Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
Many rulings are established from this hadith, including the issue of the chapter, which is also proven in the mentioned hadith regarding the third person.
It is also established from this that it is permissible to present righteous deeds as a means (wasilah).
The meaning of the noble verse, ﴿وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ﴾, is precisely this: seek a means to Allah through righteous deeds.
Those who seek the means of elders and saints, or merely present the noble person of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) as a means after his passing, are engaging in an act for which there is no clear evidence from the Book and the Sunnah.
If it were permissible to present the noble person of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) as a means after his passing, then on the occasion of the prayer for rain (istisqa’), Umar (radi Allahu anhu) would not have said: O Allah! In the lifetime of Your Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), we used to present him to You to supplicate for us.
Now the Prophet of Allah has departed from this world, and Your honored uncle, Abbas (radi Allahu anhu), is present among us, so we present him to supplicate for us. Therefore, accept his supplications on our behalf and bless us with the rain of mercy.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The basis of the argument lies in the role of the third person mentioned in the hadith, who independently invested a laborer’s wealth and gained considerable profit from it, then gave it all to him.
This applies in the case where the rulings of previous communities are legislated for us and the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has not prohibited it.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) mentioned this incident in a manner of praise and commendation, and did not object to the character of the person involved in any way.
If this act were not permissible in our Shariah, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would have clarified it.
Although the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) narrated this incident as an admonition and advice, Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has derived a juristic ruling from it.
(2)
The commentator of Bukhari, Ibn Battal, writes that if someone invests usurped or entrusted wealth in trade, then the profit from it is permissible for him, provided that the original wealth is returned to its owner.
(Fath al-Bari: 4/517)
According to our inclination, no one has the right to dispose of someone’s trust (amanah).
If someone does dispose of it and earns a profit, then that profit belongs to the original owner; at most, he may take compensation for his labor “in the customary manner.”
If there is any loss in that wealth or it is destroyed, then the one who used it is liable for it, because he disposed of another’s wealth without permission, which is not legally permissible for him.
(3)
Islahi Sahib writes regarding this hadith:
“In my view, this is a story prevalent among the Jews; it is not necessary that it be a real incident.
Among the People of the Book, this is the temperament of the Jews.”
(Tadabbur Hadith: 1/566)
Thus, according to Maulana Islahi and his followers, this is not a true story but rather a fictional tale.
Na’udhu billah min hadhihi al-hafawat al-Islahi wa ansarihi.

Hadith Commentary:
From this hadith, it is established that presenting righteous deeds as a means (wasilah) at the time of supplication (du'a) is permissible.
The verse "And seek the means (wasilah) to Him" (: al-Ma'idah: 35) has this very meaning.
The wasilah of righteous people is that if they are alive, supplication may be requested from them; the wasilah of the dead is an entirely baseless matter, from which abstaining is obligatory.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
From this hadith, it is understood that supplicating at the time of calamity, showing good conduct towards parents, serving them, and giving them preference over one’s wife and children are the most virtuous deeds. By virtue of such actions, Allah Almighty listens to supplications and grants them the honor of acceptance. On the contrary, a person who is disobedient to his parents and neglects serving them will be disgraced and humiliated in this world and the Hereafter. Thus, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“May Allah abase and destroy the person who finds one or both of his parents in old age, yet does not serve them and thereby fails to attain Paradise.”
(Sahih Muslim, al-Birr wa al-Silah, Hadith: 6510(2551))

(2)
From this hadith, it is also proven that presenting righteous deeds as a means (wasilah) at the time of supplication is permissible. However, using deceased persons as a means (wasilah) is entirely baseless, and it is extremely necessary to avoid this.

