Evidence that the face & hands of the woman are not awrah – part 1: the practice of the women during the Prophet’s time & Tafsīr of Sūrah al-Nūr:31 – REVISED

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Summary of the issue

Imām Ibn Qudāmah said: “… the free woman is entirely ‘awrah except for her face and hands.” (Sharh al-‘Umdah 2/260)

Ibn Rushd said: “And the majority of the scholars are of the opinion that her entire body is ‘awrah except for the face and the hands.” (Sharh Bidāyat Mujtahid 3/1283)

Al-Wā’ilī said: “And the well-known opinion among the general body of scholars is that the woman is entirely ‘awrah except for her face and her hands. This is the opinion – as the author mentioned [i.e. Ibn Rushd] – of Mālik, al-Shāfi’ī, a narration from Imam Ahmad, and Abū Hanīfah, except that he also added the feet in another narration, which some of the Hanafīs considered weak.

(As for) Imam Ahmad here in this issue has three narrations:

The well-known narration with the majority: except the face and hands. The second only exempts the face. The third: all of her is ‘awrah.” (Sharh Bidāyat Mujtahid 3/1284-1285)

Imām Hāfidh ibn ‘Abdul-Barr said: “…due to the consensus (ijmā’) of the scholars that a woman may pray the prescribed prayer with her hands and face uncovered… they reached consensus that she does not pray while wearing a face veil, nor is she required to wear gloves in prayer. In this are the clearest proofs that these parts of her are not ‘awrah.” (al-Tamhīd 4/339)

Evidence that the face and hands are not awrah

Hadīth 1.

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ – رضي الله عنه -، عَنِ النَّبيِّ – (ﷺ) – أنه قَالَ: “وَلَا تَنْتَقِب المرأةُ المُحْرِمةُ، ولا تَلْبَسِ القُفَّازينِ”

Ibn ‘Umar narrated from the Prophet (ﷺ) that he said: “And the woman in ihrām should not wear niqāb nor should she wear gloves.” (Sahīh al-Bukhārī 1838)

Imām Ibn Qudāmah said [explaining those who held the hands are not awrah]: “The first position: it is permitted to uncover (the hands)…And because it is forbidden for the woman in ihrām to cover them with gloves, just as it is forbidden for her to cover her face with a face veil, consequently they are not part of the awrah, like the face.” (al-Mughnī 1/671)

Hāfidh Ibn Qattān said: “If it is said: It has been narrated:

Yazīd ibn Ziyād from Mujāhid from ʿĀʾishah who said: “We were with the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) while we were in ihrām. Caravans would pass by us, and when they approached us, we would let down over our faces a portion of our head covering.”

We say: This is weak due to the weakness of Yazīd ibn Abī Ziyād. Al-Bazzār mentioned this hadīth of his.

We also say: Even if it were authentic, it would not contain what prohibits the muhrimah (women in ihrām) from displaying her face, nor what makes it obligatory upon her to cover it, for there is nothing in it from the Prophet (ﷺ).”

[the verifier commented on this narration saying – in summary: “Also narrated by Abū Dāwūd in Kitāb al-Manāsik, chapter “The muhrimah covering her face”…its wording from Mujāhid from ʿĀʾishah…[the hadīth]…and likewise narrated by Ibn Mājah in Kitāb al-Manāsik…

…Al-Hāfidh al-Mundhirī said: “Shuʿbah, Yahyā ibn Saʿīd al-Qattān and Yahyā ibn Maʿīn mentioned that Mujāhid did not hear from ʿĀʾishah, and Abū Hātim al-Rāzī said: ‘Mujāhid from ʿĀʾishah is mursal (disconnected)…'” He said: “In its chain is Yazīd ibn Abī Ziyād, and more than one has spoken about him…

…Yazīd ibn Abī Ziyād is Kūfī, known as Abū ʿAbdullāh, client of Banī Hāshim. Yahyā ibn Maʿīn said: “Weak in hadīth, not used as evidence, not strong.” Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: “Not that reliable.” Al-Nasāʾī said: “Not strong.” Ibn ʿAdī said: “Among the Shīʿah of the people of Kūfah.””] (Ihkām al-Nadhar pg. 185-186)

Hadīth 2.

عَائِشَةَ : أَنَّ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ دَخَلَتْ عَلَى عن رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَعَلَيْهَا ثِيَابٌ رِقَاقٌ، فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا رَسُولُ الله (ﷺ) وقال: «يا أَسْمَاءُ إِنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ إِذَا بَلَغَتِ المَحِيضَ لَمْ يَصْلُحْ لَهَا أَنْ يُرَى مِنْهَا إِلَّا هُذَا وَهُذَا»، وَأَشَارَ إِلَى وَجْهِهِ وَكَفَّيْهِ .

Narrated from ‘Āishah that Asma’ bint Abī Bakr entered upon the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) wearing a thin garment. The Messenger of Allāh turned away from her and said: “Oh Asma’, when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it is not proper for anything to be seen of her except this and this,” and he pointed to his face and hands. (Abū Dawūd 4104. Declared Sahīh by Al-Albānī in his checking. Declared Hasan li-ghayrihī by Al-Arnāūt in his checking)

Ādhīm al-Ābādī said: “The hadīth contains evidence that the face and hands are not part of the ‘awrah…” (Awn al-Ma’būd 7/316)

Hadīth 3.

عن عائشة – رضي الله عنها ـ قالت: «كان رسول الله (ﷺ) يصلي الفجر، فيشهد معه نساء من المؤمنات متلفعات بمروطهن، ثم يرجعن إلى بيوتهن، ما يعرفهن أحد من الغلس

Āishah narrated “The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) used to pray Fajr, and believing women would attend with him, wrapped in their murūt (garments/cloaks). Then they would return to their homes, and no one would recognise them due to the ghalas (the darkness of the night at dawn).” (Sahīh al-Bukhārī 372, 578 and Muslim 645 and others)

Hāfidh ibn Mulaqqin said: “”no one would recognise them due to the ghalas“,… some said, (meaning) their individual identities would not be recognised… recognition (al-ma’rifah) relates only to specific identities. If the intended meaning were to negate their being males or females, he would have said “no one would know them” because the judgment of masculinity and femininity relates to knowledge (‘ilm) rather than recognition (ma’rifah).

Al-Bājī said in al-Muntaqā: ‘This interpretation necessitates that they were uncovered in their faces, and if they were not uncovered, the niqāb and covering of the face would prevent their recognition, not the ghalas…'”(al-I’lām 2/234-235)

In a variant narration, collected by Abū Ya’lā in his Musnad – (#4493 – verification by al-Sinārī who declared it Sahīh. Al-Albānī also declared the isnād as Sahīh in Jilbāb al-Muslimah pg. 66)

أن عائشة، قالت: لو رأى رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – من النساء ما نرى لمنعهن من المساجد كما منعت بنو إسرائيل نساءها، لقد رأيتنا نصلى مع رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – الفجر في مروطنا، وننصرف وما يعرف بعضنا وجوه بعضٍ.

Āishah narrated: “If the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) had seen from women what we see, he would have prevented them from the mosques just as the Banū Isrā’īl prevented their women. Indeed, I saw us praying with the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) the Fajr prayer in our murūt (garments) and we would leave and none of us would recognise the faces of others.“

Hadīth 4.

عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ : شَهِدْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ (ﷺ) الصَّلَاةَ يَوْمَ الْعِيدِ، فَبَدَأَ بِالصَّلَاةِ قَبْلَ الْخُطْبَةِ، بِغَيْرِ أَذَانِ وَلَا إِقَامَةٍ ، ثُمَّ قَامَ مُتَوَكِّنًا عَلَى بِلَالٍ، فَأَمَرَ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ، وَحَثَّ عَلَى طَاعَتِهِ، وَوَعَظَ النَّاسَ ، وَذَكَّرَهُمْ، ثُمَّ مَضَى، حَتَّى أَتَى النِّسَاءَ، فَوَعَظَهُنَّ وَذَكَرَهُنَّ ، فَقَالَ : «تَصَدَّقْنَ، فَإِنَّ أَكْثَرَكُنَّ حَطَبُ جَهَنَّمَ» فَقَامَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ سِطَةِ النِّسَاءِ سَفْعَاءُ الْخَدَّيْنِ، فَقَالَتْ: لِمَ؟ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ! قَالَ : لِأَنَّكُنَّ تُكْثِرْنَ الشَّكَاةَ، وَتَكْفُرْنَ الْعَشِيرَ قَالَ : فَجَعَلْنَ يَتَصَدَّقْنَ مِنْ حُلِيهِنَّ، يُلْقِينَ فِي ثَوْبِ بِلَالٍ مِنْ أَقْرِطَتِهِنَّ وَخَوَاتِيمِهِنَّ .

