In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
The Ifadah Center
for Humanities Research and Studies
presents:
The Abridgment of Sahih al-Bukhari.
Chapter: Employing Cattle for Tillage.
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) led the morning prayer,
then turned toward the people
and said:
"While a man was driving a cow,
he rode upon it and beat it,
whereupon it said:
'We were not created for this;
we were only created for tillage.' "
The people said,
"Glory be to Allah!
A cow speaks?!"
So he said:
"Indeed, I believe in this,
as do Abu Bakr and Umar" —
though neither of them was present.
"And while a man was tending his sheep,
a wolf attacked and carried off one of them.
So he pursued it until he managed to rescue it from the wolf,
whereupon the wolf said to him:
'You have rescued it from me now,
but who will protect it on the Day of the Predator,
the day when it will have no shepherd other than me?' "
The people said,
"Glory be to Allah!
A wolf speaks?!"
He said:
"Indeed, I believe in this,
as do Abu Bakr and Umar" —
though neither of them was present.
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Turned toward the people":
meaning, he faced them.
"Driving":
meaning, herding it in front of him.
"We were not created for this":
meaning, we were not created to be ridden.
"We were created for tillage":
meaning, created for agricultural labor.
This is not meant as an absolute limitation,
but rather an indication of the primary purpose for which they were created;
for cattle are also slaughtered and eaten,
and their milk is drunk.
"Though neither of them was present":
meaning, they were not among the attendees.
"Attacked":
meaning, it assaulted the flock.
"Carried off one of them":
meaning, seized a sheep aggressively.
"Pursued it":
meaning, ran after it.
"Rescued it from it":
meaning, snatched it back and recovered it.
"Who will protect it":
meaning, who will guard it and shepherd it?
"The Day of the Predator":
refers to the Day of Resurrection,
and it is also said
that the predator refers to the place
where the Gathering will occur on the Day of Resurrection.
Points of Benefit
from the Hadith:
The hadith contains signs of prophethood;
it highlights
the virtue of the two Shaykhs, Abu Bakr and Umar
(may Allah be pleased with them),
and shows the Messenger of Allah's
(peace be upon him) trust in their faith,
a faith untouched
by any doubt.
It also indicates that beasts of burden should only be employed
according to customary practice
regarding their use.
Furthermore, it demonstrates the permissibility of delivering an admonition
after the morning prayer.
Chapter: When One Says:
"Relieve me of the maintenance of the date palms and the like,
and you shall share in the fruit."
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah
(may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Ansar said
to the Prophet (peace be upon him):
"Divide between us
and our brethren the date palms."
He said, "No."
So they said,
"Relieve us of the labor,
and we will share the fruit with you."
They replied, "We hear
and we obey."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"The maintenance":
what is meant here
is watering, pruning, harvesting,
and whatever else maintains the date palms.
"And we will share with you":
meaning, we will give you a share of the harvest.
Points of Benefit from the Hadith:
Derived from the hadith is
the legitimacy of sharecropping over trees (musaqah);
it also demonstrates
the virtue of brotherhood for the sake of Allah,
the recommendation
to console and support the impoverished,
and the merit of earning a livelihood with one's own hands.
Chapter: Cutting Down Trees
and Date Palms.
On the authority of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him),
who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) burned
the date palms of Banu al-Nadir
and cut them down.
In one narration:
Concerning this, Hassan ibn Thabit said:
"It was easy for the nobles
of Banu Lu'ayy
to witness the raging fire at al-Buwayrah,
spreading far and wide."
Thereupon, Abu Sufyan
ibn al-Harith responded to him:
"May Allah make that deed endure,
and may a raging blaze ignite
across its borders!
You shall soon know which of us
is far removed from it,
and you shall learn which of our lands will suffer harm."
So there was revealed:
“Whatsoever palm-trees ye cut down or left standing on their roots, it was by Allah's leave, in order that He might confound the evil-livers.” (59:5)
"Whatever date palms you cut down or left
standing on their trunks,
it was by the permission of Allah."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Al-Buwayrah":
a locality in the territory of Banu al-Nadir.
