In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Ifadah Center
for Humanities Studies and Research
presents
Abridged Sahih al-Bukhari
On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
"Thursday! And what is Thursday?"
Then he wept until his tears moistened the pebbles.
He said:
The illness of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) intensified on a Thursday.
He said:
"Bring me a writing tablet,
so that I may write for you a document after which you will never go astray."
Then they disputed.
In one narration:
‘Umar said:
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) is overcome by pain,
and we have the Book of Allah; it is sufficient for us."
They differed and the clamor grew loud.
Yet, dispute is not appropriate in the presence of a Prophet.
They said:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is delirious."
He said:
"Leave me,
for what I am in is better than what you are calling me to."
Before his death, he gave three instructions:
"Expel the polytheists from the Arabian Peninsula,
bestow gifts upon the delegations just as I used to bestow upon them,"
and I forgot the third.
In one narration:
Ibn ‘Abbas went out saying:
"The tragedy, the true tragedy,
is what came between the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his writing."
Commentary on the hadith:
*Khadaba* means moistened.
*Al-Hasba’* means pebbles.
*Waja‘uhu* refers to his final illness.
*Tanaza‘u* means they differed.
*Hajara* means he spoke incoherently.
It is said:
"A sick person *hajara* when he raves."
"From the Arabian Peninsula":
From ‘Aden to Iraq in length,
and from Jeddah to the Levant in width.
"Bestow gifts upon the delegations":
Meaning, give rewards to the delegations.
These are those who visit the rulers for meetings, to request aid, and so forth.
"And I forgot the third":
One of the narrators of the hadith forgot it.
It is said it was the Qur’an,
it is said it was the equipping of Usamah’s army,
and it is said other things.
*Al-Raziyyah*:
Meaning the calamity.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The hadith refutes the claim that the Prophet (peace be upon him)
did not appoint a successor for the leadership.
It also shows that a leader may give instructions at his death regarding what he deems to be in the best interest of the Ummah.
Chapter: Knowledge and Exhortation at Night
On the authority of Umm Salamah, who said:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) woke up one night and said:
"Subhan Allah!
In one narration:
"La ilaha illa Allah!
What trials have been sent down tonight?
And what treasures have been opened?
Who will awaken the dwellers of the chambers?
For how many a woman clothed in this world will be naked in the Hereafter."
Commentary on the hadith:
*Unzila*:
Meaning revealed.
*Al-Fitan*:
Meaning the punishment.
*Al-Khaza’in*:
Meaning the treasures of mercy.
*Al-Hujurat*:
Meaning the dwellings of the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
*Fa-rubba*:
Meaning, how many.
"Clothed in this world":
Meaning wearing garments.
"Naked in the Hereafter":
Meaning she has no reward in the Hereafter.
From the benefits of the hadith:
One learns from the hadith:
The legitimacy of remembering Allah after waking up,
the guidance to look after one’s family,
and waking them for worship.
Chapter: Conversing at Night about Knowledge
On the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar, who said:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) performed
the ‘Isha’ prayer at the end of his life.
When he finished the prayer,
the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood up
and said:
"Do you see this night of yours?
For at the head of one hundred years,
not one person who is on the face of the earth today will remain."
The people were confused by the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
regarding what they were discussing about these hadiths concerning a hundred years.
But the Prophet (peace be upon him) only meant:
"Not one who is on the face of the earth today will remain,"
intending by that
that this century would come to an end.
Commentary on the hadith:
*Al-Samar* is conversation at night.
*Ara’aytum* is a word for questioning and seeking information.
*Fawahila al-nas*:
Meaning they misunderstood and erred in interpretation.
*Fi maqalah*:
Meaning in the statement.
*Takhram dhalika al-qarn*:
He meant the end of the century upon the passing of one hundred years from that statement.
It was the century in which he was living,
meaning its people would pass away and none of them would remain after one hundred years.
He did not mean that the world would perish entirely.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The hadith is among the signs of Prophethood.
This duration marks the end of the generation they were in.
One learns from the hadith:
Whoever knows the shortness of his life
should strive in worship.
On the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas,
that he spent a night at the house of Maymunah, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him),
who was his maternal aunt.
In one narration:
"To see how the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was at night."
