
13.8 ETIQUETTE OF ENTERING AND LEAVING HOUSES
[282] On the authority of Jabir ؓ, who said, “A person should seek permission to enter the houses or rooms of his children, his mother, even if she is an old woman, his brothers, his sisters and
his father.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Seeking Permission to Enter Upon One’s Parents and Children, Hadith no. 1062.
13.9 ETIQUETTE OF FRIENDSHIP
[283] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A person follows the way of life [or religion] of his des friend. Therefore, each of you must be careful about whom you befriend.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter on Love, Hadith no. 5019).
[284] On the authority of Al-Migdam b. Ma‘di Karib ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “If a man loves his brother, he should tell him that he loves him.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Chapter on Love, Hadith no. 5016).
[285] On the authority of Abu Sa‘id ؓ that he heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, “Only befriend a believer. Only a righteous person should share your food.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Darimi (Mishkat, Chapter on Love, Hadith no. 5018).
Commentary
This Hadith does not mean that one should not have any contacts with unbelievers or sinners: the essential meaning of this Hadith is that deep bonds of friendship and everyday relationships should only be maintained with people whose character and behaviour is fully trusted.
13. I0 EFFECTS OF FRIENDSHIP
13.11 MODERATION IN FRIENDSHIP AND BNMITY
[287] On the authority of Aslam that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab ؓ said, “Let not your love become obsession. Let not your hatred become destruction.” I asked, “How is that?” He replied, “When your love becomes obsession like that of a child, and when your hatred leads you to wish for the destruction of [life and property belonging to] another person.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith no. 1322.
[288] On the authority of ‘Ubayd al-Kindi ؓ, who said: 1 heard ‘Ali & saying, “Love your friend a little less [ie. in moderation]: he may be your enemy one day. Hate your enemy a little less lice. in moderation]: he may be your friend one day.” Bukhari’s AlAdab al ‘ufrad, Chapter on Loving Your Beloved, Hadith no. 1321.
13.12 BEING GOOD-NATURED
[289] On the authority of Anas ؓ, that the Prophet ﷺ said to an elderly lady: “Old women will not enter the Garden.” She was a reciter of the Qur’an and asked, “What is their sin?” He replied, “Do you not recite the Qur’an? ‘And their spouses We shall have brought them into being afresh, and shall have made them virgins, intensely loving and of matching age.’ (Surah al-Waqi ‘ah, 56: 35-37)-” Razin and Baghawi (Mishkat, Chapter on Humour, Hadith no. 4888).
Commentary
Old women will enter the Garden, but without the infirmities, furrows and facial wrinkles of old age. Rather, they will be radiant with youthfulness as they enjoy this eternal bliss from Allah.
[290] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Prophet ﷺ once took the hand of Hasan or Husayn and placed the child’s feet on his own feet, saying, “Climb up!” Bukhari’s AL Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Humour with Children, Hadith no. 249.
Commentary
14. 1 HAVING A CARELESS TONGUE
[291] On the authority of Sahl b. Sa‘d 4, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever guarantees to me what is between his jaws [i.e. his tongue] and what is between his legs i.e. his chastity], I guarantee the Garden for him.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4812).
14.2 IRRESPONSIBLE TALK
[292] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “It is enough to make a person a liar that he narrates everything he hears {without investigation].” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Holding Fast, Hadith no. 156).
[293] On the authority of Ibn Mas‘ud ؓ, who said, “Truly, Satan takes the form of men, coming to people and narrating untrue stories to them, After he has done this, the people disperse, one of them saying, ‘I heard a man narrating this; I recognise him by face but do not know his name.” Muslim (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4863).
Commentary
From this narration, we learn that spreading false rumours and believing them without investigation are both diabolical actions.
[294] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said: I said to the Prophet ﷺ, “It is enough for you regarding Safiyyah that she is such-and-such”, meaning that she was short in height. He replied, “You have said a word that would turn the ocean sour, were it mixed with it.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4853).
Commentary
A number of matters are learnt from this Hadith:
2. Itis a heavy responsibility upon a husband that he does not neglect the religious education and moral reform of his household for even one moment.
3. Extreme caution is needed when using the tongue. Even slight negligence in this matter can lead to very dangerous consequences, both in this world and the Hereafter.
14.3 VULGARITY
[295] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, that a man sought permission to meet the Prophet ﷺ. He said, “Give him permission to enter, what a bad member of his tribe!” When the man entered and sat down, the Prophet ﷺ smiled in his face and was pleasant towards him. When the man left, ‘A’ishah said, “O Messenger of Allah! You said such-and-such about him and then you smiled in his face and were pleasant to him?” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “When have you ever found me to be vulgar? Truly, the worst of the people on the Day of Resurrection will be one who is avoided by people because of his evil or vulgarity.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4829).
Commentary
1. Generally, a Muslim should meet another Muslim with a cheerful, smiling face. Irritability, bad moods and vulgar talk are extremely displeasing to Allah.
2. If a person is intent on spreading corruption in society, he can be condemned in his absence in order to save people from his mischief.
14.4 FREQUENT SWEARING OF OATHS
[296] On the authority of Abi Qatadah al-Ansari ؓ, that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “Beware of frequent oaths in buying and selling, for this [initially] facilitates business but then deprives it [of blessing].” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Flexibility in Transactions, Hadith no. 2793).
14.5 RIDICULING OTHERS
[297] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said, “A man with an affliction passed by a group of women who began laughing amongst themselves, making a mockery of him. Later, some of them were afflicted with the same condition.” Bukhari’s ALAdab al- Mufrad, Chapter on Ridicule, Hadith no. 887.
It seems that the affliction mentioned in this Hadith was epilepsy.
14.6 BEING SUSPICIOUS OF OTHERS
[298] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Beware of suspicion and baseless speculation, for they are the falsest kinds of speech.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Hadith no. 5028).
[299] On the authority of Bilal b. Sa‘d al-Ash‘ari ؓ, that Mu‘awiyah wrote to Abu’l-Darda’, “Write to me the names of the mischief-makers of Damascus.” Abul-Darda’ said, “What have I to do with the mischief-makers of Damascus? How will I know them?” His son, Bilal, said, “I shall write their names”, and did so. Abu’l-Darda’ said, “How did you know these names? You only recognised them as mischief-makers because you are one of them! Begin the list with yourself!” He did not send the names to Mu ‘awiyah. Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Suspicion, Hadith no. 1290.
14.7 SPYING AND FAULT-FINDING
[300] On the authority of Anas b. Malik ؓ, that a Bedouin came to the house of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and pressed his eye against a gap in the doorway [to peep inside]. The Prophet picked up an arrow or pointed stick and proceeded towards the man in order to pierce his eye, so that the latter fled. The Prophet said, “Truly, if you had stayed where you were, I would have pierced your eye!” Bukhari, Muslim and Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Peering into Houses, Hadith no. 1069).
Commentary
Spying is forbidden in Islam. The type of behaviour described in this Hadith is only practised by those who enjoy looking for others’ faults.
14.8 CARRYING TALES
[301] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. Mas‘ud ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “None of my Companions should convey to me anything about another, for I love to come out to you with a clean heart [i.e. with no grudge or ill-feeling towards anyone].” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi (Nawawi, Riyad al-Salihin, Chapter on Guarding the Tongue; Mishkat, Hadith no. 4852).
Muslim (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4828).
