In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Ifadah Center
for Humanities Studies and Research
presents:
Abridged Sahih al-Bukhari.
Chapter: When one of you enters the mosque, let him pray two rak'ahs.
On the authority of Abu Qatadah al-Sulami,
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"When one of you enters the mosque,
let him pray two rak'ahs before sitting down."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Let him bow" means let him perform prayer.
Points of Benefit from the Hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that performing the mosque greeting prayer (Tahiyyat al-Masjid) is recommended,
which is a prayer of two rak'ahs,
and that whoever enters the mosque
is discouraged from sitting down without praying,
and this is a discouragement of avoidance (karahat tanziyah).
But if he enters the mosque at a time when prayer is disliked,
then there is scholarly disagreement regarding the recommendation of this prayer.
Chapter: The Construction of the Mosque.
On the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar:
In the era of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the mosque
was built of sun-dried mud bricks,
its roof was made of palm branches,
and its pillars were made of palm trunks.
Abu Bakr added nothing to it,
but 'Umar expanded it,
rebuilding it along the original design
of the era of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
with mud bricks and palm branches,
and he renewed its pillars with wood.
Later, 'Uthman altered it,
expanding it considerably;
he built its walls with carved stone and gypsum plaster,
made its pillars of carved stone,
and roofed it with teakwood.
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Built of mud bricks" —
mud bricks (*al-labin*) are molded from clay or similar material for construction.
"Its roof was made of palm branches" —
the *jarid* refers to palm fronds stripped of their leaves;
if not stripped, they are called *sa'af*.
"Its pillars" refers to the columns upon which the mosque stands.
"He expanded it" means in both length and width,
without changing its basic architecture,
rather rebuilding it along the design set by the Prophet (peace be upon him).
*Al-qissah* refers to gypsum (*jiss*),
which the people of Egypt call lime (*jir*),
and the people of the Levant call *kils*.
"And roofed it with teakwood"
means he constructed its roof out of teak (*al-saj*),
which is a type of wood
imported from India.
Points of Benefit from the Hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that the Sunnah regarding the construction of mosques is moderation
and avoiding extravagance in erecting them,
out of fear of discord and boasting in their construction.
It also directs one to take from worldly goods only with moderation and sufficiency,
to renounce indulgence in worldly luxuries,
and to prefer having only what is barely necessary.
Chapter: Cooperation in Building the Mosque.
On the authority of 'Ikrimah, who said:
Ibn 'Abbas told me and his son 'Ali:
"Go to Abu Sa'id
and listen to his hadiths."
So we went,
and found him tending to a garden wall of his.
He took his cloak, sat with his knees pulled to his chest, wrapping the cloak around them,
and began narrating hadiths to us,
until he mentioned the construction of the mosque.
He said:
"We were carrying one brick at a time,
while 'Ammar was carrying two bricks at a time.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw him,
brushed the dust off him, and said:
'May Allah have mercy on 'Ammar!
The rebellious group will kill him;
he invites them to Paradise,
and they invite him to the Fire.'"
He said:
"'Ammar would say:
'I seek refuge in Allah from trials and tribulations.'"
Commentary on the Hadith:
"In a *ha'it*"
means in an orchard or garden.
"Sat with his knees pulled to his chest" (*ihtaba*)
means he sat on his buttocks, raised his shins,
and bound his garment around his waist and knees.
"Began" (*ansha'a*)
means he initiated and started.
"*Wayh*"
is an expression of sympathy and mercy for someone who meets an undeserved peril,
just as "*wayl*" is an expression of punishment for someone who meets a deserved peril.
"The rebellious group" (*al-fi'ah al-baghiyah*)
refers to those who opposed the legitimate leader
and renounced obedience to him based on an erroneous interpretation.
Points of Benefit from the Hadith:
A scholar may send his son to another scholar to learn from him,
as no single person encompasses all knowledge.
A scholar should compose himself and sit properly for narrating hadith.
It directs one to refrain from teaching while engaged in manual labor.
It shows the permissibility of enduring bearable hardship in doing righteous deeds.
