In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Ifadah Center
for Humanities Studies and Research
presents
Abridged Sahih al-Bukhari
Chapter: The Sale of Images That Do Not Contain a Soul
And What Is Disliked Regarding That
On the authority of Sa'id Ibn Abi al-Hasan, who said:
I was with Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both)
when a man came to him and said:
"O Abu 'Abbas,
I am a man whose livelihood comes solely from the work of my hands,
and I make these images."
Ibn 'Abbas replied:
"I will tell you only what I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say.
I heard him say:
'Whoever makes an image'—in one narration:
'in this world that contains a soul,
Allah will punish him until he breathes a soul into it.'
In another narration:
'He will be tasked on the Day of Resurrection to breathe [a soul] into it,
yet he will never be able to do so.'
The man gasped heavily,
and his face turned yellow.
[Ibn 'Abbas] said:
'Woe to you!
If you must insist on making them,
then you should focus on these trees,
or anything that does not contain a soul.'"
Commentary on the hadith:
"Came" (ata) means arrived.
"My livelihood" means the earnings from which I live.
"Work of my hands" means the labor of my hands.
"I make these images"
means I draw them with my hands.
"Makes an image" refers to those possessing souls.
"Until he breathes"
means the soul into the image he drew.
"The man gasped heavily"
"Gasped" (rabwah) refers to tightness of the chest and rapid breathing.
"And his face turned yellow"
means from the intensity of his fear.
"Woe to you" (wayhak)
is a phrase said to someone who has fallen into a ruin they did not deserve.
"To make"
means to perform this act,
which is drawing.
Benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The prohibition of depicting living beings.
Allah the Almighty threatens the maker of such images with a severe punishment.
It indicates that the recompense is of the same nature as the deed.
It indicates the permissibility of selling images of trees.
It indicates that linking a forbidden act to its punishment is more effective in prohibiting it.
It indicates that the scholar must clarify and detail the ruling when necessary.
Chapter: The Sin of Selling a Free Person
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said
that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Allah says:
'There are three whom I will oppose on the Day of Resurrection:
A man who gave by Me, then betrayed;
a man who sold a free person and consumed his price;
and a man who hired a worker,
received full work from him, but did not pay his wage.'"
Commentary on the hadith:
"Oppose them" (khasmuhum)
means I will be their adversary and demand from them what they have done.
"Gave by Me"
means he gave a covenant in the name of Allah and swore by Him.
"Then betrayed"
means he broke the covenant and did not fulfill it.
"Consumed his price"
The consumption is specifically mentioned
because it is the greatest objective [of the sale].
"Received full work from him"
means the worker performed the assigned task completely.
Benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The prohibition of injustice.
Among the forms of injustice is enslaving a free person,
or exposing him to that.
Among the forms of injustice is betrayal.
Among the forms of injustice is consuming the rights of workers.
It encourages the fulfillment of covenants and contracts.
Chapter: Selling Captives
On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him),
that while he was sitting with the Prophet (peace be upon him),
he said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
we capture female captives,
and we desire their prices [by selling them],
so what is your opinion on 'azl (coitus interruptus)?"
In one narration:
"We went out with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
on the expedition of Banu al-Mustaliq,
and we captured some of the Arab captives.
We desired the women,
and celibacy became difficult for us.
We wanted to practice 'azl."
In one narration:
"They wanted to enjoy them without them becoming pregnant."
He said:
"Do you really do that?
There is no harm if you do not do that,
for there is no soul that Allah has decreed to come into existence but it will come into existence."
In one narration:
"There is no soul that will exist until the Day of Resurrection
but it will exist."
In one narration:
"For Allah has already written who is to be created until the Day of Resurrection."
Commentary on the hadith:
"We capture female captives"
means we have relations with the captured slave women.
"We desire their prices"
means we want to sell them.
"What is your opinion"
means what is the ruling?
"'Azl"
means ejaculation outside the vagina
to prevent the occurrence of a child.
"There is no harm if you do not do that"
means there is no blame upon you for practicing 'azl.
"Soul" (nasamah)
means a living being.
"Written"
means decreed.
"To come into existence"
means to be.
Benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The permissibility of 'azl.
The hadith indicates that it is not permissible to sell mothers of children (umm al-walad).