[303] On the authority of Fatimah bint Qays ؓ, who said: I came to the Prophet ﷺ and told him that Abu Jahm and Mu ‘awiyah had asked for my hand in marriage. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “As for Mu ‘awiyah, he is a very poor man. As for Abu Jahm, his stick never leaves his shoulder [i-e. he beats his wives].” Bukhari, Muslim, and Riydh al-Salihin.
Commentary
We learn from this Hadith that if a person of responsibility mentions people’s faults where required upon being consulted, this will not be regarded as backbiting. In view of the public benefit, to do so is not only permissible but may, in some situations, be necessary.
[304] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said: Hind bint ‘Utbah, [wife of Abu Sufyan,} said, “O Messenger of Allah! Truly, Abu Sufyan is a miserly person. He does not give me enough to suffice me and my children, unless I take from his wealth without his knowledge.” He replied, “Take what will reasonably suffice you and your children.” Bukhari (Riyadh al-Sdlihin and Mishkat, Hadith no. 3242).
Commentary
1. In general, backbiting is not permitted. However, if a matter is being referred to a person of knowledge and a person’s fault is mentioned in order to clarify the essential issue, this does not fall under prohibited backbiting.
2. If a husband does not meet the necessary living expenses of his wife and children, it is allowed for the wife to take what is necessary from her husband’s wealth without his permission.
14.9 THE LIMITS OF BACKBITING
[305] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I do not think that so-and-so and so-and-so know anything about our religion.” Bukhari and Réyad al-Sdlihin.
Commentary
This seems outwardly to be a form of backbiting. However, on the basis of public religious benefit, a Muslim’s fault or weakness can be explained behind his back, as long as the objective is neither to satisfy a desire for personal revenge nor to derive personal enjoyment from backbiting. Rather, the aim should be to safeguard other Muslims from this person’s evil or to prevent them from having a false idea of his knowledge and piety.
14.10 SPEAKING ILL OF THE DEAD
[306] Ontheauthority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do not abuse the deceased, for they have found what they sent forth.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter: Walking with the Funeral, Hadith no. 1664).
Commentary
This means that it is not permissible to tall about a person’s faults after his death. He is already tasting the consequences of his bad deeds with Allah. What benefit is there in unnecessarily ruining one’s own register of deeds by criticising him?
14..11 BEING TWO-FACED
[307] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Prophet ﷺ said, “On the Day of Resurrection, you will find the worst of people to be the two-faced one: he appears to some people with one face and to others with another.” Bukhari and
Muslim (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4822).
Commentary
14.12 ENMITY AND HATRED
[308] On the authority of al-Zubayr b. al-‘Awwam ؓ, who said: The Prophet ﷺ said, “The diseases of previous nations have crept [imperceptibly] amongst you: envy and hatred. These shave everything. I do not mean that they shave hair; rather, they shave [i.e. eradicate] the religion.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Chapter: What is Forbidden, Hadith no. 5039).
[309] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Beware of envy, for envy devours good deeds the way fire devours wood.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter: What is Forbidden, Hadith no. 5040).
14.13 MUTUAL SEVERING OF RELATIONS
[310] On the authority of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “It is not lawful for a man to shun his brother for more than three nights: when they meet, each turns his face away from the other. The better of the two is the first one to give the other the greeting of peace.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: What is Forbidden, Hadith no. $027).
Commentary
On another occasion, the Propher ﷺ declared, “The first to give the greeting of peace is absolved of pride and arrogance.”
[311] On the authority of ‘Imran b. Abi Anas ؓ from a Companion from the tribe of Aslam, that the Prophet ﷺ said, “To shun a believer for a whole year is like shedding his blood.”
Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Whoever Boycotts His Brother for a Year, Hadith no. 404.
14.14 HAUGHTINESS
[312] On the authority of Jabir ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “If someone apologises to his brother [for a mistake] but the latter does not excuse him, the latter will incur a sin like that of a tax-collector.” Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Chapter: What is Forbidden of Mutual Boycotting, Hadith no. 50§2).
By “tax-collector” is meant an official who collects taxes or other dues and commits injustice and excesses whilst doing so, or lines his pockets with bribes.
14. 15 BEING UNSCRUPULOUS
[313] On the auchority of Abu Umamah - that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Amongst the worst of people on the Day of Resurrection will be a person who destroyed his Hereafter for another’s worldly gain.” Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter on Injustice, Hadith no. 5132).
Commentary
This means that the person does everything possible, whether lawful of unlawful, in order to please others and obtain worldly benefit for them. As a result, he himself becomes the object of punishment in the Hereafter.
14.16 HARMFUL AND FRIVOLOUS POETRY
[314] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “That a man’s stomach be filled with pus is better than it being filled with poetry.” Bukhari, Muslim and Bukhari’s ALAdab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Some Poetry is Wisdom (Mishkat, Hadith no. 4794).
Commentary
Here, morally-corrupting and frivolous poetry is being condemned. However, there is no harm in indulging in beneficial poetry when needed.
56, This Hadith and the principle mentioned in it apply also to songs, nashids, etc. - Trans. Note
14.17 BREAKING PROMISES
[315] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. Mas‘ud ؓ, who said, “Lying is never good, whether it is done seriously nor jokingly. It is also not good that you promise your child something and then fail to fulfil the promise.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith no. 387.
14.18 THE CORRUPTION OF HYPOCRISY
Commentary
This means that hypocrisy is such an affliction that those affected by it can never enjoy the blessings of good character or understanding of Islam.
[317] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “There are four qualities which, if found in a person, mean that he is a pure hypocrite. If he possesses one of them, he possesses a characteristic of hypocrisy until he abandons it. They are: (1) when he is entrusted, he be- trays; (2) when he speaks, he lies; (3) when he promises, he breaks his promise; (4) when he quarrels, he behaves in a wicked manner [i.e. with obscene talk, abuse and insults].” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Hadith no. 6).
14.19 INCONSISTENCY OF SPEECH AND ACTION
[318] On the authority of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab that the Prophet ﷺ said, “I only fear for this nation every hypocrite who speaks with wisdom but behaves with tyranny.” Bayhaqi (Mashkat, Chapter on Ostentation, Hadith no. 5337).
Commentary
Here, a reference is made towards such leaders who invoke the name of Islam in every matter but when the time comes for action, they are far ahead of everyone in violating the limits of Islam.
[319] On the authority of Jabir b. ‘Abdullah ؓ, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Beware of injustice and oppression. [zulm|, for it will be layers of darkness [zulumdat] on the Day of Resurrection. Beware of avarice and greed, for it destroyed those before you: it led them to the shedding of blood and the violation of sanctities.” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Spending, Hadith no. 1865).
14.20 SUPPORTING THE OPPRESSOR
Commentary
The protection of Allah and His Messenger that is mentioned here includes the responsibility and protection of an Islamic government.
14.21 USURPING THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS
[321] On the authority of ‘Ali ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for he only asks Allah for his right. Truly, Allah does nor prevent someone's right from reaching him.” Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Chapter on Oppression, Hadith no. 5134).
14.22 USURPING PROPERTY
[322] On the authority of Sa‘id b. Zayd ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever usurps a handspan of land will be made to wear a collar as wide as seven Earths on the Day of Resurrection,” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Usurpation, Hadith no. 2938).
[323] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “None of you should milk another’s animal without his permission. Would any of you like someone to come to your food-store, break in and take your food away? The udders of livestock store sustenance for their owners.” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Usurpation, Hadith no. 2939).
14.23 TREACHERY
[324] On the authority of ‘Ubadah b. al-Samit ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ used to say, “Return [trusts, even if they be] a needle or thread. Beware of treachery, for it is a disgrace for its practitioners
on the Day of Resurrection.” Nasa’i and Darimi (Mishkat, Chapter: Distribution of Booty, Hadith nos. 4023-4).
