Bukhari

Objection Removed
SA A brother asked a question regarding a hadith in the Sahihayn which mentions a fight between the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) and the companions of the hypocrite Abdullah bin Ubayy. In it, there is mention of the revelation of verse 9 of Surah Al-Hujurat, whereas in this verse, the fight is between two believing groups, while in the hadith, the other group consists of hypocrites. EA

Answer:
The marfu‘ (attributed directly to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and connected ahadith in the Sahihayn are, by consensus, authentic. However, the portion which is the subject of objection is not marfu‘, but rather maqtu‘. That is, it is not the statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), but the statement of Mu‘tamir bin Sulayman, who is among the minor Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘in.

Imam Muhallab bin Abi Safrah rahimahullah (d. 435 AH) writes in his abridgment of Sahih al-Bukhari, “Al-Mukhtasar al-Nasih”:

«وقال معتمر فى حديث أنس : فبلغنا أنها نزلت ... .»

Furthermore, this statement is also without a chain of narration.
Mu‘tamir bin Sulayman has also expressed this with the words «فبلغنا» (“It has reached us that…”).

The Imams of the religion have also mentioned in the explanation of this hadith that this incident occurred at a time when Abdullah bin Ubayy had not even outwardly accepted Islam, so how could this verse apply to his group?

Therefore, verse 9 of Surah Al-Hujurat has no connection with the group of hypocrites,
thus this objection is resolved.

Hadith Commentary:
Abdullah bin Ubayy was a chief; the people of Madinah were about to make him their king, but when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) arrived, this matter was postponed. People advised you that if you were to visit him, it would console him and many people would accept Islam.
Prophets are not arrogant; you went to him without any hesitation.
But this accursed man, who considered himself to be of very refined temperament, regarded your donkey as foul-smelling and uttered such insolent words, which were evidence of his inner wickedness.
An Ansari companion gave him a fitting reply, upon hearing which some members of this hypocrite’s clan became enraged, and it was nearly the case that fighting would break out between them. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) reconciled both parties. In the verse, the reconciliation among Muslims is mentioned.
Both of these groups were indeed Muslims.
Imam (rahimahullah) included this hadith in the Book of Reconciliation because the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave the strongest possible instructions regarding reconciliation among yourselves, and this act is a cause of great reward with Allah.
The verse mentioned in this chapter is that if two groups of Muslims fight each other, then make peace between them.
But here an objection arises: the verse is about Muslims, whereas the companions of Abdullah bin Ubayy were, until that time, disbelievers.
Qastallani said that in the tafsir of Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu), it is stated that the companions of Abdullah bin Ubayy had also become Muslims; the word “believers” (mu’minin) in the verse itself is evidence of this.
Mutual killing and fighting among the people of Islam is so evil that no matter how much it is condemned, it is not enough.
Allahumma allif bayna qulubina wa aslih dhaata baynina (O Allah, unite our hearts and reconcile our differences). Some fanatical, blindly-following scholars have spread such prejudice among the public against Muslims of other schools that they look upon other Muslims as complete strangers.
May Allah grant such scholars sound understanding.
Ameen.
Especially, enmity and hatred towards Ahl al-Hadith is a sign of the people of innovation (ahl al-bid‘ah), as Hazrat Shah Abdul Qadir Jilani (rahimahullah) has written.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Abdullah bin Ubayy was the chief of the Khazraj tribe.
The people of Madinah had collectively decided to appoint him as their leader, and even the time for his coronation had been set.
Due to the arrival of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in Madinah Tayyibah, this coronation ceremony could not take place.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was advised that if he were to visit Abdullah bin Ubayy, it would please him.
Perhaps he, along with his companions, would accept Islam.
On this basis, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) went there without hesitation, and then what transpired there is mentioned in the hadith.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) reconciled between the two parties.
Both groups were Muslim, as is evident from the noble verse.
Further details are found in the following hadith.
It is narrated from Usamah bin Zayd (radi Allahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) rode a donkey on which there was a saddle, and beneath him was a velvet cloth made in Fadak.
He seated Usamah bin Zayd (radi Allahu anhu) behind him on this mount.
He intended to visit Sa’d bin Ubadah (radi Allahu anhu) of the Harith bin Khazraj tribe to inquire about his health.
This incident occurred before the Battle of Badr.
During this time, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) passed by a gathering in which Muslims, idol-worshipping polytheists, and Jews were all present.
Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul was also there.
Abdullah bin Rawahah (radi Allahu anhu) was also present.
When the dust from the mount reached the gathering, Abdullah bin Ubayy covered his nose with his cloak and said:
“Do not raise dust over us.”
After this, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) dismounted, greeted them with salam, and stood there. He invited them to Allah and recited the Noble Qur’an to them.
Abdullah bin Ubayy said:
“O man! This is not a good thing.
If what you say is true, then do not trouble us by coming to our gatherings.
Go to your own house; whoever among us comes to you, preach to him.”
In response, Abdullah bin Rawahah (radi Allahu anhu) said:
“O Messenger of Allah! Please do come to our gatherings, for we like it.”
Then, a dispute broke out among the Muslims, polytheists, and Jews over this matter.
They were close to attacking one another, but the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) kept calming them down until they became quiet.
After that, he mounted his ride and went to the house of Sa’d bin Ubadah (radi Allahu anhu).
He said to him:
“O Sa’d! Have you heard what Abu Hubab said today?”—referring to Abdullah bin Ubayy and his words.
Sa’d (radi Allahu anhu) replied:
“O Messenger of Allah! Forgive him and overlook it.
Allah, the Exalted, has granted you the truth which is befitting for you.
The reality is that the people of this town (Madinah Tayyibah)
(before your arrival)
had agreed upon his coronation and turban-tying, but when Allah, the Exalted, nullified this plan due to the truth He granted you, he became jealous.
Because of this, he behaved as you have seen, so the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) let the matter pass.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Isti’dhan, Hadith: 6254)
(2)
At this point, a well-known question arises: According to the mentioned hadith, the dispute was between the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) and the companions of Abdullah bin Ubayy, whereas at that time Abdullah bin Ubayy and his companions had not yet accepted Islam, so this reconciliation cannot be considered as one between the people of faith.
The answer given is that, according to the tafsir of Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu), some people from the tribe of Abdullah bin Ubayy were Muslim, and they supported Abdullah bin Ubayy out of tribalism.
(‘Umdat al-Qari: 9/575)

