Abu Dawud

Benefits and Issues:
➊ In this hadith, it apparently seems that repentance was not sought from this apostate. However, in the following narrations, it is mentioned that repentance was indeed sought from him, and the majority (of scholars) hold this view.

➋ It is the right of the guest that he be honored.

➌ When rejecting evil acts (munkarat), one should not adopt an attitude of procrastination or leniency.

➍ It is also not appropriate to unnecessarily delay the implementation of the prescribed legal punishments (hudud shar‘iyyah).

➎ Even for permissible and lawful actions, a person receives reward on the basis of a righteous intention. For example, sleep is a natural act of comfort for a servant, but when one has the intention that after sleeping he will perform such-and-such good deed, then this sleep also becomes an act of reward.

Hadith Commentary:
The word "ajarat" is the plural of "ijarah."
In the language, ijarah means wage, that is, the compensation given to someone for a specified service performed for a specified period, whether that compensation is in cash or in kind, in the agreed form.
If a good, righteous, trustworthy person is employed for labor, it is indeed a great fortune for the employer, as the worker will fulfill his duty out of fear of Allah and will not be negligent in any way.
Before establishing the chapter "Hiring a Righteous Man," one of the intentions of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is also to clarify that working for wages is not a matter of shame or disgrace for righteous people, nor is it a bad thing to employ righteous and pious people for labor. Rather, for both parties, it is a source of blessing and reward.
In this regard, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has quoted the verse إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ and further clarified his purpose, explaining that if a strong and trustworthy person can be found for labor, it is much better.
Allah, the Exalted, in the aforementioned verse, has spoken through the tongue of the daughter of Shu'ayb alayhis salam, who, upon reaching home, said to her father, "O my father! You will not find a servant stronger and more trustworthy than him."
Shu'ayb alayhis salam asked, "How do you know?"
She replied, "The stone which ten men could hardly lift, this young man, i.e., Musa alayhis salam, lifted and threw it alone, and I was walking ahead of him.
He is so modest that when my garment began to flutter in the wind, he said, 'Walk behind me.'
And if I happen to take the wrong path, throw a pebble from behind onto the correct path, so that I may understand and follow the right way."
This was the prime of youth for Musa alayhis salam, and such was his modesty, shyness, and fear of Allah that he did not even consider it appropriate to look up at the daughter of Shu'ayb alayhis salam.
On this basis, the girl introduced Musa alayhis salam to Shu'ayb alayhis salam in these splendid words.
In any case, the leader of the hadith scholars, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, in the context of the Book of Transactions, has detailed all the issues related to ijarah, i.e., working for wages.
At the end of the chapter, a general principle is stated: whoever seeks to become a servant or ruler on his own initiative and searches for means to obtain it, it is the duty of the king or ruler of the time not to appoint such a greedy person as a ruler. But the one who flees from employment should be appointed to that job, provided he is qualified for it.
He will certainly work with honesty and goodwill, but this principle pertains only to the pure Islamic instructions, which were perhaps practiced only during the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphate.
Otherwise, nowadays, whether someone is qualified or not, only favoritism is considered.
And in this era, obtaining a job and wandering through offices for it has become a common fashion.
In Sahih Muslim, Book of Leadership, this hadith is present in more detail. Imam Nawawi rahimahullah, in its commentary, says:
قال العلماء و الحکمة في أنه لا یولی من سأل الولایة أنه یوکل إلیها و لا تکون معه إعانة کما صرح به في حدیث عبدالرحمن بن سمرة السابق و إذا لم تکن معه إعانة لم یکن کفئا و لا یولی غیر الکف و لأن فیه تمهة للطالب و الحرص۔
(Nawawi)
That is, the one who seeks leadership should not be given it. The wisdom in this is that if he is appointed to leadership, he will be left to it (without divine assistance), and he will not have help, as explicitly stated in the hadith of Abdur Rahman ibn Samurah. And when he does not have help, it means he is not qualified. Such a person should not be made a leader, and in this is a suspicion against the seeker and an expression of greed.
The scholars have clarified this.
At the end of this hadith, the mention of the treasurer is found, by which Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has indicated that the treasurer is also a kind of servant; if he works with trustworthiness, he too will receive reward just as the owner does.
It is very important for the treasurer to be trustworthy, otherwise there is a risk of many losses.
Its details will come at another place.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says:
وَقَدْ رَوَى بْنُ جَرِيرٍ مِنْ طَرِيقِ شُعَيْبٍ الْجَبَئِيِّ بِفَتْحِ الْجِيمِ وَالْمُوَحَّدَةِ بَعْدَهَا هَمْزَةٌ مَقْصُورًا أَنَّهُ قَالَ اسْمُ الْمَرْأَةِ الَّتِي تَزَوَّجَهَا مُوسَى صَفُورَةُ وَاسْمُ أُخْتِهَا ليا وَكَذَا روى من طَرِيق بن إِسْحَاقَ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ قَالَ اسْمُ أُخْتِهَا شرقا وَقِيلَ ليا وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ إِنَّ اسْمَهُمَا صَفُورَا وعبرا وأنهما كَانَتَا توأما وَذكر بن جَرِيرٍ اخْتِلَافًا فِي أَنَّ أَبَاهُمَا هَلْ هُوَ شُعَيْب النَّبِي أَو بن أَخِيهِ أَوْ آخَرُ اسْمُهُ يثرُونَ أَوْ يثرَى أَقْوَالٌ لَمْ يُرَجِّحْ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا وَرُوِيَ مِنْ طَرِيقِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ عَنِ بن عَبَّاسٍ فِي قَوْلِهِ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقوي الْأمين قَالَ قَوِيٌّ فِيمَا وُلِّيَ أَمِينٌ فِيمَا اسْتُوْدِعَ وروى من طَرِيق بن عَبَّاسٍ وَمُجَاهِدٍ فِي آخَرِينَ أَنَّ أَبَاهَا سَأَلَهَا عَمَّا رَأَتْ مِنْ قُوَّتِهِ وَأَمَانَتِهِ فَذَكَرَتْ قُوَّتَهُ فِي حَالِ السَّقْيِ وَأَمَانَتَهُ فِي غَضِّ طَرْفِهِ عَنْهَا وَقَوْلِهِ لَهَا امْشِي خَلْفِي وَدُلِّينِي عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ وَهَذَا أَخْرَجَهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ بِإِسْنَادٍ صَحِيحٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ وَزَادَ فِيهِ فَزَوَّجَهُ وَأَقَامَ مُوسَى مَعَه يَكْفِيهِ وَيَعْمَلُ لَهُ فِي رِعَايَةِ غَنَمِهِ۔
