In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Ifadah Center
for Human Studies and Research
presents:
Abridged Sahih al-Bukhari.
Chapter: When the heat becomes intense on Friday.
On the authority of Anas ibn Malik, who said:
When the cold became severe, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
would pray early,
and when the heat became intense,
he would delay the prayer until it cooled down—
meaning the Friday prayer.
Commentary on the hadith:
"Until it cooled down"
means waiting until
the intensity of the heat abates.
Among the benefits of this hadith:
The hadith indicates that the time for Friday prayer
is the time of Zuhr,
and that it is performed
after the sun passes the meridian (zawal),
and that it may be delayed until it cools during extreme heat.
Chapter: Walking [to the prayer].
On the authority of 'Abayah ibn Rifa'ah,
who said:
Abu 'Abs caught up with me
while I was walking to the Friday prayer,
and he said:
I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him)
say:
"Anyone whose feet become dusty
in the cause of Allah,
Allah will forbid him from the Fire."
Commentary on the hadith:
Abu 'Abs
is 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Jabr
(may Allah be pleased with him).
"Whose feet become dusty"
means covered with dust.
The feet were specifically mentioned
because most of the warriors
at that time were on foot,
and feet inevitably get covered in dust
in all circumstances,
whether the dust is thick
or light;
moreover, the foundation of the child of Adam rests
upon the feet,
so if the feet are saved from the Fire,
the rest of his limbs will be saved from it as well.
Among the benefits of this hadith:
It is derived from this hadith
an explanation of the virtue of walking
to prayer;
and it highlights the virtue of jihad
in the cause of Allah Almighty.
The hadith also contains an indication
that acts of worship are a form
of jihad,
thus requiring patience and steadfast devotion.
Chapter:
A man must not make his brother stand on Friday
so that he may sit in his place.
On the authority of Nafi',
on the authority of Ibn 'Umar,
on the authority of the Prophet (peace be upon him),
that he forbade
making a man stand from his seat
so that another may sit in it;
rather, you should make space
and accommodate one another.
And Ibn 'Umar disliked
that a man should stand up from his seat
and someone else then sit in his place.
Commentary
on the hadith:
"A man must not make his brother stand on Friday
so that he may sit in his place."
The reason for this prohibition
is that it is done only out of arrogance
and contempt for the person being displaced.
"Rather,
make space and accommodate one another"
means: provide the newcomer to
your gathering ample room and space,
and broaden the seating.
This is an etiquette explicitly enjoined by
the Book and the Sunnah.
Among the benefits of this hadith:
It is derived from this hadith
that giving preference to others (ithar) is not allowed
in acts of worship and proximity to Allah.
The hadith also shows that the mosque is the house of Allah,
so whoever arrives first at a place
is more entitled to it.
Chapter: The adhan on Friday.
On the authority of al-Sa'ib ibn Yazid,
who said:
The adhan on Friday
was originally called when
the imam sat on Friday
upon the pulpit during the era of
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
and of Abu Bakr and 'Umar
(may Allah be pleased with them both).
But during the caliphate of
'Uthman ibn 'Affan (may Allah be pleased with him),
when the people increased in number—
and in another narration:
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) had
no more than one caller to prayer"—
'Uthman ordered on Friday
the third call to prayer (the first adhan),
which was proclaimed
from al-Zawra',
and the matter became established accordingly.
Commentary
on the hadith:
Al-Zawra'
was an elevated place near the marketplace of Medina,
close to the mosque.
Among the benefits of this hadith:
The hadith demonstrates the obligation of following
the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs,
and that the actions of
the leader are governed by the public interest
of the community.
Chapter: Delivering the sermon while standing.
On the authority of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased
with them both), who said:
The Prophet (peace be upon him)
used to deliver the sermon standing,
then sit down,
then stand up again,
just as you do now.
Commentary on the hadith:
The verb "used to" (kana)
denotes continuity and regularity.
"Just as you do now"
indicates the continuation of
the Prophetic guidance during the era of
the Companions.
Among the benefits of this hadith:
It is derived from this hadith
that the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him)
is the benchmark of true guidance,
and that acts of worship are fundamentally founded
upon divine prescription (tawqif).
The imam faces the people,
and the people face the imam
when he delivers the sermon.
On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased
with him),
that the Prophet (peace be upon him)
sat one day upon the pulpit,
and we sat around him,
and he said:
"Among the things I fear
for you after I am gone
is what will be opened for you
of the splendor and ornaments of this world."
In one narration:
"of the blessings of the earth."
