Maulana Dawood Raz
Explanation:
That is, the death of two innocent children will become a cause of forgiveness for the mother. At first, it was stated as three children, then two, and in another hadith, this glad tidings has also been mentioned for the passing of even one child. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) delivered this admonition to women on a specified day. For this reason, there is conformity between the chapter established by Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) and the hadith. The woman who asked about two children was Umm Sulaym (radi Allahu anha). This glad tidings also applies to a premature (stillborn) child.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 101
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
➊
In worldly life, men face countless issues and require more knowledge to fulfill their masculine duties, but there are also many matters specific to women, and their particular issues are not few either, such as: purification and cleanliness (taharah wa nazafah), rights of the husband, upbringing of children, etc. Although women are permitted to attend men's gatherings with proper veiling, such attendance is burdensome, and women feel hesitant to inquire about their specific issues. Therefore, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, highlighting the importance of women's education, states that the Imam should make independent arrangements for the education of women, in which the entry of men is prohibited. As is evident from the hadith, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam could have ordered women to attend the men's gathering; this would have also saved time, but he did not do so. Rather, upon their eagerness and request, he granted them a special, dedicated time.
➋
There are two times of great trial for a person:
1. Intense joy.
2. Intense grief.
When a person is overwhelmed by extraordinary happiness, he loses self-control and considers himself exempt from the restrictions of the Shariah. Similarly, a grief-stricken person, in the intensity of sorrow, makes complaint and lamentation his routine; sometimes, he even utters inappropriate words regarding the majesty of Lordship. Especially for a woman, the shock of a child's death proves to be very severe and agonizing. At times, overwhelmed by this grief, she tears her clothes and strikes her cheeks, even beginning to utter nonsense. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam made special mention of this.
➌
When a mother, despite her natural love for her young child, is content with Allah's decree and exercises patience at the child's death—especially when the calamity first strikes the heart—it is as if she herself presents the child before Allah. Although the death of an older child is also a shock, there is no virtue of "veil from the Fire" (hijab nar) for that, because when a child grows older, along with natural love, rational love also develops, and some interests become attached to him, such as: he will be a support in old age or at least a means of continuation of lineage. Furthermore, a mother endures many hardships for her child; the hardship of pregnancy and childbirth is also mentioned in the Noble Qur'an (: al-Ahqaf 15: 46).
➍
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah cited the narration of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu for two benefits:
1. In the chain of the first narration, one narrator was Ibn Asbahani; in this narration, his name is clarified as Abdur Rahman.
2. In the first narration, children were mentioned in general; in this narration, their being minors is specified, which is the basis of the ruling. Although being patient at the death of an older child is also rewardable, the "veil from the Fire" (hijab nar) is only for minor children. The reason for this is that the parents' love for them is selfless, and being patient at their death is very difficult.
Other related discussions regarding this hadith will be mentioned in the Book of Funerals (Kitab al-Jana'iz).
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 101