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh narrated: “I attended ‘Īd prayer with the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), and he started with the prayer before the Khutbah, with no Adhân and no Iqāmah. Then he stood, leaning on Bilāl, and enjoined Taqwā of Allāh and urged us to obey Him, and exhorted and reminded the people. Then he went to the women, and exhorted and reminded them. He said: ‘Give charity, for most of you are fuel for Hell.’ A woman with dark cheeks, who was one of the best of women, stood up and said: ‘Why is that, O Messenger of Allāh?’ He said: ‘Because you complain a great deal, and you are ungrateful to your husbands.’ They started giving their jewelry in charity, throwing their earrings and rings into the cloak of Bilāl.” (Sahīh Muslim 885)

Al-Albānī said: “The hadīth is clear in indicating what we cited it for (i.e. the face and hands are not awrah that is obligatory to cover), otherwise the narrator would not have been able to describe that woman as being “dark-cheeked.”

If it is said: What you mentioned is very clear, but it is possible that this occurred before the obligation of hijāb, so it would not be correct to use as evidence except after proving its occurrence after hijāb.

Our answer to this is from two aspects:

1) : The apparent from the evidence is that it occurred after hijāb, and we have two hadīths regarding this:

The first: The hadīth of Umm ‘Atiyyah (may Allāh be pleased with her) that when the Prophet (ﷺ) commanded women to go out to the ‘Īd prayer, Umm ‘Atiyyah said: “What about one of us who does not have a jilbāb?” He said: “Let her sister clothe her from her jilbāb.” (Sahīh al-Bukhārī 324, Sahīh Muslim 890).

In this is evidence that women only went out to ‘Īd in their jilbābs, and accordingly, the dark-cheeked woman was wearing a hijāb. This is supported by the following hadīth:

The second: Her hadīth also, she said: “When the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) arrived in Medīnah, he gathered the women of the Ansār in a house, then sent ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb to them…he said: ‘Will you pledge allegiance that you will not associate anything with Allāh, will not steal, will not commit adultery… (then) he commanded us to go out during the two ‘Īds – the mature women and those menstruating – and he forbade us from following funerals, and there is no Friday [prayer] upon us. So I asked him about the slander and about His saying: ‘and will not disobey you in what is good (ma’rūf).’ He said: ‘It is wailing (niyāhah).'” (Musnad Imām Ahmad, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibbān and others)

…the aspect of using it as evidence only becomes clear when we remember that the verse of women’s pledge of allegiance “When the believing women come to you pledging to you that they will not associate anything with Allāh…” [al-Mumtahanah: 12] was only revealed on the day of the conquest [of Makkah] as Muqātil said (“Ad-Durr” 6/209), and it was revealed after the verse of testing (imtihān) as Ibn Mardawayh narrated from Jābir (“Ad-Durr” 6/211). In al-Bukhārī from al-Miswar that the verse of testing was revealed on the day of al-Hudaybiyah, and that was in the sixth year according to the correct view as Ibn al-Qayyim said in “Az-Zād.” The verse of hijāb was only revealed in the third year, or it was said the fifth, when he consummated his marriage with Zaynab bint Jahsh, as in her biography in “Al-Isābah.”

So it is established from this that commanding women to go out to ‘Īd was only after the obligation of hijāb…

2) : If we suppose our inability to prove what we mentioned, it is undoubtedly clear among scholars that his (ﷺ) approval of a woman uncovering her face before men is evidence of permissibility. If the matter is so, then it is known that the principle is the continuation of every ruling as it was until something comes to indicate its abrogation and lifting. We claim that nothing of that sort came here; rather, what came supports its continuation and persistence, as you will see. Whoever claims otherwise must bring the abrogating evidence – but that is far-fetched!…” (Exerpts from Hijāb Mar’ah Muslimah pg. 33-34, with slight paraphrasing)

Hadīth 5. 

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَ الْفَضْلُ رَدِيفَ النَّبِيِّ (ﷺ) فَجَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ خَثْعَمٍ، فَجَعَلَ الْفَضْلُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهَا، وَتَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصْرِفُ وَجْهَ الْفَضْلِ إِلَى الشِّقِّ الآخَرِ، فَقَالَتْ إِنَّ فَرِيضَةَ اللَّهِ أَدْرَكَتْ أَبِي شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا، لاَ يَثْبُتُ عَلَى الرَّاحِلَةِ، أَفَأَحُجُّ عَنْهُ قَالَ ‏ “‏ نَعَمْ ‏”‏‏.‏ وَذَلِكَ فِي حَجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ‏.‏

Narrated by ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās: Al-Fadl [ibn ‘Abbās] was riding behind the Prophet (ﷺ) when a woman from Khath’am came. Al-Fadl began looking at her [in a variant: “and a beautiful woman from Khath’am approached, so al-Fadl began looking at her and her beauty pleased him.”] and she was looking at him [in a variant: “Al-Fadl was a handsome man”], so the Prophet (ﷺ) kept turning al-Fadl’s face to the other side. She said: “The obligation of Allāh has reached my father as an elderly old man who cannot remain steady on the riding mount. Shall I perform Hajj on his behalf?” He said: “Yes.” And that was during the Farewell Pilgrimage. (Sahīh al-Bukhārī 1855 – see Fath al-Bārī 5/139 and Sahīh Muslim 1334)

In a variant collected by Imām Ahmad in his musnad (#1805):

“So I was looking at her, and the Prophet (ﷺ) looked at me and turned my face away from her face. Then I looked again, so he turned my face away from her face, until he did that three times while I did not stop.” (Ahmad Shākir said in his checking: this isnād is disconnected but the meaning of the hadīth is Sahīh 2/405)

Ibn Hazm said: “If the face were ‘awrah that must be covered, he (ﷺ) would not have allowed her to keep it uncovered in the presence of people, and he would have commanded her to let down a covering over it from above. And if her face had been covered, Ibn ‘Abbās would not have known whether she was beautiful or ugly.” (al-Muhallā 1/739)

Ibn Battāl said: “If it were obligatory for all women as a obligation, the Prophet (ﷺ) would have commanded the Khath’amī woman to conceal herself…

This hadīth (also) indicates that the believing women’s covering of their faces from other than their male relatives (mahram) is a sunnah, due to their consensus that a woman may show her face in prayer, and strangers may see it from her.” (Sharh Sahīh al-Bukhārī 9/11)

Al-Albānī said: “However, al-Hāfidh (Ibn Hajr) commented on it (i.e. Ibn Battāls statement) by saying:

“I say: In his using the Khath’amī woman’s story as evidence for what he claimed, there is a problem, because she was in ihrām (muhrīmah).”

