Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
Allah, the Exalted, has placed various special characteristics in the four acts of worship (prayer, fasting, zakat, and Hajj), and through their performance, a spirit and motivation for servitude and obedience to Allah, the Exalted, is developed within a person, and these acts illuminate and brighten the path of truth.

The meaning of prayer not being accepted is that the person is deprived of the light and illumination of the prayer and its blessings and bounties, and such a prayer does not become a means of reward, merit, or elevation for him. Although outwardly he is relieved of the obligation of this duty and there is no requirement for him to make it up (qada).

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
By acting upon Islamic rulings and guidance, a person attains certain protections, which are lost as a result of violating Islamic rulings. In the case of a slave running away, the protections that were granted by the Shariah are taken away from him, and his owner is given the right to search for him and deal with him as he wishes.

Benefits and Issues:
By shirk is meant the land of war (dar al-harb) and the territory of the polytheists (mushrikin).
It is strictly forbidden to reside permanently in dar al-harb; if such a person were to become an apostate, then the matter becomes even more severe.

(1) The relevance of the hadith to the chapter heading is as follows: If a slave escapes and goes to the territory of the polytheists and disbelievers and joins them, then he will be considered as one at war (muharib). Accordingly, the ruling is that when he is captured, he should be killed, just as Hudhaifah (radi Allahu anhu) did. The second hadith of the mentioned chapter explicitly states this incident.

(2) The meaning of the prayer not being accepted is that he will not receive the reward for the prayer. He will not attain the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, even though the prayer will suffice in terms of obligation, i.e., the duty of prayer will be lifted from him and he will not have to make it up (qada). It is said: [القبول أخص من الأجزاء ] “The acceptance of a deed is distinct from its mere sufficiency.” Since the acceptance of any righteous deed is the cause of reward, nearness to Allah Ta’ala, and His pleasure, whereas sufficiency (kifayah) only means that the obligation which was imposed and for which a person was responsible has been lifted from him, and that is all. No further reward, nearness to Allah Ta’ala, or His pleasure is attained thereby. If a slave leaves his master without permission and goes to the territory of the disbelievers and polytheists, in this way he causes harm to his master. Therefore, as a punishment, his prayer, despite being performed, cannot attain the honor of acceptance in the Divine Court. However, the obligation that was upon him will be lifted, because the inherent conditions of prayer are present in it. And it should also be remembered that this is in the case where the slave’s intention is merely to escape from here, not to join those disbelievers. If the slave’s intention is not merely to escape from here to there, but rather to prefer and favor their religion, then this slave becomes an apostate and a disbeliever. Now, even if, hypothetically, he performs the prayer, neither will that prayer be valid nor will it be accepted. And Allah knows best.

(3) From this hadith, it is also understood that there are some rulings in which, despite their performance, the obligations are not accepted.

(4) Being pleased and content with disbelief and polytheism is itself disbelief.

Urdu Hashiyah (Commentary):

Here, a specific situation is mentioned: when a slave escapes and goes to the disbelievers, as is evident from the title of the chapter. In this case, he will either be an apostate (murtadd) or, at the very least, a rebel (baghi). In the first case, he will be killed obligatorily (wujuban), and in the second case, permissibly (jawazan), even if he has not openly declared apostasy. The purpose of the upcoming ahadith is precisely this.

Benefit:

➊ Imam Nawawi rahimahullah writes regarding this: Making a lahd (side niche grave) is recommended because, by the consensus of the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum, a lahd was dug for the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. [صحيح مسلم الجنائز : 966]
Therefore, where a lahd (side niche grave) can be made, it is recommended and superior to do so. However, making a shaq (trench or box-type grave) is permissible.

➋ By lahd, i.e., side niche grave, it is meant that first a pit is dug, then on one side of it a space is made for the deceased, and the body is placed in that space. Shaq means that a large pit is dug, and then in the middle of it a relatively smaller pit is dug for the deceased. Both types of graves are permissible because, in the time of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, both methods were practiced. The fact that one was done for others does not mean it is not permissible for us. Most likely, it means that among non-Muslims, the shaq method is more common, while Muslims mostly make lahd graves. (And Allah knows best)