Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
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In one narration, it is clarified that the land of Yemen was divided into two parts (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Maghazi, Hadith: 4341, 4342). In the upper region, Hazrat Mu'adh radi Allahu anhu was appointed, and in the lower region, Hazrat Abu Musa Ash'ari radi Allahu anhu was appointed. Both of these noble companions used to visit each other as a gesture of goodwill. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam instructed them not to differ with each other in governmental matters, but rather to conduct affairs with agreement, unity, and solidarity. If a disagreement were to arise between them, they should, through discussion and examination, agree upon the correct opinion; otherwise, they should bring the matter to the notice of the supreme authority.

➋
In any case, they were encouraged to avoid disagreement by every possible means so that people would not dare to rise up against them. (Fath al-Bari: 13/203)

Hadith Commentary:
The verse mentioned in the chapter contains such a key guidance upon which the rise and fall of the entire Ummah depends. As long as this guidance was acted upon, Muslims remained rulers over the world, and ever since mutual disputes and divisions began, the strength of the Ummah has been shattered.

There are many verses in the Noble Qur’an and numerous narrations from the Prophetic traditions in which the Ummah has been strongly urged towards mutual unity, informed of the benefits of agreement, unity, and mutual affection, and warned about the harms of dispute and division.

In the very verse of the chapter itself, there is an extraordinary warning that the result of dispute is that your strength will be taken away and you will become cowardly. The meaning of “your strength will be taken away” is clear: you will become insignificant in the eyes of other nations, and courage and bravery will disappear, and cowardice will overcome you.

In the present era, the result of the Arabs’ mutual disputes is manifest in the fall of Bayt al-Maqdis, where a handful of Jews, disregarding millions of Muslims, have occupied Masjid al-Aqsa.

The instructions in the hadith of Mu’adh also contain many benefits. Creating every possible ease for people within the bounds of the Shari‘ah, avoiding every aspect of harshness, striving to keep people pleased, not doing anything that creates hatred—these are the precious instructions that every scholar, preacher, orator, teacher, spiritual guide, and leader must keep in view.

It is also a point of reflection for those scholars and preachers who are embodiments of harshness and hatred.

May Allah destroy them.

Hadith Commentary:
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to instruct his governors to adopt those matters in which there was ease for the people, and in which there was no aspect of hardship or severity for them.
They were to give them glad tidings that would raise their spirits, and not say such things that would cause them to fall into mutual hatred. Furthermore, they were to respect each other's feelings and avoid mutual discord, because this leads to chaos.

Hadith Commentary:

Benefits and Issues:
This hadith proves that people should be encouraged and motivated to practice the religion through Allah’s grace and bounty, the great reward for righteous deeds, and Allah’s vast mercy. At all times, one should not only mention His wrath, punishment, and the threat of Hellfire. That is, one should adopt such an approach that love for faith is instilled in people’s hearts, and aversion or hatred for the religion does not arise due to the perception that practicing it is very difficult. Therefore, in da’wah (inviting to Islam) and tabligh (propagation), one should keep in mind gradualism and the principle of prioritizing the most important matters, and strive to prevent sins with gentleness and affection.

If aversion is created right at the beginning, then it will be difficult to turn people back. For this reason, being harsh at the outset with children and those newly entering Islam is contrary to the temperament of Islam. Gradually and step by step, instill in them the love of faith and righteous deeds, so that they themselves strive to avoid evil. This does not mean that under no circumstances should they be warned of Allah’s wrath and punishment, because in the Qur’an itself, alongside the mention of Paradise is the mention of Hellfire, alongside promises are threats, and alongside encouragement for righteous deeds is the mention of accountability for evil deeds. The objective is that the religion should not be presented in a repulsive manner, but rather in such a way that people are attracted to it.

Hadith Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
Ease and facilitation become a cause for glad tidings, while hardship, difficulty, and constriction create aversion and resentment. Mutual agreement and unity bring people closer together, whereas mutual disagreement and division drive people apart.
For this reason, when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam sent these two eminent Companions radi Allahu anhuma for the purpose of inviting people to Islam and making judgments among them according to it, he instructed them not to begin by inviting people to difficult and demanding matters,
and to remain united and in agreement with each other,
so that your disagreements do not cause confusion in people’s minds, nor should they take undue advantage of it.

Benefits and Issues:
A special Prophetic instruction for a leader and a person in authority is that he should be one who creates gentleness and ease for his subordinates.
Unnecessary harshness becomes a cause of opposition,
which brings about aversion and is a deadly poison for any system and collectivity.