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صحيح مسلم
Muslim
كتاب الجهاد والسيرThe Book of Jihad and Expeditions
باب كِتَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ يَدْعُوهُ إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ:Chapter: The Prophet (saws) wrote to Heraclius, the ruler of Syria, inviting him to Islam
Hadith 1773
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ ، وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ وَاللَّفْظُ لِابْنِ رَافِعٍ ، قَالَ ابْنُ رَافِعٍ ، وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ : حَدَّثَنَا ، وقَالَ الْآخَرَانِ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ الزُّهْرِيِّ ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ ، عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ : أَنَّ أَبَا سُفْيَانَ أَخْبَرَهُ مِنْ فِيهِ إِلَى فِيهِ ، قَالَ : انْطَلَقْتُ فِي الْمُدَّةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : فَبَيْنَا أَنَا بِالشَّأْمِ إِذْ جِيءَ بِكِتَابٍ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ يَعْنِي عَظِيمَ الرُّومِ ، قَالَ : وَكَانَ دَحْيَةُ الْكَلْبِيُّ جَاءَ بِهِ فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى عَظِيمِ بُصْرَى ، فَدَفَعَهُ عَظِيمُ بُصْرَى إِلَى هِرَقْلَ ، فَقَالَ هِرَقْلُ : هَلْ هَاهُنَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ قَوْمِ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ ؟ ، قَالُوا : نَعَمْ ، قَالَ : فَدُعِيتُ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ ، فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَى هِرَقْلَ فَأَجْلَسَنَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ، فَقَالَ : أَيُّكُمْ أَقْرَبُ نَسَبًا مِنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ ؟ ، فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ : فَقُلْتُ : أَنَا فَأَجْلَسُونِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَجْلَسُوا أَصْحَابِي خَلْفِي ثُمَّ دَعَا بِتَرْجُمَانِهِ ، فَقَالَ لَهُ : قُلْ لَهُمْ إِنِّي سَائِلٌ هَذَا عَنِ الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَإِنْ كَذَبَنِي فَكَذِّبُوهُ ، قَال : فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ : وَايْمُ اللَّهِ لَوْلَا مَخَافَةُ أَنْ يُؤْثَرَ عَلَيَّ الْكَذِبُ لَكَذَبْتُ ثُمَّ ، قَالَ : لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ سَلْهُ كَيْفَ حَسَبُهُ فِيكُمْ ؟ ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ : هُوَ فِينَا ذُو حَسَبٍ ، قَالَ : فَهَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ ؟ ، قُلْتُ : لَا ، قَالَ : فَهَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ ؟ ، قُلْتُ : لَا ، قَالَ : وَمَنْ يَتَّبِعُهُ أَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ : بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ ، قَالَ : أَيَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ ؟ ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ : لَا بَلْ يَزِيدُونَ ، قَالَ : هَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ سَخْطَةً لَهُ ؟ ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ : لَا ، قَالَ : فَهَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ ؟ ، قُلْتُ : نَعَمْ ، قَالَ : فَكَيْفَ كَانَ قِتَالُكُمْ إِيَّاهُ ؟ ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ : تَكُونُ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالًا يُصِيبُ مِنَّا وَنُصِيبُ مِنْهُ ، قَالَ : فَهَلْ يَغْدِرُ ؟ ، قُلْتُ : لَا وَنَحْنُ مِنْهُ فِي مُدَّةٍ لَا نَدْرِي مَا هُوَ صَانِعٌ فِيهَا ؟ ، قَالَ : فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَمْكَنَنِي مِنْ كَلِمَةٍ أُدْخِلُ فِيهَا شَيْئًا غَيْرَ هَذِهِ ، قَالَ : فَهَلْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ ؟ ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ : لَا ، قَالَ لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ : قُلْ لَهُ إِنِّي سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ حَسَبِهِ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُ فِيكُمْ ذُو حَسَبٍ ، وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْعَثُ فِي أَحْسَابِ قَوْمِهَا ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كَانَ فِي آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ ، فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لَا فَقُلْتُ لَوْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَطْلُبُ مُلْكَ آبَائِهِ ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ أَتْبَاعِهِ أَضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ أَمْ أَشْرَافُهُمْ ، فَقُلْتَ : بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ وَهُمْ أَتْبَاعُ الرُّسُلِ ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ ، فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لَا فَقَدْ عَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَدَعَ الْكَذِبَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ يَذْهَبَ فَيَكْذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَهُ سَخْطَةً لَهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لَا وَكَذَلِكَ الْإِيمَانُ إِذَا خَالَطَ بَشَاشَةَ الْقُلُوبِ ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَزِيدُونَ أَوْ يَنْقُصُونَ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُمْ يَزِيدُونَ وَكَذَلِكَ الْإِيمَانُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ فَتَكُونُ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالًا يَنَالُ مِنْكُمْ وَتَنَالُونَ مِنْهُ وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْتَلَى ثُمَّ تَكُونُ لَهُمُ الْعَاقِبَةُ ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَغْدِرُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُ لَا يَغْدِرُ وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ لَا تَغْدِرُ ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لَا فَقُلْتُ لَوَ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ ائْتَمَّ بِقَوْلٍ قِيلَ قَبْلَهُ ، قَالَ : ثُمَّ قَالَ : بِمَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ ؟ قُلْتُ : يَأْمُرُنَا بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَالصِّلَةِ وَالْعَفَافِ ، قَالَ : إِنْ يَكُنْ مَا تَقُولُ فِيهِ حَقًّا فَإِنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ خَارِجٌ وَلَمْ أَكُنْ أَظُنُّهُ مِنْكُمْ ، وَلَوْ أَنِّي أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أَخْلُصُ إِلَيْهِ لَأَحْبَبْتُ لِقَاءَهُ ، وَلَوْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَهُ لَغَسَلْتُ عَنْ قَدَمَيْهِ وَلَيَبْلُغَنَّ مُلْكُهُ مَا تَحْتَ قَدَمَيَّ ، قَالَ : ثُمَّ دَعَا بِكِتَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَقَرَأَهُ ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ " مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرُّومِ سَلَامٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ ، فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ بِدِعَايَةِ الْإِسْلَامِ أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ ، وَأَسْلِمْ يُؤْتِكَ اللَّهُ أَجْرَكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ ، وَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ إِثْمَ الْأَرِيسِيِّينَ وَيَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَنْ لَا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ ، فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ الْكِتَابِ ارْتَفَعَتِ الْأَصْوَاتُ عِنْدَهُ وَكَثُرَ اللَّغْطُ ، وَأَمَرَ بِنَا فَأُخْرِجْنَا ، قَالَ : فَقُلْتُ لِأَصْحَابِي حِينَ خَرَجْنَا : لَقَدْ أَمِرَ أَمْرُ ابْنِ أَبِي كَبْشَةَ إِنَّهُ لَيَخَافُهُ مَلِكُ بَنِي الْأَصْفَرِ ، قَالَ : فَمَا زِلْتُ مُوقِنًا بِأَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ سَيَظْهَرُ حَتَّى أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيَّ الْإِسْلَامَ "
Muammar informed us from Zuhri, who narrated from Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah, and he narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him face to face, saying: During the period of the truce that was between me and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I went on a journey. He said: During this time, when I was in Syria, a letter from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was brought to Heraclius, the ruler of Rome in Syria. He said: Dihyah Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him) brought it and handed it over to the governor of Busra, and the governor of Busra delivered it to Heraclius. So Heraclius said: Is there anyone here from the people of this man who claims to be a prophet? They said: Yes. He said: So I was called along with some men from Quraysh. We came to Heraclius, and he made us sit before him and asked: Who among you is closest in lineage to this man who claims to be a prophet? Abu Sufyan said: I replied: I am. So they made me sit in front of him and my companions behind me. Then he called his interpreter and said to him: Tell them that I am going to ask this man about the one who claims to be a prophet. If he lies to me, then you all should deny him. He said: Abu Sufyan said: By Allah! If I had not been afraid that they would attribute a lie to me, I would have lied. Then he said to his interpreter: Ask him: How is his lineage among you? He said: I replied: He is of noble lineage among