Bukhari

Explanation:
Abu Salamah was the foster nephew of Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha and was her mahram. Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha performed the ritual bath (ghusl) herself from behind a veil and taught him the method of performing ghusl. The Sunnah method of ghusl is to use one sa‘ (a specific measure) of water. The Hijazi sa‘ is slightly less, approximately close to three seer (an old measure of weight). The details of this have already been mentioned earlier.

Review of the Objection on the Hadith of Lady Aisha’s Ritual Bath (ghusl)...

The other day, a friend mentioned me in a post by a hadith-rejecter. This gentleman is also among those “half-baked scholars” who rely on copy-pasting, and all day yesterday, there was a debate over his baseless objections to the hadith regarding the ritual bath (ghusl) of Aisha Siddiqa radi Allahu anha. The gentleman made an interesting claim that Nawab Waheed uz-Zaman translated the word “hijab” in the hadith as “thin veil.” For two days, I have been asking him for a screenshot, but he keeps dodging the request.

And most interestingly, in this hadith, the question was not even about the ritual bath of janabah (major impurity)... The problem is that our friends grasp only half the matter, are unaware of the context, and hastily draw conclusions.

Basically, there was a discussion among some people about the minimum amount of water required for a person to perform a ritual bath (ghusl). To resolve this, Lady Aisha’s brother and nephew were sent to her... Coincidentally, she was about to perform ghusl, or in response to their question, she performed ghusl with that amount of water, and as an example and proof, she used only the minimum amount of water.

Note that the hadith does not mention the method of ghusl at all, while the amount of water is specifically mentioned.

But the misfortune of the hadith-rejecters is that they are quick to deny, it has become their habit, and they understand things only partially and then start issuing verdicts...

Imagine the level of corruption in their minds that, deliberately lying, they translate the word “hijab” as “thin veil” for the partition of the bathhouse, whereas in the Arabic text, only the word “veil” (hijab) is mentioned...

In any case, since I wrote about this two years ago, I am repeating the same article for you to read...

Those who reject hadith are of two types: one, those who deny hadith with much “sincerity” and consider it a service to the religion; the second group is those who know everything but are dishonest and conceal the facts.

Both these groups raise strong objections to a hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, and in their objections, they use very emotional language.

The meaning and summary of the hadith is:
(Two young men wondered how it is possible to perform ghusl with a small amount of water, and what is the method.)
To resolve this question, they come to Umm al-Mu’minin Lady Aisha radi Allahu anha and ask her. She replies that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to perform ghusl with a sa’ (a specific measure) of water, and she demonstrated the ghusl for them, and there was a veil (hijab) between them.

The hadith-rejecters make a lot of noise about this hadith, even though they themselves act dishonestly in translation. In Lahore, there was a group of hadith-rejecters whose office was probably in Rewaz Garden. They published a booklet objecting to certain ahadith, including this one, and while lying in the translation, they gave the impression that some strange young men came, asked a question, and Umm al-Mu’minin got up and performed ghusl to prove her point. And, showing complete death of conscience, they translated the words of the hadith “baynana wa baynaha hijab” as:
“There was a thin veil between them.”

And after that, as usual, the hadith-rejecters spoke ill of the hadiths and the Imams.

Now, if any ordinary person reads this translation along with the hypocrites’ commentary, his mind will surely be disturbed...

The hadith does not mention the relationship of the two young men who came to ask the question, but reason and understanding demand that if Satan puts a whisper in your heart, you should investigate it, not become a servant of Satan and serve his cause. But our hadith-rejecters do exactly that.

Of the two young men who came to you with the question, one was Abu Salamah, who was the son of Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman and the nephew of Lady Aisha, meaning she was not only their mother in faith but also their real paternal aunt. And is an aunt not like a mother?

The other was Lady Aisha’s foster brother, and a milk-brother is a complete mahram (permanently unmarriageable kin). See how the hadith-rejecters deceive simple people.

