| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
930
It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said: A man came whilst the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was addressing the people on a Friday. He said: “Have you prayed, O So-and-so?” He said: No. He said: “Get up and pray two rak‘ahs.”.

Commentary : The prayer to “greet the mosque” (tahiyyat al-masjid) is one of the Sunnah prayers that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined and encouraged the Muslims to do, even during the khutbah on Friday when the imam is on the minbar.
We see that in this hadith, in which Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was delivering the khutbah one Friday, when a man entered the mosque during his khutbah, then sat down without praying. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Have you prayed, O So-and-so?” This man’s name was Sulayk, as is mentioned another report. The man answered that he had not prayed, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to get up and pray two rak‘ahs to “greet the mosque.” In al-Sahihayn it is narrated from Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you comes to the mosque, let him not sit down before he prays two rak‘ahs.”
The Sunnah is  to make these two rak‘ahs brief, as it says in Sahih Muslim: “Pray two rak‘ahs, and make them brief.” He told him to make them brief, so that he could finish them quickly and listen to the khutbah. This is indicative of the importance of these two rak‘ahs.
This hadith indicates that the imam may speak to a member of the congregation and instruct him to pray during the khutbah, and to point out any mistake the worshipper may make..

934
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If you say to your companion on Friday, ‘Listen!’ when the imam is delivering the khutbah, you have engaged in idle speech.”.

Commentary : There is etiquette to be followed with regard to Jumu‘ah prayer, to which the Muslim should pay attention on this day. One aspect of this etiquette is to be quiet and listen attentively to the khatib during his khutbah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) drew attention to that in this hadith, as he said: If you say to your companion on Friday, ‘Listen!’ – advising someone else and urging him to listen to the khutbah when the imam is delivering the khutbah – then you have engaged in idle speech. The word translated here as idle speech refers to invalid and improper speech. What is meant is: you have done something invalid that is not right. This is a prohibition on all kinds of speech during the khutbah, even if it appears to be advising someone else and even if few words are used.
This word – “Listen!” – is mentioned even though it is not regarded as lengthy speech, and it comes under the heading of enjoining what is right. Therefore if the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) disallowed it, then it is appropriate that anything else that may be regarded as lengthy talk, and in which there is no enjoining of what is right, is also not allowed. It was said that this prohibition on telling the other person not to talk applies only if the idle talk that is happening is temporary and will stop, either by itself or if the imam says something to the one who is speaking. But if there are some people who are chatting and are distracted by their talk, and it is not possible to listen to the khutbah except by silencing them, then you may gesture to the one who is speaking or engaging in idle talk with a gesture from which he will understand that he should be quiet. If the gesture is not effective, then you may say brief words, because the reason for which it is forbidden to say, “Listen!” is so that people will be able to hear the khutbah.
This hadith contains a warning against not listening attentively to the khutbah and being distracted by other things. This highlights the importance of keeping quiet during the Friday khutbah and listening to the imam..

935
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned Friday and said: “On Friday there is an hourin which there is no Muslim who happens to be standing in prayer at that time, asking Allah (may He be exalted) for something, but He will grant it to him.” And he gestured with his hand to indicate how short this hour is..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has favoured Friday over all other days, because of the momentous events that took placeon that day, and because of what this day contains of great virtues.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) speaks of one of the virtues of Friday, which is that on that day, there is anhour during which Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has ordained that any supplication offered will be answered. This applies to the one who tries and aims to offer supplication at this time, and succeeds in that, seeking to repent and ask for forgiveness, asking his Lord (may He be glorified) for the blessings of this world and the hereafter, whilst doing acts of worship, seeking thereby to draw close to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), offering supplication or waiting for the prayer – for the one who is waiting for the prayer is in a state of prayer, and this is what is meant by “standing in prayer” in the hadith. It was also said that it may be that what is meant by prayer here is supplication, and that what is meant by standing is persevering and striving, not standing in a literal sense.
Whoever does that, Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will answer him and give him what he has asked for, or something better than that, or He may ward off harm from him, or He may delay it for him until the Day of Resurrection. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured with his hand to indicate how short that time is, for it is very brief.
There was a difference of scholarly opinion as to when this hour is, and there are many views, the strongest of which are two:
1.. That it lasts from when the imam sits on the minbar until the end of Jumu‘ah prayer.
2.. That it is after ‘Asr..

936
It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said: Whilst we were praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), a camel caravan carrying food arrived, so the people left and went to the caravan, until there was no one left with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except twelve men. Then this verse was revealed: {But when they saw a transaction or a diversion, [O Muhammad], they rushed to it and left you standing} [al-Jumu‘ah 62:11]..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) was pleased with the companions of the His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and He praised them in His Book, yet despite that, Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) rebuked them for the shortcomings of some of them and their being distracted by worldly matters from matters of worship in some instances.
In this hadith, Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that whilst they were praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – and in a report narrated by Muslim it says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was standing and delivering the Friday khutbah – a camel caravan arrived. This refers to camels which were used to carry goods, and that caravan was bringing food, grains and other things. So the people left the khutbah and went to the caravan, until only twelve men remained with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Perhaps this incident occurred at the beginning of Islam, when people had only recently left Jahiliyyah behind, before Islam had become firmly entrenched in their hearts. Then this verse was revealed: {But when they saw a transaction or a diversion, [O Muhammad], they rushed to it and left you standing} [al-Jumu‘ah 62:11]. In other words, they went to it and left you standing in Jumu‘ah prayer, with only a few men still around you. They included Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and some of the earliest Muslims, such as ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, Talhah, al-Zubayr, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf, Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah and Bilal. This was a rebuke from Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) for forsaking worship and abandoning it for the sake of some worldly matter.
Then Allah (may He be glorified) urged them to focus on the trade of the hereafter, and to be certain that there is no provider in the true sense of the word except Him (may He be glorified). Therefore He said: {Say, “What is with Allah is better than diversion and than a transaction, and Allah is the best of providers”} [al-Jumu‘ah 62:11]. In other words, the reward for prayer and standing fast with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is better than any diversion or transaction. They responded to the command of Allah (may He be exalted) and they (may Allah be pleased with him) bought and sold, and engaged in trade, but when it was time to carry out one of their duties to Allah, no trade or sale could divert them; in other words, no worldly matter, adornment, pleasure or profit from trade could distract them from remembering Allah or from fulfilling their duty towards Him (may He be glorified and exalted). Thus they gave precedence to obeying their Lord and doing what He wants and loves over what they wanted and loved. Therefore Allah (may He be exalted) describes them as {men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakah} [al-Nur 24:37]..