Then he mentioned the splendor of this world,
beginning with one of them
and following with the other.
Thereupon a man said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
can good bring about evil?"
The Prophet (peace be upon him) remained silent,
so it was said to the man:
"What is the matter with you?
You speak to the Prophet (peace be upon him)
while he does not answer you!"
We then realized that
revelation was descending upon him.
In another narration:
And the people fell silent,
as if birds were perched upon their heads.
He said:
Then the sweat was wiped from him,
and he said:
"Where is the questioner?"
—as if commending him—
and said:
"Good does not bring about evil,
but among what the spring vegetation produces
is that which kills or brings near to death—"
in another narration:
"kills by bloating—
except for the vegetation-eating animal:
it eats,
and when its flanks are full,
it faces the sun,
defecates,
urinates, and returns to graze.
Indeed, this wealth
"is sweet and green.
What an excellent companion it is for a Muslim
when he gives from it to the needy,
the orphan, and the traveler,"
or as the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"And whoever takes it
without right
is like one who eats and is never satisfied,
and it will be a witness
against him on the Day of Resurrection."
Commentary
on the hadith:
"The splendor and adornment of the world,"
meaning its beauty and allure.
"So the Prophet fell silent,"
peace be upon him,
meaning waiting for divine revelation.
"Al-Ruhada'"
means profuse sweating.
"And it was as if he praised him":
when they saw that the Prophet,
peace be upon him,
inquired about him in an approving manner,
they knew that he was praising him.
"Among what spring produces
kills or brings close to death,"
derived from "ilmām,"
meaning to approach and come near
to destruction.
"Except the vegetation-eating animal":
out of everything spring produces,
there is that which kills whoever eats it,
except for the vegetation eater when it is moderate in what
it consumes,
taking care to avoid what would lead it
to perish.
"Its flanks swelled,"
meaning filled to full satiety,
and its sides expanded.
"So it excreted,"
meaning it discharged dung.
"It grazed,"
meaning it grazed on spring pastures.
"This wealth is sweet and green,"
meaning in its pleasantness
and attractive luster.
"Whoever takes it without right,"
or without any need for it,
and fails to discharge its required
obligation,
"dies of bloating,"
meaning the animal perishes
due to overeating.
Points of benefit from the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is permissible to coin parables
using lowly things
and base expressions,
such as urine and the like.
It also shows that a student may present
ambiguous matters before a scholar,
and that a scholar, when asked about something,
may delay the answer
until the matter becomes clear
and he attains certainty.
The hadith also shows that a question,
if it is out of place,
may be disapproved of to the questioner.
It also indicates that Allah Almighty
does not bless wealth
that is unlawful.
The hadith also shows that a scholar
should warn those who sit with him
against the trial of wealth,
alerting them to pitfalls of danger.
It contains an exhortation to moderation
in wealth,
and to restrict oneself in worldly matters
to bare sufficiency.
It also contains an encouragement to give charity
and to abandon withholding.
It clarifies that wealth
is the adornment of the life of this world,
as stated in the Wise Remembrance.
It shows that asking questions
is the key to knowledge,
and it contains praise for the sensible questioner.
It indicates the legitimacy
of answering a question
based on the questioner's understanding,
which is more impactful on the soul.
The hadith shows that people
regarding worldly wealth are of various categories:
some amass it without right,
some are moderate,
and others are otherwise.
Chapter: Whoever says
in the sermon, after
the praise: "Amma ba'd" (To proceed).
On the authority of 'Amr ibn Taghlib:
The Messenger of Allah,
peace be upon him,
was brought wealth or captives,
and he distributed them.
He gave to some men and withheld from others,
and it reached him
that those who were withheld from
felt aggrieved.
So he praised Allah
and extolled Him,
and then said:
"To proceed:
By Allah, I give to a man
and leave another,
yet the one I leave is dearer to me than the one
I give to.
But I give to some people
out of their impatience and anxiety."
In another narration:
"I give to a people
fearing their wavering and anxiety,
and I entrust other people
to what Allah has placed
in their hearts of inner wealth
and goodness, among whom is 'Amr ibn Taghlib."
'Amr said:
"By Allah, I would not exchange
the statement of
the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
for red camels."
Commentary
on the hadith:
"Or captives, and he distributed them,"
meaning among those entitled to them.
"They felt aggrieved,"
because they were deprived of the distribution.
"Amma ba'd" (To proceed),
meaning: after praising Allah
and extolling Him.
"And I leave a man,"
meaning: I withhold and do not give to that man.
