In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Ifadah Center
for Humanities Studies and Research
presents:
An Abridgment of Sahih al-Bukhari.
Chapter: Concerning Whomever Among the Arabs Owns Slaves,
And Gifts, Sells,
Cohabits with, Ransoms,
Or Takes Their Offspring as Captives.
On the authority of Ibn 'Awn, who said:
I wrote to Nafi',
and he wrote back to me
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
raided Banu al-Mustaliq
while they were heedless,
and their livestock was being watered at the water source.
He killed their fighting men,
captured their offspring,
and on that day gained Juwayriyah.
This was narrated to me by 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar,
who was in that army.
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Raided" (aghara)
means: he attacked his enemy and took spoils from them.
Banu al-Mustaliq
were a clan of the Khuza'ah tribe.
"Heedless" (gharun)
means: completely unaware;
that is, he took them by surprise and unawares.
"Their fighting men" (muqatilatahum)
refers to the combatants,
meaning the mature males capable of fighting.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The apparent meaning of the hadith
indicates the permissibility of fighting disbelievers without a prior summons,
and it demonstrates the permissibility of taking the enemy by surprise in war.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
I have never ceased to love Banu Tamim since three things
I heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
saying about them;
I heard him say:
"They will be the sternest of my Ummah against the Dajjal."
He said:
And when their zakat arrived,
the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"This is the zakat of our people."
A captive woman from them was in the possession of 'A'ishah,
and he said:
"Manumit her,
for she is of the descendants of Isma'il."
Commentary on the Hadith:
Banu Tamim
are a major tribe belonging to Mudar.
"Since three things"
means: from the moment I heard these three virtues.
"The Dajjal"
is the False Messiah (al-Masih ad-Dajjal).
"Their sadaqat"
means: their zakat.
"The zakat of our people":
he attributed them to himself
because their lineage meets with his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
in Ilyas ibn Mudar.
"A captive woman from them"
means: from Banu Tamim
"in the possession of 'A'ishah"
means: owned by 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is encouraged to offer the best in manumission and charity.
In the hadith is an immense virtue of Banu Tamim.
It also contains foretelling about the Dajjal,
as well as guiding one's family to noble matters.
Chapter: When a Slave Worships His Lord Well and Is Sincere to His Master.
On the authority of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both),
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"When a slave acts sincerely toward his master
and excels in worshipping his Lord,
he will have his reward twice over."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Acts sincerely toward his master"
means: he is genuinely loyal and dutiful to him.
"Excels in worshipping his Lord":
excellence in worship is through sincerity and adhering to the Sunnah.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The hadith guides toward giving every rightful person their due right.
It also contains an encouragement for the slave to act sincerely toward his master,
because he is a guardian over his master's wealth
and is accountable for what has been placed in his care.
It also highlights excelling in worship through sincerity and adherence to the Sunnah.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"The righteous enslaved servant receives a twofold reward.
By the One in Whose Hand is my soul,
were it not for jihad in the cause of Allah,
Hajj, and devotion to my mother,
I would have loved to die as a slave."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"The righteous enslaved servant":
that is, in worshipping his Lord and acting sincerely toward his master.
"By the One in Whose Hand is my soul"
is from the speech of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
"And devotion to my mother":
the name of Abu Hurayrah's mother
was Umaymah, in the diminutive form;
it is also said to be Maymunah,
and she was one of the female Companions whose Islam was established.
"Mamluk" means a slave.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
In the hadith is an indication that an enslaved person
is not obligated to perform jihad,
unless it becomes an individual obligation.
It also demonstrates the permissibility of swearing an oath without being asked to do so.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"How excellent is the state of one of them
who worships his Lord well
and acts sincerely toward his master!"
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Worships his Lord well":
excellence in worship is through sincerity and following the Sunnah.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that one who fulfills all rights is commended.
It also highlights the virtue of a slave acting sincerely toward his master.
Chapter: Disapproval of Overbearing Conduct Toward Slaves,
And Saying:
"My Male Slave" or "My Female Slave."
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him),
who narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
that he said:
"None of you should say:
'Feed your lord,'
'Help your lord perform ablution,'
or 'Give drink to your lord.'
