Interpretation of verses

This noble Hadīth indicates that it is permissible to recite the Basmalah at the beginning of Sūrat al-Fātihah in prayer, because it is part of the Sūrah. However, he means that it should be recited in a low voice and not loudly, since this is what has been transmitted in more authentic Hadīths. At-Tahāwi said: "Abandoning reciting the Basmalah aloud in prayer has been collectively and contiguously reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his successors."

سنن الدارقطني، تحقيق: شعيب الأرنؤوط وآخرون، ط1، مؤسسة الرسالة، بيروت، لبنان، 1424 هـ. صحيح الجامع الصغير وزيادته للألباني، ط3، المكتب الإسلامي، بيروت، 1408هـ. سنن البيهقي الكبرى، أحمد بن الحسين أبو بكر البيهقي، مكتبة دار الباز، مكة المكرمة، 1414هـ – 1994م، تحقيق: محمد عبد القادر عطا. توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، لعبدالله بن عبد الرحمن البسام، مكتبة الأسدي، مكة، ط الخامسة 1423هـ.

This tradition is reported by ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) who says about himself that he will be the first person to kneel before the Lord of the worlds on the Day of Resurrection for the dispute and that Verse 19 of Sūrat al-Hajj was revealed concerning himself, Hamzah, and Abu ‘Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with them) when they dueled with the heads of disbelief during the battle of Badr: Shaybah ibn Rabī‘ah, ‘Utbah ibn Rabī‘ah, and Al-Walīd ibn ‘Utbah. This indicates that it is permissible to duel with the swords before the battle starts.

صحيح البخاري -الجامع الصحيح-؛ للإمام أبي عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، عناية محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة، الطبعة الأولى، 1422هـ. البدرُ التمام شرح بلوغ المرام، الحسين بن محمد بن سعيد، المعروف بالمَغرِبي، المحقق: علي بن عبد الله الزبن: دار هجر الطبعة: الأولى، 1414 هـ - 1994 م. إرشاد الساري لشرح صحيح البخاري، أحمد بن محمد بن أبى بكر القسطلاني القتيبي المصري، المطبعة الكبرى الأميرية، مصر- الطبعة: السابعة، 1323 هـ. منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام: تأليف عبد الله الفوزان، طبعة دار ابن الجوزي، الطبعة الأولى 1428. توضيح الأحكام شرح بلوغ المرام: تأليف عبد الله البسام، مكتبة الأسدي، مكة المكرمة، الطبعة: الخامِسَة، 1423 هـ - 2003 م. تسهيل الإلمام بفقه الأحاديث من بلوغ المرام: تأليف الشيخ صالح الفوزان، عناية عبد السلام السليمان، مؤسسة الرسالة الطبعة الأولى. فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام بشرح بلوغ المرام، للشيخ ابن عثيمين، المكتبة الإسلامية بالقاهرة، تحقيق صبحي رمضان وأم إسراء بيومي، الطبعة الأولى 1427.

This Hadīth explains the type of power that Muslims are commanded to adopt in combating the enemies and disbelievers: shooting, because it is more effective. When the verse was revealed, archery was prevalent. However, the miraculous indications of the verse suggest that this power is not time-bound. It involves all types and tools of shooting in any time and place, and with any weapon.

- صحيح مسلم؛ للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، حققه ورقمه محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار عالم الكتب-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1417هـ. - منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام: تأليف عبد الله الفوزان، طبعة دار ابن الجوزي، الطبعة الأولى 1428. - توضيح الأحكام شرح بلوغ المرام: تأليف عبد الله البسام، مكتبة الأسدي، مكة المكرمة، الطبعة: الخامِسَة، 1423 هـ - 2003 م. - تسهيل الإلمام بفقه الأحاديث من بلوغ المرام:تأليف الشيخ صالح الفوزان- عناية عبد السلام السليمان - مؤسسة الرسالة الطبعة الأولى. - فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام بشرح بلوغ المرام للشيخ ابن عثيمين، المكتبة الإسلامية القاهرة، تحقيق صبحي رمضان وأم إسراء بيومي، الطبعة الأولى 1427. - بلوغ المرام من أدلة الأحكام، لابن حجر، دار القبس للنشر والتوزيع، الرياض - المملكة العربية السعودية الطبعة: الأولى، 1435 هـ - 2014 م.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reports that among the major portents of the Hour is that the sun will rise from the west instead of the east, and when people see it, they will all believe. At that point, the belief of a disbeliever will not benefit him, nor will the righteous deeds or repentance be of any avail. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the Hour will come so abruptly that people will be busy with their life affairs. So, the Hour will come when a buyer and a seller have spread out a garment between them, but they cannot finish their transaction or fold up the garment. And the Hour will come when a man has taken milk from his she-camel but will not be able to drink it. And the Hour will come when a man is repairing his tank, but he will not be able to water his livestock therefrom. And the Hour will come when a man has lifted a morsel to his mouth but will not be able to eat it.