Hadith Footnote:
Both have the same meaning.
That is, I worked hard and collected one hundred gold coins.
The narration of Ibn Uqbah has been connected by Imam Bukhari rahimahullah himself in the Book of Manners (Kitab al-Adab).
Explanation:
Under this lengthy hadith, Hafiz Sahib rahimahullah states:
أَوْرَدَ فِيهِ حَدِيثَ الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ انْطَبَقَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْغَارُ وَسَيَأْتِي الْقَوْلُ فِي شَرْحِهِ فِي أَحَادِيثِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالْمَقْصُودُ مِنْهُ هُنَا قَوْلُ أَحَدِ الثَّلَاثَةِ فَعَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ أَيْ عَلَى الْأَجِيرِ حَقَّهُ فَرَغِبَ عَنْهُ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَزْرَعْهُ حَتَّى جَمَعْتُ مِنْهُ بَقَرًا وَرُعَاتِهَا فَإِنَّ الظَّاهِرَ أَنَّهُ عَيَّنَ لَهُ أُجْرَتَهُ فَلَمَّا تَرَكَهَا بَعْدَ أَنْ تَعَيَّنَتْ لَهُ ثُمَّ تَصَرَّفَ فِيهَا الْمُسْتَأْجِرُ بِعَينهَا صَارَت من ضَمَانه قَالَ بن الْمُنِيرِ مُطَابَقَةُ التَّرْجَمَةِ أَنَّهُ قَدْ عَيَّنَ لَهُ حَقَّهُ وَمَكَّنَهُ مِنْهُ فَبَرِئَتْ ذِمَّتَهُ بِذَلِكَ فَلَمَّا تَرَكَهُ وَضَعَ الْمُسْتَأْجِرُ يَدَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَضْعًا مُسْتَأْنَفًا ثُمَّ تَصَرَّفَ فِيهِ بِطَرِيقِ الْإِصْلَاحِ لَا بِطَرِيقِ التَّضْيِيعِ فَاغْتُفِرَ ذَلِكَ وَلَمْ يُعَدَّ تَعَدِّيًا وَلِذَلِكَ تَوَسَّلَ بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَجَعَلَهُ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ أَعْمَالِهِ وَأُقِرَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَوَقَعَتْ لَهُ الْإِجَابَةُ الخ (Fath al-Bari)
That is, at this place Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has narrated the hadith of those three persons whom the cave enclosed. Its full explanation will come in the Book of the Stories of the Prophets (Kitab Ahadith al-Anbiya).
Here, the intended point is the statement of one of those three persons who said that he wanted to give his laborer his full due,
but the laborer refused.
So he (the employer) began to cultivate (the land) with it, until from its yield he bought oxen and their herders.
Thus, it is apparent that he had fixed the wage for the laborer, but the laborer left it.
Then the owner, on his own responsibility, invested it in business.
Ibn al-Munir said that the correspondence (with the chapter heading) is that the owner of the orchard fixed the wage for him and gave it to him,
but the laborer left it.
Then that person, with the intention of improvement and growth, began to increase it.
Because of this good intention, he considered it his best deed and presented it as a means (wasilah) in the court of Allah, and Allah accepted this good deed. From this, the objective of the chapter is established.
From this, it is also proven that deeds can be presented as a means (wasilah) at the time of supplication in the court of Allah.
This is the very wasilah which has been commanded in the Noble Qur’an:
﴿يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ﴾ (al-Ma’idah: 35)
O you who believe! Fear Allah and seek a means (wasilah) to Him (through righteous deeds), and strive hard in His cause so that you may be successful.
Those people who, leaving aside righteous deeds, seek the wasilah of the saints and, under this false notion, call upon them in all circumstances,
such people, by committing shirk, are written in the sight of Allah among the polytheists.
This is the deception of Iblis (may Allah’s curse be upon him) in which a large number of so-called Muslims are trapped.
Under this same false notion, celebrations are held on the birth and death anniversaries of the saints.
Sacrifices are made.
Festivals (urs) are held.
Vows and offerings are made in their names.
All these practices have been learned from the polytheist nations, and those Muslims who are caught up in them should be concerned for their religion and faith.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In this hadith, it is clearly stated that the third person offered the right of the laborer to him, but he refused to take it. After that, the owner made use of his wages and put them to work. If this use had not been permissible, it would have been disobedience to Allah, which is an outright sin; then how could nearness to Allah be attained through it? Since he put the laborer's wages to work without his consent, if those wages had been lost, compensation would have been obligatory upon him. On this basis, the title is correct and this hadith is in accordance with it.

