Selected hadith (HadeethEnc), Da‘wah and Hisbah

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade Muslims from seeking authority because whoever is granted authority based on his request will be let down and left to his desire for this world, which he prefers to the Hereafter. On the other hand, whoever is granted authority without seeking or asking for it, Allah shall grant him support to fulfill his duties. Moreover, making an oath should not prevent goodness. So, if the one who made an oath realized that goodness lies in something different from his oath, he should discard that oath through expiation and go for the better alternative.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If Allah wills to do good to a ruler." This goodness of granting an honest adviser was interpreted as the good of both abodes; this life and the Hereafter. It was also interpreted to be Paradise. His statement: "He appoints for him a truthful adviser" means truthful in his words and deeds, both inwardly and outwardly. He described him as being truthful because that is the basis of good companionship. So, if this ruler forgets something that he needs —given that forgetfulness is part of human nature— or if he is misled in a religious matter or a verdict against an oppressed person or in something related to the welfare of his subjects, then this truthful adviser will remind him and guide him to a sound judgment. Also, if this ruler knows the sound judgment, his truthful adviser will support him with his words and deeds. His statement: "If Allah wills otherwise for him" means other than good. His statement: "He appoints for him a bad adviser who will not remind him if he forgets, nor will he help him if he remembers" means that He will grant him an evil adviser who will be evil in his words and deeds, the opposite of the first case. If the ruler forgets or is misled, he will not assist him or guide him to what is right because he lacks the light in the heart which would allow him to help the ruler. If the ruler knows what to do, he will not assist him; rather, he will discourage him from doing the right thing due to his evil nature and bad intentions.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Allah did not send any prophet, nor gave anyone authority, except the prophet or sovereign has two entourages. One commands him with good and the other commands him with evil. The one who is saved from the negative influences of an evil entourage is the one whom Allah protects.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that one of the greatest and most beneficial types of Jihad in the cause of Allah Almighty is a word of justice and truth before an unjust ruler or governor. This is because in doing so, a person practices the ritual of enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong, be it by speech, writing, action, or anything else that benefits and wards off evil.

Enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong is part of Jihad.

Advising the ruler is one of the greatest forms of Jihad, but it should be done with knowledge, wisdom, and certainty.

Al-Khattābi said: This has become the best Jihad because whoever strives against the enemy is between hope and fear, not knowing whether he will prevail or be defeated. As for the ruler, he is subjugated in his hand. So, if he speaks the truth and enjoins him to do what is right, he is exposed to damage and aims for his own destruction. Hence, this has become the best type of Jihad, given the dominant fear. It was said: It is the best Jihad because if the ruler acts upon his word, the benefit may prevail to a large number of people, thus achieving a good interest.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took the pledge of allegiance from the Companions over obedience to the rulers in what is easy and what is hard and in the state of richness and poverty, and whether they like or dislike their commands; even if the rulers prefer themselves over the subjects concerning the public funds, positions, and the like, they should listen and obey them in what is good and not revolt against them. This is because the strife and corruption that would result from fighting them are worse than the corruption caused by their oppression. Among the things they pledged allegiance to is to speak the truth wherever they may be, being sincere to Allah and not fearing those who reproach them.

The benefit resulting from listening and obeying the rulers is the unity of Muslims and renouncing dissension among them.

It is obligatory to listen and obey the rulers unless disobedience to Allah is involved, in what is easy and what is hard, and at times of energy and reluctance, and if they favor themselves regarding certain things.

It is obligatory to speak the truth wherever we may be without fearing the blame of anyone for the sake of Allah.

Shaqīq ibn Salamah (may Allah have mercy on him) reported that Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) used to give them an admonition every Thursday. So a man told him that they wished that he would give them an admonition every day. He told them that what prevented him from doing so was his fear that they would become bored and annoyed; and that he was committed to giving them admonitions, yet he would examine their needs (and give them accordingly); just as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do with them, for fear that they would become bored. Definitely, boredom causes the admonition to have no effect.

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) says in this Hadīth that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) promised to give him a plentiful amount of the money that would come from Bahrain. The money came during the caliphate of Abu Bakr, after the Prophet had passed away. Abu Bakr asked those whom the Prophet had promised to give gifts or to whom he owed things to come over. Indeed, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) might have purchased something from someone and owed him the price, or promised to give someone a certain grant. Jābir went to Abu Bakr and told him that the Prophet said that he would give him a certain amount when revenues came from Bahrain. Abu Bakr told him: 'Take.' So he scooped from the money with both hands and counted it, finding it to be five hundred. So Abu Bakr told him: "Take twice as much," because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This much and this much and this much", meaning three times. Thus Abu Bakr fulfilled the Prophet's promise to Jābir.

This is the famous Hadīth of Abu Sufyān Sakhr ibn Harb (may Allah be pleased with him) about the story of Heraclius. At that time, Abu Sufyān was a polytheist, as he entered Islam later during the period between the Hudaybiyah Peace Treaty and the Conquest of Makkah. Abu Sufyān and a group of people from the Quraysh went to the Levant to meet Heraclius, who was the king of the Christians at that time. He had read the Torah and the Gospel, and knew about the previous holy scriptures. He was an intelligent ruler. When he heard that Abu Sufyān and his companions came to visit him from Hijāz, he summoned them. He started to ask them about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and about his lineage, his Companions, their veneration of him, and his faithfulness. Every time Heraclius asked about something, they told him about it. So he came to know that he was the Prophet which the previous books had mentioned, but as he was keen to retain his kingdom, he did not enter Islam for some reason that Allah, the Almighty, willed. Heraclius asked Abu Sufyān about what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined them to do. Abu Sufyān told him that he ordered them to worship Allah alone and not to associate partners with him. That is, they should worship none but Allah, neither an angel, nor a messenger, or a tree, or a rock, or a sun, or a moon, or any other thing. Worshiping Allah alone is the call of all the messengers. So what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came with was the same call that all other prophets before him came with. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to "give up what your forefathers were upon"; this is a form of proclaiming the truth. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded them to abandon the worship of idols which their fathers used to engage in, but he did not order them to give up the noble manners which their forefathers adopted. Abu Sufyān further said: "He ordered us to pray." Prayer is the connection between the slave and His Lord. It is the most emphasized pillar of Islam after the Two Testimonies of faith. Prayer is what distinguishes the believer from the disbeliever. It is the covenant between us (Muslims) and the disbelievers and the polytheists, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The covenant between us and them is the prayer; whoever abandons it has disbelieved." His statement: "He used to order us to adhere to truthfulness." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to order his nation to adhere to truthfulness. This is in accordance with Allah’s statement (which means): {O you who believe, fear Allah and be with the truthful} [At-Tawbah: 119]. Truthfulness is a virtuous moral, and it is of two categories: Truthfulness with Allah, and truthfulness with Allah's slaves. Both are from the noble morals. His statement: "chastity". Chastity is of two types: abstention from sexual desire, and abstention from the desires of the stomach. As for the first type: It is when a person abstains from everything that Allah has deemed impermissible for him, like unlawful sexual intercourse, along with all the means and causes related to it. The second type: To abstain from and control the desires of one’s stomach, meaning from what is in the possession of others, and abstain from asking them in such a way that one does not ask anyone for anything, because asking others is humiliation, and the one who asks has the lower hand, while the one who gives has the upper hand. So it is not permissible to ask anyone except for things that are necessarily needed. As for the fifth point: "to maintain ties of kinship". It means that the person joins such relatives which Allah orders him to join, starting from the closest, and then to the closer among them. The closest of them are the parents. Indeed maintaining good relations with the parents constitutes righteousness and maintaining ties of kinship. Ties with the relatives should be maintained in accordance with their closeness. For example, maintaining ties with the brother is more emphasized than the uncle, and maintaining ties with the uncle is more emphasized than the father's uncle. Maintaining ties of kinship can be achieved by all the means that the people are familiar with in this regard.

The noble Companion ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) informs us what happened to the Commander of the Believers ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) when ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn, of high status among his people, came to see him in Madīnah. ‘Uyaynah began his speech in a disrespectful manner and then criticized and rebuked ‘Umar, saying: “You neither bestow much on us nor deal with us justly.” As a result, ‘Umar became so furious that he was about to beat him; however, some of the Qur’anic reciters, including ‘Uyaynah’s nephew, Al-Hurr ibn Qays, stood up and addressed the rightly guided caliph ‘Umar, saying: “O Commander of the Believers! Allah said to His Prophet: {Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorants} [Al-A‘rāf: 199]. This one is from the ignorants.” ‘Umar stood committed to that verse and suppressed his anger, as he always adhered strictly to the Book of Allah. So, he refrained from beating this man in compliance with the verse that was recited to him. This is how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to show politeness and respect towards the Book of Allah. They would not violate its commands and teachings. Whenever it was said to them, “this is the word of Allah,” they would submit to it, no matter what.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that there will be rulers assigned to be in charge of Muslims and they will monopolize the Muslims' wealth and spend it as they wish, depriving the Muslims of their rights thereof. These rulers will also do things, related to the religion, that are disapproved by the Shariah. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked about what they should do in such a case. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told them not to let these rulers' monopoly of wealth prevent them from fulfilling their duty towards them, including listening and obeying. Rather, they should have patience, listen and obey them without disputing their authority. Moreover, they should ask Allah for their rights and ask Him to guide these rulers and ward off their evil and oppression.

This Hadīth is one of the proofs of Muhammad's prophethood, as he foretold what would happen in his Ummah and it happened just as he said.

It is permissible to inform a person of an affliction that will likely befall him so as to be prepared, show patience, and seek Allah's reward when it actually occurs.

Holding onto the Qur’an and Sunnah ensures safety from trials and dissension.

The Hadīth urges Muslims to listen and obey their rulers in what is good and not to rebel against them even if they commit oppression.

Adopting wisdom and following the Sunnah during the times of trials.

One must fulfill his duties even if he is wronged in one way or another.

The Hadīth proves the rule that states: We should opt for the lesser of the two evils or the lesser of the two harms.