Rather, let him say:
'My master' or 'my patron.'
And none of you should say:
'My male slave' or 'my female slave';
rather, let him say:
'My young lad,' 'my young maid,' or 'my boy.'"
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Feed" is an imperative verb derived from feeding.
"Your lord":
"al-rabb" denotes the owner and master.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that overbearing conduct toward slaves is disliked.
It also conveys the dislike of using the term "rabb" (lord) for a human master,
since man is a created servant who is required
to dedicate pure monotheism to his Creator,
so it is disliked for him to rival Him in this designation.
It also indicates the obligation of venerating Allah, the Exalted and Majestic,
and declaring His transcendence.
It also conveys the prohibition of words that lead to unlawful connotations.
Chapter: When One's Servant Brings Him His Food.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah,
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
who said:
"When the servant of one of you brings him his food,
then if he does not seat him with him,
let him give him a morsel or two morsels,
or a bite or two bites,
for he has taken upon himself its heat and preparation."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"If he does not seat him with him"
means: at his dining table.
"Let him give him"
means: let him hand over to him
"a morsel,"
meaning a small portion of the food that was prepared.
"He has taken upon himself its heat and preparation"
means: he undertook its preparation
and was exposed to the heat and hardship of cooking it.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that noble manners are strongly encouraged.
It also shows the recommendation of sharing food,
especially with the person who prepared and carried it,
because he bore its heat and smoke,
his soul longed for it, and he smelled its aroma.
Chapter: When Striking a Slave,
One Must Avoid the Face.
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:
"When one of you fights,
let him avoid the face."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Fights" means strikes.
"Let him avoid the face"
means: let him beware of striking the face.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that avoiding striking the face in disciplinary measures, chastisement, and prescribed legal punishments applies a fortiori.
It also indicates the legitimacy of disciplining a servant and the like.
The Book of Gifts, Their Virtue, and Encouragement Toward Them.
"Gift" (al-hibah) means transferring ownership without compensation,
and "encouragement" (at-tahrid) means urging.
Chapter on Gifts, Their Merit, and Encouragement Towards Giving Them
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:
"O Muslim women,
let no female neighbor look down upon a gift from her neighbor,
even if it is merely the trotter of a sheep."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Let her not look down upon," meaning: do not belittle it or deem it insignificant.
"Trotter" refers to the bone that carries very little meat.
Key Benefits of the Hadith:
Derived from this hadith is:
Encouragement to exchange gifts, even if modest in value,
because of how it fosters affection and removes rancor.
It also emphasizes avoiding extravagance or burdening oneself in gift-giving.
It furthermore provides guidance on maintaining good neighborly relations.
On the authority of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her),
that she said to 'Urwah,
"O my nephew,
we used to sight the crescent moon, then the next crescent moon,
three crescents across two full months,
without a single fire ever being kindled in the homes of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)."
I said, "O maternal aunt,
on what did you sustain yourselves?"
She replied, "The two black staples:
dates and water;
though in another narration: 'unless we were gifted some modest meat.'
Except that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had neighbors among the Ansar
who owned milch animals,
and they would send the Messenger of Allah some of their milk."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Three crescents across two full months":
this is counted by sighting the crescent at the start of the first month,
then sighting it at the start of the second month,
and then sighting it at the start of the third month.
Thus, three crescents were truly sighted,
though the total duration elapsed was sixty days.
"Without a single fire ever being kindled"
is a metonymy for not cooking any food.
"On what did you sustain yourselves?"
Meaning: what was your sustenance and nourishment?
"Milch animals" (*mana'ih*):
a *manihah*
is a she-camel or a ewe
that a man lends to another to milk and then return.
"They would send" (*yamnahun*),
meaning: they would give.
Key Benefits of the Hadith:
Derived from this hadith is:
An illustration of the Prophet's asceticism (*zuhd*) regarding worldly life,
his contentment with mere bare subsistence,
and his preference for the Hereafter over this world.
The hadith also serves as proof for those who deem poverty preferable to wealth.
It illustrates the virtue of lending milch animals (*al-manihah*).
It provides guidance on caring for one's neighbors
and checking upon their welfare.