(Fath al-Bari)
Regarding the details of the daughter of Shu'ayb alayhis salam, Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says that the woman whom Musa alayhis salam married was named Safura, and her other sister was named "Liya."
Some have stated the other sister's name as Sharqa.
And some have said "Liya," and some have mentioned another name, and according to some research, the first was named Safura and the other sister was named Abra.
And both were twins, born at the same time.
Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu has explained the noble verse "Inna khayra man ista'jarta" as follows: "Qawi" (strong)
for those matters for which he is made responsible,
and "Amin" (trustworthy)
for those things that are entrusted to him.
And from Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu and Mujahid it is also narrated that her father asked his daughter what she had seen of his strength and trustworthiness.
So she mentioned his strength in the matter of watering the sheep,
and his trustworthiness in lowering his gaze from her when she was walking ahead and part of her foot became visible to Musa alayhis salam.
So he said, "Walk behind me and guide me to the path."
Thus, Shu'ayb alayhis salam married his daughter to Musa alayhis salam and kept Musa alayhis salam with him for his service and for herding sheep,
as was agreed for eight years.
And Musa alayhis salam added two more years from his side.
In this way, Musa alayhis salam had the honor of staying in the service of Shu'ayb alayhis salam for a full ten years.
In the hadith of Utbah ibn Mundhir it is narrated:
He said, "We were with the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and he recited Ta-Sin-Mim, and when he reached the story of Musa, he said:
«إِنَّ مُوسَى صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَجَرَ نَفْسَهُ ثَمَانِيَ سِنِينَ، أَوْ عَشْرًا، عَلَى عِفَّةِ فَرْجِهِ، وَطَعَامِ بَطْنِهِ» Narrated by Ibn Majah.
He says that we were in the presence of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and he said that Musa alayhis salam entrusted himself to the service of Shu'ayb alayhis salam for eight or ten years so that he could live a chaste marital life with sufficiency.
In al-Majmu' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab by the esteemed scholar Muhammad Najib al-Muti'i, under the Book of Ijarah, it is written: "It is permissible to contract ijarah for lawful benefits, and the evidence for this is the saying of Allah, the Exalted: 'If they (divorced women) breastfeed your children for you, give them their wages.'"
(Volume 14, p. 255)
That is, it is permissible to work for wages for lawful benefits, as Allah has commanded that if those divorced women breastfeed your children, then pay them their wages.
It is thus clear that the legitimacy of working for and hiring for wages is established from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, and it is not something that should be considered contrary to dignity, as some misguided people imagine. And today, it is the world of laborers; everywhere there are labor unions.
In today's era, laborers are ruling the world, as is observed.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
There is some brevity in this narration.
In another narration, it is mentioned that Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (radi Allahu anhu) says: When I presented myself before the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), there were two Ash‘ari men with me, one on my right and the other on my left. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was using a tooth-stick (miswak) at that time. Both of them requested an appointment (to an office) from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), so Abu Musa (radi Allahu anhu) clarified: O Messenger of Allah! I had absolutely no knowledge of their intention.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Istitabah al-Murtaddin, Hadith: 6923)
In another narration, one of them said: O Messenger of Allah! Appoint us to some office, and the other said likewise. So he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Whoever seeks an office and is eager for it, we do not appoint him to it.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Ahkam, Hadith: 7149)
(2)
Such brevity and its elaboration in narrations is generally not harmful, but Islahī Sahib is very displeased with this style of the narrators.
His inner malice against the narrators of hadith is expressed in this way; he writes:
In this narration, the narrator has omitted much from the wording... The narrators swallow such elephants in their narration, and then, on their own, determine the meaning of the narration, which is explicitly mentioned in other narrations.
(Tadabbur Hadith: 1/548, 549)
(3)
Generally, a request for a job is made in order to receive wages.
This establishes the concept of hiring (ijarah).
To apply for a job while abandoning other means of livelihood is a sign of a person’s greed and avarice. Therefore, the principle of the Shari‘ah is that whoever seeks an office should be excluded from consideration. However, if someone is confident in himself that he understands the interests of the people better than others and is also filled with the spirit of public service, then it is permissible for him to seek an office, as Prophet Yusuf (alayhis salam) himself requested the position of treasury from the ‘Aziz of Egypt.
Where there is suspicion of dishonesty or doubt that the applicant will not be able to fulfill the task or will not perform it well, then the applicant should not be made an ‘amil (government official).
This does not mean that a laborer who seeks work should never be employed, because doing so would close the door of hiring (ijarah) altogether.
Often, laborers are not even known until they request work.
(4)
It should be noted that this golden principle of Islam was perhaps only implemented during the Prophetic era and the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphate.
Now, instead of merit, favoritism is taken into consideration; on the other hand, obtaining a job, searching through offices for it, and offering heavy bribes for it has become a common fashion.

