In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Ifadah Center
for Humanities Studies and Research
presents
Mukhtasar Sahih al-Bukhari.
Chapter:
Can the graves of the polytheists of the Pre-Islamic Era (Jahiliyyah) be exhumed,
and mosques built in their place?
On the authority of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said:
When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) fell ill,
some of his wives mentioned a church they had seen in the land of Abyssinia
called Mariya.
Umm Salamah and Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with them)
had both traveled to the land of Abyssinia,
so they spoke of its beauty and the images inside it.
He raised his head and said,
"Whenever a righteous man dies among those people,
they build a place of worship over his grave
and paint those images within it.
Those are the worst of creation in the sight of Allah."
In another narration:
"Those are the worst of creation in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Chapter: Can the graves of the polytheists of Jahiliyyah be exhumed?"
Exhumation of graves (nabsh al-qubur)
is the unearthing of the dead from their graves after burial.
"Fell ill" (ishtaka)
means he became sick,
referring to his illness (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from which he passed away.
"Some of his wives"
refers to Umm Salamah and Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with them).
"A church" (kanisah)
means a Christian place of worship.
"They had seen in the land of Abyssinia"
refers to during their migration there.
Umm Salamah
is the Mother of the Believers,
Hind bint Abi Umayyah al-Makhzumiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her).
And Umm Habibah
is the Mother of the Believers,
Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with her).
"Its beauty"
refers to the elegance of its decoration.
"Images" (tasawir)
refers to paintings and statues.
Key benefits of the hadith:
From this hadith we derive:
The prohibition of building over graves and turning them into places of worship.
The prohibition of depicting human imagery.
The hadith serves as evidence for the legal principle of blocking the means to evil (sadd al-dhara'i').
The permissibility of recounting the remarkable things one has witnessed.
The condemnation of those who commit forbidden acts.
Legal rulings are based on divine law (Shar'), not human intellect.
Chapter: Praying in camel resting areas.
On the authority of Nafi',
on the authority of Ibn 'Umar,
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
that he used to make his riding camel stand crosswise
and pray facing toward it.
I said,
"What if the camels are startled and move?"
He said,
"He would take the camel saddle, set it upright,
and pray facing its backrest"
—or he said, "its rear part."
And Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to do likewise.
Commentary on the hadith:
"He used to make his riding camel stand crosswise"
means he placed it horizontally as a barrier.
"If the camels are startled"
means if they become agitated and move from their place.
"He would take the camel saddle and set it upright"
means he would position it erect right in front of him.
Because if the camels become agitated,
they would distract the person praying.
At that point, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
would turn away from the camel and quickly take the saddle,
using it as a sutrah (prayer barrier).
"And pray facing its backrest"
which is the wooden peg or frame against which the rider leans.
Key benefits of the hadith:
From this hadith we derive:
The permissibility of praying toward a stationary animal.
There is no harm in the worshipper using
a mount or a camel as a sutrah in prayer.
Praying toward a camel
does not contradict the prohibition of praying
in camel pens (ma'atin),
because camel pens are their designated enclosures and resting yards.
Chapter: The disapproval of praying in graveyards.
On the authority of Ibn 'Umar,
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:
"Perform some of your prayers in your houses,
and do not turn them into graves."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Some of your prayers"
refers to voluntary (nafl) prayers.
"And do not turn them into graves"
for a house in which prayer is not performed is like a graveyard.
Key benefits of the hadith:
From this hadith we derive:
Graveyards are not places for performing worship.
The recommendation to perform voluntary prayers at home,
so that the members of the household may follow the worshipper's example.
Chapter: Praying in places of divine punishment and destruction.
On the authority of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) passed by al-Hijr,
he said, "Do not enter the dwellings of those who wronged themselves,"
and in another narration:
"Do not enter upon these punished people,
lest there afflict you the like of what afflicted them,
unless you enter weeping."
Then he covered his head with his garment
and quickened his pace until he traversed the valley.
Commentary on the hadith:
"Chapter: Praying in places of divine punishment and destruction."
Khasf denotes being swallowed up by the earth and disappearing into it.
"At al-Hijr":
Al-Hijr is a region located between the Levant and the Hijaz,
and it comprises the dwellings of Thamud, the people of Salih (peace be upon him).
"What afflicted them" means the divine torment.
"He covered his head" means he veiled his head with his garment.
