Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
At the beginning of the Book of Prophets (Kitab al-Anbiya), the mention of Prophet Adam (alayhis salam) has occurred.
In this context, it was appropriate to shed light on some of the good and bad characteristics of humanity, and its nature, so that the nature of man may become apparent to the readers.
For this reason, the Imam (rahimahullah) has brought these aforementioned ahadith here.
Now, after the hadith about Adam (alayhis salam), the mention of the virtues of Prophet Nuh (alayhis salam) begins, who has been called “Abd Shakur” (the grateful servant) in the Qur’an. He used to weep abundantly out of tenderness of heart, and for this reason, he became famous by the name “Nuh” (the one who weeps).
And Allah knows best.
The souls, in the primordial world (‘alam al-azal), were gathered together like armies; those souls who became acquainted with one another there, will inevitably meet each other in this world as well, and those who did not become acquainted there, will not find affinity with each other in this world either.
Under this topic, our respected Mawlana Waheed al-Zaman (rahimahullah) has written a detailed note in Sharh Waheedi, which will be of interest to the esteemed readers.
Mawlana writes:
“Without spiritual affinity, love cannot occur at all. A pious elder has said: If a believer enters a gathering where a hundred hypocrites are sitting and there is one believer, he will sit with the believer. And if a hypocrite enters a gathering where a hundred believers are sitting and there is one hypocrite, his comfort will be with the hypocrite.
A poet has expressed this same idea:
‘Creatures of the same kind fly together; the pigeon with the pigeon, the falcon with the falcon.’ (Waheedi)
True friendship, which is purely for Allah’s sake and without ulterior motive, cannot exist without spiritual unity.
A person of innovation (bid’ati) can never be a friend of a monotheist (muwahhid) who follows the Sunnah, and likewise, a staunch blind follower (muqallid) cannot be a well-wisher of Ahl al-Hadith.
Once, by coincidence, a certain Mawlawi, who shares the views of the Jahmiyyah, met me in a gathering, and said to an irreligious, ignorant person: ‘Between us and you, there is unity of souls (al-arwah junudun mujannadah) according to this hadith.’ To please him, I asked, ‘Is there not this unity between us and you as well?’ He replied, ‘No.’
I was astonished at his honesty.
Indeed, there can never be unity between a Jahmi and an Ahl al-Hadith.
Since the day this translation of Sahih Bukhari began to be published, what can I say—some people’s hearts are writhing like snakes, and seeing the book of hadith being published so excellently, they burn with envy.
The effect of spiritual unity and discord can be understood from this, even though they claim Islam, yet they dislike the propagation of the noble hadith.
And by leveling false accusations against this humble translator, they wish that somehow this translation remains incomplete.
﴿وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ﴾ (al-Saff: 8) (Waheedi)
Hazrat Mawlana Waheed al-Zaman (rahimahullah) wrote about the state of the jealous ones of his time.
But even nowadays, the situation is almost the same.
This humble one (Muhammad Dawood Raz)
is facing the same.
How many envious people, seeing the great work of the publication of the Urdu translation of Sahih Bukhari, are burning in the fire of envy.
May Allah Most High protect from their envy and enable this service to be completed.
Amin.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The reason for the narration of this hadith has been mentioned: In Makkah Mukarramah there was a cheerful-natured woman. When she came to Madinah Tayyibah, she stayed with a cheerful woman there.
When Hazrat Aisha radi Allahu anha came to know of this, she said:
“My beloved (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) spoke the truth.”
After that, she narrated this hadith.
(Musnad Abi Ya’la 7/344, Dar al-Mamun li’l-Turath, Damascus edition)

➋
The meaning of this hadith is that when the souls were created, they came before one another and began to love each other,
or they expressed aversion to one another.
When these same souls were then combined with bodies, there was, in accordance with their initial creation, either love or aversion between them. This is why a righteous person likes the righteous and inclines towards them, and a wicked person loves the wicked and inclines towards them.

➌
This hadith also shows that the origin of souls is prior to the bodies.

➍
The relevance of this topic to the Book of Prophets is that there is an ancient affinity between the Prophets (alayhimussalam) and their followers.
It is due to this ancient and old acquaintance that these people feel familiarity with their Prophets (alayhimussalam).