Nasai

Hadith Commentary:
This narration makes it clear that the use of a gold ring is absolutely haram (forbidden) for men; whoever considers it halal (permissible) falls into disbelief. However, it is permissible for women to use gold.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Undoubtedly, a gold ring is forbidden (haram) for men. It is narrated from Aisha radi Allahu anha that the king of Abyssinia, Najashi, sent some jewelry as a gift to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Among them was a gold ring whose gem was in the Abyssinian style. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, turning away from it, held it with a stick or his finger and, calling his granddaughter Imamāh bint Abi al-As radi Allahu anha, said: “Daughter! You wear it.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Khatam, Hadith: 4235) If gold had been lawful (halal) for men, he would not have turned away from it, and if it were not permissible for women to wear gold, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would never have made his granddaughter Imamāh radi Allahu anha wear it.

(2)
Although it is transmitted from some of the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum that they used to wear gold rings, it is possible that the hadiths of prohibition did not reach them. It is strange that a hadith of prohibition is narrated from al-Bara’ ibn Azib radi Allahu anhu, yet he also used to wear a gold ring, and people would say to him: “Why do you wear a gold ring when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has forbidden it?” He would reply: “When the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gave me the ring, he said: ‘Wear it, for Allah and His Messenger have made you wear it.’” Perhaps he considered this as a specific allowance for himself. In any case, it is not permissible for men to wear it. And Allah knows best. (Fath al-Bari: 10/391)

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: (1)
Linguistically, *kasaf*, *inkasaf*, and *khasaf* are synonymous according to the narrations and are used for both the sun and the moon, although some (the jurists) have used the word *kusuf* for the sun and *khusuf* for the moon, because *kusuf* means to become darkened and *khusuf* means to decrease or diminish. Their light can be completely extinguished or partially so.

(2)
According to astronomers, generally, the solar eclipse occurs on the 28th or 29th lunar date, and the lunar eclipse on the 13th or 14th lunar date, and in principle, it is possible for the sun to be eclipsed every six months. Qadi Muhammad Suleiman Mansoorpuri, referencing his younger brother, the esteemed expert in astronomy Qadi Abdur Rahman, has written that during the twenty-three years of the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) prophethood, there were 19 solar eclipses, and according to some, only two lunar eclipses. According to Imam Ibn Hibban rahimahullah, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed the lunar eclipse prayer in the 5th year of Hijrah. The first solar eclipse occurred on 9 April 609 CE, corresponding to 28 Rabi’ al-Akhir, 40 years after the Prophet’s birth, and the last on 27 January 632 CE, corresponding to 29 Shawwal, 10th year of Hijrah, on a Monday, and in India at that time it was 28 Shawwal. This is the day on which the beloved son of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), Ibrahim alayhis salam, passed away, and according to some, it was 8:30 in the morning. Thus, after the Hijrah, the sun was eclipsed ten times, but it is not necessary for the eclipse to be visible everywhere. Therefore, there is a difference of opinion regarding the eclipse prayer. According to Imam Malik rahimahullah, Shafi’i rahimahullah, and Ahmad rahimahullah, the prayer of *Salat al-Kusuf* consists of two units (rak‘ahs) with long standing, long bowing (ruku‘), and long prostration (sujud), and in each unit there are two bowings and two prostrations.

(3)
And after rising from the first bowing, Surah al-Fatihah will be recited and then another recitation will begin. According to the Hanafis, *Salat al-Kusuf* is like ordinary supererogatory prayers (nawafil), meaning there is only one bowing in each unit. However, from the narrations of Sahih Muslim, it is established that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sometimes performed two, sometimes three, and sometimes four bowings in one unit, and in Sunan Abi Dawud rahimahullah, five bowings are also mentioned. Therefore, according to Imam Ishaq rahimahullah, Ibn Jarir rahimahullah, Ibn al-Mundhir rahimahullah, and others, all forms are permissible, and according to Imam Nawawi rahimahullah, this is the strongest opinion based on evidence. If repetition in *Salat al-Kusuf* is established, as the frequency of eclipses and the variation in narrations suggest, then there is no objection to the permissibility of all forms. But if repetition in the prayer is not established, as is the position of the four Imams, then it is necessary to give preference to some narrations over others, as Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has only brought narrations with two bowings in one unit from different Companions. However, in this case, one would have to, without reason, declare some authentic narrations as preferred and others as less preferred.

(4)
According to Imam Malik rahimahullah, Imam Shafi’i rahimahullah, and Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, *Salat al-Kusuf* is an emphasized Sunnah (sunnah mu’akkadah), and among the Hanafis there are different opinions: obligatory (wajib), emphasized Sunnah, non-emphasized Sunnah, and according to Imam Abu ‘Awanah rahimahullah, it is obligatory, and this is what the evidence demands.