937
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray two rak‘ahs before Zuhr and two afterwards; two rak‘ahs after Maghrib in his house; and two rak‘ahs after ‘Isha’. And after Jumu‘ah, he did not offer any prayer until he left, then he would pray two rak‘ahs (at home)..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and teach it to those who came after them.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar mentions some of the regular Sunnah prayers at the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) always did. They are:
o two rak‘ahs before Zuhr and two afterwards. In Sahih al-Bukhariit is narrated from ‘A’ishah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) never omitted four rak‘ahs before Zuhr. Thus the total number of regular Sunnah prayers connected to Zuhr is six rak‘ahs.
o two rak‘ahs after Maghrib, which he used to pray at home, not in the mosque.
o and two rak‘ahs after ‘Isha’. According to a report in al-Sahihayn, he used to offer these prayers at home too.
Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not offer any prayers in the mosque after Jumu‘ah; rather he would pray two rak‘ahs after he went home. What Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) meant by the words “until he left” is that there was an interval between Jumu‘ah and the supererogatory (Sunnah) prayers, so that it would not be thought that Jumu‘ah consisted of four rak‘ahs. In Muslim it is narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you has prayed Jumu‘ah, then let him pray four [rak‘ahs] after that.”
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to offer supererogatory [Sunnah] prayers at home..

938
It was narrated that Sahl ibn Sa‘d said: Among us there was a woman who would plant beets in the streams in a field of hers, then on Friday she would pull up the roots of those beets and put them in a pot, then she would add a handful of ground barley and cook it, and the roots of the beets would be like meat. We would leave Jumu‘ah prayer and greet her with salaam, and she would bring this food to us, and we would eat it. We used to look forward to Friday because of this food of hers..

Commentary : This hadith highlights how content the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were, despite the hard life they lived. Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a woman – according to another report in Sahih al-Bukhari, she was an old woman – used to strive hard to prepare food for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) every Friday. This was a habit of hers. She would plant beets in the streams of her field, and on Friday she would pull up the roots of the beet plants, place them in a pot and add some ground barley, then she would mix them and cook them. The roots of the beet plants were like meat, meaning that through cooking that they produced some broth. What is meant is that these beets were eaten by them instead of meat. They used to pass by her after Jumu‘ah, and she would offer them these beets and they would eat that food. Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) said that they used to look forward to Friday because of this food of hers, because the Sahabah – especially the Muhajirin (may Allah be pleased with them) – did not become rich until after Allah granted conquests to them. After the conquests, wealth became abundant, but before that most of the Sahabah were poor.
This hadith highlights how content the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were with their lot, and they were happy with the little they had.
It also indicates that the Muslim should not look down on any favour, no matter how small..

942
‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated: “I went into battle alongside the Messenger of Allah ﷺin a place close to Najd. We faced the enemy and lined up in rows [in preparation] for them. Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺstood to lead us in prayer, thus, one group stood with him to pray while the other group faced the enemy. The Messenger of Allah ﷺbowed with those who were with him and offered two prostrations. Then, they left and took the place of the group that had not prayed. They joined the prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he bowed with them once and offered two prostrations. Then, he ﷺconcluded the prayer with the tasleem. Thereafter, every one of them stood [in prayer independently], bowed once, and offered two prostrations..

Commentary : The Prayer of Peril (Fear) was legislated so that the Muslims could fulfil the obligation of prayer without exposing themselves to the danger of being killed while fighting the enemies of Allah. It is intended to lighten the burdens of the Muslims who are engaged in the fight, so their enemy does not take them out during their prayer.

This hadeeth transmitted by ‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) explains one of the forms of the Prayer of Fear. He reports that he went into battle and war alongside the Messenger of Allah ﷺin Najd, which refers to the expanse of Arab lands between Hijaaz and Iraq. Najd today nests in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, the middle of which is the city of Riyadh, the capital of the Saudi Arabian Kingdom. It consists of many provinces, including al-Qaseem, Sadeer, al-Aflaajj, al-Yamaamah, al-Wushum, and others.

He said: “We faced the enemy” – which means, they turned toward the enemy and paralleled them, and they established rows facing their direction. After that, the Messenger of Allah ﷺstood in prayer as the time for prayer had commenced, and the battle and fighting had not yet started. A group joined the Prophet ﷺ and prayed with him while the other group stood facing the enemy, guarding those who are [performing the] prayer. As the Messenger of Allah ﷺfinished the first unit of the prayer with the first group, they went to the place of the other group that had not yet prayed. Then, the group that was guarding came forth and joined the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the prayer, so he led them in one unit of prayer. Then, he concluded the prayer with the tasleem. Thereafter, every one of them continued the prayer individually and prayed one more unit. This means that every group prayed one unit with the Prophet ﷺ, then they stood after the Prophet ﷺ performed the tasleem to begin the other unit.

