Muslim

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Kharaj:
The amount that the owner of a slave collects from him daily,
which is also called kharibah.
(2)
Afdal,
Amsal, and Khayr—all three have the same meaning.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The tax that an owner imposes on his purchased slave, which the slave pays every day, is called "dharibah al-‘abd" (ضريبة العبد).
Abu Taybah, mentioned in the hadith, must have complained about the high amount imposed by his owner, so the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) recommended a reduction in it.

(2)
There is no explicit mention of the tax for a female slave (bondwoman) in this hadith.
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has made an analogy from the tax of a male slave to that of a female slave, because there is no difference between the two. However, there is an instruction to monitor the sources of income for female slaves, lest they begin to earn from prostitution. Therefore, the owner should be mindful of the tax imposed on the female slave, ensuring that she is not paying it from earnings acquired through adultery or immorality.
Although a male slave’s earnings could also come from theft or similar means, such cases are extremely rare.
(Fath al-Bari: 4/578)

Hadith Commentary:

From the ahadith of this chapter, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established that the wage of a hajjam (cupping practitioner) is lawful, and this profession is also permissible. If this profession were unlawful, then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would neither have undergone cupping nor given its wage.

It is also understood from this that those who look down upon such professions with contempt are mistaken.

Hadith Commentary:
Previously, a narration has passed that Abu Juhaifah (radi Allahu anhu) bought a slave who practiced cupping, so he broke his instruments, and when his son asked about it, he explained that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had prohibited the price of blood.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Buyu', Hadith: 2238)
In view of this narration, some people were uncertain whether it is permissible to get cupping (hijamah) done and to take a wage for it or not. Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has proven from these narrations that getting cupping done is permissible and taking a wage for it is also lawful.
In some narrations, the wage for cupping has been called "impure" (khabeeth); by this is not meant a prohibition of unlawfulness (nahi tahreem), but rather a prohibition of undesirability (nahi tanzih), meaning it is better to avoid such an occupation, because sometimes blood and the like can go down a person's throat. For this reason, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) described its wage with the word "khabeeth."
(Fath al-Bari: 4/579)

Hadith Commentary:
This hadith sheds light on many matters, for example, that cupping (hijama) is permissible.
And the hadith in which its prohibition is mentioned is abrogated.
It is also established that one should take service from servants, attendants, and slaves according to their capacity.
And there should be no stinginess in their wages.
It is also permissible to give commodities as wages instead of cash, provided the laborer is agreeable.
Here, "kharaj" refers to the tax which his master used to collect from him daily.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said that it should be reduced.

Hadith Commentary:
In the previous hadith, the kunyah of the slave who performed cupping is mentioned as Abu Taybah (radi Allahu anhu).
His name has been reported as Nafi’.
Hafiz (rahimahullah) has declared this to be correct.
Ibn Huda’ has said that Abu Taybah lived to the age of 134 years.
It is clearly evident from the hadith that it is permissible to intercede for a reduction in the fixed tax imposed upon a slave or a slave-girl.
Thanks to Allah, due to the blessings of Islam, this worst era of slavery has almost come to an end in the world.
However, now other forms of slavery have been invented, which are even worse.
Now, entire nations are enslaved, for whom the terms “minority” and “majority” have become prevalent.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The cupper slave’s kunyah was Abu Taybah and his name was Nafi‘.
In this narration, the narrator is uncertain as to how much grain the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave him, whereas in a previous narration it has already been mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave him one sa‘ of dates.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Buyu‘, Hadith: 2102)
In the narration of Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi and Sunan Ibn Majah, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered ‘Ali (radi Allahu anhu) to give him one sa‘.
(Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, al-Buyu‘, Hadith: 1278; Sunan Ibn Majah, al-Tijarat, Hadith: 2163)
In al-Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) asked him, “How much is your daily tax?” He replied, “Two sa‘.” Then, through the intercession of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), his owners remitted one sa‘.
(al-Musannaf li-Ibn Abi Shaybah: 267/6)
His owners were people from the tribe of Banu Harithah, among whom was Muhayyisah ibn Mas‘ud (radi Allahu anhu).
Some narrations indicate that he was a slave of Banu Bayadah, but this is a misconception, because their slave was Abu Hind.
(Fath al-Bari: 581/4)
According to this narration, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) interceded on behalf of this slave.

➋
If a slave’s tax is so high that he is unable to pay it, the ruler of the time can reduce it as necessary.
All praise is due to Allah that, by the blessing of Islam, the era of slavery has now ended, but now, instead of enslaving individuals, entire nations are enslaved, for which new methods have been invented.
A‘adhana Allahu minhu (May Allah protect us from it).

Hadith Commentary:
That is, what they used to take from him daily or monthly.
In Arabia, owners would set a fixed rate for their slaves according to the slave’s labor and capability, specifying that he should give such an amount daily or monthly; this was called kharaj.
(Wahidi)

Hadith Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
The owner of the slave used to take two sa‘ (a measure) from him daily.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) instructed them to take one sa‘ instead of two.
And they considered the one sa‘ of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) as equivalent to two sa‘,
and thereafter only took one sa‘ from him.
That is why in some narrations there is mention of giving one sa‘,
and in others, two.
And it is from this very action of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) that the majority of jurists (fuqaha) have, despite its being disliked,
declared the wage for cupping (hijamah)
to be permissible.

1837. English Commentary:
➊ Cupping (hijama) and bloodletting (fasd) were well-known methods of treatment in that era. And in the aforementioned ahadith, two different incidents are mentioned.
➋ Even now, benefit can be derived from them when needed. And it is evident that in this procedure, hair is cut from the place where the treatment is to be done, and an incision is made on the skin. Therefore, there is no harm in it. However, several jurists are of the opinion that a compensatory penalty (fidyah) is due because of cutting the hair. Furthermore, in the case of tooth extraction or any surgical procedure, no fidyah becomes obligatory.
➌ Seeking treatment during illness is the Sunnah of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

(1) "Wath’" refers to an injury or harm that affects the flesh while the bone remains unharmed, or an injury that reaches the bone but the bone is spared from breaking. In our context, this is referred to as a sprain.

(2) The aforementioned narration is also authentic according to the preferred opinion.

Hadith Authentication:
[وأخرجه البخاري 2102، 2110، من حديث مالك، ومسلم 1577، من حديث حميد الطّويل به وصرح حميد بالسماع عند مسلم 64/1577]

Jurisprudential Explanation:
➊ The process of extracting blood from a part of the body using instruments for the treatment of illness is called cupping (hijamah) or applying a suction cup.
➋ Taking a wage for cupping is permissible, and the ahadith in which it has been called impure (khabith) or in which cupping has been prohibited are to be understood as indicating disliked (tanzihi) status, or they are abrogated.
➌ This does not refer to the common barbers’ haircutting in our times, in which they cut hair from the head or elsewhere. If there is nothing contrary to the Shariah in the common haircutting, then its wage is also permissible and lawful. It should be remembered that shaving the beard or trimming it to less than a fist-length is haram; therefore, the income of barbers (hajjam) who perform such acts is haram.
➍ If there is an Islamic government, then slavery is permissible. In the battlefield, captive disbelievers can be made slaves and later sold.
➎ Recommending (interceding) for a good deed is Sunnah.
➏ Seeking treatment for illness is Sunnah.

Benefit:
It is established from this hadith that cupping (hijamah) is permissible. Nowadays, there are two methods: one is by means of a glass, and the other is by means of a machine. The person performing the cupping should be given a wage.