Hadith 342

This hadith is listed as number 774 in Maktaba Shamila

حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَسْمَاءَ الضُّبَعِيُّ ، قَالَا : حَدَّثَنَا مَهْدِيٌّ وَهُوَ ابْنُ مَيْمُونٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ مَوْلَى الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ ، قَالَ : " أَرْدَفَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ خَلْفَهُ ، فَأَسَرَّ إِلَيَّ حَدِيثًا ، لَا أُحَدِّثُ بِهِ أَحَدًا مِنَ النَّاسِ ، وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ مَا اسْتَتَرَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِحَاجَتِهِ ، هَدَفٌ ، أَوْ حَائِشُ نَخْلٍ " ، قَالَ ابْنُ أَسْمَاءَ فِي حَدِيثِهِ : يَعْنِي حَائِطَ نَخْلٍ .
'Abdullah bin Ja'far reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) one day made me mount behind him and he confided to me something secret which I would not disclose to anybody; and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) liked the concealment provided by a lofty place or cluster of dates (while answering the call of nature), Ibn Asma' said in his narration: It implied an enclosure of the date-trees.
Hadith Reference صحيح مسلم / كتاب الحيض / 342
Hadith Grading محدثین: أحاديث صحيح مسلم كلها صحيحة
Hadith Takhrij «أحاديث صحيح مسلم كلها صحيحة»
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
➊ One should choose a concealed place for relieving oneself so that the private parts (‘awrah) remain covered.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 774
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
It is permissible to relieve oneself behind a tree as a screen, provided that the tree is not a fruit-bearing one. The fruit of the date palm is harvested in a specific season; therefore, in other seasons, there is no need for people to approach it to obtain its fruit. The shade of a date grove is indeed utilized for benefit. Individually planted trees are not generally considered important for this purpose; however, small trees that have not yet reached fruit-bearing age provide a good screen.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 340
Shaykh Muhammad Farooq Rafi
Benefits:

➊ At the time of relieving oneself, it is a recommended (mustahabb) act and an emphasized Sunnah (sunnah mu’akkadah) to conceal oneself behind trees or an elevated place to such an extent, or to obtain such covering in a low-lying area, that the entire body of the person is hidden from the sight of people.

[نووي: 34/4]
Source: Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: Commentary by Muhammad Farooq Rafee, Page: 53