Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:

Allah then said to him: Take four birds and mix their flesh together, then place (portions of) them upon four mountains, and then call them. By Allah’s command, they will come running to you alive.

And thus it happened exactly as this incident is detailed in its proper place.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Here, there is an objection that Prophet Ibrahim (alayhis salam) was a noble and eminent prophet. Why, then, did he express doubt regarding the revival of the dead (ihya’ al-mawta)? The answer is that he absolutely did not express any doubt; rather, he wished to witness the manner (kayfiyyah) of the revival of the dead. This was because, when he said to Nimrod: “My Lord gives life and causes death,” it occurred to him to progress from the knowledge of certainty (‘ilm al-yaqin) to the eye of certainty (‘ayn al-yaqin) and to witness it directly.

➋
‘Allamah Kirmani (rahimahullah) writes that this hadith does not establish that Prophet Ibrahim (alayhis salam) had any doubt; rather, it negates it. This is because the meaning of the statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is: “When, despite being more deserving of doubt, we have no doubt, then Ibrahim (alayhis salam) is, all the more, above and beyond any doubt or suspicion.”
(al-Kirmani: 43/16)
Another possible meaning is that Prophet Ibrahim (alayhis salam) requested this only for the sake of inner reassurance (itmi’nan al-qalb) regarding the manner of revival, not out of doubt. If it had been due to doubt, then we would have had more right to doubt than Ibrahim (alayhis salam).
In both cases, the statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is based on humility and modesty. It is also possible that by “we,” he did not mean his own noble self, but rather his ummah.
And Allah knows best.

Understanding the Hadith: “We are more deserving of doubt than Ibrahim (alayhis salam)”—this by no means implies that Ibrahim (alayhis salam) made the request to see the dead brought to life out of doubt. Rather, he made this request for further reassurance of the heart. There is also a hadith that states: “What is seen with the eyes is not like what is heard.” [صحيح جامع الصغير 5373 مسند احمد 215/1] Furthermore, the word “doubt” used by the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) means that if Ibrahim (alayhis salam) had expressed doubt, then we would have been more deserving of doubt than him (but since he did not doubt, we too do not doubt).

Hadith Authentication (Takhrij al-Hadith):
This narration is found in six places in Sahih al-Bukhari: [3372، 3375، 3387، 4537، 4694، 6992]
Besides Sahih al-Bukhari, this hadith is also present in the following books:
Sahih Muslim [151 وبعد ح2370]
Sunan al-Tirmidhi [3116 وقال : هذا حديث حسن]
Sahih Ibn Hibban [6174 دوسرا نسخه : 6207]
Sunan Ibn Majah [4026]
Mushkil al-Athar by al-Tahawi [1؍134۔ 136]
Sahih Abi Awanah [1؍79، 80]
Al-Mustakhraj by Abu Nu'aym [1؍215 ح380]
Tafsir al-Tabari [12؍88، 139]
Al-Mustadrak by al-Hakim [2؍561 ح4054 وقال : صحيح على شرط مسلم، ووافقه الذهبي]
Al-Nasa'i in al-Kubra [11254]
Al-Iman by Ibn Mandah [1؍487 ح371، 1؍485 ح368، 369]
Al-Adab al-Mufrad by al-Bukhari [605، 896]
Tafsir al-Baghawi [2؍395، 396]
And his Sharh al-Sunnah [1؍114، 115 ح63 وقال البغوي : ”هذا حديث متفق على صحته“]
Tarikh Baghdad [7؍182 ت3631]
Before Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah, the following hadith scholars narrated it:
Ahmad ibn Hanbal [2؍322، 326، 332، 346، 350، 8590، 384، 389، 416، 533]
And Sunan Sa'id ibn Mansur [ح1097 طبعه جديده]
The following trustworthy and eminent Tabi'in narrated it from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu:
① Abu Salamah ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf [صحيح بخاري : 3372 وصحيح مسلم : 382؍151 وبعد ح2370]
② Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib [صحيح بخاري : 3372 وصحيح مسلم : 151]
③ Abu Ubayd [صحيح بخاري : 3387 وصحيح مسلم : 151]
④ Abd al-Rahman ibn Hurmuz al-A'raj [صحيح بخاري : 3375 وصحيح مسلم : 151 بعد ح : 2370]
For supporting and corroborating narrations of this report, see:
Tarikh al-Tabari [1؍303 وسنده حسن]
And Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah [11؍523۔ 525 ح31826]
And al-Awsat by al-Tabarani [9؍375 ح8808]
And al-Mustadrak by al-Hakim [2؍563 ح4059]
↰ It is thus evident that this narration is absolutely authentic, and before the birth of Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah, this hadith existed in the world with a sound chain of transmission. «والحمدلله»
Its affirmation is found in the Noble Qur'an, where Lut alayhis salam said:
«لَوْ أَنَّ لِيْ بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ آوِيْ إِلَىٰ رُكْنٍ شَدِيدٍ»
"If only I had strength to resist you or could take refuge in a strong support." [سورة هود : 80، تدبر قرآن 4؍133، 134]
Important Note: The author of Tadabbur-e-Qur'an, Amin Ahsan Islahi, was among the deniers of hadith; therefore, his translation is a decisive proof against those deniers of hadith.
Parwez has translated «ركن» as "support." [ديكهئے لغات القرآن 780/2]
The famous Tabi'i and Qur'anic exegete, Imam Qatadah rahimahullah, explained «ركن شديد» as referring to the «العشيرة» family. [تفسير طبري 21؍52، 53 وسنده صحيح]
Seeking the support and help of a strong tribe is not shirk (polytheism); rather, this is seeking help through means (istimdad ma taht al-asbab).
Sayyiduna Isa alayhis salam said: «مَنْ أَنصَارِيْ إِلَى اللَّهِ» "Who are my helpers in the way of Allah?" [سورة الصّف : 14]
Seeking help through means and helping one another is not shirk. Shirk is to associate anyone in the exclusive attributes of Allah Ta'ala or to seek help from the dead beyond the means. Therefore, the accusation of shirk against Sayyiduna Lut alayhis salam by the deniers of hadith is false and rejected. «والحمدلله»