I say: Not so, for there is no evidence that she was in ihrām. Rather, the apparent is the opposite. We have already cited from al-Hāfidh himself that the Khath’amī woman’s question to the Prophet (ﷺ) was only after stoning Jamrat al-‘Aqabah [this mention comes from a hadīth narrated by Alī ibn Abī Tālib in Al-Tirmidhī 885] meaning after ending ihrām. So al-Hāfidh had forgotten what he himself had verified (may Allāh have mercy on him).” (Hijāb Mar’ah Muslimah pg. 35-36)

Al-Albānī also added: “In this is also evidence that the mentioned covering is not obligatory upon a woman even if she is beautiful, but rather it is recommended for her as it is recommended for others.” (Hijāb Mar’ah Muslimah pg. 36)

Al-Albānī said: “this hadīth is among the clearest and strongest evidence that a woman’s face is not awrah. Because the story occurred at the end of his life and in his sight, which makes the ruling established and firm, it is a text with clear meaning for [interpreting] “to bring close upon themselves part of their outer garments (jalābīb)” and that it does not include the face. Whoever tries to understand the verse without seeking help from the Sunnah has erred.” (Hijāb Mar’ah Muslimah pg. 36)

Shaykh Al-Arnāūt said: “And the apparent meaning of these ahādīth [above] shows the permissibility of a woman uncovering her face and hands.” (Takhrīj Sunan Abū Dawūd 6/199)

Hadīth 6.

أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَابِسٍ، سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ يَذْكُرُ أَنَّهُ شَهِدَ الْعِيدَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: وَأَنَّهُ – عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ – خَطَبَ بَعْدَ أَنْ صَلَّى، ثُمَّ أَتَى النِّسَاءَ وَمَعَهُ بِلَالٌ؛ فَوَعَظَهُنَّ وَذَكَّرَهُنَّ، وَأَمَرَهُنَّ أَنْ يَتَصَدَّقْنَ، فَرَأَيْتُهُنَّ يُهَوِّينَ بِأَيْدِيهِنَّ يَقْذِفْنَهُ فِي ثَوْبِ بِلَالٍ

‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn ‘Ābis narrated: “I heard Ibn ‘Abbās mention that he witnessed the festival (‘Īd) with the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) and that he (ﷺ) gave a sermon after he prayed. Then he came to the women with Bilāl accompanying him, so he advised them and reminded them, and commanded them to give charity. So I saw them reaching with their hands, throwing it into Bilāl’s garment.” (al-Muhallā of Ibn Hazm 1/738, Sahīh al-Bukhārī 977,863, Sahīh Muslim 884)

Ibn Hazm said: “So this is Ibn ‘Abbās, in the presence of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) who saw their hands. So it is established that the hand of a woman and the face are not awrah, and (as for) what is other than them – it is an obligation upon her to cover it.” (al-Muhallā 1/738)

Al-Albānī said: “I say: In his giving pledge of allegiance to the women in this story is evidence that it occurred after the obligation of hijāb, because it was only made obligatory in the third year, and the verse of pledge of allegiance was revealed in the sixth year, as was verified above. This is supported by what is mentioned in “Al-Fath” (2/277: 981) that Ibn ‘Abbās’s witnessing of the story was after the conquest of Makkah.” (Hijāb Mar’ah Muslimah pg. 39)

Hadīth 7.

عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ أَبِي حَازِمٍ ، قَالَ : دَخَلْنَا عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ -فِي مَرَضِهِ فَرَأَيْتُ عِنْدَهُ امْرَأَةً بَيْضَاءَ مَوْشُومَةَ الْيَدَيْنِ ، تَذِبُّ عَنْهُ . وَهِيَ أَسْمَاءُ بِنْتُ عُمَيْسٍ

Qays ibn Abī Hāzim narrated: “We entered upon Abū Bakr – may Allāh be pleased with him – during his illness, and I saw with him a fair-skinned woman with tattooed hands fanning him. And she was Asmā’ bint ‘Umays.” (al-Tabarānī in al-Kabīr 359, Majmā Zawāid Dar al-Minhāj print 8936 – verifier declared the isnād as Sahīh. Authenticated by al-Haythamī)

Shaykh Al-Albānī said: “So this is Asmā’ bint ‘Umays, and she is a female Companion and wife of Abū Bakr, showing her hands in front of non-mahram men in the presence of her husband, and no one denounced this upon her. This shows that this (i.e. permissibility of showing the hands and face) was known among them….”(Hijāb Mar’ah Muslimah pg. 39)

Hadīth 8.

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، – رضى الله عنها – قَالَتْ أَوْمَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ وَرَاءِ سِتْرٍ بِيَدِهَا كِتَابٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَبَضَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدَهُ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ مَا أَدْرِي أَيَدُ رَجُلٍ أَمْ يَدُ امْرَأَةٍ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ بَلِ امْرَأَةٌ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ لَوْ كُنْتِ امْرَأَةً لَغَيَّرْتِ أَظْفَارَكِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ يَعْنِي بِالْحِنَّاءِ ‏

Āishah narrated: “A woman gestured from behind a curtain with her hand, holding a letter to the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) withdrew his hand and said, “I do not know whether this is the hand of a man or the hand of a woman.” She said, “Rather, [it is] a woman.” He said, “If you were a woman, you would have changed your nails.” – meaning, with hinnāʾ (henna).” (Abū Dawūd 4166. Declared Hasan by Al-Albānī in his checking)

Hadīth 9.

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ تُصَلِّي خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَسْنَاءُ مِنْ أَحْسَنِ النَّاسِ – قَالَ – فَكَانَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ يَتَقَدَّمُ فِي الصَّفِّ الأَوَّلِ لِئَلاَّ يَرَاهَا وَيَسْتَأْخِرُ بَعْضُهُمْ حَتَّى يَكُونَ فِي الصَّفِّ الْمُؤَخَّرِ فَإِذَا رَكَعَ نَظَرَ مِنْ تَحْتِ إِبْطِهِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏{‏ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْنَا الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنْكُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْنَا الْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ ‏}‏

Ibn ʿAbbās narrated: “There was a woman who used to pray behind the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), who was beautiful, among the most beautiful of people. So some of the people would move forward in the first row so that they would not see her, while some of the (people) would move back until they would be in the back row. Then when (one of them) bowed, he would look from under his armpit. So Allāh, The-Mighty and Majestic, revealed: “And We have already known those among you who advance and We have already known those who stay behind.” (Sunan al-Nasā’ī 870. Ibn Mājah 1046. Al-Tirmidhī 3122. Authenticated by Al-Albānī in al-Sahīhah 2472 and Al-Ithyūbī in his Sharh of al-Nasā’ī 11/80 – refer to them as they contain invaluable insights and discussion! – from them:

Al-Ithyūbī said in explanation: “in the first row so that they would not see her“, these are the people of religion and piety, “some of the (people) would move back” meaning from the hypocrites (al-munāfiqīn), or the ignorant from the Arab (bedouins), and those weak in faith (al-īmān).” (Sharh al-Nasā’ī 11/79)

Al-Albānī said [refuting those who reject the authenticity of the hadīth by denying it’s text, claiming that it’s unreasonable that one of the worshippers would move to the back of the row to look at a woman]: “When a athar (narration) comes, speculation is invalidated. So after the hadīth is established (to be authentic), there is no room for rejecting what it contains of reality.

And if we opened the door of rejection merely for rational improbability, it would necessitate denying and rejecting many authentic ahādīth – and this is not the way of the people of Sunnah and hadīth, but rather it is the habit/methodology of the Muʿtazilah and people of desires (ahwā).

Then what prevents those people who stayed back from being among the hypocrites who showed faith and concealed disbelief? Rather, what prevents them from being among those who recently entered Islām and have not yet been refined by the refinement of Islām, nor disciplined by its discipline/etiquette?” (al-Sahīhah 2472, 5/612)]

Hadīth 10.

عَنْ جَرِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ، قَالَ : سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ عَنْ نَظَرِ الْفُجَاءَةِ. فَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَصْرِفَ بَصَرِي .وقوله : سألته عن نظرة الفجاءة ، فأمرني أن أصرف بصري

Jarīr ibn ‘Abd Allāh narrated: “I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about the sudden glance. So he commanded me to turn my gaze away.” (Sahīh Muslim 2159)

Qādī ‘Iyād said: “In all of this, according to the scholars, is evidence that it is not obligatory for a woman to cover her face, but rather that is recommended and sunnah for her, and it is upon the man to lower his gaze from her.” (Ikmāl 7/32)


Shaykh Al-Albānī said: “…In these ahādīth is evidence for the permissibility of a woman uncovering her face and her hands.” (Hijāb Mar’ah Muslimah pg. 41)

Hāfidh ibn al-Qattān said: “…turning away from what the apparent wording or story context indicates is not permissible except with supporting evidence that makes that turning into (a valid) interpretation (taʾwīl).

