Story Number 51:
A Muslim is never impure
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Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one day I met the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) on the way while I was in a state of impurity. The Prophet (peace be upon him) took my hand, and I accompanied him. But when the Prophet (peace be upon him) sat down, I slipped away and went to perform ablution at my place. While the Prophet (peace be upon him) was still sitting, I returned to his presence. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, “Where were you?” I narrated the incident. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “SubhanAllah! A believer is never impure.”
Benefit:
This means a Muslim is not so impure that even supplications and salutations would be prohibited, nor is he so impure that he cannot become pure again. It is understood that supplications and salutations are permissible in a state of impurity; only recitation of the Quran and entering the mosque are prohibited. Other than that, there is no prohibition on remembrance of Allah (adhkar). Also, going to the market and buying and selling during this time is not forbidden. However, it is better to perform ablution (ghusl) as soon as possible.
Story Number 52:
Woman and Her Natural Weakness
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Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that while going to the Eidgah on Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Fitr, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) passed by some women and said to them, “O women! Give charity, for I have seen that the majority of the inhabitants of Hell are women.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what is the reason for this?” He (peace be upon him) replied, “You are excessive in cursing and ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intellect and religion than you who causes more loss to a man’s intellect.” The women asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what harm is there in our religion and intellect?” He (peace be upon him) said, “Is it not true that the testimony of a woman is half that of a man?” They said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah!” He said, “That is the deficiency in her intellect!” Then he (peace be upon him) said, “Is it not true that you do not pray or fast during menstruation?” They said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He said, “That is the deficiency in her religion.”
Benefit:
In one place in Sahih Bukhari, reflecting on the nature of women, it is stated that if you constantly do favors for a woman and shower her with kindness, it only takes one moment of neglect for her to say والله مارايت منك خير اقط “By Allah! I should never expect goodness from you.” The point to ponder is whether this feminine nature is somehow entering into the nature of men as well?
Story Number 53:
What if this happens?
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It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that I assumed the Ihram for the Farewell Hajj with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and my intention was Tamattu’, and I had not sent the Hadi (sacrificial animal), but I became menstruating. The night of the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah also came, but I had not become pure. So I said to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that the night of Arafah has come and I had assumed Ihram for Umrah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Comb your hair openly and do not perform Umrah.” So I did that. When I completed the Hajj, the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered Abdul Rahman, and he performed Umrah for me from Maqam al-Tan‘im instead of the Umrah for which I had assumed Ihram.
Benefit:
The monthly days of “Naghah” (menstruation) are a natural compulsion for a woman from which no woman can escape. However, if this condition occurs during worship, that worship automatically ends, and after those times have passed, it becomes necessary to make up that worship. A brief explanation is that there is no Qadha (make-up) for prayers during the days of Naghah, but Qadha for fasting is obligatory. In Hajj, until the Tawaf al-Ziyarah is performed, one is not completely free from Ihram. Other issues can be inquired about from nearby scholars.
Story Number 54:
Women and the Eidgah
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It is narrated from Hazrat Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) that we used to forbid young women from going to the Eidgah. (One day) a woman came and stayed at Qasr bin Khalaf and she narrated that my brother-in-law participated in twelve battles alongside the Prophet (peace be upon him), among which my sister was also present in six, treating the wounded and caring for the sick. One day my sister asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) that if one of us does not have a sheet (chadar) and does not go to the Eidgah, is there any harm? He (peace be upon him) said that the one who has a sheet should cover her with it so that she may also participate in the occasions of goodness and in the prayers with the Muslims.
Hazrat Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) says that when Umm Atiyah (may Allah be pleased with her) came, I asked her if she had heard this from the Prophet (peace be upon him)? She said, “May my father be sacrificed for him, yes I have heard it.” (It was Umm Atiyah’s habit that whenever the Prophet (peace be upon him) was mentioned, she would say, “May my father be sacrificed for him.”) The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say that young women who observe hijab and menstruating women should also go to the Eidgah and participate in occasions of goodness and in prayers with the Muslims. However, menstruating women should stay apart from the place of prayer. Hazrat Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) says that I asked, “Should menstruating women also go?” Umm Atiyah (may Allah be pleased with her) replied, “Do menstruating women not attend Arafat and other such places?” (Meaning, if they attend there, then they are also permitted at those places.)
