Muslim

Hadith Commentary:
Yazid bin Abu Ubaidah was the freed slave of Salamah bin Akwa’ radi Allahu anhu.
He asked Salamah bin Akwa’ radi Allahu anhu, “On what basis did you pledge allegiance (bay’ah) to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam?” The background of this question was that he (Salamah) had pledged allegiance twice on the day of Hudaybiyyah, which aroused the curiosity of Yazid bin Abu Ubaidah, so he asked this question.
He (Salamah) replied:
Our pledge of allegiance was that we would not flee from battle,
even if death came to us on the battlefield.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Jihad wa’l-Siyar, Hadith: 2960)

Hadith Commentary:

The meaning of renewing the pledge (bay‘ah) is to reaffirm the covenant, and it is better to strengthen it as much as possible. This is why the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) took the pledge from some of the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) multiple times. Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (radi Allahu anhu) was a very brave and combative man, unparalleled in archery and running. In order to manifest his virtue, the pledge was taken from him twice.

Hadith Commentary:
The meaning of pledging allegiance (bay‘ah) a second time is the renewal of the covenant, and the stronger this is made, the better it is.

Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu was a very brave archer and unparalleled in running. To demonstrate his rank and virtue, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam took the pledge of allegiance from him twice, and in this there was an indication that in future battles he would be equivalent to two men. And so it happened.

The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam once gave him the share of both a foot soldier and a mounted soldier.

(Fath al-Bari: 13/26)

Hadith Footnote:
Here as well, the pledge of Ridwan (Bay‘at al-Ridwan) at Hudaybiyyah is intended, which was taken beneath a tree. In Surah al-Fath, Allah Ta‘ala has announced His pleasure for all those Mujahideen.
radi Allahu anhum wa radu ‘anhu.
The noble verse: ﴿لَّقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ﴾ (al-Fath: 18)
is a reference to this.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu was very courageous, brave, and hardy.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam took the pledge (bay‘ah) from him a second time so that he would gladly offer his life in the path of Allah.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says:
Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu was skilled in both mounted and foot combat, so the pledge was taken from him twice in consideration of both qualities.
Thus, the multiplicity of qualities became the reason for the multiplicity of pledges.
(Fath al-Bari: 13/246)
➋
The purpose of pledging at the time of death is that one should stand firm in battle against the disbelievers, even if fighting leads to death.
Mere dying is not the objective.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The first hadith does not prove that the Friday prayer (Jumu‘ah) is permissible before the sun passes its zenith (zawal), because in this hadith, the negation is of such shade under which one could sit and rest, not the absolute negation of all shade.

➋
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established from this hadith that Salamah bin Akwa‘ radi Allahu anhu was also among the Companions of the Tree (Ashab al-Shajarah). Salamah radi Allahu anhu himself states that at the occasion of Hudaybiyyah, he pledged allegiance (bay‘ah) to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, then sat down in the shade of the tree. When the crowd dispersed, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“O son of Akwa‘! Will you not pledge allegiance?” I replied:
“O Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam! I have already pledged allegiance to you.” So he said:
“Do it again.”
Thus, I pledged allegiance to him a second time.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Jihad wa’l-Siyar, Hadith 2960)

➌
Why did he pledge allegiance twice? Its details can be seen under the aforementioned hadith in Kitab al-Jihad.

➍
Pledging allegiance upon death means that one will not flee from the battlefield even if martyred there, i.e., death is necessary to avoid fleeing.

And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
‘ALAYHĀ KHAMSŪNA SHĀTAN LĀ TURWIHĀ:
The water at Hudaybiyyah was so little
that even fifty goats could not be satiated from it.

(2)
JABĀ AL-RAKIYYAH:
“Jabā” refers to the soil
that is dug out from a well and spread around its edges.
“Jāsht”:
The water of the well began to gush and rise up.
This was the manifestation of your (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) first miracle at Hudaybiyyah,
that you put your blessed saliva into the well,
and its water became sufficient for fourteen hundred (1400)
people and their mounts,
even though it could not even satiate fifty goats.

(3)
BĀYA‘TUHU AL-THĀLITHAH:
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), expressing trust in the courage and bravery of Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (radi Allahu anhu),
took the pledge of allegiance (bay‘ah) from him three times,
the manifestation of which appeared in three nearby expeditions:
Hudaybiyyah,
Dhu Qarad,
and the conquest of Khaybar.
‘Uzlā:
Unarmed,
without weapons.
Hajfah or Dirqah:
Both mean “shield.”

(4)
ABGHINĪ:
If it is from “baghāyah,” it means,
“Find for me,” and if from “abghā’,” it means,
“Assist me in seeking and searching.”

(5)
RĀSALŪNĀ:
They corresponded with us,
exchanged messages.
Kuntu tabī‘an:
I was following behind,
meaning I was serving them.
Aḥussuhu: I was scraping on the horse’s back.

(6)
KASAḤTU SHAWKAHĀ:
(For comfort)
I cleared the thorns from beneath the tree.

(7)
FAKHTARATTU SAYFĪ:
(In anticipation of battle)
I drew my sword from its sheath.

(8)
JA‘ALTUHU DIHGTHAN FĪ YADĪ:
I took (the weapons of the four polytheists)
in my hand like a bundle of twigs or sticks.