Many forms of the Prayer of Peril (Fear) have been relayed, and this is one of the reports that describes how the Prophet ﷺ prayed it. He had prayed it differently on different days, doing what was most cautious for prayer and clearest for defence. Thus, it (the prayer) was offered in many ways, but they are congruent in form.

The hadeeth shows the keenness of the Prophet ﷺ to perform the obligatory prayer within its time under any circumstance, even in times of war. It indicates the importance of congregational prayer, because if it was legislated during times of fear, then one must firstly be attentive to it in [times of] peace and contentment.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Muslims should be cautious of the enemy during the time of battle in every way possible.

Furthermore, it shows that the religion commands the worship that protects the person before Allah in the Hereafter, and it commands betaking to that which protects the believer in this world.

It demonstrates how Islam made the fulfilment of prayer easy on those who are accountable in Islam [i.e., they are obligated to offer the five prayers]. .

943
“Whenever [the believers] are engaged in indiscriminate combat with the disbelievers, it is permissible for them to pray standing.” Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) added on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ: “If the enemy’s numbers are greater than that [of the believers], then they may pray while standing or riding [on their mounts.]” .

Commentary : The Prayer of Peril (Fear) was legislated so that the Muslims could fulfil the obligation of prayer without exposing themselves to the danger of being killed while fighting the enemies of Allah. It is intended to lighten the burdens of the Muslims who are engaged in the fight, so their enemy does not attack or take them out during their prayer.

This hadeeth transmitted by ‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) explains one of the forms of the Prayer of Peril (Fear) upon the encounter of the two armies. This is an abridged portion of another hadeeth dealing with the description of the Prayer of Peril (Fear).

The intended [conveyance in meaning] of his statement, “Whenever they are engaged in indiscriminate combat with the disbelievers,” is that whenever the Muslims engage in direct combat with the disbelievers, then it is possible for them to pray standing while satisfying the gestures for bowing and prostration; thus, they do not bow or prostrate. The [gesture for] prostration [should be] lower than bowing - so that it may be distinguished.

If the enemy’s [presence] increases to [the point of] intensified peril (fear) - [i.e.] to which it is impossible for the Muslims to pray standing in place, nor form a row – then they should pray standing on their feet, or while riding upon their mounts. This is because the injunction of dismounting from the top of their beasts becomes waived due to the peril [at hand]. They may pray facing the Qiblahor any other point of direction, according to [the best of] their ability.


This prayer is known as the Prayer of Sword Duelling, which is a name that was given because it is performed while attacking with swords and other weapons of war while continuing without any interruption.

[What is] meant [here] is that whenever the peril (fear) is immense and the two armies are in close proximity via combat, and the Muslims are not safe from the enemy’s attack if they were to turn their backs to them, or [if the Muslims] become fragmented, then it is not permissible for them to delay the prayer beyond its time. But rather, they should pray it while riding or walking - [in] any way they are able to; otherwise, they should delay the prayer to a time [when] the danger dissipates and after the battle has subsided. [This is] because in Saheeh Muslim, [it is narrated] on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Masʿood(may Allah be pleased with him) [that] he said: “The polytheists prevented the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from performing the ‘Asr prayer until the sun became reddish - or yellowish. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commented on that by saying, “They diverted us from performing the middle prayer (ʿAsr), may Allah fill their innards and graves with fire.”

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Muslims should be cautious of the enemy during the time of battle in every way possible. Furthermore, it shows how Islam made the fulfilment of the obligatory prayer easy on those who are accountable in Islam [i.e., they are obligated to offer the five prayers]..

944
It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ led [the Prayer of Peril (Fear)], and the people stood [behind] him [in prayer]. Then, he ﷺsaid the opening glorification (“Allahu Akbar”), and they said it after him. [Next], he ﷺbowed and a group of people from amongst the congregation bowed with him ﷺ.Then, he ﷺ prostrated and [that] group prostrated with him ﷺ.[After this], he rose for the second rakʿah, then those who prostrated stood and guarded their fellow soldiers from any attack. Then, the other group joined the prayer and bowed and prostrated with him ﷺ. By this, all of them were in prayer, but they guarded each other in rotation..

Commentary : The five daily prayers are obligatory upon every accountable Muslim, and it is the pillar (backbone) of the religion; thus, it is not possible [for] any Muslim to leave off performing them under any circumstances, be the person is settled as a resident or traveling, and whether during times of peace or war. The significance of the five prayers is evident in Islam that mandates its performance – even in war but with ease. Many narrations have been relayed on how the Prayer of Peril (Fear) is performed, which is the prayer that is performed in the presence of the enemy.

