In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Ifadah Center
for Studies and Human Research
presents
*Abridged Sahih al-Bukhari*
Chapter: Traveling with Copies of the Qur'an to Enemy Territory
On the authority of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father),
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade traveling with the Qur'an into enemy territory.
Commentary on the hadith:
"Forbade traveling with the Qur'an"
means for fear that the enemy might capture it.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is forbidden to travel with a copy of the Qur'an to a place where it is feared it might be subjected to desecration.
His saying, "with the Qur'an,"
is proof that the Qur'an is contained within the copy of the *mushaf*.
It also indicates that part of honoring the Noble Qur'an
is not allowing the enemies of Allah to inflict any harm upon it.
Chapter: What is Disliked Regarding Raising One's Voice in Takbir
On the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him), he said:
When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) raided Khaybar—
or he said:
when the Messenger of Allah set out—
the people came upon a valley,
and they raised their voices in *takbir*:
"Allah is Most Great!
Allah is Most Great!
There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah!"
So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said—
and in a narration:
"O people!
Be merciful to yourselves!
For you are not calling upon one who is deaf or absent,
but you are calling upon One Who is All-Hearing and Near."
In another narration:
"All-Hearing, All-Seeing."
And in a narration:
"All-Hearing, All-Seeing, and Near."
"And He is with you."
In a narration:
"Blessed is His Name, and Exalted is His Majesty."
"And I was behind the riding beast of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
so he heard me saying:
'There is no power nor strength except through Allah.'
So he said to me:
'O 'Abdullah ibn Qays!'
I replied, 'At your service, O Messenger of Allah!'
He said:
'Shall I not direct you to a word that is a treasure from the treasures of Paradise?'
I said, 'Yes, O Messenger of Allah!
May my father and mother be sacrificed for you!'
He said:
''There is no power nor strength except through Allah.''
Commentary on the hadith:
"Set out" (*tawajjaha*)
means he departed and went forth.
"Came upon" (*ashrafa*)
means they overlooked or came upon [a valley].
"Be merciful to yourselves" (*irba'u 'ala anfusikum*)
means show gentleness to yourselves, be kind to yourselves, and refrain from overexertion.
"You are not calling upon one who is deaf"
means one who cannot hear.
"Nor absent"
means one who is not present or witnessing.
"There is no power nor strength except through Allah"
is a statement of submission, entrustment of affairs, and acknowledgment of helplessness,
and that the servant possesses nothing alongside Allah,
nor does he possess anything besides Him.
"At your service, O Messenger of Allah" (*Labbaik*)
means I am steadfast in obeying you.
"Exalted is His Majesty" (*Ta'ala jadduhu*)
refers to His supreme majesty and greatness.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is disliked to raise one's voice excessively in supplication (*dua*).
It also contains guidance to consistently recite "There is no power nor strength except through Allah,"
for through it heavy burdens are borne,
terrors are endured,
and high spiritual ranks are attained.
Chapter: Saying Tasbih When Descending into a Valley
On the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), he said:
Whenever we ascended, we would proclaim *takbir* (*Allah-u Akbar*),
and whenever we descended—
and in a narration:
descended downward (*tasawwabna*)—
we would proclaim *tasbih* (*Subhan Allah*).
Commentary on the hadith:
"Whenever we ascended"
means whenever we climbed a high place, such as a mountain or a hill.
"We would proclaim *takbir*"
means we said, "*Allah-u Akbar*."
"And whenever we descended"
means down to a low place, such as a valley bottom.
"We would proclaim *tasbih*"
means we said, "*Subhan Allah*."
"Descended downward" (*tasawwabna*)
means when we went downhill;
*al-tasweeb* refers to descending.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is recommended to say *takbir* when overlooking mountains,
in consciousness of the grandeur of Allah Almighty,
and that He is greater than all things;
whereas saying *tasbih* in the depths of valleys
is derived from the story of Yunus (peace be upon him)
and his glorification of Allah in the belly of the whale.
Chapter: Reward Written for the Traveler
Equal to What He Used to Do While Resident
On the authority of Abu Musa, he said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"If a servant falls ill or travels,
there is written for him the reward of what he used to do
while resident and healthy."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Resident" means not traveling.
