Indexed OCR Text

401
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
البَابَ، أَوَ احْفَظْهُ )) رواه الترمذي ، وَقالَ : (( حديث حسن صحيح)) .
Abū al-Dārdā'
gs narrates that a man came to him and said: "I have a wife
whom my mother is instructing me to divorce." (Abū al-Dārdā'
%) said:
"I heard the Messenger of Allah
saying: "Parents are the best doors
of Paradise. You may either destroy that door or safeguard it." (Tirmidhi)
Commentary
The man approached Abu al-Dārdā'
g because he was uncertain about divorcing his wife,
due to his love for her. Abu al-Dārdā'
advised that he should obey his parents. As explained
in the previous hadith, it is necessary to obey one's parents in matters that conform to the
sharī ah.
Hadith 335
، قَالَ : ((الخَالةُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الأُمِّ )) رواه الترمذي ،
13
وعن البراء بن عازب ◌َّها، عن النبيّ
وَقال : (( حديث حسن صحيح )) .
Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "A
maternal aunt has the same status as a mother." (Tirmidhi)
Commentary
As the Messenger of Allah
departed after the Qada 'Umrah in 7 Hijrī, the daughter of
Hamzah called out, 'My uncle!' 'Alī
took her to Fatimah wos and said, "Take care of the
daughter of your uncle." Subsequently, a dispute ensued between 'Ali ag
, Zayd dos and Ja far
,who all wanted to take care of the girl. The Messenger of Allah
settled the matter
by stating that the maternal aunt enjoys the same status as the mother, hence she should
take care of the child.
This teaches us that we should strive to be kind to our maternal aunts. It is true that nephews
and nieces generally receive greater affection from their maternal aunts than from others.
This hadith is testimony of the amazing revolution produced by Islam. People who, prior to
Islam, would bury their daughters alive advanced to a point where, due to the teachings of
the Messenger of Allah
, they eagerly competed to take care of them.
وفي الباب أحاديث كثيرة في الصحيح مشهورة ؛ مِنْهَا حديث أصحاب الغار ، وحديث
جُرَيْجِ وقد سبقا ، وأحاديث مشهورة في الصحيح حذفتها اختِصَاراً ، وَمِنْ أهَمِّهَا حديث
عَمْرو بن عَبِسَةٍ وَهُ الطَّويلُ المُشْتَمِلُ عَلَى جُمَلٍ كَثِيرةٍ مِنْ قَواعِدِ الإسْلامِ وآدابِهِ ، وَسَأَذْكُرُهُ

402
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
بَتَمَامِهِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ تَعَالَى في باب الرَّجَاءِ ، قَالَ فِيهِ :
دَخَلْتُ عَلَى النَّبِيّ :﴿هَ بِمَكَّةَ - يَعْني : في أوَّلِ الُّبُوَّةِ - فقلتُ لَهُ: مَا أَنْتَ ؟
قَالَ : (( نَبِّ )) ، فَقُلْتُ: وَمَا نَبِّ؟ قَالَ: ((أرْسَلِي اللهُ تَعَالَى))، فقلت: بأيِّ شَيءٍ
أَرْسَلَكَ؟ قَالَ : (( أرْسَلَنِي بِصِلَةِ الأَرْحَامِ وَكَسْرِ الأَوْثَانِ، وَأَنْ يُوَجَّدَ اللهُ لَا يُشْرَكَ بِهِ شَيء
... )) وَذَكَرَ تَمَامَ الحَدِيث . والله أعلم
There are several other famous ahadith in this regard. Among them are the
hadith of the three people who were trapped in a cave and the hadith of
Jurayj, both of which were quoted in previous chapters. There are other
ahādīth as well which I left out fearing that this chapter may become too
lengthy. Among the most important of ahadith is the lengthy hadith of
'Amr ibn 'Abasah de which contains many fundamentals and etiquettes
of Islam. If Allah & wills, I will quote it in the chapter relating to hope.
In that hadith, he said: "I went to the Messenger of Allah
in Makkah
(i.e. at the beginning of his prophethood) and asked him: 'What are you?'
He replied: 'A Messenger.' I asked: 'What is a Messenger?' He replied: 'Allah
des sent me. I asked: 'With what did Allah send you?' He replied: 'He sent
me (to order people) to maintain ties of kinship, destroy idols and that
Allah des be considered to be one without ascribing any partner to Him."
He then related the entire hadith. Allah &s knows best.
CHAPTER 41
باب تحريم العقوق وقطيعة الرحم
Chapter on the prohibition of disobeying parents and severing ties of
kinship
Introduction
In principle, the Qur'an and ahadith inspire us to obey our parents, be kind to them and
honour them. If they command us toward something that is impermissible, we should kindly
excuse ourselves and not obey them. This chapter is of contemporary relevance considering
the many cases of parents being neglected and disrespected by their children. Disobedience
to parents is regarded as a major sin in Islam.

,403
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
قَالَ الله تَعَالَى: ﴿فَهَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِنْ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ أَنْ تُفْسِدُوْا فِى الْأَرْضِ وَتُقَطِّعُوْا أَرْحَامَكُمْ أُولَئِكَ
الَّذِيْنَ لَعَنَهُمُ اللهُ فَاصَمَّهُمْ وَاَعْمَى أَبْصَارَهُمْ﴾ (محمد: ٢٢-٢٣)،
Allah des says: "And perhaps if you are given authority, you will cause
corruption on earth and sever family ties. These are the people whom
Allah cursed. So He made them deaf and blind." (Sūrah Muhammad, 22-23)
وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: ﴿ وَالَّذِيْنَ يَنْقُضُوْنَ عَهْدَ اللهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مِيْثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُوْنَ مَآ آَمَرَ اللهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوْصَلَ
وَيُفْسِدُوْنَ فِى الْأَرْضِ أُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُؤَّءُ الدَّارِ﴾ (الرعد : ٢٥)،
Allāh &s says: "Those who break the pledge of Allah after confirming it,
who sever that which Allah commanded to be joined and spread corruption
on earth, for them shall be a curse and for them shall be an evil abode."
(Sūrah al-Ra'd, 25)
وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ الَّ تَعْبُدُوْا إِلَّ اِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ اِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ
أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلُهُمَا فَلَا تَقُلْ لَّهُمَّا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَّهُمَا قَوْلاً كَرِيْمًا وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا
جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّبِىْ صَغِيْرًا﴾ (الإسراء: ٢٣ - ٢٤)،
Allāh & says: "Your Sustainer has commanded that you worship only
Him and that you be kind to your parents. If any of them or both of them
reach old age in your lifetime, do not even tell them, 'Ooff!' and do not
scold them. Speak to them with respect. Lower before them the wings of
humility out of compassion and say, 'O my Sustainer, show mercy to them
as they raised me when I was little." (Sūrah al-Isra', 23-24)
Hadith 336
: (( ألا أُنَّكُمْ بِأَكْبَرِ الكَبَائِرِ
وعن أبي بكرة نُفَيَع بن الحارث بّهُ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُول الله
(؟)) - ثلاثاً - قُلْنَا: بَلَى، يَا رَسُول الله، قَالَ: ((الإشْرَاكُ بالله، وَعُقُوقُ الوَالِدَيْنِ ))،
وكان مُتَّكِناً فَجَلَسَ ، فَقَالَ : (( ألاَ وَقَوْلُ الزُّورِ وَشَهَادَةُ الزُّورِ )) فَمَا زَالَ يُكَرِّرُهَا حَتَّى قُلْنَا
: لَيْتَهُ سَكَتَ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ .
Abu Bakrah Nufay' ibn al-Harith
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "Should I not inform you of the most serious of major sins?" He
asked this question three times and we replied: "Indeed, O Messenger of
Allāh!" He said: "Ascribing partners with Allah & and disobeying parents."