us. He asked: Was there any king among his ancestors? I replied: No. He asked: Did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he said (about prophethood)? I replied: No. He asked: Who are his followers? Are they the noble or the weak? I replied: Rather, they are the weak. He asked: Are they increasing or decreasing? I replied: No, rather they are increasing. He asked: Does anyone among them, after entering his religion, dislike it and apostatize? I replied: No. He asked: Have you fought him? I replied: Yes. He asked: How was your fighting with him? I replied: The fighting between us and him is like the filling of a bucket—sometimes he harms us and sometimes we harm him. He asked: Does he break his promises? I replied: No, we are in a truce with him, and we do not know what he will do in it. He said: By Allah! Except for this one word, I could not add anything else. He asked: Has anyone said this (claim of prophethood) before him? I replied: No. He said to his interpreter: Tell them: I asked you about his lineage, and you said he is of noble lineage among you. That is how the messengers are sent, among the noblest of their people. And I asked: Was there any king among his ancestors? You claimed: No. I thought: If there had been a king among his ancestors, I would have said: He is a man seeking to reclaim the kingdom of his forefathers. And I asked you about his followers: Are they the weak or the noble? You said: Rather, they are the weak. The followers of the messengers are always the weak. And I asked you: Did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he said? You said: No. So I knew that it is not possible for him to refrain from lying to people and then lie about Allah. And I asked you: Does anyone, after entering his religion, dislike it and leave it? You said: No. When faith enters the heart, it settles there. And I asked you: Are they increasing or decreasing? You said: They are increasing. Faith is like that until it is complete. And I asked you: Have you fought him? You said: Yes, and that the fighting between you and him is like the filling of a bucket—he kills from among you and you kill from among his people. That is how the messengers are tested, then the outcome is in their favor. And I asked you: Does he break his promises? You said: He does not break his promises, and that is how the messengers are; they do not betray. And I asked you: Has anyone said this before him? You said: No. I thought: If someone had said this before him, I would have said: He is a man repeating what was said before. He said: Then he asked: What does he command you to do? I replied: He commands us to pray, to give zakat, to maintain ties of kinship, and to be chaste. He said: If what you say about him is true, then he is indeed a prophet, and I knew that he was about to appear, but I did not think he would be from among you. And if I knew that I could reach him, I would love to meet him, and if I were with him, I would wash his feet, and his kingdom will reach the land beneath my feet. He said: Then he called for the letter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and read it. In it was written: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Heraclius, the ruler of Rome. Peace be upon him who follows guidance. To proceed: I invite you with the call of Islam. Accept Islam and you will be safe. Accept Islam and Allah will give you your reward twice. But if you turn away, then upon you will be the sin of the peasants (your followers). And: "O People of the Book! Come to a word that is just between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate nothing with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who submit to Allah)." When he finished reading the letter, voices were raised and there was much commotion. He ordered that we be expelled. He said: When we went out, I said to my companions: The matter of the son of Abu Kabshah has become great; even the king of Banu Asfar (the Romans) fears him. He said: After that, I was always certain about the matter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he would prevail, until Allah entered Islam into me by overpowering me.
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وحَدَّثَنَاه حَسَنٌ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَا : حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ وَهُوَ ابْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ، عَنْ صَالِحٍ ، عَنْ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ وَزَادَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ ، وَكَانَ قَيْصَرُ لَمَّا كَشَفَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ جُنُودَ فَارِسَ مَشَى مِنْ حِمْصَ إِلَى إِيلِيَاءَ شُكْرًا لِمَا أَبْلَاهُ اللَّهُ ، وَقَالَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ، وَقَالَ : إِثْمَ الْيَرِيسِيِّينَ ، وَقَالَ : بِدَاعِيَةِ الْإِسْلَامِ .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ibn Shihab with the same chain of transmitters but with the addition: "When Allah inflicted defeat on the armies of Persia, Caesar moved from Hims to Aelia (Bait al-Maqdis) for thanking Allah as He granted him victory." In this hadith these words occur: "From Muhammad, servant of Allah and His Messenger," and said: "The sin of your followers," and also said the words: "to the call of Islam".
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Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
فِي الْمُدَّةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
By this is meant the period
in which the Quraysh of Makkah made a treaty at Hudaybiyyah in 6 AH, agreeing not to fight for ten years.
(2)
هِرَقل:
According to the well-known opinion,
the letter "ha" has a kasrah (i), and the "ra" has a fatha (a),
the "qaf" is sukun (silent),
although according to another opinion, the "ra" is sukun and the "qaf" has a kasrah,
i.e., "Hiraql", and this is the name of the king of Rome.
(3)
ترجمان:
According to Imam Nawawi, it is better to pronounce the "ta" with a fatha (a) and the "jim" with a dammah (u),
although pronouncing both with kasrah or both with dammah is also correct,
meaning "translator",
one who translates,
"one who transfers a language into another language."
(4)
لَوْلَا مَخَافَةُ أَنْ يُؤْثَرَ عَلَيَّ الْكَذِبُ:
If I did not fear that a lie would be attributed to me,
from this it is understood
that he did not fear that he would be called a liar there,
but he thought that if he said something false here, it would be reported in Makkah and people would call him a liar,
thus, he did not consider lying appropriate to his status and rank,
whereas now the situation is such that lying has become the very fabric of Muslim leaders, and without it, their work cannot proceed.
(5)
أشراف:
This is the plural of "sharif",
the general and predominant situation is meant,
that usually the proud and chieftainly people are the first to oppose the Prophets,
although some of them also support them.
(6)
سخطة له:
To become apostate out of anger at some defect or flaw in the religion,
because separating for any other reason is impossible.
(7)
تَكُونُ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَنا وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالً:
That the style of fighting between us and him is like drawing lots,
sometimes he prevails,
sometimes we do,
because at that time three great battles had already taken place:
Badr,
Uhud, and Khandaq,
in Badr the Muslims prevailed,
in Uhud apparently they prevailed,
although in the end the Muslims were victorious, and in Khandaq the disbelievers attacked,
but returned unsuccessful.
(8)
مَا أَمْكَنَنِي مِنْ كَلِمَةٍ :
That I did not find any opportunity
in which I could attribute any defect or weakness to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam,
but here, since the treaty pertained to the future,
therefore, even though I knew he would not break the treaty,
I expressed ignorance and tried to lower his high status,
but Heraclius gave no importance to this statement,
so in his commentary he said,
"Your opinion and statement is that he does not break treaties."
(9)
إِذاخَالَطَ بشَاشَة القُلَوب:
When it enters the openness and joy of the heart,
it settles there and does not leave, and no person turns back from faith to apostasy.
(10)
إِنْ يَكُنْ مَا تَقُولُ فِيهِ حَقًّا:
If what you say about him is true, then even this land where I stand
will come under his authority and rule.
Heraclius, with great insight and intelligence, asked Abu Sufyan very measured and fundamental questions about the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and in light of the answers,
he drew correct conclusions and became convinced that he was indeed a Prophet. And since he was an expert in the Torah and the Gospel and was knowledgeable in astrology,
he already knew that the final Prophet was about to appear, and from the signs he became certain of his Prophethood.