"He traversed the valley" means he crossed and passed beyond it.
Key benefits of the hadith:
From this hadith we derive:
The prohibition of taking the lands of the punished
as a permanent homeland or residence.
The instruction to take heed and draw lessons when passing by the dwellings of the punished.
Chapter:
On the authority of 'A'ishah and 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas,
who said:
When the death agony descended upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
he began placing a woolen sheet over his face,
and whenever he became stifled by it,
he removed it from his face.
While in that state, he said,
"May the curse of Allah be upon the Jews and the Christians;
they took the graves of their prophets as places of worship,"
warning against what they had done.
Commentary on the hadith:
"When it descended upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)"
refers to his terminal illness.
"Tafiqa" means he began;
"yatrahu" means he placed or cast.
"Khamisah"
is a fine, square patterned cloak with borders,
made of silk-wool blend or pure wool.
"He became stifled"
means he felt breathless due to intense heat and distress.
"The curse of Allah":
A curse (la'nah) is expulsion and banishment from the mercy of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic.
Key benefits of the hadith:
From this hadith we derive:
Caution against imitating the ways and practices of the Jews and the Christians.
The prohibition of building over graves and turning them into places of worship.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah,
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"May Allah destroy the Jews;
they took the graves of their prophets as places of worship."
Commentary on the hadith:
"May Allah destroy" (qatala Allah)
means may He eliminate them;
and it is said
that it means here: "May Allah curse them."
Key benefits of the hadith:
From this hadith we derive:
The prohibition of building structures over graves.
The instruction to avoid the causes of the wrath and displeasure of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic,
specifically by taking graves as places of worship.
The obligation to shun the ways and religious practices of the Jews.
The religious law of those before us does not constitute a law for us
whenever it contradicts our own Sacred Law.
Chapter: A woman sleeping in the mosque.
On the authority of 'A'ishah,
that a black female servant belonging to an Arab tribe
was freed by them,
yet she remained living among them.
She said:
A young girl belonging to them went out
wearing a red leather scarf adorned with straps.
She said:
She put it down,
or it fell from her,
and a small kite (bird of prey) passed by
while it was lying on the ground.
Mistaking it for meat,
the bird swooped down and snatched it away.
She said:
They searched for it,
but could not find it.
She said:
So they accused me of stealing it.
She said:
They then began searching,
going so far as to search her private parts.
She said:
By Allah, I was standing among them,
when the kite passed by and dropped it.
She said,
"and it fell between them."
She said,
"So I said, 'This is what you accused me of,
which you falsely claimed while I was innocent of it!
Here it is!'"
She said,
"Then she came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
and embraced Islam."
'A'ishah said,
"She had a tent or a small hut in the mosque."
She said,
"She used to come to me and talk in my presence."
She said,
"She never sat with me in any gathering without reciting:
'The day of the sash was one of the wonders of our Lord,
for truly, from the land of disbelief it delivered me!'"
'A'ishah said,
"So I said to her, 'What is your story?
You never sit with me without reciting these lines.'"
She said,
"So she narrated this hadith to me."
Commentary on the hadith:
*Walidah* (young girl/maidservant):
A *walidah* refers to a young female child,
and it is also applied to a young slave-girl or maidservant.
*Wishah* (sash/ornamented belt):
A *wishah* is woven from wide leather,
studded with jewels,
and fastened by a woman between her shoulder and her waist.
*Min suyoor* (from straps), plural of *sayr*,
which is a thong or strap made of leather.
*Huda'ah* (kite): a well-known bird of prey,
its agnomen is Abu al-Khattaf,
and it hunts rodents.
*Fa-khatafat* (so it snatched):
*Khatf* means grabbing something and seizing it swiftly.
*Fa-ltamasooh* (so they searched for it):
meaning they looked for it and asked about it.
*Fa-ttahamooni* (so they accused me):
meaning of stealing the sash.
*Fa-tafiqoo* (so they began):
meaning they set about.
*Yufattishoon* (searching):
meaning inspecting thoroughly.
*Qubulaha* (her private part):
meaning her private area.
*Za'amtum* (you claimed):
meaning you alleged.
*Wa ana minhu baree'ah* (while I am innocent of it):
meaning free from their claim and accusation of stealing the sash.