"Healthy" means not sick.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that one is guided to perform an abundance of acts of worship during times of health.
The hadith also contains an indication to minimize travel without a necessity,
because travel is a state wherein one is likely to fall short in fulfilling the rights of Allah Almighty.
It also highlights the vastness of the mercy of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.
Chapter: Traveling Alone
On the authority of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father),
on the authority of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:
"If people knew what I know regarding traveling alone,
no rider would ever travel by night alone."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Chapter: Traveling Alone"
means without a companion alongside him.
"What I know"
refers to the expected harm that I know of.
"Rider" means a traveler.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is disliked to travel alone,
except when a public benefit necessitates being alone—
such as dispatching a spy or a scout—
in which case there is no dislike.
The hadith also points to the importance of seeking
righteous companionship when traveling.
Chapter: Participating in Jihad with the Permission of Both Parents
On the authority of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), he said:
A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
and asked him for permission to join the *jihad*.
He asked, "Are your parents alive?"
The man replied, "Yes."
He said, "Then strive in serving them both."
Commentary on the hadith:
"A man"—it is said that he was Jahimah ibn al-'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him).
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that dutifulness to parents is emphasized and their right is magnified,
along with the immense reward for honoring them.
The hadith is also evidence that parents
have the right to prevent their child from participating in non-obligatory *jihad*,
provided that it is not individually obligatory upon him and that both parents are Muslims.
Chapter: What Has Been Said Regarding Bells and the Like on the Necks of Camels
On the authority of Abu Bashir al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him),
that he was with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
on one of his journeys,
while the people were at their night encampment.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent a messenger instructing:
"Let no necklace of bowstring or necklace remain around the neck of any camel
but that it must be cut off."
Commentary on the hadith:
A bell (*jaras*) is that which is attached to the neck of a riding beast and makes a sound.
"Necklace of bowstring"
refers to the bells or cords they used to hang on the necks of camels;
and it is said
that they used to put bowstrings around the necks of camels
to protect them from the evil eye, according to their superstitious belief.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is prohibited to place bells and bowstrings around the necks of livestock.
The hadith also points to the prohibition of harming animals,
because tying bowstrings around their necks may lead to strangulation when running fast.
It also contains a prohibition against pre-Islamic custom (*Jahiliyyah*),
including the belief that hanging bowstrings wards off the evil eye.
Chapter: The Spy
On the authority of 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent me,
along with al-Zubayr and al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad.
In a narration:
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) sent me and al-Zubayr."
And in another narration:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent me,
Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi, and al-Zubayr."
He said:
"Proceed until you reach Rawdat Khakh,
for there is a woman riding a camel there who has a letter with her,
so take it from her."
In a narration:
"For there is a woman from the polytheists there
carrying a letter from Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah to the polytheists."
So we set off, our horses galloping at full speed,
until we reached the garden (*al-Rawdah*),
and there we found the woman riding the camel.
So we said, "Produce the letter!"
She replied, "I have no letter with me."
We said, "You will certainly produce the letter,
or we will strip off your clothes!"
So she extracted it from her braid.
In a narration:
"or I will strip you bare!"
So she extracted it from her waist-wrapper.
We then brought it to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
And behold, it contained:
"From Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah to certain people among the polytheists of Mecca..."
informing them of some of the Messenger of Allah's plans.
So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"O Hatib, what is this?"
In a narration:
"What induced you to do what you did?"
He said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
do not be hasty with me.
I was a man attached to the Quraysh by alliance,
but I was not one of their native kin.
Meanwhile, the Emigrants with you
have relatives in Mecca who protect their families and wealth through them.
So I wished, since I lacked that lineage among them,
to gain a favor with them by which they might protect my kinship.
I did not do this out of disbelief, nor apostasy,
nor out of approval of disbelief after accepting Islam."
Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"He has spoken the truth to you."
In a narration:
"He has spoken the truth."
"And do not say anything to him except good."
'Umar said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
let me strike the neck of this hypocrite!"
He replied:
"He indeed attended Badr!