Therefore, he expressed great devotion and love for him,
but the desire and lust for power blinded him, and from the phrase "aslim taslam" he did not draw the correct conclusion that after becoming Muslim his rule would remain,
so he did not become Muslim, rather, in the Battle of Mu'tah in 8 AH, he came out to the field against the Muslims, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wrote to him again from here,
but even then he expressed his Islam,
in his reply,
he expressed being Muslim,
but did not withdraw from opposition to the Muslims and did not declare his Islam before his people,
therefore the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"He has written a lie,
he remains upon Christianity."
Benefits and Issues:
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wrote a letter to Heraclius,
from this it is understood that if a letter is written to a disbeliever, it should begin with "Bismillah",
then the writer should write his own name at the beginning so that the recipient knows who the sender is and gives the letter due importance,
and also, for the recipient,
appropriate honorific titles should be written according to his status and rank,
so that from the outset he does not become a victim of aversion and anger,
therefore the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used the words "Azim al-Rum" (the Great of Rome) for Heraclius, and from this letter it is also known that one should not initiate greeting (salam) to a disbeliever,
this is the opinion of most scholars and is supported by authentic hadiths,
in fact, some scholars are of the view that even an innovator, or a sinner and transgressor, should not be greeted, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, through the words "aslim taslam", in a most eloquent and effective manner, with utmost comprehensiveness and brevity, guaranteed all kinds of worldly and hereafter safety, and encouraged the desire to gather the reward for the whole nation,
if you become Muslim, your subjects will also become Muslim because of you and you will receive their reward,
if you do not become Muslim, then due to your fear and awe, your weak subjects, the majority of whom are farmers and peasants,
will not become Muslim and their burden will also fall upon you, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wrote in the letter a verse, about which there are two views.
(1)
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wrote this phrase as his own words,
because this letter was written in 7 AH, whereas this verse was revealed upon the arrival of the delegation of Najran in 9 AH,
so it is as if the Prophet's words coincided with the coming verse.
(2)
This verse had already been revealed before the arrival of the delegation of Najran, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam recited it to them upon their arrival,
in this case, it is established that verses of the Qur'an can be written in a letter to a disbeliever for the purpose of invitation and propagation.
By "Ibn Abi Kabsha" is meant the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and various reasons are given for referring to him by this name:
(1)
Abu Kabsha was the name of his maternal grandfather or paternal grandfather, and it was the custom of the Arabs that when they wanted to belittle someone, they would attribute him to an unknown grandfather or maternal grandfather.
(2)
Kabsha was the daughter of Harith, the Prophet's foster father,
therefore he was called Abu Kabsha.
(3)
Abu Kabsha was the kunyah of the Prophet's foster mother Halimah's father.
(4)
There was a man named Abu Kabsha who was an idolater,
who abandoned the religion of his people (idolatry) and began to worship the star Sirius, so it is as if the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, like him, abandoned the religion of his people,
in any case, Abu Sufyan, who was a disbeliever at that time,
attributed the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam not to his well-known and famous grandfather Abdul Muttalib, but to a person who was obscure and unknown,
eventually Allah ta'ala, by His grace, favored Abu Sufyan,
placed Islam in his heart and granted him the ability to become Muslim, and he became Muslim at the time of the conquest of Makkah.
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
فِي الْمُدَّةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
By this is meant the period
in which the Quraysh of Makkah made a treaty at Hudaybiyyah in 6 AH, agreeing not to fight for ten years.
(2)
هِرَقل:
According to the well-known opinion,
the letter "ha" has a kasrah (i), and the "ra" has a fatha (a),
the "qaf" is sukun (silent),
although according to another opinion, the "ra" is sukun and the "qaf" has a kasrah,
i.e., "Hiraql", and this is the name of the king of Rome.
(3)
ترجمان:
According to Imam Nawawi, it is better to pronounce the "ta" with a fatha (a) and the "jim" with a dammah (u),
although pronouncing both with kasrah or both with dammah is also correct,
meaning "translator",
one who translates,
"one who transfers a language into another language."
(4)
لَوْلَا مَخَافَةُ أَنْ يُؤْثَرَ عَلَيَّ الْكَذِبُ:
If I did not fear that a lie would be attributed to me,
from this it is understood
that he did not fear that he would be called a liar there,
but he thought that if he said something false here, it would be reported in Makkah and people would call him a liar,
thus, he did not consider lying appropriate to his status and rank,
whereas now the situation is such that lying has become the very fabric of Muslim leaders, and without it, their work cannot proceed.
(5)
أشراف:
This is the plural of "sharif",
the general and predominant situation is meant,
that usually the proud and chieftainly people are the first to oppose the Prophets,
although some of them also support them.
(6)
سخطة له:
To become apostate out of anger at some defect or flaw in the religion,
because separating for any other reason is impossible.
(7)
تَكُونُ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَنا وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالً:
That the style of fighting between us and him is like drawing lots,
sometimes he prevails,
sometimes we do,
because at that time three great battles had already taken place:
Badr,
Uhud, and Khandaq,
in Badr the Muslims prevailed,
in Uhud apparently they prevailed,
although in the end the Muslims were victorious, and in Khandaq the disbelievers attacked,
but returned unsuccessful.
(8)
مَا أَمْكَنَنِي مِنْ كَلِمَةٍ :
That I did not find any opportunity
in which I could attribute any defect or weakness to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam,
but here, since the treaty pertained to the future,
therefore, even though I knew he would not break the treaty,
I expressed ignorance and tried to lower his high status,
but Heraclius gave no importance to this statement,
so in his commentary he said,
"Your opinion and statement is that he does not break treaties."
(9)
إِذاخَالَطَ بشَاشَة القُلَوب:
When it enters the openness and joy of the heart,
it settles there and does not leave, and no person turns back from faith to apostasy.
(10)
إِنْ يَكُنْ مَا تَقُولُ فِيهِ حَقًّا:
If what you say about him is true, then even this land where I stand
will come under his authority and rule.
Heraclius, with great insight and intelligence, asked Abu Sufyan very measured and fundamental questions about the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and in light of the answers,
he drew correct conclusions and became convinced that he was indeed a Prophet. And since he was an expert in the Torah and the Gospel and was knowledgeable in astrology,
he already knew that the final Prophet was about to appear, and from the signs he became certain of his Prophethood.
Therefore, he expressed great devotion and love for him,
but the desire and lust for power blinded him, and from the phrase "aslim taslam" he did not draw the correct conclusion that after becoming Muslim his rule would remain,
so he did not become Muslim, rather, in the Battle of Mu'tah in 8 AH, he came out to the field against the Muslims, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wrote to him again from here,
but even then he expressed his Islam,
in his reply,
he expressed being Muslim,
but did not withdraw from opposition to the Muslims and did not declare his Islam before his people,
therefore the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"He has written a lie,
he remains upon Christianity."
Benefits and Issues:
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wrote a letter to Heraclius,
from this it is understood that if a letter is written to a disbeliever, it should begin with "Bismillah",
then the writer should write his own name at the beginning so that the recipient knows who the sender is and gives the letter due importance,
and also, for the recipient,
appropriate honorific titles should be written according to his status and rank,
so that from the outset he does not become a victim of aversion and anger,
therefore the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used the words "Azim al-Rum" (the Great of Rome) for Heraclius, and from this letter it is also known that one should not initiate greeting (salam) to a disbeliever,
this is the opinion of most scholars and is supported by authentic hadiths,
in fact, some scholars are of the view that even an innovator, or a sinner and transgressor, should not be greeted, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, through the words "aslim taslam", in a most eloquent and effective manner, with utmost comprehensiveness and brevity, guaranteed all kinds of worldly and hereafter safety, and encouraged the desire to gather the reward for the whole nation,
if you become Muslim, your subjects will also become Muslim because of you and you will receive their reward,
if you do not become Muslim, then due to your fear and awe, your weak subjects, the majority of whom are farmers and peasants,
will not become Muslim and their burden will also fall upon you, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wrote in the letter a verse, about which there are two views.