*Khibaa'* (tent):
A *khibaa'* is a tent made of camel hair or wool,
pitched on two or more poles.
*Hifsh* (small hut):
A *hifsh* is a small, substandard dwelling,
with a low ceiling.
*Min a'ajeeb* (among the wonders):
plural of *u'joobah* (marvel/wonder).
*Anjaani* (delivered me):
meaning saved me.
*La taq'udeena ma'ee maq'adan* (you never sit with me in any gathering):
meaning you never sit in my company.
Key lessons derived from the hadith:
From this hadith, it is derived
that whoever lacks a dwelling or a place to spend the night
is permitted to stay overnight in the mosque,
whether a man or a woman,
provided that there is security from any temptation or discord.
It also shows the permissibility of setting up a tent or the like for the destitute,
whether male or female.
It indicates that the Sunnah is to leave a land
in which a person has been subjected to severe trial and injustice.
The hadith also demonstrates
that adversity may often be the means to a great good
that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has willed for a servant,
just as happened to this maidservant.
It clearly demonstrates the virtue of emigration (Hijrah).
In this hadith,
there is clarification that the kite is among the noxious pests that cause harm on earth;
for this reason, the hadith instructed that it be killed both outside and within the sacred precincts.
The hadith also provides evidence that Allah Almighty
may relieve the distress of the afflicted
and break the natural laws of cause and effect for them,
even if they are disbelievers;
for if a disbeliever is wronged,
as was the case with this woman,
they are all the more entitled to having their distress relieved and their supplication answered.
It illustrates the virtue of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), her eloquence,
and her vast memorization of the history and poetry of the Arabs.
It also demonstrates the permissibility of incorporating beautiful poetry into an admonition.
Chapter: Men Sleeping in the Mosque.
On the authority of Nafi',
that Ibn Umar said:
"Some men among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
used to see dreams during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
and they would narrate them to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would interpret them as Allah willed.
At that time, I was a young, unmarried youth,
and I used to sleep in the mosque before I got married.
So I said to myself,
'If there were any good in you,
you would see the like of what these people see.'
So when I lay down one night,
I said,
'O Allah, if You know of any good in me,
then show me a dream!'
In another narration:
'O Allah, if I have any good with You,
then show me a dream
that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) may interpret for me.'
While I was in that state—
in another narration:
'I saw in a dream
as if there were a piece of silk fabric in my hand,
and I did not point it toward any place in Paradise
but that it flew with me to it.
Suddenly, two angels came to me,
each holding an iron mace in his hand,
taking me toward Hellfire,
while between them I was supplicating Allah,
"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from Hellfire!"
Then I was shown another angel who met me, holding an iron mace in his hand,
and he said,
"Do not be terrified;
what an excellent man you are!"'
In another narration:
'"You are indeed a righteous man,
if only you would pray more."'
So they took me
until they stopped with me at the edge of Hellfire,
and behold, it was cased with stones like the casing of a well,
having horn-like stone pillars like those of a well,
and between every two horns stood an angel holding an iron mace.
I saw in it men suspended by chains,
upside down,
and I recognized some men of Quraysh among them.
Then they took me away toward the right side.
So I narrated it to Hafsah,
and Hafsah narrated it to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
'Indeed, Abdullah is a righteous man.'
In another narration:
'What an excellent man Abdullah is,
if only he would pray during the night!'
Nafi' said,
'After that, he never ceased to pray extensively at night.'"
Commentary on the hadith:
*Ru'ya* (dream): that which a believer sees during sleep.
*Fa-yaqussoona-ha* (so they would narrate them):
meaning they would inform him of them.
*Fa-yaqoolu feeha* (and he would say concerning them):
meaning he would interpret them.
*Hadeethu as-sinn* (young in age):
meaning youthful.
*Wa-yabeetu al-masjid* (and he spent the night in the mosque):
meaning he used to sleep in the mosque.
*Fa-lamma-ttaja'tu* (so when I lay down):
meaning when I intended to sleep.
*Miqma'ah* (mace):
It is a heavy rod,
or an instrument like a hooked staff,
used to strike the head of an elephant;
and it is said to be like an iron whip
with a curved head.
*Yuqbilu bee ila jahannam* (taking me toward Hellfire):
meaning they brought me directly facing Hellfire.
*Uraani* (I was shown / I saw):
meaning I saw in the dream.
