Mu'jam al-Saghir

Hadith Commentary:
The reason for the Battle of Tabuk was that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) received news that the Christians of Rome were preparing to fight the Muslims, and that several Arab tribes such as Lakhm, Juzam, etc., were joining them.
Upon hearing this news, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) decided to take the initiative himself so that the Christians would become aware of the Muslims’ preparations and would abandon the idea of fighting, thus preventing war from occurring.
In this battle, Uthman (radi Allahu anhu) presented two hundred camels along with their equipment for the Muslims.
Upon this, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), pleased, said that now whatever deeds Uthman (radi Allahu anhu) does, Allah’s pleasure has become obligatory for him.
The narration also mentions the virtue of Ali (radi Allahu anhu).
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) appointed him as his helper in the same way that Harun (alayhis salam) was the helper of Musa (alayhis salam).
To use this as evidence for the immediate caliphate (khilafah bila fasl) of Ali (radi Allahu anhu) is incorrect.
Because Harun (alayhis salam) did not receive the Mosaic caliphate.
He passed away before Musa (alayhis salam).
Musa (alayhis salam) only appointed Harun (alayhis salam) as his deputy when he went to Mount Tur.
Similarly, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), when departing for the Battle of Tabuk, appointed Ali (radi Allahu anhu) as his deputy in Madinah.
Thus, the similarity is limited only to this extent.
Even Ali (radi Allahu anhu) himself did not understand the statement of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in the way that the Shia have understood it.
If Ali (radi Allahu anhu) had understood it in that way, then why would he have pledged allegiance at the hand of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) and considered him the rightful caliph?
From this hadith, it is also proven that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is the last Prophet.
After him, the chain of messengership and prophethood has been closed until the Day of Judgment.
Now, whoever claims any kind of prophethood is a liar and a deceiver, no matter how much he speaks of friendship with Islam; he is a traitor and a deceiver.
He is a rebel against the throne of prophethood.
It is the duty of every Muslim who recites the kalimah to confront such a claimant forcefully and to strive with all his might to protect the honor of prophethood.
In this last era, the Qadiani sect is such a false-worshipping group, which claims prophethood for a man named Mirza Ghulam Ahmad from the town of Qadian in Punjab, and which has imitated the Dajjal exactly in spreading deception and trickery.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
The Shia have used this hadith to argue for the immediate caliphate of Ali (radi Allahu anhu), which is questionable from several perspectives.
➊
Harun (alayhis salam) had passed away before Musa (alayhis salam), so the analogy regarding succession is not valid.
➋
Ali (radi Allahu anhu) was appointed as a deputy for worldly affairs and household supervision, as is mentioned in some narrations that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) called his wives and other women of the household and instructed them to listen to Ali and obey him.
➌
There was consensus (ijma‘) of all the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) on the caliphate of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu), to the extent that Ali (radi Allahu anhu) also eventually pledged allegiance and accepted this consensus.
➍
There are clear statements in the hadiths that the appointment of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) as caliph after you was entirely in accordance with your (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) will.
And Allah knows best.
2.
This hadith also proves that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is the last Prophet.
After him, the door of messengership and prophethood has been closed until the Day of Judgment; now, whoever claims any kind of prophethood will be a liar and a deceiver (dajjal).

Hadith Footnote:
That is, just as there is a familial relationship between Musa (alayhis salam) and Harun (alayhis salam), so too is there such a relationship between me and you.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
In one narration, the reason for this hadith is mentioned as pain: when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) went on the expedition of Tabuk, he did not take Ali (radi Allahu anhu) with him but left him at home for household tasks.
Affected by the propaganda of the hypocrites, he (Ali) joined the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) on the way and said:
"You have left me among the children and women."
At that time, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said the aforementioned statement to console him.
In this narration, he said:
"There will be no prophet after me."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Maghazi, Hadith: 4416)
It should be clear that succession over the household in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) does not entail succession (khilafah) over the Ummah, because taking care of the house does not make a person a ruler. Furthermore, Harun (alayhis salam) passed away before Musa (alayhis salam), so analogy upon this is also not correct.
In this expedition, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum (radi Allahu anhu) was appointed for leading the prayer (imamat al-salat).
If such a matter were sufficient for succession (khilafah), then Ibn Umm Maktum would have been entitled to succession, but this did not happen.
In any case, immediate succession (khilafah bilafasl) is not established from this hadith.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
تَحَمَّلْتُ حَمَالَةً:
I took upon myself the responsibility of paying a very large sum on behalf of others for some charitable cause.

(2)
أَصَابَتْهُ جَائِحَةٌ:
He was afflicted by a natural calamity due to which his produce, crops, fruit, or wealth suffered loss.