Hadith Commentary:
Because making a request indicates an intention to taste (the position), otherwise, official service is a calamity; a pious and intelligent person always flees from it.
Especially the duties of tax collection or judiciary—these often involve oppression, coercion, and actions contrary to the Shariah. As for these two (types of service), I will not assign any position to them.
You (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) divided the governorship of Yemen into two parts, giving the rule of one part to Abu Musa (radi Allahu anhu) and the other to Mu'adh (radi Allahu anhu).

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
This hadith comprises four legal rulings:
٭ The importance and benefit of the tooth-stick (miswak).
٭ The condemnation of seeking positions of authority.
٭ The dispatch of Abu Musa and Mu'adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhuma to Yemen for governmental service.
٭ The mention of the Jew who, after becoming Muslim, reverted to Judaism.
At this point, the intention is to narrate this last incident.
In one narration, its details are that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam sent Abu Musa and Mu'adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhuma to Yemen for education and training.
Mu'adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhu went to meet Abu Musa al-Ash'ari radi Allahu anhu and found there a man bound in chains.
He said to Abu Musa radi Allahu anhu:
O brother! Have you been sent to torment people? We were sent by the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam so that we may teach people the religion and guide them to matters that are beneficial for them.
Abu Musa radi Allahu anhu explained that this man had become Muslim and then turned away from the religion (became an apostate).
Upon hearing this clarification, Mu'adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhu said:
By the One Who sent Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam with the truth! I will not sit down until I have burned him in the fire. Thus, firewood was gathered and a fire was kindled, and he was bound and thrown into it.
(Majma‘ al-Zawa’id by al-Haythami: 6/261)
(2)
It is possible that after being killed, his corpse was thrown into the fire to further disgrace him, and Mu'adh and Abu Musa radi Allahu anhuma considered burning permissible in such circumstances.
In any case, Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari radi Allahu anhu admonished him for twenty days.
Mu'adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhu also invited him to Islam, but when he refused, he was brought to his due punishment.
(3)
From this it is understood that, after inviting the apostate man or woman to Islam, they should be killed; if they return to Islam, then they should be given further opportunity.
(Fath al-Bari: 12/343, 344)
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
This hadith establishes that the punishment for an apostate is execution, and the implementation of this legal penalty is the responsibility of the Islamic government. There is consensus among all the Imams on this matter. The details have already been discussed in the Book of Qasamah and Muharibin.
Additionally, this hadith also proves that if a person sleeps at night with the intention of gaining strength and alertness for standing in night prayer (qiyam al-layl), and so that he can stand with peace of heart, then this sleep too becomes a source of reward and merit.

