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Abu Hurairah’s Secret (Hadith No. 2037)
Bismillah.
Hadith no. 2036 (below) is a repeat. Read it here.
Volume 3, Book 39, Number 539 :
Narrated by Sahl bin Sad (radiallaahu `anhu)
We used to be very happy on Friday as an old lady used to cut some roots of the Silq, which we used to plant on the banks of our small water streams, and cook them in a pot of her’s, adding to them, some grains of barley. (Ya’qub, the sub-narrator said, “I think the narrator mentioned that the food did not contain fat or melted fat (taken from meat).”) When we offered the Friday prayer we would go to her and she would serve us with the dish. So, we used to be happy on Fridays because of that. We used not to take our meals or the midday nap except after the Jumua prayer (i.e. Friday prayer) .
Today’s Hadith:
Don’t we all wonder how Abu Hurairah stands at the top of the list of Hadith transmitters. This is because of the sheer bulk of his narrations (5,375). He was regarded by the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) himself as the most eager, among all Muslims, to acquire the knowledge of Hadith. Wanna know how he did it? Read on!
Volume 3, Book 39, Number 540 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
The people say that Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu) narrates too many narrations. In fact Allah knows whether I say the truth or not. They also ask, “Why do the emigrants and the Ansar not narrate as he does?” In fact, my emigrant brethren were busy trading in the markets, and my Ansar brethren were busy with their properties. I was a poor man keeping the company of Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and was satisfied with what filled my stomach. So, I used to be present while they (i.e. the emigrants and the Ansar) were absent, and I used to remember while they forgot (the Hadith). One day the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Whoever spreads his sheet till I finish this statement of mine and then gathers it on his chest, will never forget anything of my statement.” So, I spread my covering sheet which was the only garment I had, till the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) finished his statement and then I gathered it over my chest. By Him Who had sent him (i.e. Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam)) with the truth, since then I did not forget even a single word of that statement of his, until this day of mine. By Allah, but for two verses in Allah’s Book, I would never have related any narration (from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam)). (These two verses are): “Verily! Those who conceal the clear signs and the guidance which we have sent down …..(up to) the Merciful.’ (2.159-160)
The two complete verses with translation:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَىٰ مِن بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّاعِنُونَ
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَبَيَّنُوا فَأُولَٰئِكَ أَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَأَنَا التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture – those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those – I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful. [2:159-160]
So he devoted his life towards acquiring knowledge. Having spent three years with the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam), he really did make the best of it. Whatever we have of the Hadith collections, much of it we owe to him and his excellent memory. :)
Book of Agriculture [Kitaab-ul-Muzara`ah] ends here.
Sleeping in the Mosque (Ahadith 430 – 433)
Salam,
Bismillah.
Narrated ‘Aisha:
There was a black slave girl belonging to an ‘Arab tribe and they manumitted her but she remained with them. The slave girl said, “Once one of their girls (of that tribe) came out wearing a red leather scarf decorated with precious stones. It fell from her or she placed it somewhere. A kite passed by that place, saw it Lying there and mistaking it for a piece of meat, flew away with it. Those people searched for it but they did not find it. So they accused me of stealing it and started searching me and even searched my private parts.” The slave girl further said, “By Allah! while I was standing (in that state) with those people, the same kite passed by them and dropped the red scarf and it fell amongst them. I told them, ‘This is what you accused me of and I was innocent and now this is it.’ ” ‘Aisha added: That slave girl came to Allah’s Apostle and embraced Islam. She had a tent or a small room with a low roof in the mosque. Whenever she called on me, she had a talk with me and whenever she sat with me, she would recite the following: “The day of the scarf (band) was one of the wonders of our Lord, verily He rescued me from the disbelievers’ town. ‘Aisha added: “Once I asked her, ‘What is the matter with you? Whenever you sit with me, you always recite these poetic verses.’ On that she told me the whole story. “
This slave girl was given a place inside the mosque to stay in. That means she used to sleep there, eat there, roam around and do other things inside the mosque, even during her period. (What do we say about a menstruating woman going to a mosque, then?)
Narrated Naf’a:
‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar said: I used to sleep in the mosque of the Prophet while I was young and unmarried.
He says ‘young and unmarried’ specifically because he wants to imply that he used to get wet dreams at that time and still sleep in the mosque.
Derivation from the above two Ahadith: ‘impure’ men and women can step inside the mosque’s vicinity.
Narrated Sahl bin Sa’d:
Allah’s Apostle went to Fatima’s house but did not find ‘Ali there. So he asked, “Where is your cousin?” She replied, “There was something between us and he got angry with me and went out. He did not sleep (mid-day nap) in the house.” Allah’s Apostle asked a person to look for him. That person came and said, “O Allah’s Apostle! He (Ali) is sleeping in the mosque.” Allah’s Apostle went there and ‘Ali was lying. His upper body cover had fallen down to one side of his body and he was covered with dust. Allah’s Apostle started cleaning the dust from him saying: “Get up! O Aba Turab. Get up! O Aba Turab (literally means: O father of dust).
This is a beautiful Hadith. Brings a smile to my face every time I read it. :)
Narrated Abu Huraira:
I saw seventy of As-Suffa men and none of them had a Rida’ (a garment covering the upper part of the body). They had either Izars (only) or sheets which they tied round their necks. Some of these sheets reached the middle of their legs and some reached their heels and they used to gather them with their hands lest their private parts should become naked.
These men went through very harsh times while learning directly from the Prophet (SAW). Suffa was like a hostel in Masjid Nabwi where proper meals weren’t cooked for the students, nor proper bedrooms and study tables were provided. These men had dedicated their time to learning. Everyone didn’t have a source of earning. One special case we all know about is Abu Huraira (RA). Read more on him here.
Wassalam.
Two Kinds of Knowledge (Hadith No. 121)
Salam,
Bismillah.
Hadith no. 120 is a repeat. Read it here.
Volume 1, Book 3, Number 121:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
I have memorized two kinds of knowledge from Allah’s Apostle . I have propagated one of them to you and if I propagated the second, then my pharynx (throat) would be cut (i.e. killed).
These two kinds of knowledge are:
- Ahkaam al-sunan (teachings of the daily-routine sunnahs [Prophet (SAW)’s actions/words etc.])
- Akhbaar al-fitan (news of the trials)
Abu Huraira (RA) propagated Ahkaam al-sunan to us. Why did he think his throat would be cut off if he propagated the Akhbaar al-fitan? Can you guess?
Wassalam.
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