When there is no evidence, the turning away becomes arbitrary. Based on this, it is necessary to hold the position that the apparent meanings (of) these (ahadīth) demonstrate and support regarding the permissibility of a woman displaying her face and hands.” (Ihkām al-Nadhar pg. 209)

Tafsīr of Sūrah al-Nūr, āyah 31

Allāh says:

وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا

“And not reveal their adornment except what appears thereof.” (Nūr:31)

Narrated from ‘Ā’ishah – via the route of ‘Atā’ ibn Abī Rabāh – “except what appears thereof,” she said: “what appears thereof is the face and hands.” (Mawsū Tafsīr Mathūr 15/560)

Narrated by ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Abbās – via the route of Sa’īd ibn Jubayr – regarding His saying: “except what appears thereof,” he said: her face, her hands, and the ring.”

Similar was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar, Ibrāhīm al-Nakha’ī and Abī Sālih. (Mawsū Tafsīr Mathūr 15/561)

Narrated by Sa’īd ibn Jubayr – via the route of ‘Abd Allāh ibn Muslim – regarding His saying: “except what appears thereof,” he said: (it refers to) the face and the hands.” (Mawsū Tafsīr Mathūr 15/563)

Atā ibn Abī Rabāh via Abū ‘Amr about “except what appears thereof” – he said: (it refers to) the hands and face.” (Mawsū Tafsīr Mathūr 15/564)

From Hishām, he said: I heard Makhūl [al-Shāmī] saying: “the apparent adornment is the face and hands.” (Mawsū Tafsīr Mathūr 15/564)

Ismā’īl al-Suddī said: “except what appears thereof,” “meaning: except what appears in the face and hands.” (Mawsū Tafsīr Mathūr 15/565)

Al-Awzā’ī was asked about “and not reveal their adornment except what appears thereof.” He said: (it refers to) the hands and the face. (Tafsīr al-Tabarī 13/232)

al-Dahhāk said regarding His saying: “and not reveal their adornment…”He said: (it refers to) the hand and the face. (Tafsīr al-Tabarī 13/232)

Yūnus narrated: “and not reveal their adornment except what appears thereof.” Al-Hasan (al-Basrī) said: the face and clothes. (Tafsir al-Tabarī 13/233)

Muqātil ibn Sulaymān said: “and not reveal their adornment except what appears thereof,” “meaning: the face, the hands, and the place of bracelets.” (Tafsīr Muqātil 3/195)

Imām al-Tabarī said [after presenting the different interpretations of the verse]: “The most worthy of opinions in this matter regarding correctness is the opinion of those who said: what is meant by that is the face and hands.

We only said that this is the most worthy of opinions in this matter regarding correctness because of the consensus of everyone that every praying person must cover their ‘awrah in their prayer, and that a woman may uncover her face and hands in her prayer, and that she must cover what is other than that from her body… ” (Tafsīr al-Tabarī 13/233)

Imām al-Qurtubī said: “… since the predominant case with the face and hands is their appearance customarily* and in worship – that being in prayer and pilgrimage (hajj) – it is suitable that the exception (in this verse) refers to them…

… a woman should not display any of her adornment except what appears of her face and hands.” (Jāmi’ al-Ahkām 7/418)

[*T.N: al-Hāfidh ibn Qattān al-Fāsī said: customarily, meaning: what was the custom of those upon whom the Qur’ān was revealed and who conveyed the Sharī’ah from the Prophet (ﷺ) and who were present for the direct address, and those who adhered to that custom after them down through the generations – not the custom of women and others who expose their bodies and awrah – Nadhar fī Ahkām al-Nadhar 2/14, see al-Jilbāb Muslimah of Al-Albānī pg. 53]

Al-Hāfidh ibn al-Qattān said: “The meaning of the verse is: They should not display their adornment in its places to anyone from the creation, except what was customarily apparent during conduct.

Therefore, what occurs of its appearance and display without intending wanton display/showing off and exposing oneself to temptation (fitnah) – there is no blame in it.

By this (interpretation) occurs the distinction between what is apparent (dhāhirah) and appears customarily unless covered intentionally – like the face and hands, and what is covered/concealed unless it appears intentionally.

It is permissible for her to display the first category (i.e. the apparent – the face and hands) during states of conduct and ordinary activities, and it is not obligatory upon her to maintain its covering. It is prohibited for her to display the second category (i.e. what is to be concealed – the rest of the body) in all circumstances, and it is obligatory upon her to maintain its covering – even the feet likewise during walking…” (Ihkām al-Nadhar pg. 209-210)

Imām Makkī ibn Abī Tālib said: “And the statement of those who said: “It (refers to) the face and hands” is the best of them, because the scholars have reached consensus that a woman may uncover her face and hands in her prayer, and that she must cover what is other than that…

…so if that is permissible for her in prayer, it is known that it is not ‘awrah, and if it is not ‘awrah, it is permissible for her to show it, just as what is not ‘awrah of a man is permissible for him to show. So this would be from what Allāh – The Majestic – excepted.” (Hidāyah Ilā Bulūgh al-Nihāyah 6/3208)

Imām al-Sam’ānī said: “[after mentioning narrations from the salaf]… know that what is meant by adornment (az-zīnah) here is the place of adornment. Based on this, it is permissible to look at a woman’s face and hands without desire, and if he fears desire, he should lower his gaze.” (Tafsīr al-Sam’ānī 3/85)

Qādī ‘Iyād said: “The early salaf differed regarding His saying: {And not reveal their adornment except what appears thereof} [an-Nūr: verse 31]. A group of the salaf held that it (refers to) the face and hands.

Qādī Ismā’īl said: and this is what’s apparent, because a woman is required to cover in prayer every part of her that strangers should not see except her face and hands, so this indicates that it is permissible for strangers to see it, and this is the position of (Imām) Mālik.” (Ikmāl 7/32)

Imām Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr said: “…and upon the position of Ibn ʿAbbās and Ibn ʿUmar is the reliance of the fuqahāʾ (jurists) in this topic. So this is what has come regarding women and their ruling concerning concealment in their prayer and other than their prayer (i.e. that they can show their face and hands).” (al-Tamhīd 4/334)

The manner of performing ghusl

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The sufficient ghusl

• Having the intention to perform ghusl (which is in the heart and not uttered)

• Say the basmallah (i.e. “Bismillāh”)

• Cover the entire exterior body with water in any manner

• Not required to rinse the mouth and inhale/exhale water from the nose as no evidence to specify this.

Evidence and explanations:

Sahīh al-Bukhārī 54. Abū Dawūd 101, al-Nasā’ī 78. Sūrah al-Māidah:6. Musnad Imām Ahmad 16307, Sahīh al-Jāmi’ of Al-Albānī 4431. Musnad Imām Ahmad 16795. Sahīh Muslim 330.

Sharh Zād al-Mustaqnī’ by Sālih al-Fawzān 1/125. Jāmi al-Turāth of Al-Albānī 1/352-353. Sharh ‘Umdatul-Ahkām of Ahmad al-Najmī 1/92. Sharh al-‘Umdah of Ibn Taymiyyah 1/393-396. Mu’jam Fiqh al-Salaf of al-Kittānī 1/34-35.

The complete ghusl

• Having the intention to perform ghusl (which is in the heart and not uttered)

• Say the basmallah (i.e. “Bismillāh”)

• Begin by washing the hands two or three times

• Pour water with the right hand onto the left and wash the private parts (with the left hand only)

• Strike/rub the hand on the ground or wall two or three times

• Perform wudūʾ as done for prayer including washing the feet. Although one can delay washing the feet until the end.

• Take water and insert fingers into the roots of the hair

• Scoop three handfuls onto the head (begin with right side of the head and then the left)

• Pour water over the rest of the body

• Move away from the bathing place and wash the feet

• Do not perform wudūʾ after ghusl

Evidence and explanations:

Sahīh al-Bukhārī  54, 258, 272,273,274. Sahīh Muslim 267, 316, 317, 318,319, al-Nasā’ī 78,243, Abū Dawūd 101, 250.