404
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
The Messenger of Allah
had been lying down, but suddenly sat up and
said: "And making false statements and giving false testimony." He continued
repeating this until we hoped that he would remain silent. (Bukhārī, Muslim)
Vocabulary and Definitions
"Major sins" refer to sins for which there are severe warnings mentioned in the Qur'an and
hadīth.
Commentary
The most serious of major sins have been classified as such because of the evil and vice they
constitute. This hadith describes three of them.
1. Ascribing partners to Allah & is a major crime that entails slander and falsehood against
Allah &, amongst other evils.
2. Disobedience to parents is an expression of ingratitude, denial of one's origin and negligence
of obligatory rights.
3. Giving false testimony entails oppression, deception, usurping the rights of others and
spreading of corruption amongst people. It often springs from hatred and enmity. To stress
its severity and warn people against it, the Messenger of Allah
changed his posture when
mentioning it.
The Șaņābah
s hoped that the Messenger of Allah
"would remain silent" because of
their love and compassion for him, or their fear of a major calamity befalling them if he
continued speaking.
Additional Points
V The Messenger of Allah
did not mention all the major sins in one sitting because he
considered the circumstances of his audience at various times.
Hadith 337
، قَالَ : (( الكَبَائِرُ : الإِشْرَاكُ بالله
وعن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص ظله، عن النَّبيّ ﴾
، وَعُقُوقُ الوَالِدَيْنِ ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْس ، وَالْيَمِينُ الغَمُوسُ )) رواه البخاري .
(( اليمين الغموس )) : التي يحلفها كاذباً عامداً ، سميت غموساً ؛ لأنها تغمس الحالِفَ
في الإثم .
'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Ās
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "The major sins are ascribing partners with Allah &, disobeying

405
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
parents, killing a person and taking a false oath." (Bukhārī)
Vocabulary and Definitions
.refers to an oath that is taken falsely and intentionally in the name of Allah اليمين الغموس
goAll means 'to be submerged'. It implies that a person who takes a false oath actually
plunges into sin or into the Hell-fire.
Commentary
Killing an innocent soul is a major sin. The Qur'an states that taking the life of a single person
is tantamount to killing humanity in its entirety. Despite man's progress in technology, man
has remained very primitive in the domain of protecting human life. It is for this reason that
when innocent people are killed in many parts of the world, nations who pride themselves
with ostentatious attributes turn a blind eye.
Taking a false oath in the name of Allah &s is such a major sin that even charity cannot atone
for it. One who engages in this sin mocks at Allah's & greatness; hence, it is mentioned in
the same breath as associating partners with Allah &s.
Hadīth 338
، قَالَ: (( مِنَ الكَبَائِرِ شَتْمُ الرَّجُلِ وَالِدَيهِ!))، قالوا: يَا رَسُول الله
وعنه أن رَسُول الله
، وَهَلْ يَشْتُمُ الرَّجُلُ وَالِدَيْهِ ؟! قَالَ: ((نَعَمْ ، يَسُبُّ أَبَا الرَّجُلِ، فَسُبُّ أَبَاه ، وَيَسُبُّ أُمَّهُ ،
فَيَسُبُّ أُمَّهُ )) مُتَفَقٌّ عَلَيْهِ .
وفي رواية : ((إِنَّ مِنْ أَكْبَرِ الكَبَائِرِ أنْ يَلْعَنَ الرَّجُلُ وَالِدَيْهِ!))، قِيلَ: يَا رَسُول الله ، كَيْفَ
يَلْعَنُ الرَّجُلُ وَالِدَيْهِ؟! قَالَ: (( يَسُبُّ أَبَا الرَّجُلِ ، فَيَسُبُّ أباهُ ، وَيَسُبُّ أُمَّهُ ، فَيَسْبُّ أُمَّهُ )).
'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Ās dog narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "It is from among the major sins for a man to be vulgar towards his
parents." The Șahabah
asked: "O Messenger of Allah
! Is it possible
for a person to be vulgar to his parents?" He replied: "Yes. A person vulgarly
abuses the father of another person and that person retaliates by abusing
his father. A person vulgarly abuses the mother of another person and that
person retaliates by abusing his mother." (Bukhārī, Muslim)
Another narration has: "From among the greatest of major sins is for a
person to curse his parents." He was asked: "O Messenger of Allah! How
can a person curse his parents?" He replied: "A person vulgarly abuses