The Ka‘bah is a revered noble House; it is a symbol of worshiping Allah and humbly submitting before Him. It has special awe, sublimity, attachment, and love in the hearts. That is why the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded pilgrims to make Tawāf around the Ka‘bah the last ritual they perform before they leave Makkah. This is called the Farewell Tawāf. The menstruating woman, however, is exempted from this rite, since she might soil the mosque when she enters it. She is not required to offer expiation (slaughter a sacrificial animal) for that. This text refers only to Hajj, so it does not apply to ‘Umrah.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that there was once a king among the nations before us, and he had a magician. When the magician grew old, he said to the king: I have become old, so send me a young man whom I can teach magic. So, the king sent him a young man, who, on his way to the magician, met a monk. He sat with him once, listened to his words and admired him. Whenever he went to the magician, he used to sit with the monk, then on reaching the magician, the latter would beat him for being late. So, the boy complained this to the monk, who said to him: Whenever you are afraid of the magician, tell him that your family detained you. And whenever you are afraid of your family, tell them that the magician detained you. So the boy carried on like that (for some time). Then a huge, terrible beast once appeared on the road, and the people were unable to pass. The boy said: Today I shall know whether the magician is better or the monk. So, he took a stone and said: O Allah, if the affair of the monk is better in Your Sight than that of the magician, then kill this beast so that the people can cross (the road). Then he struck it with a stone and killed it, and the people passed the road. The boy came to the monk and informed him about it. The monk said to him: O my son, today you are better than me, and you have achieved what I see! You will be put on trial. And in case you are put to trial, do not inform (them) about me. The boy used to treat the people who suffered from congenital blindness, leprosy, and other diseases with the permission of Allah. There was a courtier of the king who had become blind. He came and brought many gifts to the boy and said: All these gifts are for you on the condition that you cure me. He said: I do not cure anybody; it is only Allah who cures people. So, if you believe in Allah, I shall supplicate Allah, and He will cure you. So, he believed in Allah, and Allah cured him. Later, the courtier came to the king and sat in the place where he used to sit before. The king said: Who gave you back your sight? He said: My Lord. He said: Do you have another Lord besides me?! He said: My Lord and your Lord is Allah. The king took him and kept on torturing him until he told him about the boy. So, the boy was brought to the king, who said to him: O boy, your magic reached the extent that you cure congenital blindness, leprosy, and other diseases. He said: Indeed, I do not cure anyone. Only Allah can cure. So, he tortured him extensively until he told him about the monk. Then the monk was brought to the king, who said to him: Renounce your religion. The monk refused. So, the king ordered a saw to be brought and placed on the middle of his head, and he fell, sawn in two halves. Then the courtier of the king was brought, and it was said to him: Renounce your religion. He refused to do so, and so a saw was brought and placed on the middle of his head, and he fell, sawn in two halves. Then the boy was brought, and it was said to him: Renounce your religion. He refused, and so the king sent him to some of his followers, between three and ten in number. He said to them: Ascend the mountain with him till you reach its top, then see if he abandons his religion; otherwise, throw him from the top. They took him and ascended the mountain. The boy said: O Allah, save me from them by any means You wish. So, the mountain shook and quaked violently, and they all fell down, and the boy came back walking to the king. The king said: What did your companions do? He said: Allah saved me from them. So he handed him over to another group of his men and said: Take him away, load him onto a small boat until you reach the middle of the sea. If he renounces his faith, then good. Otherwise, throw him into the sea. So they took him away. He said: O Allah, save me from them by any means You wish. Suddenly, their boat capsized, drowning them all, and he walked back to the king. The king said to him: What did your companions do? The boy replied: Allah saved me from them. Then he said to the king: You will not be able to kill me until you do as I order you. He said: And what is that? The boy said: Gather the people in an open space. Crucify me on a tree trunk. Then take an arrow from my quiver, place it in the bow’s grip, and say: In the Name of Allah, Lord of the boy. Then shoot me—for if you do so, you will kill me. So he assembled the people in one place, crucified him on a trunk, took an arrow from his quiver, placed it in the bow’s center, and said: In the Name of Allah, Lord of the boy. Then he shot him—the arrow struck his temple between his eye and ear. The boy placed his hand on the wound and died. The people said: We believe in the Lord of the boy, we believe in the Lord of the boy, we believe in the Lord of the boy. Then it was said to the king: Do you see what you feared? By Allah, what you feared has indeed come to pass. The people followed the boy and all believed in his Lord. So the king ordered great, elongated trenches to be dug at the crossroads, lit with raging fires, and commanded: Whoever does not renounce his religion—throw him in it. They carried out his orders until a woman came with her child. She hesitated, frozen in place, reluctant to enter the fire. Then her child said to her: O mother, be patient! For indeed, you are upon the truth.

Affirmation of the miracles of the pious—among them: the slaying of the great beast by the boy’s arrow, the answering of the boy’s supplication twice, and the speech of the infant child.

Those who rely upon Allah Almighty are granted victory.

Clarifying the honor of patience and steadfastness in the religion.

The wisdom behind seeking knowledge early in life is that youth generally retain and memorize faster than adults.

The strength of this boy’s faith, that he never wavered or faltered in his belief.

Allah Almighty responds to the distressed when he calls out to Him.

It is permissible for a person to endanger himself for the greater good of the Muslims. This boy directed the king to the method that would kill him and cause his own destruction—by taking an arrow from his quiver, placing it at the center of the bow, and saying: In the Name of Allah, Lord of the boy.

The permissibility of lying in war and similar situations, and saving oneself from destruction.

The believer is tested in the sincerity of his faith and steadfastness in speaking the truth, even if it leads to his death.

Sacrifice in the path of calling to Allah and manifesting the truth.

The hearts of the servants are in Allah's Hand—He guides whom He wills and leads astray whom He wills. For indeed, the boy was guided while in the care of the magician and under the watch of the doomed king.

It is permissible to ask Allah Almighty to show a sign by which one may recognize the truth and attain certainty.

The people of faith utilize everything Allah has bestowed upon them and favored them with to serve His religion and call others to His path.

The means of destruction are in Allah's Hand; if He wills, He executes them, and if He wills, He prevents them.

The disbelievers are not lacking in proofs and evidence to believe; rather, the cause of their disbelief is stubbornness and arrogance.

Tyrants and oppressors are willing to kill all people to preserve their worldly luxuries and power.

Allah punishes the wrongdoers from where they least expect. For indeed, the people came to believe in the Lord of the boy when they witnessed his steadfastness, the truth of his call, and his fearless devotion to Allah and heedlessness of any blame.

There are others besides Jesus (peace be upon him) who spoke in infancy. This Hadīth explains the Prophet's statement: "None spoke in the cradle except three..." naming them and restricting this miracle to the Children of Israel exclusively.

Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had said to him: “I see that you are weak and I love for you what I love for myself. Do not rule over two persons and do not manage an orphan's property." These are four sentences the Prophet addressed Abu Dharr with: 1. “I see that you are weak.” This description, which accords with the reality, is given as advice. And there is no harm if a person tells someone else that he has such and such trait, as an advice, not as an insult or exposing one’s faults; as the Prophet himself said: “I see that you are weak.” 2. “I love for you what I love for myself.” This is part of the Prophet’s noble character. When the first sentence contained some criticism, he made this statement, which means: I only told you this because I love for you what I love for myself. 3. “Do not rule over two persons.” In other words, do not be the leader of two persons, rather than more than two. The meaning here is that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade him from being a leader, because he was weak, and leadership requires a strong and trustworthy person. A strong person would exercise authority and have a firm say; and when he says something, he fulfills it. He should not be weak before people, for when people see someone weak, they will show him no respect or regard, and the fools will treat him boldly. However, if a leader is strong and does not exceed the limits set by Allah, the Almighty, or neglect his authority in which Allah has put him, then he is a true leader. 4. “Do not manage an orphan’s property.” An orphan is one whose father had died before reaching puberty. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade him from managing the wealth of orphans, for it needs care and protection, whereas Abu Dharr was weak and would not be able to take proper care of such property. That is why the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not manage an orphan’s property.” That is, do not be responsible for it; leave it to someone else. This is not degradation of Abu Dharr, for he was a man who used to enjoin the good and forbid the evil, and led an austere and ascetic life. However, he was weak in a particular area, namely guardianship and leadership.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stated that the example of those who comply with the limits set by Allah, adhere to the commands of Allah, enjoin what is good, and forbid what is evil; and the example of those who transgress the limits set by Allah, refrain from what is good and commit what is evil, and the effect of this on the salvation of the society, is like the example of a people who boarded a ship and drew lots to decide who would sit in the upper part of the ship and who would sit in its lower part. Some of them got the upper part, while others got its lower part. Whenever those in the lower part wanted to bring water, they had to pass by those above them. So, those in the lower part said: If we could only make a hole in our place in the lower part to bring water therefrom without bothering those above us. If those in the upper part let them do that, the ship would sink with all of them. However, if they forbade and prevented them from doing this, both groups would be saved.

The importance of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil in protecting and saving societies.

Giving examples is one of the teaching methods that convey meanings in a tangible form.

Committing what is clearly wrong and having none to forbid is a cause of corruption that brings harm to all people.

The destruction of society results from leaving the evildoers to spread mischief on earth.

A wrong action and a good intention are not sufficient for deeming a deed righteous.

Responsibility in the Muslim community is communal and is not entrusted to a certain individual.

All are punished for the sins committed by some if they are not forbidden.

The evildoers present their evil to society in a good form just like the hypocrites.

The Commander of the Believers ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) gives us advice, saying that one should not talk to common people except about what is well-known and benefits them regarding the fundamentals of their religion and the rulings related to it of monotheism, and clarification of the lawful and the unlawful. What is otherwise should not be spoken about with them in order not to distract them, especially things for which there is no need, or which may lead to rejecting the truth because they are confusing to them and too difficult for them to comprehend.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon his uncle Abu Tālib when he was in his death throes and said to him: O Uncle, say: "La ilāha illallāh (there is no god but Allah)," a statement with which I can testify in your favor before Allah. Thereupon, Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah ibn Abi ’Umayyah said: O Abu Tālib, would you abandon the religion of your father ‘Abdul-Muttalib, i.e. worshipping idols?! They both kept talking to him until the last thing he said to them was about the religion of Abdul-Muttalib, i.e., the religion of Shirk (polytheism) and idolatry. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), thus, said: I will ask forgiveness for you as long as my Lord does not forbid me from doing so. Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed: {It is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe to seek forgiveness for the polytheists[83], even if they are close relatives, after becoming clear to them that they are the people of the Blazing Fire.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 113] And the following verse was revealed concerning Abu Tālib: {You cannot guide whoever you like, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He knows best who will be guided.} [Surat al-Qasas: 56] You cannot guide whoever you like to guide; your duty is only to convey the message, and Allah guides whom He wills.

It is prohibited to seek forgiveness for the polytheists regardless of their kinship, deeds, and benevolence.

Imitating ancestors and seniors in falsehood is a pre-Islamic practice.

The Prophet's perfect compassion and his keenness on calling and guiding people.

Refuting the claim that Abu Tālib embraced Islam.

It is the final deeds that count.

The invalidity of appealing to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) or anyone else to bring benefit or ward off harm.

Whoever says: La ilāha illallāh (there is no god but Allah) out of knowledge, certainty, and belief, has entered into Islam.

The harmful impact of evil companions and bad friends.

"La ilāha illallāh" (there is no god but Allah) means: Abandoning the worship of idols, the pious, and the righteous and worshiping Allah alone, and the polytheists know its meaning.

It is permissible to visit the sick polytheist if there is hope that he will embrace Islam.

Placing guidance in the hearts is in Allah's Hand alone, without a partner, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is only responsible for guidance of direction, instruction, and message conveyance.

Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave him a specific piece of advice concerning leadership and assuming it, after he had asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to appoint him to a position of authority. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "You are weak." This statement is a bit strong; however, integrity entails being frank with a person about their character. If a person is strong, he should be told that he is strong, and if a person is weak, he should be told that he is weak. This Hadīth provides evidence that leadership is conditional on the person assuming it being strong and trustworthy, because the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "…and it is a trust." So if a person is strong and trustworthy, then these characteristics make him qualified for leadership and authority. If someone is strong but not trustworthy, trustworthy but not strong, or neither strong nor trustworthy; these three types of people are not suited for leadership. Based on this, leadership should be entrusted to a strong person, as this is more beneficial to the people who are in need of authority and strength. If there is no strength, especially if there is weakness in the religion; people's rights will be lost. So this Hadīth gives strong evidence to avoid assuming leadership, especially by those who have a weakness in discharging the duties of authority. The disgrace and remorse mentioned in the Hadīth in this statement "It will be a cause of disgrace and remorse on the Day of Resurrection" apply to those who are not qualified to assume a post of authority or are qualified, but do not discharge their responsibility justly. In these cases, Allah, the Exalted, will disgrace and humiliate him on the Day of Resurrection and he will regret what he neglected. This threat does not apply to someone who is qualified for leadership and acts justly. That is why the noble Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made an exception when he said: "except for the one who takes it up with a full sense of responsibility and fulfills what is entrusted to him," because there is a great credit for the person who takes it up rightfully. This is indicated in a number of authentic Hadīths, such as the one where he said: "Allah will shade seven types of people under His shade... " and the Hadīth where he said: "Those who are just will be on pulpits of light..." and so on.