"Out of impatience,"
which is the opposite of patience,
namely panic.
"And anxiety," meaning intense
panic and fear.
"And I entrust other people to what
Allah has placed in their hearts of inner wealth
and goodness," meaning:
I leave them with what Allah Almighty
has granted them of contentment of soul,
for they were patient and restrained themselves
from begging and greed.
"Red camels,"
meaning the finest, most precious,
and most prized of camels.
Points of benefit from the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it was part of the complete compassion
of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
to win over the hearts
of some people.
The hadith shows that true wealth is not
an abundance of worldly goods;
rather, true wealth is the wealth of the soul.
It highlights the virtue
of 'Amr ibn Taghlib, may Allah be pleased with him,
in that his heart possessed inner wealth.
It also shows the legitimacy
of praising others
when they are safe from vanity.
On the authority of 'A'ishah,
may Allah be pleased with her:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
went out one night
in the middle of the night
and prayed in the mosque,
and some men prayed along with him.
In the morning, the people
talked about it,
so a greater number gathered
and prayed
with him.
In the morning, the people talked about it,
and the attendees in the mosque increased
on the third night.
The Messenger of Allah,
peace be upon him, went out
and they prayed
following his prayer.
When the fourth night arrived,
the mosque could not hold its congregation,
until he came out
for the dawn prayer.
When he finished the Fajr prayer,
he faced the people,
recited the testimony of faith, and then said:
"To proceed:
It was not hidden
from me where you were,
but I feared that it might be made obligatory
upon you, and then you would be unable
to maintain it."
In one narration:
"And that was during Ramadan,
and the Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, passed away
while the matter remained as such."
Commentary on the hadith:
"In the depth of the night,"
meaning deep within it and at its midpoint.
"And some men prayed
following his prayer,"
meaning following his lead, peace be upon him.
"So they spoke about it,"
meaning they spoke of their night prayer
with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
"The mosque was too small
to hold its people,"
meaning it became cramped and crowded for them.
"It was not hidden from me
where you were,"
meaning your gathering and your waiting
for the prayer.
"And then you would be unable to maintain it,"
meaning you would not bear it
nor be able to perform it consistently.
Key benefits of the hadith:
From this hadith, it is deduced that
it is permissible to follow in prayer
an imam who did not intend to serve
as an imam for that particular prayer,
because the people followed him,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
from behind the barrier,
while he had not formed the intention with them
to lead them as an imam.
The hadith also indicates that performing voluntary prayers
at home is preferable.
It also establishes the permissibility of performing voluntary prayers
in congregation.
It also demonstrates the complete compassion
of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
It also shows the eagerness of the Companions,
may Allah be pleased with them,
to emulate the actions of the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and his ways.
It also proves that clarifying a ruling must not be delayed
beyond the time of need.
It also indicates that priority must be given to what is most important
when an apparent benefit clashes
with the fear of harm.
On the authority of Abu Humayd al-Sa'idi,
who said: "The Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, appointed
a man to collect zakat,
called Ibn al-Lutbiyyah."
In one narration:
"from the tribe of Banu Asad,
called Ibn al-Utbiyyah."
And in another narration:
"from al-Azd.
When he returned,
the Prophet called him to account.
He said: 'This is your wealth,
and this was given to me as a gift.'
Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
'Why did you not sit in the house
of your father and mother,
and see whether your gift would come to you,
if you are truthful?!'
Then he delivered a sermon to us."
In one narration:
"Then the Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, stood up in the evening
after the prayer,
praised Allah and extolled Him,
and then said:
'To proceed:
Indeed, I appoint a man
among you to do an assignment
from that which Allah has entrusted to me,
and he comes and says:
"This is your wealth,
and this was a gift presented to me."
Why did he not sit in
the house of his father and mother
to see whether his gift would come to him?!
By Allah, no one takes—'
In another narration:
'By the One in Whose Hand is my soul,
none of you misappropriates
anything of it
unlawfully
except that he will meet Allah carrying it
on the Day of Resurrection!
Let me not find any of you coming before
Allah carrying a camel that
is grunting,
or a cow that is lowing,
or a sheep that is bleating!'
Then he raised his hands so high that
the whiteness of his armpits could be seen,
saying:
'O Allah, have I conveyed the message?'"
In one narration:
"three times.
'My own eyes saw him, and my own ears heard him.'"
In one narration:
"'And ask Zayd Ibn Thabit,
for he heard it along with me.'"