406 €
RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
another person's father and that person retaliates by abusing his father. A
person vulgarly abuses another person's mother and that person retaliates
by abusing his mother."
Commentary
The Messenger of Allah
here displayed his in-depth understanding of human nature by
explaining that the general reaction of people is to retaliate against those who harm them.
By being vulgar towards other's parents, therefore, unnecessarily exposes one's own parents
to abuse.
The Sahabah e asked in surprise if a person could actually abuse his parents because one
who recognises their rights and status will be kind and grateful to them, not vulgar and ill
mannered.
Additional Points
V A student should respectfully question his teacher about concepts he finds difficult to
comprehend.
V All means and agencies leading to the prohibited are forbidden.
v One who is a means of others committing sin, will be punished for participating in the sin.
Y A father has been mentioned before a mother because women, being entities of honour,
are generally hidden, even on occasions of praise. It is from amongst the beautiful
teachings of Islam that women should be veiled and honoured even in speech.
Hadīth 339
، قَالَ : ((لاَ يَدْخُلُ الجَنَّةَ قَاطِعٌ ))
وعن أَبي محمد جبير بن مطعم اللّه : أن رَسُول الله
قَالَ سفيان في روايته : يَعْنِي : قَاطِعِ رَحِم . مُتَّفَقٌّ عَلَيْهِ .
Abū Muhammad Jubayr ibn Mut im4.5 97 narrates that the Messenger of
Allāh
said: "One who severs ties will not enter Paradise." Sufyan ibn
'Uyaynah (a narrator of the hadith) said in his narration: "This refers to a
person who severs his ties of kinship." (Bukhārī, Muslim)
Commentary
The hadith warns against severing ties of kinship, especially with one's parents. It can be
97 Abu Muhammad Jubayr ibn Mut im , was from among the scholars and leaders of the Quraish.
He accepted Islam during the year of the conquest of Khaybar. Some say that he accepted Islam on the
day that Makkah Mukarramah was conquered. 60 ahadith are narrated from him and he passed away
in Madinah Munawwarah in 54 Hijrī.

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
interpreted in one of two ways. A person who severs ties of kinship will not enter Paradise
with those who are successful; he will first be punished for his sin and thereafter enter
Paradise. Alternatively it could mean that one who regards severing of ties to be permissible,
knowing that it is forbidden, will never enter Paradise because of his denial of a fundamental
law of Islam.
Hadīth 340
وعن أبي عيسى المغيرة بن شعبة ﴿ه، عن النَّبِيّ:﴿، قَالَ: ((إنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ
: عُقُوقَ الأمَّهَاتِ، وَمَنْعاً وهاتٍ ، وَوَأْد البَنَاتِ، وكَرِهَ لَكُمْ: قِيلَ وَقَالَ ، وَكَثْرَةَ السُّؤَالِ ،
وَإِضَاعَةَ المَالِ )) مُتَفَقُّ عَلَيْهِ .
قوله : (( مَنْعاً)) مَعَنَاهُ: مَنْعُ مَا وَجَب عَلَيْهِ، وَ(( هَاتٍ)): طَلَبُ مَا لَيْسَ لَهُ. وَ(( وَأْدِ البَنَاتِ
)) مَعَنَاهُ: دَفْنُهُنَّ فِي الحَيَاةِ ، وَ(( قِيلَ وَقَالَ )) مَعْنَاهُ: الحَديث بكُلّ مَا يَسمَعُهُ، فَيَقُولُ : قِيلَ
كَذَا ، وَقَالَ فُلانٌ كَذَا مِمَّا لا يَعْلَمُ صِحَتَهُ ، وَلا يَظُنُّهَا ، وَكَفَى بِالمَرْءِ كَذِباً أنْ يُحَدّثَ بَكُلِّ مَا
سَمِعَ . وَ((إِضَاعَةُ المَال )): تَبَذِيرُهُ وَصَرِفُهُ فِي غَيْرِ الوُجُوهِ المأذُونِ فِيهَا مِنْ مَقَاصِدِ الآخِرةِ
وَالدُّنْيَا، وَتَرْكُ حِفْظِهِ مَعَ إمكَانِ الِحِفْظِ . وَ(( كَثْرَةُ السُّؤَال )) : الإِلحَاحُ فيما لا حَاجَةٍ إِلَيْهِ .
وفي الباب أحاديث سبقت في الباب قبله كحديث : (( وأقْطَعُ مَنْ قَطَعَك )) ، وحديث :
(( مَنْ قَطَعني قَطَعَهُ الله ))
Abū Īsā al-Mughīrah ibn Shu bah 4gg 98 narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "Allah &'s has forbidden you from disobedience to mothers, hoarding
your own possessions while taking unlawful possession of the belongings
of others and burying daughters alive. And He disliked you engaging in
futile talk, asking too many questions and wasting money." (Bukhārī, Muslim)
Commentary
According to 'Allamah Tibi , this hadith is the basis of comprehending good character. It
comprises six types of evils:
98 Al-Mughīrah ibn Shu'bah4
accepted Islam during the year of the Battle of the Trench. Allah
des blessed him with great intelligence, eloquence and foresight. 'Umar 4% appointed him as the
governor of Başrah for a time and then moved him to Kūfa. He remained the governor of Kūfa until
the martyrdom of 'Umar 4%. He participated in the battles of Yamamah and the conquest of Syria. He
lost his eyesight on the day of Yarmuk. After the martyrdom of 'Uthman 4%, he remained separated
from the trials that afflicted the Ummah. Mu'awiyah 44% appointed him as the governor of Kufa and
he remained there until his demise in 50 Hijrī. 132 ahādīth are narrated from him.

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
1. Disobedience to mothers - Allah && has forbidden disobedience to mothers. Fathers are
also included in the ruling; however, the Messenger of Allah
sufficed by mentioning only
mothers because the latter are more often disobeyed due to their weakness. It is also for this
reason that people are advised to be more kind to their mothers compared to their fathers.
2. Hoarding refers to holding back from spending that which is compulsory to spend and, at
the same time, desiring what others possess. It stems from excessive love for the material
world. One who lives life in such a manner is despised by others and is unhappy, discontent
and gloomy.
3. Burying daughters alive - Although daughters have been specifically mentioned in this
hadith, the prohibition includes male offspring as well. Daughters were mentioned because
they were mercilessly killed during the era of ignorance. Parents would bury daughters
out of fear of poverty or to escape being mocked at by people. The birth of a daughter was
considered a defect for the parents.
Two methods were generally employed by the Arabs for this purpose. (a) A pregnant woman
would lay at the edge of a pit at the time of giving birth and if she delivered a girl, it would
be thrown into the pit. (b) When a girl reached the age of six, her mother would beautify her
and she would then be taken to a pit that had been dug for her. She would be told to look
inside and then pushed in. Sand would then be thrown over her until she was fully covered up.
The prohibition of this abhorrent evil is no less relevant today than it was during the days
of the pagan Arabs because abortion is the modern equivalent of infanticide, and the fact
that it has been legalised proves that man is primitive with regard to his respect for the
value of human life.
4. Futile talk includes relating what one hears without verifying the authenticity and truth
thereof, or speaking excessively and thereby committing errors. It is discouraged in Islam
because it is detrimental to the self and weakens the social fabric. The Messenger of Allah
said, "The beauty of a person's Islam is to abandon that which is futile."
5. Asking questions in abundance - This may refer to questioning about problematic issues
without any pressing need or unnecessary probing into the affairs of others.
6. Wasting wealth - This refers to spending wealth in those avenues that are not permitted
by the shariah and in which there is no spiritual or worldly benefit. The reason for this
prohibition is that Allāh &s made wealth a means for man to satisfy his needs; wasting it
away defeats that purpose and denies the rights of others. Spending excessively in avenues
of goodness in order to acquire reward is not prohibited, as long as other rights are not
trampled.