I lay down across the width of the pillow,
while the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his wife lay along its length.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) slept
until the middle of the night,
or a little before or after it.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) woke up.
In one narration:
He said:
"The little boy has slept."
He sat up, wiping the sleep from his face with his hand.
In one narration:
He sat up and looked at the sky.
Then he recited the last ten verses of Surah Al ‘Imran.
Then he went to a hanging water skin,
performed wudu’ from it, and performed it well.
Then he stood to pray.
Ibn ‘Abbas said:
I stood and did as he did.
Then I went and stood by his side.
He placed his right hand on my head,
and took hold of my right ear, twisting it.
In one narration:
He took hold of my forelock.
He placed me on his right side.
He prayed two rak‘ahs,
then two rak‘ahs,
then two rak‘ahs,
then two rak‘ahs,
then two rak‘ahs,
then two rak‘ahs,
then he performed witr.
In one narration:
The prayer of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
was thirteen rak‘ahs,
meaning at night.
Then he lay down.
In one narration:
Then he slept
until I heard his snoring or heavy breathing.
Until the caller to prayer came to him,
so he stood up
and prayed two light rak‘ahs,
then went out and prayed the morning prayer.
And in one narration, he added:
He used to say in his supplication:
"O Allah, place light in my heart,
and in my vision light,
and in my hearing light,
and to my right light,
and to my left light,
and above me light,
and below me light,
and in front of me light,
and behind me light,
and grant me light."
Commentary on the hadith:
*Fad-taja‘tu*:
Meaning I placed my side on the ground.
"Across the width of the pillow":
On the side and edge of the pillow.
It is said:
Width is the opposite of length.
"Then he recited the last ten verses":
Of Surah Al ‘Imran.
They are from His saying, the Almighty:
"Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth..."
to the end of the surah.
*Shann*:
Meaning a water container.
If it is made of leather and worn out.
"I did as he did":
Meaning: He performed ablution in a manner similar to how he performed it.
Rubbing it.
Meaning: He massages and rubs it.
Then he performed the Witr prayer.
This implies that he prayed thirteen rak'ahs.
The young boy slept.
A diminutive form of "ghulam" (boy).
It refers to a child who has not yet reached the age of puberty.
By my forelock.
The "dhu'abah" is the braid.
His snoring or heavy breathing.
The "ghatit" (snoring).
It is a sound a sleeper makes with his breath when in a deep sleep.
In his supplication.
Meaning: When he wakes up during the night.
And it is said: in his prayer.
From the benefits of the hadith.
One learns from the hadith.
That minor actions do not invalidate the prayer.
And the validity of the prayer of a discerning child.
And the validity of congregational prayer in voluntary (nafilah) prayers.
And that the minimum number for a congregation is two.
And the permissibility of a child spending the night with his righteous relatives.
And the permissibility of a man sleeping with his wife without engaging in intercourse.
In the presence of some of her unmarriageable kin (mahram).
It also contains the permissibility of pinching a child's ear for the purpose of discipline.
Or for the purpose of affection.
And the recommendation of night prayer.
And reciting the mentioned verses after waking from sleep.
And the recommendation of the mu'adhdhin coming to the Imam.
And informing him of the commencement of the prayer (iqamah).
It also contains guidance toward shortening the two rak'ahs before the morning prayer.
While being mindful of performing them properly.
The hadith clarifies the merit of Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both.
And his eagerness for the Prophetic guidance.
Chapter: Preserving Knowledge.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
They say that Abu Hurayrah narrates too many hadiths.
But Allah is the One to whom we shall return.
And they say: "What is the matter with the Muhajirun and the Ansar that they do not narrate as he does?"
My brothers among the Muhajirun were occupied by trading in the marketplaces.
And my brothers among the Ansar were occupied by working on their lands.
I was a poor man.
I would stay with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, just to fill my stomach.
In one narration:
So I would neither eat leavened bread nor wear fine garments.
And no man or woman served me.
I would press my stomach against the pebbles due to hunger.
I would ask a man to recite a verse to me.
Even though it was with me.
So that he might take me home and feed me.
The kindest of people to the poor was Ja'far Ibn Abi Talib.
He would take us home and feed us whatever was in his house.
He would even bring out to us an empty skin container.
We would split it open and lick whatever was inside it.