Chapter on Modest Gifts
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:
"If I were invited to a meal of a shoulder or a trotter,
I would surely accept;
and if a shoulder or a trotter were gifted to me, I would surely accept it."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Shoulder" refers to the shoulder of a sheep,
and the shoulder is among the prime cuts of meat.
"Trotter" refers to the lower extremity of the sheep's leg,
which has very little meat on it.
Key Benefits of the Hadith:
Derived from this hadith is:
A demonstration of his remarkable humility (peace be upon him).
It also highlights the recommendation to accept an invitation,
even if it is for a modest amount of food.
It furthermore demonstrates the recommendation to accept gifts.
Chapter on Accepting Gifts of Game Meat
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"We flushed a hare at Marr al-Zahran,
and the people pursued it until they grew exhausted.
I caught up with it and captured it,
then brought it to Abu Talhah.
He slaughtered it
and sent its haunch—or its two thighs—
to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
and he accepted it."
I asked, "And did he eat from it?"
He said, "Yes, he ate from it,"
and then confirmed after that: "He accepted it."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"We flushed," meaning: we startled it and roused it from its place.
"At Marr al-Zahran":
this is a valley in the Hijaz
located twenty-two kilometers north of Mecca.
"Until they grew exhausted," meaning: they became fatigued from running.
"I caught up with it," meaning: I overtook it.
"And captured it," meaning: I caught it while it was still alive.
"Its haunch" (*warik*): the haunch is the part above the thigh.
Key Benefits of the Hadith:
Derived from this hadith is:
The permissibility of pursuing game,
provided that the pursuit of game does not distract one so much
that it leads to missing the prayer or neglecting other religious and worldly obligations.
When a group pursues game,
whichever individual reaches it and captures it
becomes its sole owner,
and those who merely participated in the chase have no share in it.
It is entirely permissible for a person to gift a modest item to a companion,
even if the recipient is of high stature,
provided it is known that the recipient would welcome it from him.
It also establishes the permissibility of eating hare meat.
Chapter on Accepting Gifts
On the authority of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her),
that the wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
were divided into two groups:
one group comprised 'A'ishah, Hafsah,
Safiyyah, and Sawdah;
while the other group
comprised Umm Salamah
and the rest of the wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
The Muslims were well aware of the Messenger of Allah's deep love for 'A'ishah,
so whenever any of them had a gift
that he wished to present to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
he would hold it back until the Messenger of Allah was at 'A'ishah's house;
then the owner of the gift would send it to the Messenger of Allah while he was at 'A'ishah's house.
In another narration:
"The people used to choose 'A'ishah's day for sending their gifts,
seeking thereby the pleasure of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)."
Thereupon, the group of Umm Salamah spoke and said to her,
"Speak to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) so that he may tell the people:
'Whoever wishes to present a gift to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
let him send it to him wherever he may be among the homes of his wives.'"
So Umm Salamah spoke to him as they had requested,
but he said nothing to her.
They asked her, and she replied, "He said nothing to me."
They said to her, "Speak to him again."
She said: "So I spoke to him again when his turn brought him back to my room,
but he said nothing to me."
They asked her, and she replied, "He said nothing to me."
They said to her, "Keep speaking to him until he gives you an answer."
So when his turn brought him to her again, she spoke to him,
and he said to her, "Do not distress me concerning 'A'ishah,
for revelation has never descended upon me while under the garment of any woman except 'A'ishah."
In another narration: "For by Allah, revelation has never descended upon me
while under the blanket of any woman among you other than her."
She replied, "I repent to Allah from distressing you, O Messenger of Allah."
Then they summoned Fatimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
and she sent word to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), saying:
"Your wives adjure you by Allah to maintain equity regarding the daughter of Abu Bakr."
She spoke to him, and he said,
"O my dear daughter, do you not love what I love?"
She replied, "Yes, indeed."
So she returned to them and informed them,
but they said,
"Go back to him!"
However, she refused to go back.
So they sent Zaynab bint Jahsh,
who came to him and spoke harshly,
saying:
"Your wives adjure you by Allah to maintain equity regarding the daughter of Ibn Abi Quhafah!"
