Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: By "the longest hand" the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) meant working with one's hands and earning through labor and toil, then giving charity and alms from it. However, the noble wives (azwaj mutahharat), taking the apparent meaning, measured their hands, and the longest hands were those of Sawdah (radi Allahu anha). But when, in the era of Umar (radi Allahu anhu), in the year 20 AH, Zaynab (radi Allahu anha) was the first to pass away—despite her hands being short—it became clear that by "long hands" the apparent or literal length was not intended. The death of Sawdah (radi Allahu anha) occurred during the caliphate of Muawiyah (radi Allahu anhu). Therefore, it is not correct for Imam Bukhari to have considered Sawdah (radi Allahu anha) as the first to pass away in his "Tarikh al-Saghir." Likewise, in the narration of Abu Awanah in Sahih Bukhari, it is not correct to consider Sawdah (radi Allahu anha) as being distinguished in charity and almsgiving, because Sawdah's hands were, in fact, long in the literal and apparent sense. If Sawdah had passed away first, then how would the incorrectness of the literal meaning have become clear?