(3)
اجْتَاحَتْ مَالَهُ:
All his wealth was destroyed and ruined,
nothing was left for him.

(4)
قِوَامًا مِنْ عَيْشٍ or سِدَادًا مِنْ عَيْشٍ:
By which he was able to make ends meet,
by which his need was fulfilled,
he was no longer in need of asking.

(5)
الحجا:
Intellect and wisdom.

(6)
سُحْت:
Forbidden (haram).

Benefits and Issues:
The general rule and principle of Islam is that begging is not permissible, except when a person has no other option but to ask, because he has paid a very large penalty, indemnity, or debt for the sake of the religion or the people of the religion, and he cannot pay it without taking help from others.
Or he has been afflicted by a natural calamity or disaster due to which all his wealth has been destroyed and he has nothing left for his subsistence, or he has become destitute and needy due to poverty and indigence. In such cases, he may ask (beg) until his need and necessity are fulfilled; after that, it is not permissible to ask.
This hadith proves that there is no room in Islam for professional begging, but unfortunately, in the very Ummah of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) who gave this guidance, there exists a class of professional beggars and questioners, and for this, various artificial disguises are adopted. There are also some people who, by posing as scholars or spiritual guides (pirs), engage in a more respectable form of begging. These people, besides being beggars and questioners, are also guilty of deception and selling the religion. Whether they collect donations in the name of mosques and madrasas, or forcibly collect donations through thuggery in the name of religious gatherings (such as Eid Milad-un-Nabi and Urs, etc.) and assemblies.

Commentary:
(1)
There were certain differences between Ali and Muawiyah (radi Allahu anhuma), due to which, as a result of the intrigues of some mischief-makers, matters escalated to conflict and fighting.
This was merely a difference of ijtihad (independent juristic reasoning); on this basis, it is not permissible for us to speak ill of any Companion.

(2)
It is not appropriate to criticize someone in their absence.

(3)
If someone is criticized in their absence, those present should speak in their favor and mention their virtues.

(4)
In this hadith, numerous virtues of Ali (radi Allahu anhu) are mentioned.
Some of these have already been detailed in previous ahadith.

Commentary:
(1)
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said this statement to Ali radi Allahu anhu at the time when the Prophet alayhis salam set out for the Battle of Tabuk and appointed Ali radi Allahu anhu to manage the affairs of Madinah Munawwarah.
Ali radi Allahu anhu felt regret at being left behind from jihad and said:
“Are you leaving me among women and children?”
Upon this, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam made the aforementioned statement.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Expeditions, Chapter: The Expedition of Tabuk, Hadith: 4416)

(2)
Some people have tried to establish the immediate caliphate (khilafah bila fasl) of Ali radi Allahu anhu from this, saying:
Just as Harun alayhis salam was the deputy (khalifah) of Musa alayhis salam, likewise Ali radi Allahu anhu is the deputy (khalifah) of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
On this basis, those people object to the three caliphs radi Allahu anhum, claiming that they usurped the right of Ali radi Allahu anhu.
In reality, this is merely a fallacy, because the caliphate of Harun alayhis salam was temporary and during the lifetime of Musa alayhis salam.
Similarly, in the Battle of Tabuk, the caliphate of Ali radi Allahu anhu was temporary and during the lifetime of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Harun alayhis salam did not become the deputy (khalifah) of Musa alayhis salam after his death, because he passed away during the lifetime of Musa alayhis salam.
After Musa alayhis salam, his position was assumed by Yusha‘ bin Nun alayhis salam.
In light of this hadith, even if the permanent caliphate of Ali radi Allahu anhu after the life of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is accepted, there is no evidence that this caliphate would be immediate (bila fasl).

Benefit:
This hadith establishes the tremendous virtue of Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu. The detailed reason for the narration of this hadith is mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari: 4416, where it is stated that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam narrated this hadith at the time when he set out for the Battle of Tabuk, and appointed Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu in Madinah Munawwarah for the protection of the women and children. Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu felt regret at being left behind from jihad, so he said: (O Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam!) Are you leaving me among women and children? At that time, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam made the aforementioned statement.

The claim by some people that this hadith establishes the immediate caliphate (khilafah bila fasl) of Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu is false and rejected, because the one being compared (maqees alayh) is Sayyiduna Harun alayhis salam, whose caliphate was temporary and during the lifetime of Sayyiduna Musa alayhis salam. Similarly, the caliphate of Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu being compared here was also temporary and only during the lifetime of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. If Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu is accepted as the immediate caliph (khalifah bila fasl), then this would amount to slander against the Qur’an, hadith, and all the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in. May Allah guide the misguided sects, ameen.