Sharh ‘Umdatul-Ahkām of Ahmad al-Najmī 1/90-91, Jāmi Turāth of Al-Albānī 1/349, Nayl al-Awtār of al-Shawkānī 1/399. Sharh al-‘Umdah of Ibn Taymiyyah 1/396-405. Minhatul-A’lām Sharh Bulūgh al-Marām 2/50-51.

Related posts:

Ghusl, perfume and siwak is obligatory on Jumu’ah – Ibn Hazm:

https://fawaaids.com/2025/02/28/ghusl-perfume-and-siwak-is-obligatory-on-jumuah-ibn-hazm/

The ghusl for Jumu’ah can be performed after Fajr:

https://fawaaids.com/2025/02/13/the-ghusl-for-jumuah-can-be-performed-after-fajr/

What are the things that makes ghusl obligatory:

https://fawaaids.com/2024/02/03/what-are-the-things-that-makes-ghusl-obligatory/

Sîrah Series: How Sa’d Ibn Mu’âdh & Usayd Ibn Hudayr Embraced Islâm:

https://fawaaids.com/2020/08/10/how-sad-ibn-muadh-usayd-ibn-hudayr-embraced-islam/

The Sunan of ‘Îd:

https://fawaaids.com/2020/07/30/the-prophets-guidance-regarding-id/

Is it permissible to pray two rak’ah before Maghrib

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم


Imām Muslim said:

Chapter, it is recommended to pray two rak’ah before Maghrib

Hadīth 1.

وَكُنَّا نُصَلِّي عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ، قَبْلَ صَلَاةِ الْمَغْرِبِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ : أَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَّاهُمَا ؟ قَالَ : كَانَ يَرَانَا نُصَلِّيهِمَا ، فَلَمْ يَأْمُرْنَا وَلَمْ يَنْهَنَا

Anas narrated:… And we used to pray during the time of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) two rak’ahs after the setting of the sun, before the Maghrib prayer.

I (i.e. the narrator – Mukhtar ibn Fulful) said to him: Did the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) pray them?

He said: He used to see us praying them, and he neither commanded us nor forbade us. (Sahīh Muslim 836)

Hadīth 2.

عَنْ أَنَسِ ابْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: كُنَّا بِالْمَدِينَةِ، فَإِذَا أَذَّنَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ لِصَلَاةِ الْمَغْرِبِ ابْتَدَرُوا السَّوَارِيَ، فَرَكَعُوا رَكْعَتَيْنِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، حَتَّى إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ الْغَرِيبَ لَيَدْخُلُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَيَحْسِبُ أَنَّ الصَّلَاةَ قَدْ صُلِّيَتْ مِنْ كَثْرَةِ مَنْ يُصَلِّيهِمَا

Anas ibn Mālik narrated: We were in Medīnah, and when the muadhin called the adhān for the Maghrib prayer, they (i.e. the companions) would hasten to the pillars and pray two rak’ahs, to the extent that a stranger would enter the mosque and think that the prayer had already been performed due to the large number of those praying them. (Sahīh Muslim 837)

Al-Shawkānī said: His (ﷺ) approval of those whom he saw praying at that time indicates that prayer at that time is not disliked, especially when a large number of companions were doing so…

… (The two rak’ah) was recommended by a group of companions and successors (tabi’īn), and from among the later scholars Ahmad and Ishāq.

Those who held the view of recommendation argued with the authentic hadīths in this chapter (i.e. hadīth 1 and 2) and with what Ibn Hibbān reported from the hadīth of ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal: [Hadīth 3]

أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى قَبْلَ المَغْرِبِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ،[ثم قال: «صَلُّوا قَبْلَ المَغْرِبِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ قَالَ عِنْدَ الثَّالِثَةِ : لِمَنْ شَاءَ… ]

“That the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed two rak’ahs before Maghrib, [then said: “Pray two rak’ahs before Maghrib.” Then at the third time he said: “For whoever wishes… “] (Sahīh Ibn Hibbān 1588, ibn Khuzaymah 1293. Sahīh upon the conditions of Muslim according to al-Arnāūt)

so it is established from him (ﷺ) in word, in action, and in approval. (Nayl al-Awtār 1/525, slightly adapted)

Al-Muhibb al-Tabarī said regarding hadīth 3: this hadīth is one of the strongest evidences for its recommendation. (Tahdhīb Sharh as-Sunnah of al-Baghawī 2/243)

Al-Arnāūt said: Ahmad, Ishāq, and the people of hadīth held the view that they are recommended, and the totality of evidence indicates the recommendation to make them brief, as in the two rak’ahs of Fajr. (Tahdhīb Sharh as-Sunnah 2/244)

A weak narration used to prohibit these two rak’ah

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، قَالَ سُئِلَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ عَنِ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ، قَبْلَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَقَالَ مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّيهِمَا

Ibn Bashshār > Muhammad ibn Ja’far > Shu’bah > Abū Shu’ayb > Tawūs who said: Ibn ‘Umar was asked about the two rak’ahs before Maghrib, and he said: “I did not see anyone during the time of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) praying them.” (Abū Dawūd 1284 and others

Declared da’īf (weak) by Al-Albānī in his checking of Abū Dawūd saying (10/49): Abū Shu’ayb is not known who he is, as Ibn Hazm stated.

Declared inauthentic by Ibn Hazm in al-Muhallā 2/254, who also said: “even if (the narration) were authentic, there is no prohibition (of performing the two rak’ah) in it.”

Declared shādh (irregular/anomalous) by Yasīr Fathī in his checking, 14/267)

In a variant wording: “I did not find anyone during the time of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) praying them.”

In a variant wording: “I did not see anyone praying them during the time of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ).”

In a variant wording: “I did not see anyone pray them during the time of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) nor after him.”

Yasīr Fathī said: This is how it was narrated from Shu’bah by three of his companions: Ghundar Muhammad ibn Ja’far, Abū Dawūd al-Tayalisī, and Yahyā ibn Kathir al-‘Anbarī.

They were contradicted by: Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah… [full isnād omitted]… I heard Tawūs saying:

سألت ابن عمر عن الركعتين قبل المغرب؟ فلم ينه عنهما

I asked Ibn ‘Umar about the two rak’ahs before Maghrib? And he did not forbid them. [This narration is mawquf, i.e., it stops at the companion and doesn’t reach the Prophet]. (Ibn Abi Shaybah 7387 and others)

What appears clearer to me is that this hadīth is anomalous (shādh); because it contradicts what is in the two Sahīhs (i.e. the narrations of Anas and Abdullāh ibn Mughaffal. (Summarised and abridged, Takhrīj Sunan Abū Dawūd 14/267)

Shaykh ‘Abdul-Muhsin said: This hadīth (of Ibn ‘Umar), is weak and cannot be used as evidence; because it contradicts the previously mentioned hadīths, and in its chain of narration is Abū Shu’ayb who was said to be Shu’ayb. Some scholars said: both are unknown, while others said: Shu’ayb is the seller of tayālisah (a type of head garment), and there’s nothing wrong with him (i.e. he is acceptable). However, even if the chain of narration were authentic, established, and without any issues, it would still be classified as shādh (irregular/anomalous), meaning: it contradicts the narrations of trustworthy narrators who reported from the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) what indicates the permissibility of prayer between the adhān and iqāmah before Maghrib prayer. (Sharh Abū Dawūd 9/158)

‘Adhīm al-Ābādī said: In my view, this hadīth is a mistake/error from Shu’ayb, the narrator from Tawūs, and he alone narrated it from Tawūs.

How can this narration be authentic when a group of companions like ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal, Anas, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir, and others have narrated from the Prophet (ﷺ) that he permitted this for whoever wanted to pray, and it was done during his time in his presence, and he did not forbid it?