Commentary
This incident occurred during a military expedition. From this we learn that even an important act of worship such as Jihad will carry no weight with Allah if it is accompanied by treachery and dishonesty. Rather, the person will be afflicted with a severe punishment.
14.24 BRIBERY
[326] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr -ؓ, who said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ cursed the one who pays a bribe and the one who accepts it.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter: Governors and Gifts Presented to Them, Hadith nos. 3753-4).
[327] On the authority of ‘Amr b. al-‘As ؓ, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “Any people amongst whom usury [riba] becomes widespread will be afflicted with famine. Any people amongst whom bribery becomes widespread will be afflicted with fear and terror.” Ahmad (Mishkat, Book of Criminal Punishments, Hadith no. 3582).
57. This refers to paying a bribe in order to gain something to which the person is not entitled. - Trans. Note
58. In some versions of this tradition, zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) is mentioned instead of riba (usury). - Trans. Note
14.25 BLOCKING THE HIDDEN AVENUES TO BRIBERY
[329] On the authority of Abu Umamah ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever intercedes for his brother [in Islam or humanity] and the latter presents him with a gift and he accepts it, has truly approached one of the major doors of riba [usury].” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter: Governors and Gifts Presented to Them, Hadith no. 3757).
14.26 BLOCKING THE HIDDEN AVENUES TO USURY
[330] On the authority of Anas b. Malik ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When one of you gives a loan and the debtor presents him with a gift or offers him a ride on his animal, he should neither ride the mount nor accept the gift unless the two of them were accustomed to doing so beforehand.” Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter on Usury, Hadith no. 2831).
Commentary
Where Islam has prohibited usury, it has also closed all doors to it so that it may not pollute the Muslim society at all.
14.27 PREVENTING THE CAUSES OF DISPUTES AND FIGHTS
[331] On the authority of Abu Musa ؓ, that the Prophet ﷺ said, “When one of you passes through our mosque or market holding an arrow, he must cover its head lest any Muslim be hurt by it.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Injuries That Are Not Indemnified, Hadith no. 3577).
Commentary
In places of public gathering, one must be extremely careful when carrying weapons or dangerous instruments.
14.28 DISSENSION AND DISPUTE
Commentary
Here, by “worship” is not meant the ritual sort, for we have never heard of anyone making a statue or image of Satan and then worshipping it. Rather, a wider meaning is intended, ie. that Satan’s wishes are obeyed in all branches of life. This understanding is supported by the ayah of the Qur’an, “Father, do not serve Satan, for Satan has indeed been a persistent rebel against the Most Compassionate Lord.” (Surah Maryam, 19: 44)
It should be remembered that “people of prayer” are mentioned here, i.e. such people who are regular at prayer and therefore their hearts are full of the love and fear of Allah. Satan’s magic does not work on such people who do not bow to his wishes. However, it is possible that he creates mutual misunderstandings amongst them, stoking disagreements and dissension.
14.29 KILLING A MUSLIM
[333] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “The perishing of the world is truly lighter before Allah than the murder of a Muslim.” Tirmidhi and Nasa’i (Mishkat, Book of Retaliation, Hadith nos. 3462-3). Ibn Majah narrates the Hadith on the authority of al-Bara’ b, “Azib.
[334] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The most hated of people to Allah are three types: one who spreads heresy in the Haram [Sacred Land], one who seeks the way of Jahiliyyah in Islam, and one who pursues a Muslim to shed his blood unjustly.” Bukhari (Mishkat, Chapter on Holding Fast, Hadith no. 142).
Commentary
Spreading heresy is a major sin everywhere; however, to spread it in the Haram (the noble city of Makkah) that is the centre of guidance in Islam is a serious crime for which the punishment is multiplied. Similarly, to call for ways of unbelief and wickedness in Islam is a major crime.
[335] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by a heap of grain [in the market]. He inserted his hand into it and felt some moisture, so he asked, “What is this, O grain-merchant?” The man replied, “Rain affected it, O Messenger of Allah!” He said, “Why did you not then place the wet grain on top of the heap so that the people could see it? Whoever deceives has nothing to do with me!” Muslim (Mishkat, Hadith no. 2860).
14.31 HOARDING
[336] On the authority of Ma‘mar ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever hoards is in error.”
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever hoards is cursed.” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Hoarding, Hadith no. 2892).
Commentary
Hoarding refers to withholding a foodstuff from the market with the intention of selling it when its price soars. Such traders are actually exploiting the needs and necessities of people for selfish gains, and this cannot be tolerated by a Muslim society. In the view of some of the people of knowledge amongst the early Muslims, prohibited hoarding is not restricted to foodstuffs, but applies to all items of public necessity such that their absence in the market for a while would lead to public unease, e.g. fuel, medicines, sugar, etc.
14.32 EXPLOITING LEGAL TRICKS
[337] On the authority of Jabir b. ‘Abdullah ؓ that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying in Makkah in the year of its conquest, “Truly, Allah and His Messenger have prohibited the sale of wine, carrion, pigs and idols.” He was asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What about the fat of carrion? Boats are coated with it, leather is softened with it and people burn it in their lamps.” He replied, “No. It is prohibited.” He then said, “May Allah destroy the Jews! Truly, when Allah forbade them [from eating] the fat of carrion, they would melt it, sell it and devour its profit.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Hadith no. 2766).
Commentary
14.33 IRRESPONSIBLE ACTIONS
[338] On the authority of ‘Amr b. Shu‘ayb from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever becomes a doctor without being qualified in medicine will be responsible [for a patient’s death or worsening in condition].” Abu Dawud and Nasai’ (Mishkat, Chapter on Blood-Money, Hadith no. 3504).
Commentary
To practise medicine without licence from a reputable body or institution is such a major crime that it can be tried by an Islamic government and the offender can be given an extremely severe punishment.
59. This curse applies only to those Jews, and by extension anyone else, including Muslims, who exploit legal devices to oppose the spirit of the Law whilst maintaining its letter. - Trans. Note
14.34 SELFISHNESS
339] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A man should not propose over the marriage proposal of his [Muslim] brother: he should wait until the latter marries or calls the engagement off.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Announcing Marriage and Engagement, Hadith no. 3144).
Commentary
If a man has initiated a marriage proposal somewhere, it is not permissible for another Muslim to propose on his own or another’s behalf to the same woman before a definite decision has been reached regarding the first proposal. Behaviour contrary to this is a sign of extreme selfishness and ignobility in Islamic law, which has set similar limits in other mutual dealings such as buying and selling.
14.35 MISERLINESS
Commentary
This means that such a person should accept the responsibility and use his influence and contacts to obtain the right of his Muslim brother from the wealthy person. If anyone’s rights are suppressed, it is the duty of the influential members of society to defend those rights using their power, rather than remaining as passive onlookers.
14.36 INGRATITUDE
[341] On the authority of Asma’ bint Yazid Ansariah ؓ, who said: The Prophet ﷺ passed by me whilst I was in the company of friends of the neighbourhood. He greeted us with peace and said, “Beware of ingratitude to those who show kindness. One of you may remain with her parents, unmarried for a long time, but then Allah grants her a husband and bestows children with him upon her. She then becomes angry with her husband over a matter and shows ingratitude [for the long companionship, despite all its blessings], saying, ‘I never saw any kindness from you’.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Greeting Women, Hadith no. 1047).