(2)
From this hadith, it is understood that it is permissible and legislated to supplicate to Allah by means of one's righteous deeds. Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has written, quoting the commentator of Bukhari, Ibn Munir: This person fixed the laborer's wage and handed it over to him, but he refused to take it and left it behind. Thus, this person began to increase it with the intention of growth and improvement. He did not intend to waste it; due to this good intention, he considered it his best deed and presented it as a means (wasilah) before Allah. Allah accepted it and granted them deliverance. Even so, if the wages had been lost, he would have had to pay compensation, because he did not have permission to use them. (Fath al-Bari: 21/5)

(3)
It should be clear that those who abandon righteous deeds and seek the intercession (wasilah) of saints, and then offer vows and offerings in their names, should be concerned for their religion and faith. The command of Allah, the Exalted, is:
“O you who believe! Fear Allah and seek a means (wasilah) to Him to attain His nearness.” (al-Ma'idah: 35:5)
Nearness to Allah cannot be attained by anything other than righteous deeds; therefore, we should strive to take an active part in good works. May Allah, the Exalted, enrich us with the wealth of sincerity.
Ameen

Hadith Commentary: The reason Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has brought this hadith in this chapter is to clarify the case of the last person, because he used the neighbor’s property for another purpose without the owner’s permission and earned profit from it, and he also made an analogy to sale (bay‘) on this basis.

Thus, a sale by an unauthorized agent (bay‘ fuduli) is valid just like an unauthorized marriage (nikah fuduli), and it becomes effective upon the owner’s approval.

From this lengthy hadith, it is also established that presenting righteous deeds as a means (wasilah) before Allah is permissible, as the real wasilah is such righteous actions themselves, and this is the meaning of the noble verse: ﴿وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ﴾ .

Those who seek wasilah through graves, shrines, and deceased saints are mistaken. Sometimes such means even enter into the bounds of shirk (polytheism).

The hadith mentions the incident of the shepherd, which may raise the suspicion of injustice towards the children, as they remained hungry and cried throughout the night. However, this is not injustice. Rather, it was their good intention that they wished to serve their parents first, and the noble verse: ﴿وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ﴾ (al-Hashr: 9) can also be understood in this sense as mentioned here.

وهنا طریق أخر في الجواز و هو أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم ذكر هذه القصة في معرض المدح و الثناء على فاعلها و أقره على ذلك و لو كان لا يجوز لبينه.

That is, the permissibility of the subject matter of the chapter is also established in this way: the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned this story and the incident regarding the laborer in the context of praise and commendation, and he approved of it. If it had not been permissible, he would have clarified it.