It has been narrated from a group of companions and successors that they used to pray two rak’ahs before Maghrib, including among the companions: Anas, ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf, Ubayy ibn Ka’b, Abū Ayyūb al-Ansārī, Abū al-Darda’, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh, and others, and the narrations of these are reported in “Qiyām al-Layl” by Muhammad ibn Nasr. (‘Awn al-Ma’būd 3/132-133)

Another weak narration used to prohibit these two rak’ah

حَدَّثَنَا ابن المبارك: أخبرنا شعبة، عن قتادة، قال: قلت لسعيد بن المسيب: إن أبا سعيد الخدري كان يصلي الركعتين قبل المغرب، فقال: كان ينهى عنهما، ولم أدرك أحدًا من أصحاب رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – يصليهما غير سعد بن مالك – رضي الله عنه

Nu’aym ibn Hammād > Ibn al-Mubarāk > Shu’bah > Qatādah, who said: I said to Sa’īd ibn al-Musayyib: “Abū Sa’īd al-Khudrī used to pray the two rak’ahs before Maghrib.” He said: “He used to forbid them, and I did not encounter anyone from the companions of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) praying them except for Sa’d ibn Mālik – may Allāh be pleased with him.” (al-Tahāwī in al-Mushkil 5501)

Yasīr Fathī said (14/270): This (narration) is not established; neither from the hadīth of Shu’bah, nor from the hadīth of Ibn al-Mubarāk. It was uniquely narrated by: Nu’aym ibn Hammād al-Marwazī, and he is: weak, (who) narrates objectionable/rejected reports from trustworthy narrators, and narrates (that) which has no basis… [see: al-Tahdhīb (4/234), al-Mīzān (4/267)].

Nu’aym ibn Hammād al-Marwazī:

Ibn Hajr said: (He is) Truthful but makes many mistakes. A jurist knowledgeable in inheritance laws. From the tenth (class of narrators). (al-Taqrīb pg. 309)

Al-Dhahabī said: (He was) one of the leading scholars, layyin (soft, i.e. has some weakness) in his hadīth.

His kunyah is Abū ‘Abdullah al-Faradī, the one-eyed (al-A’war), the memoriser (al-Hāfidh).

He settled and stayed in Egypt for about forty years.

He was severe against the Jahmiyyah, having taken this from Nūh al-Jāmi’, whose scribe he was.

Sālih ibn Mismār said: I heard Nu’aym saying:
“I was a Jahmī, and that is why I knew their discourse. When I sought hadīth, I realised that their matter leads to ta’tīl (i.e. denying [Allāhs attributes].”

Al-Khatīb said: It is said that Nu’aym ibn Hammād was the first to compile a Musnad.

Yahyā ibn Ma’īn said: “Nu’aym ibn Hammād is truthful…”

Ahmad al-‘Ijlī said: “Trustworthy, truthful.”

Al-‘Abbās ibn Mus’ab said in his Tarīkh (“History”): “Nu’aym ibn Hammād authored books refuting the Hanafīs and books refuting the Jahmiyyah. He was among the most knowledgeable people in inheritance laws. Then he went to Egypt and stayed there for over forty years. He was then taken to Iraq during the inquisition/trial of the Qur’ān, shackled along with al-Buwaytī, and Nu’aym ibn Hammād died in Surra Man Ra’ā (Sāmarrā in Irāq).”

Ibn Sa’d said: Nu’aym was brought from Egypt during the caliphate of al-Mu’tasim. He was questioned about the Qur’ān and refused to answer, so he was imprisoned in Sāmarrā. He remained imprisoned until he died in prison.

Abū Dāwūd said: Nu’aym ibn Hammād had about twenty hadīths from the Prophet that have no basis.

Al-Nasā’ī said: He is weak.

Al-Nasā’ī also said:… he is among those whose narrations cannot be used as proof.

Al-Azdī said: Nu’aym used to create/make-up hadīth to strengthen the Sunnah…

Ibn Yūnus said: He died in Jumādā al-Ūlā, in the year 228 AH. He said: He understood hadīth and narrated objectionable/rejected hadīths from trustworthy narrators. (Abridged and adapted from al-Mīzān al-‘Itidāl 5/29-31)

Ahmad ibn Shu’ayb said: He is weak.

Ahmad and Yahyā (ibn Ma’īn) said: ‘Nu’aym ibn Hammād is known for seeking knowledge,’ then Yahyā criticised him saying: ‘He narrates from unreliable narrators.’ (al-Kāmil 8/251)

Al-Albānī on Tafsīr Rūh al-Ma’ānī of Al-Alūsī

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The Questioner: What is your opinion of the tafsīr (Qur’ān exegesis) book “Rūh al-Ma’ānī” by “al-Ālūsī”?

The Shaykh: I believe that this book – meaning a book of tafsīr – (is) very beneficial; if not (for the fact) that it contains something of Sufi elements in a chapter/section (which) he dedicates after he interprets the verses according to the established method among the scholars of tafsīr; where he says: “Chapter on allusions/indications” (bāb fī al-ishārah), so he brings Sufi interpretations which we do not approve of; especially since he is a knowledgeable and virtuous man, and he has a strong inclination toward Salafiyyah, and distance from much of what some of the later commentators (of tafsīr) fell into regarding the misinterpretation of verses about divine attributes (of Allāh) and belief in some innovations and superstitions.

So his tafsīr is free from such matters, and he is indeed a great scholar as evidenced by this tafsīr of his, were it not for his leaning toward some Sufi elements. Perhaps what led him to this was that he lived in a time when Sufism and tarīqah orders and such prevailed.

In any case, if a student of knowledge takes care to study this tafsīr and benefit from it, and stays away from this particular chapter or section that he establishes regarding interpretation through Sufi allusions, then there is much good in it, in shā’ Allāh. (Link)

The definition and types of Sabr – ibn al-Qayyim/Ibn Taymiyyah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim said:

“Patience” (al-Sabr) linguistically means: restraint and holding back. From this comes (the expression) “so-and-so was killed sabran” when he was held and restrained. From this is His saying, The Most High:

﴿ وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ﴾

“And keep yourself patient with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His Face” [Al-Kahf: 28] – meaning: restrain yourself with them.

So patience is: restraining the soul from panic/distress and discontent, restraining the tongue from complaint, and restraining the limbs from disorderly conduct/inappropriate behaviour.

And it (consists of) three types: patience in obedience to Allāh, patience (in refraining) from disobedience to Allāh, and (having) patience upon Allāh’s (tests and) trials. The first two are patience regarding what relates to acquisition (i.e. what is within one’s control), and the third is patience regarding what the servant has no acquisition in.

I heard Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allāh purify his soul, say: “(Prophet) Yūsuf’s patience from complying with the wife of al-‘Azīz in her affair was more complete than his patience regarding his brothers throwing him in the well, selling him, and separating him from his father. For these are events that happened to him involuntary – having no acquisition in them. The servant has no recourse/means in such matters other than patience.

But as for his patience/abstinence from sin/disobedience was patience of choice, contentment, and fighting the soul, especially given the causes that strengthen the motives for compliance;

for he was a young man, and the call of youth to it is strong.

And (he was) unmarried, having nothing to compensate him and repel his desire.

And (he was a) stranger, and the stranger does not feel shame in his land of exile from what he would feel shame about among his companions, acquaintances, and family.

And (he was) owned/enslaved, and the owned person’s restraint is not like the restraint of the free person.

And the woman (was) beautiful, possessing (high) status, and she was his mistress.

And indeed the observer was absent.

And she was (the one) calling him to herself, and the one eager for that – (with) severe eagerness.

Despite all these motives, he was patient by choice, preferring what is with Allāh.

And (on top of) that, she threatened him with prison and humiliation if he did not (comply).

Where is this compared to his patience in the well regarding what was not of his acquisition?”

He (i.e. Shaykh al-Islām ibn Taymiyyah) used to say: “Patience in performing acts of obedience is more complete and superior than patience in avoiding prohibitions. For indeed the benefit of obedience is more beloved to the Lawgiver than the benefit of leaving sin, and the corruption of not performing obedience is more hated and disliked by Him than the corruption of the existence of sin.”