"Whatever you cut down
“Whatsoever palm-trees ye cut down or left standing on their roots, it was by Allah's leave, in order that He might confound the evil-livers.” (59:5)
or left standing on their trunks,
it was by the permission of Allah":
when Banu al-Nadir blamed
the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
and the Muslims
for cutting down the date palms and trees,
claiming that this was
corruption on earth,
and used that to cast slander
upon the Muslims,
Allah Almighty declared that cutting down the date palms,
whether they felled them or spared
them,
was by His leave
and His command, so that it might serve as
an exemplary punishment, disgrace,
and humiliation for them in this worldly life.
"Al-linah" is a name
for all types of date palms according to the soundest
and most preponderant view.
Points of Benefit
from the Hadith:
Derived from the hadith is
the permissibility of cutting down date palms and burning
the enemy's property to weaken them
and inflict damage upon them.
The hadith also implies a prohibition
against squandering wealth without cause.
Chapter.
On the authority of Rafi' ibn Khadij, who said:
We were the people of Medina who engaged most
in agriculture.
We used to rent out land on the condition that the produce of a specific plot
was designated exclusively for the landowner.
He said:
So that designated plot might yield while
the rest of the land failed,
or the rest of the land might yield while that plot failed;
therefore, we were forbidden from doing so.
In one narration:
So the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade them from doing that.
As for gold and silver,
they were not used for leasing back then.
In another narration:
"And we were not forbidden from renting for silver."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Mazdara'":
meaning, cultivated land.
"We rent out":
meaning, we lease.
"A specific plot": meaning, a designated section.
"The landowner":
meaning, its proprietor.
"Might be afflicted":
meaning, suffer a blight and be ruined.
"Al-wariq":
meaning, silver coins.
Points of Benefit from the Hadith:
Derived from the hadith is
the prohibition of leasing land
in exchange for what it produces
from a specific designated portion.
It also indicates the permissibility of leasing land
for currency.
Furthermore, it contains a prohibition in financial transactions
against any uncertainty (gharar)
that leads to dispute.
Chapter: Sharecropping for Half the Produce
and the like.
On the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father),
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
entered into a contract with the people of
Khaybar for half of what it yields
of fruit or crops.
And he used to give his wives
one hundred wasqs:
eighty wasqs of dates
and twenty wasqs of barley.
Later, 'Umar divided Khaybar,
and gave the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
the choice
between granting them land and water as property,
or continuing their previous share.
Some of them chose
the land,
and some chose the wasqs,
and 'A'ishah was among those who chose the land.
Commentary on the Hadith:
"For a share" (bi-shatr):
meaning, for half.
"One hundred wasqs":
a wasq equals sixty sa's,
and it is equivalent to one hundred and fifty
kilograms;
thus, one hundred wasqs equals
fifteen thousand kilograms,
approximately.
"Granting them land" (an yaqta'a lahunna):
as in, the ruler granted so-and-so a certain land,
meaning he gave it to him
and made it his private estate (qati'ah).
"Or continuing their previous share" (aw yumdiya lahunna):
meaning, maintaining for them their previous
apportionment.
Key Benefits of the Hadith:
This hadith is the primary evidence
for those who permit sharecropping (muzara'ah).
It also establishes the legitimacy of crop-sharing contracts for trees (musaqah).
It shows that whatever
the Prophet (peace be upon him) left behind
is not inherited,
and whatever he left beyond
the maintenance of his wives is deemed
charity.
The hadith also points to the permissibility
of storing provisions.
Chapter: On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas
(may Allah be pleased with him and his father),
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)—
and in one narration:
"The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
did not forbid it,
but rather
he went out to a piece of land
flourishing with vegetation,
and asked, 'Whose is this?'
They replied, 'It was rented by
so-and-so.'