*Lan tura'* (do not be terrified):
meaning no fear shall befall you.
*Ni'ma ar-rajul* (what an excellent man):
an expression of praise.
*Law tukthiru as-salah* (if only you would pray more):
meaning during the night.
*Fa-ntalaqoo bee* (so they took me):
meaning they proceeded with me.
*Shafeeru jahannam* (the brink/edge of Hellfire):
meaning its rim or border.
*Matwiyyatun ka-tayyi al-bi'r* (cased like the casing of a well):
meaning its inner walls are built up with stones just like a well.
*Lahu quroonun ka-qarni al-bi'r* (having horn-like pillars like those of a well):
*Quroon* (horns/pillars):
meaning its stone-built sides
upon which the crossbeam is placed to suspend the pulley,
and typically a well has two such upright stone horns.
*Mu'allaqeena bi-s-salasil ru'oosuhum asfalahum* (suspended by chains upside down):
meaning hanging inverted by their feet.
*Fa-nsarafoo bee 'an dhati al-yameen* (then they turned with me toward the right side):
meaning toward the right direction.
"After that, he never ceased to pray extensively":
referring to Abdullah Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both).
Key lessons derived from the hadith:
It is derived from this hadith
that it is permissible to sleep in the mosque.
It is permissible to wish for a righteous dream
so that a person may know their standing with Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
It demonstrates the legitimacy of desiring good and knowledge and being eager for them.
It also shows the permissibility of appointing someone else to convey a dream to a scholar,
and the acceptance of a single trustworthy narrator's report.
It indicates the permissibility of interpreting dreams, provided proper conditions are met,
and shows that a righteous dream indicates goodness for the one who sees it.
It also shows the recommendation to relate dreams to a person of knowledge.
In the hadith, there is a description of Hellfire;
and its description mentioned in the hadith
takes the ruling of being elevated (*marfu'*) to the Prophet.
It also indicates the permissibility of seeing angels in a dream,
and their warning to the dreamer.
It indicates the permissibility of seeing Hellfire in a dream.
The hadith also describes a type of punishment in Hellfire,
which is being turned upside down.
It contains guidance to seek refuge from the torment of Hellfire.
It shows the recommendation of concealing the faults of a fellow Muslim and refraining from backbiting him,
as demonstrated by his statement (may Allah be pleased with them both):
"I recognized men of Quraysh in it,"
yet he did not name them.
It demonstrates the modesty and righteousness of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both),
and his eagerness for doing good.
It also highlights the virtue of worship performed in youth,
and that the night prayer saves one from the Fire.
It also indicates the dislike of excessive sleep at night.
On the authority of Sahl ibn Sa'd, who said:
"There was no name dearer to Ali than Abu Turab,
and he used to be delighted whenever he was called by it.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came
to the house of Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her),
but did not find Ali in the house.
He asked, 'Where is your paternal cousin?'
She replied, 'There was something between him and me,
and he became angry with me and left,
so he did not take his midday nap at my place.'
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to a person,
'Look where he is.'
The man returned
and said, 'O Messenger of Allah,
he is sleeping in the mosque.'
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came
while he was lying down, his upper garment having slipped off his side,
and dust had covered him.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) began
wiping it off him while saying:
'Get up, O Abu Turab (Father of Dust)!
Get up, O Abu Turab!'"
Commentary on the hadith:
"Where is your paternal cousin?"
meaning Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Prophet (peace be upon him) intended to soften her heart toward him
by mentioning the bond of kinship between them.
"There was something between him and me, and he became angry with me,"
meaning a disagreement or dispute occurred between us
that stirred up anger in both of us.
"And he left,"
that is, to cut short the dispute
and calm the outburst of their anger.
"So he did not take his midday nap (*qaylulah*),"
which refers to sleeping in the middle of the day.
"To a person,"
it was said that this was Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him),
the narrator of the hadith.
"*Raqid*,"
meaning asleep.
"Off his side,"
meaning off his flank.
Benefits derived from the hadith:
Among the benefits derived from this hadith are:
the permissibility of using a kunya not derived from one's child's name,
for he (peace be upon him) gave him the kunya "Abu Turab";
the prescribed nature of treating one's son-in-law gently and cheering him up;
the permissibility of bantering with an angry person using an unconventional kunya,
provided it does not anger him or displease him,
but rather comforts him;
the permissibility of taking a midday nap in the mosque;
and the virtue of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him).