Benefit:
From this incident, it is understood that it is permissible for women to go to the Eidgah and participate in the Eid prayer. Surely, there is no doubt about its permissibility; however, the following hadith is also worth considering.
Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says that if the Prophet (peace be upon him) had seen the current practices of women, he would have prevented them from coming to the mosques.
Therefore, in this era of fashion and tape-top (tight clothing), if a woman goes to the Eidgah for Eid prayer with complete observance of hijab and accompanied by her family, it is permissible. It cannot be said that women should not participate in Eid gatherings, but it can certainly be said that in fulfilling one Shariah command, many other Shariah commands should not be violated.
Story Number 55:
A Strange Incident During Travel
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Hazrat Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) says that we were traveling alongside the Prophet (peace be upon him) and walked throughout the night. On the last night, we stopped at a place to sleep because the sleep of the previous night is always very sweet for a traveler. In the morning, due to the intensity of the sunlight, first so-and-so person woke up, then another, then another, and the fourth to wake up was Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). The rule was that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was in a comfortable sleep, no one would wake him until he woke up himself because we did not know what was being shown to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in his dream. But when Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) woke up and saw the condition of the people, since he was a brave man, he started loudly saying Takbeer (Allahu Akbar). By this method, the Prophet (peace be upon him) woke up. The people explained the whole situation, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “There is no harm; let us move from here.”
Accordingly, the people set out and after walking a little distance, they stopped again. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked for water, performed ablution, the Adhan was called, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) led the prayer. After finishing the prayer, the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw a person standing separately who had not prayed with the congregation. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “O person! Why did you not pray with the congregation?” He replied, “I needed to perform Ghusl (ritual bath), but water was not available (so I could not perform Ghusl).” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Perform Tayammum (dry ablution); it is sufficient.”
Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) left from there. While walking, people complained of thirst. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stopped and called a person along with Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and ordered them to go in search of water. Accordingly, both companions set out. On the way, they saw a woman who was sitting with her feet hanging between two water skins loaded on a camel. They asked her, “Where is the water?” The woman replied, “Yesterday at this time, I was at the water, and our group is behind.” They said to her, “Come with us!” The woman asked, “Where?” They replied, “To the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)!” The woman asked, “Who is the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)?” They said, “The one whom people call Sabi.” She said, “The same; I will come with you.” So both companions brought the woman to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and explained the whole story. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered the water skins to be taken down and vessels to be brought to pour the water into. He sealed the upper openings and opened the lower openings and announced to the people to give water to their animals and drink themselves and fill their water skins as well. So whoever wished gave water to their animals, and whoever wished drank themselves. After everyone, the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave water to the person who needed to bathe and said, “Take him and let him bathe.” The woman witnessed this entire incident. By Allah’s oath, all the people had drunk water even though the water skins were still as full or even fuller than before. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Collect some food for this woman in exchange for the water.” The companions (may Allah be pleased with them) collected a lot of flour, dates, and Sattu (roasted gram flour), tied them in a cloth, placed it on the camel, and put it in front of her. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I know that we have not caused any loss to your water, but Allah has quenched our thirst.” After that, the woman went to her home, and it was late, so her family said, “O so-and-so, why are you late?” She replied, “A strange incident happened. I met two men who took me to the person whom people call Sabi, and he did such and such. So he is either the greatest magician in the heavens and earth or he is the true Messenger of Allah.” After that, Muslims used to raid the nearby polytheist tribes, but they never harmed the tribe to which this woman belonged. One day, this woman said to her people, “I think these people do not harm you intentionally. Do you want to become Muslims?” The people replied affirmatively, and all of them embraced Islam.
Benefit:
The initial background of this incident is narrated in Bukhari Sharif as follows: Once during travel, in the last part of the night, the Prophet (peace be upon him) stopped and said, “Who will go for Fajr prayer?” Hazrat Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) volunteered but forgot to say “InshaAllah.” Facing east, he sat leaning against a wall, waiting for the sun to rise so he could wake everyone. While sitting, he fell into such a deep sleep that Hazrat Bilal himself said he had never experienced such sleep before. His eyes opened when the sun showed its face from the east and looked sharply toward the earth. Then this incident occurred.
The lesson from this incident is that one should never omit saying “InshaAllah.”