Thereupon he said,
'Had he granted it to him as a gift,
it would have been better for him than
taking a fixed fee for it.'"
In another narration:
"he went out."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Flourishing with vegetation" (tahtazzu zar'an):
meaning, swaying gracefully
due to the lush crops upon it.
"Rented it" (iktaraaha):
meaning, leased it.
"Granted it" (manahaha):
meaning, lent it free of charge.
Key Benefits of the Hadith:
Derived from the hadith is
the merit of consoling and assisting one's brethren
with wealth.
It also directs toward the most virtuous
of deeds.
Furthermore, it highlights the merit of dealing generously with Allah Almighty.
Chapter:
The Endowments of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
and the Land
Subject to Kharaj, and Their Sharecropping
and Business Transactions.
On the authority of 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him),
he said:
"By the One in Whose Hand is my soul,
were it not that I would leave the future generations of Muslims
destitute, having
nothing,
no city would be conquered for me
except that I would distribute it just as
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) distributed
Khaybar.
But I leave it as a treasury reserve
for them to share its revenues."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Babban" (destitute):
it is said to mean in a single, impoverished state,
and it is said
to refer to the destitute person who possesses nothing,
among other explanations.
"I leave it" (atrukuha):
meaning, I retain it.
"As a treasury reserve" (khizanatan):
meaning, like a storehouse that preserves sustenance and wealth.
"They share it" (yaqtasimunaha):
what is meant
is that they share its land-tax (kharaj).
Key Benefits of the Hadith:
The report contains
an indication of the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided
Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them).
It also proves the validity
of legal reasoning (ijtihad).
It indicates that the ruler's decisions
are tied to the welfare of the subjects.
It also establishes the legitimacy
of saving reserves, and guides
toward sound management of public livelihood.
Chapter: Whoever Revives
Barren Land.
On the authority of 'Urwah,
from 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her),
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
who said:
"Whoever cultivates land that belongs
to no one has more right to it."
'Urwah said:
"And 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) judged accordingly
during his caliphate."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Mawat" (barren land):
meaning, uncultivated, ownerless land.
"Cultivates" (a'mara):
meaning, revives and reclaims.
"Has more right" (ahaqqu):
meaning, holds priority of ownership.
Key Benefits of the Hadith:
Derived from the hadith is
the legitimacy of reviving unowned land,
and that ownership is established through such
revival.
Also, that the ruling of a judge based
on primary textual evidence is binding.
Chapter: When the Owner of the Land Says,
"I let you remain
as long as Allah lets you remain,"
without specifying a fixed term,
then both parties abide by their mutual consent.
On the authority of Ibn 'Umar,
that 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab
(may Allah be pleased with him) expelled
the Jews and Christians from the land of
the Hijaz.
For when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
conquered Khaybar,
he intended
to expel the Jews from it.
The land, when he conquered it,
belonged to Allah, His Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
and the Muslims,
and he intended to expel the Jews
from it.
But the Jews asked the Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
to let them remain there,
on condition that they perform the agricultural labor
and receive half of the fruit.
“And the messenger of Allah said: It is the she-camel of Allah, so let her drink!” (91:13)
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
so they remained there until 'Umar expelled them to Tayma' and Jericho.
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Expelled the Jews": meaning he moved them out of their dwellings.
"From the land of the Hijaz": meaning Mecca and Medina.
"Conquered Khaybar": meaning he overcame and prevailed over its inhabitants.
"To let them remain there": meaning to permit them to reside and settle.
"That they perform the agricultural labor": meaning they manage its date palms and farms
and undertake their cultivation.
"And receive half of the fruit": meaning as compensation for their labor.
"Tayma'": a town near Wadi al-Qura.
"Jericho": a town in the Levant (al-Sham).
Key Benefits of the Hadith:
The hadith serves as evidence for those who permit crop-sharing contracts for an unspecified term.
It establishes the legitimacy of musaqah contracts on all fixed agricultural assets,
including date palms, trees, and others.