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
CHAPTER 42
باب فضل بر أصدقاء الأب والأم والأقارب والزوجة وسائر من يندب إكرامه
Chapter on the virtues of maintaining good relations with the friends
of one's parents, relatives, wife and all those who one is encouraged to
honour
Introduction
Allah &s and the Messenger of Allah
have emphatically commanded us in the Qur'an
and hadith to obey, honour and serve our parents. It follows from this that we should also
honour and respect those who are associated with them. This chapter also encourages us to
honour our in-laws, teachers, students, just rulers, etc. When society is filled with mutual
respect it will lead to harmony and unity.
Hadīth 341
، قَالَ : (( إنّ أَبَرَّ البَرِّ أنْ يَصِلَ الرَّجُلُ وُدَّ أبيهِ)) .
: أن النَّبِيّ
عن ابن عمر
Ibn 'Umar
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "The finest
act of virtue is for a person to maintain good relations with his father's
friends." (Muslim)
Hadīth 342
وعن عبد الله بن دينار، عن عبد الله بن عمر له: أنَّ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأعْرَابِ لَقِيَّهُ بطَريق مَكَّةَ
، فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ عبدُ اللهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ ، وَحَمَلَهُ عَلَى حِمَارٍ كَانَ يَرْكَبُهُ ، وَأَعْطَاهُ عِمَامَةً كَانَتْ عَلَى
رَأْسِهِ ، قَالَ ابْنُ دِينَار: فَقُلْنَا لَهُ : أَصْلَحَكَ الله، إنَّهُمُ الأعرَابُ وَهُمْ يَرْضَوْنَ بِالْيَسِيرِ ، فَقَالَ
عبد الله بن عمر : إن أَبَا هَذَا كَانَ وُدّاً لِعُمَرَ بنِ الخطابِ ﴿هَ، وإِنِّي سَمِعتُ رَسُول الله
، يقول : ((إِنَّ أبرَّ البِرِّ صِلَةُ الرَّجُلِ أهْلَ وُدِّ أَبِيهِ )) .
وفي رواية عن ابن دينار ، عن ابن عمر : أنَّهُ كَانَ إِذَا خَرَجَ إِلَى مَكّةَ كَانَ لَهُ حِمَارٌ يَتَرَوَّحُ عَلَيهِ
إِذَا مَلَّ رُكُوبَ الرَّاحِلةِ ، وَعِمَامَةٌ يَشُدُّ بِهَا رَأْسَهُ ، فَبيْنَا هُوَ يَوماً عَلَى ذلِكَ الِحِمَارِ إِذْ مَرَّ بِهِ
أَعْرَابِيٍّ ، فَقَالَ: أَسْتَ ابْنَ فُلاَنَ بْنَ فُلاَن ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى . فَأَعْطَاهُ الحِمَارَ ، فَقَالَ : ارْكَبْ هَذَا
، وَأَعْطَاهُ العِمَامَةَ وَقَالَ: اشْدُدْ بِهَا رَأْسَكَ ، فَقَالَ لَهُ بعضُ أصْحَابِهِ : غَفَرَ الله لَكَ أعْطَيْتَ
هَذَا الأَعْرَابِيَّ حِمَاراً كُنْتَ تَرَوَّحُ عَلَيهِ ، وعِمَامَةً كُنْتَ تَشُدُّ بِهَا رَأْسَكَ ؟ فَقَالَ : إِنِّي سَمِعتُ

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
٤، يَقُولُ : ((إِنَّ مِنْ أَبَرِّ البِرِّ أنْ يَصِلَ الرَّجُلُ أَهْلَ وُدِّ أبيهِ بَعْدَ أنْ يُولِّيَ)) وَإِنَّ
رَسُول الله ـ
أَبَاهُ كَانَ صَديقاً لِعُمَرَ رلته .
رَوَى هذِهِ الرواياتِ كُلَّهَا مسلم .
'Abdullah ibn Dīnar99 narrates from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar % that a Bedouin
met him on the road to Makkah. 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar w> greeted the man,
mounted him on a donkey which he himself used to ride and gave him a
turban which he was wearing on his head. 'Abdullah ibn Dīnar said: "We
said to him, 'May Allah & keep you righteous. These Bedouins are such
that they are satisfied with very little (there was no need for you to do
all this for him).' 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar , said: "This man's father was a
friend of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab % (my father), and I heard the Messenger
of Allah
saying: 'The finest act of virtue is for a person to maintain
good relations with his father's friends."
In the narration of Ibn Dinar from Ibn 'Umar
des it is stated that when he
used to travel to Makkah, he had a donkey, which he used to ride whenever
he felt tired of riding on a camel. He also had a turban which he used to
tie on his head. One day when he was riding that donkey, a Bedouin passed
by him and Ibn 'Umar 40% asked him: "Are you not so-and-so person, the
son of so-and-so person?" He replied: "Indeed." Ibn 'Umar aos gave him the
donkey and said to him: 'You may ride this.' He then gave him the turban
and said: 'Tie this on your head.' Some of his companions said to him: 'May
Allah forgive you. Why did you have to give this Bedouin this donkey which
you yourself were riding and this turban which you had tied on your head?'
He replied: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah
saying: 'The finest act of
virtue is for a person to maintain good relations with his father's friends
when the latter goes away (i.e. when the father passes away or goes on a
journey). And this man's father was a friend of 'Umar (my father)."
(Muslim has narrated all these narrations.)
Commentary
Hadith 341 and 342 are actually one. Hadith 342 explains the circumstances surrounding which
hadith 341 was mentioned.
99 'Abdullah ibn Dīnar Abu 'Abd al-Rahman al-Qurashi & heard ahadith from Ibn 'Umar age, Anas
and a group of other Șahabah. He passed away in 127 Hijrī.

