Bukhari

Chapter of Sahih Bukhari Hadith Number: 7529: «بَابُ قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ الْقُرْآنَ فَهْوَ يَقُومُ بِهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ، وَرَجُلٌ يَقُولُ لَوْ أُوتِيتُ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ هَذَا فَعَلْتُ كَمَا يَفْعَلُ»:
Relevance between the Chapter and the Hadith:
The purpose of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah in this chapter and the ahadith under it is to establish that the Noble Qur’an is uncreated, and that the recitation performed by a servant is the action of the servant, which, being an action, is created, because the action is attributed to the reciter, and he is created, so therefore his action will also be created.

Allamah Abdul Haq al-Hashimi rahimahullah writes:
“In the verse «﴿وَاخْتِلَافُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ﴾» [الروم : 22], every kind of speech is intended, thus the Qur’an is also included in it. And in the other verse that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has presented, every kind of good is included, and likewise, the recitation of the Qur’an is also included in it. Thus, this indicates that recitation (qira’ah) is the action of the reciter, and the action of the servant is, like this, created.

Then after this, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has presented two ahadith. Their correspondence with the chapter heading is in accordance with this statement:
«فهو يتلوه آناء الليل و آناء النهار .» [لب اللباب : 299/5]
This humble and insignificant student says that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s jurisprudential insight deserves praise; he rahimahullah addressed this issue with such subtlety through these ahadith that the accusation was made against him that he believed in the createdness of the Qur’an. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, through these ahadith and the chapter, forever ended these accusations and clarified that he rahimahullah was by no means a proponent of the createdness of the Qur’an, rather he considered the Noble Qur’an to be the speech of Allah. If you reflect, the hadith that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah mentioned from «سالم عن ابيه», in its chain is «امام على بن المديني», and its other route is mentioned in the Book of the Virtues of the Qur’an (no. 5025), but in that route, Imam Ali ibn al-Madini rahimahullah is not present. 1 What is the matter or secret hidden here, that he rahimahullah, at this point, when establishing that the Qur’an is uncreated, presented the hadith through the chain of Ali ibn al-Madini rahimahullah? Allah Ta’ala placed this point in the heart of this humble one at this moment, that «علي بن مديني» are those whose hadith Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah had abandoned, because during the days of trial, he too, to save his life, had said that the Qur’an is created. However, Imam Dhahabi rahimahullah said, “A slip occurred from Ali ibn al-Madini, but he repented from it.” Therefore, the fact that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah mentioned his name in the chain at this point and narrated the hadith through his route can have many purposes. The first apparent purpose is that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah wanted to show that Ali ibn al-Madini rahimahullah had repented from the belief in the createdness of the Qur’an, 2 and for this reason, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah narrated the hadith from him to establish that the Qur’an is the speech of Allah, so that it would be clear that, according to Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, he did not hold that belief, and in his view, he was trustworthy and a proof. The second point is also possible, that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah was also defending himself, that this is only an accusation against me; I do not believe in the createdness of the Qur’an, rather the Qur’an is the speech of Allah.

------------------
1 For the ease of the readers and to further clarify the matter, we are writing here the complete chains of both ahadith, so that the matter may be easily understood. The chain of the hadith in the Book of the Virtues of the Qur’an: Imam Bukhari rahimahullah says: «حدثنا أبو اليمان، أخبرنا شعيب، عن الزهري، قال: حدثني سالم بن عبدالله، أن عبدالله بن عمر . . . . .» The second chain, which he mentioned in the Book of Tawheed: «حدثنا على بن عبدالله، حدثنا سفيان، قال الزهري، عن سالم، عن أبيه . . . . .».
2 Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah, in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, narrates about Ali ibn al-Madini rahimahullah that «قال محمد بن مخلد: سمعت محمد بن عثمان بن أبى شيبة يقول: سمعت على بن المديني قبل أن يموت بشهرين يقول: القرآن كلام الله غير مخلوق.» [تهذيب التهذيب : 715/5], “Muhammad ibn Abi Shaybah says that Ali ibn al-Madini rahimahullah, two months before his death, said that the Qur’an is the speech of Allah, it is not created.” This is a clear proof on this issue that the Imam of the hadith scholars, Ali ibn al-Madini rahimahullah, was not a proponent of the createdness of the Qur’an. To remove this objection, the exalted Imam Bukhari rahimahullah narrated a hadith from him under the mentioned chapter, so that the accusations raised against him until the Day of Judgment may be erased.