This hadeeth explains one way of how to perform the Prayer of Peril (Fear) and describes how the Prophet ﷺperformed it. ‘Abdullah ibn ʿAbbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Prophet ﷺ stood up and prepared for the Prayer of Peril (Fear) at one of the battles, and that all of the combatants stood up [also to perform] the prayer with him ﷺ. This is an indication that he did not divide the army at the time of the prayer.Then, the Prophet said the opening glorification (takbeer) [thereafter]. All who were present with the Prophet ﷺ said the opening glorification [as well]. When the Prophet made the first bow, a group of them bowed with him ﷺ, and they followed his lead when he ﷺ prostrated. All the while, the rest remained standing [and] did not bow nor prostrate - [but rather] guarded whoever bowed and prostrated with the Messenger ﷺ. As such, those who were gathered remained standing in the prayer without bowing or prostrating until the first group completed the performance of the first unit with the Imaam of the prayer. The Prophet ﷺthen rose for the second rakʿah (unit), and [thereafter], those who completed the first unit of prayer with the Prophet ﷺ paused [their prayer] and fell behind to the place of the second row, while the group who did not bow or prostrate with him ﷺ in the first rakʿahcame [forward]. [Afterwards], they bowed and prostrated with him ﷺin the second unit of prayer while those who prayed with the Prophet ﷺin the first rakʿah did not bow nor prostrate [in the second unit of prayer]. Therefore, each group completed one unit of the prayer with the Imaam، while the Imaamhimself completed two units of prayer. As such, all of them were in prayer all the while they guarded each other in rotation.

It was said that this form [of prayer] is performed if the enemy is in the direction of the Qiblah with respect to the Muslims. In this case, the Imaam (of the prayer) places the people into two rows behind him, and it (the prayer) is performed in the elaborated manner previously mentioned. al-Bukhaaree and al-Nasaa’ee narrated on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺperformed this prayer in this way at a place near Dhu al-Qarad, [which] is about a one day’s distance from al-Madeenah, near the lands of Ghaṭfaan. It is located between Khaybar and al-Madeenah, thirty kilometres away from al-Madeenah..

945
Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “On the day (of the battle) of the Trench, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab came and began cursing the disbelievers of Quraysh. Then he said: “O Messenger of Allah! I did not perform the ‘Asr prayer until the sun was on the verge of setting.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “By Allah! I, too, have not prayed.” Thereafter, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah reports that he ﷺ went down to Buṭhaan, performed ablution, and prayed ‘Asr after the sun had set, and then performed the Maghrib prayer afterwards..

Commentary : Prayer is the pillar (backbone) of the religion, and it is the greatest of the physical pillars of Islam. Its observance is among the most splendid of religious rites. The significance of the [five] prayers is evident [in] that [no one may] leave off performing them even during battle.

In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them) reports [on] some of the events [that occurred during the] Battle of the Trench - [which occurred in] the fourth or fifth year after Hijra, after the disbelievers of Quraysh and the Arabs and Jews, who allied with them, joined forces in fighting the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions in al-Madeenah.

Jaabir reports that ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭab(may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet ﷺ after sunset on the day [they dug] the trench, cursing the disbelievers of Quraysh because they [were] the cause of preoccupying the believers with digging [instead of performing] the prayer until the time of ‘Asr elapsed. Accordingly, ʿUmar did not pray until the sun was on the verge of setting. [Furthermore, Jaabir] reported that the Prophet ﷺdid not pray ‘Asr until the sun was about to set, and that it was the motive [for] ʿUmar’s anger and reviling. When the Prophet ﷺ learned of the cause of what was troubling ʿUmar [the delay in performing the prayer], he ﷺ - [who] is the truthful and supported by the truth - swore, [stating] that he also did not pray hitherto, reassuringly and pleasantly, [in order] to [ease] ʿUmar who was troubled [over] the matter.

Afterwards, he ﷺ set off to Buṭhaan - [which] is a valley by al-Madeenah to the south - where he ﷺperformed ablution and prayed ‘Asr after the sun set, [thereafter] he performed the Maghrib prayer.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Muslims should strive to make up any missed obligatory prayers. It also shows that it is permissible to invoke Allah against the oppressor, because the Prophet ﷺ did not censure against [anything] ʿUmar [said]. Finally, it shows us the keenness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to pray on time, [and that] it was of great importance to them.
.

946
It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) that when the Prophet ﷺ returned from the Battle of the Confederates, he said, “None should perform the ‘Asr prayer, except at Bani Quraydhah.” The time of ʿAsr entered while some of the Companions were on the way to Bani Quraydhah; thus, some of them said, “We are not praying until we arrive there,” while some of the others replied, “We’re [going] to pray [here], because the Prophet ﷺhad not intended what the [aforementioned group] had come to understand.” The incident was mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ, and he did not admonish anyone of them..

Commentary : The Messenger ﷺ was the reference of authority for the Companions in all of their affairs. Whenever they disagreed over any issue, they would refer the case to him ﷺ and to which he ﷺ would either elucidate what was ambiguous [on the matter] or approve their exercised judgement over the subject matter.

In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that when the Prophet ﷺ returned to al-Madeenah after the conclusion of the Battle of the Confederates - also known as: The Battle of the Trench, [which occurred in] the fourth or fifth year after Hijra, after the disbelievers of Quraysh and the Arabs and Jews who allied with them joined forces in fighting the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions in al-Madeenah – he ordered his Companions by saying, “None of you should perform the ‘Asr prayer, except at Bani Quraydah.”.

Banu Quraydah is a group of Jews that used to live in al-Madeenah. Not only did they violate their treaty with the Muslims, but also allied [themselves] with the polytheists who we were besieging the Muslims. They contrived [a plan] to [allow the besiegers] to enter into al-Madeenah from the area of their abodes but their plan failed.

Al-Bukhaaree narrated on the authority of ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her) that after the Messenger ﷺreturned [to al-Madeenah] on the Day of the (Battle of) Trench, he laid down his weapons and [went to] bathe. Then, Jibreel, whose head was covered in dust, came to him ﷺ and said, “[Have] you placed down your arms? By Allah, I have not lowered mine yet!” The Messenger ﷺ then said, “So where to?” [To that], Jibreel [replied], “Look here!” and pointed towards the location of Bani Quraydah. ʿAishah went on to say: “Then the Messenger ﷺ went out towards them.”