Hadith Commentary:
That is, he considered being released from prison as a great blessing.
How commendable is the patience of Prophet Yusuf (alayhis salam), that even after remaining in prison for such a long period, he did not come out at the call of the one who summoned him on behalf of the king, but first sought to clear his own name.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said this out of humility and in order to elevate the rank of Prophet Yusuf (alayhis salam).
Otherwise, the patience and steadfastness of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was by no means any less.
"That which all the beautiful ones possess, you alone possess (unique)."

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The meaning of the hadith is that the question of Prophet Ibrahim (alayhis salam) regarding the revival of the dead was not based on doubt, but rather he wished to increase his knowledge through direct observation and witnessing. This is because the certainty and tranquility attained from seeing something with one's own eyes is not achieved through reasoning alone.
In other words, he wanted to move from the knowledge of certainty (ilm al-yaqin) to the eye of certainty (ayn al-yaqin). The meaning of the hadith is that if Ibrahim’s (alayhis salam) question had been based on doubt, then we would have been more deserving of such doubt. But since we do not doubt, he is even more deserving of not doubting. Rather, his question was for observation, so that when discussing the subject with others, he could express his inner conviction with complete assurance.
It is said:
“Hearing is not like seeing.”

➋
Similarly, Prophet Lut (alayhis salam), who was a stranger in his missionary center “Sodom,” had no family or tribe there; even his wife was a disbeliever and disloyal. In such circumstances, the storm of indecency that the people raised against his honorable guests was completely contrary to human dignity and honor.
At that time, Prophet Lut (alayhis salam) expressed the lack of apparent means in these words:
“If only I had strength to resist you or could take refuge in a strong support.”
Upon hearing these words, the angels could not remain silent and said:
“Do not be so distressed. We are not mere boys, but messengers sent by Allah. Not only will these people fail to harm us, they will not be able to harm you either.”
By “quwwah” (strength) is meant the power that is attained without anyone’s help, and by “rukn shadid” (strong support) is meant the strength that is attained with the help of another.
The mention of Allah’s help was not made because Allah has made the world a realm of means; here, nothing is devoid of means. Allah is, in every situation and in every place, the ultimate Helper and Rescuer. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) praised him (Lut) that he wished to take refuge in a mighty support, but he knew that in this world, assistance is limited to two sources: one’s own and that of others.
Therefore, he mentioned these two.
In any case, the words spoken by Prophet Lut (alayhis salam) were in consideration of apparent means; otherwise, how could a prophet seek help from a tribe or people, leaving aside Allah?