(5)
According to the Shafi’is, there is no fixed time for *Salat al-Kusuf*, because there is no fixed time for the occurrence of a solar eclipse, so whenever the sun is eclipsed, the prayer should be performed, and this is the correct position. According to the Hanafis and Hanbalis, the prayer should not be performed during the disliked times. According to the Malikis, its time is from mid-morning (duha) until the sun declines (zawal).

(6)
During the blessed life of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), the last solar eclipse occurred when his infant son Ibrahim alayhis salam was about one and a half years old. Among the superstitions of the Arabs in the Age of Ignorance was the belief that the sun is eclipsed due to the death or life of great people, and the occurrence of the eclipse on the day of the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) son’s death could have strengthened this superstition and false belief, and some people even expressed this. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) on this occasion showed extraordinary fear of Allah and deep concern. He especially gathered the people in the mosque for *Salat al-Kusuf* with the words “al-salat jami‘ah” (prayer in congregation), and in the prayer, he prolonged the standing, bowing, and prostration greatly. During the prayer, he made supplication with great attention and humility, and after the prayer, he delivered a sermon in which he strongly refuted the idea that the sun or moon is eclipsed due to the life or death of any great person. Rather, it is a sign of Allah’s oneness, power, craftsmanship, might, awe, and majesty, the purpose of which is to deter people from their sins and crimes, warning them to beware of the punishment of the One who can even deprive the sun and moon of their light, by which the worldly affairs are conducted. Therefore, in the sermon, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would exhort to repentance, seeking forgiveness, and giving charity, and he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: (يُخَوِّفُ اللَّهُ بِهَا عِبَادَهُ) “Through it, Allah frightens His servants.”

The above-mentioned matters are not specific only to Ali (radi Allahu anhu); rather, they apply to all men of the Ummah. For details, see: 5175.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Dār al-Qaḍāʾ:
By this is meant the house of Umar radi Allahu anhu.
He had made a bequest regarding it that it should be sold in order to pay off his debts.
Since it was sold to settle debts,
it came to be known as Dār al-Qaḍāʾ (the house of settlement/judgment).
(2)
Halakat al-amwāl:
Due to the cessation of rain,
the grass and fodder became scarce,
so because of the shortage of food, the livestock began to die.
(3)
Inqaṭaʿat al-subul:
Due to drought, the livestock became weak, and because there was no grass or fodder to be found along the roads, the movement of livestock and caravans came to a halt.
(4)
Aghithnā:
Aghāthah is derived from helping and assisting.
The intent is that, responding to our plea, grant us rain.
(5)
Qazaʿah:
A patch of cloud,
a piece of cloud.
(6)
Sabt:
A whole week,
for seven days.
(7)
Halakat al-amwāl wa inqaṭaʿat al-subul:
Due to the abundance of rain, it became difficult to take the livestock out to graze and for them to move about.
Previously, this situation had occurred due to lack of rain, and now its abundance has caused the same.
(8)
Al-ākām:
Plural of akmah,
hill.
(9)
Ẓarāb:
Plural of ẓarb.
Small mounds,
elevated places.
(10)
Inqalaʿat:
The clouds dispersed,
the rain stopped.
Benefits and Issues:
➊
During the Friday sermon, when the imam is delivering the sermon on the pulpit, it is permissible to appeal to him to supplicate for rain, and he should accept the request and raise his hands to supplicate repeatedly right there on the pulpit.
➋
Allah ta‘ala granted such swift acceptance to the supplication of His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam for rain that there were no signs of rain at all.
The sky was completely clear and bright.
There was not even a small patch of cloud, yet Allah ta‘ala immediately raised a small round cloud, which spread and became a rain cloud, and everywhere became drenched.
➌
Rain continued for a whole week;
no one requested for it to stop. After a week, the same Bedouin came again, as Anas radi Allahu anhu has sometimes explicitly mentioned.
He again appealed for the rain to stop, so the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam supplicated not for the rain to cease entirely, but rather, “O Allah, let it fall in the places where rain is needed, and withhold it from us.”
From this, it is understood that supplicating for the cessation of rain can also be done in a limited manner right there on the pulpit, and here too Allah ta‘ala immediately accepted the supplication of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam:
the rain stopped over Madinah and continued to fall around it.

Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
The meaning of the statement of Ali (radi Allahu anhu) is that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
O Ali! Do not wear what is dyed with kusm (safflower).
He did not say:
O people! Do not wear this color.
However, the ruling is the same for everyone.