4. Commentary:

➊ Apart from the issue of the chapter (that it is not against the dignity of the imam to use a miswak in front of his congregation, or for a great personality to use it before his devoted followers, nor is it contrary to the Shariah), this hadith also shows that seeking a position for oneself is not permissible in itself; rather, it should be left to the discretion of the ruler. However, if the ruler himself invites applications for a position or office, then it is permissible to put oneself forward, as occurred during the Battle of the Trench when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam asked: “Who will bring news of Quraysh?” and Zubair radi Allahu anhu presented himself. [صحیح البخاری ، الجھاد والسیر ، حدیث : 2846]
Thus, the current method of applying for jobs is correct, but putting oneself forward for the sake of gaining power is not permissible. And Allah knows best.

➋ A position should not be given to one who seeks or is greedy for it, because firstly, a greedy person will not be able to do justice to his position; rather, he will make it a means of attaining prestige or wealth. Secondly, such a person will not receive help and success from Allah, as is mentioned in authentic ahadith. [صحیح البخاري ، الأیمان والنذور ، حدیث : 6622 ، و صحیح مسلم ، الأیمان ، حدیث : 1652]
However, if a person believes that someone else will not be able to fulfill the responsibility properly, then he may demand it in order to fulfill the responsibility as it should be, as Yusuf alayhis salam said: «اِجَعَلْنِيْ عَلٰي خَزَآئِنِ الْاَرْضِ اِنِّيْ حَفِيْظٌ عَلِيْمٌ» [يوسف 55 : 12]
“Appoint me over the storehouses of the land; indeed, I am a good keeper, knowledgeable.” Similarly, Uthman bin Abu al-As radi Allahu anhu requested the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: “Make me the imam of my people.” He replied: “You are their imam, and take care of their weakest.” [سنن أبي داود ، الصلاۃ ، حدیث : 531]

➌ The miswak should be used not only horizontally (right and left) but also vertically (up and down), so that the bristles of the miswak can remove the dirt stuck between the teeth; the word «قَلَصَتْ» in the hadith indicates this.

English Translation:

A person who is eager for a position will not be able to fulfill his duties with honesty. He will make his position a means of attaining prestige or wealth, and he will also not receive help and success from Allah Ta’ala. Therefore, such a person should not be appointed to a position. However, if the government itself invites applications, then one may submit an application. There is no harm in this, and such a person may also be given a position. (For further details, see Hadith: 4)

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، استتابة المرتدين، باب حكم المرتد والمرتدة واستتابتهم، حديث:6923، ومسلم، الإمارة، باب النهي عن طلب الإمارة والحرص عليها، حديث:1733، وأبوداود، الحدود، حديث:4355.»©

Explanation:
➊ From this hadith, it is understood that the apostate (murtad) will be given an opportunity to repent before the punishment for apostasy is carried out, and he will be formally asked to repent.
According to the majority of scholars, this is obligatory, but some other scholars and the Zahiris do not consider it obligatory.

➋ In the hadith: “Whoever changes…” etc., the word “whoever” (man) is general, meaning whether the apostate is a man or a woman, both will be invited to return to Islam, and if they persist in their refusal, they will be killed.

➌ During the era of Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu, a woman was also killed as a punishment for her apostasy.
At that time, many of the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum were present, and none objected.
This is evidence that there is consensus (ijma‘) of the Companions radi Allahu anhum on the killing of the apostate.

➍ The following issues are also established from this incident:
• The leader of the state (amir) has the right to appoint governors (‘amilun).
• It is permissible to appoint two governors at the same time.
• It is the duty of the governor to carry out the punishment for apostasy and to enforce the prescribed legal punishments (hudud).
• It is established to travel to one’s place of appointment by riding (on a mount).
• The governor and minister appointed by the ruler should also be respected.
• There should be no delay in carrying out the prescribed legal punishment (shar‘i hadd) once the investigation and inquiry have been completed.
• It is permissible to shackle the criminal.
• The execution and implementation of the punishment should be carried out in the presence of people so that they may take heed.

Benefit:
In this hadith, walking with only one shoe has been prohibited, and when putting on socks (muwza) or shoes, one should give preference to the right side, as is also mentioned in other ahadith regarding the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam):
« يعجبه التيمن فى تنعله وترجله وطهوره وفي شانه كله»
From this, it is also established that Allah, the Exalted, has granted great honor to the children of Adam, such that one should not walk with only one foot covered, but rather with both feet. From this, it is also established that every good deed should be started from the right side, and every bad deed from the left side.