The hadith indicates that a child may still be conceived despite 'azl.
It contains the obligation to believe that whatever Allah wills happens,
and whatever He does not will does not happen.
Chapter: Selling Carrion and Idols
On the authority of Jabir Ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both),
that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say in the Year of the Conquest while he was in Makkah:
"Indeed, Allah and His Messenger have prohibited the sale of alcohol, carrion, swine, and idols."
It was said: "O Messenger of Allah,
what about the fat of carrion?
For it is used to coat ships,
to grease hides,
and people use it for their lamps."
He said: "No, it is haram."
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said at that time:
"May Allah fight the Jews!
For when Allah prohibited the fat of [carrion],
they melted it down, sold it,
and consumed its price."
Commentary on the hadith:
An idol (sanam) is that which is taken as a deity besides Allah.
It is said that an idol is that which has a body or a form.
If it does not have a body or a form,
it is a wathan.
"Year of the Conquest"
means the eighth year after the Hijrah.
"Fat of carrion"
means the grease of the dead animal.
"Coat" means to grease.
"Use it for their lamps"
means to light the lamp with it.
"May Allah fight the Jews"
means may He curse them.
It is also said:
May He kill them and destroy them.
"Melted it down"
means they liquefied it and extracted its fat.
Benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
It is not permissible to benefit from carrion except for what has been specifically excepted by evidence,
such as the hide when it is tanned.
It warns against the Jews' method of using legal loopholes.
Chapter: The Price of a Dog
On the authority of Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him),
that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
forbade the price of a dog,
the dowry of a prostitute,
and the earnings of a soothsayer.
Commentary on the hadith:
"Dowry of a prostitute"
refers to
what she takes in exchange for her adultery.
"Earnings of a soothsayer"
means what is given to the soothsayer in money or otherwise.
A "soothsayer" (kahin)
is one who claims to know the unseen
and claims to know secrets.
Benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The prohibition of adultery.
It contains a prohibition against evil earnings.
It indicates that no one knows the unseen except Allah the Almighty.
Book of Salam (Forward Sale)
Salaf and Salam
are expressions for the same meaning,
which is the sale of a described item in the liability for an immediate payment.
It is one of the sales permitted by consensus.
Chapter: Salam (Forward Sale) involving a specified measure.
On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) arrived in Medina,
while the people were practicing forward sales of dates for one or two years.
In one narration:
For one year or two.
He said:
"Whoever enters into a forward sale for something,
In one narration:
"Enter into forward sales for fruits,
must do so for a specified measure,
and a specified weight,
for a specified term."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Yuslifun" (they were practicing forward sales):
Meaning they were engaging in the Salam transaction.
The terms "Salaf" and "Salam" have the same meaning.
"For a specified measure and a specified weight":
The intent is:
To observe the measure for items that are measured,
and to observe the weight for items that are weighed.
"For a specified term":
Meaning it is necessary to designate the time of receipt.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The requirement to specify the measure for items sold via Salam that are measured,
and the requirement to specify the weight for items that are weighed.
This is due to the variation in measures and weights.
It also indicates that for anything whose characteristics can be defined and whose quantity can be known,
a forward sale is permissible.
Chapter: Salam involving a specified weight.
On the authority of Muhammad ibn Abi al-Mujalid, who said:
‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad and Abu Burdah sent me
to ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with them both).
He said:
"Ask him if the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
used to enter into forward sales for wheat."
‘Abdullah said:
"We used to obtain spoils of war with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
and there would come to us the Nabataeans from the Nabataeans of Syria.
We would enter into forward sales with the Nabataeans of Syria for wheat, barley, and oil."
In one narration:
"We used to enter into forward sales during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
and Abu Bakr and ‘Umar,
for wheat, barley, raisins, and dates,
for a specified measure and a specified term."
I asked:
"To those who had the source of it?"
He said:
"We did not ask them about that."
Then they sent me to ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abza,
and I asked him,
and he said:
"The Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to enter into forward sales during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him),
and we did not ask them
whether they had crops or not."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Ba‘athani" (they sent me):
Meaning they dispatched me.
"During the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him)":
Meaning in his era and the days of his life (peace be upon him).
"Al-Hintah":
Meaning wheat.
"Nabataeans of Syria":
Meaning the farmers among the people of Syria.