Thus, the subject of the chapter is established from this, for if this action were impermissible, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would have stated so.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
A faraq is a measure for grain equivalent to two sa‘ (sā‘).
(2)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established the permissibility of a "fuduli sale" (bay‘ fuduli), which is when a person purchases something with another’s property without their permission, and then if the owner consents, the transaction becomes valid. The consent of the other person is necessary. A fuduli sale, like a fuduli marriage (nikah fuduli), is valid and becomes effective upon the approval of the concerned person. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s reasoning is based on the statement of the last person in this hadith, because he utilized the property owned by someone else without the original owner’s permission, earned profit from it, bought cows, and hired a shepherd for their care. In the end, the laborer accepted it. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam narrated this incident as a matter of praise and commendation. If the action of the last person had been impermissible, why would he present it before Allah? Moreover, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would have clarified it.
(3)
From this, it is also understood that the law (shari‘ah) of the people before us is a proof for us, provided that its ruling does not contradict our shari‘ah and there is no rejection of it established from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. However, those who follow the thought of Farahi do not agree with this method of reasoning. They have mocked this hadith, saying that legal principles cannot be derived from this story. According to them, there is much indecency in this hadith, and furthermore, this method of supplication is contrary to the spirit of Islam. They have also rejected other narrations in which, during supplication, mentioning a righteous deed or the intermediation (tawassul) of a living righteous person is found, and have declared them to be fabricated stories invented by the Shia. The basis of this rejection is not any scholarly principle, but rather their self-invented "critical analysis" (dirayah). With this sickle, authentic ahadith are cut down. (Tadabbur Hadith: 1/498) In any case, according to us, a fuduli sale is valid, and righteous deeds can be presented before Allah as a means (wasilah). There is also an indication of this in the Noble Qur’an. ()

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: Since the religion of Islam is a religion of moderation and balance, it does not ignore worldly needs along with religion. Rather, it invites to a beautiful combination of both, emphasizing the fulfillment of the rights of one’s body and soul, family and dependents, and friends and companions, and places only as much burden on a person as will not affect his worldly rights and duties, nor cause harm or loss to his body and soul, nor impose unnecessary hardship and difficulty.

Abdullah bin Amr radi Allahu anhu had a very strong inclination towards worship. He would always fast during the day and spend the entire night in voluntary prayers (nafl), in which he would complete the entire Qur’an. His father complained that he was neglecting the rights of his wife. So the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam instructed him that the approach he had adopted would lead to the ruin of his body and soul, and the rights of his family and others would also be affected. Therefore, adopting moderation and balance, fulfill both the rights of Allah (huquq Allah) and the rights of the servants (huquq al-‘ibad), and choose an easy approach: fast three days in a month and complete the Qur’an once a month. This, considering the general people of the Ummah, is the best prescription for spiritual training, purification of the soul (tazkiyah al-nafs), and nearness to Allah.

However, keeping in view one’s circumstances and conditions, and the observance of the rights of body and soul, family and dependents, and friends and companions, it is permissible to increase upon this. Therefore, there is a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding perpetual fasting (sawm al-dahr). According to the majority of the Ummah, if perpetual fasting does not cause anyone’s right to be lost, other acts of worship are not affected, and there is no disruption or harm in one’s livelihood and social life, and the person’s soul does not suffer harm, then in this case it is permissible, provided that one does not fast on the two Eids and the days of Tashreeq. According to Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah, in such a case it is recommended (mustahabb). According to most of the Hanafis, Ahmad, and Ishaq, it is disliked (makruh tanzihi). According to Ibn Hazm and some Hanafis, it is severely disliked (makruh tahrimi). The correct view is that it is not possible to make a general rule or universal principle for this in which there is no exception.

The main thing is the fulfillment of all rights; every person entitled to a right should receive his right. If there is negligence in fulfilling rights, then it is not permissible. If an obligatory right is missed, then it will be severely disliked (makruh tahrimi), and if a recommended right is missed, then it will be mildly disliked (makruh tanzihi), i.e., contrary to what is best and inappropriate. Therefore, the Prophet’s sallallahu alayhi wa sallam regular practice regarding fasting was not fixed, and he preferred the fasting of Dawud alayhis salam, provided that there was no negligence in fulfilling rights.

This is also the case with the recitation of the Qur’an: as much recitation as can be maintained consistently, without affecting rights and duties, and as long as there is enthusiasm in the temperament and no boredom or weariness arises in the heart. If a person has been relieved of all responsibilities, is free day and night, has no work, he can recite in every moment of his leisure. If he does not know the meanings and objectives, nor has the desire and inclination to learn, then according to his intention, he may complete as much of the Qur’an as he wishes.