Ibn Majah

Benefits and Issues:

➊ The mentioned narration has been declared weak in its chain by our esteemed researcher, and he has further written that it has supporting evidences; among them, the previous hadith is also a supporting evidence for it, and that is authentic. Moreover, Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah has also declared the mentioned narration to be hasan (good). Therefore, despite the mentioned narration being weak in its chain, it is acceptable for practice and as evidence. For details, see: (al-Irwa’ by al-Albani: 7/257).

➋ The promise of Allah refers to the promise of the conquest of Makkah and the dominance of Islam in Arabia, which was fulfilled during the lifetime of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

➌ By "groups" are meant the various tribes and bands of non-Muslim Arabs whom the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam confronted, and Allah the Exalted granted victory to His Prophet over them.

➍ In this hadith, "unintentional killing" refers to "quasi-intentional" (shibh al-‘amd), as clarified by the mention of the whip and stick.

➎ Before Islam, various religious offices were held by different tribes of Makkah, which, being un-Islamic, were abolished. However, the offices of serving the Ka‘bah, custodianship of its keys, and providing water to the pilgrims were maintained, because these did not involve beliefs or actions contrary to Islam.

➏ In the era of ignorance (Jahiliyyah), the office of serving the Ka‘bah was with the tribe of Banu ‘Abd al-Dar. At the time of the conquest of Makkah, the branch of this tribe, Banu Shaybah, held this office. The key to the Ka‘bah was with a member of Banu Shaybah, ‘Uthman ibn Talhah al-Hajabi radi Allahu anhu. The responsibility of providing water to the pilgrims and managing Zamzam was in the hands of Banu Hashim, and at the time of the conquest of Makkah, this responsibility was with al-‘Abbas radi Allahu anhu. These two offices remain to this day in the descendants of these two individuals.