I am present when they are absent.
And I retain when they forget.
One day, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"No one among you will spread out his garment until I finish this speech of mine,"
"Then gather it to his chest,"
"But he will never forget anything of my speech."
So I spread out my cloak, and I had no other garment on me.
Until the Prophet, peace be upon him, finished his speech.
Then I gathered it to my chest.
By the One who sent him with the truth,
I have not forgotten anything of that speech to this day.
By Allah, were it not for two verses in the Book of Allah,
I would never have narrated anything to you.
“Lo! Those who hide the proofs and the guidance which We revealed, after We had made it clear to mankind in the Scripture: such are accursed of Allah and accursed of those who have the power to curse.” (2:159)
Up to His saying:
The Most Merciful.
Commentary on the hadith.
"Narrates too many hadiths."
Meaning: From the narration of hadith.
"But Allah is the One to whom we shall return."
Meaning: The appointment is with Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
He will hold me accountable if I intentionally lie.
And He will hold accountable those who thought ill of me.
"My brothers": meaning brothers in Islam, not by lineage.
"Trading" (al-safq).
The intended meaning:
Buying and selling.
Its origin is the clapping of hands against one another.
By the two parties during the contract.
"In the marketplaces."
They were named as such because people stand in them on their feet (suq).
"Working on their lands."
Meaning: Agriculture.
"To fill my stomach."
Meaning: To satisfy my hunger.
"I am present."
Meaning: Regarding the affairs of the Messenger, peace be upon him.
"I retain."
Meaning: I memorize.
"Cloak" (namirah).
Meaning: A wool garment.
"By Allah, were it not for two verses in the Book of Allah, I would never have narrated anything to you."
Meaning: Were it not that Allah the Almighty condemned those who conceal knowledge,
I would not have narrated anything at all.
"Leavened bread" (al-khamir).
It is bread in whose dough yeast has been added.
"Fine garments" (al-habir).
Meaning: New and beautiful ones.
"I would ask a man to recite a verse to me."
Meaning: I would ask him to recite a verse from the Qur'an.
"Take me home" (yanqalibu bi).
Meaning: He would return with me to his house.
"Skin container" (al-'ukkah).
It is a vessel for ghee.
From the benefits of the hadith.
The hadith clarifies the blessing of the supplication of the Prophet, peace be upon him, for his Companions.
It contains the merit of having little of the world.
And preferring the pursuit of knowledge over the pursuit of worldly things.
And the permissibility of speaking about one's own merits,
Out of necessity, not out of arrogance.
It contains a condemnation of those who conceal knowledge.
And the obligation to convey knowledge.
And the permissibility of narrating many hadiths.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said:
"I have memorized two vessels of knowledge from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him."
"As for one of them, I have disseminated it."
"But as for the other,"
"If I were to disseminate it, this throat would be cut."
Commentary on the hadith.
"Two vessels."
The vessel:
It is the container in which something is preserved.
"I have disseminated it."
Meaning: I have spread it.
"This throat would be cut."
Meaning: I would be killed.
From the benefits of the hadith.
The hadith clarifies the merit of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
And his preservation of knowledge.
It contains guidance to refrain from telling people things their minds cannot grasp,
Such as hadiths about tribulations (fitan) and the like.
Chapter: Listening Attentively to Scholars.
On the authority of Jarir,
That the Prophet, peace be upon him, said to him during the Farewell Pilgrimage:
"Command the people to be silent."
Then he said:
"Do not return after me as disbelievers,"
"Striking the necks of one another."
Commentary on the hadith.
"Command the people to be silent."
Meaning: Make them quiet so they can hear the hadith.
"Do not return."
Meaning: Do not become.
"After me."
The Prophet, peace be upon him, knew that this would not happen during his lifetime.
So he forbade them from it after his death.
From the benefits of the hadith.
It is necessary to listen attentively to the speech of the scholar,
So that the student of knowledge does not miss anything.
The hadith contains a warning against tribulations.
Chapter: One who asks a scholar while standing, and the scholar is sitting.
On the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
A Bedouin said to the Prophet, peace be upon him:
"A man fights for the sake of booty,"
"A man fights to be remembered,"
"And a man fights to show his status."