(1)
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wrote this phrase as his own words,
because this letter was written in 7 AH, whereas this verse was revealed upon the arrival of the delegation of Najran in 9 AH,
so it is as if the Prophet's words coincided with the coming verse.
(2)
This verse had already been revealed before the arrival of the delegation of Najran, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam recited it to them upon their arrival,
in this case, it is established that verses of the Qur'an can be written in a letter to a disbeliever for the purpose of invitation and propagation.
By "Ibn Abi Kabsha" is meant the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and various reasons are given for referring to him by this name:
(1)
Abu Kabsha was the name of his maternal grandfather or paternal grandfather, and it was the custom of the Arabs that when they wanted to belittle someone, they would attribute him to an unknown grandfather or maternal grandfather.
(2)
Kabsha was the daughter of Harith, the Prophet's foster father,
therefore he was called Abu Kabsha.
(3)
Abu Kabsha was the kunyah of the Prophet's foster mother Halimah's father.
(4)
There was a man named Abu Kabsha who was an idolater,
who abandoned the religion of his people (idolatry) and began to worship the star Sirius, so it is as if the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, like him, abandoned the religion of his people,
in any case, Abu Sufyan, who was a disbeliever at that time,
attributed the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam not to his well-known and famous grandfather Abdul Muttalib, but to a person who was obscure and unknown,
eventually Allah ta'ala, by His grace, favored Abu Sufyan,
placed Islam in his heart and granted him the ability to become Muslim, and he became Muslim at the time of the conquest of Makkah.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 4607
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
➊
The mentioned hadith is famous by the name "Hadith of Heraclius."
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has derived multiple rulings from it and has presented it in both brief and detailed forms at various places. The purpose of presenting it at this point is to clarify how non-Muslims should be invited to Islam.
In it, the method of inviting Heraclius, the king of Rome, to Islam is described, showing that it is necessary to invite to Islam before engaging in jihad and fighting.
➋
In this, the summary of the invitation given to Abu Sufyan radi Allahu anhu and similarly to other leaders of Quraysh by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is mentioned.
Thus, Abu Sufyan radi Allahu anhu accepted Islam at the occasion of the conquest of Makkah and was counted among the mu’allafatu’l-qulub (those whose hearts were to be reconciled).
Before this, he participated as a commander of the polytheists in the Battle of Badr and the Battle of Uhud.
Eventually, Allah Ta’ala instilled the truth of Islam in his heart and he became Muslim.
At that time, whatever aversion was in his heart, Allah Ta’ala also removed that from his heart.
➊
The mentioned hadith is famous by the name "Hadith of Heraclius."
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has derived multiple rulings from it and has presented it in both brief and detailed forms at various places. The purpose of presenting it at this point is to clarify how non-Muslims should be invited to Islam.
In it, the method of inviting Heraclius, the king of Rome, to Islam is described, showing that it is necessary to invite to Islam before engaging in jihad and fighting.
➋
In this, the summary of the invitation given to Abu Sufyan radi Allahu anhu and similarly to other leaders of Quraysh by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is mentioned.
Thus, Abu Sufyan radi Allahu anhu accepted Islam at the occasion of the conquest of Makkah and was counted among the mu’allafatu’l-qulub (those whose hearts were to be reconciled).
Before this, he participated as a commander of the polytheists in the Battle of Badr and the Battle of Uhud.
Eventually, Allah Ta’ala instilled the truth of Islam in his heart and he became Muslim.
At that time, whatever aversion was in his heart, Allah Ta’ala also removed that from his heart.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 2941
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
➊
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has previously mentioned hadiths related to the revelation of wahi (divine revelation), its types, and the era of revelation.
Now, it was necessary to introduce the blessed personality upon whom the wahi was revealed. Thus, in this hadith, a summary of the conditions, actions, and teachings of the one to whom revelation was sent, i.e., the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, has been presented. Furthermore, in this hadith, there are two powerful and irrefutable testimonies to the truthfulness of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam:
One is the statement of Abu Sufyan, who at that time was a staunch enemy of the Prophet.
The second is the affirmation by Heraclius, who at that time was the ruler of a great empire and a recognized scholar among the People of the Book.
In addition, the purpose of the chapter is also to express the greatness of wahi.
This hadith describes those lofty attributes of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam from which it becomes clear that it was his praiseworthy personality alone that was worthy of receiving divine revelation.
From the greatness of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the greatness of divine revelation itself becomes evident.
➋
Heraclius was the name of the king of Rome, and the king of this country was referred to by the title "Caesar."
This hadith is therefore called the Hadith of Heraclius.
When the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was relieved from external disturbances and internal confrontations from the disbelievers, he sent invitational letters to various kings and rulers. Accordingly, he sent a letter to Caesar of Rome through Dihyah al-Kalbi radi Allahu anhu, who at that time had come to Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) to fulfill a vow.
At that time, the two great powers of the world, Persia and Rome, had been clashing for a long time.
Eventually, Persia inflicted a decisive defeat upon Rome, and all the lands of Syria, Egypt, and Asia Minor slipped from the hands of the Romans.
In such circumstances, the Qur'an foretold that, indeed, the Romans had been defeated by the Persians, but within a few years, they would emerge as victors. Thus, Heraclius, in such disappointing and discouraging conditions, became active to regain his lost power and made a vow that if Allah granted him victory and success, he would walk on foot from Homs to Bayt al-Maqdis and offer thanks to Allah.
In the end, Allah Ta'ala granted the Christian Romans victory over the Magian Persians, so at that time, Heraclius had come to Bayt al-Maqdis to fulfill his vow.
➌
With regard to Heraclius, this hadith is related to both the Book of the Beginning of Revelation (Kitab Bad' al-Wahi) and the Book of Faith (Kitab al-Iman).
Its connection to revelation is that Heraclius, who was a follower of Christianity, denied the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, which is a result of revelation.
And its connection to the subsequent book, Kitab al-Iman, is that the distinguishing sign of faith is action and following (the Prophet), which was not present in Heraclius; clear affirmation and verbal acknowledgment existed, but due to not acting accordingly, he remained a disbeliever.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has written that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah began this book with the hadith of intention, as if to indicate that if Heraclius's intention had been correct, there was hope for him to benefit; otherwise, nothing but destruction and ruin was destined for him.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/61)
➍
Abu Sufyan attributed the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to Abu Kabshah, saying, "The matter of the son of Abu Kabshah has become very great."
In reality, it was the custom of the Arabs that, out of contempt and mockery, they would attribute someone to an obscure person. But in this context, the real matter is that among the Arabs, there was a man named Abu Kabshah who had abandoned his ancestral religion and started worshipping the star Sirius.
Since Abu Kabshah had adopted a new religion,
therefore, anyone who deviated from the ancestral religion of the Arabs and adopted a new religion was referred to as "the son of Abu Kabshah."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/57)
There are some other interpretations in this regard, but the common factor in all is that Abu Sufyan adopted this style out of mockery and contempt.
➎
This hadith also shows that if a disbeliever is known and famous by a certain title, it is permissible for Muslims to address him by that title.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself referred to Heraclius by the title "the Great of Rome."