Commentary
A couple of matters are learnt from this Hadith:
1. If there is a group of women and there is no danger of impropriety, a male non-relative may greet them.
2. A specific quality and natural disposition of the woman has been explained in this Hadith. It is that if she is ever annoyed with her husband, she momentarily forgets all his kindnesses. The household atmosphere can only really be happy if the husband’s kindnesses and good qualities are appreciated, rather than only his weaknesses and faults being remembered. This same teaching is given to husbands in another Hadith, “No male believer [i.e. a husband] should ever hate a female believer [i.e. his wife]: if he dislikes one of her qualities, he will be pleased with another.”
He replied, “One who makes a false display of prosperity is like someone who wears two garments of falsehood.” Bukhari and
Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter: Treatment of Women, Hadith no. 32.47).
Commentary
A person should only make a display in attire and appearance according to his or her means. ‘To exaggerate one’s own status and position for pomp and pride or in order to annoy others is a form of lying.
14.38 HAVING AN INFERIORITY COMPLEX AND IMITATING OTHERS
[343] On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever imitates a people is of them.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Dress, Hadith no. 4347).
Commentary
There are two forms of prohibited imitation of non-Muslims:
1. A Muslim disfigures his appearance and way of living in such a way that there remains nothing to distinguish him from non-Muslims,
2. A Muslim individual or society adopts a symbol or characteristic of a non-Muslim nation. Other than that, it does not contradict this Hadith to adopt a beneficial aspect of the customs and culture of non-Muslim nations. For example, the Prophet ﷺ wore a tight-sleeved Roman cloak. Further, upon the advice of Umm Habibah, he had curved sticks used for women’s funeral biers, an Abyssinian practice. Also, upon the advice of Salman al-Farisi, he had a trench dug around Madinah during the Battle of al-Ahzab, a Persian tactic.
14.39 IDOLATRY AND PERSONALITY-WORSHIP
Commentary
Two major causes of idolatry and personality-worship have been explained in this Hadith.
14.40 ROYAL POMP
[345] On the authority of Qudamah ؓ, who said: I saw the Prophet ﷺ stoning [the Devil] on the Day of Sacrifice, riding a reddish-brown she-camel. There was no beating or pushing [of the crowd], no scolding [of anyone] and no shouting, “Make way!” Shafi, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi (Mishkat, Chapter: Stoning the Devils, Hadith no. 2623).
Commentary
The life of the Prophet ﷺ was totally free of the pomp, show and displays of protocol that usually accompany royal processions.
I4.41 JAHILI ROYAL SPECIAL TREATMENT
[346] On the authority of Abu Mas‘ud al-Ansari ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade that the imam should stand on; high place [or object], the people praying behind him being lower than him. Abu Dawud and Darqutni (Mishkat, Chapter on Walking with the Funeral, Hadith no. 1692).
14.42 ELITISM
[347] On the authority of ‘Abdullah [b. Mas‘ud] ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Before the Hour there will be: (1) greeting only of the elite; (2) the spread of trade, until the woman assists her husband in trade; (3) the severing of family relations; (4) the prevalence of false witness and the concealment of true witness; (5) the spread of knowledge? and writing.” Ahmad and Bukhati’s AL Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on Whoever Disliked to Greet the Elite Only, Hadith no. 1049.
60. The same Companion has narrated an identical description of the Prophet’s riding a camel between Mounts Safa and Marwah as part of pilgrimage rites without any special privileges (Mishkat, Hadith no. 2583). - Trans. Note
The first sign mentioned means that only people of status will be greeted and talked to, not the common masses. The second sign means that greed for wealth will increase to such an extent that instead of fulfilling her household duties (such as bringing up children, etc.), women will be forced to help their husbands in business matters. The fourth sign means that wickedness and corruption will be so dominant that noble and good people will find safety in silence, thus protecting themselves from the evil of the selfish and wicked. The fifth sign is critical of the spread of knowledge: there will be much hue and cry about knowledge, but the standards of nobility, politeness and character will decline on a daily basis.
14.43 PARTISANSHIP FOR ONE’S GROUP, TRIBE OR NATION
[348] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Truly, the greatest criminals amongst mankind are [two types of people]: a poet who satirises and criticises a tribe in its totality, and a man who disowns [his lineage to] his father.” Bukhari’s Al- Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on What is Disliked in Poetry, Hadith no. 874.
61. This Hadith speaks of a situation where women are forced to help earn a living against their wishes. Women who choose to participate in economic life are, of course, free to do so. The Prophet’s first and most beloved wife, Khadijah, was an extremely successful businesswoman. — Trans. Note
62. Two versions of this narration variously mention al-qalam (the pen, ie. writing) and al- ‘ilm (knowledge), hence the translation given. - Trans. Note
Commentary
This means that the poet totally ignores the good qualities of a tribe or group of people when criticising them based upon partisanship towards his own tribe or group. Justice dictates that if anyone is being criticised for their faults or weaknesses, their positive qualities should also be kept in mind.
14.44 CLASS DISTINCTION
14.45 BLOCKING THE HIDDEN AVENUES TO OBSCENITY
[350] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ, that he heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, “A man must not seclude himself with a [non-mahram] woman. A woman must not travel unless she is accompanied by a mahram [close male relative].” A man asked, “O Messenger of Allah! My name has been written down to participate in such-and-such a military expedition, and my wife has left for the Pilgrimage.” He replied, “Go and perform the Pilgrimage with your wife.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Hajj Rituals, Hadith no. 2513).
Commentary
From this Hadith, it can be understood that Islam leaves no stone unturned in closing the doors to immorality and obscenity and in protecting the honour of women, even disregarding an act of worship as important as Jihad in this regard.
[351] On che authority of Umaymah bint Ruqayqah ؓ, who said: I gave the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ, amongst a group of women. He said, “I am taking your pledge regarding those matters that you are capable of and can manage.” I said, “Allah and His Messenger are more merciful to us than us ourselves.” I then said, “O Messenger of Allah! Take our pledge”, meaning, shake our hands in accepting allegiance. He replied, “My verbal acceptance of a hundred women is like my verbal acceptance of one woman.” Malik, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter on Reconciliation, Hadith no. 4048).
Commentary
A Prophet is a father to his nation; in fact, he is even greater than that. Despite that, the Prophet ﷺ refrained from shaking women’s hands at the time of their pledging allegiance. Had he not done so, there would have been a wrongful exploitation of religious authoricy, justifying a storm of indecency and shamelessness in the name of the Sunnah until the Day of Judgment.
Commentary
Ibn Umm Maktum was an eminent Companion and, furthermore, he was blind. Despite this, pure women such as the Mothers of the Believers were ordered to veil themselves from him.
[353] On the authority of ‘Umar ؓ, that the Prophet ﷺ said, “A man must not seclude himself with a [non-mahram] woman, otherwise the third of them will be Satan.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Hadith no, 3116).
Commentary
This means that wherever a man and woman are alone, Satan is there to exploit his opportunity. There is the continuous danger that the two of them will be afflicted by temptation.
[354] Onthe authority of Abu Sa ‘id al-Khudri ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Truly, amongst the people worst in station with Allah on the Day of Judgment will be the man who has intimate relations with his wife and then spreads her secrets [amongst the people} .” Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Sexual Intercourse, Hadith no. 3190).
[355] On the authority of Jarir b. ‘Abdullah ؓ who said: I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the unintentional glance. He ordered me to avert my gaze. Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Looking at the One to Whom a Marriage Proposal is Made, Hadith no. 3104).