They were called "Nabat"
because of their skill in extracting water from springs and wells.
"To those who had the source of it":
The intent by "the source" is:
The origin of the item being sold via Salam.
The source of grain is the crop,
and the source of fruits is the trees.
"Harth" means crops.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
That the era of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the standard of guidance in transactions and other matters.
The report provides guidance to follow the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.
It indicates that the consensus of the Companions is a proof.
It indicates that asking is the key to knowledge.
It shows the legitimacy of asking the people of knowledge regarding any incident that occurs.
It indicates the permissibility of debating an issue in search of the truth.
It indicates the permissibility of verifying a legal opinion (fatwa)
by presenting it to more than one scholar.
The hadith points to the requirement of negating uncertainty in financial transactions.
Chapter: Forward sale to someone who does not possess the source.
On the authority of Abu al-Bakhtari, who said:
I asked Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) about forward sales of palm fruits.
He said:
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade the sale of fruits until they are ripe,
and he forbade the sale of silver for gold on credit (deferred) for immediate payment."
In one narration:
"And he forbade the sale of silver on credit for immediate payment."
I asked Ibn ‘Abbas,
and he said:
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade the sale of palm fruits until they are eaten,
or can be eaten,
and until they are weighed."
I asked, "And what is weighed?"
He said:
"A man has it until it is estimated."
Commentary on the hadith:
"In palm fruits": Meaning the fruit of the palm trees.
"Until they are ripe":
Meaning until ripeness appears in them.
"Al-Wariq": Meaning silver.
"Nasi'an" (on credit): Meaning deferred.
"Binajiz" (for immediate payment): Meaning for something present.
The intent is:
The prohibition of selling gold for silver
when one of the two currencies is absent from the session of the contract.
"Until they are eaten or can be eaten":
A metaphor for the appearance of ripeness.
"Until it is estimated":
Meaning until it is preserved and protected.
It is also said: until it is "huzira" (estimated),
with the letter 'zay' before the 'ra'.
Meaning it is appraised.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The permissibility of forward sales for items that are currently non-existent in people's hands,
provided that their existence is generally expected by the time the term expires.
His statement "until it is estimated" points
to the consideration of the rights of the poor in wealth upon which zakat is due.
Book of Preemption (Shuf‘ah).
Preemption:
The request to add a purchased plot of land to the property of the preemptor
due to partnership or neighborhood.
Chapter: Offering preemption to its owner before the sale.
On the authority of ‘Umar ibn al-Sharid, who said:
I was standing with Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas,
when al-Miswar ibn Makhramah came
and placed his hand on one of my shoulders.
Then Abu Rafi‘, the freed slave of the Prophet (peace be upon him), came
and said:
"O Sa‘d,
buy from me my two houses that are in your property."
Sa‘d said:
"By Allah, I will not buy them."
Al-Miswar said:
"By Allah, you shall buy them."
Sa‘d said:
"By Allah, I will not pay you more than four thousand, in installments or portions."
Abu Rafi‘ said:
"I have been offered five hundred dinars for them,
and were it not that I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say:
'The neighbor has a greater right to his proximity,'
In one narration:
'to his proximity,'
I would not have given them to you for four thousand."
In one narration:
"Four hundred,"
in both instances,
"while I am offered five hundred dinars for them."
So he gave them to him.
Commentary on the hadith:
"Ibta‘ minni":
Meaning buy from me.
"My two houses in your property":
Meaning my two houses located within your property.
"Ma abta‘uhuma":
Meaning I will not buy them.
"La aziduka":
Meaning I will not give you an increase.
"Munajjama":
Meaning he pays the price at known, successive times.
"Or muqatta‘a":
Meaning deferred,
paying bit by bit.
"The neighbor has a greater right to his proximity":
"Al-Saqab":
Meaning closeness.
The intent is:
The neighbor has the right to purchase the property of his partner,
or his neighbor who is close to his property,
or what was held in common.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The establishment of the right of preemption for the neighbor.
It shows the recommendation for a partner to offer the sale to his partner
for the sake of his preemption right before the sale is finalized.
The hadith indicates the permissibility of installment sales.
The hadith points to the virtue of leniency in buying and selling.
This is among the noble character traits,
because Abu Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him)
sold to Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him)
for less than what others had offered him.
This is a matter of benevolence and generosity.