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said:
"I saw seventy of the people of al-Suffah,
and not a single man among them had an upper garment (*rida'*);
they wore either a waist-wrapper (*izar*) or a sheet (*kisa'*),
which they tied around their necks.
Some of these reached down to the middle of their shins,
and some reached down to their ankles,
and each man would gather it with his hand
out of reluctance that his nakedness (*'awrah*) might be exposed."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Of the people of al-Suffah":
they were the poor and destitute
who resided in the suffah (covered portico) of the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
"*Rida'*":
that which covers the upper half of the body.
"*Izar*":
that which covers the lower half.
Benefits derived from the hadith:
Among the benefits derived from the hadith are:
the obligation of covering the nakedness (*'awrah*) as much as possible;
and the permissibility of using the mosque
as a shelter for the poor and destitute.
Chapter: The Prayer upon Returning from a Journey.
On the authority of Jabir ibn Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
"I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on an expedition."
In another narration:
"I was riding a slow, exhausted camel."
In another narration:
"I was riding an ash-colored camel of mine,
with no spots of other colors."
"My camel slowed me down and grew exhausted,
so the Prophet (peace be upon him) caught up with me
and said,
'Jabir?'
I replied, 'Yes.'
He asked, 'What is the matter with you?'
I said,
'My camel has slowed down and grown exhausted,
so I fell behind.'
He dismounted and poked it with his curved stick,
then said,
'Mount!'
So I mounted,
and I found myself having to hold it back from overtaking the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)."
In another narration:
"He said to me,
'How do you find your camel?'
He said:
I replied, 'It is doing very well;
your blessing has reached it.'
He said..."
In another narration:
"He said,
'What makes you in such a hurry?'
I replied,
'I have recently married.'
He asked,
'Have you married?'
I said, 'Yes.'
He asked,
'A virgin or a previously married woman?'
I replied,
'Rather, a previously married woman.'
In another narration:
He said,
'Why not a virgin so you could play with her and she with you?'
He said,
'Why not a young maiden so you could fondle her and she could fondle you?'
In another narration:
'...and you could make her laugh and she could make you laugh?'
I said,
'I have sisters,
so I wanted to marry a woman who could gather them, comb their hair, and look after them.'
In another narration:
He said,
'May Allah bless you,'
or he said,
'Well done.'
In another narration:
'May Allah shower His blessings upon you.'
He said,
'Know that you are arriving soon,
so when you arrive,
be clever, be clever!'
In another narration:
'If you arrive at night, do not enter upon your wife
until the woman whose husband was away has shaved her pubic hair
and the unkempt woman has combed her hair.'
In another narration:
When we approached the city,
the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
'Whoever wishes to hasten to his family, let him hasten.'
Then he said,
'Will you sell your camel?'
I said, 'Yes.'
So he bought it from me for an ounce (*uqiyyah*) of gold."
In another narration:
"He said,
'Rather, sell it to me;
I have taken it for four dinars,
and you may ride its back until you reach Medina.'
In another narration:
"When I arrived,
I informed my maternal uncle of the sale of the camel,
and he blamed me.
So I told him about the camel's exhaustion
and what the Prophet (peace be upon him) had done
and how he had prodded it.
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) arrived
before me,
and I arrived in the morning."
In another narration:
"When he reached Sirar,
he ordered a cow,
and it was slaughtered,
and they ate from it.
Then we came to the mosque,
and I found him at the door of the mosque."
In another narration:
"I went in to him
after tying the camel at the edge of the paved courtyard (*al-Balat*),
and I said,
'This is your camel.'
So he came out
and began walking around the camel.
He asked,
"Have you just arrived now?"
I replied, "Yes."
He said,
"Leave your camel,
enter, and pray two units of prayer for me."
So I entered and prayed.
Then he commanded Bilal to weigh out an ounce of gold for him.
So Bilal weighed it out for me
and tilted the scale generously in my favor.
I turned and walked away,
but he said,
"Call Jabir back to me!"
I thought to myself,
"Now he is going to return the camel to me,"
and nothing was more detestable to me than it.
He said,
"Take your camel,
and its price is yours as well."
In one narration:
"He gave me both the price of the camel and the camel itself,
as well as my share of the spoils along with the people."