She raised her voice until she turned upon 'A'ishah, who was sitting there,
and reviled her,
to the point that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) began looking at 'A'ishah
to see whether she would respond.
She said:
"So 'A'ishah spoke, answering Zaynab until she silenced her."
She said:
"Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) looked at 'A'ishah
and said,
'She is indeed the daughter of Abu Bakr!'"
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Wives," meaning his spouses.
"Two groups," meaning two factions,
each faction rallying in support of its members.
The other group consisted of five women:
Umm Salamah and the rest of the wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
namely: Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her),
Maymunah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her),
Umm Habibah Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with her),
and Juwayriyah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her).
"He would hold it back," meaning: he deferred it until that intended time.
"He said nothing to her," meaning: he gave no reply.
"When his turn brought him back to her,"
meaning: on her assigned day in her house.
"They used to choose" (*yataharrawna*), meaning: they deliberately aimed for.
*Taharrī* signifies deliberate intent, striving towards an aim,
and resolving to single out a matter in deed and word.
"Until he gives you an answer," meaning: until he delivers a response.
"Then they," referring to the other group among the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him),
"summoned," meaning: they called upon her.
"She sent word," meaning: she dispatched a message.
"Your wives," referring to Umm Salamah and those with her.
"Adjure you by Allah," meaning: they entreat you by Allah.
"Equity," meaning: equal treatment between them and 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in all matters.
"O my dear daughter" (*yā bunayyah*):
this is a diminutive of affection and endearment.
"However, she refused to go back,"
meaning: she declined to return to the Prophet (peace be upon him)
to ask him for that again.
"So she came," meaning: she arrived.
"And spoke harshly," meaning: she was severe in her words and in demanding equal treatment.
"She turned upon," meaning: she confronted.
"So she verbally attacked her," meaning she scolded and refuted her.
"Indeed, she is the daughter of Abu Bakr."
Meaning that she is noble, intelligent, and insightful just like her father.
And it was said:
Its meaning is that she possesses a sharper understanding and a keener insight than her.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The permissibility of seeking out occasions and places pleasing to the recipient to offer gifts,
In order to increase their joy through that.
And in it is a clarification of the virtue of 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her.
And in it is that jealousy is a natural disposition, so long as it does not lead to something unlawful.
And in it is the recommendation of treating women gently,
And being considerate of a woman in her state of jealousy.
And the hadith indicates that a jealous woman is not held accountable for what she says in such moments.
And in it is that a man may remain silent when his wives argue with one another,
And he should not take sides against any of them.
And in it is the permissibility of voicing a grievance and sending messengers regarding it.
And in it is the permissibility of sending an intercessor and intermediary to convey a grievance.
And in it is what the wives of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, maintained
Of deep reverence and modesty before him,
To the extent that they sent the dearest of people to him,
Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her.
And in it is the boldness of Zaynab bint Jahsh, may Allah be pleased with her,
With the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
Because she was his cousin,
As her mother was Umaymah bint 'Abd al-Muttalib.
And the hadith indicates the Prophet's excusing
Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her,
For he did not hold her to account for the jealousy that overtook her.
And in it is that justice between wives pertains to actions;
As for love, it is beyond religious obligation,
Because one has no control over it.
And the hadith indicates the virtue of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him.
And in it is the permissibility of retaliating in kind,
Just as 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, did.
And the hadith points to giving precedence to the love of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
Above all else.
On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, who said:
Umm Hufayd—
Ibn 'Abbas's maternal aunt—gifted to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
Some dried curd and clarified butter,
And in another narration:
Milk,
And spiny-tailed lizards.
So the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, ate
From the dried curd and clarified butter,
And left the spiny-tailed lizard out of personal distaste.
Ibn 'Abbas said:
"So it was eaten at the dining sheet of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him;
And had it been unlawful,
It would not have been eaten at the dining sheet of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."
In another narration:
"Nor would he have commanded that they be eaten."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Umm Hufayd":
Her name was Huzaylah bint al-Harith, may Allah be pleased with her,
The sister of Maymunah, the Mother of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with her,
And she used to live in the desert.