And it indicates that 'Umar's (may Allah be pleased with him) expulsion of the Jews from the Hijaz
was in fulfillment of the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) command before his death.
Chapter: How the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
used to assist and console one another in farming and produce.
On the authority of Rafi' ibn Khadij ibn Rafi',
from his paternal uncle Zuhayr ibn Rafi', who said:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade us from a practice that had been beneficial to us."
I said, "Whatever the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said is the truth."
He said, "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) called me
and asked, 'What do you do with your fields?'
I replied, 'We lease them out for a fourth of the produce and for measured amounts of dates and barley.'
He said, 'Do not do that; cultivate them yourselves, or let others cultivate them, or retain them.'"
Rafi' said:
"I said, 'To hear is to obey.'"
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Beneficial" (*rafiqa*) means advantageous and gentle.
"Your fields" (*mahaqilikum*) means your cultivated lands.
"Measured amounts" refers to *al-awsuq*; a *wasq* is sixty *sa'*, which equals 150 kilograms.
"Cultivate them yourselves" means farm them on your own.
"Let others cultivate them" means grant them to others to farm without charging rent.
"To hear is to obey" means your words are heard and your command is obeyed.
Key Takeaways from the Hadith:
The hadith demonstrates that the leader should inspect the conditions of his subjects,
and guide them toward what is most beneficial and compassionate for their livelihoods.
The hadith serves as evidence for those who hold the view that leasing land for a share of its produce is disliked (*makruh*).
It indicates that legal rulings in the Sharia are founded upon leniency and the removal of hardship.
It shows the virtue of granting gifts, grants, and uncompensated loans.
It contains guidance toward showing solidarity with and assisting the poor.
On the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"Some men among us had surplus land,
and they said, 'We lease it out for a third, a fourth, or a half of the yield.'
So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
'Whoever possesses land should cultivate it himself or grant it to his brother;
and if he refuses, let him retain his land.'"
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Surplus" (*fudul*) means extra; "grant it" means provide it as an uncompensated loan (*'ariyah*).
"Refuses" (*aba*) means declines.
Key Takeaways from the Hadith:
The hadith indicates the legitimacy of sharecropping (*muzara'ah*) and crop-sharing contracts (*musaqah*).
It contains guidance toward showing solidarity with and aiding the poor.
It guides toward the sound management and productive upkeep of wealth.
On the authority of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
"I knew during the era of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
that land used to be leased."
In another narration:
Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both)
used to lease out his farms during the era of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
and during the caliphates of Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman,
and the early part of Mu'awiyah's rule;
then 'Abdullah feared that the Prophet (peace be upon him)
might have introduced something new regarding it of which he had been unaware,
so he abandoned leasing land.
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Leased" (*tukra*) means rented out.
"Feared" (*khashiya*) means became apprehensive.
"Might have introduced something new regarding it"
means that he might have decreed a ruling abrogating the permissibility of leasing that he had known.
Key Takeaways from the Hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The virtue of exercising caution and piety in financial transactions.
The hadith provides an argument for those who maintain the disapproval of leasing land
for a fraction of what it produces.
It also indicates that once an abrogating text (*nasikh*) is established,
it becomes obligatory to adopt it.
Chapter: Leasing Land for Gold and Silver.
On the authority of Hanzalah ibn Qays,
from Rafi' ibn Khadij,
who said:
"My two paternal uncles informed me that people used to lease land
during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
for whatever grew along the irrigation channels,
or for a portion reserved exclusively by the landowner;
so the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade that."
I asked Rafi':
"What about leasing it for dinars and dirhams?"
Rafi' replied:
"There is no harm in leasing it for dinars and dirhams."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"My two paternal uncles":
one of them was named Zuhayr,
and the other was said to be named Muzhir.
"They leased"
means they rented out.
"The time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)"
refers to his era and lifetime (peace be upon him).
"The irrigation channels" (*al-arba'*)
refers to small streams and streamlets.