Hadith Commentary:
From the following chapter and ahadith, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established that the Noble Qur'an is not created, and the recitation that we perform is our own action, which, by virtue of being an action, is created.
The Speech of Allah is, at all times and in every state, the Speech of Allah, which is uncreated.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
According to the first verse mentioned in the title, the diversity of languages is a sign of Allah, and in different eras, every kind of speech comes into existence. Among these is the recitation of the Noble Qur’an, which is an act of the servant and a creation of Allah. Similarly, in the second verse, there is encouragement to perform good deeds. These include recitation, remembrance of Allah (dhikr), and supplication (du‘a). From these, it is understood that recitation is the act of the reciter, which is his acquisition (kasb) and created by Allah.

➋
In the mentioned ahadith, the recitation of the reciter and his standing (in prayer) are attributed to him, which are his actions. The point of inference for Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah is precisely this: the movement of the reciter’s tongue, the motion of his lips, and then his recitation—all of these are his actions and acquisitions, which Allah has created. However, that which is being recited is the speech of Allah. In other words, it can be expressed as follows:
(al-sawtu al-qari’ wa al-kalamu al-bari)
That is, the voice is the reciter’s, and the speech recited through it is the speech of Allah, Lord of Might and Majesty.
And to Allah belongs all praise.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: There are various ways of being engaged with the Noble Qur’an or fulfilling its rights during the day and night. One way is that a person remains occupied with its study and teaching, whether by reading, instructing, learning, or imparting knowledge.
The second way is that he remains engaged in its propagation and dissemination. The third way is that he strives to live his life in accordance with its teachings and guidance, with full thought and diligence. The fourth way is that whenever he finds free time, whether in prayer or outside of it, he remains engaged in its recitation. As for the spending of wealth, it is that whenever there is a legitimate need—whether it pertains to his own person, his family, his relatives, the propagation of the religion, its protection and defense, or the personal and collective needs of the Muslims—he spends generously at every opportunity and occasion.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Hasad (Envy):
It has two forms: (1)
Literal (Haqiqi):
In this, the one who envies wishes for the blessing possessed by another to be removed and lost from the one who has it, whether it then comes to him or not, but in any case, it should not remain with the other person.
(2)
Metaphorical (Majazi):
This is also called ghibtah or healthy jealousy, in which there is no desire or wish for the blessing to be removed or lost from the other person, but rather the wish is that he himself should also attain this blessing so that he too can perform such deeds.
The first form is unanimously prohibited, and the second form is commendable.
And it is this second form that is intended in this hadith.

Explanation:
1:
There are two types of envy (hasad):
Real (haqiqi) and metaphorical (majazi).
Real envy is when a person wishes and desires for the blessing present with another to be taken away.
This type of envy is unanimously forbidden (haram).
Authentic texts have been reported regarding its prohibition,
and for this reason, there is consensus (ijma‘) of the Ummah on its prohibition.
The second type of envy is "rivalry" (rashk),
that is, to desire to attain a similar blessing as another without wishing for the removal of that blessing from them.
In this hadith, it is this second type of envy that is intended.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ The meaning of (yaqumu bihi) is both to act upon it and to recite it during the standing (qiyam) of prayer, whether in obligatory prayers or in supererogatory (nafl) and tahajjud prayers.

➋ One should not miss any opportunity to spend in the way of Allah.

➌ It is more rewarding to spend on scholars and students than on the adornment and beautification of mosque minarets and walls. Similarly, it is more necessary to give to the poor or indebted worshippers of the mosque and to the deserving needy people living in the vicinity of the mosque. It is better for the mosque to remain simple.

Benefit:
The real meaning of hasad (envy) is that upon seeing someone blessed by Allah Ta'ala with a certain favor, one wishes that this blessing be taken away from them. Harboring such a thought is a grave sin, and the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has instructed us to avoid it:

« آياكم والحسد فإن الحسد يأكل الحسنات كما تاكل النار الحطب » "Beware greatly of the disease of envy; envy consumes a person's good deeds just as fire consumes wood." [ابوداود : 4903]

In the mentioned hadith, what is meant by hasad is "rivalry" (rashk), that is, wishing that one may also receive a blessing similar to what another possesses—this is permissible. Of all virtues, the two most worthy of such rivalry are generosity and knowledge.

However, these actions are counted among virtues only when they are performed with sincerity for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala; otherwise, knowledge acquired for the sake of fame and wealth spent for show will become the cause of the severest punishment and intense torment. May Allah Ta'ala protect us.