After discovering the treason of the Jews, the Prophet ﷺordered his Companions to go out and fight them, emphasizing to them not to pray ʿAsr [anywhere] except there. However, the time of the ‘Asr prayer entered before they arrived to their destination. This caused the Companions to differ; thus, some of them said, “We should not pray until we arrive [at] Bani Quraydah,” because they understood the command of the Prophet ﷺ by [its] explicit wording. As such, they refused to pray anywhere except there due to the command of the Prophet ﷺ, thus, deemed praying ‘Asrbefore they arrived there as an act of disobedience. On the other hand, another group believed that they should pray right away. This is because they did not take the words of the Prophet due to the command of the Prophet ﷺaccording to its apparent meaning. They opined that the intended [meaning conveyed] from his mode of expression was to signify the urgency in departing towards Bani Quraydah. As a result, when the time of ʿAsr entered - they agreed to attain the excellence of the prayer by praying it in its earliest time, and [again] by going to Bani Quraydah. This way they would obtain double the reward by praying on time and obeying the command of the Messenger ﷺ in arriving there. For this reason, they prayed. And after they finished, they continued their journey and joined the other Companions who were ahead of them.

When the Messenger ﷺ learned of this incident, he ﷺ did not admonish the two groups. He did not reprimand those who prayed on the way in spite of not keeping his command, because [of what] they understood of him ﷺ [i.e., the mode of expression] alluding to haste. Nor did he admonish those who delayed the prayer beyond the earliest time because they understood the prohibition based upon its apparent meaning.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Muslims should refrain from reproaching others for following a view on an issue in which there is a valid difference of opinion.

Finally, it teaches us to be keen to perform the five obligatory prayers at the beginning of their due time.
.

948
‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated: “ʿUmar bought a jubbah (i.e., a long outer garment resembling an open coat, having long sleeves) made of istabraq from the marketplace and took it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Take this and adorn yourself with it during ‘Eid and [when you] greet or receive delegations.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺreplied, “On the contrary, this garment [is worn by those] who have no portion [in the Hereafter].” So, ‘Umar abided therein, [as to] what Allah willed [i.e., a period of time passed thereafter]. Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent to him a jubbah made of silken brocade. [Afterwards], ‘Umar received it, and came to him ﷺ with it and said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ ! Verily, you said that this garment is [worn by those] who have no portion [in the Hereafter]”, yet you sent me this jubbah.” [To which], the Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “Sell it or fulfil your needs by it.” .

Commentary : It is desirable, for the Muslim, to adorn themselves on religious holidays and Fridays, and when greeting (receiving) people, and the like. But, all of this is subject to conditions, so [that] the adorning per se not to be what Allah, Exalted be He, and His Messenger ﷺforbade.

In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that ʿUmar came to the Prophet ﷺ with a woven jubbah made of istabraq [that was] sold [to him] in the marketplace. The jubbah is similar to the cloak [i.e., that it is worn as an outer garment] whereas, istabraq is a type of coarse texture i.e., thick silk (similar to that of a brocade) that was made and purchased for the purpose of adorning oneself for religious festivals, Fridays,and greeting (or receiving) delegations of people. Oftentimes, those who came in these arriving parties belonged to leaders of tribes and the like.

However, the Prophet ﷺ said to ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him), “On the contrary, this garment [is worn by those] who have no portion [in the Hereafter].” Here we see that he ﷺ elucidated for ʿUmar that no men wear silk, except those who have no share in relation [of possessing] reverential fear of Allah - The Mighty and Majestic - in this world, [nor] Allah’s reward in the Hereafter.

This statement was made to show his strong condemnation and interdiction against men wearing silk [in their lives]. It is, [however], permissible for women to wear silk as demonstrated in other authentic narrations.

As for the statement of ‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar’s(may Allah be pleased with them): “So, ‘Umar abided therein, [as to] what Allah willed”: [this] means that a period of time passed since the [aforementioned] incident with ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) occurred.

Then, The Prophet ﷺ sent for ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) a garment made of silk. But then, ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) remembered the words of the Prophet ﷺwith reference to the first time [i.e., the aforementioned story]. So, he returned to him ﷺ with regard [to what had transpired in the past]. And so, the Prophet ﷺ informed him that he ﷺ did not send him the garment for him to wear it, but rather, for ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) to profit from its sale, and then purchase what he desired with its value, or give it to one of his womenfolk.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Muslims should inquire about [matters that] they are uncertain of, so that which is right may become clear for them. Another lesson that can be extrapolated from this narration, is that we ought to strive to develop the habit of giving and donating as it will soften the hearts of people and ensure the love of the people in our lives and communities.

Lastly, to bear in mind the legitimacy of selling silk and gifting it to a woman, and, to a man, if he will gown a woman with it..

949
ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon me [i.e., in my room], and near me were two young servants singing the song of Buʿaath [a poem about a war between the two tribes: al-Aws and al-Khazraj]. Then he ﷺ laid down upon the bed and turned his face [around]. Then, Abu Bakr entered, and scolded me, while saying: “Musical instruments of the Shayṭaan near the Prophet ﷺ ?!” [Afterwards], the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned his face towards him and said: “Leave them be.” Then, when Abu Bakr became inattentive, I signalled to the two servants to leave.