Abu Bakr as-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that people recite the following verse: {O you who believe, take care of your own selves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you as long as you are guided.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 105] and the meaning they grasp therefrom is that one should work on reforming himself alone, bearing in mind that the misguidance of others can never harm him after that and that they are not required to enjoin good or forbid evil. However, he informed them that this was not the true meaning of the verse and that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: When people see the oppressor and do not stop him from practicing his oppression, despite having the ability to do so, Allah will soon overwhelm all of them, the evildoer and the one remaining silent regarding this, with a punishment from Him.

Exchanging advice, enjoining good, and forbidding evil are among the Muslims' duties.

Allah's universal punishment includes the oppressor for his oppression and the one who remains silent without forbidding such oppression if he has the ability to forbid it.

Teaching common people and helping them understand the Qur’anic texts in the right manner.

One should assign good care to understanding the Book of Allah Almighty so as not to understand it in a way different from that which He has meant it to be understood.

Guidance cannot be attained without enjoining good and forbidding evil.

The right interpretation of the verse: keep guarding yourselves against sins, and if you guard yourselves, the misguidance of whoever commits the prohibitions will not harm you, if you are not able to enjoin good and forbid evil and if you are guided to avoid such prohibitions.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that rulers will be appointed to be in charge of us. We will approve some of their deeds for conforming with Shariah, and we will disapprove other deeds for contradicting Shariah. Whoever hates such evil deeds in his heart and is unable to forbid them is absolved of sin and hypocrisy. Whoever is able to forbid evil with his hand or tongue and does so is safe from bearing sin and from participating in it. However, those who are content with their evil deeds and follow them will be doomed just like them. Then, they asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): Shall we not fight against such rulers? He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from that and said: No, as long as they establish the prayer amongst you.

Among the signs of the Prophet's prophethood is his foretelling about things of the Unseen that will take place in the same manner he foretold.

It is impermissible to approve of evil or participate in it and it must be forbidden.

If the rulers introduce something that contradicts Shariah, obeying them in this regard will be impermissible.

It is impermissible to rebel against the Muslim rulers given the harm, bloodshed, and loss of security that result therefrom; whereas, enduring the wrongdoing of sinful rulers and bearing their harm is the lesser of two evils.

The great significance of the prayer as it represents the difference between disbelief and Islam.

Uqbah ibn al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he prayed the ‘Asr prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) one day, and the Prophet hurriedly left by crossing the rows of people to one of the rooms of his wives. The people were astonished at his haste. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came back and saw the people wondering about his haste, so he wanted to clarify it, and told them that he remembered a gold nugget in his house of Zakah which was supposed to be distributed, and he did not want his thinking about it to prevent and distract him from contemplating and devoting himself completely to Allah while in the prayer.

The Hadīth contains a prohibition of giving authority to whoever seeks it or has greed for it. When the two men asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to appoint them rulers over some of what Allah entrusted him with, he said: "By Allah! We do not entrust this affair to anyone who seeks it or is keen to attain it." i.e. we do not give authority to anyone who asks for it or is keen to have it. That is because perhaps the one who seeks it or has greed for it aims at giving himself authority, not at bringing reform. Since such a person could be liable to such an accusation, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade giving authority to the one who seeks it, saying: "By Allah! We do not entrust this post to anyone who seeks it or is keen to attain it." The subject matter of this Hadīth was confirmed by the Hadīth of ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) who reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not ask for a position of authority, for if you are granted this position without having asked for it, you will be helped in it, and if you are granted it as a result of your asking for it, you will be left alone to handle it." So, it is not befitting for a ruler to fulfill the request of someone who seeks authority over an area of land even if he is qualified for it. Likewise, if someone asks to be appointed a judge, saying for example to the person in charge of judiciary, like the minister of justice, for example: "Make me a judge over such-and-such land," he should not to be given such an authority. As for the case where someone asks to be moved from authority over one land to another, then it is not included in this Hadīth, because he has already been in a position of authority, but is asking to be moved to another location. This applies unless it is known that his intention and aim is to gain authority over the people of that land, in which case, he should be prevented, since actions are to be judged according to intentions. One may wonder about the statement of Yūsuf (peace be upon him) to the ruler: {Set me over the storehouses of the land; I will indeed guard them with full knowledge} [Sūrat Yūsuf: 55]. The answer to that is one of two things: 1. If the legislation of those who came before us contradict our own legislation, we should act upon our legislation, based on the well-known principle among the scholars of Islamic fundamentals: "We hold the legislation of those before us as our legislation, as long as there is nothing reported in our legislation that runs counter to it." In fact, there is something reported in our legislation that disagrees with that, namely the Hadīth that reads: "We do not give authority to anyone who seeks to be given authority." 2. It could be said that Yūsuf (peace be upon him) saw that the wealth was being wasted, squandered, and tampered with, so he wished to save the country from this manipulation. In a situation like that, the aim is to remove the mismanagement and poor administration, so there is nothing wrong here. For example, if there is a commander over a section (of a land), who neglects the duties entailed by that authority and causes corruption, then the one suitable for this job – if he cannot find other than himself – must ask the ruler to give him authority over that section, saying to him: "Give me authority over this land in order to rid it of the bad state it is in," and this is alright, and is in accordance with the rules. There is also a Hadīth where ‘Uthmān ibn Abi al-‘Ās said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Make me a leader of my people." i.e. in prayer. So he said: "You are their leader." Based upon this, some scholars said: “The Hadīth indicates the permissibility of seeking leadership in what is good.” In the supplication of the slaves of the Most Merciful – a description which Allah gave them – they say: {And make us leaders for the pious} [Sūrat al-Furqān: 74]. This is not included in the disliked pursuit of leadership which pertains to worldly leadership, whose seeker is not helped, nor does he deserve to be granted such leadership.

The Prophet's saying "By the One in Whose Hand my soul is" is an oath in which the Prophet swears by Allah. The souls are in Allah's Hand, Exalted and Glorified. He guides or misguides them, and He causes them to live or die, if He wills. Allah says: {And [by] the soul and He Who proportioned it. And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness.} [Sūrat Ash-Shams: 7-8] So the souls are in Allah's hand alone. That is why the Prophet swore by it. He would also swear by his own soul: "By the One in Whose hand the soul of Muhammad is." That is because the soul of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is the best of souls. Therefore, he would swear by it. The Prophet then mentioned the thing on which he took the oath: to command good and forbid evil, which is a religious duty that is to be fulfilled. Otherwise, Allah will send a common punishment and not answer our prayers.

‘Ā'idh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) visited ‘Ubaydullāh ibn Ziyād, who was the ruler of the Iraqis after his father, and said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'The worst of shepherds is the harsh one'", i.e. the one who is harsh in looking after camels while herding them, bringing them in and taking them out, shoving them into one another, and overburdening them. He was giving an example of the evil ruler, and the meaning intended here is the harsh ruler who oppresses people and is neither gentle nor merciful with them. The statement: "Beware of being one of them" is from the speech of ‘Ā'idh as an advice to Ibn Ziyād. Thereupon, Ibn Ziyād gave the following reply: "You are nothing but the chaff of them", i.e. you are not from the virtuous and knowledgeable Companions of the Prophet, or those with high status among them; rather, you are from the worthless among them. The word "chaff" here is a metaphor used to indicate meanness and worthlessness. So the noble Companion (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: "Was there worthless chaff among them? Such worthless chaff only appeared after them and among those other than them." This is the eloquence and veracity of speech that every Muslim believes in. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) were all the cream of the crop, the masters of the Muslim nation, and more virtuous than those who came after them. All of them were upright role models and there is no worthless chaff among them. The chaff only came from and among those after them.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentions Allah's bounty and mercy, and that if a Muslim habitually performs a certain good deed while in good health and being at home, and then something occurs to him, such as an illness that makes him unable to do this deed, or a journey that keeps him too busy to do so, or any other excuse, he will get his reward in full, as he used to obtain it for performing this deed while in good health and at home.

This shows Allah's great bounty upon His servants.

It urges us to be diligent in doing good deeds and utilizing our time while we have good health and free time.

’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that a man from the Ansār lived farthest from the Prophet's Mosque, yet he never missed a prayer—he would attend every prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So it was said to him: If you were to buy a donkey to ride during the darkness of night and the heat of the ground in the daytime, he replied: It would not please me for my house to be next to the mosque. I want Allah to record for me my walking to the mosque for prayer and my return when I go back to my family. His words reached the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who said: "Verily, Allah has gathered all of that for you."

The intense keenness of the Companions to pursue goodness, increase in it, and earn reward.

An-Nawawi said: "This indicates that reward is affirmed for the steps taken when returning from the prayer, just as it is for those taken when going to it."

Muslims should encourage one another toward goodness and offer sincere advice in righteousness. So if someone sees that his brother is experiencing hardship, he should offer him advice to help relieve it.

Living far from the mosque is not an excuse for missing the congregational prayer, as long as one can hear the call to prayer.

Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade people from being persistent in asking for something, noting that such persistence removes the blessing from the given thing. Then, the Prophet swore that if someone asked him for something in a persistent manner and he gave it to him reluctantly, that thing would be bereft of blessing due to the persistent asking.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commands us to convey knowledge from him, from the Qur’an or the Sunnah, even if it is something short, like a verse from the Qur’an or a Hadīth, provided that a person should have knowledge of what he conveys and invites people to it. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that there is no sin in narrating about the Children of Israel and the events that happened to them, in a way that does not run counter to our Shariah. Then, he warns against telling lies about him and states that whoever intentionally lies about him should occupy his dwelling in Hellfire.

This hadith encourages us to convey the Shariah of Allah and indicates that a person should pass on what he learns and understands, even if it is something little.

It is obligatory to seek knowledge of the Shariah, so that we can worship Allah and convey His religion in a correct way.

We are obligated to ascertain the authenticity of any Hadīth before we convey and spread it, lest we fall under this stern warning.

We are urged to be truthful and cautious in our speech, lest we fall into telling lies, particularly when it comes to the Shariah of Allah Almighty.

If someone is offering voluntary night prayer, and it becomes hard for him to recite the Qur'an because of drowsiness, until he does not understand what he is saying: then let him lie down until his drowsiness goes away, so that he would not alter or change the words of Allah, for perhaps he might fall into prohibition by reversing its meanings or altering its words, or he might make supplications against himself. In Al-Bukhāri, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If one of you becomes drowsy during prayer, then let him sleep until he knows what he is reading."

This Hadīth means that any Muslim who plants a tree or sows a field, then any living being eats from it, he will receive reward for it, even after his death, for the reward of his action will continue as long as the his plants stay beneficial. This Hadīth encourages the planting trees and sowing fields for what they entail of abundance goodness, for they have religious benefits as well as worldly benefits. If anything is eaten of such trees or plants, it will be counted as charity, even something is stolen of it, i.e. when someone steals dates from his date palm, yet he will receive the reward, keeping in mind that if the owner recognizes the thief, he will sue him in the court, even though, Allah, the Almighty, counts it as charity for its owner until the Day of Judgment. Also if some animals or insects eat form it, the owner will still receive the reward of charity. The Hadīth specifies the Muslim because he is the one who benefits from this charity in this world and the Hereafter.