Commentary
In Islam, unlawful sexual intercourse (zina) has been declared an extremely dangerous moral disease. Therefore, all roads and doors to it have been closed.
[356] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A man’s perfume is that which has a strong scent but light colour. A woman’s perfume is that which
Commentary
Islam strives to keep a righteous society free from shamelessness and indecency and whatever provokes these. This is why women are forbidden from wearing perfume that can arouse lustful passions. Contrarily, men are allowed to wear strong perfume since there is not the risk of temptations that are created by women acting similarly. Men have been forbidden from wearing strongly-coloured perfume. This is because it is appropriate for their nature, duties and obligations that their dress and appearance should be as simple as possible. On the other hand, women are allowed to wear colourful scent. Clearly, it is in the nature of women to love adornment and beautification, and this natural instinct has been considered in Islam. However, restrictions have also been placed on the expression of this natural tendency so that Islamic society is protected from indecency and moral chaos.
14.46 SPREADING INDECENCY
[357] Onthe authority of ‘Ali b. Abi Talib ؓ who said, “The one who utters an obscenity and the one who spreads it [in society] are equal in sin.” Bukhari’s Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Chapter on The Sin of One Who Hears an Obscenity and then Spreads It, Hadith no. 324.
14.47 A CORRUPTING ENVIRONMENT
[358] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Every newborn child is born upon the natural state [fitrah|. His parents then turn him into a Jew, Christian or Magian. This is just as animals produce sound and healthy young: do you see any born with ears cut?” Abu Hurayrah then recited, “The true nature on which Allah has created human beings, the mould fashioned by Allah cannot be altered. That is the true Straight Faith [Surah al-Rum, 30: 30].” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Faith in Predestination, Hadith no. 90).
Commentary
This means that Allah has created every human being upon the natural state (fitrah, i.e. Islam). Subsequently, a person may lose his way because of the wrong upbringing given by his parents and the harmful effects of his environment.
[359] Onthe authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “You will certainly crave after leadership, and it will be a source of regret on the Day of Judgment. How excellent is the
suckler and how bad the weaner!” Bukhari (Mishkat, Book of Leadership, Hadith no. 3681).
Commentary
Here, government and leadership have been compared to the suckler and weaner. A person thoroughly enjoys a position of authority but when this position is taken away from him by death or dismissal, the memory of those delights and joys continually haunts him in the form of regret and sorrow,
14.49 INTERCEDING ON BEHALF OF A CRIMINAL
[360] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ that the Quraysh were concerned about the case of the Makhzumi woman who had committed theft. They wondered as to who would speak to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ regarding her, and decided that no one would dare do so except Usamah b. Zayd, the beloved of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Usamah spoke to him about it, upon which the colour of the face of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ changed. He said, “Are you interceding regarding ‘one of the limits [hudud] laid down by Allah?” He then stood and addressed the people, saying, “The only thing that destroyed the people before you was that when one of their nobles committed theft, they would spare him but when one of the weak committed theft, they would punish him. By Allah! If Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would cut off her hand.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Intercession Regarding Hudud, Hadith no. 3610).
14.50 BREAKING COVENANTS
[361] On the authority of Safwan b. Sulaym ؓ from a number of sons of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from their fathers from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who said, “Lo! Whoever oppresses one [individual or people] protected by [our] covenant, withholds part of his due, imposes an unbearable task upon him or takes anything from him without his consent, I will contend with him on the Day of Judgment [on behalf of the oppressed party].” Aba Dawud (Mishedt, Chapter on Reconciliation, Hadith no. 4047).
[362] Or the authority of ‘Abdullah b. ‘Abbas ؓ, who said, “Whenever treachery becomes widespread amongst a people, Allah places fear [of their enemy] in their hearts. Whenever unlawful sexual intercourse becomes widespread amongst a people, death becomes common amongst them. Whenever a people cheat in weights and measures, sustenance is cut off from them. Whenever people judge unjustly, bloodshed becomes rife amongst them. Whenever a people break covenants, their enemy is made dominant over them.” Malik (Mishkat, Chapter: Changes in the Condition of the People, Hadith no. 5370).
14.52 GREED FOR THE WORLD
[363] On the authority of Thawban ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Very soon, nations will invite each other to gather around you [to devour you] as diners invite each other to_a feast.” Someone asked, “Will it be due to our lack of numbers at that time?” He replied, “Rather, you will be great in number, but you will be like the froth on the surface of the floodwater. Allah will have snatched away from the hearts of your enemies their awe of you, and He will have cast weakness into your hearts.” Someone asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What is that weakness?” He replied, “Love of the world and hatred of death.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter on Changes in the Condition of the People, Hadith no. 5369).
Commentary
Islam does not forbid the heart’s inclination towards worldly blessings, as long as this is within limits. However, if this love for worldly matters increases to the extent that cowardice and a lack of spiritual motivation take root, then a person is neither regarded with dignity in this world nor blessed with happiness in the Hereafter.
15.1 SOCIAL ORDER
[364] On the authority of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When there are three people travelling, they should appoint one as amir (leader, chief].” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter: Etiquette of Travelling, Hadith no. 3911).
In explanation of this Hadith, Imam Ibn Taymiyyah has written that since the establishment of an organised order has been emphasised in a temporary situation such as that of a journey, it follows by implication that the formation of an organised order and leadership is obligatory in settled life. This is supported by another Hadith where the Prophet ﷺ said, “If there are three people in even a wilderness, one of them should be appointed as amir.”
15.2 HOLDING TO THE CONGREGATION
[365] On the authority of Abu’l-Darda’ ؓ who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “If there are three people in a village or wilderness amongst whom the [congregational] prayer is not established, Satan will have dominance over them. Therefore, stay with the congregation, for the wolf only eats the stray sheep!” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa‘i (Mishkat, Chapter on the Congregation, Hadith no. 1067).
Commentary
The forces of falsehood, evil and wickedness are united and well-organised. In order to break their influence, it is necessary that the people of truth and piety also become organised and united. This is why congregational life has been emphasised repeatedly in the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
15.3 THE IMPORTANCE OF A SOCIAL ORDER
[366] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Jihad is a duty upon you behind every leader, whether he is righteous or wicked, even if he commits major sins. Prayer is a duty upon you behind every leader, whether he is righteous or wicked, even if he commits major sins. The funeral prayer is a duty over every [deceased] Muslim, whether he is righteous or wicked, even if he commits major sins. Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chaprer on Imamate, Hadith no. 1125).
Commentary
A number of matters are learnt from this Hadith:
1. Whatever may be the character and behaviour of the leader of the Muslims, he must nevertheless be obeyed in matters of righteousness.
3. No marter how wicked a Muslim’s actions may be, his funeral prayer must not be abandoned. However, if a person deservedly has a bad reputation or has done something that impinges upon the rights of others, people of knowledge and piety may avoid praying over his funeral in order to alert and remind the masses. Thus, it is transmitted in the Hadith that the Prophet did not pray over the funeral of the person who committed suicide. Similarly, he ﷺ did not pray over the funeral of the one who died while indebted, but said to the people, “Pray over your companion.” It should remain clear that such a policy of boycott and breaking of relations can only work in a society that has truly been established upon Islamic principles.
15.4 ABIDING BY RULES
[367] On the authority of Bashir b. al-Khasasiyyah ؓ who said: We asked the Prophet ﷺ, “The zakat collectors transgress upon us. Should we therefore conceal part of our wealth commensurate with their transgression?” He replied, “No.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Zakat, Hadith no. 1784).