Islam teaches gentleness and kindness even with its enemies; therefore, using lofty titles for honored and respected persons of any nation is not against Islamic teachings.
At the very least, the benefit is that if the enemy is not inclined toward friendship, at least the enmity is lessened. Since Heraclius was considered great in the eyes of the Romans, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam addressed him by the customary title.
➏
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, at the end, brings such words that open the way for the reader to reflect upon his own Hereafter. Time passes, life ends, but the effects of a person's good or bad deeds do not end.
With Allah Ta'ala, the matter of good or evil is judged by its conclusion.
The case of Heraclius was also such; he could not attain faith, even though he had the best opportunities.
In any case, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah draws people's attention to the outcome and the end: whether the end of Heraclius will be Paradise or Hell, regardless, you should reflect upon your own end and, keeping your final state in mind, engage yourself in preparing for it.
➐
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, through six hadiths in this chapter, has explained that all the rulings and issues that will come later in the book are all derived from divine revelation, which is protected from error and is extremely magnificent.
And after mentioning the greatness of revelation, he brings first the Book of Faith (Kitab al-Iman), which is the foundation stone of the religion of Islam, and upon this faith depends salvation in the Hereafter.
➊
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has previously mentioned hadiths related to the revelation of wahi (divine revelation), its types, and the era of revelation.
Now, it was necessary to introduce the blessed personality upon whom the wahi was revealed. Thus, in this hadith, a summary of the conditions, actions, and teachings of the one to whom revelation was sent, i.e., the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, has been presented. Furthermore, in this hadith, there are two powerful and irrefutable testimonies to the truthfulness of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam:
One is the statement of Abu Sufyan, who at that time was a staunch enemy of the Prophet.
The second is the affirmation by Heraclius, who at that time was the ruler of a great empire and a recognized scholar among the People of the Book.
In addition, the purpose of the chapter is also to express the greatness of wahi.
This hadith describes those lofty attributes of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam from which it becomes clear that it was his praiseworthy personality alone that was worthy of receiving divine revelation.
From the greatness of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the greatness of divine revelation itself becomes evident.
➋
Heraclius was the name of the king of Rome, and the king of this country was referred to by the title "Caesar."
This hadith is therefore called the Hadith of Heraclius.
When the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was relieved from external disturbances and internal confrontations from the disbelievers, he sent invitational letters to various kings and rulers. Accordingly, he sent a letter to Caesar of Rome through Dihyah al-Kalbi radi Allahu anhu, who at that time had come to Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) to fulfill a vow.
At that time, the two great powers of the world, Persia and Rome, had been clashing for a long time.
Eventually, Persia inflicted a decisive defeat upon Rome, and all the lands of Syria, Egypt, and Asia Minor slipped from the hands of the Romans.
In such circumstances, the Qur'an foretold that, indeed, the Romans had been defeated by the Persians, but within a few years, they would emerge as victors. Thus, Heraclius, in such disappointing and discouraging conditions, became active to regain his lost power and made a vow that if Allah granted him victory and success, he would walk on foot from Homs to Bayt al-Maqdis and offer thanks to Allah.
In the end, Allah Ta'ala granted the Christian Romans victory over the Magian Persians, so at that time, Heraclius had come to Bayt al-Maqdis to fulfill his vow.
➌
With regard to Heraclius, this hadith is related to both the Book of the Beginning of Revelation (Kitab Bad' al-Wahi) and the Book of Faith (Kitab al-Iman).
Its connection to revelation is that Heraclius, who was a follower of Christianity, denied the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, which is a result of revelation.
And its connection to the subsequent book, Kitab al-Iman, is that the distinguishing sign of faith is action and following (the Prophet), which was not present in Heraclius; clear affirmation and verbal acknowledgment existed, but due to not acting accordingly, he remained a disbeliever.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has written that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah began this book with the hadith of intention, as if to indicate that if Heraclius's intention had been correct, there was hope for him to benefit; otherwise, nothing but destruction and ruin was destined for him.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/61)
➍
Abu Sufyan attributed the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to Abu Kabshah, saying, "The matter of the son of Abu Kabshah has become very great."
In reality, it was the custom of the Arabs that, out of contempt and mockery, they would attribute someone to an obscure person. But in this context, the real matter is that among the Arabs, there was a man named Abu Kabshah who had abandoned his ancestral religion and started worshipping the star Sirius.
Since Abu Kabshah had adopted a new religion,
therefore, anyone who deviated from the ancestral religion of the Arabs and adopted a new religion was referred to as "the son of Abu Kabshah."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/57)
There are some other interpretations in this regard, but the common factor in all is that Abu Sufyan adopted this style out of mockery and contempt.
➎
This hadith also shows that if a disbeliever is known and famous by a certain title, it is permissible for Muslims to address him by that title.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself referred to Heraclius by the title "the Great of Rome."
Islam teaches gentleness and kindness even with its enemies; therefore, using lofty titles for honored and respected persons of any nation is not against Islamic teachings.
At the very least, the benefit is that if the enemy is not inclined toward friendship, at least the enmity is lessened. Since Heraclius was considered great in the eyes of the Romans, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam addressed him by the customary title.
➏
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, at the end, brings such words that open the way for the reader to reflect upon his own Hereafter. Time passes, life ends, but the effects of a person's good or bad deeds do not end.
With Allah Ta'ala, the matter of good or evil is judged by its conclusion.
The case of Heraclius was also such; he could not attain faith, even though he had the best opportunities.
In any case, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah draws people's attention to the outcome and the end: whether the end of Heraclius will be Paradise or Hell, regardless, you should reflect upon your own end and, keeping your final state in mind, engage yourself in preparing for it.
➐
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, through six hadiths in this chapter, has explained that all the rulings and issues that will come later in the book are all derived from divine revelation, which is protected from error and is extremely magnificent.
And after mentioning the greatness of revelation, he brings first the Book of Faith (Kitab al-Iman), which is the foundation stone of the religion of Islam, and upon this faith depends salvation in the Hereafter.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 7
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
➊
Whether it is a letter or any other important document, writing "Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim" at the beginning is Sunnah.
Writing a number in its place is against the Sunnah and an evil innovation (bid‘ah sayyi’ah).
➋
In a letter, the scribe should write his own name first, and then the name of the addressee.
➌
In a letter addressed to a disbeliever, instead of the prescribed Islamic greeting (salam), it should be written:
(Wa al-salamu ‘ala man ittaba‘a al-huda) — Peace be upon the one who follows guidance.
➍
It is also permissible to write verses of the Noble Qur’an for the purpose of inviting to Islam or for any other legitimate Shar‘i objective,
even though they may reach the hands of a disbeliever.
One should not refrain from writing Qur’anic verses for this reason,
unless it is clearly evident that they will show disrespect to the Qur’anic verses.
In that case, certainly, they should not be written.
And the same ruling applies to the Noble Qur’an itself.
For the purpose of inviting to Islam, the Noble Qur’an may be given to a disbeliever.
➎
The field of da‘wah (inviting to Islam) should be expanded as much as possible.
And this good work should also be carried out in the field of writing.
➊
Whether it is a letter or any other important document, writing "Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim" at the beginning is Sunnah.
Writing a number in its place is against the Sunnah and an evil innovation (bid‘ah sayyi’ah).
➋
In a letter, the scribe should write his own name first, and then the name of the addressee.
➌
In a letter addressed to a disbeliever, instead of the prescribed Islamic greeting (salam), it should be written:
(Wa al-salamu ‘ala man ittaba‘a al-huda) — Peace be upon the one who follows guidance.
➍
It is also permissible to write verses of the Noble Qur’an for the purpose of inviting to Islam or for any other legitimate Shar‘i objective,
even though they may reach the hands of a disbeliever.
