Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
This hadith has already been mentioned previously.
The meaning of Hell being forbidden is that the level of Hell in which disbelievers and hypocrites will reside is forbidden for the believer, or that eternal residence in Hell is forbidden for the Muslim.
It is clearly evident from this hadith that it is not permissible to declare any professing Muslim a disbeliever without a valid legal (shar‘i) reason.
In such a case, that disbelief returns upon the one who uttered it himself.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In this hadith, it is mentioned that ‘Utban bin Malik radi Allahu anhu presented khazirah to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and other guests, which was specially prepared.
This is an excellent, easily digestible, and delicious dish.
Finely minced meat is placed in a pot, then water is added and a fire is lit underneath. When the minced meat is cooked, barley flour is added to it, making it unparalleled in taste.
(2)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s purpose is to show that such dishes can be presented to guests, and there is no extravagance or wastefulness in this.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
The eminent scholar Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has established many rulings from this hadith, for example:

➊ The permissibility of an individual who is blind leading the prayer (imamah).
As Hazrat ‘Itban radi Allahu anhu, despite being blind, used to lead his people in prayer.

➋ Stating one’s illness is not considered as complaining.

➌ It is also established that, in Madinah, congregational prayers were performed in mosques other than the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid Nabawi).

➍ For those with excuses like ‘Itban, it is permissible to be excused from the congregation in darkness and rain.

➎ In case of necessity, it is permissible to designate a specific place in the house for prayer.

➏ Straightening the rows (saffs) is required.

➐ It is permissible for a distinguished guest who comes for a visit to lead the prayer, provided the owner of the house permits him.

➑ The place where the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed prayer becomes blessed (tabarruk).

➒ If a righteous, pious person is invited to the house for the sake of blessing, it is permissible.

➓ Distinguished people accepting the invitation of those younger or of lower status.

(11) Fulfilling promises and saying “in sha Allah”; and if the host is trustworthy, it is permissible to bring other friends along to the invitation even if they were not specifically invited.

(12) Seeking permission from the owner of the house before entering.

(13) The people of the neighborhood gathering with the scholar or imam to seek blessings.

(14) If there is fear of harm to the religion from someone, it is permissible to inform the imam about his condition.

(15) Mere verbal affirmation of faith (iman) is not sufficient until there is certainty in the heart and righteous deeds are apparent.

(16) One who dies upon tawhid (monotheism) will not remain in Hell forever.

(17) Performing prayer at home during rain.

(18) Performing voluntary prayers (nawafil) in congregation.

Qastallani rahimahullah said that ‘Itban bin Malik al-Ansari al-Salimi al-Madani radi Allahu anhu became blind. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam visited his house on a Saturday, and Hazrat Abu Bakr and ‘Umar radi Allahu anhuma were also with him.

The translation of haleem khazirah is: it is a dish made by cooking pieces of meat in water, and flour would also be mixed into it.

Malik bin Dukhshum, about whom suspicion of hypocrisy was raised—some people have correctly named him Malik bin Dukhshum. He participated in the Battle of Badr without dispute, and it was he who captured Suhail bin ‘Amr, the disbeliever.

Ibn Ishaq has mentioned in al-Maghazi that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam sent him among those who burned down Masjid Dirar, so it is apparent that he was not a hypocrite. However, due to certain circumstances, some people harbored such suspicions about him, just as suspicion arose regarding Hatib bin Abi Balta‘ah radi Allahu anhu when, out of love for his wife and children, he attempted to inform the people of Makkah about the Prophet’s sallallahu alayhi wa sallam intention to march (against them), which was his mistake. However, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam accepted his excuse and forgave this mistake.

Similarly, regarding Malik bin Dukhshum, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade people from calling him a hypocrite, especially since he was among the warriors of Badr, whose all mistakes Allah has forgiven.

Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has narrated this hadith in more than twenty places and has derived many rulings from it, as mentioned above.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Here, by "mosque" is meant that a place in the house is designated for performing prayers.
The general rulings of mosques do not apply to it, because public mosques do not belong to anyone.
They cannot be bought or sold, nor are they subject to inheritance.
It is not permissible to enter them in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) or menstruation (hayd), whereas the mosque in the house is the property of the owner.
Its buying and selling is permissible.
It is also permissible for it to be divided in inheritance.
It is also permissible to enter it in a state of janabah or hayd.
If prayer is performed in congregation in the home mosque, only the reward of congregation will be attained.
The reward of congregation in a mosque will not be attained.
From the narration, it is understood that for an excused person (ma‘dhur), performing obligatory prayers in such home mosques is valid.
If a place is designated in the house for performing prayer in congregation in case of excuse, and congregational prayer is arranged there, the reward of congregation will be attained, and he will not be blamed for being absent from the legal mosque (masjid shar‘i).
It should be noted that the evidence for congregational prayer in homes is found during the times of oppressive rulers and in other situations of excuse.

➋
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has derived many rulings from this hadith, for example:
- The permissibility of a blind person leading the prayer, because ‘Itban radi Allahu anhu, despite being blind, used to lead his people in prayer.
- Mentioning one’s illness is not considered as complaining or objecting to Allah.
- In Madinah Munawwarah, besides the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid Nabawi), congregational prayers were also held in other mosques.
- For those with excuses, it is not obligatory to attend congregation in cases of rain or severe darkness.
- In times of need, any place in the house can be designated for prayer.
- It is permissible for a distinguished guest who comes to visit to lead the prayer, provided the owner of the house permits him.
- If a righteous person is invited to the house for blessings and goodness, it is permissible to do so.
- Distinguished people should accept the invitations of those lesser than them and attend them.
- Promises should be fulfilled, and one should say "in sha Allah" for them.
- If the host is trustworthy, there is no harm in bringing someone else along besides those invited.
- Seeking permission from the household before entering the house is an important requirement of the Shari‘ah.
- It is also permissible for the people of the neighborhood to gather at the house of a scholar or imam for the sake of blessings.
- It is permissible to mention before the imam the person from whom harm to Islam is feared.
- Verbal affirmation of faith (iman) is not sufficient unless there is certainty in the heart and righteous deeds are apparent.
- Whoever dies upon tawhid will not remain in Hell forever.
- During the rainy season (when coming and going is difficult),
it is permissible to pray at home.
- Voluntary prayers (nawafil) can be performed in congregation, provided there is no formal invitation (tada‘i) for it.
It should be noted that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has mentioned this hadith in more than ten places and has derived many rulings from it,
as is clear from the above details.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/677)

➌
Since Mahmud ibn Rabi‘ radi Allahu anhu was a young Companion, and apparently from this hadith it seems that only faith (iman) is sufficient for salvation and deeds are not necessary, Ibn Shihab felt the need to ask Husayn ibn Muhammad Ansari for reassurance. Thus, when he asked him, he confirmed it,
as Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has mentioned at the end.

➍
It is possible that Imam Bukhari, by this chapter heading, was alluding to the hadith of ‘A’ishah radi Allahu anha in which it is stated that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam commanded that mosques be made in homes and that they be kept clean and perfumed.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Salat, Hadith: 455)
Also, Samurah ibn Jundub radi Allahu anhu wrote to his sons that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to command us to make mosques in our homes, to maintain them, and to keep them pure.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Salat, Hadith: 456)

Hadith Commentary:
The relevance of this chapter is that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not hold those people accountable who called Malik a hypocrite (munafiq), because they were people who interpreted (the situation); that is, based on observing Malik’s circumstances, they considered him a hypocrite. Thus, their assumption turned out to be incorrect.

Hadith Commentary:
The guests who came to Hazrat Utban bin Malik radi Allahu anhu called Hazrat Malik bin Dukhshun radi Allahu anhu a hypocrite and commented that he does not love Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
This was a very serious statement, but the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not hold them accountable for it; rather, he considered them excused because they had a reasonable cause: his association and interaction was with the hypocrites, and he had also not attended this blessed gathering.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam corrected them by stating that the rulings of Islam are applied based on outward circumstances; the inner state is entrusted to Allah Ta’ala. Then he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also informed them about his inner state: that by reciting the kalimah, he seeks the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala.
(Fath al-Bari: 12/381)