It was the day of ‘Eid, on which the Abyssinians were playing with shields and spears. It is either that I asked the Prophet ﷺ, or he ﷺ asked [me]: “Do you wish to watch them while playing?” [To which], I responded: “Yes.” He ﷺ [then] situated me behind him ﷺ, and my cheek was touching his ﷺ. Then, he ﷺ said [to the Abyssinians]: “Carry on! O Bani Arifdah!” [This went on] until I got tired. [Then] he ﷺ asked me: “Have you had enough?” I replied, “Yes.” He ﷺ [then] politely bid me to leave..

Commentary : The days of ‘Eid are for eating, drinking, and permissible entertainment, during which the Muslims should rejoice in the bounty and mercy of Allah and revive their spirits therein.

In this hadeeth, ʿAishah - the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that the Prophet ﷺ entered her room on the day of ‘Eid where she had with her two young girls (prepubescent) singing chivalrous poetry which was uttered with pride during the [early] days of the Arabs - such as, the day of Buʿaath. This was a day on which an infamous war took place between the [tribes of] al-Aws and al-Khazraj [that] continued for 120 years.

The Prophet ﷺ did not disapprove of this [singing], nor did he listen to it nor pay attention to it. Meanwhile, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) entered [the room] and came across the two young girls singing this poetry near ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her) in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ. He severely censured them for entertaining [the others] in the house of the Prophet in a way such as that. Afterwards, he rebuked his daughter, and blamed her by saying, “Musical instruments of the Shayṭaan near the Prophet ﷺ ?!” -meaning: the beating of the ḍaff(a type of drum), singing, and instruments [that are] taken as the flute (or other wind instruments). [The upshot being: any instrument that produces] a whistle. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) connected [this instrument] to Shayṭaan, because it distracts [people] away from the remembrance of Allah, may He be Exalted, which is one of the works of the Shayṭaan.

Afterwards, the Prophet ﷺ did no more than order him to leave the two young girls alone and stop censuring them. Explaining this [type of reaction], we can look and see as it is [mentioned] in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslimthat every nation has a holiday, and this ‘Eid is the holiday of the Muslim nation. It is legislated for them to celebrate it, be delighted during it, and for it to be [a day] of permissible entertainment which does not agitate the individuals [around] to a point that is inappropriate.

After that, ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her) indicatedto the two young girls to depart, and they left. The Arabic word used to indicate that she signalled to them is ghamz; [here refers to] [making an] indication or a gesture with the eye, eyelid, or hand.

[As for] the statement of ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her), “It was the day of ‘Eid”, this is from another hadeeth, but it was combined with the preceding hadith by some of the narrators, while some of the others separated the both of them [i.e., as two separate narrations].

Thereupon, she (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that it was a day of ‘Eid. Either this day followed the one with the two servant girls [i.e., the previous section of this hadith]; or, it was another. [In either case, on this day] the Abyssinians were playing with shields (daraq) and spears (hiraab), which [were] some of the weapons of war [at the time], whereas the [word] daraq is the plural of [the Arabic word] daraqah, and it is a type of shield. The [word] hiraabis the plural of [the Arabic word] harbah, and it is a small lance [with a] wide spearhead.

Then, ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her) reported - in a state of doubt - as to whether she asked the Prophet ﷺ; or, that it was heﷺ who asked her: ““Do you wish to watch?” - in other words - “Do you want to [go] and see the Abyssinians while they are playing?” So, when she told him of her wish on the matter, he ﷺsituated her behind him ﷺ,in order to cover her with his body. She [then] affectionately placed her cheek upon his intimately. He ﷺ then said, “Carry on! O Bani Arfidah!”, which is [either] an honorific for the Abyssinians; or, the name of their ancient forefathers. It is said: [that] they were a people [known for] their dancing. It is [also] said: [that they] were the children of slaves. The meaning [of the aforementioned quote]: [is that] they continued playing. Heﷺ did not censure them; understanding, rather, [that] it was a permission and an encouragement for them [to continue]. The Prophet ﷺ remained there as such until ʿAishah [may Allah be pleased with her] became tired and bored from watching them. So then, heﷺ asked her: “Have you had enough?” [To which], she replied: “Yes.” Then, heﷺ politely bid her to return to her home.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that the display of delight on the ‘Eid holidays is from among the rites of the religion; that in Islam, [there is] a permissible range for playing and reviving the spirit in known times by that which does not infringe against the unchangeable rules of the Sacred Law; that we should strive to show benevolence towards our wives and try to gain their love [and affection]; and that we recognize that the legality [of rejoicing and relaxing] was made to ease, give comfort, and give leniency to the people and the families on the days of 'Eid; so that the souls may be relieved. One is exempted on Eid for that which he is not exempted on other days.

Lastly, it indicates that it is permissible for the father to discipline his married daughter in the presence of her husband if the husband did not do it..

951
Al-Baraa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “I heard the Prophet ﷺ delivering a sermon in which he said: “The first thing to be done on this day is to pray. Then, after we return from the prayer, we slaughter [our sacrificial animals]. Whoever does [this]; then, verily, they have acted in accordance with our Sunnah.” .

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us the requisites of the ‘Eid holidays, its recommended actions, and its etiquettes. From amongst [all of] these are: the time of the prayer and how to perform it on the Day of the Sacrifice [i.e., ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa], and the time of slaughtering the sacrificial animal. The sacrifice is a religious rite from amongst the [various] Islamic religious rites. It is an appointed act of worship at a [set] time, which is not permissible [to do] before or after its appointed time.

In this hadeeth, al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he heard the Prophet ﷺ while he was delivering a sermon on the day of ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa - which is the tenth day in the month of DhuHijjah. [During the sermon], the Prophet ﷺ elucidated on his traditions and habitual actions during ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa: [and] that is, he would first begin with the ‘Eid prayer. Then after that, heﷺ would slaughter his sacrificial animal. By doing so, then, truly, the person has acted according to the Sunnah and upon his guidance ﷺ, and thus, he has obtained the prescribed reward.