Story Number 56:
A Nobleman Who Could Not Meet Anyone
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It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: I was in Makkah when the roof of my house was opened and Jibril (Gabriel) came. He split open my chest, washed it with Zamzam water, then brought a basin filled with faith and wisdom, poured it into my chest, and closed it. After that, Jibril took my hand and first took me to the heavens. When I reached the heaven of the world, Jibril said to the gatekeeper, “Open the door.” The gatekeeper asked, “Who is it?” He replied, “Jibril.” The gatekeeper asked, “Is there anyone with you?” He said, “Yes, Muhammad (peace be upon him) is with me.” The gatekeeper asked, “Were they invited?” Jibril said, “Yes.” When the door was opened, we reached the first heaven. I saw a man sitting there with many people on his right and left. When he looked to his right, he smiled, and when he looked to his left, he wept. (When they saw me, they said) “Welcome, O truthful Prophet and righteous son!” I asked Jibril who those were who smiled when looking to the right and wept when looking to the left. Jibril replied, “These are all the fathers of mankind, Adam. Those on his right are his children destined for Paradise, and those on his left are his children destined for Hell. When he looks at them, he smiles, and when he looks at the others, he weeps.” Then they took me to the second heaven, where the same dialogue with the gatekeeper occurred before the door was opened. Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), the narrator, says that Abu Dharr also narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw Adam, Idris, Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), and Ibrahim (Abraham) (peace be upon them) in the heavens but did not specify their exact locations, only mentioning that Adam was in the first heaven and Ibrahim in the sixth. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed by Idris in the second heaven, he greeted him. The Prophet asked Jibril who he was, and Jibril said, “This is Idris.” Then he passed by Musa, who also greeted him. The Prophet asked who he was, and Jibril said, “This is Musa.” Then he passed by Isa, who greeted him as well. The Prophet asked who he was, and Jibril said, “This is Isa.” Then he passed by Ibrahim, who also greeted him. The Prophet inquired about him and learned it was Ibrahim.
Ibn Shihab, citing Ibn Hazm, narrated that Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and Abu Huba Ansaari (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Then I was taken to a high place where I heard the sound of pens writing. Ibn Hazm and Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) say that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that fifty prayers were prescribed for my Ummah by God. But when I returned from there, Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) asked what God had prescribed for your Ummah. I said fifty prayers. Hazrat Musa said, “Go back to God, for your Ummah cannot bear it.” I returned, and God reduced the number by half. I came back to Hazrat Musa, who repeated the same words. I went back again, and some prayers were further reduced. I told Hazrat Musa, who again said, “Go back, for your Ummah cannot bear it.” I went again, and God left five prayers and said, “These (in command and reward) are equal to fifty because My word does not change.” I came to Hazrat Musa, who repeated the same words, and I said, “Now I feel ashamed.”
After that, Jibril took me until I reached Sidrat al-Muntaha, which was covered with various colors whose reality I do not know. Then I entered Paradise, where I saw domes made of pearls and its soil was musk.
Benefit:
The detailed account of the Mi’raj event is also recorded elsewhere in Sahih Bukhari.
Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says that on the night when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was taken for Mi’raj from the Kaaba Mosque, three angels came to him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was resting in Masjid al-Haram with a few people that night. The angels searching for him said among themselves, “Who among them is our target?” The middle angel said, “He is the best among them.” The last angel said, “Take the best among them.” So that night, only this much happened, and then the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not see them until the next night. His heart was seeing them, and his eyes were sleeping because the sleep of the Prophets is such that their eyes sleep but their hearts remain awake. Then those angels spoke some words to the Prophet (peace be upon him), lifted him, and brought him near the Zamzam well, and Jibril became the surgeon.
He took the Prophet’s chest from the neck to the heart, split it open, removed everything from inside the chest and abdomen, turned it upside down, and washed the entire chest with Zamzam water with his own hands. Then a vessel filled with faith and wisdom was presented, which Jibril poured into the Prophet’s chest and throat veins and fixed it. Then he took him to the heaven of the world and knocked on its door. The inhabitants of the heaven asked, “Who is it?” He said, “Jibril.” They asked, “Who is with you?” He said, “Muhammad (peace be upon him).” They asked, “Were they invited?” He said, “Yes.” They said, “Welcome and well come. All the inhabitants of the heavens hear their glad tidings, but the inhabitants of the heavens do not know what Allah does on earth until Allah informs them through the tongue of Jibril.” In the heavens, the Prophet (peace be upon him) met Adam (peace be upon him). Jibril said, “This is your father Adam. Greet him.” The Prophet greeted him, and Adam replied, “My son, you have come well and good. You are a good son.” There in the heaven, the Prophet saw two rivers flowing. He asked Jibril what rivers they were. Jibril said, “These are the sources of the Nile and Euphrates.” Then Jibril took the Prophet to another river where palaces made of pearls and emeralds were built on its banks, and when the Prophet touched its soil, he found it to be musk. He asked what it was, and Jibril said, “This is the Pond of Kawthar which Allah has reserved for you.”
