Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
This is the famous incident of Ta’if, when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), after the passing of his compassionate uncle Abu Talib, went to Ta’if for the purpose of inviting people to Islam. He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) specifically invited the chiefs of that place to Islam, but they behaved rudely and set the riffraff boys after him, whose actions caused him great distress. Yet, even in these circumstances, he did not wish for punishment upon them; rather, he prayed for their guidance, and this supplication was accepted.

Imam al-Bukhari (rahimahullah) has cited this hadith to also establish the existence of angels.

By “Akhshabayn” are meant the two famous mountains of Makkah: Jabal Abu Qubays and Jabal Qaiqan.

The word “Aqabah” that appears in the narration refers to a mountain pass on the way to Ta’if.

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) went towards Ta’if in Shawwal of the 10th year of Prophethood.

Initially, the people there themselves had invited him, but later they turned against him and pelted him (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) with stones. One stone struck his heel and he was wounded.

Despite being tormented to such an extent, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) prayed for their well-being.

Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam

Hadith Commentary:
1.
This incident occurred in the tenth year of Prophethood, after Hazrat Khadijah al-Kubra radi Allahu anha and Abu Talib had passed away, and the persecution by the disbelievers had intensified.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam went to Ta’if in the hope of finding some support there.
He approached the three chiefs of the tribe of Thaqif and complained to them about the oppression of his people, but instead of helping him, they treated him harshly, which caused him great distress.
He stayed there for ten days.
2.
‘Aqabah is the name of a valley in the plain of Mina.
Similarly, Qarn Thalib is also located at a distance of two stages from Makkah.
In Ta’if, the chiefs behaved rudely with the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and set the riffraff boys after him.
They pelted him with stones.
One stone struck his heel, causing him injury.
Despite being tormented to such an extent, he supplicated for their well-being, and these supplications were accepted by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
3.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established from this hadith the existence of angels and their activities.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has narrated this hadith with extreme brevity:
Its detail is as follows, that Aisha radi Allahu anha asked:
“O Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam! Has there ever come upon you a day more grievous and distressing than the day of Uhud?” So the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied:
“Yes, among the afflictions I faced from your people, the most severe and distressing calamity was that which befell me on the day of ‘Aqabah.
When I presented myself to the son of ‘Abd Yalil ibn ‘Abd Kulal, but he did not accept my words. Overwhelmed with grief and sorrow, I departed from there.
When I reached Qarn al-Tha‘alib, I felt some relief.
There, I raised my head towards the sky and saw that a piece of cloud was shading me.
I looked attentively and saw that in it was Jibril alayhis salam. He called out to me and said:
‘Allah, the Exalted, has heard the words of your people and their response to you.
Now He has sent to you the Angel of the Mountains, so that you may command him as you wish regarding them, and he will comply.’
After this, the Angel of the Mountains called out and, after greeting me with salam, said:
‘O Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam! This is the matter.
Now, whatever you wish, I am ready to do it.
If you wish, I will crush them between the two mountains?’ Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
‘No! I hope that Allah, the Exalted, will bring forth from their descendants a people who will worship Allah alone and will not associate anything with Him.’
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Beginning of Creation:
Hadith: 3231)
➋
In this hadith, there is clear evidence that Allah, the Exalted, hears the words of His servants and sees them.
Nothing is hidden from Him. Hearing (sam‘) and seeing (basar) are essential attributes of Allah, the Exalted, about which we have just discussed.
Whoever denies these attributes should be informed about them.
And he should be convinced through proofs and evidences; if he persists in his denial and, despite the clarification of the truth, does not accept it, then there is no doubt in his disbelief, because he has denied something established by the consensus of all the Prophets alayhimus salam.
(Sharh Kitab al-Tawhid by al-Ghunayman: 1/199)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has written, quoting from al-Kirmani, that from these ahadith, the two essential attributes of Allah, the Exalted—hearing (sam‘) and seeing (basar)—are established.
When anything audible or visible comes into existence, the essential and eternal attributes of Allah, the Exalted, relate to them, whereas the Mu‘tazilah call these attributes contingent (hadith). The Qur’anic verses and ahadith refute their position.
In any case, the position of the pious predecessors (salaf) in this matter is correct and sound.
And Allah is the One whose help is sought.
(Fath al-Bari: 13/459)

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Yawm al-‘Aqabah:
By this is meant the ‘Aqabah of Ta’if,
because after the passing of Khadijah radi Allahu anha and Abu Talib, in the tenth (10th) year of Prophethood,
in the month of Shawwal,
the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam went to Ta’if to invite the chiefs of Banu Thaqif to Islam,
but they treated the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in the worst manner,
and set the riffraff upon him.

(2)
Falam Astafiq:
I did not come to myself,
I did not regain consciousness.

(3)
Qarn al-Tha‘alib:
This is the same as Qarn al-Manazil,
which is the miqat for the people of Najd and is at a distance of one day and night from Makkah.

(4)
Uṭbiqu ‘Alayhim al-Akhshabayn:
By al-Akhshabayn, the commentators have meant the two mountains of Makkah, Abu Qubays
and Qu‘ayqi‘an,
which are located to the north and south of Makkah, and at that time the population of Makkah was situated between these two,
but the question arises that the most severe treatment was meted out to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam by the people of Ta’if, and after this worst treatment, the Angel of the Mountains came to the Prophet and said that if you wish, I will crush them between the two mountains according to your desire—so how can it be correct to take the people of Makkah as the intended ones?
Therefore, the correct view is that al-Akhshabayn refers to the two mountains of Makkah due to their strength and solidity,
so the meaning is that, in mountains like these strong and firm mountains of Makkah,
I will crush the people of Ta’if, or I will take these two mountains there and crush them between them,
because for the Angel of the Mountains, taking these mountains there would not be difficult; or it may be understood that Banu Thaqif treated the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in this manner only because his own people, the people of Makkah, did not accept his invitation,
if they had accepted, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would not have had to face these hardships,
therefore, they were the real cause,
and so the Angel said, “If you command, I will crush the people of Makkah between the two mountains.”