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
The hadith teaches that one of the methods of honouring our parents after their demise is
to honour their friends. One of the ways of doing so is to present them with gifts.
The companions of Ibn 'Umar
made du'a' for him before posing their question. This
teaches us an important point of etiquette. This is substantiated by a verse from the Qur'an
that states,
﴿عَفَا اللهُ عَنْكَ لِمَ اَذِنْتَ لَهُمْ﴾
May Allāh forgive you (O Muhammad
). Why did you grant them leave?
(Sūrah al-Taubah, 43)
Making du'a' for others in their presence is a source of motivation, love and kindness.
Additional Points
v Wearing an 'imamah (turban) is a Sunnah. The Messenger of Allah
usually wore a white
turban and during times of war and conquest, he wore a black turban.
Hadīth 343
وعن أَبي أُسَيد - بضم الهمزة وفتح السين - مالك بن ربيعة الساعدي له، قَالَ: بَيْنَا نَحْنُ
جُلُوسٌ عِنْدَ رَسُول الله ﴿ إِذ جَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلَمَةَ ، فَقَالَ: يَا رسولَ اللهِ ، هَلْ بَقِيَ
مِنْ بَرِّ أَبَوَيَّ شَيءٍ أَبُّهُمَا بِهِ بَعْدَ مَوتِهِمَا؟ فَقَالَ : (( نَعَمْ ، الصَّلاةُ عَلَيْهِمَا ، والاسْتَغْفَارُ لَهُمَا
، وَإِنْفَاذُ عَهْدِهِمَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمَا، وَصِلَهُ الرَّحِمِ الَّتي لا تُوصَلُ إلَّ بِهِمَا، وَإكرامُ صَدِيقهمَا ))
رواه أبو داود .
Abū Usayd Mālik ibn Rabī'ah al-Sā idī4% 100 narrates: While we were sitting
with the Messenger of Allah
, a man from the tribe of Banū Salamah
came to him and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Is there any act of virtue
which I could do for my parents after they have passed away?" He replied,
"Yes. Making du'a' for them, seeking forgiveness for them, fulfilling their
promises (bequests) after their demise, maintaining ties of kinship that
cannot be maintained except through them and honouring their friends."
(Abū Dāwūd)
100 Abū Usayd Malik ibn Rabī ah al-Sa'idī % participated in the Battle of Badr, Uhud and all the other
expeditions, making him from amongst the most eminent of Muslims. 28 ahadith are narrated from
him. According to the hadith scholar Ibn 'Abdul Barr 0, he was the last of the Șahabah of Badr to pass
away. He was 75 at the time of his demise and passed away in Madinah Munawwarah.

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
Commentary
This hadith teaches us to continuously make du'a' for our parents after their demise because
a child's du'a' for the parent is accepted and the reward thereof reaches the parent. Another
hadith states that one of the avenues through which a person will continuously be rewarded
in the Hereafter is the du'a' of his pious offspring. The Qur'an teaches us excellent du'ās in
this regard:
﴿رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبِّىْ صَغِيْرًا﴾
O my Sustainer, have mercy upon them just as they brought me up when I was
little. (Sūrah al- Isrā', 24) and,
﴿رَبِّ اغْفِرْلِىْ وَلِوَالِدَىَّ﴾
O my Sustainer, forgive me and my parents. (Sūrah Nūh, 28)
'Aqulī "> provided a useful explanation for "maintaining ties of kinship that cannot be
maintained except through them." He said that if we assume that we were born or created
directly from soil and not through the agency of a mother, then we would not have had
the opportunity of entering Paradise through the good deed of maintaining ties of kinship,
because such ties would have been non-existent. Therefore, because one's parents are the
means of this act of goodness, it will be compulsory to honour them by honouring their
respective families.
Hadith 344
مَا غِرْتُ عَلَى خَدِيجَة
وعن عائشة ها، قَالَتْ: مَا غِرْتُ عَلَى أحَدٍ مِنْ نِسَاءِ النَّبِّ
، وَمَا رَأَيْتُهَا قَطُّ ، وَلَكِنْ كَانَ يُكْثِرُ ذِكْرَهَا، وَرُبَّمَا ذَبَحَ الشَّاةَ، ثُمَّ يقَطِّعُهَا أَعْضَاء، ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُهَا
فِي صَدَائِقِ خَدِيجَةَ ، فَرُبَّمَا قُلْتُ لَهُ: كَأَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا إلَّ خَدِيجَةَ! فَيَقُولُ : (( إِنَّهَا
كَانَتْ وَكَانَتْ وَكَانَ لِي مِنْهَا وَلَدٌ )) مُتَّفَقِّ عَلَيْهِ .
وفي رواية: وإِنْ كَانَ لَيَذْبَحُ الشَّاءَ ، فَيُهْدِي فِي خَلَائِلِهَا مِنْهَا مَا يَسَعُهُنَّ . وفي رواية: كَانَ
إِذَا ذبح الشاة، يقولُ : ((أَرْسِلُوا بِهَا إِلَى أَصْدِقَاءٍ خَدِيجَةَ )). وفي رواية : قَالَت : اسْتَأَذَنتْ
هَالَهُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِد أُخْتُ خَدِيجَةَ عَلَى رَسُول الله ﴿ه، فَعَرَفَ اسْتِذَانَ خَدِيجَةَ ، فَارْتَاحَ لِذَلِكَ
، فَقَالَ : (( اللَّهُمَّ هَالَهُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِدٍ )) .
قولُهَا : ((فَارْتَاحَ )) هُوَ بالحاء ، وفي الجمعِ بَيْنَ الصحيحين للحُميدِي: (( فارتاع ))

