Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
That is, those who were not fasting received more reward than those who were fasting. It is understood from this that serving the mujahideen (those engaged in jihad) carries more reward than fasting. Fasting is an individual act of righteousness, but serving the mujahideen is service to the entire community; therefore, it is given precedence in any case. The meaning of the hadith is also that although fasting is pure goodness and a specific and accepted act of worship, still, in situations such as travel, where due to fasting there is a risk that other important tasks may be left undone, then not fasting is superior.
The incident mentioned in the hadith also presented this very situation: those who were fasting, due to fatigue and so on, were unable to perform any tasks, but those who were not fasting carried out all the services with full attention; thus, their reward surpassed even that of those who were fasting.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has mentioned three hadiths under this chapter heading:
In the first hadith, the service of the elder by the younger is mentioned; in the second hadith, the service of the younger by the elder; and in the third hadith, the service of peers for one another is mentioned.
➋
From these hadiths, it is understood that serving the mujahideen at the time of jihad brings more reward than fasting, because those who broke their fast received the reward of their own action, and those who served the fasting ones received a reward equal to that of the fasting ones as well.
Since they served the fasting people and gave water to their mounts and provided fodder, they became more deserving of reward than the fasting ones.
➌
From these hadiths, it is also understood that serving one’s peers is permissible, and even serving someone younger than oneself is allowed.
Serving elders, of course, is a sign of noble character.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
NĀ’IL:
To take,
to receive,
from NĀLA,
YANĀLU;
NĀDIH:
To sprinkle, meaning some were directly taking water, and some were having water sprinkled on them by those who were taking it.
(2)
HULLAH HAMRĀ’:
A red suit,
one piece to tie as a lower garment (izār) and the other as an upper sheet (ridā’).

Benefits and Issues:
This hadith proves that the water used in ablution (wudu) is not impure, which is why the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in) would rush towards the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ablution and try to outdo one another. The fact that the Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in) sought blessing (tabarruk) from the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ablution water cannot be used as evidence that seeking blessing from the relics of elders is permissible, because the Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in) did not do this for any other great personality besides the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Who could be a greater and more virtuous elder than the Rightly Guided Caliphs? Yet the Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in) did not seek blessing from their relics. And what is the ruling regarding the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) bodily excretions? Now there is no need to discuss whether they were pure or impure, as this was an issue pertaining to the lifetime of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in) would rush for his saliva and ablution water, but such an incident did not occur regarding urine, feces, or blood. The details have already been mentioned previously.

(1) To observe voluntary fasts (nafl) during travel with such hardship that the fasting person cannot even perform his own tasks and others have to do his work for him is not preferable. Fasting during travel is preferable only when a person does not become incapacitated and does not become a burden upon others.

(2) “They took the reward.” That is, the reward of service. Generally, this phrase is used in the context of preference, as if on that day those who did not fast surpassed those who fasted. And Allah knows best.

(3) Assisting one another in jihad is a deed of great reward.