Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
The correspondence between the chapter and the hadith is that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) came to the house of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu) with his head covered.
The custom of covering the head with a cloth is still prevalent among the Arabs today; due to the hot climate there, this practice is necessary.
In this hadith, several matters related to the migration (hijrah) have been mentioned, the further details of which can be observed under this hadith in the account of the migration.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In this hadith, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) went to the house of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) at midday with his head and face covered. The custom of covering the head and face with a sheet or similar cloth still exists among the Arabs today. In the hot climate of that region, doing so is also necessary; without a valid reason, however, it is not appropriate. Nevertheless, if there is a need, it is permissible to cover the head and face, for example: if there is intense heat or cold, or there is something for which it becomes necessary to do so, then there is no harm in covering the head and face.

(2)
If the intention is to protect oneself from something harmful, then it is permissible; otherwise, one should avoid covering the head and face, as this can give rise to doubts and suspicions. A person should not put himself in such a situation of trial. And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
In this hadith, there is a partial mention regarding the migration (hijrah) of the Noble Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), that before beginning the journey on the night of migration, he and Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu) appointed a person as a guide and laborer who was upon the religion of the disbelievers of Quraysh, and he was from the tribe of Banu Dail.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu) had trust in him, so they entrusted both of their mounts to him, taking a promise from him that after three nights had passed, he would bring both mounts to the Cave of Thawr.
Accordingly, he did exactly that, and both of them began their journey.
This person was an expert guide, and Amir bin Fuhayrah was appointed as the caretaker for both mounts.
It is mentioned in the next chapter that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) appointed this person as a laborer on the condition that he would perform his assigned task after three nights had passed.
Similarly, if someone is hired on the condition of performing a task after a month or a year, and both parties are agreeable, then such a transaction is permissible.
From this hadith, it is also established that in times of necessity, it is permissible to hire a trustworthy non-Muslim as a laborer.
And this is what is intended—praise be to Allah—that while sitting in the direction of the Cave of Thawr in the Sacred Ka‘bah, I am writing this hadith and its explanation. Fourteen hundred years have passed, yet every page of the blessed life (of the Prophet) is preserved in such a way that it could not be preserved any better.
This is the very Cave of Thawr which is today called Jabal al-Thawr.
It was here that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) stayed for three nights with his companion of the cave, Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu).
Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Under this chapter, the explanatory note of Hazrat Mawlana Waheeduz-Zaman (rahimahullah) is that the purpose of Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) in bringing this chapter is to show that in a contract of hiring (ijarah), it is not necessary that the work should begin at the very time the contract is initiated.
Isma‘ili has objected that it does not appear from the hadith of the chapter that Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu) and the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) stipulated with this person that he should begin his work after three days, but this objection is not correct because the correspondence of the hadith with the chapter is clearly present.
As proof of hiring (ijarah), the author of al-Muhadhdhab writes:
“It has been established that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and Abu Bakr hired Abdullah bin Uraiqit ad-Daili, and he was a non-Muslim, and he was the most knowledgeable about the desert paths and valleys, and an expert in the natural geography of the lands of Arabia, to be a guide and leader for them in their migration from Makkah to Madinah.”
It has been definitively established that the Noble Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and Hazrat Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) hired Abdullah bin Uraiqit ad-Daili as a laborer.
He was a great expert in desert routes and was fully acquainted with the natural geography of the lands of Arabia.
He was hired so that, at the time of migration, he could fulfill the duty of guiding the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu) from Makkah to Madinah.
From this, it is established that it is permissible to hire a trustworthy non-Muslim as a laborer.
Today, on the 29th of Dhu al-Hijjah 1389 AH, at the time of Maghrib, sitting near Maqam Ibrahim, this note was written.
And praise be to Allah for that. And on the 2nd of Safar, on a Friday, sitting in the garden of Paradise in the Prophet’s Mosque, it was reviewed.
And praise be to Allah for that.

Visiting the Cave of Thawr:
While writing this hadith, it occurred to me that, being present in Makkah al-Mukarramah, it would be appropriate to see with my own eyes the first station of the Prophetic migration, i.e., the Cave of Thawr, and take a lesson from it.
Although going there is neither a pillar of Hajj nor is there any legal ruling for it, yet under the command “Travel through the earth,” on the 16th of Muharram 1390 AH, together with other companions among the honored pilgrims, I resolved to go to the Cave of Thawr.
It is several miles from the Sacred Mosque, and upon going there, terrifying mountain scenes appear on all sides.
According to Indian time, our caravan reached the foothills of Thawr around eleven o’clock in the day.
When we looked up at the peak of the mountain, our courage failed.
But seeing the determination of the companions, we began the ascent.
The situation was such that the higher we climbed, the farther the destination seemed.
Finally, after much difficulty, sitting and resting repeatedly, and about an hour’s effort, we were able to reach the Cave of Thawr.
There are several caves here, over which massive stones form natural roofs.
On one cave, “Ghar Thawr” (Cave of Thawr) was written; this is the very Cave of Thawr in which, sitting inside, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said to his companion of the cave, Hazrat as-Siddiq al-Akbar (radi Allahu anhu): “What do you think of two, the third of whom is Allah?” When as-Siddiq al-Akbar (radi Allahu anhu) felt fear of the enemies, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) comforted him with the above words: “O Abu Bakr! What is your opinion about those two whose third is Allah Himself?”
(By Allah Himself being with them, His help and support is meant, while He Himself, in His essence, is above the Mighty Throne.)
The meaning was that Allah Himself is our Protector and Helper.
Then what grief can we have from the enemies, and Allah the Exalted saved both of His beloved servants.
Inside the cave, there is space for two people to sit or lie down; one can enter from one side by sitting. I and our companions entered inside and saw the entire scene.
And repeatedly, the power of Allah came to mind, and the memory of this great event in Islamic history was refreshed.
A few words were written down as notes while sitting inside the cave itself.
The heart desired to stay here for a long time, for the scene was very spiritually uplifting.
But the driver below was waiting, so together with the friends, the return journey was undertaken.
Due to the height of the cave and the dangerous path, it is not such that everyone can reach there.
Climbing is dangerous, and descending is even more dangerous; thus, descending took twice as long, and the time for Zuhr prayer came while descending.
With great difficulty, we descended and caught the vehicle, and reached the Sacred Mosque at such a time that the Zuhr prayer had already been performed, but praise be to Allah, a longing of life—to see the first station of the Noble Messenger’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) migration—was fulfilled by the grace of Allah.
And praise be to Allah, firstly and lastly, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah and upon his companion as-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu).
(Respected Haji Allah Bakhsh Sahib Bijapuri and respected Haji Munshi Haqiq Allah Sahib, supervisor of Madrasah Dar al-Huda, Yusufpur, U.P., were with me, by whose determination even a weak and feeble person like myself was able to reach this destination. May Allah reward them.)