It directs one to honor laborers
and treat them with kindness through both action and speech.
It demonstrates the high virtue of 'Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father).
The hadith is among the clear signs of Prophethood,
for what the Prophet (peace be upon him) foretold
came to pass exactly as he said.
It shows that a person should personally tend to his property and worldly affairs.
It directs one to seek refuge in Allah from trials and tribulations.
Chapter: Seeking the Help of Carpenters and Craftsmen for the Pulpit and Mosque Woodwork.
On the authority of Jabir Ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both),
a woman from the Ansar said to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him):
"O Messenger of Allah,
shall I not make something for you to sit on?
For I have a servant who is a carpenter."
He said: "If you wish."
He said: So she had the pulpit made for him.
In another narration: The mosque was roofed upon palm trunks,
and whenever the Prophet (peace be upon him) delivered a sermon, he would stand by one of the trunks.
When Friday came,
the Prophet (peace be upon him) sat upon the pulpit that had been made,
and the palm trunk by which he used to preach cried out.
In another narration: "We heard from the trunk a sound like the moaning of pregnant camels,
until it was about to split apart."
So the Prophet (peace be upon him) descended, went to it,
and embraced it.
It began to whimper like a weeping child being soothed,
In another narration: "It whimpered like a child being calmed until it settled."
He said: "It wept over the remembrance of Allah that it used to hear."
Commentary on the Hadith:
Chapter: Seeking the Help of Carpenters and Craftsmen for the Pulpit and Mosque Woodwork.
Mentioning "carpenters and craftsmen" is conjunction of the general with the specific,
as a carpenter is a craftsman.
"For I have a servant who is a carpenter" —
his name was Maymun, though other names have been suggested.
"The palm trunk cried out"
means the palm trunk wept out of yearning.
"Until it was about to split apart"
means crack open due to the intensity of its longing.
"So the Prophet (peace be upon him) descended"
means he came down from the pulpit.
"It whimpered like a child being soothed"
describes the state of a child when embraced by its mother after a bout of crying.
"It settled" means it became calm and quiet.
Points of Benefit from the Hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that one is guided to seek the assistance of skilled craftsmen and experts in everything that benefits the Muslims.
If someone makes a promise to another,
it is permissible to ask for its fulfillment
and encourage them to complete it.
It is lawful to seek closeness to people of virtue through performing good deeds.
It is recommended to accept an offered gift or service when it comes without asking.
The hadith is among the signs of Prophethood,
for the palm trunk yearned for and was comforted by the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Chapter: Whoever Builds a Mosque.
On the authority of 'Ubaydullah al-Khawlani,
that he heard 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan saying, in response to what people said about him when he rebuilt the Prophet's Mosque:
"You have spoken excessively,
and I indeed heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say:
'Whoever builds a mosque seeking thereby the face of Allah,
Allah will build for him the like of it in Paradise.'"
Commentary on the Hadith:
"You have spoken excessively"
means you have indulged in too much talk and disapproval,
because they preferred to leave the Prophet's Mosque in its original form as first built.
"Seeking thereby the face of Allah"
means being purely sincere in building it for Him.
Points of Benefit from the Hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that there is great virtue in building and erecting mosques,
and this reward is attained by whoever renovates and expands them.
It contains an exhortation toward sincerity in deeds.
Chapter: Holding Arrows by Their Tips When Passing Through the Mosque.
On the authority of Jabir:
A man passed through the mosque carrying arrows with their iron tips exposed,
so he was commanded to hold them by their tips,
lest he scratch a Muslim.
Commentary on the Hadith:
Chapter: Holding Arrows by Their Tips When Passing Through the Mosque.
*Nabl* means arrows.
"Exposed" means revealed.
"Their tips" (*nusuuluha*) —
the tip of an arrow (*nasl*)
is its iron arrowhead that inflicts wounds.
"To hold"
means to grasp firmly.
"Lest he scratch a Muslim"
means lest he wound him,
and a scratch is the slightest of wounds.
Points of Benefit from the Hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that the sanctity of a Muslim is firmly emphasized,
so he must not be harmed in the mosque,
for the mosque is a gathering place for people.