(al-Daw al-Munīr alā Tafsīr of Ibn al-Qayyim 1/378-379)

Recommendation of saying the adhan when praying alone & affirming Allah’s attribute of amazement

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Imām al-Nasā’ī said: “Chapter: The Adhan For One Who Is Praying Alone”

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) say:

يَعْجَبُ رَبُّكَ مِنْ رَاعِي غَنَمٍ فِي شَطْيَّةٍ بِجَبَلٍ يُؤَذِّنُ لِلصَّلاةِ وَيُصَلِّي، فَيَقُولُ اللهُ : انظُرُوا إِلَى عبدي هذا، يُؤَذِّنُ وَيُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةِ يَخَافُ مِنِّي، فَقَدْ غَفَرْت لِعَبْدِي وَأَدْخَلْتُهُ الْجَنَّةَ

“Your Lord ya’jab (wonders/is amazed)* by a shepherd of a flock (of sheep) on a mountain-path who calls the adhān for prayer and prays. So Allāh says: ‘Look at this servant of Mine – he calls the adhān and establishes prayer, he fears Me. I have forgiven My servant and admitted him to Paradise.'”. [al-Nasā’ī 666, Ahmad 16861, 16989, and others. Authenticated by al-‘Allāmah al-Albānī in Sahīh al-Targhīb wa al-Tarhīb 247 and Imām al-Ithyūbī in Sharh al-Nasā’ī 8/216].

Shaykh al-Islām Abū Barakāt Majd ad-Dīn said: “In it is evidence that the adhān is recommended for the one praying alone, even if he is in a place where no one can hear him.” (Nayl al-Awtār 2/569)

Salmān narrated, who raised it [to the Prophet (ﷺ)]: “When a man is in a land of wilderness and he performs ablution, and if he does not find water, he performs tayammum, then he makes the call to prayer, then establishes it and prays it except that he leads (in prayer) some of Allāh’s soldiers in rows.“

In a variant from Salmān: “… except that there pray behind him from Allāh’s creation what he cannot see their two ends.”

In a variant from Salmān: “…They bow with his bowing and prostrate with his prostration.” (Musannaf of ‘Abdul-Razzāq 1955, al-Nasā’ī al-Kubrā 4503, Musannaf ibn Abī Shaybah 2291,2292 – Sahīh, Dar al-Hadīth print and others. See Talkhīs of Ibn Hajr 2/543-544)

Imām al-Shawkānī said: “The hadīth shows the legislation of adhān for the one praying alone, so it is suitable for refuting the statement of those who said: “The legislation of adhān is specific to congregation.”” (Nayl al-Awtār 2/570)

Imām al-Shāfi’ī said: “… I do not like the adhān to be left out for an obligatory prayer, whether its performer prays alone or gathers (with others)…

A man should not leave that out (i.e. giving adhān and iqāmah) whether he prays at home or in congregation…

A man’s adhān and iqāmah in his house are the same as outside his house in the ruling, and (it is) the same whether he hears the mu’adhdhins around him or doesn’t hear them. I do not like for him to leave out the adhān nor the iqāmah…. “(al-Umm 1/102-103)

Imām Abū Bakr ibn al-Mundhir al-Naysābūrī said: “I prefer that he call adhān and establish iqāmah when he prays alone, and iqāmah suffices him even if he doesn’t call adhān. If he prayed without adhān or iqāmah, repeating (the salāh) would not be obligatory upon him. I only preferred adhān and iqāmah for the one praying alone because of the hadīth of Abū Sa’īd al-Khudrī.

[“I see you liking sheep and the wilderness. So whenever you are with your sheep or in the wilderness and you want to pronounce Adhān for the prayer raise your voice in doing so, for whoever hears the Adhān, whether a human being, a jinn or any other creature, will be a witness for you on the Day of Resurrection.” Abu Sa’īd added, “I heard it (this narration) from Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) (Sahīh al-Bukhārī 609].” (Al-Awsat 2/197)

*Imām al-Ithyūbī said (regarding those who interpret ‘ajab, wonder/amazement, as “Allāh’s pleasure”, or “magnification”, or as a metaphorical and not literal meaning):

“(this interpretation) is not correct. Rather, al-‘ajab, wonder/amazement) is among the attributes (of Allāh) which the Prophet has (ﷺ) affirmed in this hadīth and other authentic ahādīth.

So it is established for Allāh, The-Most High, in the manner befitting His majesty, like the rest of the attributes which Allāh, The Most-High, affirmed for Himself in His Book or which came in the authentic Sunnah – such as ar-ridā (pleasure), al-mahabbah (love), al-dahk (laughter), an-nuzūl (descent), al-istiwā’ (rising), and others. All of them are established for Him in the meaning befitting Him, The-Perfect – free from deficiencies, and The Most-High.

It does not necessitate from our affirming the (attributes) that we liken Him to the creation, because that would only be necessary if we said: “‘ajab like our ‘ajab, and ridā like our ridā,” and so forth. But when we affirm them as He affirmed them for Himself, in the manner befitting His majesty, then nothing of resemblance is necessitated:

“ليس كمثله شيء وهو السميع البصير“

There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” [Qur’ān 42:11] (Sharh al-Nasā’ī 8/213-214)

The meaning of fatwā & who can issue one

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

What is the meaning of a fatwā

Al-Azharī said:… it is said: The man gave a fatwā in the matter, and I sought a fatwā from him… it is said: I gave someone a fatwā regarding a vision he saw when I interpreted it for him, and I gave him a fatwā in his question when I answered him about it. (Tahdhīb al-Lughā 3/2731)

Ibn Mandhūr said:… It is said: aftā in the matter – yuftīhi when he answers him, and the noun is fatwā. (Lisān 7/23)

al-Qarāfī said: “Fatwā: is informing about the ruling of Allāh, The Most-High, regarding obligation/what is binding or permission.” (al-Furūq 4/35)

al-Buhūtī said: “Clarifying the Sharī’ah (legal) ruling for the one who asks about it.” (Sharh Muntahā al-Irādāt 3/483)

In al-Mawsū al-Fiqhiyyah, it is said: “Informing about the ruling of Allāh, The Most-High, regarding Shar’ī (legal) incidents based on evidence.” (al-Mawsū’ah al-Fiqhiyyah 32/20)

Ibn Salāh said: “… it was said regarding al-futyā: that it is signing on behalf of Allāh, The Blessed and Most-High.” (Kitāb Adab al-Muftī pg. 72)

The prohibition on speaking about Allāh and his religion without knowledge

Allāh says:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ كُلُواْ مِمَّا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ حَلَٰلٗا طَيِّبٗا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمۡ عَدُوّٞ مُّبِينٌ. إِنَّمَا يَأۡمُرُكُم بِٱلسُّوٓءِ وَٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ

O people! Eat from what is on the earth, halāl and pure/good (tayyib), and do not follow the footsteps of ash-Shaytān (the devil). Indeed, he is for you a clear enemy. He only commands you with evil and indecency/immorality, and that you say about Allāh what you do not know.” (al-Baqarah 2:168-169)

Abū Hayyān said: “al-Zamakhsharī said: ‘It is their saying “this is halāl and this is harām” without knowledge, and it includes everything that is attributed to Allāh of what is not permissible regarding Him.’ End quote.