And how do you know—perhaps Allah looked upon the people of Badr and said:
'Do as you wish, for I have forgiven you'?"
In a narration:
"'Paradise has become guaranteed for you,'
or 'for I have forgiven you'."
Tears welled in 'Umar's eyes,
and he said:
"Allah and His Messenger know best."
And in a narration:
So Allah revealed the Surah...
“O ye who believe! Choose not My enemy and your enemy for allies. Do ye give them friendship when they disbelieve in that truth which hath come unto you, driving out the messenger and you because ye believe in Allah, your Lord? If ye have come forth to strive in My way and seeking My good pleasure, (show them not friendship). Do ye show friendship unto them in secret, when I am Best Aware of what ye hide and what ye proclaim? And whosoever doeth it among you, he verily hath strayed from the right way.” (60:1)
“O ye who believe! Choose not My enemy and your enemy for allies. Do ye give them friendship when they disbelieve in that truth which hath come unto you, driving out the messenger and you because ye believe in Allah, your Lord? If ye have come forth to strive in My way and seeking My good pleasure, (show them not friendship). Do ye show friendship unto them in secret, when I am Best Aware of what ye hide and what ye proclaim? And whosoever doeth it among you, he verily hath strayed from the right way.” (60:1)
up to His saying:
"...he has indeed strayed from the soundness of the way."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"The spy" (al-jasus):
One who is sent to investigate the secret affairs of the enemy.
"Proceed" (intaliqu):
Meaning: Go quickly.
"Rawdat Khakh":
A location situated between Mecca and Medina.
"A woman traveler" (da'inah):
A woman traveling in a camel litter (hawdaj).
Her name was Sarah;
it is also said Ummu Sarah,
among other opinions.
"Our horses raced along with us" (tu'ada bina khailuna):
Meaning: sprinted and galloped together.
"Or we will strip off your clothes":
Meaning: We will strip you bare of your garments.
They said this as a threat.
"From her braid" ('iqasiha):
Meaning: From her braided hair.
"Certain people among the polytheists":
It is said they were Safwan ibn Umayyah,
Suhayl ibn 'Amr,
and 'Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl.
"Some of the Messenger of Allah's plans":
Namely, his intention to launch a military expedition against them.
"Do not be hasty with me":
Meaning: Give me a moment until I tell you the true story.
"I was a man attached to the Quraysh" (mulsaqan fi Quraysh):
Meaning: Affiliated with them, though not one of them;
it is also said: an ally to them.
"Not one of their native kin":
Meaning: He was not himself of Quraysh, nor was he among their blood relatives.
"So I wished":
Meaning: I wanted.
"Since I lacked that lineage among them":
Meaning: Because I was not a Qurayshite.
"To gain a favor with them" (an attakhidha 'indahum yadan):
Meaning: A conferred favor and obligation upon them.
"I did not do this out of disbelief":
Meaning: I did not do this because I became a disbeliever who abandoned faith,
"nor apostasy":
meaning: nor because I rejected faith after believing,
"nor out of approval of disbelief after accepting Islam":
meaning: nor because I approved of the disbelievers' actions.
"Let me" (da'ni): The intended meaning is:
Give me permission to do so.
"Strike the neck of this hypocrite":
Meaning: Execute him on account of his hypocrisy.
"And how do you know" (wa ma yudrika):
Meaning: What makes you realize?
"So she extracted it from her waist-wrapper" (hujzatiha):
The *hujzah*
is the tied waistline of the trousers or waist-wrapper.
Benefits Derived from the Hadith:
The hadith contains signs of prophethood,
seen in his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) foretelling
of the woman carrying the letter and her precise location.
It establishes the permissibility of exposing the spy's secret,
whether male or female,
if doing so serves a public interest,
or if concealing it causes harm.
It shows that spying does not expel a person from faith.
It demonstrates the permissibility of threatening a spy or captive when necessary.
The hadith indicates that the ruling for one who acts upon a mistaken interpretation in committing a prohibited act
differs from the ruling for one who acts deliberately,
deeming it lawful without any misinterpretation.
