Mishkat al-Masabih

Hadith Authentication:
The chain of narration for this report is Hasan (good).
Besides Tirmidhi [2733] and Nasa’i [4083], it has also been narrated by Ibn Majah [3705], Ahmad ibn Hanbal [4؍239 ح18092، 4؍240 ح18096], Hakim [1؍9 ح20], Ibn Abi Shaybah [المصنف 14؍289 ح36532، المسند 2؍367۔ 369 ح880، 881], Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi [1164], and Tahawi [معانی الآثار 3؍215], among others, through the chain of «شعبة عن عمرو بن مره عن عبدالله بن سلمه عن صفوان».
Both Hakim and Dhahabi have declared it authentic (sahih). Shu’bah ibn al-Hajjaj and Amr ibn Murrah are well-known trustworthy narrators. For example, see: [تقریب التہذیب 2790، 5112]

The following scholars have criticized (‘jarh’) Abdullah ibn Salamah:
① al-Bukhari, «قال : لا يتابع فى حديثه» [التاريخ الكبير 5؍99]
② Abu Hatim al-Razi, «قال : تعرف وتنكر» [الجرح والتعدیل 5؍74]
③ al-Nasa’i, «قال : يعرف وينكر» [كتاب الضعفاء والمتروكين : 347]
④ al-‘Uqayli, «ذكره فى الضعفاء» [الضعفاء الكبير 2؍265]
⑤ Ibn al-Jawzi, «ذكره فى الضعفاء» [2؍125 ت2038]
⑥ Abu Ahmad al-Hakim: «حديثه ليس بالقائم» [كتاب الكنيٰ بحواله تهذيب التهذيب 5؍241]

The following scholars have affirmed the reliability (‘ta’thiq’) of the aforementioned Abdullah ibn Salamah:
① al-‘Ajli, «قال : ثقه» [كتاب التاريخ : 819]
② Ibn ‘Adi, who said: «وأرجو أنه لا بأس به» [الكامل 4؍1487]
③ Ibn Hibban, «قال : يخطئ» [الثقات 5؍12] «وصحح حديثه» [الاحسان : 796، 797، 6901، 7039]
④ Ibn Khuzaymah, «روى له فى صحيحه» [ح2080]
⑤ Ibn Jarud, «روى له فى المنتقىٰ» [ح94]
⑥ Tirmidhi, «صحح له» [ح146]
⑦ al-Baghawi, «صحح له» [شرح السنة 2؍41 ح273]
⑧ al-Hakim, «صحح له» [المستدرک 1؍52، ح541، 4؍107 ح7083]
⑨ al-Dhahabi, «صحح له» [تلخيص المستدرك 1؍152، 4؍107]
⑩ al-Haythami, «قال فى حديثه : ”رواه الطبراني وإسناده حسن“» [مجمع الزوائد 9؍292]
◈ Ya’qub ibn Shaybah, «قال : ثقه» [تهذيب التهذيب 5؍241 بغير سند]
◈ Ibn al-Sakan, «صحح له» [التلخيص الحبير 1؍139 ح184]
◈ ‘Abd al-Haqq al-Ishbili, «صحح له» [التلخيص 1؍139]
⑪ Hafiz Ibn Hajar, «قال : والحق أنه من قبيل الحسن يصلح للحجة» “And the truth is that he is among the category of Hasan narrators, who are suitable to be used as proof.” [فتح الباري 1؍324]
From this research, it is clear that Abdullah ibn Salamah is considered trustworthy and truthful by the majority of hadith scholars; therefore, his hadith does not fall below the level of Hasan at all. The fact that the majority of the hadith scholars have declared the hadith he narrated as Hasan or Sahih is evidence that the hearing (sama’) of Amr ibn Murrah from Abdullah ibn Salamah was before his confusion (ikhtilat); thus, the accusation of confusion regarding this chain is rejected.
In Sunan al-Daraqutni, it is mentioned that Shu’bah said regarding a hadith of Abdullah ibn Salamah:
«ما أحدث بحديث أحسن منه»
“I do not narrate any hadith better than this hadith.” [1؍119، 120 ح423]
It is thus clear that, according to Shu’bah, the hearing of Amr ibn Murrah from Abdullah ibn Salamah was before his confusion.
Ibn Khuzaymah, with an authentic chain, narrated from Imam Shu’bah:
«هذا حديث ثلث رأس مالي»
“This hadith is one third of my capital (i.e., most precious to me).” [1؍104 ح208]

Note:
The narration of our master Safwan ibn ‘Assal radi Allahu anhu mentioned above is not found in Sunan Abi Dawud!