Commentary on the hadith:
"Called Ibn al-Lutbiyyah":
he was 'Abdullah
Ibn al-Lutbiyyah,
appointed over the zakat of Banu Sulaym,
meaning to collect and receive
the zakat of Banu Sulaym.
"He called him to account,"
meaning concerning his official post and what he did during it.
"This is your wealth,"
meaning these are the zakat funds
that I was sent to collect.
"From that which Allah has entrusted to me,"
meaning the supreme authority,
which is governance;
for it is the ruler who collects
the zakat in order to distribute it
to its designated avenues.
"Carrying it,"
meaning carrying it upon his neck.
"That is grunting,"
which is the sound of a camel.
"That is lowing,"
which is the sound of a cow.
"Bleating," meaning crying out.
"My own eyes saw him, and my own ears heard him,"
meaning I personally witnessed the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
at the time of making that statement.
The hadith serves as a foundational basis for oversight and accountability
regarding public officials.
The hadith also indicates
that gifts given to a public official must be returned.
The hadith also indicates
that gifts given to public officials belong entirely
to the public wealth of the Muslims.
It also demonstrates the legitimacy of gentle reprimand
when commanding what is right
and forbidding what is wrong.
It also establishes the permissibility of swearing an oath to emphasize matters.
The hadith also indicates
that gifts given to public officials
constitute unlawful misappropriation (ghulul),
and if accompanied by favoritism,
they amount to bribery.
It also proves that the recompense
corresponds directly to the nature of the deed.
It also establishes the prohibition
of bribery and misappropriation of public funds.
On the authority of al-Miswar Ibn Makhramah,
who said: "Indeed, 'Ali
proposed to the daughter of Abu Jahl.
When Fatimah heard of that,
she came to the Messenger
of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and said:
'Your people claim that you
do not get angry on behalf of your daughters,
and here is 'Ali
intending to marry the daughter of Abu Jahl!'
So the Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, stood up,
and I heard him when he
recited the testimony of faith, saying:
'To proceed:
[In one narration: Indeed,
the clan of Hisham Ibn al-Mughirah
sought my permission to give in marriage
their daughter to 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib,
but I do not grant permission,
then I do not grant permission,
then I do not grant permission,
unless
Ibn Abi Talib wishes to divorce
my daughter and marry their daughter.]
I gave my daughter in marriage to Abu al-'As
Ibn al-Rabi',
and he spoke to me and was truthful to me.'"
In one narration:
"'And he promised me and fulfilled his promise to me.
And I do not forbid
what is lawful, nor do I make lawful [what is forbidden],
"And Fatimah
is a part of me;
I dislike whatever distresses her."
In another narration:
"Whoever angers her angers me."
And in another narration:
"And I fear
that she may be tested in her religion."
And in another narration:
"Whatever troubles her troubles me,
and whatever harms her
harms me.
By Allah, there shall never be gathered together
the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and the daughter of the enemy of Allah
under one man."
Thereupon, 'Ali abandoned the marriage proposal.
Commentary
on the hadith:
He proposed to the daughter of Abu Jahl;
it was said her name was Juwayriyah,
or Al-'Awra',
among other opinions.
"Your people claim":
meaning, they say and circulate
this rumor.
"I gave [my daughter] in marriage to Abu al-'As ibn al-Rabi'":
meaning, he married him to Zaynab,
the daughter of Muhammad, peace be upon him,
may Allah be pleased with her.
And his saying:
"I do not permit it,
then I do not permit it,
then I do not permit it,"
demonstrates his complete compassion, peace be upon him,
toward his Ummah,
including the daughter of Abu Jahl;
for if she were to become
a co-wife to Fatimah,
and what naturally occurs between co-wives were to happen,
she might cause her distress,
and consequently,
that would cause distress to the Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and she would be ruined on account of that.
"He spoke to me and was truthful with me":
as if he intended
thereby that he had
stipulated to Abu al-'As
not to take another wife over Zaynab,
and he remained true to his condition;
thus, the Prophet,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, thanked him
by commending his loyalty
and truthfulness.
"A part of me":
meaning, a piece of me.
"Whatever distresses her":
meaning, that harm should befall her
through this marriage.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
an explanation of the Prophet's complete compassion,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
toward his daughter and his Ummah.
In it is the permissibility
of a daughter expressing grievance to her father.
And in the hadith:
jealousy is an innate human disposition
from which even the righteous are not immune.
In it is encouragement
to fulfill agreed-upon conditions,
and praise for those who are truthful
and faithful to their covenants.
In it is the permissibility of swearing an oath
regarding permissible matters.
And in the hadith is a recommendation
for a Muslim to fulfill the oath of his brother.