In one narration:
"He fights out of anger,"
"And he fights out of tribal zeal."
And in one narration:
"And he fights out of bravery,"
"And he fights for show (riya')."
"Who is in the way of Allah?"
He said:
"Whoever fights so that the word of Allah may be supreme,"
"He is in the way of Allah."
Commentary on the hadith.
"For the sake of booty."
Meaning: Out of greed for the spoils of war.
"To be remembered."
Meaning: Seeking fame.
"To show his status."
Meaning: So that his rank in bravery is known.
"Tribal zeal" (hamiyah).
Meaning: Pride, jealousy, and defending one's clan and sanctities.
"The word of Allah."
Meaning: Islam.
And it is said: "There is no god but Allah."
"He is in the way of Allah."
Meaning: He is the one fighting in the way of Allah,
Not the one seeking booty or fame.
From the benefits of the hadith.
One learns from the hadith:
That sincerity is a condition for worship.
Whoever is overcome by his worldly motive,
Has lost.
And whoever is overcome by his religious motive,
Is successful.
Chapter: The Saying of Allah the Almighty:
“They are asking thee concerning the Spirit. Say: The Spirit is by command of my Lord, and of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed but little.” (17:85)
On the authority of Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
I was with the Prophet, peace be upon him,
In a field in Madinah,
While he was leaning on a palm-leaf stalk.
A group of Jews passed by,
Some of them said:
"Ask him about the soul."
And others said:
"Do not ask him."
"He might let you hear what you dislike."
So they stood before him and said:
"O Abu al-Qasim!"
"Tell us about the soul."
He stood for a moment, looking [upward].
I knew that revelation was coming to him.
So I stepped back from him.
Until the revelation ascended.
Then he said:
﴾And they ask you about the soul...﴿
“They are asking thee concerning the Spirit. Say: The Spirit is by command of my Lord, and of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed but little.” (17:85)
Commentary on the hadith:
"Harith" means cultivation or crops.
"Yatawakka'"
means to lean and rely upon something.
"Asib"
is the stalk of a palm branch.
They scrape off its leaves,
and use them as sticks.
"Bi-nafar"
means a group of men,
numbering from three to ten.
﴾And they ask you about the soul...﴿
“They are asking thee concerning the Spirit. Say: The Spirit is by command of my Lord, and of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed but little.” (17:85)
meaning, it is among His creations,
which He commanded to be, and it was.
Thus, there is no great benefit in asking about it,
given your lack of knowledge regarding other things.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that Allah the Exalted did not disclose all knowledge to His servants,
as a test for them,
and to make them realize their incapacity and their need for Him.
And that it is the duty of a person
to ask about what he needs and what benefits him,
and the condemnation of those who ask questions not intended for anything
except to be difficult and to challenge.
Chapter: One who refrains from some choices
for fear that the understanding of some people might fall short,
and they might fall into something worse.
On the authority of 'A'ishah, she said:
I asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about the Hijr (the semi-circular wall),
"Is it part of the House (the Ka'bah)?"
He said, "Yes."
I said,
"Then why did they not include it in the House?"
He said,
"Your people ran short of funds."
In another narration:
"Do you not see that your people built the Ka'bah,
and limited it to less than the foundations of Ibrahim?"
I said, "O Messenger of Allah,
will you not restore it to the foundations of Ibrahim?"
I said,
"And what is the matter with its door being elevated?"
He said,
"Your people did that
so they could let in whom they wished and keep out whom they wished."
"Were it not that your people are newly removed from the Age of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah),
I would fear that their hearts might reject my including the Hijr in the House,
and my placing its door on the ground."
In a narration:
"And I would have made two doors for it,
an eastern door and a western door."
"And I would have extended it to the foundation of Ibrahim."
And in a narration:
"And I would have made two doors for it,
a door for people to enter and a door for them to exit."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Al-Ikhtiyar"
means the chosen thing.
"Al-Jadr"
refers to the Hijr.
"Is it part of the House?"
meaning, is it part of the Ka'bah?
"Qasurat bihim al-nafaqah"
means the pure funds they had set aside were insufficient.
"Hadith 'ahdihim bil-Jahiliyyah"
means they were new and recent to Islam, having just left disbelief.