It shows that whoever commits a prohibited act
and claims an excuse that admits plausible interpretation,
his statement is accepted regarding it,
even if the overwhelming probability suggests otherwise.
It establishes the prescribed nature of weeping upon hearing an admonition and the like.
It demonstrates the prohibition of taking disbelievers as allies
and disclosing the Muslims' secrets to them.
The hadith permits viewing what is uncovered of women
for the purpose of executing a prescribed punishment, establishing testimony to prove a right,
or similar necessary matters.
It serves as evidence that whoever declares a Muslim to be an unbeliever
or accuses him of hypocrisy based on personal interpretation,
provided he is qualified for legal reasoning (ijtihad), incurs no criminal punishment.
It shows that committing major sins does not constitute disbelief,
short of polytheism (shirk) with Allah.
Chapter: Binding Captives in Chains
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 marvels at a people who enter Paradise in chains."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"They enter Paradise in chains":
Meaning: They embrace Islam under compulsion,
and Islam is named 'Paradise'
because it is the cause for entering it;
whoever embraces it enters Paradise.
Benefits Derived from the Hadith:
Derived from the hadith is:
The permissibility of driving captives in chains
and securing them firmly
until the ruler decides their fate.
It indicates that Allah's marveling at something highlights its immense significance,
and because it departs from the norm,
its rank and status are magnified.
This shows that such an outcome is beloved to Allah and pleasing to Him.
Chapter: Killing Children in War
On the authority of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
"A woman was found slain in one of the military expeditions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prohibited the killing of women and children."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prohibited the killing of women and children":
Because the default rule regarding a woman and a child is that they do not fight.
Benefits Derived from the Hadith:
It is derived from the hadith that killing women is forbidden when they do not engage in combat; the hadith also implicitly prohibits the destruction of property.
Chapter: Do Not Punish with Allah's Punishment
On the authority of 'Ikrimah, who said: "Heretics were brought to 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and he burned them.
When news of this reached Ibn 'Abbas, he said:
'Had it been me, I would not have burned them,
due to the prohibition of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
"Do not punish with Allah's punishment."
But I would have executed them,
due to the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
"Whoever changes his religion, execute him."'
"Heretics" (zanadiqah):
A heretic (*zindiq*) applies to anyone who discards religions and denies divine laws,
as well as anyone who outwardly professes Islam while concealing something else.
The heretics whom 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) burned
were a group that apostatized from Islam.
Benefits Derived from the Hadith:
It is derived from the hadith that prescribed punishments are not executed using fire.
It establishes the prescription of the punishment for apostasy, which is execution.
It shows the permissibility of objecting to anyone who opposes sacred text.
Chapter
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say:
"An ant bit one of the Prophets,
so he ordered that an ant colony be burned with fire.
Thereupon, Allah revealed to him:
'Because a single ant bit you, you burned an entire community among communities that glorify Allah?'"
In a narration:
"A Prophet among the Prophets halted beneath a tree,
and an ant bit him.
He ordered his baggage to be moved from underneath it,
then he ordered its nest to be burned with fire.
So Allah revealed to him:
'Why not just a single ant?'"
Commentary on the Hadith:
This chapter is a continuation of the two chapters:
"If a polytheist burns a Muslim,
is he to be burned?"
"Bit" (qarasat):
Meaning: Stung.
"One of the Prophets":
It is said he was Moses (peace be upon him).
Because an ant bit you,
Meaning, simply because a single ant bit you.
A nation—
It is said that every generation of human beings or animals is a nation.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
Derived from the hadith is
The permissibility of killing harmful animals.
In the hadith is proof of the ants' glorification of Allah,
Which indicates that all animals glorify Allah Almighty.
In it is also a warning against transgressing bounds when exacting retribution.
Chapter: Burning down houses and palm trees.
On the authority of Jarir, who said in a narration:
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) never screened himself from me since I accepted Islam,
Nor did he ever see me without smiling at me.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to me:
'Will you not relieve me of Dhu al-Khalasah?'
I replied, 'Yes, indeed.'
So I set out with one hundred and fifty horsemen from Ahmas,
And they were skilled horsemen,
While I could not sit firmly on a horse.