Then Jibril took the Prophet to the second heaven, where the same questioning by the angels at the door occurred as in the first heaven. They welcomed the Prophet (peace be upon him) warmly. Then they ascended to the third heaven, where the same dialogue took place, then to the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh heavens, where the same welcoming dialogue occurred.
The narrator says that in every heaven, the Prophet (peace be upon him) met prophets and took their names, some of which I remember, such as Idris in the second heaven, Harun in the fourth, another prophet in the fifth whose name I do not recall, Ibrahim in the sixth, and Musa in the seventh heaven. Due to the honor of Allah speaking with them, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) proceeded beyond them, Musa (peace be upon him) said to Allah, “O Lord! I thought no one would go beyond me.”
Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) went so far that only Allah knows the extent, until he reached Sidrat al-Muntaha and then approached Allah so closely as if the two corners of an ear were joined, or even closer. Then Allah revealed what He was to reveal, including that fifty prayers were prescribed for your Ummah every day and night.
Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) returned until he reached Musa (peace be upon him), who stopped him and asked, “O Muhammad, what covenant has your Lord taken from you?” The Prophet said, “Fifty prayers every day and night.” Musa said, “O Muhammad, your Ummah cannot bear it. Go back; Allah will reduce it for you and them.” The Prophet turned to Jibril as if to consult him, and Jibril did not mind. Then the Prophet went to Allah and said, “O Lord, reduce it because my Ummah cannot bear it.” Allah reduced ten prayers. The Prophet came to Musa, who stopped him again and sent him back to Allah. This continued until five prayers remained. Then Musa stopped the Prophet and said, “O Muhammad, I have seen my people, the Children of Israel, become weak with less worship than this, and they abandoned it. Your Ummah is weaker in body, heart, eyes, and ears than them. Go back; your Lord will reduce it.” Each time, the Prophet consulted Jibril, who did not object. On the fifth time, the Prophet said, “O Lord, my Ummah is weak in body, heart, ears, and body; please reduce it.” Allah said, “O Muhammad, I say ‘Labbaik wa Sa’daik’ (I accept and grant success). My command does not change. What I prescribed for you was written in the Mother of the Book (Preserved Tablet). So every good deed has ten parts of reward, so they become fifty.” Musa said, “By Allah, I demanded less worship from the Children of Israel, and they abandoned it. Go to your Lord; He will reduce it further.” The Prophet said, “O Musa, by Allah, I am ashamed of coming repeatedly before my Lord.” Musa said, “Just say the name of Allah and go down.” When the Prophet woke up, he was in Masjid al-Haram.
Benefit:
Some other details of this event are found in another narration, which some scholars have mentioned among the events of the Night of Mi’raj.
Hazrat Samurah bin Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) after Fajr prayer would ask us if anyone had seen a dream that night. If someone had, he would narrate it, and the Prophet would interpret it according to Allah’s will.
One day, the Prophet asked if anyone had seen a dream. We said no. He said, “Last night I saw two men come to me, take my hand, and lead me towards the Holy Land (Bayt al-Maqdis). There, a man was sitting, and another man was standing holding an iron hook. The standing man put the hook into the sitting man’s mouth, tore one side of his jaw, and joined it to his buttocks, then tore the other jaw similarly and joined it to the buttocks. Then the first jaw was healed, and he repeated the process. I asked what this meant. They said, ‘Come along.’ We proceeded and saw a man lying down, and another man standing over his head hitting it with a stone. When he hit the head, the stone would break, and the man would go to get another stone. Meanwhile, the head would heal, and the hitter would return and hit again. I asked who this was. They said, ‘Come along.’ We proceeded and saw a pit like an oven with a narrow mouth and wide inside. Naked men and women were inside, and fire was burning. When the fire approached the edges, the people would rise and almost escape, but when the fire receded, they would go back inside. I asked who these people were. They said, ‘Come along.’ We proceeded and reached a river of blood where a man was standing inside, and another man was on the bank with stones. When the man inside tried to come out, the man outside would hit his mouth with a stone and push him back to his place. This repeated several times. I asked who this was. They said, ‘Come along.’ We proceeded.