Commentary
The importance of obedience to authority and abiding by rules in Islam can be judged from this Hadith. Even if the representatives of an Islamic government commit injustice when collecting zakat and charity, one cannot take wrongful steps in return.
15.5 THE LIMITS OF OBEDIENCE TO AUTHORITY
[368] On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Hearing and obeying [authority are a duty upon the Muslim, whether he likes [the orders] or not, as long as he is not ordered to-disobey Allah: if he is ordered to disobey Allah, then there is [to be] neither hearing nor obeying.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Leadership, Hadith no. 3664).
THAT CONTRAVENES DIVINE LIMITS
[369] On the authority of ‘Amr b. ‘Awf al-Muzani ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Reconciliation is allowed amongst Muslims, except a reconciliation that prohibits the permitted or permits the prohibited. The Muslims must abide by their commitments [i.e. those to which they agree], except for agreements that prohibit the permitted or permit the prohibited.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter on Bankruptcy, Hadith no. 2923).
Commentary
All financial and political dealings, social relationships, international agreements and formulations of national law must be agreed in the light of this Hadith. It is not necessary for every particular issue that specific evidence be found in the Qur'an and Sunnah for these types of dealings. Rather, it is enough to ascertain that we are not taking any steps that go against an unequivocal revealed text. On the other hand, for ritual worship, it is necessary to prove every detail from the Qur’an and Sunnah, otherwise we run the risk of innovation finding a foothold in our worship.
15.7 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AMIR (LEADER)
[370] On the authority of Ma‘qil b. Yasar ؓ who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “Anyone who takes responsibility for a matter concerning the Muslims and shows neither dedication nor efforts for them as he would be dedicated and strive for his own affairs, Allah will cast him upon his face into the Fire.” Tabarani’s Al-Mu ‘jam al-Saghir.
[371] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “O Allah! Whoever is given authority over any matter of my nation and is severe upon them, be Thou severe upon him! Whoever is given authority over any matter of my nation and is gentle with them, be Thou gentle with him!” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Leadership, Hadith no. 3689).
[372] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Any one of my nation who takes responsibility for a matter concerning the Muslims and does
[373] On the authority of Anas b. Malik ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever takes responsibility for a matter concerning the Muslims and then betrays them, he will be in the Fire.” Tabarani’s Al-Mu‘jam al-Saghir.
15.6 THE OBLIGATIONS OF ISLAMIC GOVERNANCE
[374] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ who said: People who had died in debt used to be brought to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He would ask whether or not the man had left enough wealth to pay the debt. If he was told that the man had left enough surplus wealth, he would pray over his funeral, otherwise he would say to the Muslims, “Pray over your companion.” When Allah opened up the conquests to him, he stood and addressed the people saying, “I have more right to the believers than their own selves. Therefore, any believer who dies in debt, its settlement is my responsibility. Whoever leaves surplus wealth, it is for his inheritors.” Bukhari and Muslim (Mishkat, Chapter on Bankruptcy, Hadith no. 2913).
Commentary
It is known from this Hadith that an Islamic government is responsible for all the basic necessities of people who are unable to support themselves. The basic necessities are: (1) food, (2) clothing, (3) accommodation, (4) healthcare and (5) education. If the citizens of any state are deprived of these basic necessities, the government cannot be regarded as Islamic in the true sense. “Umar b. al-Khattab did not enforce the corporal punishment of amputating the hand of the thief during a period of famine. The reason for this is obvious: if a government cannot provide food for its subjects, how can it punish the thief who is likely to have stolen due to dire circumstances?
15.9 THE QUALITIES OF IMAMATE AND LEADERSHIP
Commentary
1. As politics is also subservient to religion in Islam, the qualities that are considered for seniority in the mosque should also be considered at the time of selecting the president or prime minister of a country. Here, four such qualities have been explained:
a. Precedence in knowledge of the Qur’an. Precedence in familiarity with the Sunnah.
c. Precedence in hijrah (sacred migration) or other important service to the religion.
d. Seniority in terms of age.
If the influence and acceptance of a person learned in the religion is widespread in a particular location, it could be divisive for the Muslims’ social life for another person to usurp the position of imamate and leadership there, unless the former gives his own consent. Similarly, no-one should sit on another’s special seat or chair without the latter’s permission, for this can also open the door to bad feelings and misunderstandings.
[376] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “There are three whose prayers are not raised above their heads even a handspan [i.e. their prayers are not accepted]: a person who leads, in prayer, people who dislike him; a woman who spends a night while her husband is angry at her; two [Muslim] brothers who cut off relations with each other.” Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter on Imamate, Hadith no. 1128).
Commentary
A leading quality of the amir or imam is that there is affection and acceptance amongst the public for him, based on his life and character. Whenever he feels that the majority of the people are unhappy with him, he should voluntarily resign from this responsibility.
15.I0 SEEKING POSITION
Commentary
The responsibilities of leadership and government are so numerous that a pious person of understanding could never put himself forward to shoulder this burden. If a person nevertheless runs after such positions, one of two things must be true about him: either he is naive, unaware of the sensitive nature and responsibilities of such positions, or he is hungry for authority and afflicted by greed for power. Either of these cases is enough to make the person unfit to wield authority.
[378] On the seatfieeity of Anas b. Malik ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever seeks to be a judge, he is entrusted [and abandoned] to himself. Whoever is forced into [accepting] such a position, Allah sends down an angel to keep him on the right path.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter on Judgment, Hadith no. 3734).
15. 11 THE LIMITS OF SEEKING POSITIONS
[379] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever seeks to be a judge amongst Muslims and attains such a position: if his justice dominates his injustice, for him is the Garden; if his injustice dominates his justice, for him is the Fire.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter on Judgment, Hadith no. 3736).
Commentary
Usually, the Shari‘ah necessitates that a Muslim should not run after positions of responsibility, otherwise his personal piety will be adversely affected. However, if a person puts himself forward for such positions without coveting them greedily, anticipating that he can really establish some truth and justice and combat the forces of evil and corruption, then this case is an exception to the rule, Further, this is true only when no other person of reliable character and integrity exists in society.
This clarification is necessary to reconcile the Ahمdith opposed to, and in favour of, seeking positions of responsibility. However, the most cautious approach is to save oneself from being immersed in such a crial, as in the other Hadith, “Whoever is appointed as a judge has been slaughtered without a knife.”
[380] On the authority of Yahya b. Hashim from Yanus b. Abu Ishaq from his father ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “As you will be, thus will be the leaders appointed over you.” Bayhaqi (Mishkat, Chapter on Leadership, Hadtih no. 3717).
Commentary
Usually, the ruling class is the cream of the society. However, if the public is corrupt, how can its elite be of righteous character, especially in our democratic age when the public are free to choose their representatives and rulers? Another possible meaning of this Hadith is that if the people of a land are fond of evil deeds, Allah will punish them by imposing evil-doing governors upon them.
15.13 THE IMPORTANCE OF A SYSTEM OF CONSULTATION
[381] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When your leaders are the best of you, your rich are the most generous of you and your |social] matters are decided by consultation amongst yourselves, then the surface of the earth [i.e. life] is better for you than its interior [i.e. death]. When your leaders are the worst of you, your rich are the most miserly of you and your matters are left [entirely] to your women, the interior of the earth is better for you than its surface i.e. such a Muslim people who bring humiliation and disgrace upon themselves are also a shame upon Islam].” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Chapter: The Changing Condition of the People, Hadith no. 5368).