It also demonstrates the compassion of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and his mercy toward the believers.
It also shows the permissibility of bringing weapons into the mosque,
provided there is safety against harming Muslims.
Chapter: Passing Through the Mosque
On the authority of Abu Musa,
from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said:
"If one of you passes through our mosque
or through our marketplace
carrying arrows,
let him hold them by their points,"
and in another narration:
"let him grasp them by their points,
lest he wound a Muslim with his palm,"
or he said:
"let him clench his hand over them,
lest any of them should strike a Muslim."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Or through our marketplace"
means places where people gather.
"Lest they strike"
means lest they cause harm through a scratch or the like.
Key benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The permissibility of passing through the mosque carrying a weapon,
provided there is safety against inflicting harm.
It also indicates the prohibition of inflicting harm upon Muslims
in public gatherings.
Chapter: Poetry in the Mosque
On the authority of Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab, who said:
'Umar passed through the mosque while Hassan was reciting poetry,
so Hassan said:
"I used to recite poetry in it
while in it was one better than you."
Then he turned to Abu Hurayrah and said:
"I adjure you by Allah,
did you hear the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:
'Respond on my behalf;
O Allah, support him with the Holy Spirit'?"
He replied, "Yes."
Commentary on the hadith:
"While Hassan was reciting"
means reciting poetry.
"One better than you"
refers to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
"I adjure you by Allah"
means: I ask you by Allah.
"Respond on my behalf"
means: lampoon them in defense of me.
"O Allah, support..."
The Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed for him to be aided
"with the Holy Spirit,"
which refers to Jibril, peace be upon him.
Key benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The permissibility of acceptable poetry in the mosque.
It also guides toward safeguarding the mosque
against foul speech.
It highlights the virtue of Hassan ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him),
the virtue of striving (jihad) with the tongue,
and the obligation of defending the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Chapter: The Spear-Bearers in the Mosque
On the authority of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) entered upon me
while two young slave-girls were singing the songs of Bu'ath,"
and in another narration:
"during the days of Mina, beating the tambourine (duff).
He lay down on the bed
and turned his face away.
Then Abu Bakr entered
and scolded me,
saying:
'The flute of Satan in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)?!'
Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) turned to him
and said:
'Let them be.'
In another narration:
'Every people has a festival (Eid),
and this is our Eid.'
When he became distracted,
I signaled them with my eyes, and they left."
She continued:
"It was the day of Eid,
and the Abyssinians were playing with leather shields and spears.
Either I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
or he asked:
'Would you like to watch?'
She said, 'Yes.'
So he stood me behind him,
with my cheek against his cheek,"
and in another narration:
"'Umar rebuked them,
but the Prophet said:
'Carry on, O Banu Arfida!'
until when I grew tired,
he said:
'Is that enough for you?'
I said, 'Yes.'
He said:
'Then you may go.'"
In another narration:
"So appreciate the desire of a young girl
eager for entertainment."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Two young slave-girls"
means they were below the age of puberty.
"Bu'ath"
is a famous battle day among the Arabs
in which a great battle took place between the Aws and the Khazraj.
"He scolded me"
means he rebuked me.
"The flute of Satan"
refers to singing or the tambourine.
"He turned to him"
means toward Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
"Let them be"
means leave them alone.
"He became distracted"
means he engaged in another matter.
"I signaled them" (ghamztuhuma)
Al-Ghamz
means gesturing with the eye and eyebrow,
or signaling with the hand and subtle gestures.
"The dark-skinned people" (al-Sudan)
refers to the Abyssinians (al-Habashah),
also called al-Habash.
"With leather shields" (al-daraq)
A daraqah is a shield made of leather.
"Either I asked"
means I requested from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
"They were beating the tambourine" (tudafficfan)
means playing the duff.
"Carry on, O Banu Arfida"
Arfida is a title for the Abyssinians,
or the name of their ancient forefather,
and other explanations have been given.
"I grew tired" (maliltu)
means I became weary.