"What about leasing it for dinars and dirhams?"
means: What is the ruling on sharecropping paid in dinars and dirhams?
"There is no harm in leasing it for dinars and dirhams"
means it is permissible.
Key Takeaways from the Hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The prohibition of leasing land for a portion of the yield produced by a specifically designated part of it.
It establishes the permissibility of leasing land for monetary currency.
It shows the prohibition in financial transactions of any ambiguity (*jahalah*) that leads to dispute.
Chapter.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was narrating one day,
while a man from the desert bedouins was present with him,
that a man from the people of Paradise asked his Lord for permission to farm.
So Allah said to him:
"Are you not already in possession of whatever you desire?"
He replied, "Yes indeed,
but I love to cultivate the land."
So he hastened and sowed seeds,
and in the twinkling of an eye, the plants sprouted, matured, were harvested, and heaped up like mountains.
Thereupon Allah Almighty says:
"Here it is, O son of Adam!
For nothing ever satisfies you."
The bedouin said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
you will not find this man to be anyone other than a Qurayshite or an Ansari,
for they are people of agriculture,
whereas we are not people of agriculture."
At this, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) laughed.
Commentary on the Hadith:
"He asked his Lord for permission to farm"
means he petitioned Allah Almighty to let him cultivate.
"Are you not already in possession of whatever you desire?"
means: Are you not already amidst all the cravings you could wish for?
The intended meaning is:
Are you not in a place where you have everything your soul desires?
"In the twinkling of an eye" (*tabadara al-tarf*):
*al-tarf* refers to the motion of the eye.
The intended meaning is:
Between the sowing of the seed and the full ripening and completion of the crop's entire cycle—
including uprooting, reaping, winnowing, and gathering—
there was nothing more than the span of a single glance.
"And heaped up" (*takwiruhu*) means gathered into mounds.
"Here it is" (*dunak*) means take it.
Key Takeaways from the Hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
In Paradise there exists whatever souls desire of worldly activities and pleasures.
It affirms the speech of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious.
When someone consistently adheres to a certain path or state, whether good or bad,
it is permissible to characterize him by it,
and there is no blame upon the one describing him.
Souls are naturally disposed toward accumulating and desiring worldly enjoyment,
yet Allah Almighty has freed the people of Paradise from the fatigue and hardship of worldly toil.
The hadith alludes to the virtue of contentment and the blameworthiness of greed.
It illustrates how Allah's kindness toward His servants allows them to feel at ease within His generous bounty.
The Book of Crop-Sharing Contracts (*al-Musaqah*).
*Al-Musaqah* is a contract stipulating the delivery of trees to someone who tends them
in exchange for a specified share of their fruit.
Chapter: On Drinking Rights,
and whoever regards the charity, gift, and bequest of water as permissible, whether divided or undivided.
On the authority of Sahl ibn Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
A drinking vessel was brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he drank from it;
on his right was a boy, the youngest of the group, while the elders sat to his left.
He asked, "O young boy, do you permit me to give the elders first?"
The boy replied, "I would not give up my share from you to anyone, O Messenger of Allah!"
In another narration: "my remaining share."
So he gave it to him.
In another narration: "He placed it into his hand."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"A drinking vessel" (*qadah*): a *qadah* is a container that quenches the thirst of two or three men.
"A boy" was al-Fadl ibn 'Abbas, and it is also said to have been his brother.
"The youngest of the group" means the youngest among them in age.
"The elders" refers to the older, senior men.
"Give up" (*u'thira*):
*ithar* is the act of preferring others over oneself.
"My share" refers to his allotted portion.
Key Takeaways from the Hadith:
It is derived from the hadith:
The virtue of the right side over the left in serving drinks, handing items, and the like.
Whoever is entitled to a thing may not have it taken from him except with his consent.
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to us in this house of ours and asked for a drink;
so we milked a sheep of ours for him,
and then I mixed it with water from this well of ours and handed it to him.
Abu Bakr was on his left,
'Umar was facing him,
and a bedouin was on his right.
