Bukhari

Hadith Commentary::

The word "radha" is the plural of "radi‘", meaning a wicked, lowly, and mischievous person. Some have said it means a miser, who, due to his miserliness, sucks the milk from his animal's mouth instead of milking it, fearing that if the sound of milking is heard, others might come and he would have to give them some milk. A similar story about such a miser is well-known.

Some have translated it as: "Today it will become clear who has drunk the milk of a noble mother and who of a lowly one."

It is the custom of the Arabs that when a calamity befalls, they cry out loudly, "Ya sabahaah!" meaning, "This is a morning of calamity—come quickly and help us!"

Ghabah is the name of a place, several miles from Madinah towards the Levant (Syria).

There were many trees there; the pulpit of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was made from the tamarisk trees of that place.

Ghatafan and Fazarah are the names of two tribes. Salamah bin Akwa‘ (radi Allahu anhu) had said that those bandits must have stopped to drink water; the army men will find them and bring them back captured.

In the narration of Ibn Sa‘d, it is mentioned: "Give me one hundred men and I will bring them back, along with their belongings, captured."

The reply that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave was a miracle of his.

Indeed, those bandits had already reached their tribe, Ghatafan.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Ghābah is the name of a forest located approximately six kilometers from Madinah Tayyibah in the direction of Syria. There were many trees there, and it was from the tamarisk tree (jhau) of that place that the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) pulpit (minbar) was made.
➋
In the era of ignorance (Jāhiliyyah), when a calamity would occur, people would loudly call out “Yā ṣabāḥāh, yā ṣabāḥāh,” meaning, “This is a morning of calamity—come quickly and help!”
If such a call is used against disbelievers and polytheists, then it is permissible.
This is not an invitation to Jāhiliyyah, but rather a call for help against the disbelievers, and its purpose is to frighten the enemy.
Otherwise, it is prohibited.
(Fath al-Bārī: 6/197)

Hadith Commentary:
This was a confrontation of the Muslims with bandits who were taking away twenty milch camels belonging to the people of Islam. The bravery of Salamah bin Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu brought success to the Muslims in this matter, and the animals were recovered from the bandits. In one narration, these bandits are described as people of Fazarah. This is also a branch of the tribe of Ghatafan.

The statement of Salamah radi Allahu anhu in one narration is as follows: I climbed the mountain of Sal‘ and called out the phrase "Ya Sabahah" with such force that the entire city of Madinah became aware of it. It was a Wednesday. Upon hearing the call, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came out with five to seven hundred men. On this occasion, Salamah radi Allahu anhu said: O Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, if you give me one hundred young men, I will seize all the animals they have and capture them and bring them back.

At this, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gave a golden instruction: "When the enemy is subdued, then it is appropriate to show leniency towards him."

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Imam Muslim rahimahullah has narrated this incident in great detail.
Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu was an excellent archer; whichever arrow he shot would strike the bandits. They, in their humiliation, were running away and leaving their cloaks behind.
Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu would place stones on those cloaks, and in this way, he collected thirty cloaks and also recovered the she-camels.
(Sahih Muslim, al-Jihad, Hadith: 4678. (1807))

2.
Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu wished to pursue those bandits and bring them to justice, but the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“We have recovered our property. Now let us act with forgiveness.”
According to another narration, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “O Ibn Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu! You have already prevailed over them, now let them go. They have reached their people and are being hosted there.”
(Sahih Muslim, al-Jihad, Hadith: 4678. (1807))

3.
It should be noted that Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu lived a long life; for this reason, most of the thulathiyyat (three-link chains) that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has are narrated from Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu. There are only three narrators between Imam Bukhari rahimahullah and him, and the number of his thulathiyyat is seventeen (17).

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
:
(1)
قَبْلَ أَنْ يُؤَذَّنَ بِالْأُولَي:
The morning call to prayer (adhan) had not yet been given.
(2)
لِقَاحُ:
Plural of "laqihah",
milch camels,
whose number was twenty,
the son of Abu Dharr and his wife were their caretakers,
يَا صَبَاحَاهْ:
An attack would generally occur in the morning,
therefore, this phrase was used to alert people,
so that they would be ready to confront (the enemy).
(3)
انْدَفَعْتُ عَلَى وَجْهِي:
Without looking here and there, he ran straight ahead at full speed.
(4)
الْيَوْمُ يَوْمُ الرُّضَّعِ:
Both words can be in the nominative, or the first in the accusative and the second in the nominative.
"Rudha‘", plural of "radi‘",
means a vile or low person,
thus the meaning is:
Today is the day of the destruction of the vile ones, and according to some, today it will become clear
who has drunk the milk of a noble mother and whose mother was vile,
or today it will become clear
who has spent his childhood in battles and has gained expertise in them.
(5)
حَمَيْتُ الْقَوْمَ الْمَاءَ:
I have prevented the people from (access to) water,
فاسجح:
Adopt gentleness and ease.
Benefits and Issues:
This battle took place only three days before the Battle of Khaybar,
for details see Al-Raheeq Al-Makhtum.