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
بالعينِ ومعناه : اهتم بهِ .
'A'ishah wes narrates: "I was not envious of any of the wives of the Messenger
of Allāh
as I was of Khadījah
. I never saw her but he used to talk
abundantly about her. At times, he would slaughter a sheep, cut it into
pieces and send them to the friends of Khadijah. At times, I would say to
him: 'It is as if there was never any woman in the world like Khadījah!'
And he would say: 'She was like this and she was like that (enumerating
her good qualities) and I also had children from her." (Bukhārī, Muslim)
Another narration has: "At times he would slaughter a sheep and send
sufficient amounts to her friends."
Another narration has: "When he used to slaughter a sheep, he would say:
'Send some of it to the friends of Khadijah."
Another narration has: "Halah bint Khuwaylid, the sister of Khadijah, sought
permission to meet the Messenger of Allah. (On hearing her voice), he
recognised (the similarity with) Khadijah's style of seeking permission. He
was deeply moved and said: 'O Allah! It must be Halah bint Khuwaylid."
Vocabulary and Definitions
"I never saw her" means that 'A'ishah did not meet Khadijah wes because the latter passed
away before Hijrah and before 'A'ishah wes could reach the age of perception. It could also
mean that 'A'ishah
and Khadijah were not co-wives at one time.
Hālah bint Khuwaylid we)
was Khadijah's was only sister. She was the mother of 'As ibn al-
Rabī“
the husband of Zaynab wos, who was the daughter of the Messenger of Allah
Commentary
The Messenger of Allah
had tremendous love and affection for Khadijah wes. She was
the only wife that bore him children that lived to marriageable age. Although she was 15
years older than he was, they were happily married for approximately 24 years. She had
great insight, knowledge and possessed sterling qualities. She was the first to believe in his
message, she supported him when many rejected him, she spent from her wealth for the
sake of Islam, she patiently encouraged her husband through the torments and hardships he
faced and she shared in his pain. The Messenger of Allah
was so deeply affected by her
demise that the year became known as 'the year of grief' for him. 'A'ishah was once asked him,
"Has Allah not granted you that which is better in exchange?" He replied, "No, by Allah, she

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
believed in me when my nation disbelieved in me, she helped me when my nation abandoned
me and she gave me from her wealth when my nation deprived me."
The Messenger of Allah's
tremendous love for everything associated with his first wife has
been aptly explained by the fact that one who loves an entity will love everything associated
with it or that resembles it. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah's
conduct towards the
friends of his deceased spouse was proof of his unflinching loyalty and love for her even
after her demise.
Hadith 345
وعن أنس بن مالك له، قَالَ: خرجت مَعَ جرير بن عبد الله البَجَلَيّ ◌ُّهُ فِي سَفَرٍ ، فَكَانَ
شيئاً
يَخْدُمُنِي ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: لاَ تَفْعَل ، فَقَالَ : إِنِّي قَدْ رَأيْتُ الأَنْصَارَ تَصْنَعُ برسول الله .
آلَيْتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي أنْ لا أَصْحَبَ أحَداً مِنْهُمْ إلَّ خَدَمْتُهُ . مُتَّفَقٌّ عَلَيْهِ .
Anas ibn Malik 4
narrates: "I set out on a journey with Jarīr ibn 'Abdullah
al-Bajalī age and he attended to my needs, so I said to him: 'Do not do so.'
He said: 'I saw the Ansar doing so for the Messenger of Allah
and I took
an oath that if I accompanied any of them, I would serve them (and you
are from them)." (Bukhārī, Muslim)
Commentary
Anas
objected to Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullah
, serving him because the latter was older than
he was. From this, we learn three lessons. Firstly, it points to the virtue and humility of Jarīr
ibn 'Abdullah
„, his kindness to the Messenger of Allah
and to those who served the
Messenger of Allah
Secondly, it teaches us to honour and serve the righteous and those
associated with them, even though they may be younger. Thirdly, the fact that the Sahabah
served the servants of the Messenger of Allah
illustrates their degree of love for him.
CHAPTER 43
﴾ وبيان فضلهم
باب إكرام أهل بيت رَسُول الله
Chapter on honouring the family of the Messenger of Allah
and an
exposition of their virtues
قَالَ الله تَعَالَى: ﴿ إِنَّمَا يُرِيْدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرَّجْسَ آَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيْرًا﴾

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
( الأحزاب : ٣٣ ) ،
Allah des says: "Allah only wishes to rid you of filth, O family of the Messenger,
and to purify you thoroughly." (Sūrah al-Aḥzab, 33)
وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ تَقْوَى الْقُلُّوْبِ﴾ (الحج : ٣٢).
Allāh &s says: "Whoever honours the symbols of Allah, then this is because
of the piety of the hearts." (Sūrah al-haj, 32)
Introduction
This chapter discusses the honour, respect and reverence that need to be shown to the family
and household of the Messenger of Allah
According to the Hanafi school, the household of
the Messenger of Allah $
refers to the believers from the tribe of Banu Hashim. According to
the Shafi'ī school, they include the family of Muttalib in addition to the tribe of Banū Hashim.
While love, reverence and honour are all essential, balance is crucial. Islamic history has
shown that there have been various sects through the centuries that were led astray due to
adoption of extreme behaviour. They began to fabricate narrations, celebrate festivals and
hold mourning ceremonies and death commemorations associated with the Messenger of
Allāh
which are all alien to the true Islamic teachings of the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
Hadith 346
وعن يزيد بن حَيَّانَ ، قَالَ: انْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَحُصَيْنُ بْنُ سَبْرَة، وَعَمْرُو ابن مُسْلِمٍ إِلَى زَيْد بْنِ
أرقَمَ عَ، فَلَمَّا جَلَسْنَا إِلَيْهِ قَالَ لَهُ حُصَيْن : لَقَدْ لِقِيتَ يَا زَيْدُ خَيْراً كَثِيراً، رَأيْتَ رَسُول الله
، وسمعتَ حديثَهُ، وغَزَوْتَ مَعَهُ ، وَصَلَّيْتَ خَلْفَهُ: لَقَدْ لَقِيتَ يَا زَيْدُ خَيْراً كَثِيراً ، حَدِّثْنَا
يَا زَيْدُ مَا سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رسولِ اللهِ ﴿ قَالَ: يَا ابْنَ أَخِي ، وَاللهِ لقد كَبِرَتْ سِنِّي ، وَقَدُمَ عَهدِي
، وَنَسِيتُ بَعْضَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَعِي مِنْ رسولِ اللهِ ﴿، فما حَدَّثْتُكُمْ، فَاقْبِلُوا، ومَا لا فَلاَ
تُكَلِّفُونِيهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: قام رَسُول الله ﴿ يَوماً فينا خَطِيباً بِمَاءِ يُدْعَى خُمَّاً بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَالمَدِينَةِ ،
فَحَمِدَ الله، وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، وَوعِظَ وَذَكَّرَ ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: ((أمَّا بَعدُ ، أَلاَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌّ
يُوشِكَ أنْ يَأْتِي رسولُ ربِّي فَأُجِيبَ ، وَأَنَا تارك فيكم تَقَلَيْنِ: أوَّلُهُمَا كِتَابُ اللهِ ، فِيهِ الهُدَى
وَالنُّورُ ، فَخُذُوا بِكتابِ الله ، وَاسْتَمْسِكُوا بِهِ )) ، فَحَثَّ عَلَى كِتَابِ الله ، وَرَغَّبَ فِيهِ ، ثُمَّ
قَالَ : (( وَأَهْلُ بَيْتِي أُذَكِّرُكُمُ الله في أهلِ بَيْتِي، أذكرُكُمُ الله في أهل بيتي)) فَقَالَ لَهُ حُصَيْنٌ
: وَمَنْ أَهْلُ بَيْتِهِ يَا زَيْدُ ، أَلَيْسَ نِسَاؤُهُ مِنْ أهْلِ بَيْتِهِ ؟ قَالَ : نِسَاؤُهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ ، وَلِكِنْ أَهْلُ