➌
Regarding Prophet Yusuf (alayhis salam), the kind of sentiments you expressed were out of humility and modesty:
Within you, patience and steadfastness were present to the highest degree. Someone has rightly said:
“What all the beautiful ones possess, you alone possess.”
In any case, Prophet Yusuf (alayhis salam) rejected freedom from prison.
His purpose was that until the investigation of his innocence was completed and his complete exoneration was established, he was not willing to come out of prison, because he did not want even a suspicion to arise in the heart of any uninformed person that perhaps Yusuf (alayhis salam) was at fault in this matter. In any case, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) praised the patience, endurance, steadfastness, and composure of Prophet Yusuf (alayhis salam), that despite being in prison for such a long time, he did not act hastily and did not allow his honor to be tarnished.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
(1)
Just as there is a pleasure and delight in delicious and flavorful material foods, which can only be experienced by a person whose sense of taste has not been affected by any illness, in the same way, there is a pleasure and taste in faith (iman), which only that fortunate person can experience who, with complete happiness, joy, and contentment of heart, has accepted Allah, the Exalted, as his Master and Sustainer, Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) as his Messenger, and Islam as his religion and way of life. His relationship with Allah, the Messenger, and Islam should not be merely formal, inherited, or just intellectual and mental. Rather, there should be heartfelt devotion and deep affection towards them, because the meaning of "rida" (contentment) is satisfaction, sufficiency, and not desiring anything else.

(2)
To be content with the Lordship (rububiyyah) of Allah, the Exalted, is to be pleased with His decree (qada wa qadar), to remain satisfied in times of happiness and sorrow, pain and suffering, and hardship and calamity, and not to complain or express dissatisfaction. To be content with Islam is to obey its commands and guidance from the depths of one's heart and not to fall into any kind of doubt or suspicion regarding its rulings and instructions. And to be content with the Messengership of Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is to obey and follow him, to establish a bond of love and devotion with him, and not to adopt any other way or attitude apart from his way and method. Such a person finds pleasure and joy in doing good deeds, and feels grief and distress upon committing disobedience and sin.

Benefits and Issues:

➊
The faith of the noble Prophets (alayhimus salam) is the most perfect.
At times, Allah Ta’ala enables them to witness things that remain unseen (ghayb) for others.
When Ibrahim (alayhis salam) wished to witness the revival of the dead, it was not due to doubt, but rather so that he could progress from the level of knowledge of certainty (‘ilm al-yaqin) to the level of the eye of certainty (‘ayn al-yaqin).

➋
We have more right to doubt.
This means that when the believers do not doubt in this matter, it is an expression of the greatness of Ibrahim (alayhis salam) that Allah Ta’ala enabled him to witness life after death.

➌
Lut (alayhis salam) said to his people that if he had any strong worldly support, they would not have made such shameless demands of him.
This does not mean that Lut (alayhis salam) did not trust in Allah Ta’ala; rather, it is an expression of the moral depravity of his people—that if he had strong worldly support, they would not have dared such insolence out of fear of those people, but they do not fear Allah.
His trust is in Allah Ta’ala, Who can punish them far more than any human beings.

➍
Yusuf (alayhis salam) had to go to prison because he refused to commit a crime that was being demanded of him.
When the rulers became convinced of his sincerity, truthfulness, and the greatness of his character, and felt the need to benefit from his abilities, a messenger came to the prison with the order for his release. At that moment, another aspect of Yusuf’s (alayhis salam) greatness of character became apparent: he refused to leave the prison until his innocence was formally established and the crime of the guilty party (the wife of the Aziz of Egypt) was proven.

➎
The meaning of the statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is that if such a situation had occurred with him, he would have come out of prison at that time and hoped for Allah’s mercy that He would declare his innocence in some other way.
The purpose of this statement is to praise the steadfastness and patience of Yusuf (alayhis salam).

➏
The rank of the Seal of the Prophets (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is higher and superior to all the noble Prophets, but the radiant aspects of the character of other Prophets (alayhimus salam) are also worthy of praise.
Their importance and greatness should not be overlooked.

➐
Acknowledging the virtues of others is also an aspect of greatness of character.
The scholars should sincerely recognize each other’s virtues.
Because of these virtues, they should honor and love one another.
Just as they criticize each other’s mistakes, they should also praise good deeds and cooperate in them,
even if the individual concerned does not belong to their party, organization, group, or school of thought.