Commentary
In this Hadith, three matters have been declared as the fountainhead of happiness for a Muslim society in both this world and the Hereafter. If all chree of these qualities exist in a society, it will achieve success and felicity:
1. God-fearing leadership and government.
2. Generous wealthy classes who have concern for the poor. The spirit of mutual consultation prevails in all social transactions.
15. 14. RESPONSIBILITLES OF THE JUDICIARY
[382] On the authority of Buraydah ؓ, that the Prophet ﷺ said, “There are three types of judges: one will be in the Garden whilst the other two will be in the Fire. The one who will be in the Garden is the person who recognised the trutch and judged by it. The two who will be in the Fire are the one who recognised the truth but judged unjustly and the one who judged amongst people based on ignorance.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter on Judgment, Hadith no. 3735).
Commentary
For someone to be a judge in an Islamic government, they must fulfil two fundamental conditions:
1. Detailed familiarity with the Law; 2. Concern with fairness and justice in every matter.
If either quality is missing in a person, they are unfit to be a judge in an Islamic court.
[383] On the authority of Abu Hurayrah ؓ, that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever is made to judge amongst people, he has been slaughtered without a knife.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Chapter on Judgment, Hadith no. 3733).
Commentary
This means that the position of being a judge is an extremely critical responsibility. If the judge behaves unjustly, he will be held accountable by Allah. If he behaves justly, he becomes the target of enmity from influential criminals.
15.15 EQUALITY IN ENFORCING LAWS
[384] On the authority of ‘Ubadah b. al-Samit ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Establish the limits of Allah upon those near and far [equally], and let not the blame of the critics affect you in the matters of Allah.” Ibn Majah (Mishkat, Book of Limits, Hadith no. 3587).
15.16 LEGAL EQUALITY
Commentary
1. In this Hadith, there is mention of justice in the Hereafter. From this, it can be inferred that since there is the possibility of retaliation in the Hereafter for even slight injury or insult, it follows that such justice can also be enforced in the courts of this world.
2. A lofty ideal for the treatment of slaves and servants is given in this Hadith.
15.17 THE LIMITS OF LEGAL PARDON
[386] On the authority of ‘A'ishah ؓ who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Pardon the slips of the respected, except where the limits [laws] of Allah are involved.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Limits, Hadith no. 3559).
Commentary
“Respected” here refers to that respect and dignity which is earned in a Muslim society through knowledge, piety and service of religion. If such a person slips up, it is appropriate to overlook this.
In support of this Hadith, the incident of Hatib b. Abi Balta‘ah can be presented. This Companion tried to convey a secret plan of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to the polytheists of Makkah for his own purely-worldly interests. This open crime of his was pardoned because he had risked his life against the enemy in the critical Battle of Badr. However, the caliph does not have the right to suspend Divinely-sanctioned punishments for even the most spiritual or valiant person.
15.18 PRINCIPLES AND ETIQUETTE OF JUDGMENT
[387] On the authority of ‘Abdullah b. Zubayr ؓ, who said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ decreed that the two disputants must sit [i.e. be present] before the judge.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Book of Judgments, Hadith no. 3786).
Both parties must appear in court. It should not be the case that one party is exempted from appearance in court on the basis of wealth, position, power or influence.
[388] On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Were people to be given [judgments] in accordance with their claims, some people would claim everyone’s blood and wealth [and no-one’s life or wealth would be safe]. Hence, the right of raking an oath [to deny the claim] belongs to the defendant.” Muslim (Mishkat, Book of Judgments, Hadith no. 3758).
Commentary
In another Hadith, it is said that the claimant must produce a witness or evidence in support of his claim. If he cannot do so, then in the light of this Hadith, the defendant is absolved of the accusation by taking the required oath.
[389] On the authority of ‘A’ishah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Avoid enforcing the limits [criminal punishments] upon the Muslims as much as you can. If there is any doubt, let the accused go free, for the ruler’s mistake in pardoning is better than his mistake in punishing.” Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Book of Limits, Hadith no. 3570).
Commentary
It is clear from this Hadith that even after a court trial, if there is any doubt about the proof of guilt, the accused should not be punished, Furthermore, it goes without saying that to imprison or punish someone without trial is totally opposed to Islamic justice.
15. I9 ETIQUETTE OF WAR
[390] On the authority of Anas b. Malik ؓ, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Go forth [in Jihad against the enemy] with the Name of Allah, by [the capability and support of] Allah and [remain steadfast] upon the Way of the Messenger of Allah. Do not kill the frail, old man, the small child or the woman. Do not steal from the war-booty. Gather your gains and behave with righteousness and excellence, for truly, Allah loves those who show excellence.” Abu Dawud (Mishkat, Chapter on Fighting during Jihad, Hadtih no. 3956).
Commentary
15.20 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
{391] On the authority of Sulaym b. ‘Amir ؓ, a man of the Himyar, who said: There was a peace treaty between Mu ‘awiyah and the Romans [Byzantines]. Mu‘awiyah had set out (with his army) towards Roman [Byzantine] land so that he could attack them as soon as the treaty expired, when a man rode up on his Arabian or Turkish horse, saying, “Allah is the Greatest! Allah is the Greatest! Fulfilment, not treachery!” The people looked and saw that the man was ‘Amr b. ‘Abasah. Mu ‘awiyah sent for him and asked him about his statement. He replied, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ, saying, ‘Whoever has a treaty with another people should not violate it until its period has been completed, otherwise he should fling it evenly back at them’.” Upon hearing this, Mu‘awiyah returned back with his army. Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi (Mishkat, Chapter: Peace Treaties, Hadith no. 3980).
Commentary
Several matters are learnt from this Hadith:
1. If there is a peace treaty with another country, it is not permissible to attack it immediately upon expiry of the treaty without giving it fair time for preparation.
2. If war becomes inevitable during the period of the treaty, it is necessary to inform the adversary of rhis fact. This same meaning is found in the verse of the Qur’an, “And if-you fear treachery from any people |with whom you have a covenant], then publicly throw their covenant at them.” (Surah al-Anfal, 8: 58)
3. The lofty example of the noble Companions in the matter of hearing and obeying is apparent from this Hadith. As soon as Mu‘awiyah ؓ learnt that his actions were contrary to the Prophetic guidance, he ordered his advancing army to return home.
4. Another important lesson from the Companions’ lives is that they were not afraid of speaking a word of truth in front of people in power, whether they be the caliph or his governors. This courageous step of ‘Amr b. ‘Abasah presents a lofty example of upholding the truth for every Muslim.
[392] On the authority of Mu‘adh b. Jabal ؓ, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “Accept gifts as long as they are gifts. If they become bribes in the matter of religion, do not accept them. However, you will not leave them, for poverty and need will prevent you [from rejecting the bribes]. Beware! The mill of Islam is revolving, so follow the Book wherever it turns. Beware! The Book and authority [government] will soon separate, so do not separate from the Book. Beware! There will be rulers who will decree advantages for themselves but not for you: if you obey them, they will mislead you; if you disobey them, they will kill you.” People asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Whar shall we do?” He replied, “Do as the disciples of Jesus son of Mary did: they were sawed into pieces and nailed to wood. Death in obedience to Allah is better than life in disobedience to Allah.” Tabarani’s Al-Mu ‘jam al-Saghir.