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: ➊
From some narrations, it is understood that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) initially performed two light (khafif) units of prayer (rak‘ahs), which the narrator here has overlooked.
But according to other narrations, he performed two.
Then the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed three separate sets of two rak‘ahs each, with lengthy standing (qiyam), bowing (ruku‘), and prostration (sujud), and each time he slept in between.
And then, to remove the effects of sleep, he used the tooth-stick (miswak) and performed ablution (wudu), and recited the verses of Al ‘Imran.
In this way, he performed six rak‘ahs.
After this, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed five rak‘ahs, and in these as well, he performed four as two and two, and at the end, he performed one witr.
The narrator, by including the witr performed separately after the last set of two, made it three witr,
whereas in detailed narrations, it is mentioned that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed thirteen rak‘ahs that night.
And he gave salam at the end of every two rak‘ahs, and at the end performed one witr. Therefore, the meaning of concise and brief narrations will be determined in the light of detailed narrations; otherwise, there will be a contradiction, because from this narration it appears that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed a total of nine rak‘ahs,
but in previous narrations, it has already been explicitly mentioned that thirteen rak‘ahs were performed.

➋
From this narration, it is understood that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to sleep after every two rak‘ahs, and upon rising to pray again, he would perform ablution (wudu) with full care.
Therefore, if a person, after waking from sleep, performs ablution again, it will be a cause of alertness and vigor for him.
The sleep of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) does not invalidate ablution.
Despite this, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed ablution, but it appears that on this night, he acted differently from his usual routine.
Sleeping after every two rak‘ahs was not his regular practice, nor was it his blessed habit to perform ablution again after rising.
And generally, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would perform eleven rak‘ahs, and would recite the Du‘a-e-Noor while going to the mosque, whereas on this night, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) recited this supplication in prayer and in prostration as well.