In another narration:
"He owed me a debt,
so he paid me back and gave me extra."
Commentary on the hadith:
"In an expedition" (fī ghazā):
meaning the Battle of Tabuk,
and it was also said to be the Battle of Dhat al-Riqa'.
"Became exhausted" (a'yā):
meaning it grew fatigued and was unable to walk.
"So I fell behind" (fatakhallaftu):
meaning I lagged behind.
"Prodded it with his crook" (yahjanuhu bi-mihjanih):
a crook (mihjan) is a staff with a curved head,
with which a rider picks up whatever has fallen from him.
"I restrain it" (ukuffuhu):
meaning I hold it back.
"Sluggish" (thafāl):
meaning slow and heavy, moving forward only with reluctance.
"Ash-colored" (armak):
meaning its reddish color was mixed with blackness.
"Having no blemishes" (laysa fīhi shiyah):
a blemish (shiyah) is a patch of black or white.
"A non-virgin/previously married woman" (thayyib):
a thayyib is a woman who has been previously married.
"Why not a young maiden?" (afalā jāriyah):
meaning a virgin.
"To gather them together" (tajma'uhunna):
meaning to bring them close to her like a mother.
"And comb their hair" (wa-tamshatuhunna):
meaning to groom and style their hair.
"And look after them" (wa-taqūmu 'alayhinna):
meaning to take care of them and manage their affairs.
"Prudence, prudence!" (fal-kays al-kays):
prudence (al-kays) here means taking great care of things.
It is also said that
al-kays here refers to marital intimacy,
and it is said to mean good sense and intelligence.
"For an ounce" (bi-ūqiyyah):
an ounce (ūqiyyah) equals forty dirhams.
Its measure in modern weights is
approximately one hundred and twenty grams of silver.
"In the early morning" (bil-ghadāh):
meaning the period between the Fajr prayer and sunrise.
"Leave" (da'):
meaning leave aside.
"Tilted generously" (arjaḥa):
meaning he added extra weight.
"I turned away" (wallaytu):
meaning I walked back.
"Return the camel to me" (yaruddu 'alayya al-jamal):
meaning he would give it back to me.
"To shave her pubic hair" (tastahidd):
istihdad means shaving the pubic hair.
"The woman whose husband is absent" (al-mughībah):
this is a woman whose husband has been away from home.
"The unkempt woman" (al-sha'thah):
meaning the woman with disheveled hair.
"And its back is yours" (wa-laka zahruh):
meaning riding it.
"He blamed me" (lāmanī):
meaning he reproached me.
"And prodded it" (wa-wakazah):
prodding (wakz) can be done with a stick,
or by poking with a closed fist.
"Sirar" (Sirār):
a location on the outskirts of Medina,
three miles away to the east.
"So I hobbled the camel" (fa-'aqaltu al-jamal):
hobbling ('aql) means bending the camel's shank against its foreleg
and tying them firmly together at the middle of the foreleg.
"More detestable to me than it" (abghada ilayya minh):
meaning more detestable than that camel.
Key takeaways from the hadith:
Among the benefits derived from the hadith are:
the instruction to check on the conditions of one's companions;
an illustration of how deeply the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) revered the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him;
and revering him, peace be upon him,
is undoubtedly an obligation;
the encouragement to marry virgins;
the permissibility of a man being playful with his wife,
treating her gently, and maintaining good companionship;
a demonstration of the virtue of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him and his father),
and his prioritizing his sisters' well-being over his own;
the recommendation to pray two units of prayer upon returning from a journey;
the recommendation to tip the scale in favor of the recipient when paying a price;
the validity of appointing an agent to weigh out payment,
though the agent should not give extra weight without permission;
evidence of the validity of the seller adding extra goods to the item sold,
and the buyer voluntarily adding extra to the agreed price;
the permissibility of initiating an offer to buy a man's property from him,
even if he has not offered it for sale;
the recommendation to add extra when repaying a debt,
which falls under noble character and chivalry;
the recommendation for a woman to adorn herself for her husband;
the permissibility of preferring an otherwise less optimal choice over a better one for a valid interest;
that a woman should groom and tidy herself when her husband returns from an absence;
proof that not every stipulated condition invalidates a transaction;
and that the hadith contains one of the signs of Prophethood,
as the sluggish camel was transformed into an energetic one.