One should not refrain from writing Qur’anic verses for this reason,
unless it is clearly evident that they will show disrespect to the Qur’anic verses.
In that case, certainly, they should not be written.
And the same ruling applies to the Noble Qur’an itself.
For the purpose of inviting to Islam, the Noble Qur’an may be given to a disbeliever.
➎
The field of da‘wah (inviting to Islam) should be expanded as much as possible.
And this good work should also be carried out in the field of writing.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 5136
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
➊ When the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent letters to all the kings, he also sent a letter to Heraclius, the king of Rome. He (Heraclius) inquired about the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) from Abu Sufyan (radi Allahu anhu), who had not yet embraced Islam and had gone to Syria for trade.
➋ In this, the etiquette of writing letters is also mentioned: that one should begin with "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah), and the writer should write his own name and title first, and after that, the name of the person to whom the letter is being written. Furthermore, if the letter is addressed to a disbeliever, then in the greeting, this style should be adopted: "Peace be upon him who follows guidance."
➌ It is not permissible for a Muslim to write letters of affection to a disbeliever; rather, the letters should be based on invitation (to Islam).
➊ When the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent letters to all the kings, he also sent a letter to Heraclius, the king of Rome. He (Heraclius) inquired about the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) from Abu Sufyan (radi Allahu anhu), who had not yet embraced Islam and had gone to Syria for trade.
➋ In this, the etiquette of writing letters is also mentioned: that one should begin with "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah), and the writer should write his own name and title first, and after that, the name of the person to whom the letter is being written. Furthermore, if the letter is addressed to a disbeliever, then in the greeting, this style should be adopted: "Peace be upon him who follows guidance."
➌ It is not permissible for a Muslim to write letters of affection to a disbeliever; rather, the letters should be based on invitation (to Islam).
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 1109
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
This lengthy hadith has been brought here solely because it mentions the blessed letter of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in which he presented the invitation to Islam to the People of the Book through the verse:
﴿يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ﴾ (Aal Imran: 64)
However, it is unfortunate that Heraclius, even after knowing the truth, could not accept Islam, and, due to national pride, he chose the fire of Hell.
Most worldly people have had the same condition: they have remained distant from the truth because of worldly shame, or even though they recognize the truth in their hearts.
Many rulings can be derived from this lengthy hadith, for which the study of Fath al-Bari is necessary.
Abu Kabsha was the name of the husband of your sallallahu alayhi wa sallam’s wet nurse, Halimah.
Therefore, the Quraysh began to attribute you sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to Abu Kabsha, as he was your sallallahu alayhi wa sallam’s foster father.
From this, it is established that Heraclius did not become a Muslim.
Although he affirmed (the truth) in his heart, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself said that he was a Christian; to accept Islam, it is necessary to become a Muslim both outwardly and inwardly.
Regarding the phrase "kalimatun sawaa’" (a just word), Hafiz Sahib says:
The intended meaning of "the word" is "la ilaha illallah" (there is no deity except Allah), and this is indicated by the context of the verse, which includes His statement: "that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate nothing with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah." For all of this is included under the word of truth, which is "la ilaha illallah." And "the word" here means "the statement," and this is permissible in the language, for "the word" can be applied to "statements" because some parts are connected to others, so it becomes as if it is a single word, contrary to the terminology of grammarians in their distinction between "word" and "statement." (Fath al-Bari)
The summary is that by "kalimatun sawaa’" is meant "la ilaha illallah."
This lengthy hadith has been brought here solely because it mentions the blessed letter of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in which he presented the invitation to Islam to the People of the Book through the verse:
﴿يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ﴾ (Aal Imran: 64)
However, it is unfortunate that Heraclius, even after knowing the truth, could not accept Islam, and, due to national pride, he chose the fire of Hell.
Most worldly people have had the same condition: they have remained distant from the truth because of worldly shame, or even though they recognize the truth in their hearts.
Many rulings can be derived from this lengthy hadith, for which the study of Fath al-Bari is necessary.
Abu Kabsha was the name of the husband of your sallallahu alayhi wa sallam’s wet nurse, Halimah.
Therefore, the Quraysh began to attribute you sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to Abu Kabsha, as he was your sallallahu alayhi wa sallam’s foster father.
From this, it is established that Heraclius did not become a Muslim.
Although he affirmed (the truth) in his heart, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself said that he was a Christian; to accept Islam, it is necessary to become a Muslim both outwardly and inwardly.
Regarding the phrase "kalimatun sawaa’" (a just word), Hafiz Sahib says:
The intended meaning of "the word" is "la ilaha illallah" (there is no deity except Allah), and this is indicated by the context of the verse, which includes His statement: "that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate nothing with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah." For all of this is included under the word of truth, which is "la ilaha illallah." And "the word" here means "the statement," and this is permissible in the language, for "the word" can be applied to "statements" because some parts are connected to others, so it becomes as if it is a single word, contrary to the terminology of grammarians in their distinction between "word" and "statement." (Fath al-Bari)
The summary is that by "kalimatun sawaa’" is meant "la ilaha illallah."
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 4553
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
➊
The relevance of this hadith to the chapter heading is that it mentions the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) acting upon this verse, just as Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has mentioned in the chapter heading. The invitational letters that were sent to various kings were based on this very verse, and the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) invited them to the truth on this foundation.
➋
This hadith also shows that Heraclius had reached the correct conclusion, but he was unable to act upon it in front of his courtiers, and he did not possess such faith-driven courage that he would renounce his kingdom, become Muslim, and attain happiness in this world and the Hereafter.
This is the very "kalimatun sawaa" or the word of monotheism (tawhid) that is found in every revealed book.
Later, people introduced various kinds of alterations into it, just as the Christians later fabricated the divinity of the Messiah and the doctrine of the Trinity.
➌
There are three clauses of this "kalimatun sawaa":
©
Do not worship anyone except Allah.
Do not associate anyone else in Allah’s names, attributes, and authority.
©
No person should take anyone other than Allah as a lord.
The meaning of this last clause is that the statements of rabbis and monks should not be accepted in opposition to Allah.
In the present era, there is much discussion about interfaith unity.
According to our view, if the foundation of interfaith unity is this very word, i.e., the word of monotheism (tawhid), then this movement is indeed very blessed. If any other matter is made its foundation, then this is not a movement of unity, but rather a conspiracy to belittle Islam.
And Allah is the One whose help is sought.
➊
The relevance of this hadith to the chapter heading is that it mentions the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) acting upon this verse, just as Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has mentioned in the chapter heading. The invitational letters that were sent to various kings were based on this very verse, and the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) invited them to the truth on this foundation.
➋
This hadith also shows that Heraclius had reached the correct conclusion, but he was unable to act upon it in front of his courtiers, and he did not possess such faith-driven courage that he would renounce his kingdom, become Muslim, and attain happiness in this world and the Hereafter.
This is the very "kalimatun sawaa" or the word of monotheism (tawhid) that is found in every revealed book.
Later, people introduced various kinds of alterations into it, just as the Christians later fabricated the divinity of the Messiah and the doctrine of the Trinity.
➌
There are three clauses of this "kalimatun sawaa":
©
Do not worship anyone except Allah.
Do not associate anyone else in Allah’s names, attributes, and authority.
©
No person should take anyone other than Allah as a lord.
The meaning of this last clause is that the statements of rabbis and monks should not be accepted in opposition to Allah.
In the present era, there is much discussion about interfaith unity.
According to our view, if the foundation of interfaith unity is this very word, i.e., the word of monotheism (tawhid), then this movement is indeed very blessed. If any other matter is made its foundation, then this is not a movement of unity, but rather a conspiracy to belittle Islam.
