Pre-Islamic Prophets and Messengers, peace be upon them

The Hadīth explains that the most honorable among people in terms of ancestry, lineage, and origins are the best during the pre-Islamic era, provided that they attain religious knowledge. For example, it is known that Banu Hāshim are the best of Quraysh in Islam, provided that they understand Allah's religion and learn its rulings. However, failing to attain understanding in religion, noble lineage will be of no avail. If one is of a high lineage and from the most noble of Arab ancestry, this will not make such a person from the most honorable of creation in the sight of Allah. Based on this, a person is honored by his lineage, on condition that he possesses understanding of the religion.

بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين لسليم الهلالي، ط1، دار ابن الجوزي، الدمام، 1415هـ. تطريز رياض الصالحين للشيخ فيصل المبارك، ط1، تحقيق: عبد العزيز بن عبد الله آل حمد، دار العاصمة، الرياض، 1423هـ. دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين لمحمد علي بن محمد بن علان، ط4، اعتنى بها: خليل مأمون شيحا، دار المعرفة، بيروت، 1425هـ. رياض الصالحين للنووي، ط1، تحقيق: ماهر ياسين الفحل، دار ابن كثير، دمشق، بيروت، 1428هـ. كنوز رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين برئاسة حمد بن ناصر العمار، ط1، كنوز إشبيليا، الرياض، 1430هـ. شرح العقيدة الواسطية لابن عثيمين، تحقيق: سعد فواز الصميل، ط5، دار ابن الجوزي، الرياض، المملكة العربية السعودية، 1419هـ. شرح رياض الصالحين للشيخ ابن عثيمين، دار الوطن للنشر، الرياض، 1426هـ. صحيح البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، ط1، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت. نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين لمجموعة من الباحثين، ط14، مؤسسة الرسالة، 1407هـ.

When Allah created Adam, He ordered him to go to a group of angels and greet them with peace and then listen to their response to his greeting because that would be the prescribed greeting for him and his offspring after him who follow the religion of the messengers. So he said: As-Salāmu ‘alaykum (peace be upon you), and they replied: As-Salāmu ‘alayk wa rahmatullāh (peace and mercy of Allah be upon you), adding 'rahmatullāh' (mercy of Allah). This has, thus, become the prescribed wording when greeting and returning the greeting. Other Hadīths had the addition: "wa rahmatullāh wa barakātuh (...and mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you!)"

بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، للهلالي، نشر: دار ابن الجوزي. صحيح البخاري، نشر: دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422ه. منار القاري شرح مختصر صحيح البخاري، لحمزة محمد قاسم، عني بتصحيحه ونشره: بشير محمد عيون، الناشر: مكتبة دار البيان، دمشق - الجمهورية العربية السورية، مكتبة المؤيد، الطائف - المملكة العربية السعودية، عام النشر: 1410 هـ - 1990 م.

Our prophet related a story about another prophet, saying that his people struck him and as he wiped blood off his face invoking Allah for their forgiveness. This consists in the furthest extent of patience and leniency. Not only did he pray for them but he also found an excuse for them out of sympathy for them due to their ignorance of the facts.

صحيح البخاري، محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري الجعفي، تحقيق: محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة. صحيح مسلم، مسلم بن الحجاج القشيري النيسابوري، تحقيق محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، سليم بن عيد الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي، الطبعة الأولى، 1418ه. دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين، محمد علي بن البكري، اعتنى بها: خليل مأمون شيحا، دار المعرفة . شرح رياض الصالحين، محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ. المنهاج شرح صحيح مسلم بن الحجاج، أبو زكريا محيي الدين النووي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت، الطبعة الثانية، 1399ه. تطريز رياض الصالحين، فيصل بن عبد العزيز المبارك، المحقق: عبد العزيز بن عبد الله آل حمد، دار العاصمة للنشر والتوزيع، الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1423هـ - 2002 م. - نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشرة، 1407هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the best day upon which the sun has risen is Friday. Some of the characteristics of this day are: that Allah created Adam (peace be upon him) on that day, He admitted him to Paradise on that day and He drove him out therefrom and sent him down to earth on that day, besides the fact that the Hour will not take place except on Friday.