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke about the one who concealed evil intentions at the time of divine revelation, and how that was made known to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) through the revelation. During the time of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) some people were hypocrites, pretending to be good while concealing evil. However, Allah, the Exalted, exposed them through the revelation to His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). When the revelation ceased, people were incapable of knowing the hypocrites, because hypocrisy is in the heart. He thus said that they started judging people by what appears to them. So whoever appeared to be good, they dealt with him according to what he showed, even if he had evil intentions. Whoever appeared to be evil, they dealt with him according to the evil he showed, and they were not responsible for his intention. The intention is entrusted to the Lord of the Worlds, Exalted and Glorified, who knows what one's inner self whispers to him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the religion rests upon sincerity and truthfulness, to be observed as Allah ordained, in a perfect manner without shortcomings or deception. It was said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): To whom should sincerity be? He said: First: Sincerity should be to Allah Almighty: by performing deeds sincerely for His sake, not associating partners with Him, believing in His lordship, divinity, names, and attributes, venerating His command, and calling people to believe in Him. Second: Sincerity should be to His Book, namely the noble Qur’an: by believing that it is His speech and the last book revealed by Him and that it superseded all the legislations before it - and by revering it, reciting it correctly, acting upon its definite verses and accepting its ambiguous ones, defending it against the misinterpretation of those who seek to distort it, heeding its lessons and admonitions, spreading its knowledge, and calling people to it. Third: Sincerity should be to His Messenger Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): by believing that he is the last Messenger, believing him in all that he came with, observing his commands and prohibitions, worshiping Allah only according to what he came with, venerating and revering him, spreading his call, disseminating his Shariah, and negating the accusations leveled against him. Fourth: Sincerity should be to the leaders of the Muslims: by helping them in what is right, not fighting them over power, and hearing and obeying them in what is pleasing to Allah. Fifth: Sincerity should be to the Muslims: by showing kindness to them, calling them to Allah, averting harm from them, wishing good for them, and cooperating with them in righteousness and piety.

The Hadīth commands us to be sincere to everyone.

Sincerity occupies great status in the religion.

The religion comprises beliefs, words, and deeds.

An aspect of sincerity is to rid oneself of deception toward the one to whom sincerity is addressed and to wish good for him.

The Hadīth highlights the Prophet's good approach to teaching, as he would briefly mention something and then explain it in detail.

First things first. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began with sincerity to Allah, then to His Book, then to His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then to the leaders of the Muslims, and then to the common Muslims.

‘Amr ibn Sa‘īd ibn al-‘Ās, who was known as Al-Ashdaq, wanted to prepare an army to march to Makkah, when he was governor of Madīnah during the Caliphate of Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyah. His purpose was to fight ‘Abdullāh ibn Az-Zubayr, (may Allah be pleased with him). So Abu Shurayh, whose full name is Khuwaylid ibn ‘Amr al-Khuzā‘i, went to him to offer him advice in this respect. However, since his advice was directed at a person who has high regard of himself, Abu Shurayh was gentle and softened his speech when talking to him, out of wisdom and intelligence, so that the chances of his advice being accepted are higher and he would be safe from any unfavorable consequences. He asked him permission if he could give him advice regarding the army he was preparing to send. He told him that he was certain of the authenticity of this Hadīth that he was about to relate to him, and confident of its truthfulness since he was present when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said it. His ears heard it, his heart understood it, and his eyes saw it. So ‘Amr ibn Sa‘īd gave him permission to speak. Abu Shurayh said that on the morning after the Conquest of Makkah, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) praised Allah and glorified him, then he said: "Allah has made Makkah sacred since the day He created the heavens and the earth," i.e. its sacredness is ancient. It was not the people who made it temporarily sacred as they do with private property or grazing land or water sources. Rather, it was Allah who made it sacred so that its sanctity becomes greater and more emphasized. So if Makkah’s sacredness was ancient and decreed by Allah, then it is not permissible for anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day - if he is keen on preserving his faith - to spill the blood of anyone in it or cut down any of its trees. If anyone comes along and uses my fighting in Makkah as a justification, then say to him: You are not like the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He was given permission, but you were not, keeping in mind that fighting in Makkah was not made lawful for him at all times; rather, it was only a few hours of daytime in proportion to the need to fight. After that need was fulfilled, its sacredness was restored. So let those who are present relay that to those who are absent. For this reason, I am relaying this to you, O Commander, because I witnessed and heard this from the Messenger of Allah on the morning after the conquest, and you did not witness it. The People asked Abu Shurayh: "What did ‘Amr answer you?" He replied: "He said to me: 'I have more knowledge of this than you, O Abu Shurayh. Indeed the Sacred Precinct does not protect a sinner or a fugitive thief.'" So he challenged the Hadīth with his opinion, and he did not refrain from sending the army to fight Ibn Az-Zubayr; rather, he proceeded with his plan.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that every religiously accountable Muslim should give every day a voluntary charity on behalf of every single one of his bone joints as a form of expressing gratitude to Allah Almighty for well-being and for creating his bones with joints that allow him to grasp and stretch. This charity can be fulfilled not through giving money alone but through all types of righteous acts, which include: Acting justly and reconciling between those in disagreement counts as a charity. Helping someone disabled with his mount by helping him ride on it or lifting his luggage on it counts as a charity. The good word, whether it is Dhikr (remembrance of Allah), supplication, greeting of peace, or otherwise counts as a charity. Every step you take to the prayer counts as a charity. Removing what is harmful from the way counts as a charity.

The structure of the bones of human beings and their soundness are among the greatest blessings of Allah Almighty upon them. Hence, each bone needs charity to be given on its behalf to show due gratitude for such a blessing.

Encouraging the act of renewing gratitude daily to maintain such blessings.

Encouraging the constant observance of voluntary acts of worship and charity on a daily basis.

The merit of reconciling between people.

Encouraging a Muslim to help his fellow Muslim as this counts as a charity.

Encouraging the attendance of the congregational prayers and walking thereto and maintaining mosques.

It is obligatory to respect the Muslims' roads by avoiding what hurts or harms them.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that when leaders and rulers lead the prayer correctly, both the leaders and those who follow them in prayer will be rewarded; but if they pray incorrectly, only the followers will be rewarded while the leaders will bear the sin of incorrect prayer. Even though the Hadīth is talking about state leaders, mosque leaders (Imāms) are included as well. They will be rewarded or punished as per the way they pray. In addition, the Hadīth indicates the obligation of observing patience with those in authority, even if they pray incorrectly or delay prayer. In such cases, one must not break with them, and one should delay the congregational prayer as they do. For this particular reason, the delay is justified so that one can join the congregational prayer. For the followers, it would be as if they prayed at the beginning of the designated time for prayer. However, the delay is allowable only if the allocated time for prayer does not expire. It is noteworthy to mention that breaking with the community of Muslims; and refusing to obey the instructions of those in authority, parting with them, instigating people against them, or spreading their shortcomings are all at odds with the religion of Islam.

This Hadīth stresses the immense importance of sovereignty. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated to Allah to treat harshly those who acquire a status of sovereignty over Muslims and treat them harshly. In contrast, he supplicated to Allah to treat gently those who treat their Muslim subjects justly, gently, and mercifully. In short, actions have consequences.

In this Hadīth, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports: I was walking with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and he was wearing a Najrāni cloak - from Najrān, Yemen - with a thick hem. A Bedouin approached him and pulled him violently by his cloak. I looked at the neck of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon) [and saw that] it was chaffed by his hard tug. The Bedouin then said: "O Muhammad, give me some of Allah's wealth that you have with you." In other words, it is not a favor from you to give from it, as it does not belong to you. The Prophet turned to him, laughed, and ordered that he be given something.

Az-Zubayr ibn ‘Adiyy, along with a group of people, went to Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) who was the servant of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to complain to him about their suffering at the hands of Al-Hajjāj ibn Yūsuf Ath-Thaqafi. Al-Hajjāj was a governor appointed by the Caliphs of Banu Umayyah, and he was notorious for oppressing people and shedding their blood, as well as for being tyrannical and stubborn. So Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered them to be patient in the face of the oppression of those in authority, and informed them that no time would come upon them but the time following it would be worse until they meet their lord, and that he had heard this from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Evil is not always a general absolute evil; it could be evil in some situations and good in others.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the rulers who demand their right from people, i.e., to listen and obey and withhold the right that is due to them, namely fulfilling justice, giving the spoils of war, redressing and settling grievances. What do you command us to do with them? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turned away from him as if he disliked these kinds of questions. However, the questioner repeated his question for the second and third time; thereupon, Al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him) pulled the questioner to silence him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered by saying: Listen to what they say and obey their command, as they are only responsible for their duty and for what is entrusted to them of fulfilling justice and giving the subjects their rights, and you are responsible for your duty of obedience, fulfilling rights, and enduring misfortunes patiently.

The command to listen to and obey the rulers in all cases when it comes to what pleases Allah Almighty, even if they do not fulfill the subjects' rights.

The rulers' negligence in carrying out their duty does not justify the people's negligence in fulfilling their duties in return, as everyone is responsible for his deeds and will be held accountable for his negligence.

Religion is not built on bartering; rather, it is built on the commitment to obligations, even if others in return prove negligent in meeting their duties, as mentioned in this Hadīth.

The Commander of the Believers ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) as the governor of Kufa, but its people complained to ‘Umar about Sa‘d. They lodged many complaints against Sa‘d and even alleged that Sa‘d did not know how to perform the prayers properly, despite the fact that he was a revered Companion of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and one of the ten who were promised Paradise. Accordingly, ‘Umar sent for Sa‘d and told him that the people of Kufa filed many complaints against him and that they even claimed that he did not pray properly. Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he used to perform the prayer with them exactly as he learnt it from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) i.e. prolonging the first two Rak‘ahs of the ‘Ishā' prayer and shortening the last two. He mentioned the ‘Ishā' prayer, most likely because it was specifically mentioned by the complainers. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) commended Sa‘d and praised him saying: "That is what I thought of you, O Abu Is'hāq.” In other words ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) confirmed that Sa‘d was trustworthy, and that he was sure that he used to lead the people in prayer and perform it exactly as the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). Nevertheless, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) investigated the issue by sending men to the people of Kufa in order to inquire about Sa‘d and how he used to carry out his duties, because he knew well that he was responsible as a ruler of all Muslims. Those men went there and did not leave any mosque without asking about Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him). All the people praised him till they came to the mosque of the tribe of Banu ‘Abs. When they asked the people there, a man stood up and said: "Since you asked; I am bound to tell you that Sa‘d never personally marched in Jihad, nor did he ever divide the spoils of war fairly, nor was he ever fair in judging between people!" The man made three serious accusations against Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) who decided to make three invocations against that man. He asked Allah, the Exalted, to prolong the life of that man, make him poverty stricken throughout the course of his life, and afflict him with trials. Nevertheless, before making these invocations, Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “If this slave of Yours is a liar and got up for showing off and speaking boastfully.” Allah, the Exalted, answered the supplication and that man lived long until his eyebrows became shaggy and fell over his eyelids, because of old age, and suffered poverty as well as trials. Despite his old age, he used to wink at the young girls as they pass by in the roads. This man also used to tell people that he was an old man subjected to trials because of Sa‘d’s invocation.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated against anyone who takes charge of some affairs of the Muslims, be they little or significant, and whether his authority is public or a private and specific one, and he puts them into difficulty and does not treat them gently, that Allah Almighty give him recompense of the same type of his action: putting him into difficulty. And he supplicated for anyone who takes charge over the Muslims and treats them gently and makes things easy for them that Allah treat him gently and make things easy for him.

Whoever assumes any authority over the Muslims should treat them as gently as he can.

Recompense is of the same type as the deed.

The criterion governing whether something is considered to be harsh or gentle is that it should not contradict the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that if Allah Almighty puts someone in authority over people, be it public authority, like the ruler, or a private one, like a man in his house and a woman in her house, and he neglects the right of those under his authority, cheats them, and acts insincerely towards them, ruining their worldly and religious rights, then he deserves this severe punishment.

This warning applies to the ruler and his deputies and to anyone whom Allah puts in charge of responsibility.

Anyone who assumes some authority over Muslims should be sincere to them, make his best effort to discharge the responsibility assigned to him and beware of treachery.

The Hadīth reveals the seriousness of the responsibility of anyone who assumes authority, public or private, and great or small.