In it is the legitimacy
of foregoing a permissible act for a preponderant
interest.
In it is the prohibition of harming
anyone whose harm causes distress to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
by their being harmed.
And in the hadith is honoring those associated
with goodness, nobility, or religious virtue.
In it is the legitimacy
of openly giving counsel
when it serves a public benefit.
On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him
and his father, who said:
"The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, ascended
the pulpit,
and it was the last gathering in which he sat,
wrapping
a sheet around his shoulders,
having bound his head
with a dark-colored bandage.
He praised Allah and extolled Him,
then said:
'O people, gather around me!'
So they gathered around him.
Then he said:
'As for what follows:
Indeed, this community of
the Ansar will decrease,
while other people will increase."
In another narration:
"'until they become among people
like salt in food.
So whoever is granted authority
over anything concerning the Ummah of Muhammad,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and is able to cause harm therein
to anyone,
or benefit anyone therein,
let him accept from their good-doers
and overlook
their wrongdoers.'"
Commentary on the hadith:
"And it was the last gathering
in which he sat":
an indication that this gathering took place toward the very end
of the life of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
"Wrapping":
meaning, wearing
a sheet.
"The sheet" (al-milhafah):
is a large wrapper.
"With a dark-colored bandage" (bi-'isabatin dasma'):
meaning, a black turban;
it was also said: a dusty-colored cloth tinged
with blackness,
among other explanations.
"O people, gather around me!":
meaning, come forward.
"So they gathered around him":
meaning, they assembled near him.
"Let him accept from their good-doers":
meaning, their good deeds,
and pardon their wrongdoers.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived
from the hadith
that it was of the guidance of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
that whenever he wished
to deliver a particularly emphatic exhortation,
he would ascend the pulpit.
In it is a clarification of the virtue
of the Ansar, may Allah be pleased with them.
The hadith is among the signs
of Prophethood,
as it contains foretelling of the unseen,
because the Ansar did indeed decrease,
while other people multiplied.
Chapter: Listening attentively to the sermon.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah,
who said:
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"When the day of Friday comes,
the angels stand
at the door of the mosque,
recording the first to arrive, then the next.
The likeness of the one who arrives early
is like that of one who offers
a camel;
then like one who offers a cow;
then a ram;
then a chicken;
then an egg.
When the Imam comes out,
they fold up their scrolls
and listen to the remembrance."
Commentary on the hadith:
"They record the first to arrive, then the next":
meaning, in the order of their arrival
at the mosque.
"The likeness of the early-comer":
meaning, the one who sets out early to the mosque.
"Offers a camel":
meaning, gives a she-camel in charity.
"When the Imam comes out":
meaning, sits upon the pulpit.
"And listen to the remembrance":
meaning, the sermon.
Among the benefits
of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
the explanation of the virtue of going early to Friday prayer.
And in the hadith:
the angels record
the ranks of people based on their arrival for the prayer,
and the ranks of people
in virtue correspond to
their deeds.
In it is the permissibility of applying the term
of gift and charity to both little and much.
And in the hadith:
that the angels attend the sermon
and the prayer.
It also indicates the obligation of listening attentively to the sermon
on Friday.
Chapter:
If the imam sees a man arrive
while he is delivering the sermon,
he should instruct him to pray two rak'ahs.
On the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdillah,
may Allah be pleased with both of them, who said:
The Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"If one of you arrives
while the imam is delivering the sermon,
or has already come out,
let him pray two rak'ahs."
In another narration:
A man entered on Friday
while the Prophet, peace be upon him,
was delivering the sermon,
so he asked, "Have you prayed?"
He replied, "No."
He said, "Stand up
and pray two rak'ahs."
Commentary on the hadith:
"If one of you arrives"—
meaning, arrives at the mosque.
In the hadith of Jabir,
may Allah be pleased with both of them,
it is stated that this incident occurred
with Sulayk al-Ghatafani,
may Allah be pleased with him.
"Or has already come out"—
meaning, he has seated himself upon the pulpit.
Points of benefit from the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is prescribed to draw attention
to the mistakes of worshippers
from the pulpit without explicitly naming them.
The hadith also contains
an indication that voluntary prayers
during the day are performed two by two,
just like voluntary prayers during the night.
It also shows the permissibility of speaking
during the sermon when an urgent matter arises
and speech is genuinely necessary.
Furthermore, the hadith indicates that
the sermon does not prevent an incoming person
entering the mosque from fulfilling the right
of the greeting due upon him
for the sake of Allah.