Bukhari

Lexical Explanation:
«وَعَــاهُ» He memorized it.
«قَلْبـِيْ» My heart did.

Understanding the Hadith:
From these ahadith, it is understood that knowingly attributing oneself to anyone other than one's real father is a major sin (kabirah). And if someone does so even for the purpose of obtaining nationality in another country (as is done nowadays), he is committing a major sin. It is also understood that adopted sons should not be called by the names of their adoptive fathers, but rather by the names of their real fathers, as is stated in the Qur'an: «ادْعُوهُمْ لِآبَائِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ» [الاحزاب : 5] "Call them by (the names of) their (real) fathers; that is more just in the sight of Allah."

Hadith Commentary:
Hafiz said: I have not found this suspended narration (ta'liq) of Hisham with a connected chain (mawsulan), and Imam Bukhari rahimahullah's purpose in mentioning its chain is so that the details of the following narration become clear. In the previous narration, it was mentioned in general terms that he had climbed the fortress with several men; in this one, it is stated that they were thirty men.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
When the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) laid siege to Ta’if, a few men inside the fortress consulted among themselves, saying, “Why don’t we become Muslim?” However, there was no apparent way for them to leave the fortress. They climbed the wall and exited the fortress using a pulley, that is, a ladder. The person who initiated this movement became famous by the name Abu Bakrah. His real name is Nafi‘ ibn Harith, and he was among the slaves of Thaqif.

2.
In the first narration, the number of those who left the fortress was ambiguous; in the second narration, it is clarified that their number was twenty-three (23). Abu Bakrah (radi Allahu anhu) was the first to descend. The commentators have also recorded the names of those who descended from the fortress. Among them was Azraq, the husband of Sumayyah (radi Allahu anha), the mother of Ziyad. This is the same Ziyad who later became famous as Ziyad ibn Abu Sufyan. He was the maternal brother of Abu Bakrah (radi Allahu anhu). In the narration of Sahih Muslim, when Ziyad attributed himself to Abu Sufyan (radi Allahu anhu), Abu ‘Uthman Nahdi said to Abu Bakrah (radi Allahu anhu): “What have you done?” Then he referenced the aforementioned hadith. Abu Bakrah (radi Allahu anhu) said: “I also heard this hadith from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).” (Sahih Muslim, al-Iman, Hadith 219(63))

3.
The intent of Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) is that Abu Bakrah (radi Allahu anhu) was among those companions who scaled the fortress of Ta’if and presented themselves before the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) freed those slaves who descended from the fortress and came to him. (Fath al-Bari: 8/58.)

Benefits and Issues:

➊ The establishment of lineage (nasab) is the basis for many matters, for example:

(a) The identification of those who are mahram (unmarriageable kin) and non-mahram.

(b) The distribution of inheritance, etc. For this reason, the preservation of lineage is given great importance in Islamic law (Shari‘ah).

➋ The relationship that is established between the one who frees (a slave) and the one who is freed is called walā’. Certain legal (shar‘i) matters depend on this, for example: the distribution of inheritance in the absence of blood heirs, etc.

➌ The relationship of lineage (nasab) and walā’ that is established naturally cannot be altered. Therefore, in Shari‘ah, artificial relationships such as an adopted son or brother, etc., have no legal or religious status.

➍ It is forbidden (haram) to declare anyone other than one’s father as one’s father. However, out of respect, calling someone “uncle,” or out of affection, calling someone “son,” is not included in this prohibition. The prohibition applies when an artificial relationship is given the status of a real relationship.

➎ It is not permissible for a freed slave to declare someone from another tribe as his emancipator in order to establish a connection with that tribe. This can cause difficulties in certain legal (shar‘i) matters, and in addition, it is a great act of ingratitude.