This Hadīth states that it is the duty of scholars, just as it was the duty of the prophets, to clarify all forms of good, encourage people to perform it, and guide them to its path. It is also their duty to clarify all forms of evil and warn people against it. The Hadīth shows that the early generations of this Ummah were granted safety from trials, whereas its late generations will be afflicted with evil and trials that will make the coming trials trivialize the previous trials. Safety (from these trials) lies in monotheism, adherence to the Sunnah, kind treatment of people, abidance by the pledge given to the ruler and refraining from rebelling against him, and killing whoever wishes to create dissension among the Muslims.

If someone is appointed by us to a position of collecting the income of Zakah or the booty of war and he conceals from us a needle or less, then this amounts to misappropriation, and he will (have to) produce it on the Day of Judgment. Then a black man from the Ansār stood up and asked the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to release him of his assignment. He said: "What has happened to you?" The man said: "I heard you say such-and-such (the previous Hadīth)." He said: "And I say that (even) now: Whosoever from you is appointed by us to a position of authority, he should bring everything, big or small. He is to take what is assigned to him; otherwise, he should restrain from appropriating what is not his."

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) gave each of the Muhājirūn four thousand dirhams. His son was also from the Muhājirūn, but he gave him three thousand five hundred dirhams only, because it was his father, ‘Umar, who took him along with him when he emigrated and he had not yet reached puberty at the time. For this reason he did not treat him in the same way he treated the adult Muslims who emigrated by themselves. Indeed, the world have not known after the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr As-Siddīq a ruler who was as ascetic and pious regarding the wealth of the Muslims as ‘Umar. This is the duty of any person who is in charge of the affairs of the Muslims; he must not show favoritism to his relatives, nor to a rich person because of his wealth, or a poor because of his poverty. Rather, he should treat each person properly, as this is a form of piety and justice.

An aspect of the humility of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is shown when a man came to him while he was delivering a sermon and told him that he was a stranger who wished to learn about the religion. The Prophet gave him attention; he stopped his sermon and walked toward him. Then he was brought a chair to sit on, and he started teaching the man, because this man came with a desire to learn his religion in order to act upon it. After teaching him, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) continued his sermon.

It is disliked to overburden oneself with worship. If a worshiper feels that sleepiness will overcome him while praying, he should discontinue his prayer or complete it, then lie down and rest lest he unintentionally supplicates against himself because of exhaustion.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed a man named Ibn al-Lutbiyyah to collect the Zakah from the tribe of Banu Sulaym. When he returned to Madīnah, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) held him accountable for what he had collected and how he had spent it. So Ibn al-Lutbiyyah said: This is your wealth, which I collected as Zakah, and this is a gift that was given to me. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Why do you not sit in the house of your father and mother to see whether gifts will be given to you if you are truthful? The rights and duties you were tasked with were the reason for those gifts being offered to you. If you had remained in your home, nothing would have been gifted to you. So, it is not permissible for you to consider it lawful simply because it reached you in the form of a gift. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ascended the pulpit angrily and delivered a sermon. He praised Allah and glorified Him, then said: To proceed, I appoint one of you to a duty—to oversee what Allah has entrusted to me of Zakah and war spoils. Then he returns from his assignment and says: This is for you, and this was given to me as a gift! Why does he not sit in the house of his father and mother to see if his gift will come to him? By Allah, no one takes anything unlawfully from what is given to him except that he will meet Allah on the Day of Judgment carrying it on his neck—whether it is a groaning camel, a mooing cow, or a bleating sheep. Then he raised his hands forcefully until those sitting saw the whiteness of his armpits, and he said: O Allah, I have conveyed Your ruling to them. Then Abu Humayd as-Sā‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that: This is what his eyes saw and his ears heard.

The ruler must clarify to those working under him what is required of them and what is prohibited in their duties.

A threat to those who take people's wealth unjustly.

There is no oppressor except that he will come on the Day of Judgment carrying what he wronged others with.

It is obligatory for any employee in any government position to fulfill the responsibilities assigned to him. He is not permitted to accept gifts related to his work. If he receives such gifts, he must place them in the public treasury, and he is not allowed to keep them for himself, because such gifts are a means to evil and a violation of trust.

Ibn Battāl said: This Hadīth indicates that a gift given to a public official is usually offered either as a token of gratitude for a favor, or to win his affection, or out of hope that he will show bias in applying the law. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that in such gifts, the official is just like any other Muslim—he has no special privilege over them—and it is not permissible for him to take such gifts exclusively for himself.

An-Nawawi said: This Hadīth makes clear that gifts given to public officials are unlawful and considered a form of Ghulūl (stealing from the spoils of war), because the official has betrayed his trust and responsibility. This is why the Hadīth mentions the punishment: that he will carry what was gifted to him on the Day of Judgment, similar to the punishment for one who steals from the war booty. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clearly explained in the same Hadīth the reason for the prohibition of the gift: it is due to his position of authority. This is in contrast to a gift given to someone who is not a public official, for such gifts are recommended.

Ibn al-Munayyir said: It is understood from his statement: "Why does he not sit in the house of his father and mother" that it is permissible for a person in public office to accept gifts from someone who used to gift him before assuming that position. Ibn Hajar added: This is, of course, only allowed if the gift does not exceed what was customary before.

The prophetic method in giving advice is to speak generally, not to expose individuals.

Ibn Hajar said: It indicates the legitimacy of holding accountable those who are entrusted with responsibilities or public duties.

Ibn Hajar said: It denotes the permissibility of rebuking the one who makes a mistake.

Raising the hands in supplication is recommended.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that the religion of Islam is built on facilitation and ease in all its affairs, and facilitation becomes more emphatic when there is an inability and need for it. Also, delving deeply into religious activities and abandoning moderateness finally leads to the inability and cessation of deeds, wholly or partially. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged moderation and refraining from excessive. So, a person should neither neglect his duties nor be burdened with things beyond his capacity. If he is unable to do a certain deed altogether, he should perform what is close to it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave good tidings of a great reward for ongoing deeds, even if they are little, for those who are unable to perform the deeds completely. This is because if the inability is not due to their own fault, it does not entail a reduction in their reward. Since this world is in reality a place of travel and transfer to the Hereafter, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to seek help, for the regular performance of worship, in the three times of activeness: First: Ghadwah: walking in the early morning - between the Fajr prayer and sunrise. Second: Rawhah: walking in the afternoon. Third: Duljah: walking in the whole night or part of it. Since work at night is harder than the daytime, he enjoined part of it, saying: and part of the Duljah.

The Hadīth shows the ease and tolerance of Islamic Shariah and its middle position between excess and neglect.

A person should fulfill a command to the best of his ability, neither taking it lightly nor overburdening himself with it.

A person should choose the times of activeness for the performance of worship. In these three times in particular, one's body becomes most energetic for worship.

Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalāni said: It is as if the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was addressing a traveler to a destination, and these three times are the best times for the traveler. So, he alerted him to the times in which he is active. If a traveler travels during both the night and day, he will become weak and cut off. But if he is keen to travel during these energetic times, he will be able to continue without difficulty.

Ibn Hajar said: There is a reference in the Hadīth to taking the Shar‘i dispensation, for choosing a determined course of action where a Shar‘i dispensation is available is regarded as immoderation. For example, a person refuses to perform Tayammum (dry ablution) when he is unable to use water, and his use of it leads to a harmful effect.

Ibn al-Munīr said: In this Hadīth is one of the signs that prove the Prophet's prophethood, for we have seen and the people before us have seen that every extremist in the religion will be cut off. The purpose is not to prevent the pursuit of the most perfect form of worship, which is commendable. Rather, it is to prevent excess that leads to boredom, or exaggeration in voluntary acts that lead to abandoning what is better or performing an obligatory act beyond its time, such as someone who spends the whole night praying and then sleeps and does not offer the Fajr prayer in congregation, or until the sun rises and the time for the obligatory prayer has passed.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) established a bond of brotherhood between Salmān and Abu Ad-Dardā'. Salmān visited Abu Ad-Dardā' and noticed that his wife was not dressed the way a married woman should be dressed (i.e. she dressed shabbily). He asked her about the reason and she answered that his brother, Abu Ad-Dardā', had no interest in the (the pleasures) of the world including his wife and food and everything else. When Abu Ad-Dardā' arrived, he prepared a meal for Salmān and presented it to him while Abu Ad-Dardā' himself was fasting. So, Salmān ordered him to break his fast because he knew that his brother was always fasting. Abu Ad-Dardā' complied with his command. When Abu Ad-Dardā' wished to stay up to pray voluntary night prayer, Salmān ordered him to sleep until it was the last third of the night when they both got up and prayed. Salmān wished thereby to show Abu Ad-Dardā' that a person should not burden himself with continuous fasting and night prayer. Rather, he should pray and fast in a moderate manner that earns him the reward without causing exhaustion and suffering. He should also take care to give his family their due rights including his time, care and companionship.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that every Muslim in the society has a responsibility to undertake and bear. The leader or the ruler is a guardian over those Allah has placed in his charge. He is responsible for preserving their legislation, defending against whoever wrongs them, fighting against their enemies, and not wasting their rights. The man in his family is responsible for providing for them, treating them kindly, teaching, and disciplining them. The woman in her husband's house is a guardian for managing his house well and bringing up his children, and she will be held accountable for this. The servant and the employee are responsible for their masters' wealth by preserving what is under their control thereof and serving them, and they will be held accountable for that. So, everyone is a guardian over what has been placed under his charge, and everyone is responsible for his subjects.

The responsibility in the Muslim community is general and everyone should fulfill his responsibility according to his ability.

The woman's responsibility is great, as she is responsible for fulfilling the right of her husband's house and her duties towards her children.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw a camel whose belly was touched to its back because of starvation, so he ordered kindness and gentleness in treating animals. It is incumbent upon a person to be kind to animals by not overburdening them beyond their ability, and not neglecting to feed them sufficient food and drink. So, when one rides them, let them be fit for riding, and when eats them, let them be fit for eating.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for his Ummah by asking Allah, the Almighty, to bless their early morning hours for them, so that this time would be enough to get their daily work done and their work itself would be blessed. This blessing includes seeking sustenance, knowledge, victory over the enemy, or any other act. This is why the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to send his army in the early morning. Similarly, Sakhr ibn Wadā‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) became a wealthy man because of the supplication of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

Explanation: The best companionship is that made up of four persons; and the best detachment consists of four hundred soldiers; and the most helpful soldiers are those that have reached four thousand. If an army reaches twelve thousand soldiers, it will not be defeated. If it is defeated, then it will not be due to its small number; rather it might be defeated for some other reasons, such as lack of religious commitment, feeling proud of their large number, committing sins, absence of sincerity to Allah, etc.

The Hadīth means that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to join the last group of travelers while being on a journey. He used to do so in order to check on people and those in need of help, such as the impotent and those needing a ride. Also, he used to encourage the weak person to move quickly, take up someone behind him, and supplicate for him.

This Hadīth instructs the Muslim to listen to his rulers and those in authority and obey them in all situations, as long as he is not ordered to disobey Allah or is burdened with what is beyond his capacity. Listening and obeying is obligatory even if one finds this is difficult at times or if some of his rights were not given to him. Priority is given to the public interest over his own personal interest.

Ibn ‘Umar informs us that whenever they gave pledge allegiance to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) he would order them to listen and obey. He restricted such obedience to what falls within their ability. In other words, if a ruler orders a Muslim to do something that he is not able to do, he does not have to obey him. Allah, the Almighty,, said: {Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity.} [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 286]

According to this Hadīth, it is mandatory to listen to and obey the ruler, whether or not one likes his commands. Only if one is ordered to commit a sin, he is not under obligation to listen and obey concerning this specific order.