We saw an old man sitting under a tree root with some boys, and near the tree was another man with fire in front of him, tending it. My two companions took me up the tree and into a house better than any I had seen. Inside were men, women, old, young, and children. Then they took me out and up the tree again into another house better than the first, with old and young of all kinds. Finally, I said, ‘You have taken me around all night; now tell me what I have seen.’ They said, ‘Okay, we will explain.’
The man whose jaw you saw being torn was a liar who fabricated falsehoods and taught others to imitate him until the whole world knew his lies. He will be punished until the Day of Judgment. The man whose head was being crushed was given knowledge of the Quran but neglected it, sleeping at night and not acting upon it during the day. He will be punished until the Day of Judgment. The people in the pit were adulterers, and the man in the river of blood was a usurer. The old man under the tree root was Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and the boys were children who died before reaching maturity. The man tending the fire was the guardian of Hell. The first house you entered was for ordinary believers, and the second was for martyrs. I am Jibril, and this is Mikail (Michael). Now raise your head.’ I raised my head and saw a cloud shading me. They said, ‘This is your place.’ I said, ‘Let me go to my house now.’ They said, ‘Your lifespan is not yet complete. When it is, you will come to your house.’
Benefit:
The importance and grandeur of the Mi’raj event need no elaboration. Some light has been shed from previous events, but to avoid repetition, a few points related to “Mi’raj” are necessary to mention.
1. There is no definitive or certain date for the Mi’raj event, although among the public, the 27th of Rajab is popularly known as the “Night of Mi’raj.”
2. The narrations of the Mi’raj event are transmitted from at least twenty-five companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
3. There is no established Shariah ruling for any specific worship or fasting on the night or the following day of Mi’raj, although it is permissible. However, this permissibility is like fasting on ordinary days without any special virtue.
4. The Mi’raj occurred to the Prophet (peace be upon him) physically and awake; the claim that it happened in a dream is incorrect.
5. During the Mi’raj, the Prophet (peace be upon him) enjoyed the honor of seeing Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, with his heart’s eye, and, God willing, every Muslim will be blessed with this honor on the Day of Judgment.
6. The divine gift the Prophet (peace be upon him) received during Mi’raj in the form of prayer must be understood in its full context. We must decide how much we value the gift given by the head of our institution compared to the importance given to this gift, which is from the head, ruler, sovereign, and emperor of the entire universe.
Reflect and prepare yourself for action.
Story Number 57:
The Need for Covering a Woman
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Saeed bin Harith narrates that I asked Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) about praying in one piece of cloth. He replied that I was traveling with the Prophet (peace be upon him). One night, I went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) for some matter, and he was praying. I had only one piece of cloth, which I wrapped around myself and prayed with him. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) finished, he asked, “What work do you have at night?” I explained my need. When I was done, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “How have you wrapped this cloth?” I said, “This is the only cloth I have.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “If it is loose, then wrap it around, and if it is tight, then tie its waistband (so that it becomes the covering of a woman).”
Benefit:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was endowed not only with the honor of prophethood but also with the qualities of universal guardianship, granted by Allah with great generosity. His door was always open for those in need; there was no need for a guard, as this incident is a clear and evident proof of that.
Also, this incident shows that the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) endured the struggles and patient trials in the path of Allah, which certainly became a cause for their elevated ranks. Even if at times they had only one piece of cloth on their body, they remained patient and thankful, kept their tongues free from complaints, and by earning the title “may Allah be pleased with them and they pleased with Him,” they became deserving of everlasting success.
Remember that “covering a woman” is obligatory in all circumstances, and its importance increases in prayer. Therefore, if there is only one piece of cloth, it is necessary to cover the ‘covering’ first, and if it covers some other parts of the body as well, that is better.
Story Number 58:
Innocent and Rightful
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It is narrated from Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was lifting stones with the Quraysh for the construction of the Kaaba. At that time, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was wearing a waist belt. Then his uncle, Hazrat Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), said that it would be better if you loosen the waist belt and place it under the stones on your shoulder. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) loosened it and placed it on his shoulders, he fainted and fell down. Since then, no one has seen the Prophet (peace be upon him) naked.