"Dried curd" (aqit):
That is, dried, dehydrated sour milk.
"Spiny-tailed lizards" (adubb):
The plural of dabb,
Which is a well-known reptile.
"Out of distaste" (taqadhdhur):
Meaning that his soul had an aversion to it.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The permissibility of eating the spiny-tailed lizard.
And in it is that a person is permitted to feel personal distaste toward what is not unlawful for them,
Due to being unaccustomed to eating it.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
Whenever food was brought to him,
Would ask about it:
"Is it a gift or a charity?"
If it was said, "Charity,"
He would say to his Companions:
"Eat," and he would not eat.
But if it was said, "A gift,"
He, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, would reach out with his hand
And eat with them.
Commentary on the hadith:
"He would" (kana):
Signifies here constancy and regularity.
"He reached out with his hand":
Meaning he began to eat.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The permissibility of sharing a gift with those present.
And in it is the prohibition of consuming charity for the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and his family.
Chapter: What Should Not Be Rejected from Gifts
On the authority of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him,
That he never used to reject perfume,
And he asserted that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
Never used to reject perfume.
Commentary on the hadith:
"He used to" (kana):
Signifies here constancy and regularity.
"Al-teeb":
Meaning perfume or fragrance.
"Asserted" (za'ama):
Meaning he stated and mentioned.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The recommendation of accepting gifts.
And in it is the virtue of gifting perfume and using it.
Chapter: Reciprocating a Gift
On the authority of 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
Used to accept gifts and reward for them.
Commentary on the hadith:
Chapter: Reciprocating a Gift
The meaning is:
Giving a return for a gift.
"And reward for them":
Meaning he would reciprocate them
By giving its owner something in return.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
That gifts are of two types:
Given for reciprocation,
Which requires a return;
And given for the sake of Allah Almighty and maintaining ties,
Which does not require reciprocation,
Though if one does, it is commendable.
And in it is the guidance toward reciprocity.
Chapter: Gifting to One's Children
And if one gives something to some of his children,
It is not permissible unless he acts equitably among them
And gives the others the like thereof;
Nor should anyone bear witness to it.
On the authority of 'Amir, who said:
I heard al-Nu'man ibn Bashir, may Allah be pleased with both of them,
While he was upon the pulpit, saying:
"My father gave me a gift,
So 'Amrah bint Rawahah said:
'I will not be satisfied until you take the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, as a witness.'
So he came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
And said:
'I have given my son from 'Amrah bint Rawahah a gift,
And she told me to take you as a witness, O Messenger of Allah.'
He said:
'Have you given all of your children the like of this?'
In another narration:
'Do you have other children besides him?'
He said, 'Yes.'
In another narration:
'Have you gifted each of your children the like thereof?'
He said, 'No.'
He said:
'Fear Allah and be equitable among your children.'
In another narration:
'Do not make me bear witness to an injustice.'
He said:
'So he returned and revoked his gift.'"
Commentary on the hadith:
"While he was upon the pulpit":
An indication that he was delivering a sermon.
"Gave me" means gifted me.
"My father" was Abu Bashir, Bashir ibn Sa'd, may Allah be pleased with him.
"A gift":
The gift was a servant boy.
"I will not be satisfied" means I do not accept
"Until you take as a witness," from bearing testimony.
"So he came" means he arrived.
"Have you given all of your children":
Meaning, have you gifted the rest of your sons
"The like of this":
Meaning, just as you gifted this one.
"Gifted" (nahalta) means gifted and granted.
"Be equitable" means treat them equally.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The recommendation of maintaining equality when gifting to one's children.
And in it is the encouragement to foster harmony among siblings,
And to avoid whatever causes rancor between them
And engenders filial disobedience toward parents.
In it is that if the gift is from a father to a minor child, it does not require formal taking of possession,
For the father's acceptance on their behalf suffices.
And in it is the dislike of bearing witness to what is not permissible.
And in it is the propriety of a judge or mufti inquiring into the specific details of an incident.
And in it is the permissibility of referring to a gift as a charity.
And in it is the guidance to give weight to the mother's counsel
In matters concerning the best interests of the child.
And the hadith points to the evil consequences of greed.