Now, since the minds of the hadith-rejecters are already corrupted, it is not possible for them to think positively. They translated “veil” as “thin veil.” The question is, where did the attribute “thin” come from? Brother, this is the inner filth due to which not only the Imams of hadith but even the Mothers of the Believers are not spared. The hadith clearly states that there was a veil between them, and the status of Lady Aisha demands that we think positively, that the veil was a wall, as is found in bathhouses. But a dead conscience sees the veil as thin.

If there is an idol-house in your mind, what can be said?
When the filth in the mind prevents one from thinking, how can one think positively?

Now, for one and a half thousand years, the Ummah has understood this hadith as follows:
The mother’s brother and nephew came, asked about the amount of water for ghusl...
(Positive thinking) It is possible that coincidentally, the mother was about to perform ghusl, and the children came and asked this question.
So, when the children asked, the mother demonstrated the ghusl, pouring water over her head three times.
(Positive thinking) Since they were mahram, seeing the head was not an issue...
There was a veil between them.
(Positive thinking) The veil must have been a wall.
The only purpose was to show that ghusl is possible with such a small amount of water. Among the Arabs, water scarcity was common. When traveling in the deserts, such issues were routine, so questions were asked. For domestic matters, the best answers could be given by the Mothers of the Believers, as no one knew the habits of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam better than them. So, this was a simple and ordinary question. But as I have already said:
If there is an idol-house in your mind, what can be said...

Hadith Commentary:
➊
In the narration, from Abu Salamah is Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman bin Awf (radi Allahu anhu), whom Umm Kulthum bint Abi Bakr (radi Allahu anha) had breastfed; on this basis, he was the milk-nephew of Aisha (radi Allahu anha).
(‘Umdat al-Qari: 13/3)
As for the other person who was the brother of Aisha (radi Allahu anha), the hadith scholar Dawudi opined that he was Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakr (radi Allahu anhu), while some have said he was Tufail bin Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu), who was Aisha’s (radi Allahu anha) maternal brother. However, this is not correct because the narrations clarify that he was Aisha’s (radi Allahu anha) milk-brother.
Imam Nawawi (rahimahullah) has said that he was Abdullah bin Yazid, as is clarified in the narration of Muslim.
(Sahih Muslim, al-Jana’iz, Hadith: 2198 (947))
It is possible that it was either of these two or someone else.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/474)
And Allah knows best.

➋
From this hadith, the value of practical instruction becomes evident.
Because practical instruction is as reassuring as it is, verbal instruction does not reach that level.
This was the prevalent method of teaching among the predecessors.
Among the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in), it was also the case that when someone asked them about the ablution (wudu) of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), instead of explaining verbally, they would demonstrate the ablution.
Thus, when Aisha (radi Allahu anha) was asked about the method of ritual bath (ghusl) and the amount of water, she demonstrated it practically.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/474)

➌
Under the pretext of this hadith, the deniers of hadith and the Rafidah raise many objections, claiming that there is nudity in it, since it mentions performing ritual bath (ghusl) in front of people, and thus the authenticity of the hadiths is impugned. However, the hadith clarifies that there was a screen between us and Aisha (radi Allahu anha), meaning this ritual bath was performed behind a curtain.
Furthermore, those who asked the question were also mahram.
One was her milk-nephew and the other her milk-brother. Since the ritual bath had to be demonstrated, the head was outside the curtain, and these two mahrams were observing where the ritual bath began, but the other parts of the body, which must be concealed even from mahrams, were behind the curtain.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/474)

