Muslim

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Sayyara:
Those who circulate,
those who roam much,
Fudala:
The scholars have read this in five ways.
(1)
With dammah (u-sound) on both the fa and dad;
according to Imam Nawawi, this is the preferred reading.
(2)
With dammah on the fa and sukun (no vowel) on the dad, and according to some, this is the most correct.
(3)
With fatha (a-sound) on the fa and sukun on the dad, and according to Qadi Iyad, the majority of the teachers of Bukhari and Muslim read it this way.
(4)
Fadl:
With dammah on both the fa and dad, and the lam is marfu‘ (nominative), meaning it is the predicate of an omitted subject.
(5)
Fudala, which is the plural of "fadil" (virtuous);
in the first four cases, the meaning will be:
they are angels specifically appointed, apart from the angels assigned to individuals, solely for the task of seeking out gatherings of remembrance (dhikr).
Yatba‘un:
They search and seek out,
Haffa ba‘duhum ba‘dan:
The light of Allah’s remembrance ascends upwards,
in this way the angels surround each other up to the highest point.
Yasta’jirun:
They seek protection and refuge,
Khata’:
One who commits many errors.

Benefits and Issues:
From this hadith it is understood that
sitting in one place and engaging in tasbih (glorification),
takbir (saying Allahu Akbar),
tahmid (praising Allah), and tahlil (declaring the oneness of Allah), and requesting Paradise from Allah and seeking refuge from Hellfire,
is a most effective prescription for the fulfillment of one’s needs,
to the extent that even if a person, while merely passing by, joins such people, he too is not deprived, and such a gathering is covered by angels up to the sky of this world.
However, the condition is that
this gathering must be free from innovative manners and customs,
ostentation and seeking to be heard, and matters contrary to the Shariah, and the prescribed (masnun) supplications
should be recited in the prescribed manner,
not with self-invented words or self-devised methods.
For example, after the morning and evening prayers, everyone sitting and engaging in remembrance and reflection in their own way,
on Fridays,
before the arrival of the Imam, or after the ‘Asr prayer, reciting remembrances and supplications,
remaining engaged in supplication and recitation, etc.,
and presenting one’s requests before Allah.

Hadith Commentary:
Gatherings of remembrance refer to the recitation and teaching of the Qur’an and Hadith.
Holding assemblies of admonition (wa‘zh) based on the Qur’an and Hadith is also intended. The Noble Qur’an itself is remembrance (dhikr).

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
According to one narration, Allah the Exalted says:
“I have forgiven them, I have granted what they asked for, and I have given them refuge from that from which they sought refuge.”
(Sahih Muslim, al-Dhikr wa’l-Du‘a’, Hadith: 6839 (2689))

(2)
This hadith also indicates the great virtue of the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum), because they were the companions of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
The company of the righteous has a tremendous effect, such that even those who sit with righteous people become fortunate. Therefore, we should seek the company of pious and righteous people.

(3)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) writes that this hadith refutes those heretics (zindiqs) who claim that they see Allah the Exalted openly in this world, because the hadith states that you cannot see your Lord until you die.
(Musnad Ahmad: 324/5, and Sahih al-Jami‘ al-Saghir, Hadith: 2312, and Fath al-Bari: 256/11)