The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of belittling the commands of the ruler, as it entails for the one who does so severe threat and humiliation from Allah, the Almighty, in the worldly life and the Hereafter, given the fact that one reaps what he sows.

Listen to your rulers and be obedient to them even if an Abyssinian slave whose head is like a raisin is appointed to be your leader. The comparison of his head to a raisin denotes physical description, because the hair of Abyssinians is not like the hair of the Arabs. Abyssinian hair is curly, with their curls resembling raisins. This is an emphasis on the fact that the mentioned ruler is of pure Abyssinian descent. "Was appointed a ruler over you" indicates that the order to listen and obey includes the deputy of the supreme leader as well as the leader himself. If it happens that a leader overcame the people and took control of them and he is not an Arab, rather, he is an Abyssinian slave, then it is our duty to listen and obey him. This Hadīth is proof that it is obligatory to be obedient to the rulers, except if they order us to disobey Allah, because obedience to them ensures stability and security, and prevents chaos and the pursuit of personal inclinations and desires. If someone disobeys the rulers in a matter where it is obligatory to obey them, then this leads to chaos and the bias of each individual to his own opinion. Consequently, security is compromised, state matters fall into disorder, and trials and tribulations become widespread.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that obedience to him is obedience to Allah. The Prophet does not order his followers with anything except the legislation that Allah legislated for him and his followers. When he commands us to do something, then indeed it is from Allah's legislation. So whoever obeyed the Prophet indeed obeyed Allah, and whoever disobeys the Prophet disobyed Allah. If someone obeys the leader, then he has indeed obeyed the Prophet, and likewise, if he disobeys the leader, then he has disobeyed the Prophet; that is because the Prophet ordered obedience to the leader in many Hadīths, except if the leader's order involves disobedience (to Allah and His Messenger).

This Hadīth indicates that Muslim leaders may be righteous and may be unrighteous and disobedient to Allah. However, it is not permissible to rebel against them as long as they uphold the rituals of Islam, the most important of which is the prayer. In other words, as long as they do not prevent (congregational) prayer.

It was reported that some people came to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: When we enter upon our rulers, we tell them things, but when we leave them, we say something else. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Umar said: We used to consider this hypocrisy during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). That is because they failed to speak the truth and betrayed their duty to offer sincere advice. Indeed, anyone who meets the people in authority, be they rulers, ministers, presidents, or kings, is required to speak the truth as it is.

The Hadīth relates that Abu Qatādah had started making ablution when a cat came in - and cats frequently enter people's homes and mix with them. He tilted the vessel for it so it could drink from the water of ablution. Kabshah, his niece, was surprised at what he did, given that the water was prepared for ablution and it must be pure and purifying. So he related to her the Hadīth in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that cats are not impure and thus do not affect the purity of water, because it is an animal that always mixes with people.

‘Abdullāh ibn Ja‘far (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that one day the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made him ride behind him on a camel. He confided in him something that he,(may Allah be pleased with him) desired not to disclose, because it was a secret of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, he mentioned that whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to answer the call of nature, he would either hide behind something high, or in a date-palm orchard where nobody could see him. The orchard usually has tall trees, however, it is not fit for sitting in it. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered an orchard that belonged to a man from the Ansār. He found a camel there. Once the camel saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) it started crying. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) patted on its hump and behind its ears. Then, he asked about its owner. An Ansāri young man came and told him the camel belonged to him. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Do you not fear Allah who made you the owner of this camel? It is complaining to me that you keep it hungry and tired.

A funeral procession passed by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) while some people were sitting with him. The people testified to the goodness and righteousness of the deceased, whereupon ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: That is confirmed for him. Another funeral passed by and the people testified to the goodness and righteousness of the deceased – just as they did in the first funeral – whereupon ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: That is confirmed for him. Then a third funeral passed by and the people testified to the evil condition of the deceased, whereupon ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: That is confirmed for him. The statement of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) confused Abu al-Aswad, so he sought a clarification of its meaning. He,(may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he had said as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Paradise is guaranteed for any Muslim whose goodness and righteousness is testified to by four people from among the good and righteous. When the Companions heard that from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) they inquired if a person will be among the inhabitants of Paradise if three people testify to his goodness and righteousness, to which he replied in the affirmative. Then they inquired if that will be the case if only two people testify to his goodness and righteousness, to which he also replied in the affirmative. However, they did not ask him if a person will be among the inhabitants of Paradise if only one person testifies to his goodness and righteousness.

A man who had drunk wine was brought to Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) and it was clear from his beard, which was dripping with wine, that he had done that. He responded to that by saying that Muslims have been prohibited by Islamic law from spying on others, because it was apparent that the man had drunk it in private, but those people spied on him and brought him in that condition. He added that in case something was obvious and proved by trustworthy witnesses, or the person himself confessed without being spied on, then they would deal with him according to whatever punishment is appropriate, and whoever sought concealment with Allah, then they would not hold him accountable.

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade tying up animals while they are alive in order to use them as targets for shooting arrows or the like until they die. He forbade it because of the torture that it inflicts on the animals.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw a donkey that was branded on its face, and he denounced it. According to the Hadīth of Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the one who branded it in its face. Branding is normally done to leave a mark on animals. Shepherds and those who raise farm animals usually have particular branding symbols. Each tribe has its own symbol, either two slashes, a square shape, a circle, or crescent shape. These symbols protect the animal if it is lost and someone finds it, then they will know what tribe it belongs to. Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said as it was mentioned in the narration of Ibn Hibbān on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbās that Al-‘Abbās branded a camel or an animal in its face, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw it and became angry. So Al-‘Abbās said: I will not brand it except on its backside, so then he branded it on its hips. After knowing about the prohibition of branding in the face, he swore that he would not brand an animal except on a spot that is the furthest from its face. He ordered that his donkey should be branded on its hips, where an animal strikes its buttocks by its tail. An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "If someone brands an animal, then it will be desirable to brand sheep on their ears, and camels and cows on their thighs, because it is a hard and rough place where pain is less felt, there is not much hair, and the branding mark is apparent. The benefit of branding is to differentiate between people's animals." Al-‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) was the first one who branded his donkey on its buttocks.

‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that they were with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went away to relieve himself, and during that time, his Companions found a Hummarah bird with two chicks, so they took the chicks. The mother bird began flapping and spreading her wings in distress over the loss of her chicks. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) returned, he said: Who has saddened her and frightened her by taking away her baby birds?! Then he commanded that they should be returned to her. After that, he saw an ant colony that was burnt with fire, and he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Who burned this? Some of his Companions said: We did. He said to them: It is not permissible for anyone to torture a living being with fire, except Allah, Who created it.

The permissibility and recommendation of seeking privacy when relieving oneself.

The prohibition of torturing animals by taking away their younglings.

The prohibition of burning ants and insects with fire.

Encouraging kindness and mercy toward animals—an area in which Islam has long been a pioneer.

Mercy of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) toward animals.

Punishment with fire is something that is exclusively reserved for Allah Almighty.

This Hadīth includes an absolute prohibition and serious threat to the person who brands an animal on its face or strikes the face. Scholars considered these practices as major sins. The scholars explained the reasons behind this prohibition by stating that the face is delicate and it is the center of beauty. Its organs are precious and delicate, and most perception is achieved through them. Striking the face may cause damage or defectiveness to these organs and it may deform the face. In fact, any disfigurement in the face is hideous because it is visible and difficult to conceal. When struck, the face will most likely sustain some sort of disfigurement.

Suwayd ibn Muqarrin reports that he was one of seven siblings of the sons of Muqarrin, all of whom were Companions from the Muhajirūn, and no one resembled them in this number. There was no one to serve all seven but a single slave girl. The youngest of them slapped her on the cheek, so the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to set her free from slavery so that her manumission would be an expiation for having slapped her.

Humayad ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf (may Allah have mercy upon him) tells this story. In the year he made pilgrimage, Mu‘āwiyah was on the pulpit with a tangled lock of hair in his hand. He took it from one of his guards and said: ''O people of Madīnah, where are your scholars?'' With this rhetorical question, he meant to show disapproval of their inaction toward evildoing. He told them that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say that Allah, the Almighty, destroyed the Children of Israel when their women started using hair extensions. Indeed, they were all ruined because of their approval of evil, in addition to their committing other prohibitions.

As a man was walking along the road on a journey, he became thirsty. So, he went down into a well and drank from it and quenched his thirst. When he came out of it, there was a dog eating mud (trying) to suck any water from it due to its extreme thirst. So the man said: "By Allah, this dog is just as thirsty as I was." Then he went down into the well and filled his shoe with water, holding it with his mouth to get out of the well with it, then gave the dog water to drink. Allah accepted this deed from him, forgave him, and admitted him into Paradise because of it. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said this Hadīth to the Companions, they asked: "O Messenger of Allah, do we get a reward for looking after animals?" i.e. Do we get reward for giving animals water to drink? He replied that there is a reward for quenching thirst of every creature with a moist liver, since the moist liver needs water, and without water it will dry up and the animal will die. Another narration states that a prostitute from Children of Israel saw a thirsty dog moving around a well, unable to reach the water. So she took off her shoe and filled it with water and gave the dog water to drink. So Allah forgave her because of that deed.

Al-Hawlā’ bint Tuwayt (may Allah be pleased with her) was with the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and she left when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon ‘Ā’ishah. ‘Ā’ishah said to him: This woman does not sleep at night; rather, she spends it in prayer. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said, disapproving of her being too hard on herself: She does not sleep at night! Engage in righteous deeds only as much as you can maintain regularly. By Allah, Allah does not get tired of rewarding His righteous, obedient servants for their acts of obedience, good deeds, and righteous actions until they grow weary and stop doing them.

Excessive worship beyond what the body can bear leads to boredom and fatigue, causing the soul to abandon it.

Moderation and balance in performing acts of worship lead to their continuity and firm adherence to them.

A small but consistent deed is better than a lot that is cut off.

An-Nawawi said: With the continuity of a small act of worship, obedience is sustained through remembrance, mindfulness, sincerity, and turning to Allah, unlike a burdensome large deed. Indeed, the consistent small act grows to surpass the interrupted large one many times over.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that mosques to be built in different neighborhoods, i.e. every neighborhood should have a mosque. They should also be cleaned from all dirty and filthy things. They should also be perfumed with incense and other things that have good scents.

The meaning of this Hadīth: Hassān,(may Allah be pleased with him) was reciting poetry in the mosque while ‘Umar was present. ‘Umar looked at him with a disapproving glance. When Hassān noticed, he said to him: "I used to recite poetry in the mosque in the presence of one better than you.” Hassān then asked Abu Hurayrah to testify with his knowledge about Hassān's recitation of poetry in the mosque in the presence of the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his knowledge of his approval and encouragement to it. So ‘Umar said: "I implore you by Allah", meaning: I ask you to swear by Allah, did you hear this from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him? When he said: "Answer on behalf of the Messenger of Allah, O Hassān", meaning: answer the (abusing) poetry of the polytheists with your poetry to defend the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and aid the religion. Did you hear him say: “O Allah aid him with the Holy Spirit (Jibrīl)", meaning: Jibrīl will aid him by inspiring him with some lines of poetry that strike the nerve of the polytheists like arrows. Abu Hurayrah replied: 'Yes,' meaning: he had heard him reciting poetry in front of the Messenger in the mosque and he heard the Prophet saying that.

The Hadīth indicates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to prostrate himself in gratitude to Allah, the Exalted, whenever he received good news. One of these occasions was when he sent ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to the people of Yemen to invite them to Islam after they had refused to convert to this religion when invited by Khālid ibn al-Walīd. When ‘Ali invited them, the whole of Hamdān responded and embraced Islam. Thereupon, ‘Ali sent a letter to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wherein he conveyed this good news to him. Upon that, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated himself in gratitude to Allah, the Exalted.

Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) saw some people pray in the forenoon, so he said that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say that the prayer of the oft-returning to Allah is when the heat is so scorching that the hooves of little camels burn on the ground. That is the best time to pray the Duha prayer for those who obey Allah and often return to Him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that if anyone departs from obedience to the rulers and separates from the community of Muslims who agreed to pledge allegiance to the ruler and dies in this state of separation and disobedience, he has died like the death of the people of jāhiliyyah, who would not obey a leader or join one group; instead, they were different groups and tribes fighting one another. And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that if anyone fights under a banner with which he cannot distinguish the truth from falsehood. He gets angry for the sole purpose of bias for his people or tribe, not for supporting the religion and the truth. He fights for fanaticism without insight or knowledge; his killing is like that of jāhiliyyah if he dies in this state. And that if anyone revolts against his Ummah, striking the righteous and the wicked of them and not caring about what he does or not fearing the punishment for killing the believers among them, and does not fulfill a covenant with those whom he has made covenants with from among the disbelievers or the rulers - rather, he violates them - this is a major sin and whoever commits it deserves this stern warning.

It is obligatory to obey the rulers in things that involve no disobedience to Allah Almighty.

It gives a stern warning about revolting against the ruler and departing from the Muslim community. Whoever dies in this state has died on the way of the people of jāhiliyyah.

The Hadīth forbids fighting for the sake of tribalism.

It is obligatory to fulfill covenants.

In obedience to the ruler and adhering to the community lie a lot of goodness, safety, tranquillity, and good conditions.

It is prohibited to emulate the way of the people of jāhiliyyah.

It enjoins adherence to the Muslim community.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that if the Muslims agreed upon one ruler and one group, and then someone comes and wants to challenge his authority or cause disunity among the Muslims and disperse them into different groups, they are obligated to stop him and fight him to ward off his evil and prevent bloodshed among the Muslims.

It is obligatory to listen and obey the Muslim ruler unless disobedience to Allah is involved, and it is prohibited to revolt against him.

If anyone revolts against the ruler of the Muslims and their community, it is obligatory to fight him, regardless of his status and nobility.

The Muslims are urged to unite and keep away from disunity and disharmony.

In this Hadīth, Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with two men from his own tribe. The two men asked for employment as governors, so the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that he would not give a position of power to anyone who asks for it. When someone seeks a position, he is left to it and is not given support by Allah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rather, sent Abu Mūsa to govern Yemen and then asked Mu‘ādh to reach him there. Mu‘ādh found a fettered man in the presence of Abu Mūsa. This man converted from Judaism to Islam and then back to Judaism. So, Mu‘ādh said that the due punishment must be inflicted on him, i.e., the punishment for apostasy which is capital punishment. Thus the man was killed. Both Abu Mūsa and Mu‘ādh then talked about voluntary night prayer. One of them said that he sleeps and prays, and hopes that he would receive reward for his sleep just as he receives reward for his prayer.

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) got up onto the pulpit and delivered a sermon to people. He said: among other things, that Allah had sent Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with the true religion; Islam, and He had sent the best Book; the Qur’an, down to him. Included in what was sent down was the verse on stoning a married person who commits adultery. The wording of the verse was abrogated, but its ruling remained. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) feared that people of later times who had not witnessed the revelation of the Qur’an would deny the stoning ruling. So he reminded people of the ruling and that it was true. Therefore, if a legally married person is found committing adultery, confesses and admits to it; or if a married woman gets pregnant in the absence of her husband or master (in the case of a slave woman), she should be stoned to death. These are the proofs that can be used to establish the punishment of stoning for a person who has committed adultery.

The Hadīth means that whenever anyone hits someone else for disciplinary purposes, in execution of a discretionary punishment or a corporal punishment prescribed by Allah, the Almighty, or because of a dispute or any other reason, he should avoid hitting the face; even when he is executing one of the corporal punishments prescribed by Allah, the Almighty. This is due to the honor of the human face, as it is the most dignified part of the body and the person deals with others through it. Striking it, therefore, may cause damage to one of its parts or negatively affect it. So this act must be avoided. It is prohibited to strike the face regardless of whether the person deserves to be hit or is hit out of transgression.

Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr (may Allah have mercy upon him) reported that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) once passed by some young men of the Quraysh tribe who had tied a bird and made it a target at which they were shooting arrows to see who is more skilled at archery. When they saw Ibn ‘Umar coming, they dispersed and ran away from him. He inquired about what was going on, and when the people told him, he said: "May Allah curse whoever has done this," and he mentioned that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) invoked the curse of Allah upon whoever takes any living creature as a target to shoot at. That is because such action makes the bird suffer pain as one hits its wing, another hits its chest, and a third hits its back or head, and so on. Thus, the bird suffers without dying, while it is possible to slaughter it at the neck in the lawful manner which kills it instantly without making it suffer. That is why the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) invoked curse upon whoever makes any living creature a target of shooting.

This Hadīth forbids killing animals by tying them up and making them targets for shooting (which is called Sabr). This action involves torturing the animal, taking its life in vain, wasting its monetary value, and missing the chance to slaughter it in a lawful manner (for food). So, for these harms and for the lack of benefit in killing it in this manner, it is forbidden to tie it up and take aim at it to kill it; and forbiddance entails prohibition.

This Hadīth highlights the significance of the positions of authority, including the judiciary, and their numerous responsibilities and consequences in the Hereafter. We are warned against pursuing leadership and being eager for it, and this applies to those who seek to assume a position of authority, even though they are not qualified enough. By contrast, if a position of authority is assigned to a qualified person without him seeking it and he undertakes it in a proper and just manner, he will be helped in doing his job, as indicated in other Hadīths. Leadership is likened to a wet nurse, given the financial benefits, good standing, and influence it brings about. It is also likened to a weaning one because of its resultant liabilities and sorrows on the Day of Judgment.

The Prophet (ﷺ) clarified that a people will never succeed in achieving what they seek if they appoint a woman to be in charge of their affairs—such as in matters of judiciary, public authority, or ministry.

Women should not be appointed to positions of leadership or judicial authority over people, or to similar public offices. However, in private matters—such as overseeing a Waqf (endowment), managing the affairs of orphans, or administering a school—there is no harm in that.

Highlighting the limited capacity and natural weakness of women, and that they are not to share with men in public positions of authority, as appointing them to such roles is a cause of lack of success.

Allah created woman with a nature different from that of man. Some matters are not suitable for a woman to undertake due to her particular nature, just as there are matters that are not suitable for a man to undertake due to his own distinct nature.

The "negated success" here refers to success in the sense used in Shariah—attaining the good of both this world and the Hereafter. The prosperity of a nation's worldly affairs does not necessarily mean that it enjoys Allah's approval, for whoever is not obedient to Allah is not truly successful, even if outwardly he appears to be in the best of worldly conditions.

This Hadīth does not belittle women; rather, it provides proper guidance that directs their abilities in a manner suitable to their nature and strengths.

Abu Maryam al-Azdi said that one day, he visited Mu‘āwiyah and Mu‘āwiyah was happy to see him and welcomed him. Abu Maryam told him a Hadīth that he heard from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the people who are appointed in authority over the Muslims and they then conceal themselves from the people and do not fulfill their rights. They shut their doors and are not accessible. Allah, the Almighty, will cover Himself from them on the Day of Judgment, punishing them in the same manner they abused their power. He will withhold His bounty and mercy from them. On hearing that, Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed someone to look after the needs of people and tell him of their concerns.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commands that evil deeds - they are everything prohibited by Allah and His Messenger - should be changed, according to one's ability. So, if one sees some evil deed, he should change it with his hand, if he has the ability to do so. If he is unable to do this, then he should change it with his tongue, by forbidding the one who commits it, demonstrating its harm to him, and guiding him to goodness instead of that evil. If he is unable to fulfill this level, then he should change it with his heart, by disliking that evil deed and determining to change it if he has the ability. Changing evil deeds with the heart is the lowest level of faith in this regard.

This Hadīth is a key source in outlining the levels of changing evil deeds.

We are enjoined to adopt gradation in forbidding evil deeds, each according to his capacity and ability.

Forbidding evil deeds is a fundamental element in religion, and it does not cease to be due upon everyone. Rather, every Muslim is obligated in accordance with his ability.

Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is evil is one of the characteristics of faith, and faith increases and decreases.

For forbidding evil, it is required to know that the act in question is evil.

For changing something evil, it is required that this does not lead to greater evil.

Forbidding evil has certain etiquettes and requirements that should be learned by Muslims.

Forbidding evil needs a Shar‘i policy, knowledge, and insight.

The lack of disapproval of something evil within the heart is an indication of weak faith.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swears to the imminence of the descent of Jesus, son of Mary, (peace be upon him) to judge between people with justice in compliance with Muhammad's Shariah. He will break the cross that is glorified by the Christians. Jesus (peace be upon him) will also kill the pig. He (peace be upon him) will abolish Jizyah and urge all people to embrace Islam. Moreover, wealth will overflow and no one will accept it given its abundance and the fact that everyone will find sufficiency in what he already has, in addition to the descent of blessings and the succession of good things.

Establishing the descent of Jesus (peace be upon him) at the end of time, which is one of the signs of the Hour.

The Prophet's Shariah is not to be abrogated by any other.

The descent of blessings on wealth at the end of time and people's abstention from it.

Bearing glad tidings that the Islamic religion will last and Jesus (peace be upon him) will rule by its Shariah at the end of time.

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: As the Companions were sitting with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the mosque, a man riding a camel entered, and he made the camel kneel and tied it. Then, he asked them: Who amongst you is Muhammad? Meanwhile, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was reclining among the people. So, we replied: This white man who is reclining. The man said to him: O son of ‘Abdul-Muttalib! The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: I have heard you; ask, and I will answer you. The man said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): I will ask you about something and will be hard in questioning. So do not get upset with me. In other words, do not get angry at me or feel annoyed. He replied: Ask whatever you want. He said: I ask you by your Lord and the Lord of those who came before you. Has Allah sent you as a messenger to mankind? He replied: "By Allah, yes," affirming his truthfulness. The man further said: I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you that we must offer the five prayers in a day and night? They are the obligatory prayers. He replied: By Allah, yes. The man further said: I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you to observe fasts during this month of the year? That's the month of Ramadan. He replied: By Allah, yes. The man said: I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you to take this charity from our rich people and distribute it amongst our poor people?" This is Zakah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied: By Allah, yes. Thereupon, Dimām embraced Islam and informed the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that he would call his people to Islam, and he introduced himself as Dimām ibn Tha‘labah, from Banu Sa‘d ibn Bakr.

The Hadīth shows the Prophet's modesty, as the man could not distinguish between him and his Companions.

It highlights the Prophet's good character and gentleness in replying to the questioner. It also indicates that providing good responses is one of the reasons behind accepting the call to Islam.

It is permissible to identify a person by a certain trait, like being white, reddish, tall, short, and any other trait that is not intended as a defect, unless the person dislikes it.

It is permissible for a disbeliever to enter the mosque for some need.

He did not mention Hajj in the Hadīth because it had probably not been prescribed yet when this man came.

The Companions were keen on inviting people to Islam. Once this man embraced Islam, he was determined to call his people to it.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered an eloquent sermon that filled the Companions' hearts with fear and filled their eyes with tears. They said: O Messenger of Allah, it seems as if it is an admonition by one who will soon leave us - seeing his earnest effort in doing so. Hence, they asked him to give them advice that they would hold onto after him. He said: I advise you to fear Allah Almighty by carrying out duties and avoiding prohibitions. And to hear and obey, i.e., hear and obey the rulers, even if your ruler or the one who seized authority over you is a slave. In other words, if the most inferior among people became your ruler, you should not disdain to obey him, out of fear of turbulence and strife, for whoever lives from you after me will see a great discord. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that the way out of this discord is by adhering firmly to his Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs after him, namely Abu Bakr as-Siddīq, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān, and ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with them all), and by biting onto it with the molar teeth, i.e., by strictly observing and holding fast to the Sunnah. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) also warned them against the newly introduced matters in religion, as every religious innovation is a misguidance.