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بَيْتِهِ مَنْ حُرِمَ الصَّدَقَةَ بَعدَهُ ، قَالَ: وَمَنْ هُمْ ؟ قَالَ : هُمْ آَلُ عَلِيٍّ وَآلُ عقيلٍ وَآلُ جَعَفَرَ وآلُ
عَبَّاسِ. قَالَ: كُلُّ هؤلاء حُرِمَ الصَّدَقَةَ ؟ قَالَ : نَعَمْ . رواه مسلم .
وفي رواية : (( ألاَ وَإنّي تَارِكٌ فِيَكُمْ تَقَلِيْنِ: أَحَدُهُمَا كِتَابُ الله وَهُوَ حَبْلُ الله، مَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ
كَانَ عَلَى الهُدَى ، وَمَنْ تَرَكَهُ كَانَ عَلَى ضَلالَةٍ )).
Yazīd ibn Hayyān101 narrates: "Husayn ibn Sabrah, 'Amr ibn Muslim and I
went to visit Zayd ibn Arqam aog 102. While we were sitting with him, Husayn
said to him: 'O Zayd! You witnessed much good. You saw the Messenger of
Allāh
, you heard his speech, you joined him in jihad and you offered
șalāh behind him. O Zayd! You witnessed much good. O Zayd! Relate to us
some of which you heard from the Messenger of Allah
' He said: 'O my
nephew! By Allah, I have become very old and a very long time has passed
(since my time with the Messenger of Allah
and I have forgotten some
of which I used to remember about the Messenger of Allah
So, accept
what I have to say and do not impose upon me (to narrate) anything which
I do not remember.' He then said: 'One day, the Messenger of Allah
stood
up to deliver a sermon at a watering-hole called Khum, which lies between
Makkah and Madinah. He praised and glorified Allāh &S, admonished and
reminded us and said: 'Listen, O people! I am merely a mortal. A messenger
(angel of death) of my Sustainer will soon come to me and I will respond
to his call. I am leaving two important things among you. The first is the
Book of Allah which contains guidance and illumination. So accept the
Book of Allah and hold on firmly to it.' He emphasised practising on the
Book of Allah and encouraged holding firmly onto it. He then said: And (the
second is) my family. I order you to obey Allah and to fulfil the rights of
my family. I order you to obey Allah and to fulfil the rights of my family."
"Husayn said to Zayd: 'O Zayd! Who is his family? Are his wives not his
family?' He said: 'His wives are part of his family (as they reside with him),
but his family members (in reality) are those to whom it is unlawful to
give (obligatory) charity to after his demise.' He asked: 'Who are they?' He
101 Yazid ibn Hayan was a Tabii. Muslim, Abu Dawud and Nasa'i narrated from him.
102 Zayd ibn Arqam 4% participated in 17 expeditions in the company of the Messenger of Allah
He was regarded as being too young at the time of the battle of Uhud. He accompanied 'Abdullah ibn
Rawaha 4% for the battle of Mu'ta. 70 ahadith are narrated from him. He was from among the special,
close companions of 'Alī 4%. He lived in Kufa where he passed away in 56 Hijrī.

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
replied: 'They are the family of 'Alī, the family of 'Aqil, the family of Ja'far
and the family of 'Abbas.' He asked: 'Is it unlawful to give charity to all of
them?' He replied: 'Yes." (Muslim)
Another narration has: "Listen! I am leaving two important things among
you. One of them is the Book of Allah. It is the rope of Allah. Whoever
follows it shall be rightly guided. Whoever abandons it shall be misguided."
Commentary
In a number of ahādīth, the Messenger of Allah
emphasised the importance of holding
onto the book of Allah &s. As can be drawn from the analogy of a rope, those who hold on
to the rope will be saved, while those who do not will be lost.
The Messenger of Allah
similarly emphasised upon the need for the believers to fulfil
the rights of his family. Their status is extremely high and noble because Allah des selected
them to be part of the noblest of prophetic households, hence, they should be honoured and
revered. Attacks, objections and criticism from disbelievers and deviated sects regarding their
purity and nobility should be refuted.
Additional Points
v It is preferable to praise one's teacher by mentioning his good qualities and to make du'a'
for him before requesting him to narrate ahādīth.
V The Messenger of Allah
was human and experienced death like every other person.
v It is wise to be in the company of the righteous because, through their barakah, the
worship of the less righteous is also accepted.
v It is not permissible to give zakah to the household of the Messenger of Allah
Hadīth 347
فِيهُ - مَوْقُوفاً عَلَيْهِ - أَنَّهُ قَالَ: ارْقَبُوا مُحَمداً
، عن أبي بكر الصديق
وعن ابن عمر رُ عنهما
في أهْلِ بَيْتِهِ . رواه البخاري .
معنى (( ارقبوه )) : راعوه واحترموه وأكرموه ، والله أعلم .
Ibn ‘Umar
narrates that Abu Bakr 40)
said: "Honour Muhammad
by honouring his family members." (Bukhārī)
Vocabulary and Definitions
Lo so so - A Mauquf narration refers to the statement or action of a Sahābī.