1. Embracing Islam and repenting are accepted so long as the sun has not risen from the West.
2. We are urged to get prepared for the Hour by belief and righteous deeds, for the Hour will come abruptly.

صحيح البخاري (8/ 106) (6506)، صحيح مسلم (1/ 137) (157)، عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري (23/ 92).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that death will be brought on the Day of Judgment in the shape of a sheep that is black and white in color. Then, it will be called out: O people of Paradise! They will stretch their necks, raise their heads, and look. He will say to them: Do you know this? They will reply: Yes, this is death. All of them will have seen and known it. Then, the caller will call out: O people of Hellfire! They will stretch their necks, raise their heads, and look. He will say: Do you know this? They will reply: Yes, this is death. All of them will have seen it. Then, it will be slaughtered, and the caller will say: O people of Paradise, eternity, and no death; O people of Hellfire, eternity, and no death. This will add to the bliss of the believers and the punishment of the disbelievers. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited: {Warn them of the Day of Remorse when all matters will be decided, but they are heedless.} On the Day of Judgment, the people of Paradise will be separated from the people of Hellfire, and each will enter the place where they will stay forever. So, the wrongdoer will feel sorrowful and regretful that he did not do good, and the one who fell short in doing good will regret that he did not do better.

1. People's destination in the Hereafter will be eternity in Paradise or Hellfire.
2. The Hadīth gives a stern warning about the horror of the Day of Judgment and that it will be a day of sorrow and regret.
3. It demonstrates that the dwellers of Paradise will be in permanent pleasure, while the dwellers of Hellfire will be in permanent grief.

صحيح البخاري (6/ 93) (4730)، صحيح مسلم (4/ 2188) (2849)، التوضيح شرح الجامع الصحيح (22/595)، عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري (19/ 52)، البحر المحيط الثجاج (43/686).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the Jews are people who incurred Allah's wrath because they knew the truth but did not apply it. The Christians are people who went astray because they acted without knowledge.

1. Combining knowledge and action guarantees safety from the path of those who incurred Allah's wrath as well as those who went astray.
2. Warning against the path adopted by the Jews and Christians and calling to adhere to the straight path, which is Islam.
3. Both the Jews and the Christians have gone astray and have incurred Allah's wrath; however, incurring Allah's wrath is the Jews' most distinct characteristic, whereas the Christians' most distinct characteristic is their misguidance.

سنن الترمذي (5/ 71) (2954)، النهاية في غريب الحديث و الأثر ( ص 548)، المنهل العذب المورود (5/250)، البحر المحيط الثجاج (9/248).

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: {It is He Who has sent down to you the Book. In it are definite verses, which are the foundation of the Book, while others are ambiguous. Those with deviant hearts follow the ambiguous verses, seeking discord and seeking their [false] interpretation. But no one knows their [true] interpretation except Allah. And those who are well-grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in it. It is all from our Lord." None will take heed except people of understanding.} Allah Almighty says in this verse that it is He Who sent down the Qur’an to His Prophet and that it contains clear verses that give specific unambiguous rulings; these serve as the foundation and points of reference of the Book, and they are to be referred to when differences arise. And it contains other verses that may give a number of potential meanings, over which people may get confused or they may think there is a contradiction between one of those verses and another verse. Then, Allah points out how people deal with those verses. Those whose hearts are deviated from the truth abandon the definite verses and turn to the ambiguous ones, thereby seeking to create misconceptions and mislead people. On the other hand, those well-grounded in knowledge know these ambiguous verses and refer them to the definite ones, believing in them and that they are from Allah Almighty and that they cannot be confusing or contradictory. But no one remembers this or takes heed from it except the people of sound minds. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that, if she saw those who follow the ambiguous verses, then indeed they are the ones named by Allah in the verse that reads: {Those with deviant hearts}; so, beware of them and do not listen to them.