(9)
‘ABALĀT:
This is a clan of Quraysh,
attributed to their mother ‘Ablah, and they were also called Umayyah al-Sughra.
Faras mujaffaf:
A horse upon which a covering or armor is placed to protect it from weapons.
But “lahum bada’ al-fujūr thanāh”:
The initiation and repetition of breaking the covenant was from their side,
as they began by martyring Ibn Zunayn,
and by throwing stones and arrows at the Muslims, they initiated the breach of the treaty.

(10)
FA-ASUKKU SAKKAN:
The original meaning is “to slap,”
but here it means “to shoot arrows.”

(11)
ĀRĀM:
Plural of “Iram,”
marker stones,
which are placed or embedded as signs and markers.

(12)
QARN:
A solitary hill,
Kiras Qarn: the peak of the hill,
Mutadāyiq:
A narrow place.
“Mā hādhā alladhī arā?” means,
“Who is this?”
The word “mā” is used for disparagement,
meaning, “Who is this whom I see?”

(13)
AL-BARḤ:
Hardship and severity.
Amkinūnī min al-kalām:
They came so close to me
that it became possible for me to make them hear my words.
Lā yaqtaṭi‘ūka:
They should not separate you from your companions,
so that you do not fall alone into their hands.

(14)
KHALLAYTUHUM ‘ANHU:
I drove them away from it,
removed them.

(15)
NUGHḌ:
Tendon.
Akwa‘ahu bukrah:
Is it Akwa‘ himself who has been pursuing us since morning?

(16)
ARDAW FARASAYN:
Out of fear and terror, they abandoned two horses.

(17)
SATĪḤAH:
Waterskin.

(18)
MADHQAH:
A little bit.

(19)
YUQRŪNA:
They are being hosted,
this was your (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) prophecy,
that their hospitality would be arranged by Ghatafan.

(20)
LĀ YUSBAQU SHADDAN:
No one could outrun him in a race.

(21)
RABAṬTU ‘ALAYHI:
I restrained myself,
did not try to go ahead.
ṬAFARTU:
I leapt.

(22)
ASTABQĪ NAFASEE:
I did not want to exhaust my breath by running at the start,
I wanted to gradually increase my speed,
so that I would not become short of breath.

(23)
SHĀKĪ AL-SILĀḤ:
Armed,
bearing weapons.

(24)
TALAHHABU:
To blaze,
to flare up.

(25)
BATL:
Brave,
courageous.

(26)
MUJARRAB:
Experienced.

(27)
MUGHĀMIR:
One who plunges into hardships.

(28)
YASFULU LAHU:
He began to aim from below.

(29)
AKḤAL:
The life vein,
the vein of the arm.

(30)
ḤAYDAR:
Lion.
The mother of Ali (radi Allahu anhu), Fatimah bint Asad, named her son Haydar,
because her grandfather’s name was Asad.
Abu Talib named him Ali, and Marhab had seen in a dream
that a lion was killing him.
Ali (radi Allahu anhu) reminded him,
“I am that lion.”
Thus, the miracle of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was manifested, that by his blessed saliva, the aching eyes of Ali (radi Allahu anhu) were immediately cured, and his prophecy was fulfilled that “I will give the banner to the one by whose hands Allah will grant victory over Khaybar.”
And according to authentic hadith, Marhab was killed by Ali (radi Allahu anhu),
not by Muhammad ibn Maslamah, as claimed by Ibn Ishaq.
According to the majority of hadith scholars and biographers,
it was Ali (radi Allahu anhu) who sent Marhab to Hell,
so the statement of Waqidi is not correct that you gave Marhab’s spoils to Muhammad ibn Maslamah.

(31)
AL-SANDARAH:
An open measure,
meaning I will kill them in great numbers,
or “sandar” means haste,
that I quickly kill the enemy.

Benefits and Issues:
Dhu Qarad
is a spring twelve (12)
miles or a day’s journey from Madinah,
where the double-humped she-camels of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to graze.
On the return from the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, you sent your mounts there under the supervision of your servant Rabah,
and the son and wife of Abu Dharr were present there,
and with Rabah (radi Allahu anhu) was Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (radi Allahu anhu) on the horse of Talhah ibn Ubaydullah.
While they were still on the way,
the slave of Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (radi Allahu anhu) informed them that the double-humped she-camels of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had been attacked.
So Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ handed the horse to Rabah and himself
ran in pursuit of the attackers.
The details of the incident are present in the hadith.

Urdu Hashiyah:
Explanation:
1:
There is no contradiction between this and the previous hadith,
because the meaning of this hadith is also that we pledged allegiance not to flee from the battlefield,
even if we were to lose our lives.

Urdu marginal note:
The meaning of "pledge upon death" has already been explained in the previous commentary, as well as the reconciliation between the two narrations: that some Companions uttered the word "death" at the time of the pledge, while others did not. This incident pertains to the Pledge of Ridwan, which was taken on the occasion of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Hudaybiyyah is the name of a place at some distance from Makkah Mukarramah, which is nowadays called Shamsiyyah. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had sent Uthman (radi Allahu anhu) to Makkah Mukarramah for negotiations regarding the treaty, but it became widely rumored that he had been martyred. It was at that time that this pledge was taken.