The slaughtering of the sacrificial animal is required of the one who is capable and possesses the wealth and ability to purchase a sacrificial animal. It is said: the intended [meaning] by wealth [here] is that the individual should rightfully own the nisaabof zakat [i.e., minimum amount necessary for one to pay the zakat].

The ‘Eid prayer begins after the sun has risen the height of a spear (which is close to fifteen minutes after sunrise). The scholars have defined it by the disappearance of the sun’s redness. Its time ends at the cessation of the sun’s [ascension, i.e., noon] (which is before Dhuhr, and lasts close to fifteen minutes in total). This specific prayer is a two-unit prayer that has no adhaanor iqaamah. The sermon is delivered after the prayer’s performance - differing from the congregational Friday prayer..

954
Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever slaughtered (his sacrifice) before the `Eid prayer, should slaughter again." A man stood up and said, "This is the day on which one has desire for meat," and he mentioned something about his neighbours. It seemed that the Prophet ﷺ believed him. Then the same man added, "I have a young she-goat which is dearer to me than the meat of two sheep." The Prophet (ﷺ) permitted him to slaughter it as a sacrifice. However, I do not know whether that exception was valid only for him or for others as well..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us the requisites of the ‘Eid holidays, its recommended actions, and its etiquette. From amongst [all of] these are: the time of the prayer and how to perform it on the Day of the Sacrifice [i.e., ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa], and the time of slaughtering the sacrificial animal. The sacrifice is a religious ritual from amongst the [various] Islamic religious rites. It is an appointed act of worship by means of a [set] time, which is not permissible [to do] before or after its appointed time.

In this hadeeth, al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Prophet ﷺ clarified that whoever slaughters his sacrificial animal before praying the ‘Eid prayer needs to slaughter another one, since the first slaughtering occurred before the appointed legislated time – that is being after the end of the ‘Eid prayer.

The ‘Eid prayer begins after the sun has risen to the height of a spear (which is close to 15 minutes after sunrise). The scholars have defined it by the disappearance of the sun’s redness. Its time ends at the cessation of the sun’s [ascension, i.e., noon] (which is before Dhuhr, and lasts close to fifteen minutes in total).

Upon hearing the clarification of the Prophet ﷺ, a man with the name of Abu Burdah ibn Niyar(may Allah be pleased with him) asked a personal question, as stated in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. He explained that Eid al-Adha is a day on which people earnestly desire to eat meat; therefore, he hastened to slaughter his animal before the ‘Eid prayer to feed his family and poor neighbours. Then, he went on to explain that, as he had slaughtered the sacrificial animal, he no longer has anything except a she-goat that he considered better and more of a value than two sheep given its high price and the much meat it can produce.

In this hadeeth, the she-goat was described as a jadha’ah, which means it is less than one year old, and it is said that it means a young strong she-goat. The Prophet ﷺ believed his story and made an exception, allowing him to slaughter his she-goat [despite its age does not meet the requirements of sacrificial animals] since it was all he had. Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with him) commented on this incident by saying that he is uncertain whether the ruling was exclusive to Abu Burdah or applicable to everyone else. This ambiguity is clarified in another version of the hadeeth that is documented in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. It is narrated on the authority of al-Baraa ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ said at the end: “Make it a substitute for that (and sacrifice it), but it will not suffice for anyone (as a sacrifice) after you.” It explicitly states that this exception is not applicable to anyone else.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this is that a goat that is less than one year old does not qualify as a sacrificial animal. Only goats that have completed at least one year of age qualify as sacrificial animals.

It also indicates the merit of Abu Burdah(may Allah be pleased with him), and that the habit of the Prophet ﷺ is to alleviate the situation of others and make it easy on them..

1591
Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the Day of Khaybar, making deals with the Jews with the Wuqiyyah of gold for two or three dinars, whereupon the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Do not sell gold for gold except weight for weight..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the types of exploitation in transactions. It entails great harm and involves unlawful earnings and taking extra money wrongfully. Therefore, it has been prohibited in all the laws that have been revealed. Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus) is one of the types of Riba, and it means selling an item that is subject to Riba rulings for another of the same type with excess in one of the two, like selling a gold dinar for two dinars and a silver dirham for two dirhams.
In this Hadīth, Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that they were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the Battle of Khaybar in 7 AH. They were making deals with the Jews and buying from them one Wuqiyyah of gold worth forty silver dirhams for "two or three dinars", and the dinar was equal to 12 dirhams. It could mean they were selling one' Uqiyyah of gold, beads, and others for two or three dinars. It is known that this amount of pure gold is not to be sold for two or three dinars, and this was the reason why the Companions made such a transaction, as they thought it was permissible because the gold was mixed with other things. However, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from selling gold for gold "except weight for weight," i.e., each must be equal to the other in terms of weight without any addition or surplus.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus)..