Explanation:
Regarding "hilaab," it is mentioned in Majma‘ al-Bihar:
«الحلاب بكسر مهملة وخفة لام اناءيسع قدرحلب ناقة اي كان يبتدي بطلب ظرف و بطلب طيب اواراد به اناءالطيب يعني بدا تارة بطلب ظرف و تارة بطلب نفس الطيب وروي بشدة لام وجيم وهو خطاء .» [مجمع البحار]
That is, hilaab is a vessel that can contain the milk of a she-camel. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would have such a vessel filled with water and brought to him, and he would perform ritual bath (ghusl) with it, or it is meant as a vessel for keeping perfume. That is, sometimes he would simply have a vessel brought, and sometimes only perfume. The meaning of the chapter heading is that whether one begins the ritual bath (ghusl) with water that is filled in a vessel like a hilaab, and then applies perfume after the bath, or applies perfume first and then bathes afterward. Here, the hadith of the chapter establishes the first meaning, and for the second meaning, there is the hadith that is coming ahead, in which it is mentioned that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) applied perfume and then had relations with his wives, and after relations, ritual bath (ghusl) is performed, so applying perfume before the bath is established. Shah Waliullah rahimahullah has stated that by hilaab is meant a kind of extract from seeds which the Arabs used to apply before bathing, just as nowadays people apply soap, clay, oil, or a mixture of gram flour before bathing. Some have read this word as "jilaab" with a jeem, and have considered it to be the Arabized form of "gulab" (rosewater). «والله اعلم بالصواب»

Hadith Authentication (Takhrij al-Hadith):
[183۔ البخاري فى : 5 كتاب الغسل : 6 باب من بدا بالحلاب اوالطيب عندالغسل 258، مسلم 318، دارمي 749]

Linguistic Explanation:
«الحلاب» is the vessel in which the milk of an animal is milked, or such a container that can hold the milk of a she-camel for one time.

Understanding the Hadith
These ahadith describe the method of performing the ritual bath (ghusl) for major ritual impurity (janabah). Its summary is that first, the private parts should be washed thoroughly, then ablution (wudu) should be performed as for prayer, then three handfuls of water should be poured over the head, and then water should be poured over the entire body (first on the right side, then on the left side). After this ritual bath (ghusl), prayer can be performed; there is no need to perform ablution (wudu) again. [صحيح : صحيح أبوداود 225، أبوداود 250، ترمذي 107، ابن ماجة 579]

Although after the ritual bath (ghusl), the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not use a towel, he also did not prohibit its use, therefore there is no harm in using it. Furthermore, the very act of Maymunah radi Allahu anha presenting a towel is proof that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to use a towel, but on that occasion, he refrained from it. Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen rahimahullah has also issued a fatwa permitting its use. [فتاويٰ إسلامية 222/1]