1. The superiority of Friday over other days of the week.
2. Encouraging the act of increasing good deeds on Friday and being prepared to receive the mercy of Allah Almighty and ward off His wrath.
3. It is said that such characteristics that are mentioned in the Hadīth concerning Friday: are not meant to refer to the merit of Friday because expelling Adam from Paradise and the advent of the Hour are not counted as merits. Whereas it is also said: Rather, all of them are merits, and expelling Adam is the cause that led to the existence of his progeny from the messengers, prophets, and the righteous. Moreover, the advent of the Hour is the cause that will hasten the recompense of the righteous and their attainment of the dignities that Allah has prepared for them.
4. Other characteristics concerning Friday were mentioned, besides the ones mentioned in this version, some of which are: On it, Allah accepted Adam's repentance; on it, his soul was taken, and there is an hour in it that no believer comes upon while praying and asking Allah for something except that He will give it to him.
5. The best day of the year is ‘Arafah, and it is said: the Day of Nahr (10th of Dhul-Hijjah); the best day of the week is Friday; and the best night is the Nigth of Decree.

صحيح مسلم (2/ 585) (854). بهجة الناظرين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 313). نزهة المتقين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 824). مرعاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لعبيد الله المباركفوري (4/ 422). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (5/ 164).

‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that they were at the battle of Hunayn, which is the battle of At-Tā’if that took place after the Conquest of Makkah. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fought them, and gained from them a large amount of booty i.e, camels, sheep, dirhams, and dinars. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to Al-Ji‘rānah, which is a place located at the farthest end of the Sacred Precincts of Makkah to the direction of At-Tā’if, and divided the booty between those who participated in this battle. He gave Al-Aqra‘ ibn Hābis 100 camels, and gave ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn 100 camels. He also gave to some of the nobles among the Arabs in order to attract their hearts towards Islam, because if those people embrace Islam due to the gifts and wealth they received, their followers would embrace Islam, and this would give more strength and might to Islam. As for those who were strong in faith, he left them, trusting the faith that they had. After seeing the attitude of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in dividing the booty among the heads of tribes and nobles, and leaving some others (without giving them), a man said: "By Allah! This is a distribution in which justice is not observed, and it is not intended for pleasing Allah." When Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) heard this statement, he rushed towards the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and swore before that if he heard something like that, he would inform him. When Ibn Mas‘ūd informed the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) of the man's statement, his anger intensified and his face changed in color until it was like a pure red dye. Then he said: "Who will observe justice if Allah and His Messenger do not?"; disapproving of the man's statement. Then he said: "May Allah have mercy upon Mūsa; he was hurt more than this but he remained patient.'' When Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the Prophet's condition (i.e. his anger), he said: "If I hear any kind of improper statement from those people, I will not inform the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) of it, because of what I saw of his intense anger, as long as it does not cause any harm to Islam or the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)."

كنوز رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين برئاسة حمد بن ناصر العمار، كنوز إشبيليا، الرياض، الطبعة: الأولى 1430هـ، 2009م. بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، سليم بن عيد الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي، الطبعة: الأولى 1418 هـ، 1997م. تطريز رياض الصالحين، فيصل بن عبد العزيز المبارك، تحقيق: عبد العزيز بن عبد الله آل حمد، دار العاصمة للنشر والتوزيع، الرياض، الطبعة: الأولى 1423هـ، 2002م. نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين، مؤسسة الرسالة، بيروت، الطبعة: الطبعة الأولى. شرح رياض الصالحين، محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ. دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين، محمد علي بن البكري بن علان، نشر دار الكتاب العربي، لم أقف على رقم الطبعة. رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين، أبو زكريا محيي الدين النووي، تحقيق ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير، دمشق، بيروت، الطبعة: الأولى 1428هـ، 2007م. صحيح البخاري، محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري الجعفي، تحقيق: محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، الطبعة: الأولى 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، مسلم بن الحجاج القشيري النيسابوري، تحقيق محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت،الطبعة: لا يوجد بيان لرقم الطبعة، 1423هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that Dawūd (peace be upon him) used to eat only from the earnings of his labor. He was a craftsman who was good at making shields and other fighting tools. Since the prophets (peace be upon them) used to work and eat from the earnings of their labor, whether that consisted of craftsmanship, agriculture, sheep herding, etc. This is altogether the reason why those who are of a lesser rank are more required to earn through their own labor and avoid the embarrassment of having to ask people for money.