Fiqh of the Hadith:
➊ In the time of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the common Jewish scholars knew that he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was a true Prophet and Messenger. Despite this, they did not believe in him. It is thus clear that merely having certainty in the heart about something is not definitive proof that a person has become a believer; rather, along with inner conviction, verbal affirmation and physical action are necessary.
➋ The nine verses (and the tenth matter) mentioned in this hadith are the ten commandments that were given to the Children of Israel. The nine signs (miracles) mentioned in Surah Bani Isra’il [101] are different signs. Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi [متوفی 468ھ] says:
The commentators say that by these nine signs are meant:
① The flood
② The locusts
③ The lice
④ The frogs
⑤ The blood
⑥ The staff
⑦ The hand of Musa alayhis salam
⑦ The years without rain
⑨ And the decrease in fruits. See: [الوسیط ج3ص130]
These signs are mentioned in the Noble Qur’an. Many of these signs were punishments sent upon the people of Pharaoh. Also see: [تفسیر ابن کثیر 4؍187]
➌ Many people do not feel the slightest shame in inventing false excuses and lying in order not to accept the truth; otherwise, it is written in the corrupted Torah, which the Jews themselves acknowledge, that: “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brothers, and I will put My words in his mouth...” [استثناء 16 : 18 ص184]
Therefore, the matter of the descendants of David is no longer relevant; rather, the last Prophet has come from the brothers of the Children of Israel, i.e., the Children of Isma’il, but the Jews do not feel the slightest shame in lying and in disbelief.
➍ Kissing the hand is also established from another narration. ‘Asim ibn Bahdalah said that when Abu Wa’il (Shafiq ibn Salamah, a Tabi’i) would return from travel, he would kiss my hand. [التقبيل والمعانقة لا بن الاعرابي بتحقيقي : 5 و سنده صحيح]
‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Razin and other Tabi’in kissed the hand of Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ radi Allahu anhu. [التقبيل والمعانقه : 36 وسنده حسن، طبقات ابن سعد 4؍306، مسند أحمد 4؍54، 55، الادب المفرد للبخاري : 973 وقال الالباني : حسن الاسناد]
Yazid ibn al-Aswad (Tabi’i) kissed the hand of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’ radi Allahu anhu. [التقبيل والمعانقة : 37 وسنده صحيح]
However, from other narrations it is apparent that kissing the feet is abrogated; the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade prostrating to anyone other than Allah. See: [سنن ابن ماجه : 1853 ومسند أحمد 4؍381 وصحيح ابن حبان، الموارد : 1290 وسنده حسن]

Explanation:
1:
We gave Moses nine signs (: Al-Isra: 101)

Note:
(In the chain of narration, Abdullah bin Salamah is trustworthy (saduq), but there had been a change in his memory.)

(1) There is a difference of opinion regarding the authenticity and weakness of the aforementioned narration; however, for the purpose of understanding the hadith, a few necessary clarifications are presented here: “His eyes will become four.” That is, they will be very happy, because happiness increases a person’s faculties. This is an idiom.