Hadith Commentary:
The commentators have explained the word "hilaab" mentioned in the chapter as follows:
* Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi rahimahullah writes in Sharh Tarajim Abwab that "hilaab" refers to the milk (i.e., oil) extracted from seeds. The Arabs, according to their custom, used this "muhallab" for cleaning the head and other body parts.
By this, a vessel is not meant, but the Arabs today do not use the word "hilaab" in this meaning.
Perhaps this word was previously used in these meanings, which are now obsolete.
* "Hilaab" refers to the vessel in which the milk of a she-camel is collected.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has written that the hadith scholars faced considerable difficulty regarding the relevance of this hadith to the chapter heading.
Some of the eminent scholars have criticized Imam Bukhari rahimahullah; for the benefit of the reader, the details are as follows:
* Foremost among them is the muhaddith Isma‘ili, who said that according to Imam Bukhari’s understanding, "hilaab" is the name of a fragrance, whereas what is the point of using fragrance before ritual bath (ghusl)? (Fath al-Bari: 1/479)
* Allamah Khattabi said:
"Hilaab" is a vessel in which the amount of milk obtained from a single milking of a she-camel is collected. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah mentioned this word, but interpreted it as the use of fragrance during ritual bath (ghusl).
(Fath al-Bari: 1/480)
* Muhaddith Humaydi wrote that Imam Muslim understood "hilaab" as a vessel, but according to Imam Bukhari, it is the name of a fragrance used before ritual bath (ghusl).
(Fath al-Bari: 1/480)
* Allamah Sindhi wrote that from the apparent method of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, it seems that he considered "hilaab" to be a type of fragrance.
But the correct view is that "hilaab" refers to a vessel.
(Hashiyat al-Sindi: 1/57)
* The famous linguist Azhari said that there is a scribal error in the manuscript of Sahih Bukhari, because the original word is "julaab," which is the Arabized form of "gulab" (rosewater), meaning rosewater; due to a scribe’s mistake, it became "hilaab."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/480)
It should be noted that all these are possibilities that have no connection with reality, nor do they have any relation to the meticulousness and scholarly comprehensiveness of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar has written that he saw an explanation from some individuals—whose names he does not now recall—that the purpose of "al-tayyib" (fragrance) in the chapter heading is to allude to the hadith of Aisha radi Allahu anha, that she used to apply fragrance to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam at the time of ihram, and since ritual bath (ghusl) is among the sunnahs of ihram, it is as if the use of fragrance at the time of ritual bath is established. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, in this chapter heading, indicated that it was not the Prophet’s regular practice to use fragrance at every ritual bath, and he performed ritual bath without fragrance as well.
He considers this explanation to be the best of the answers, and further writes that this explanation is strengthened by the fact that seven chapters later, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah established a chapter with the following words:
"Whoever applied fragrance and then performed ritual bath, and the traces of fragrance remained."
Then he mentioned the hadith of Aisha radi Allahu anha, which proves the application of fragrance before ritual bath. Therefore, in this chapter heading (Bab man bada’a bil-hilaab), the vessel for ritual bath is meant, which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam requested for the purpose of ritual bath, and "man bada’a bil-tayyib" means that he used fragrance at the time of intending ritual bath.
Both matters are considered in the chapter heading, but the hadith presented establishes the Prophet’s regular practice of beginning with ritual bath, and applying fragrance after ritual bath was his general habit, while applying fragrance before ritual bath is alluded to by the hadith of Aisha radi Allahu anha.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/481)
However, the fragrance mentioned in the hadith of Aisha radi Allahu anha appears to be for the purpose of stimulation, as fragrance, being stimulating, is beneficial for intercourse, and it has no connection with ritual bath.
And Allah knows best.

227. Commentary:
➊ Eight ratl is equivalent to an “Iraqi sa’.” In terms of the “Hijazi sa’,” this is approximately equal to one and a half sa’. The “Hijazi sa’” in terms of weight is about two and a half kilograms, so the amount of water was approximately four kilograms.

➋ In this hadith, the amount of water for ritual bath (ghusl) is stated as eight ratl, which is about one and a half sa’, whereas in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim it is mentioned: “The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would perform ritual bath (ghusl) with one sa’ (about two and a half kilograms) of water and ablution (wudu) with one mudd.” See: [صحيح البخاري، الوضوء، حديث : 201، و صحيح مسلم، الحيض، حديث : 335]
And in Sunan Abu Dawud, the amount of water for ablution (wudu) is stated as two-thirds of a mudd. [سنن أبى داود، الطهارة، حديث : 94]
The purpose of all these narrations is not to set a fixed limit for the amount of water for ritual bath (ghusl) and ablution (wudu), nor is there any contradiction among these narrations. Rather, depending on different circumstances, more or less water may be used as needed. These narrations encourage that water should be used sparingly, and not wastefully to the extent that it reaches the level of extravagance and waste, nor should so little be used that instead of ritual bath (ghusl) or ablution (wudu), it would be considered mere wiping (masah). «والله أعلم»

348. Commentary: A sa’ consists of four mudd. For ritual bath (ghusl), sometimes a sa’, sometimes approximately a sa’, sometimes five ratl, and sometimes eight ratl are mentioned. The meaning is not significantly different. The words “approximately a sa’” also support this. A sa’ is approximately two and a half kilograms, which means that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would perform ritual bath (ghusl) even with two and a half to three kilograms of water.