1592
Ma‘mar ibn ‘Abdullah reported: That he sent his servant with one Sā‘ of wheat and said to him: Sell it then buy with it barley. The servant went and took one Sā‘ and part of a Sā‘. When he came to Ma‘mar, he informed him of that, whereupon, Ma‘mar said to him: Why did you do that?! Go ahead and return it and do not take except like for like, as I used to hear the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: Food for food, like for like. He said: Our food at that time was barley. It was said to him: It is not like it. He said: I am afraid that it could be similar..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the types of exploitation in transactions. It entails great harm and involves unlawful earnings and taking extra money wrongfully. Therefore, it has been prohibited in all the laws that have been revealed. Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus) is one of the types of Riba, and it means selling an item that is subject to Riba rulings for another of the same type with excess in one of the two, like selling a Sā‘ of wheat for two Sā‘s thereof, or one hundred grams of gold for one hundred and ten grams thereof.
In this Hadīth, Ma‘mar ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Nadlah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he sent his servant with one Sā‘ of wheat and ordered him to sell it for cash, i.e., for dirhams and dinars, then buy barley with its price. The boy went and bought one Sā‘ of barley and part of a Sā in return for the wheat directly without selling the wheat first and then buying the barley with its price. Perhaps he did that because buying barley was the goal and it was achieved by this.
When the servant returned to Ma‘mar, he informed him of what he had done, i.e., selling one Sā‘ of wheat for one Sā‘ and more of barley. Ma‘mar asked him: Why did you do that?! This is an objecting question. Then, he ordered him to return and bring back the wheat and return the barley and not to take the barley from him except like for like in terms of weight. Then, he clarified to him the reason for returning the extra barley, as he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Food for food," i.e., when selling one of them for another, it should be "like for like," i.e., in terms of weight and amount without any addition or surplus, and the two foods here refer to those of the same type, as it was mentioned in a version in Sahīh Muslim Collection that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If these classes differ, sell as you wish as long as payment is made hand to hand."
Ma‘mar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Our food at that time was barley," i.e., it was the staple food during the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Some of those who were present objected that barley and wheat are not of the same type, i.e., wheat and barley are two different types, therefore, surplus between them is not unlawful. Ma‘mar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I am afraid that it could be similar," i.e., a similar case. In other words, he was afraid it was included among the similar types and, thus, should have the same ruling of the prohibition of Riba since wheat and barley are close and each of them is called food. He (may Allah be pleased with him) did this out of religious prudence and as a precautionary measure.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus).
It shows how the Companions were cautious not to fall into committing what is unlawful..

1594
Abu Nadrah reported: I asked Ibn' Abbās about Sarf (currency exchange), and he said: Is it hand to hand? I said: Yes. He said: There is no harm in it. I informed Abu Sa‘īd about it, saying: I asked Ibn' Abbās about Sarf, and he said: Is it hand to hand? I said: Yes. He said: There is no harm in it. He said: Did he say that?! We will write to him not to give you this Fatwa (legal opinion). He said: By Allah, some of the boys of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) brought dry dates, but he rejected them and said: It seems those are not from the dry dates of our land. He said: This year, there was something wrong with the dry dates of our land - or with our dry dates - so I took that and made some addition, whereupon he said: You made an addition! You committed Riba (usury)! Do not approach this. If you have doubts about your dry dates, sell them and then buy the dry dates you like..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the gravest major sins. The Shariah has forbidden all sales that involve a possibility of Riba and has permitted lawful sales that are free of Riba. The pre-Islamic era of ignorance was swarming with Riba-based sales, so Islam rectified and refined such sale transactions.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Nadrah al-Mundhir ibn Mālik al-‘Abdi narrates that he asked the Companion ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) about Sarf, which is selling an item for another of the same type with a surplus and an addition in the taken or given item, like selling a dinar for two dinars or a dirham for two dirhams; whether it is a Riba-based sale or not. Ibn ‘Abbās answered by saying that it is not Riba in case it is exchanged hand to hand, i.e., at the time that the act of selling took place. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) did not deem selling an item for another of the same type with a surplus Riba, and he believed that Riba is not unlawful except in case of a deferred payment.
So, Abu Nadrah informed Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) about the Fatwa of Ibn ‘Abbās, whereupon Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he would write to Ibn ‘Abbās not to give such a Fatwa and would review it with him, clarify the truth, and advise him. Then, Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated his supporting reference and evidence in forbidding the Riba of surplus and addition. He swore and said: "By Allah, some of the boys of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)," who are the servants, "brought dry dates, but he rejected them," the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rejected them because they were not from the dry dates produced by their land and not the ones known among them. It was said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): This year, the dry dates of Madīnah were of bad quality. So, the servant took some of the bad dry dates and exchanged them for others and brought those good dry dates to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in return for the defective ones and gave the buyer an excess in the weight and amount of the defective dry dates. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You made an addition! You committed Riba (usury)! Do not approach this," i.e., what you did and the addition you made in the weight is from Riba. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade him from eating from the dry dates he had brought. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him by way of teaching: "If you find some doubt about your dry dates, sell them and then buy the dry dates you like," thus, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade him from taking dry dates for dry dates. So, if there was something wrong with his dry dates, he should first sell them for money, then buy with that money whatever he liked of the dry dates, and there should be no surplus between the two.
It seems that Ibn ‘Abbās gave that Fatwa of permissibility based on the apparent indication of the Prophet's statement mentioned in the two Sahīh Collections: "Riba is only in Nasī’ah (deferred payment)." This apparently indicates exclusiveness, as if he said: There is no Riba except in the deferred payment. However, there is a report in the Sahīh Muslim Collection indicating that Ibn ‘Abbās reconsidered his stance regarding his Fatwa, as Abu as-Sahbā’ narrated: "That he asked Ibn ‘Abbās about it in Makkah, and he disliked it," i.e., he disliked the permissibility of surplus in Sarf.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus).
It indicates the invalidity of the transaction that involves Riba.
It highlights the fact that the Shariah rulings are to be sought only through the Qur‘an and the Sunnah.
It shows how the Companions used to correct each other whenever they made a mistake..