(2) “Both of them came to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and asked him about the ‘nine clear signs.’” What is meant by these clear signs (ayat bayyinat)? Ayat is the plural of ayah. It has several meanings, such as: the apparent sign of something, a mark, a special sign, a lesson, a means of taking heed, an entity, a group, a sentence or a few sentences of the Noble Qur’an at the end of which there is a pause (a round circle). Similarly, a miracle is also called an ayah, and every speech that is verbally separate and distinct from another speech is also referred to as such. It is used for both perceptible things and intelligible matters, just as in ‘alamat al-tariq’ (road sign) and ‘al-hukm al-wadih’ (clear ruling), etc. In this place in the hadith, what is meant by it—rulings or miracles? If by the nine clear signs are meant rulings, then there remains no problem in the hadith, because in answering the question of those Jews, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Do not commit shirk, do not steal, do not kill anyone unjustly, do not practice magic, do not commit adultery, do not consume usury, do not oppress or take an innocent person to the ruler or sultan to have him killed,” etc.—that is, in response to their question, he mentioned rulings. Since there is correspondence between the question and the answer, there remains no problem. But here, by ayat bayyinat, what is meant is not rulings but miracles. Firstly, because this is explicitly stated in the narrations of Musnad Ahmad and Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi. In the narration of Musnad Ahmad, it is mentioned that both of them (the Jews) asked about the blessed verse: ﴿وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ﴾ (Bani Isra’il, al-Isra’ 17:101). There is also such an explicit statement in the narration of Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi. See: (al-Mawsu‘ah al-Hadithiyyah, Musnad al-Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal: 30/22, Hadith: 18096, and Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, Tafsir al-Qur’an, Bani Isra’il, Hadith: 3144). In any case, this makes it clear that their question was not about rulings, but about those nine well-known and important miracles which were granted to Musa (alayhis salam) and with which he was sent to Pharaoh and his sinful and wicked people. By these miracles are meant: the staff, the white hand, etc. In one place in the Noble Qur’an, this is explicitly stated as follows. Allah says: ﴿وَأَلْقِ عَصَاكَ … تِسْعِ آيَاتٍ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمِهِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ﴾ (al-Naml 27:10-12). In this place, only two of the nine miracles are mentioned; the rest are detailed in Surah al-A‘raf. Allah says: ﴿وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ بِالسِّنِينَ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ … فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُجْرِمِينَ﴾ (al-A‘raf: 7:130-133). In fact, Musa (alayhis salam) was given many other miracles besides these nine, such as: water gushing forth from a rock when struck, clouds providing shade, and manna and quails being sent down, etc., which were given to Bani Isra’il after leaving Egypt. From this detail, it becomes absolutely clear that the question was about miracles, not about rulings. Another point is that Musa (alayhis salam) was sent specifically to Pharaoh, as is clearly stated in the Noble Qur’an. If by the nine clear signs are meant rulings, then no proof is established against Pharaoh and his people. The real matter was to make Pharaoh and his people acknowledge the prophethood and messengership of Musa (alayhis salam), and to urge them to believe in him. If what is meant is rulings, then the real objective is not achieved, i.e., the affirmation of the prophethood and messengership of Musa (alayhis salam) and the refutation of the deniers. Now, as for the problem that the question was about miracles, but the answer given was about rulings—what is the reason for this? ‘Allamah Sindhi rahimahullah answered that, in responding to the Jews’ question, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did mention those well-known nine miracles, but for some reason the narrator did not mention them, and instead mentioned those general rulings which are obligatory for all nations and peoples. These rulings are also mentioned in the Torah. Imam Ibn Kathir rahimahullah said that one of the narrators of this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Salamah, had a weak memory, and because of this, the answer became mixed up for him, and he made the nine miracles into the ten commandments mentioned in the Torah. But these cannot serve as proof against Pharaoh or as evidence for the prophethood and truthfulness of Musa (alayhis salam). For details, see: (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Surah Bani Isra’il, under Ayah: 101, and Dhakhirat al-‘Uqba, Sharh Sunan al-Nasa’i, al-Muharibah, Hadith: 3th40, and al-Ta‘liqat al-Salafiyyah ‘ala Sunan al-Nasa’i, al-Muharibah, Hadith: 4083). Without doubt, from the aforementioned detail, it becomes clear that by “nine clear signs” are meant: the staff, the white hand, drought, shortage of fruits, the flood, lice, locusts, frogs, and blood. Besides these, Musa (alayhis salam) was given other miracles as well, but those were related to Bani Isra’il, not to the people of Pharaoh. This was the detail regarding the nine clear signs. Now, as for the tenth thing, which is specific to the Jews and no one else shares it with them, what is meant by it, as is clear from the Qur’an and hadith, is the veneration of the Sabbath, and that veneration is only to the extent that they do not fish on the Sabbath, and nothing more. Since the other nine rulings are common to all nations and peoples, while this tenth ruling was only for the Jews, it was said: “O Jews! This is specific to you; no one else shares it with you.” And Allah knows best.

(3) “Do not take [someone] to the authority,” so that you do not entangle him in a false case and have him unjustly punished or killed, or have any kind of oppression or injustice inflicted upon him.

(4) “Do not transgress,” meaning with regard to not fishing on that day.

(5) “Kissed the hand and foot”—Kissing out of love and affection or as a sign of respect is a natural matter. Children and elders are kissed; however, kissing the feet resembles prostration, so it should be avoided.

(6) “A prophet will come from his lineage”—From this, their intent seems to be that they wanted to say that Dawud (alayhis salam) prayed that a prophet would come from his lineage. Since you are a prophet, your prayer will be accepted, so we are waiting for that prophet to come, and then we will follow him. But this is a clear lie of the Jews, because it is impossible that a noble prophet like Sayyiduna Dawud (alayhis salam) would make such a supplication, especially when he knew that Allah Ta‘ala would place the crown of the Seal of Prophethood upon the head of Muhammad al-Karim (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). This is a mere fabrication of the Jews against Sayyiduna Dawud (alayhis salam), because they had already read in the Torah and Zabur that Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would be sent as the Seal of the Prophets, and that he would abrogate the previous religions and laws. With all this, how could Dawud (alayhis salam) make such a supplication? Moreover, this supplication is also contrary to the information Allah Ta‘ala gave His prophets and messengers regarding the status and rank of Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). And Allah knows best. This matter was falsely spread among the Jews, otherwise it is neither rationally nor textually correct. Even before Dawud (alayhis salam), prophets came from various lineages, and after him as well. It was not possible that all the prophets for the whole world would come from only one lineage. This could not have been hidden from the insight of a prophet, so he could not have made such a supplication.

(7) “They will kill [us]”—The second reason these Jews gave for not believing in the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was that, due to believing in you, our lives would be in danger, so we do not believe. This excuse of theirs was also completely absurd and false, because if they had believed, they would have stayed with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and his companions (radi Allahu anhum), so the rest of the Jews would not have dared to kill them for accepting Islam. Furthermore, ‘Abdullah ibn Salam (radi Allahu ta‘ala anhu) also became a believer—was he killed, or would he have been killed? This too was a clear lie of theirs.