It provides guidance to eliminate the causes of conflict and enmity among people.
Chapter:
Which neighbor is closer?
On the authority of ‘A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said:
I said, "O Messenger of Allah,
I have two neighbors;
to which of them should I give a gift?"
He said:
"To the one whose door is closer to you."
Commentary on the hadith:
Neighbors.
Meaning: the neighbors.
Specifically, the one whose door is closest to yours.
It is commanded to give a gift to the one whose door is nearest.
This is because he observes what enters his neighbor’s house and what leaves it.
And when he sees that,
he would like to share in it.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that the neighbor has a greater right to kindness and assistance due to his proximity to his neighbor.
It also indicates the desirability of checking on neighbors by sending them something.
It also establishes the right of pre-emption (shuf'ah) for the close neighbor.
It also shows that when rights conflict,
the one with the closest claim is given priority.
The Book of Hiring (Ijarah).
Hiring (Ijarah):
A contract for a known benefit,
or a known task,
in exchange for known compensation.
Chapter:
Hiring a righteous man.
On the authority of Abu Musa, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
I entered upon the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
along with two men from my people.
One of the two men said:
"Appoint us, O Messenger of Allah."
The other said something similar.
In one narration:
I said:
"I did not know they were seeking employment."
He said:
"We do not appoint to this position one who asks for it,
nor one who is eager for it."
In one narration:
"We will not..."
Or: "We do not employ for our work one who desires it."
Commentary on the hadith:
"From my people":
Meaning, from the Ash'ari tribe.
"Appoint us":
Meaning, seeking a position of authority.
"We do not appoint to this":
Meaning, we do not place in this position.
"One who asks for it":
Meaning, one who requests it.
"Nor one who is eager for it":
Since seeking employment is a sign of greed,
it is necessary to be wary of one who is eager for it.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that whoever is eager for a position of authority should not be given it.
For eagerness is a breeding ground for greed and corruption.
It also shows that the one who asks and is eager
is left to the burden of the position and is not helped in it.
It also shows the permissibility of giving a position to one who requested it,
provided they are qualified and have good intentions,
along with upright conduct.
Chapter: Herding sheep for carats.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said:
"Allah did not send a prophet but that he herded sheep."
His Companions asked:
"And you?"
He said: "Yes,
I used to herd them for the people of Makkah for carats."
Commentary on the hadith:
"For carats":
The carat (qirat)
is one twenty-fourth of a dinar.
It is also said:
Al-Qararit is a place in Makkah.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is legitimate to work as a shepherd for a wage.
The hadith also draws attention to the necessity of humility and avoiding arrogance,
even if a person reaches the highest worldly status.
It also shows that the wisdom behind herding sheep
is to accustom the soul to patience and managing affairs.
Chapter: The hired worker during a military expedition.
On the authority of Ya'la Ibn Umayyah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
I went on the expedition of Tabuk with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and I provided a young camel.
That is the most reliable of my deeds in my own estimation.
I hired a worker,
and he fought a man.
One of them bit the other,
and he pulled his hand away from his mouth.
In one narration, it was his finger in both instances.
And he pulled out his front tooth.
In one narration, he knocked out his front tooth.
He came to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and he declared it exempt from retaliation (hadar).
He said:
"Should he offer his hand to you for you to gnaw on it as a stallion gnaws?"
Commentary on the hadith:
"Young camel (bakr)":
The bakr is a young camel.
"Most reliable of my deeds in my own estimation":
Meaning, the most sound and strongest of my deeds in my own view.
"He pulled his hand away":
Meaning, he yanked it.
"In it": Meaning, in his mouth.
"Pulled out his front tooth":
Meaning, he caused his front tooth to fall out.
"Declared it exempt (ahdaraha)":
Meaning, he dismissed the claim for it.
"Gnaw on it":
Gnawing is eating with the edges of the teeth.
"Stallion (fahl)":
It is the male of camels and other livestock.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is permissible for a man to mention his good deeds if he is safe from vanity.
It also shows that hiring a worker for service and to cover the costs of labor in military expeditions and elsewhere is the same.
As for fighting, one should not be hired for it,
because it is the duty of every Muslim to fight until the word of Allah is supreme.
Chapter: What is given for Ruqyah (incantation) among the Arab tribes using the Opening of the Book (Al-Fatihah).