And Allah is the One whose help is sought.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 4553
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah himself is an absolute mujtahid (independent jurist).
In various places within the Jami‘ al-Sahih, he has employed his God-given capacity for independent reasoning (ijtihad).
He is not concerned with aligning himself with any particular school of thought, nor with refuting any.
Before him, only the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam are present.
It is under their guidance that he presents issues and rulings.
Whether these are in agreement or disagreement with the school of any mujtahid or Imam, Imam al-Bukhari is absolutely unconcerned.
Therefore, the statement by contemporary Deobandi publishers of al-Bukhari in several places that “here Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah has adopted the school of such-and-such Imam” is completely incorrect and a diminution of the rank of Imam al-Bukhari’s ijtihad.
In this place as well, the author of Tafhim al-Bukhari has repeated such an accusation.
That author writes that Imam Malik rahimahullah says that the command regarding a promise can also fall under the category of qada (judicial decree), and that Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah has, in this chapter, most likely adopted the school of Imam Malik rahimahullah.
(Tafhim al-Bukhari, vol. 10, p. 117)
It is true: “A person measures others by himself.” Since this is the attitude of the muqallidin (blind followers), they view the absolute mujtahid Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah in the same way, which is completely incorrect.
Imam al-Bukhari himself is an absolute mujtahid.
Rahimahullah ta‘ala.
Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah himself is an absolute mujtahid (independent jurist).
In various places within the Jami‘ al-Sahih, he has employed his God-given capacity for independent reasoning (ijtihad).
He is not concerned with aligning himself with any particular school of thought, nor with refuting any.
Before him, only the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam are present.
It is under their guidance that he presents issues and rulings.
Whether these are in agreement or disagreement with the school of any mujtahid or Imam, Imam al-Bukhari is absolutely unconcerned.
Therefore, the statement by contemporary Deobandi publishers of al-Bukhari in several places that “here Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah has adopted the school of such-and-such Imam” is completely incorrect and a diminution of the rank of Imam al-Bukhari’s ijtihad.
In this place as well, the author of Tafhim al-Bukhari has repeated such an accusation.
That author writes that Imam Malik rahimahullah says that the command regarding a promise can also fall under the category of qada (judicial decree), and that Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah has, in this chapter, most likely adopted the school of Imam Malik rahimahullah.
(Tafhim al-Bukhari, vol. 10, p. 117)
It is true: “A person measures others by himself.” Since this is the attitude of the muqallidin (blind followers), they view the absolute mujtahid Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah in the same way, which is completely incorrect.
Imam al-Bukhari himself is an absolute mujtahid.
Rahimahullah ta‘ala.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 2681
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
That is, the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah which took place in 6 AH; this hadith has already been mentioned in detail. In it, it is stated that Heraclius said that the Prophet does not commit treachery, meaning he does not break covenants. From this, Imam Bukhari derived the purpose of the chapter: that fulfilling covenants is a characteristic of the Prophets, which holds great virtue, and breaking covenants or acting treacherously is prohibited in every Shariah.
That is, the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah which took place in 6 AH; this hadith has already been mentioned in detail. In it, it is stated that Heraclius said that the Prophet does not commit treachery, meaning he does not break covenants. From this, Imam Bukhari derived the purpose of the chapter: that fulfilling covenants is a characteristic of the Prophets, which holds great virtue, and breaking covenants or acting treacherously is prohibited in every Shariah.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 3174
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
➊
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) made a treaty of cessation of hostilities with the disbelievers of Quraysh for ten years at the time of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
During this period, Abu Sufyan, a Qurayshi, had gone to the region of Syria with a caravan.
➋
In the detailed narration, this statement of Heraclius is mentioned:
"Prophets do not break their covenants."
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has established from this hadith the virtue of fulfilling promises, that fulfilling a covenant is a characteristic of the Prophets (alayhimus-salam), and breaking a covenant has always been considered reprehensible and blameworthy in every nation, and the previous noble Prophets (alayhimus-salam) forbade it.
Deceit and breaking of covenants are not among the attributes of the Messengers, for they always upheld their covenants and regarded this with favor.
➊
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) made a treaty of cessation of hostilities with the disbelievers of Quraysh for ten years at the time of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
During this period, Abu Sufyan, a Qurayshi, had gone to the region of Syria with a caravan.
➋
In the detailed narration, this statement of Heraclius is mentioned:
"Prophets do not break their covenants."
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has established from this hadith the virtue of fulfilling promises, that fulfilling a covenant is a characteristic of the Prophets (alayhimus-salam), and breaking a covenant has always been considered reprehensible and blameworthy in every nation, and the previous noble Prophets (alayhimus-salam) forbade it.
Deceit and breaking of covenants are not among the attributes of the Messengers, for they always upheld their covenants and regarded this with favor.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 3174
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
That is, either the Muslim will give his life while fighting, or he will achieve victory.
After embracing faith, both outcomes are good and virtuous for Muslims.
Everyone considers victory to be good, but death and martyrdom in battle is the ultimate objective of a believer—he fights in the path of Allah and gives his life. When he reaches the presence of Allah, he receives abundant favors and hospitality from Him.
That is, either the Muslim will give his life while fighting, or he will achieve victory.
After embracing faith, both outcomes are good and virtuous for Muslims.
Everyone considers victory to be good, but death and martyrdom in battle is the ultimate objective of a believer—he fights in the path of Allah and gives his life. When he reaches the presence of Allah, he receives abundant favors and hospitality from Him.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 2804
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
➊
A Muslim, while fighting, either surrenders his soul to its Creator or attains victory; both outcomes are good for him.
In the case of victory, all people consider it a good outcome, but death and martyrdom in battle are also a lost treasure.
When he reaches the presence of Allah, he receives many favors from Allah.
➋
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, while interpreting the noble verse, has presented the aforementioned hadith, that (إِحْدَى الْحُسْنَيَيْنِ ۖ)
refers to either victory or martyrdom.
➊
A Muslim, while fighting, either surrenders his soul to its Creator or attains victory; both outcomes are good for him.
In the case of victory, all people consider it a good outcome, but death and martyrdom in battle are also a lost treasure.
When he reaches the presence of Allah, he receives many favors from Allah.
➋
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, while interpreting the noble verse, has presented the aforementioned hadith, that (إِحْدَى الْحُسْنَيَيْنِ ۖ)
refers to either victory or martyrdom.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 2804
Shaykh Muhammad Husayn Memon
Chapter of Sahih Bukhari Hadith Number: 2978: «بَابُ قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ»:
Appropriateness between the Chapter Heading and the Hadith:
The appropriateness between the translation of the chapter heading and the hadith is as follows: in terms of literal correspondence, the statement of Abu Sufyan rahimahullah: «إنه يخافه ملك بني الأصفر» that even the kingdom of Banu Asfar (the Caesar of Rome) fears them, meaning he fears the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Ibn al-Munir rahimahullah says:
«موضع الترجمة من خبر أبى سفيان قوله: ”يخافه ملك بني الأصفر“.» [المستواري، ص: 167]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says:
«والغرض منه هنا قوله: ”إنه يخاف ملك بني الأصفر“.» [فتح الباري، ج 6، ص: 159]
That is, their fear of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is the aspect of appropriateness between the chapter heading and the hadith. Furthermore, if one reflects, those people to whom the blessed letter of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was sent were many miles away from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says:
«لانه كان بين المدينة و بين المكان الذى كان قيصر ينزل فيه مدة شهر أو نحوه.» [فتح الباري، ج 6، ص: 159]
“Indeed, between Madinah and the place where Caesar is, there is a distance of one month or something close to that.”