"I fear that their hearts might reject it"
means they might feel aversion.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that one may abandon some aspects of enjoining good
if it is feared that it might be a cause for the tribulation of people who would reject it,
and hasten to oppose it.
And that if a benefit and a harm conflict,
and it is impossible to combine performing the benefit and avoiding the harm,
one begins with the most important.
It also contains guidance on the politics of souls,
by using what they are comfortable with in religion, other than the obligatory acts.
And that reconciling hearts toward obedience and not alienating them
is a Shari'ah objective.
Chapter: One who singles out some people for knowledge to the exclusion of others,
out of fear that they might not understand.
On the authority of 'Ali, he said:
"Speak to people about what they recognize,
do you want Allah and His Messenger to be denied?"
Commentary on the hadith:
Chapter: One who singles out some people for knowledge to the exclusion of others.
Leaving out some people from specific knowledge due to their limited understanding.
"Speak to people" means address the people.
"About what they recognize" means about what they understand.
The intent is:
Speak to them according to the capacity of their intellects.
"Do you want Allah and His Messenger to be denied?"
Because if a person hears what he does not understand,
and what he cannot conceive as possible,
he believes it to be impossible out of ignorance,
and thus he does not believe in it.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
the guidance to refrain from speaking about ambiguous matters to the general public,
for fear of causing tribulation.
And that everyone should be spoken to according to their level of understanding.
The report contains evidence for the principle of "blocking the means" (sadd al-dhara'i').
On the authority of Anas Ibn Malik,
that the Prophet (peace be upon him),
with Mu'adh riding behind him on the mount,
said:
"O Mu'adh Ibn Jabal!"
He said,
"At your service, O Messenger of Allah, and at your command."
He said,
"O Mu'adh!"
He said,
"At your service, O Messenger of Allah, and at your command."
[He repeated this] three times.
He said,
"There is no one who testifies that there is no god but Allah,
and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,
sincerely from his heart,
but that Allah will forbid him from the Fire."
He said,
"O Messenger of Allah,
shall I not inform the people so they may rejoice?"
He said,
"Then they will rely [upon it]."
And Mu'adh informed others of it at the time of his death, fearing sin.
Commentary on the hadith:
"Radifuhu"
means riding behind him on the animal.
"Labbayk"
means I am constant in your obedience, time after time.
"Sa'dayk"
means I am assisting in your obedience, time after time.
"Sincerity from his heart"
is a qualification to exclude the testimony of the hypocrites.
"Allah will forbid him from the Fire"
It is said:
it means forbidding his eternal stay therein.
"Yattakilu"
means they will rely [upon it and neglect deeds].
"Ta'athuman"
means fearing to fall into sin.
The sin that occurs by concealing what Allah has commanded to be conveyed.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that the word of Tawhid, with its conditions, is a means of salvation for the servant.
The hadith shows singling out some people for knowledge,
if one is safe from them relying [on it] and becoming lax,
as opposed to those from whom one is not safe.
It also shows the merit of conveying knowledge and not concealing it,
and the merit of Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him),
and his status with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
Chapter: Modesty in seeking knowledge.
On the authority of Umm Salamah, she said:
Umm Sulaym came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
and said,
"O Messenger of Allah,
Allah is not ashamed of the truth.
Is a ghusl (ritual bath) required for a woman if she has a wet dream?"
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
"If she sees the fluid."
Umm Salamah covered,
meaning her face.
In a narration:
Umm Salamah laughed,
and said,
"O Messenger of Allah,
do women have wet dreams?"
He said,
"Yes, may your right hand be covered in dust!
Then how does her child resemble her?"
Commentary on the hadith:
"If she sees the fluid"
means the semen.
"Taribat yaminuk"
means may you become poor.
This phrase and its likes
flow on the tongues of the Arabs without the intent of an actual supplication.
"Then how does her child resemble her?"
meaning, the child resembles the mother if her fluid precedes or is dominant.
From the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that modesty does not prevent one from seeking the truth.
Praiseworthy shyness is that which is rooted in reverence,
and which manifests as a form of honoring,
and showing respect to one's elders.
Conversely, blameworthy shyness,
is that which leads one to abandon a religious obligation,
for it is a sign of weakness and indignity.
In this, there is an exhortation for students to abandon helplessness and arrogance.