When he finished, 'Umar said, 'Here is Abu Bakr!'
But he gave his leftover drink to the bedouin,
and then said, 'Those on the right, those on the right! Pass it to the right!'
Anas said, 'It is the Sunnah; it is the Sunnah,' repeating it three times."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"He asked for a drink" means he requested something to drink.
"I mixed it" (*shabtuhu*) means I blended it.
"Facing him" means directly across from and in front of him.
"Here is Abu Bakr":
he made that remark because he was concerned that he might give it to the bedouin,
so he said, "Give it to Abu Bakr, O Messenger of Allah, who is beside you."
"His leftover drink" means what remained in the vessel after drinking.
Key Takeaways from the Hadith:
The hadith demonstrates the legitimacy of prioritizing the one on the right of the drinker when passing a drink.
Those sitting together share in a gift by way of etiquette, not out of strict obligation.
Chapter: Whoever Held that the Owner of Water Has the Utmost Right to It Until He Quenches His Thirst.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Do not withhold surplus water in order to withhold surplus pasture thereby."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Surplus water" means that which exceeds one's actual need.
"Pasture" (*al-kala'*) means grazing grass and vegetation.
Key Takeaways from the Hadith:
The hadith demonstrates that people are partners in unowned, freely available water and pasture.
It contains an encouragement toward noble manners and showing solidarity with people.
Chapter: Disputes over wells and judicial rulings concerning them.
On the authority of Shaqiq, from 'Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him,
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:
"Whoever takes an oath—and in another narration:
an obligatory oath—
to wrongfully appropriate the property of a Muslim,
lying while doing so,
will meet Allah—and in another narration:
on the Day of Resurrection—
while He is angry with him."
Thereupon, Allah Almighty revealed:
“Lo! those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's covenant and their oaths, they have no portion in the Hereafter. Allah will neither speak to them nor look upon them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He make them grow. Theirs will be a painful doom.” (3:77)
the verse.
Then Al-Ash'ath arrived and said:
"Whatever Abu 'Abd al-Rahman has narrated to you, this verse was revealed concerning me:
I had a well on the land of a cousin of mine,"
and in another narration:
"There was a dispute between me and a Jewish man over land, and he denied my claim,
so the Prophet said to me: 'Produce your witnesses,'"
and in another narration:
"'Do you have any proof?'
I said: 'I have no witnesses.'
He said: 'Then his oath shall decide it.'
I said: 'O Messenger of Allah,
in that case, he will simply swear a false oath!'
So the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned this hadith,
and Allah revealed that verse in confirmation of it."
Commentary on the hadith:
"To wrongfully appropriate":
meaning to take a portion of wealth through that oath.
"Lying" (fajir):
that is, untruthful.
"Will meet Allah":
that is, on the Day of Resurrection.
“Lo! those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's covenant and their oaths, they have no portion in the Hereafter. Allah will neither speak to them nor look upon them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He make them grow. Theirs will be a painful doom.” (3:77)
This includes anyone who takes something of worldly gain
in exchange for abandoning Allah's right or the rights of His servants.
Likewise, whoever swears an oath to wrongfully seize the protected property of another
falls under the warning of this verse.
"Abu 'Abd al-Rahman":
this is the kunya of 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him.
"A cousin of mine":
he was the cousin of Al-Ash'ath Ibn Qays,
named Ma'dan Ibn al-Aswad al-Kindi.
"Produce your witnesses":
that is, bring your witnesses.
"An obligatory oath" (yamin sabr):
that is, an oath to which a person is compelled and bound,
and what is meant here
is a false oath.
Among the benefits derived from the hadith:
it is deduced from this hadith
that the burden of proof rests upon the claimant,
while the oath is incumbent upon the defendant if he denies the claim.
It also indicates that whoever swears falsely by Allah, the Glorified,
in order to unlawfully take some worldly possession,
deserves the wrath of Allah, Mighty and Majestic.