Allamah ‘Ayni rahimahullah writes:
Between Sham (Greater Syria) and Hijaz there is a distance of one month or more. [عمدة القاري، ج 14، ص: 236]
Badr al-Din Ibn Jama‘ah rahimahullah says:
«مطابقة حديث أبى سفيان للترجمة قوله انه ليخافه ملك بني الأصفر صفود كان بالشام، و بين الشام و الحجاز مسيرة شهر.» [مناسبات تراجم البخاري، ص: 88]
“The correspondence between the hadith of Abu Sufyan rahimahullah and the chapter heading is that Abu Sufyan rahimahullah said: «انه ليخافه ملك بني الأصفر» and they were in Sham, and between Sham and Hijaz is a distance of one month.”
Benefit:
Here we are clarifying the map of Arabia; by looking at the map, you can easily estimate the distance.
Appropriateness between the Chapter Heading and the Hadith:
The appropriateness between the translation of the chapter heading and the hadith is as follows: in terms of literal correspondence, the statement of Abu Sufyan rahimahullah: «إنه يخافه ملك بني الأصفر» that even the kingdom of Banu Asfar (the Caesar of Rome) fears them, meaning he fears the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Ibn al-Munir rahimahullah says:
«موضع الترجمة من خبر أبى سفيان قوله: ”يخافه ملك بني الأصفر“.» [المستواري، ص: 167]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says:
«والغرض منه هنا قوله: ”إنه يخاف ملك بني الأصفر“.» [فتح الباري، ج 6، ص: 159]
That is, their fear of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is the aspect of appropriateness between the chapter heading and the hadith. Furthermore, if one reflects, those people to whom the blessed letter of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was sent were many miles away from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says:
«لانه كان بين المدينة و بين المكان الذى كان قيصر ينزل فيه مدة شهر أو نحوه.» [فتح الباري، ج 6، ص: 159]
“Indeed, between Madinah and the place where Caesar is, there is a distance of one month or something close to that.”
Allamah ‘Ayni rahimahullah writes:
Between Sham (Greater Syria) and Hijaz there is a distance of one month or more. [عمدة القاري، ج 14، ص: 236]
Badr al-Din Ibn Jama‘ah rahimahullah says:
«مطابقة حديث أبى سفيان للترجمة قوله انه ليخافه ملك بني الأصفر صفود كان بالشام، و بين الشام و الحجاز مسيرة شهر.» [مناسبات تراجم البخاري، ص: 88]
“The correspondence between the hadith of Abu Sufyan rahimahullah and the chapter heading is that Abu Sufyan rahimahullah said: «انه ليخافه ملك بني الأصفر» and they were in Sham, and between Sham and Hijaz is a distance of one month.”
Benefit:
Here we are clarifying the map of Arabia; by looking at the map, you can easily estimate the distance.
Source: Awn al-Bari fi Munasabat Tarajim al-Bukhari, Volume One, Page: 434
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
The land of Shaam (Greater Syria), where Heraclius was at that time, is at a distance of one month's journey from Madinah. Thus, the meaning of the chapter becomes clear: the awe of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) reached Heraclius from a distance of one month's journey.
Among your countless miracles, this too was an important miracle of yours.
Your enemies, who lived hundreds of miles away from you, would remain overawed by your awe while sitting in their own lands.
(sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)
The land of Shaam (Greater Syria), where Heraclius was at that time, is at a distance of one month's journey from Madinah. Thus, the meaning of the chapter becomes clear: the awe of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) reached Heraclius from a distance of one month's journey.
Among your countless miracles, this too was an important miracle of yours.
Your enemies, who lived hundreds of miles away from you, would remain overawed by your awe while sitting in their own lands.
(sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 2978
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
Between Madinah Tayyibah and al-Sham, where the Roman emperor Caesar resided, there was a distance of one month's journey. Similarly, when he gathered his armies at the border of Tabuk and the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) became aware of it, he set out from Madinah Tayyibah with a large force to confront him. The distance from Madinah Tayyibah to Tabuk was one month's journey. Such awe was cast upon Caesar that he saw safety in fleeing. Thus, he turned back. This was a miracle of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), that even hundreds of miles away, the enemy remained overawed by him.
Between Madinah Tayyibah and al-Sham, where the Roman emperor Caesar resided, there was a distance of one month's journey. Similarly, when he gathered his armies at the border of Tabuk and the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) became aware of it, he set out from Madinah Tayyibah with a large force to confront him. The distance from Madinah Tayyibah to Tabuk was one month's journey. Such awe was cast upon Caesar that he saw safety in fleeing. Thus, he turned back. This was a miracle of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), that even hundreds of miles away, the enemy remained overawed by him.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 2978
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
This is the Prophetic method of writing letters, which encompasses many virtues. The instructions regarding how the scribe and the recipient should write are all made clear through this, but it requires contemplation and reflection.
May Allah grant us success in that which He loves and is pleased with. Ameen.
This is the Prophetic method of writing letters, which encompasses many virtues. The instructions regarding how the scribe and the recipient should write are all made clear through this, but it requires contemplation and reflection.
May Allah grant us success in that which He loves and is pleased with. Ameen.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 6260
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
(1)
This style of writing letters is from the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). From this, it is understood that a letter should begin with "Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim." Furthermore, the name of the scribe should be written first and the name of the addressee after that.
(2)
It is also understood that, in a particular manner, it is permissible to write greetings (salam) to the People of the Book when sending them letters, as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) wrote: "Peace be upon the one who follows guidance." One should not initiate greetings to the People of the Book in an absolute sense; rather, greetings should be written with the condition of following guidance and adherence to the truth. (Fath al-Bari: 11/58)
(1)
This style of writing letters is from the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). From this, it is understood that a letter should begin with "Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim." Furthermore, the name of the scribe should be written first and the name of the addressee after that.
(2)
It is also understood that, in a particular manner, it is permissible to write greetings (salam) to the People of the Book when sending them letters, as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) wrote: "Peace be upon the one who follows guidance." One should not initiate greetings to the People of the Book in an absolute sense; rather, greetings should be written with the condition of following guidance and adherence to the truth. (Fath al-Bari: 11/58)
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 6260
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
In this hadith, the command to maintain ties of kinship (silat ar-rahm) is general.
No distinction has been made between a Muslim and a polytheist in this regard.
Accordingly, in one hadith, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Allah, the Exalted, enjoins you to treat your mothers well.”
He repeated this statement three times, then said:
“Allah, the Exalted, enjoins you to treat your fathers well. Allah, the Exalted, enjoins you to treat your closest relatives well, and then those who come after them.”
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Manners, Hadith: 3661)
The statement of Allah, the Exalted, is:
“Say: I do not ask you for any reward for this, except love for kinship.”
(ash-Shura 42:23)
From this noble verse as well, the importance of maintaining ties of kinship is evident, even if those relatives are polytheists.
In this hadith, the command to maintain ties of kinship (silat ar-rahm) is general.
No distinction has been made between a Muslim and a polytheist in this regard.
Accordingly, in one hadith, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Allah, the Exalted, enjoins you to treat your mothers well.”
He repeated this statement three times, then said:
“Allah, the Exalted, enjoins you to treat your fathers well. Allah, the Exalted, enjoins you to treat your closest relatives well, and then those who come after them.”
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Manners, Hadith: 3661)
The statement of Allah, the Exalted, is:
“Say: I do not ask you for any reward for this, except love for kinship.”
(ash-Shura 42:23)
From this noble verse as well, the importance of maintaining ties of kinship is evident, even if those relatives are polytheists.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 5980