"Is that enough for you?" (hasbuki)
means: is this amount sufficient for you?
Key benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The permissibility of watching permissible entertainment.
It also highlights the virtue of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her)
and her great status in the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
It directs that the places of virtuous people be kept free from frivolous pastimes,
even if not inherently sinful,
except with their permission.
It demonstrates the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding wrong.
It also shows that any activity containing a benefit for the religion and its adherents
is permissible in the mosque.
It indicates that expressing joy on the days of Eid is among the symbols of the religion.
Chapter: Mentioning Buying and Selling from the Pulpit in the Mosque
On the authority of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said:
"Barirah came to me and said:
'I have contracted for my freedom with my masters for nine uqiyahs,
one uqiyah each year,'"
and in another narration:
"'and she owed five uqiyahs scheduled over five years,
so assist me.'
I said:
'If your masters wish that I count it out for them in a single sum
and that the right of loyalty (wala') belong to me, I will do so.'
So Barirah went to her masters
and told them,
but they refused her offer.
She returned from them while the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was seated,
and said:
'I presented that to them,
but they refused unless the wala' belongs to them.'
The Prophet (peace be upon him) heard this,
and 'A'ishah informed the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Thereupon he said:
'Buy her and stipulate that the wala' belongs to them,
for the wala' belongs only to the one who manumits.'"
In another narration:
"'The wala' belongs to the one who gives the silver
and confers the favor of freedom.'
So 'A'ishah did so.
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stood up among the people,
praised and glorified Allah,
and then said:
'To proceed:
What is the matter with people who lay down conditions not found in the Book of Allah?
Any condition not found in the Book of Allah is invalid,
even if it were a hundred conditions.
The decree of Allah is more rightful,
the condition of Allah is more binding,
and the wala' belongs only to the one who manumits.'"
Commentary on the hadith:
"I have contracted" (katabtu)
Al-Mukatabah is when a master manumits his slave in exchange for money paid in installments.
"My masters" (ahli)
refers to her masters who owned her.
"Uqiyah"
An uqiyah is forty silver dirhams,
and its measure in contemporary weights
is approximately one hundred and twenty grams.
"So help me."
Meaning: "Assist me."
"I will pay it."
Meaning: "I will disburse it."
"And your loyalty (wala')."
Wala'
is a bond between the emancipator and the freed slave,
resembling lineage in a certain respect.
"Yet they refused."
Meaning: they declined.
"Take her."
Meaning: buy her and set her free.
"What is the matter with people..."
Meaning: "What is their excuse..."
And this was his manner, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
to conceal the identity of the offender in his public exhortations.
"Even if it were a hundred conditions."
This is used for hyperbole.
"The judgment of Allah is more binding."
Meaning: the ruling of Allah has greater right and is more deserving of compliance
than any conditions that contradict Islamic law.
"And the condition of Allah is more reliable."
Meaning: upholding His bounds is firmer and more obligatory.
"Loyalty belongs only to the one who emancipates."
Meaning: the right of wala' belongs solely to the person who frees the slave.
Wala' is like kinship:
it can neither be sold nor gifted.
Among the lessons of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that whoever stipulates an unlawful condition in a sale,
the condition is void,
while other conditions are subject to detailed rulings among the jurists.
It also demonstrates the permissibility of rhymed prose if it is natural and unforced.
It demonstrates the obligation of enjoining good
and forbidding evil,
as well as the obligation of clinging firmly to the Book and the Sunnah.
Chapter: Demanding Repayment of Debts and Detaining the Debtor in the Mosque
On the authority of Ka'b:
He demanded repayment of a debt from Ibn Abi Hadrad
that was owed to him, while in the mosque.
Their voices rose
until they were heard by a man—
until the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, heard them
while he was in his house.
So he came out to them,
lifting the curtain of his chamber,
and called out: "O Ka'b!"
He replied: "Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah."
He said: "Remit this much of your debt,"
gesturing to him to indicate half.
He said: "I have done so, O Messenger of Allah."
He said: "Get up and pay him."