Commentary
This means that no matter how great the trial, a believer should remain steadfast upon the truth and should not cease to invite. to the truth. A couple of matters have been indicated in this Hadith:
1, The mutual exchanging of gifts, presents, invitations and hospitality is a culture of good actions that have been repeatedly encouraged in the Ahadith. However, if this habit originates from influential governors, the people of truth may become susceptible to compromise: upon seeing open evils, their tongues may not only refrain from criticism but may even give wrong fatwas in support of such things. Hence, we see that after Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal’s steadfastness in the face of persecution by the ‘Abbasid Caliphs Ma’mun, Mu‘tasim and Wathiq BiLlah, he was presented with bags of dirhams and dinars by Caliph Mutawakkil. In this situation, he responded spontaneously with the words, “This is more severe upon me than what happened before,” i.e. that being tested with royal gifts and presents was harder than enduring flogging. There was now the danger that the foot may slip upon seeing worldly wealth and riches. History tells us that he also remained steadfast during this trial.
The benefit and happiness of a Muslim environment and righteous social order lies in politics being subservient to religion. Wherever these two become separated, social life will necessarily become dominated by tyranny and barbarism.
Commentary
The original meaning of nush is to be pure from adulteration or mixing. Pure honey, meaning that which has been purified from beeswax and so on, is called ndsih al-‘asl (cf. Mufradat Raghib). Similarly, the word is applied to the heart of a person when there is no malice or impurity left in it and the person's outwardness corresponds totally to his inwardness.
The same meaning is found in the Qur’anic commandment (Surah al-Tahrim, 66: 8) to the believers to turn to Allah with sincere repentance (tawbah nasihah), i.e. to a repentance that is free from every type of hypocrisy or stain. In another ayah, the believers are addressed thus: “There is no blame on the weak. nor on the sick nor on those who have to join [the struggle in the Way of Allah] if they stay behind provided that they are sincere to Allah and His Messenger. There is no cause for reproach against those who do good. Allah is All-Forgiving, Ever Merciful.” (Surah al-Tawbah, 9: 91)
This Qur’anic verse means that usually, abstaining from Jihad is contrary to faith and obedience. However, it will not be blameworthy in the sight of Allah when one has an excuse, on condition that the heart is full of sincerity and loyalty. Thus, Allah does not burden a servant with practical service and exertion when the person has an excuse, but the situation of sincerity and goodness is such that every person is required to possess it and his salvation is impossible without it.
The meaning of “sincerity to Allah” is that a person allows no hypocrisy or betrayal between himself and Allah. The depths of his heart should be full of pure faith and loyalty. Such purity and loyalty dictate that a person must not allow any created being to become a partner or equal with Allah in His Essence and Attributes and with regard to His guidance and the etiquette and rights due towards Him. In this way, a person actually does goodness to himself and enriches his own world and the Hereafter. “Whoever does good, does so to his own benefit.” (Surah Fussilat, 41: 46)
“Sincerity to His Book” dictates that the purpose of the Qur’an’s revelation be fulfilled. This purpose consists of three mattets:
2. Pondering and contemplating deeply, i.e. that it should not simply be recited without understanding, but its signs and verses should be thought about and contemplated. Thus, Allah says, “This is the Blessed Book that We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad), that people with understanding may reflect over its verses.” (Surah Sad, 38: 29)
3. Ruling by the Qur’an, i.e. that contemplation should not merely be for the sake of contemplation itself; rather, it should be done so that the injunctions and guidance of the Wise Qur’an be applied upon oneself, one’s environment, one’s country and, in fact, the whole world. Thus Allah says, “[O Messenger], We have revealed to you this Book with the Truth so that you may judge between people in accordance with what Allah has shown you.” (Surah al-Nisa’, 4: 10 5)
“Sincerity to His Messenger” means that his Sunnah should be revived and that sacrifice and effort be made to uphold the way of life, for the establishment of which he and his noble Companions fought with blood and sweat. The way of life proved to have come from him must be given priority to all other human ways. His words and deeds must not be abandoned in favour of the views or actions of any member of his nation.
“Sincerity to the leaders of the Muslims” - by “leaders” (imams) here is mot meant the religious representatives in today’s mosques. It is the wretched fortune of the Muslim nation that the separation between politics and religion has changed the meaning of imamate. In Islam, politics and wo rldly dealings are subservient to religion. Hence, those who are imams of mosques in a truly Islamic society will also be the leaders and heads of the country.
“Sincerity towards the common-folk of the Muslims” has several aspects:
1. If the Muslim public go astray, they should be called towards the straight path with wisdom and beautiful preaching, and Islamic values should be inculcated in them.
2. If the public are ignorant of Islam, knowledge of the religion should be spread amongst them. Religious schools and centres of higher education should be established. The message of Islam should be made so common that the sound of “Allah says, the Messenger says”, should echo from every door and wall in the land.
3. If the public are afflicted by disease, they should be treated. Medication should be provided for then. An effective national healthcare system should be devised so that no sick person is left deprived of treatment.
4. If any Muslim faces problems or oppression, the oppressor must be resisted, individually and collectively, and the oppressed must be supported. Such organised institutions: should be created so that no weak or oppressed person should feel helpless and unassisted in a Muslim society.
5. If a Muslim dies, one should participate in his funeral and burial and console his relatives. Similarly, mutual co-operation, concern and sharing of grief should become so common that a powerful example of “Surely the believers are none but brothers unto one another.” (Surah al-Hujurat, 49: 10) is manifested to the whole world.
In reality, this Hadith summarises the essence of Islam and extracts its fragrance in very few words.
Our final prayer is that All Praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
Dates, whether Hijri or Gregorian, are given as listed in the publications
‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan ‘Umarpuri, Intikhab-e-Hadith, Islamic Publications Ltd., Lahore, 1995.
Beirut, 3rd ed., 1405/1985.
Muhammad b. Isma‘ il al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari, ed. M. M. M. H. Nassar, Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyah, Beirut, 2nd ed., 1423/2002.
Muslim b. al-Hajjaj/al-Nawawi, Sahih Muslim (with Commentary), Dar Ibn Hazm, Beirut, 1423/2002.
Abu Dawud Sulayman b. al-Ash‘ath al-Sijistani, Sunan, ed. Mashhur Salman / Albani, Maktabah al-Ma‘arif, Riyadh, 1417.
Abu ‘isa Muhammad b. ‘Isa al-Tirmidhi, Sunan, ed, Mashhar Salman / Albani, Maktabah al-Ma‘arif, Riyadh, 1417.
Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Ahmad b. Shu‘ ayb b. ‘Ali al-Nasa’i, Sunan, ed. Mashhar Salman /- Albani, Maktabah al-Ma‘arif, Riyadh,
Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad b. Yazid Ibn Majah al-Qazwini, Sunan, ed. Mashhir Salman / Albani, Maktabah al-Ma‘arif, Riyadh, 1417.
Muhammad b. Isma‘il al-Bukhari / Muhammad Nasir al-Din Albani, Sahih al-Adab al-Mufrad, Dar al-Siddiq, Jubayl, 2nd ed., 1415/1994.
Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti / Muhammad Nasir al-Din Albani, Sahih al-
Jami‘ al-Saghir, 2 vols., Al-Maktab al-Islami, Beirut / Damascus, 3rd ed., 1408/1988.
The Way of the Prophet features 393 traditios of the
Prophet Muhammad: and provides a commentary to elucidate their meanings. This comprehensive selection covers faith, worship, morality and character, ethics, society, law and politics in Islam. It was originally complied in 156 by shaykh ‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan of Delhi at the request of Sayyid Abu’l A‘la Mawdudi and is based mainly on the Mishkat al-masabih of al-Khatib _al-Tabrizi and the Adab al-Mufrad of Imam Bukhari. The original Arabic text of the traditions accompanies the English translation. This work provides a comprehensive and concise introduction to the teachings of the Prophet.
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