1. The definite verses of the Qur’an are those verses whose meanings are apparent and clear; whereas the ambiguous verses are those verses with a number of potential meanings and so they require consideration and understanding.
2. The Hadīth warns against associating with the people of deviation and religious innovations and those who raise ambiguous issues with the aim of misleading people and casting doubts into their hearts.
3. The concluding part of the verse {None will take heed except people of understanding} is an indirect reference to the deviant people and praise for those well-grounded in knowledge. In other words, he who does not take heed and admonition and follows his vain inclination is not one of the people of understanding.
4. Following the ambiguous verses causes deviation of the heart.
5. The ambiguous verses whose meanings may not be understood should be referred to the definite verses.
6. Allah Almighty has made some of the Qur’an definite and some of it ambiguous as a test for people to distinguish the people of faith from the people of misguidance.
7. Part of the wisdom behind making some of the Qur’an's verses ambiguous is to show the superiority of scholars to others and to highlight the limitations of people's minds, so that they may submit to their Creator and acknowledge their own deficiencies.
8. The Hadīth highlights the merit of being well-grounded in knowledge and the necessity of steadfastness in it.
9. The Qur’an's exegetes have two views on the pause after the word 'Allah' in the verse that reads: {But no one knows their [true] interpretation except Allah. And those who are well-grounded in knowledge.} In the case of those who advocate the pause after the word 'Allah', the 'interpretation' here refers to knowing the reality and essence of it and such matters that cannot be realized like the spirit, the Hour, and other things whose knowledge Allah kept exclusively to Himself. Those well-grounded in knowledge believe in it and leave its realities to Allah, and thus they submit and become safe. On the other hand, those who advocate the continuity of recitation and not taking a pause after the word 'Allah' hold that the 'interpretation' here means explanation and clarification. Thus, Allah Almighty knows it, and so do the people well-grounded in knowledge, who believe in them and refer them to the definite verses.

صحيح البخاري (6/ 33) (4547)، صحيح مسلم (4/ 2053) (2665)، فتح الباري (8/211)، شرح النووي على مسلم (16/217)، النهاية في غريب الحديث والأثر (ص 407، 465)، فتح الودود في شرح سنن أبي داود (4/415)، تحفة الأبرار شرح مصابيح السنّة (1/129)، البحر المحيط الثجاج في شرح صحيح الإمام مسلم بن الحجاج (41/ 559).

A man came to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and complained about the bad behaviors of his slaves, mentioning that they lie to him, deceive him, and disobey his orders; whereas he curses them and disciplines them by beating. So, he asked the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) about his condition on the Day of Judgment in relation to them. In response, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: The extent to which they betrayed you, disobeyed you, and lied to you will be measured against how much you punished them. If their sins and your punishment are equal in amount, nothing is due to you or upon you. But if your punishment is greater than their sins, you will be held accountable, and the excess amount will be taken from your good deeds and will be given to them. The man went aside and started to weep and cry. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Do you not read this in the Book of Allah: {We will place the scales of justice on the Day of Resurrection, and no soul will be wronged in the least.} No one will be wronged whatsoever on the Day of Judgment, and the scales will weigh people's deeds justly. So, the man said: By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I find nothing better for me and them than leaving and parting with them. Bear witness that they are all free for the sake of Allah. This is because it would be truly hard to strike this balance and be constantly careful about such accountability. Responding to oppression falls under different categories: If retaliation is equal to the oppression, or less than that, it is valid. However, if it goes too far and exceeds the amount of oppression, it is prohibited and punishable.

1. The Hadīth points out Allah's justice in measuring people's deeds on the Day of Judgment.
2. It indicates the man's sincerity in freeing his slaves out of fear from Allah's punishment.
3. Responding to oppression falls under different categories: If retaliation is equal to the oppression, or less than that, it is valid. However, if it goes too far and exceeds the amount of oppression, it is prohibited and punishable.

سنن الترمذي (5/ 227) (3165)، النهاية في غريب الحديث والأثر (ص 804)، مرقاة المفاتيح (8/3533)، تحفة الأحوذي (9/3).