Commentary on the hadith:
Taqadi:
Taqadi means demanding one's due from an adversary,
whether a debt or otherwise.
Sijf is a curtain;
it is also said that every doorway draped with two joined curtains,
each half of it is called a sijf.
"Labbayk" means: "I respond to you
and remain steadfast in your obedience."
Meaning: he gestured to him.
"Al-shatr" means: half.
"Faqdih" means: pay his debt.
It is derived from the hadith
that acting upon an understood gesture is permissible.
It also contains the recommendation of interceding with the rightful claimant,
and the recommendation to accept intercession in matters that do not involve sin.
Chapter: Sweeping the Mosque
and Picking Up Scraps of Cloth, Dirt, and Twigs
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him:
A Black person—either a man or a woman—
used to sweep the mosque.
The person died, but the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was not informed of their death.
One day he remembered the person and asked:
"What happened to that person?"
They replied: "They passed away, O Messenger of Allah."
He said: "Why did you not notify me?"
They explained the matter, saying such and such,
as they had deemed the person of little consequence.
He said: "Direct me to the grave."
So he went to the grave and prayed over it.
Commentary on the hadith:
Chapter: Sweeping the Mosque and Picking Up Scraps of Cloth, Dirt, and Twigs
Sweeping the mosque:
meaning, removing refuse from it.
Picking up means to come upon something without intentionally seeking it out.
Dirt and twigs refer to pieces of wood, straw, and the like.
"Yaqummu" means: he removes the refuse.
"Did you not notify me?" Meaning: why did you not inform me of the death so I could offer the funeral prayer?
"They deemed the person of little consequence":
meaning, they belittled the person's status.
Among the lessons of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
an affirmation of the virtue of maintaining and serving the mosque.
It provides guidance to check on companions and notice their absence.
It highlights the desirability of praying for and showing mercy to whoever dedicates themselves to the service and benefit of Muslims.
It indicates the recommendation of announcing a death.
It also guides toward attending the funerals of the righteous.
Chapter: Prohibition of the Sale of Wine in the Mosque
On the authority of 'A'ishah, who said:
When the verses regarding usury from Surah al-Baqarah were revealed,
the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, went out to the mosque
and recited them to the people.
Then he prohibited the trade of wine.
Commentary on the hadith:
He prohibited the trade of wine:
meaning, the buying and selling of wine.
Chapter: Tying a Prisoner or a Debtor in the Mosque
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah,
from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said:
"An 'ifrit from among the jinn suddenly assaulted me last night,"
or a similar phrase,
"to interrupt my prayer.
But Allah gave me power over him,
and I intended to tie him to one of the pillars of the mosque
so that you all might see him in the morning.
Then I remembered the supplication of my brother Sulayman."
“He said: My Lord! Forgive me and bestow on me sovereignty such as shall not belong to any after me. Lo! Thou art the Bestower.” (38:35)
So he turned him back frustrated.
Commentary on the hadith:
"An 'ifrit":
An 'ifrit is a rebellious, wicked jinni.
"Suddenly assaulted me":
meaning, he confronted me unexpectedly last night.
Meaning: the night just passed.
"Allah gave me power over him":
meaning, He strengthened me and granted me victory over him.
"Sariyah":
meaning, a pillar.
"He turned him back frustrated":
meaning, humiliated, abased, and driven away.
Among the lessons of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
an affirmation of the existence of the jinn
and the possibility of human beings seeing them.
The hadith indicates that the jinn are of various categories:
among them is the rebellious 'ifrit,
and among them are those lesser than that.
It shows the permissibility of quoting from the Qur'an
by citing an expression without intending it as formal recitation.
It demonstrates the obligation of seeking refuge in Allah, the Exalted and Majestic,
to protect oneself from the evils of the jinn.
The hadith contains proof that the jinn do not permanently retain their original fiery form.
It shows that the subjugation of the jinn
was among the evidentiary signs of the prophethood of Sulayman, peace be upon him.
It proves the permissibility of relating extraordinary experiences that happen to a person
by way of reminder and admonition.
It also indicates that minor movements do not invalidate the prayer.