I mentioned that to the Prophet (peace be upon him),
So he struck his hand against my chest
Until I saw the mark of his hand on my chest,
And he said:
'O Allah, make him firm, and make him a guiding and rightly-guided leader.'
He said:
'And I never fell off a horse after that.'
He said:
'Dhu al-Khalasah was a house in Yemen
Belonging to Khath'am and Bajilah,
Containing idols that were worshipped,
And it was called the Ka'bah.'
In a narration:
'There was a house in the Pre-Islamic Ignorance (Jahiliyyah)
Called Dhu al-Khalasah,
As well as the Yemeni Ka'bah
And the Levant Ka'bah.'
He said:
'So he came to it, burned it with fire, and demolished it.'
He said:
'When Jarir arrived in Yemen,
There was a man there seeking divinations using arrows.
It was said to him:
"The emissary of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is here,
And if he gets hold of you, he will strike off your neck."
He said:
While he was drawing them,
Jarir came upon him
And said:
"You will surely break them and testify that there is no god but Allah, or I will strike off your neck!"
He said:
So he broke them and bore witness.
Then Jarir dispatched a man from Ahmas,
Whose agnomen was Abu Arta'ah,
To the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
To bring him the good news of that.
When he reached the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
He said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
By Him Who sent you with the truth,
I did not come to you until I left it like a mangy camel."
In a narration:
"Like a hollow or mangy camel."
He said:
So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) invoked blessings
Upon the horses and men of Ahmas five times."
Commentary on the hadith:
"So I set out"—
His departure was two months before the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
"From Ahmas"—
A well-known tribe,
Which was the tribe of Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him).
"I could not sit firmly on a horse"—
Meaning:
I was not skilled in horsemanship and horse riding.
"And make him a guiding and rightly-guided leader"—
Meaning, make him complete in himself and a means of guiding others.
"Belonging to Khath'am and Bajilah"—
These are two tribes in Yemen.
"Idols" (Nusub)—
Meaning, stones that they used to set up during the Pre-Islamic Ignorance, sacrifice upon, and worship.
"So he burned it with fire and demolished it"—
Metaphorical expression emphasizing the thorough eradication of evil.
"There was a man there seeking divinations using arrows"—
Meaning, seeking a share of good or evil through divination arrows.
"So he broke them"—
Meaning, he broke the arrows.
"And bore witness"—
That there is no god but Allah.
Abu Arta'ah was Husayn ibn Rabi'ah (may Allah be pleased with him).
"To bring him good news"—
Meaning, to convey to him news that brings joy.
"Like a mangy camel"—
Meaning:
It became like a camel smeared with pitch due to its mange,
And that was after burning it.
"So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) invoked blessings"—
Meaning, he prayed to Allah to bless them,
And blessing (barakah) is the abundance and permanence of goodness.
"Hollow" (Ajwaf)—
Meaning, empty of everything that was inside it.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
Derived from the hadith is
The permissibility of demolishing anything that tempts people into fitnah, whether a building, a tree, or otherwise.
In it is the acceptance of a single narrator's report.
In it is the prescription of praying for the army.
In it is the recommendation to dispatch a bearer of good news regarding conquest and victory.
In it is the permissibility of demonstrating force by destroying falsehood and its traces,
And being thorough in its eradication.
In it is a demonstration of the humility of the Prophet (peace be upon him),
And his gracious manner of greeting his Companions with a smile and a cheerful countenance.
In the hadith is an indication of the censure of arrogance,
And the prohibition of looking down upon creation.
In it is the encouragement to adopt character traits that foster love and harmony.
In it is an exposition of the virtue of horsemanship,
And guidance toward learning how to ride horses.
This hadith is among the signs of prophethood,
For through the blessing of the Prophet's supplication (peace be upon him),
Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him) never fell off a horse again.
In the hadith is the permissibility of burning property and imposing financial penalties for a valid interest.
In it is the prohibition of bad omens (tiyarah),
And the prohibition of seeking divination through arrows.
In it is the permissibility of taking an oath without being asked to do so.
In it is the prescription of repeating a supplication more than three times.