On the authority of Abu Sa'id, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
A group of the Prophet’s Companions set out on a journey they had undertaken,
until they stopped at one of the Arab tribes.
They asked them for hospitality,
but they refused to host them.
Then the leader of that tribe was stung.
They tried everything for him, but nothing helped him.
Some of them said:
"If you were to go to these people who have stopped here,
perhaps one of them might have something."
They came to them and said:
"O group,
our leader has been stung,
and we have tried everything for him, but nothing helps him.
Does anyone among you have anything?"
In one narration:
A slave girl came and said:
"The leader of the tribe is stung,
and our men are away.
Is there a healer among you?"
Some of them said:
"Yes,
by Allah, I can perform Ruqyah,
but by Allah, we asked you for hospitality and you did not host us,
so I will not perform Ruqyah for you
until you give us a fee."
So they reached an agreement with them for a flock of sheep.
In one narration:
A man went with her whom we did not know to be a healer.
He performed Ruqyah on him, and he recovered.
He ordered that he be given thirty sheep,
and he gave us milk to drink.
He began to spit on him
and recite:
"All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds."
It was as if he had been released from a tether.
He began to walk as if there was nothing wrong with him.
He said:
"Give them the fee they agreed upon."
Some of them said:
"Divide it."
The one who performed the Ruqyah said:
"Do not do so until we come to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and mention to him what happened,
and see what he commands us."
They came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and mentioned it to him.
He said:
"And what made you know that it is a Ruqyah?"
Then he said:
"You have done right.
Divide it,
in one narration:
take it,
and set aside a share for me with you."
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, laughed.
Commentary on the hadith:
"Ruqyah":
It is any speech used to seek healing from pain, fear, a devil, or magic.
"Group (nafar)":
They are a group of men between three and ten.
"Asked them for hospitality":
Meaning, they requested hospitality from them.
"Refused":
Meaning, they declined.
"Stung":
Meaning, a scorpion stung him.
"Tried for him":
Meaning, they sought treatment for him.
"Nothing helped him":
Meaning, none of the medicines worked, and he was not cured.
"Group (raht)":
Meaning, a group of men.
"Fee (ju'l)":
Meaning, a wage for this work.
"Reached an agreement":
Meaning, they consented and agreed with them.
"A flock of sheep":
Meaning, a group of sheep.
And they agreed on thirty sheep.
"Spit (yatfil)":
To spit.
He blew a little saliva along with it.
He sprang up as if released from a tether.
"Sprang up" means he was released.
The tether
is the rope used to tie the foreleg of an animal.
The intended meaning is the swiftness of the recovery.
"He was cured"
meaning he was healed.
"So pay them"
meaning give them their wages in full.
"Divide"
meaning give each one his share.
The one who performed the ruqyah said,
who is Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him,
"You have done well,"
meaning in the ruqyah.
"And set aside a share for me with you,"
meaning assign me a portion of it.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is permissible to perform ruqyah using something from the Book of Allah the Exalted.
Included in this are the established supplications.
It also indicates the recommendation of reciting Surah al-Fatihah
over one who has been stung, the sick, and those afflicted with ailments.
This is because there is healing in Surah al-Fatihah.
It also shows that it is prescribed to spit and blow while reciting during ruqyah.
It also shows the permissibility of accepting payment for performing ruqyah with al-Fatihah.
There is a difference of opinion regarding this.
It also shows the permissibility of accepting payment for a specific task.
It also shows the legitimacy of seeking hospitality from the people of the desert,
staying with them, and requesting from them by way of hospitality.
It also shows the permissibility of responding to those who refuse to show kindness in kind,
just as the Companion did by refusing to perform the ruqyah
in response to their refusal to host them.
It also shows the permissibility of sharing a gift if its origin is known to be lawful.
It also shows the permissibility of accepting something that is outwardly lawful,
while refraining from using it if a doubt arises regarding it.
It also demonstrates the greatness of the Qur'an in the hearts of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.
It also shows belief that the provision allotted to a person will not miss him,
and that the one in whose hand it is cannot prevent it from reaching him.
It also shows the legitimacy of independent reasoning (ijtihad) in the absence of a specific text.
It also shows the legitimacy of seeking medical treatment and looking for a cure.