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
Commentary
Those who honour and love the family of the Messenger of Allah
will be deemed to
have honoured and loved the Messenger of Allah
However, such honour and love does
not merely entail lip service; rather, it demands following the guidance of the Messenger of
Allāh
and adopting the noble character of the members of his household. Additionally,
such love should not lead to exaggeration and extremism that will lead to perpetration of
actions and deeds that oppose Islamic teachings.
CHAPTER 44
باب توقير العلماء والكبار وأهل الفضل وتقديمهم عَلَى غيرهم ورفع مجالسهم وإظهار مرتبتهم
Chapter on honouring the scholars, elders, and people of goodness;
giving preference to them over others, elevating their seating places and
acknowledging their status
قَالَ الله تَعَالَى: ﴿ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوَى الَّذِيْنَ يَعْلَمُوْنَ وَالَّذِيْنَ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَاب
﴾ (الزمر : ٩).
Allāh &s says: "Say: 'Can those with knowledge be equal to those who do
not have knowledge?' Only those who possess intelligence will ponder."
(Sūrah al-Zumar, 9)
Introduction
The 'ulama' refer to the scholars of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah who are experts in the
sciences of the shariah. They should be honoured based on their knowledge, piety and
spirituality, even though they may be young. The next in rank after the scholars are the
elderly and then those who possess virtue and good qualities.
Hadīth 348
: (( يَؤْمٌ
وعن أَبي مسعودٍ عقبةَ بن عمرو البدري الأنصاري ﴿لَّهِ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُول الله ﴾
القَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللـه ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْقِراءةِ سَوَاءً ، فَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالسُّنَّةِ ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي
السُّنَّةِ سَوَاءَ ، فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةَ ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الهِجْرَةِ سَوَاءً ، فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ سِنّاً، وَلاَ يُؤْمّنَ الرَّجُلُ
الرَّجُلَ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ ، وَلاَ يَقْعُدْ فِي بَيْتِهِ عَلَى تَكْرِمَتِهِ إلَّ بِإِذْنِهِ )) رواه مسلم .

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
وفي رواية لَهُ : ((فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ سِلْماً)) بَدَلَ (( سِنّاً)): أَيْ إِسْلاماً. وفي رواية : (( يَؤُمُّ القَومَ
أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللهِ ، وَأَقْدَمُهُمْ قِراءَةً ، فَإِنْ كَانَتْ قِرَاءَتُهُمْ سَوَاءً فَيَؤُمّهُمْ أَقْدَمُهُمْ هِجْرَةً ، فَإِنْ
كَانُوا فِي الهِجْرَةِ سَواء ، فَلَيَؤُمُّهُمْ أَكْبَرُهُمْ سِنّاً)) .
والمراد (( بِسلطانِهِ )): محل ولايتِهِ ، أَو الموضع الَّذِي يختص بِهِ ((وتَكرِمتُهُ)) بفتح التاءِ
وكسر الراءِ : وهي مَا ينفرد بِهِ من فِراشٍ وسَريرٍ ونحوهِما .
Abū Mas'ūd 'Uqbah ibn 'Amr al-Badrī al-Ansārī
s narrates that the
Messenger of Allah
said: "The person who recites the Book of Allah
the best should lead the people in salah. If they are all equal in recitation,
then the one who is most knowledgeable regarding the Sunnah (should lead
them). If they are all equal regarding the knowledge of the Sunnah, then
the one who has emigrated first (should lead them). If they are all equal
regarding the emigration, then the one who is the eldest in age (should
lead them). No person should lead the salah in a place where another holds
authority without his permission, nor should he sit in his house or his
place of honour without his permission." (Muslim)
Another narration of Muslim has: "The one who embraced Islam first,"
instead of "the one who is the eldest."
Another narration has: "The people should take as Imam the one from
among them who recites the Book of Allah the best and one who is the
most experienced of them in recitation. If they are all equal in recitation,
then the first of them in respect of emigration should lead them in prayer.
If they are equal in respect of emigration, then the eldest in age should
lead them in the prayer."
Commentary
This hadith discusses who is the most worthy of leading the congregation in salah. Based on
this hadīth, Imam Shafiī
and Imam Ahmad
maintain that the best reciter should be
given preference. According to Imam Abu Hanīfah « and Imam Malik , one who is most
knowledgeable regarding the Sunnah should be preferred provided he can recite in a manner
that renders his salah valid. The latter contend that recitation of the Qur'an is limited to a
single portion of the salah whereas knowledge is required for all portions of the salah. In
addition, during the terminal illness of the Messenger of Allah
Abū Bakr
lead the
salah despite the presence of better reciters such as Ubay ibn Ka'b 4

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
The Messenger of Allah
also advised that an appointed Imam or one who holds a particular
position, enjoys the right of precedence in his area and that none should be given preference
over him, without his permission.
Additional Points
v To be an Imam is a huge responsibility and trust, which only the most competent should
carry out.
Hadīth 349
﴿ يَمْسَحُ مَنَاكِبَنَا فِي الصَّلاةِ ، ويَقُولُ : ((اسْتَوُوا وَلاَ تَخْتَلِفُوا
وعنه ، قال : كَانَ رَسُول الله
، فَتَخْتَلِفَ قُلُوبُكُمْ، لِيَلِنِي مِنْكُمْ أُولُوا الأحْلَامِ وَالنَُّى، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يُلُونَهُمْ
)) رواه مسلم .
وقوله ﴿ه: ((لِيَلِي)) هُوَ بتخفيف النون وليس قبلها ياءٌ، وَرُوِيَ بتشديد النُّون مَعَ يَاءٍ قَبْلَهَا
. (( وَالنُّهَى)): العُقُولُ. (( وَأُولُوا الأحْلام)): هُم البَالِغُونَ، وقَلَ : أهْلُ الحِلْمِ وَالفَضْلِ .
Abū Mas'ūd 'Uqbah ibn 'Amr al-Badrī al-Ansarī 4% narrates: "The Messenger
of Allāh
used to pass his hand over our shoulders when straightening the
rows for salah and say: 'Straighten the rows and let there be no unevenness,
or else your hearts will differ (resulting in disunity among you). Those who
are mature and intelligent should remain the closest to me and then those
who are next in rank."" (Muslim)
Commentary
In this hadith, we learn that the Messenger of Allah
physically and verbally straightened
the rows. However, from other ahadith we learn that the Messenger of Allah
sufficed
upon a verbal instruction. This difference in approach stemmed from differences in the
audience: if the congregation consisted of intelligent people, he would suffice with words
and if there were reverts or young people who needed to be taught, then he would also
physically demonstrate it.
The concept of discipline by the straightening of the rows in salah is a reminder for the
Ummah to unite as a single force and speak with a single voice.
The heart and the limbs of the body are remarkably linked to each other. An inconsistency
in one leads to conflict with the other, hence uneven rows lead to disunity of hearts.
Imam Nawawī & explained that having the most virtuous and intelligent of people closest to
the Imam, is in order to honour them. In addition, the Imam may sometimes need to appoint