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s intent is that making an agreement regarding wages with a laborer, even if it is before the work period begins, means that the wage will only start from the time he begins the agreed-upon work. Through this, Imam Bukhari has dispelled the misconception that the laborer is being bound to the work before starting it, even though there is no wage for this binding, and perhaps making such an arrangement without compensation is prohibited.
The respected Imam has established from this narration that it is permissible to settle the matter of wages beforehand, and binding someone to work without compensation is merely a promise, not an action.
It can also be said that the agreed-upon compensation is for both the work and for binding the person to the work.
It is also clear that he was only kept for showing the way, and his work began three days after the agreement was made.
(2)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, in the chapter heading, established the permissibility of a month and a year as a period by analogy with this (narration), that is, he analogized a longer period with a shorter one, because no duration is superior to another. Also, Amir bin Fuhayrah radi Allahu anhu was appointed for grazing the she-camels.
(Fath al-Bari: 4/560)

Hadith Commentary:
After this, the incident of migration (hijrah) took place. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq al-Akbar radi Allahu anhu had specially prepared two camels, feeding and caring for them for this very purpose. In the darkness of the night, both of them mounted the camels, taking along a slave named Faheed, and set out from the house. They stayed in the Cave of Thawr during the night, where they remained for three nights. From there, they later proceeded and reached Madinah.
This incident of migration (hijrah) holds such significance in Islam that the Hijri calendar was started from it.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The aforementioned hadith is famous by the name "Hadith of Migration" (Hadith Hijrah).
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established from this that there is no harm in meeting every day or morning and evening for a specific purpose.
The hadith that is presented in this regard, which says "Meet after intervals, love will increase," is not authentic.
(2)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar has collected all its chains in a "juz" (treatise), and he states:
Even if it is accepted as authentic, there is no contradiction between these two hadiths because each hadith has a different purpose, and the generality of the opposing hadith can be specified; that is, the visit of a kind and sincere friend, due to love for him, can be done daily as needed, because from the sitting together of both, some benefit can be hoped for. But if there is no special love for a person, then frequent visits can sometimes become a cause of hatred and enmity, and then the fear of severing ties also remains. Meeting a kind friend repeatedly is a cause for increase in love and affection.
And Allah knows best. (Fath al-Bari: 10/613)

Hadith Commentary:
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established from this hadith the permissibility of employing a polytheist as a laborer in times of necessity, as when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu could not find a Muslim guide, they took a polytheist as their guide.

Similarly, when there was no skilled Muslim available to cultivate the land of Khaybar, an agreement was made with the Jews of Khaybar.

From the chapter heading (tarjumat al-bab) of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, it appears that one should not employ a polytheist as a laborer without necessity, whereas there is no such statement in the mentioned ahadith. The answer to this is that although these ahadith do not explicitly state not to employ a polytheist, perhaps Imam Bukhari rahimahullah had in mind another hadith in which it is stated, "We do not take assistance from a polytheist." In this way, he has reconciled between the two ahadith: that in times of necessity, a polytheist can be employed, but preference should be given to a Muslim.

However, the general position of the jurists (fuqaha) is that a polytheist may be employed at any time, because employing him is a form of humiliation for him. However, a Muslim should not become the employee of a polytheist, as that would be an insult to the Muslim.

(Fath al-Bari: 4/559)

It is worthy of reflection that even at that time, the polytheists were so committed to their covenants that, despite being enemies, this person did not inform anyone, even though the disbelievers of Quraysh had set a large reward for the capture of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Hadith Commentary:
It is derived from the hadith that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) purchased a she-camel from Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu) and then left it in his custody. Thus, the purpose of the chapter—that if someone purchases something and leaves it with the seller for safekeeping—is established from this.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established from this lengthy hadith that it is permissible to keep something or an animal with the seller after purchasing it, just as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam bought a she-camel from Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu and left it with him.
By doing so, the sale is complete and the buyer attains full right to dispose of it as he wishes.
If, under such circumstances, the sold item is destroyed, then the loss must be borne by the buyer.
In this, the seller is not liable unless he is guilty of negligence.
And Allah knows best. (2)
With permission, it is permissible to enter someone’s house at noon due to a pressing necessity.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ This incident pertains to the days of preparation for the migration (hijrah).
➋ It is permissible for a man to cover his head and face according to the season or circumstances; there is no harm in this. Sometimes, this may also be due to modesty (haya).
➌ One should seek permission before entering someone else's house, no matter how close the relationship may be.