بهجة الناظرين، تأليف: سليم بن عيد الهلالي، الناشر: دار ابن الجوزي ، سنة النشر: 1418 هـ- 1997م نزهة المتقين، تأليف: جمعٌ من المشايخ، الناشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة الأولى: 1397 هـ، الطبعة الرابعة عشر 1407 هـ صحيح البخاري، تأليف: محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير الناصر، الناشر: دار طوق النجاة الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ رياض الصالحين، تأليف: محيي الدين يحيى بن شرف النووي ، تحقيق: د. ماهر بن ياسين الفحل ، الطبعة: الأولى، 1428 هـ تيسير الكريم الرحمن في تفسير كلام المنان، تأليف: عبد الرحمن بن ناصر آل سعدي، تحقيق: عبد الرحمن بن معلا اللويحق، الناشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة: الأولى، 1420هـ التنوير شرح الجامع الصغير، تأليف: محمد بن إسماعيل الصنعاني، تحقيق: د/ محمد إسحاق محمد إبراهيم ، الناشر: مكتبة دار السلام، الطبعة: الأولى، 1432 هـ فتح الباري شرح صحيح البخاري، تأليف: أحمد بن علي بن حجر، رقمه وبوب أحاديث: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، الناشر: دار المعرفة - بيروت، 1379 هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us in this Hadīth that Prophet Zakariyya (peace be upon him) worked as a carpenter, and he used to earn his sustenance from carpentry.

- رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428ه. - بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي- الطبعة الأولى1418ه. - نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشرة، 1407هـ. - صحيح مسلم، للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، تحقيق محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي. - كنوز رياض الصالحين، لحمد بن ناصر العمار، دار كنوز إشبيليا- الطبعة الأولى1430ه. - شرح رياض الصالحين؛ للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the Shariah rulings fall into three categories: what is left unaddressed, prohibitions, and commands. As for the first: It is what the Shariah has left unaddressed, as there is no ruling, and things, in principle, are not obligatory. During the Prophet's lifetime, it was a must not to ask about something that had not occurred for fear that it might become obligatory or forbidden through revelation, as Allah has left it unaddressed out of mercy towards His slaves. After the Prophet's death, on the other hand, if the question is posed by way of seeking legal opinion or learning about what one needs of the religion, then it is not only permissible but also commanded. However, if the question is posed by way of obstinacy and affectation, then this kind of question should be avoided, and this is what the Hadīth refers to, as it could lead to what happened to the Children of Israel when they were commanded to slaughter a cow. It was sufficient for them to obey the command by slaughtering any cow; however, when they acted obstinately, things were made hard for them. Second: The prohibitions: It is whatever one is rewarded for abandoning and is punished for doing. So, all prohibitions must be avoided. Third: The commands: It is whatever one is rewarded for doing and punished for abandoning. The commands must be carried out to the best of one's ability.

1. People should be occupied with what is important and necessary, leaving what is not immediately needed, and they should not be preoccupied with asking about what has not occurred.
2. It is prohibited to ask questions that may lead to the complexity of issues and open the door to suspicious matters that lead to wide divergence.
3. Commanding that all prohibitions be avoided because avoiding them entails no hardship, and this is why the prohibition here is general.
4. Commanding that orders be carried out according to the ability, as it could entail hardship or one could be unable to do it. Hence, the command here depends on the ability.
5. Forbidding the act of asking too many questions. Scholars divided questions into two categories: First: Questions that are meant for learning what one needs of the religion, and this kind of question is required, and an example of this is the Companions' questions. Second: Questions that are asked by way of obstinacy and affectation, and this is the kind of forbidden question.
6. Warning this Ummah of disobeying their Prophet as what occurred in the previous nations.
7. Asking frequently about what is not necessary and disagreeing with the prophets lead to destruction, especially when the questions are about what is unattainable, like matters of the unseen, which none knows except Allah, and the events taking place on the Day of Judgment.
8. Forbidding the act of asking about extremely difficult matters. Al-Awzā‘i said: When Allah chooses to deprive His slave of the blessing of knowledge, He makes him speak fallacies, for I noted that those were the least among people in terms of knowledge. Ibn Wahb said: I heard Mālik say: Arguing about knowledge turns off the light of knowledge in one's heart.

صحيح البخاري (9/ 94) (7288). صحيح مسلم (2/ 975) (1337). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 236). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 181). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (2/ 268).