Benefit:
The Creator of the universe is also the Protector of the universe, and His ways of protection are unique and unparalleled. He is not dependent on the world of causes. Anyone can throw someone into fire to burn them, but only He can throw into fire and save. Anyone can cut with a knife, but only He can hide the spring of life beneath the knife. How could He tolerate that anyone’s gaze should fall upon the private parts of His beloved?
Although the Prophet (peace be upon him) was young at that time, the Lord of the worlds was not young in His zeal. He had to send His beloved as a complete example of life for the colors and fragrance of the universe and to be characterized by the attribute of اشد حياء من العذراء فى خدرها. Therefore, naturally, the circumstances were arranged so that the body of the Prophet (peace be upon him) could not remain naked.
Story Number 59:
The Conquest of Khyber and Hazrat Safiyyah (RA)
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It is narrated from Hazrat Anas bin Malik (RA) that when the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) launched the expedition to Khyber, we prayed Fajr prayer with him in the darkness. After that, the Prophet (PBUH) and Abu Talhah mounted their horses, and I rode behind Abu Talhah. The Prophet (PBUH) began to move through the alleys of Khyber, and my knee kept touching the Prophet’s thigh. The Prophet (PBUH) moved his waistcloth aside from his thigh so that my gaze fell on the whiteness of his thigh. When the Prophet (PBUH) reached the village, he said Takbeer and declared that Khyber was destroyed. He said, “When we enter the battlefield of any people, those who are frightened have a ruined morning.” The Prophet (PBUH) repeated these words three times.
After a short while, when people went out for their business, they started saying, “Muhammad, Muhammad, and his army have arrived.” Eventually, we conquered Khyber by the sword. When the captives were gathered, Dihyah came and requested, “O Messenger of Allah (PBUH), grant me one of the female captives.” The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Go and take one female captive.” So he took Safiyyah bint Huyayy. At that moment, a man came and said that you have given Safiyyah, the chief of the Qurayzah and Nadir tribes, to Dihyah, although she is worthy of you. The Prophet (PBUH) called Wahiyah along with Safiyyah and said after seeing them, “You take someone else instead.” Later, the Prophet (PBUH) freed Safiyyah and married her.
Sabit asked about the dowry given by the Prophet (PBUH). Anas (RA) said that the Prophet (PBUH) considered her freedom as the dowry. On the way, Umm Salim beautified Safiyyah and sent her to the Prophet (PBUH) that very night. The Prophet (PBUH) woke up in the morning in a bridal state and spread a leather mat, saying that whoever has anything should bring it. So some brought dates, some brought ghee. The narrator says that I think Hazrat Anas (RA) also mentioned barley. After that, the companions (RA) made halwa from it, and this was the Prophet’s (PBUH) wedding feast.
Benefit:
People who lack cleanliness and good humor still defile their tongues by questioning why Hazrat Dihyah al-Kalbi (RA) was given back after being granted Safiyyah (RA). Perhaps they fail to realize that as soon as the Prophet (PBUH) married Hazrat Safiyyah (RA), all the slaves and captives of her tribe were freed. Perhaps they forget that Hazrat Safiyyah (RA) was the daughter of a chief, and her husband being a chief was the reason for the alliance. Perhaps they are unaware of tribal relations and the universality of Islam; otherwise, they would at least have spared the person of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Alas! Where is this nation heading?
Story Number 60:
A Patterned Sheet
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It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once prayed wearing a patterned sheet, and his gaze kept falling on its designs. After finishing the prayer, he said, “Give this sheet to Abu Jahl and bring me his thick blanket, because its patterns distracted me from the prayer just now.”
In another narration from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), it is added that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I was looking at its patterns, so I feared falling into temptation.”
Benefit:
As long as Muslims preferred simplicity in their worldly life and were accustomed to enduring hardship, the dominion of the universe remained a servant to their home. But as soon as simplicity and struggle departed from their lives, the high position of leadership and sovereignty of the universe also departed on that very day.
Also, the importance of humility and concentration in worship is made clear from this incident, which is gradually disappearing from our prayers in an imperceptible manner, which is astonishing. Read! Reflect! And be concerned about acting upon it.