The importance of following and adhering to the Sunnah.

Attention should be given to admonitions and softening of hearts.

The commandment to follow the four rightly guided Caliphs, namely Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān, and ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with them all), after the Prophet.

The prohibition of introducing new things into the religion, and the fact that all religious innovations are misguidance.

Hearing and obeying whoever is in charge of the believers without disobeying Allah.

The importance of fearing Allah Almighty at all times and in all situations.

Discord will inevitably occur in this Ummah and when it occurs, Muslims must refer and adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and to that of the rightly guided Caliphs.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a speech on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, saying: O people, indeed Allah removed from you the arrogance and fanaticism of jāhiliyyah and the boastfulness about one's ancestors. People are of two types: Either a believer who is pious, righteous, and obedient to Allah Almighty - and this is honorable in the sight of Allah, even if he does not occupy high status among the people. Or a disbeliever who is wicked and wretched - and this is insignificant and worthless in the sight of Allah, even if he occupies a high status, strong position and authority. People are the children of Adam, and Allah created Adam from dust. Allah says: {O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another. Indeed, the most noble of you before Allah is the most righteous among you. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing and all-aware.} [Surat al-Hujurāt: 13]"

The Hadīth prohibits us from bragging about our lineages and reputation.

The Prophet (ﷺ) sent out an army and appointed a man from the Ansār as their leader, instructing them to obey him. The leader became angry with them and said: Did not the Prophet (ﷺ) command you to obey me? They said: Yes. He said: Then I command you to gather firewood, light a fire, and enter it. So they gathered the firewood and lit the fire, but when they were about to enter it, they began looking at one another. And they said: We only followed the Prophet (ﷺ) to escape from the Fire—so should we enter it? While they were in this state, the flames of the fire went out, and the leader's anger subsided. When the Prophet (ﷺ) was informed of this, he said: Had they obeyed him and entered the fire they had kindled, they would have been tormented therein and would not have come out of it until the existence of this world. There is no obedience to a created being in disobedience to the Creator; obedience is only required in what is right, not in sin.

This shows that obedience is only in what is right and not in sin, even if the one giving the command is someone whose obedience is obligatory.

The sinning monotheist is threatened with Hellfire, yet Allah may forgive him.

The legitimacy of appointing a leader during military expeditions, as well as during travel.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that after his death, there will be rulers who tell lies in their speech, saying what they do not do, and they will oppress in their ruling. Whoever joins them, believes their lies, or helps them by acting wrongfully or by speech, such as giving them fatwas to please them or seeking what they offer, I dissociate myself from him; he does not belong to me, and I do not belong to him, and he will not come to Hawd Al-Kawthar on the Day of Judgment. However, anyone who does not join them, does not believe their lies, and does not help them in their oppression belongs to me, and I belong to him, and he will come to the Hawd on the Day of Judgment.

If one enters upon rulers with guidance, counsel, and reducing evil, then this is what is required. However, if one enters to assist them in their oppression and believes their lies, this is blameworthy.

Clarifying the warning for those who assist a ruler in his oppression.

This warning in the Hadīth indicates the prohibition of this action and that it is one of the major sins.

Encouraging cooperation in goodness and righteousness and refraining from cooperation in sin and transgression.

Affirming of the Hawd for our Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and that his Ummah will come to it.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed his Companions, and among the advice he gave was that a Muslim should not be deterred by the fear or power of people from speaking the truth or commanding it when he sees or knows it.

Encouraging to reveal the truth and not conceal it out of fear of people.

Saying the truth does not mean disregarding politeness, wisdom, and good advice in the way it is said.

It is obligatory to denounce evil and give precedence to the rights of Allah Almighty over the interests of people who oppose Him.

‘Uthmān ash-Shahhām and Farqad as-Sabakhi asked Muslim, the son of the noble Companion Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Had he heard a Hadīth from his father about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding trials and fighting among Muslims? He replied: Yes. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that there will be trials after his death. In these trials, the one who sits and remains uninvolved is better than the one who walks towards them without waiting for them or searching for them, and the one who walks is better than the one who hastens towards them, searching for them and participating in them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then advised anyone living in a time or place where a trial happens or occurs, that if he can find a refuge to withdraw to, he should do so. Whoever has camels grazing should retreat to his camels, whoever has sheep grazing should retreat to his sheep, and whoever has land or a farm should retreat to his land. A man said: O Messenger of Allah, what about the one who has no refuge, neither camels, nor sheep, nor land? He said: Let him take his weapon, break it, and render it useless. Then let him flee to save himself and his children, if he can escape. Then he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) testified three times, saying: O Allah, have I conveyed (the message)? O Allah, have I conveyed (the message)? O Allah, have I conveyed (the message)? A man said: O Messenger of Allah, what if I am forced to join one of the two sides or groups, and a man strikes me with his sword, or an arrow comes and kills me? He said: He will bear his sin and the sin of the one he killed and, on the Day of Judgment, he will be from the dwellers of Hellfire.

Informing about the occurrence of trials is meant to warn against them, so that people may prepare themselves, avoid getting involved, and ask Allah for patience and safety from their evil.

An-Nawawi said: His statement (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): (The one sitting among them is better than the one standing) and so on, means to highlight the great danger of these trials, to encourage avoiding and fleeing from them, and that their harm and turmoil will be proportionate to one's involvement in them.

An-Nawawi said: The sin is lifted from the one who is coerced into being present there. However, killing is not permitted under coercion; rather, the one who is coerced to commit the act of killing bears the sin by the consensus of scholars.

Ibn Hajar said: Others said: If a group rebels against the ruler, refusing to fulfill their obligations and initiating war, then fighting them becomes obligatory. Similarly, if two groups of Muslims fight each other, it is incumbent upon anyone capable of restraining the wrongdoer and supporting the one on the right. This is the view of the majority of scholars. Others have provided an elaboration, stating: Any fighting between two groups of Muslims in the absence of a unified ruler for the community is prohibited. The Hadīths related to this matter and others should be applied in this context.

An-Nawawi said: Scholars have differed regarding fighting during times of trials. One group stated: One should not fight in such times when there are trials among Muslims, even if others enter his home and seek to kill him; defending oneself is not permissible because the aggressor might be acting based on an interpretation. This was the view of the Companion Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and others. Ibn ‘Umar, ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them), and others said: One should not participate in the Fitnah (trial) but may defend himself if directly attacked. These two views agree on avoiding involvement in all the trials of Islam. However, the majority of the Companions, the Tābi‘is, and the majority of the Muslim scholars said: It is obligatory to support the one on the right during such trials and to fight against the aggressors, as Allah Almighty says: {Fight against the transgressing group until they submit to the rule of Allah}. This is the correct view. The Hadīths forbidding participation are understood to apply to those who are unclear about who is on the right, or to two unjust groups, with neither having a valid justification.

The Prophet (ﷺ) informed that the religion rests upon sincerity and truthfulness, to be observed as Allah ordained, in a perfect manner without shortcomings or deception. It was said to the Prophet (ﷺ): To whom should the sincerity be? He said: First: Sincerity should be to Allah Almighty: by performing deeds sincerely for His sake, not associating partners with Him, believing in His lordship, divinity, names, and attributes, revering His command, and calling people to believe in Him. Second: Sincerity should be to His Book, namely the Noble Qur’an: by believing that it is His speech and the last book revealed by Him and that it abrogated all the legislations before it—and by revering it, reciting it correctly, acting upon its definite verses and accepting its ambiguous ones, defending it against the misinterpretation of those who seek to distort it, taking lessons from its admonitions, spreading its knowledge, and calling people to it. Third: Sincerity should be to His Messenger Muhammad (ﷺ): by believing that he is the last Messenger, believing him in all that he came with, observing his commands and prohibitions, worshiping Allah only according to what he came with, venerating and revering him, spreading his call, disseminating his Shariah, and negating the false accusations from him. Fourth: Sincerity should be to the leaders of the Muslims: by helping them in what is right, not disputing with them over power, and hearing and obeying them in what is pleasing to Allah. Fifth: Sincerity should be to the Muslims: by showing kindness to them, calling them to Allah, averting harm from them, wishing good for them, and cooperating with them in righteousness and piety.

The Hadīth commands us to be sincere to everyone.

Sincerity occupies great status in the religion.

The religion comprises beliefs, words, and deeds.

An aspect of sincerity is to rid oneself of deception toward the one to whom sincerity is addressed and to wish good for him.

The Hadīth highlights the Prophet's good approach to teaching, as he would briefly mention something and then explain it in detail.

First things first. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began with sincerity to Allah, then to His Book, then to His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then to the leaders of the Muslims, and then to the common Muslims.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that every religiously accountable Muslim should give every day a voluntary charity on behalf of every single one of his bone joints as a form of expressing gratitude to Allah Almighty for well-being and for creating his bones with joints that allow him to grasp and stretch. This charity can be fulfilled not through giving money alone but through all types of righteous acts, which include: Acting justly and reconciling between those in disagreement counts as a charity. Helping someone disabled with his mount by helping him ride on it or lifting his luggage on it counts as a charity. The good word, whether it is Dhikr (remembrance of Allah), supplication, greeting of peace, or otherwise counts as a charity. Every step you take to the prayer counts as a charity. Removing what is harmful from the way counts as a charity.

The structure of the bones of human beings and their soundness are among the greatest blessings of Allah Almighty upon them. Hence, each bone needs charity to be given on its behalf to show due gratitude for such a blessing.

Encouraging the act of renewing gratitude daily to maintain such blessings.

Encouraging the constant observance of voluntary acts of worship and charity on a daily basis.

The merit of reconciling between people.

Encouraging a Muslim to help his fellow Muslim as this counts as a charity.

Encouraging the attendance of the congregational prayers and walking thereto and maintaining mosques.

It is obligatory to respect the Muslims' roads by avoiding what hurts or harms them.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered an eloquent sermon that filled the Companions' hearts with fear and filled their eyes with tears. They said: O Messenger of Allah, it seems as if it is an admonition by one who will soon leave us - seeing his earnest effort in doing so. Hence, they asked him to give them advice that they would hold onto after him. He said: I advise you to fear Allah Almighty by carrying out duties and avoiding prohibitions. And to hear and obey, i.e., hear and obey the rulers, even if your ruler or the one who seized authority over you is a slave. In other words, if the most inferior among people became your ruler, you should not disdain to obey him, out of fear of turbulence and strife, for whoever lives from you after me will see a great discord. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that the way out of this discord is by adhering firmly to his Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs after him, namely Abu Bakr as-Siddīq, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān, and ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with them all), and by biting onto it with the molar teeth, i.e., by strictly observing and holding fast to the Sunnah. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) also warned them against the newly introduced matters in religion, as every religious innovation is a misguidance.

The importance of following and adhering to the Sunnah.

Attention should be given to admonitions and softening of hearts.

The commandment to follow the four rightly guided Caliphs, namely Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān, and ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with them all), after the Prophet.

The prohibition of introducing new things into the religion, and the fact that all religious innovations are misguidance.

Hearing and obeying whoever is in charge of the believers without disobeying Allah.

The importance of fearing Allah Almighty at all times and in all situations.

Discord will inevitably occur in this Ummah and when it occurs, Muslims must refer and adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and to that of the rightly guided Caliphs.