Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Apparently, the proper place for this chapter heading is in the Book of Funerals (Kitab al-Jana'iz), yet there is no mention of the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) in this hadith. In reality, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has alluded to the beginning of the matter: in the early days of Islam, if someone died and left nothing for the repayment of his debt, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would not lead his funeral prayer. Later, when the era of conquests arrived, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam assigned the responsibility of the deceased’s debt to the public treasury (bayt al-mal).

(2)
This means that if the deceased does not possess the means to repay his debt, then his debt will be paid from the public treasury (bayt al-mal). However, this absolutely does not mean that people should take loans and spend wastefully, indulging in extravagance with the hope that the public treasury will pay off their debts. The government should keep a strict watch over this aspect so that people do not misuse this facility.

Hadith Commentary:
It is understood that being in debt is a grave affliction.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not lead the prayer due to this reason; therefore, it is necessary to always supplicate for protection from debt.
If one is compelled to take a loan, then one should have a firm intention to repay it.
In this way, Allah the Exalted will also assist him.
And if there is dishonesty in the heart, then Allah does not help such a wrongdoer.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
It is the position of every prophet that he is the greatest well-wisher of the believers. After him, it is the responsibility of the Islamic government to arrange for the repayment of the debts of those who leave behind debts, provided that their estate is insufficient for the payment of those debts.

(2)
It is also understood from this hadith that debt is an extremely grave affliction.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not lead the funeral prayer in the presence of debt, and he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would seek refuge with Allah from debt.
If, due to some necessity, one is compelled to take a loan, then concern for its repayment should be ever-present.
If one has the intention to repay it, Allah the Exalted assists the debtor; but if there is corruption in the heart regarding repayment, then Allah does not help such an unjust person.

Hadith Commentary:
This was stated by the author under the verse ﴿النَّبِیُّ اَوْلٰى بِالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ مِنْ اَنْفُسِهِمْ﴾.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib says that a person who is a prisoner in the hands of the enemy should not be made a shareholder in inheritance. However, the majority of scholars say that the prisoner will be made a shareholder in inheritance and his bequest (wasiyyah) will also be executed, because when the prisoner is a Muslim, he is included in the generality of the above-mentioned hadith: "Whoever leaves behind wealth, it is for his heirs." The prisoner is also his heir. He cannot be deprived of inheritance merely on the basis of being imprisoned. Similarly, as long as he is alive, his wife cannot marry another man, and his wealth also cannot be distributed. If there is no knowledge of his being alive, nor any information about his whereabouts, then he will be included under the ruling of the missing person (mafqood).
(2)
If, during captivity, news is received that he has apostatized, then until it is known that he apostatized of his own free will, the rulings of apostasy will not be applied to him. It is possible that, due to some compulsion during captivity, he outwardly adopted apostasy. (Fath al-Bari: 12/60)

Hadith Commentary:

The purpose of saying the words "Pray over your companion" was to encourage people to be mindful of repaying debts.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In one narration, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would recite the verse from Surah Al-Ahzab: 6 and say:
“Whoever leaves behind a debt or orphaned children, I am their guardian and their care is my responsibility.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Al-Istiqlad, Hadith: 2399)

(2)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has mentioned this hadith in the Book of Maintenance (Kitab al-Nafaqat) to show that if a Muslim leaves behind destitute children, then their upbringing will be provided for from the public treasury (Bayt al-Mal).
In the present era, the expenses of such orphaned children can be paid from zakat funds.
This is an extremely important obligation upon the Muslims.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was like a father to the Ummah; that is why he made this statement. For this reason, he would take responsibility upon himself and fulfill it. This was always his practice (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has mentioned this hadith here in a brief form. In another narration, there is more detail. Its wording is as follows:
When a deceased person was brought to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and he had a debt upon him, you would inquire about him:
"Did he leave behind any wealth for the repayment of his debt?" If it was informed that he had left wealth, then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would perform his funeral prayer; otherwise, he would say:
"You yourselves perform the funeral prayer of your companion."
When Allah, the Exalted, opened the doors of conquest, you said:
"I am more entitled to the believers than their own selves. If any of them dies indebted and leaves nothing for repayment, then its payment is upon us, and whoever leaves behind wealth, it is for his heirs."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Kafalah, Hadith: 2298)
In another narration, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"I am closer to the believers than their own selves in this world and the Hereafter. If you wish, recite this:
'Indeed, the Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves.' Therefore, if any believer dies and leaves wealth, it is for his heirs, whoever they may be, and if he leaves behind debt and dependents, then let them come to me, for I am their guarantor."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Istiqlad, Hadith: 2399)
(2)
Paying off the debt of a poor, destitute deceased person was among the special characteristics of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, which he would fulfill from his own pure wealth.
Some scholars are of the opinion that you would give from the public treasury (bayt al-mal); according to them, this responsibility lies with the Islamic government.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:

That is, the upbringing of his children is our responsibility.
That is, this expense will be given from the Bayt al-Mal (public treasury).
Subhan Allah! What could be greater compassion and favor than this, which the Noble Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had for his Ummah.
Even a father is not as kind to his son as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was to the Muslims.
This is the reason that all Muslims were equal partners, and the Bayt al-Mal, that is, the state treasury, was the right of all Muslims.
It was not to be considered the personal property of the ruler, to be squandered on his desires while Muslims died of hunger.
As is generally the case with Muslim nobles and nawabs in our times—may Allah guide them.
﴿النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ﴾ () (al-Ahzab: 6)
That is, as much as every believer is compassionate to his own self, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is even more compassionate to him.
The reason for this is that a person, by committing sins and disbelief, wishes to throw himself into eternal destruction,
while the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) wants to save him
and lead him towards eternal success.
Therefore, he is more merciful to every believer than the believer is to his own self.
In this, there is also an indication that if a destitute, poor Muslim passes away in a state of debt, the payment of his debt will be made from the Bayt al-Mal.
By Bayt al-Mal is meant the treasury that is under the authority of the Islamic Caliphate,
in which the spoils of war, zakat funds, and other types of Islamic revenues are collected.
One of the expenditures of this Bayt al-Mal is also the payment of debts of destitute, poor, and needy people.

Hadith Commentary:
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is exceedingly merciful towards the believers, because when a person commits a sin, he wishes to throw himself into destruction and ruin, whereas the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) desires to save him. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is more merciful to the believers than they are to themselves. As a result of this mercy, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said that when a believer passes away, his wealth will go to his close relatives as heirs, but if he leaves behind a debt or helpless children, then their guardianship is the responsibility of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

Initially, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would not perform the funeral prayer (salat al-janazah) for someone who was in debt, but after the conquests, he began to perform the funeral prayer for such a person.

Hadith Commentary:
Their debt will be my responsibility to pay, and I will take care of their children’s upbringing.
Subhan Allah, what can be said about this compassion and kindness.
(sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)

Hadith Commentary:
From a religious perspective as well, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is the most sincere well-wisher of the believers among all people, because it is only through him (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) that they have found the path of guidance, in which lies our success in this world and the Hereafter.

The demand of this utmost sincerity and goodwill of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is that all Muslims should also respect him more than anyone else and obey him, so that they may fully benefit from his teachings and training. As is mentioned in a hadith narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (radi Allahu anhu), the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

"None of you can be a (true) believer until I am more beloved to him than his children, his parents, and all people."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Faith, Hadith: 15)

Hadith Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
This hadith establishes that those people who are unable to earn for themselves, and if they are not cared for, they may fall into destruction, the responsibility for providing for their needs lies with the Islamic government or the Muslims’ public treasury (Bayt al-Mal). And now, if the government is not fulfilling this duty, then it becomes the responsibility of the Muslim community to try to arrange for this at the neighborhood level, and to support such people who, distressed by poverty and hunger, may even resort to suicide.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: In the hadith, there is mention of the 'asabah (agnatic heirs). So, when the 'asabah are entitled to the inheritance, then the holders of fixed shares (ashab al-furud) are even more entitled. For this reason, the meaning has been rendered as "heirs."

Explanation: 1:

According to this hadith, it is the responsibility of the Muslim ruler to provide for such Muslim orphans and widows whose deceased relative did not leave any inheritance for them.

1965. Commentary: In the early period as well, it was only the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam who would refrain from performing the funeral prayer (janazah) of a debtor (so that people would not become negligent in repaying debts); other people would perform the funeral prayer. There is no such example that any sinful Muslim was buried without a funeral prayer.

Benefit:
From this hadith, the virtue of Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu) is established, and it also proves that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is the Seal of the Prophets.