It was said: And the apparent meaning of this is the prohibition of speaking about the religion of Allāh with what the speaker does not know (i.e. lacks knowledge of) from the religion of Allāh. So this includes opinion, analogies, doubtful matters, and juristic preference/discretion.” (al-Bahr al-Muhīt 2/102)

How the Imāms of the Salaf were when it came to issuing fatāwās/verdicts

‘Abd ar-Rahmān ibn Abī Laylāh said: “I encountered one hundred and twenty from the Ansār (the helpers) from among the companions of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ). One of them would be asked about a matter/issue, so he would turn it away to this one, and this one to this one, until it would return (back) to the first one.” (Kitāb al-Madkhal ilā as-Sunan al-Kubrā pg. 433)

Abū Husayn said: “Indeed, one of them gives a fatwā in a matter/issue and if it had come to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (رضي الله عنه), he would have gathered for it the people of Badr.” (Kitāb al-Madkhal ilā as-Sunan al-Kubrā pg. 434)

Muhammad ibn Sīrīn said: “That a man dies ignorant is better than that he says (about something) what he does not know.” (Kitāb al-Madkhal ilā as-Sunan al-Kubrā pg. 434)

Abd al-Malik ibn Abī Sulaymān said: Sa’īd ibn Jubayr was asked about something, so he said: “I do not know.” Then he said: “Woe to whoever says to what he does not know: ‘Indeed I know.'” (Kitāb al-Madkhal ilā as-Sunan al-Kubrā pg. 435)

Haytham ibn Jamīl he said: “I witnessed Mālik ibn Anas being asked about forty-eight matters/issues, and he said regarding thirty-two of them: ‘I do not know.” (Kitāb Adab al-Muftī pg. 79 of Ibn Salāh)

Sufyān al-Thawrī said: “I encountered the jurists and they dislike that they answer in matters/issues and fatwā, and they do not give fatwās until they find no alternative but to give fatwās.” (Akhlāq al-‘Ulamā’ of al-Ājurrī 1/102)

Who can issue a fatwā

Shaykh Ibn Bāz was asked:

Who are the (qualified) of (issuing) fatwā (ahl al-fatwā) whom general Muslims must take (from)? We have a brother in Allāh (i.e. in faith) who is a believing Muslim with good conduct in religion and in socially/general life, but he is not deeply knowledgeable in religion to the degree that he can issue fatwās. In some matters he gives us fatwās and says: “This is on my responsibility.” Should we take his fatwā or not, and does he have the right to issue fatwās or not?


ANSWER:
The people (qualified) of (issuing) fatwā (ahl al-fatwā) are those who have gained deep understanding in the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of His Messenger (ﷺ), and who have acquired good/sound knowledge of what Allāh has made permissible (halāl), what Allāh has forbidden (harām), and what Allāh has made obligatory. And the people of knowledge (i.e. scholars), jurisprudence (fiqh) (i.e. jurists), and righteousness have testified to their knowledge and that they are qualified to issue fatwās.

It is not appropriate to seek fatwās from just anyone, even if they claim affiliation to religion, worship, or knowledge, until the people of knowledge are asked about them. The inquirer should seek insight through those who know them well and whom he trusts as people of knowledge, so they can inform him that this person is qualified for fatwā and qualified to issue rulings on the permissible (halāl) and forbidden (harām) and similar matters.

The point is that this (issue of who can give/whom fatāwā is sought from) requires verification and careful consideration, not laxity. Not everyone who claims affiliation to religion, worship, or knowledge is suitable for this. Rather, there must be jurisprudence (fiqh) in religion and insight, there must be piety (wara’) and fear of Allāh (taqwā), and there must be caution against being lenient in fatwā and being bold in (issuing) it without knowledge and without right. And there is no strength or power except with Allāh.

Link here

Ibn Salāh said:

The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said: “Indeed, the scholars are the inheritors of the prophets.”

So He established for the scholars a special characteristic through which they surpassed the rest of the ummah. And what they are engaged in regarding the matter of fatwā clarifies their attainment of that for the one seeking clarification. And for that reason it was said regarding al-futyā: that it is signing on behalf of Allāh, Blessed and Most-High. (Kitāb Adab al-Muftī pg. 72)

Signs of the hour: long sermons and short prayers

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The sunnah is to make the khutbah (sermon) short and the salāh (prayer) long

قَالَ أَبُو وَائِلٍ خَطَبَنَا عَمَّارٌ فَأَوْجَزَ وَأَبْلَغَ فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ قُلْنَا يَا أَبَا الْيَقْظَانِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتَ وَأَوْجَزْتَ فَلَوْ كُنْتَ تَنَفَّسْتَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ طُولَ صَلاَةِ الرَّجُلِ وَقِصَرَ خُطْبَتِهِ مَئِنَّةٌ مِنْ فِقْهِهِ فَأَطِيلُوا الصَّلاَةَ وَاقْصُرُوا الْخُطْبَةَ

From Abū Wā’il, he said: ‘Ammār delivered a khutbah to us, and he was concise and eloquent. When he came down, we said to him: “Oh Abā al-Yaqdhān you have indeed been eloquent and concise. If only you had lengthened (the speech somewhat)?!” He said: “I heard the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) say: ‘The length of a man’s prayer and the brevity of his khutbah (sermon) are a sign of his fiqh (understanding), so lengthen the salāh and shorten the khutbah (sermon).” (Sahīh Muslim 869)

Al-Muhaddīth al-Qurtubī said: “And his saying: “Lengthen the salāh (prayer) and shorten the khutbah (sermon)” is not contradictory to his saying: “His prayer was moderate (qasdan) and his sermon was moderate (qasdan)” (Sahīh Muslim 898) because each one is qasd – meaning balanced/moderate – in its own category. However, the prayer should be longer than the sermon, with moderation (qasd) in each one of them.” (Al-Mufhim 2/504)

Al-Nawawī said: “… what is intended by this hadīth is that the prayer should be long in relation to the sermon…” (Sharh Sahīh Muslim 3/386)

Hāfidh Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr said: “As for shortening the khutbah, it is a Sunnah masnūnah (i.e. a prescribed sunnah to be followed); The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) used to command (with) that and do it (himself).

And in the hadīth of ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir: “The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) commanded us to shorten the sermon” (Abū Dawūd 1106, declared Sahīh by Al-Albānī in his checking), and he would deliver sermons with words which were good and a few. He disliked tashadduq (i.e. elaborate/pretentious speech to impress others) and tafayhuq (pompous/inflated speech).

The people of knowledge dislike from the sermons/exhortation (that) what makes some of it cause other (parts of it) to be forgotten due to its length. They prefer sermons where the listener who is being admonished can grasp and reflect upon them after memorising them – and this only occurs with brevity.” (Al-Istidhkār 4/490-491)

Signs of the last hour: long khutbahs and short prayers

‘Abdullāh ibn Masūd (رضي الله عنه) said to a person:

إِنَّكَ فِي زَمَانٍ كَثِيرٌ فُقَهَاؤُهُ قَلِيلٌ قُرَّاؤُهُ تُحْفَظُ فِيهِ حُدُودُ الْقُرْآنِ وَتُضَيَّعُ حُرُوفُهُ قَلِيلٌ مَنْ يَسْأَلُ كَثِيرٌ مَنْ يُعْطِي يُطِيلُونَ فِيهِ الصَّلاَةَ وَيَقْصُرُونَ الْخُطْبَةَ يُبَدُّونَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ قَبْلَ أَهْوَائِهِمْ وَسَيَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ قَلِيلٌ فُقَهَاؤُهُ كَثِيرٌ قُرَّاؤُهُ يُحْفَظُ فِيهِ حُرُوفُ الْقُرْآنِ وَتُضَيَّعُ حُدُودُهُ كَثِيرٌ مَنْ يَسْأَلُ قَلِيلٌ مَنْ يُعْطِي يُطِيلُونَ فِيهِ الْخُطْبَةَ وَيَقْصُرُونَ الصَّلاَةَ يُبَدُّونَ فِيهِ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ قَبْلَ أَعْمَالِهِمْ

“Indeed, you are in a time when its fuqahā’ – scholars/people of knowledge – are many, its qurrā’ – Qurān reciters – are few. In it, the hudūd – boundaries/limits – of the Qur’ān are preserved, while its hurūf – letters/recitation – are neglected. Few are those who ask, many are those who give. In it they lengthen the salāh (prayer) and shorten the khutbah (sermon). They put their a’māl – actions – before their ahwā’ – desires.

And there will come upon people a time when its fuqahā’ are few, its qurrā’ are many. In it, the hurūf of the Qur’ān will be preserved while its hudūd are neglected. Many will be those who ask, few will be those who give. In it they will lengthen the khutbah and shorten the salāh. In it they will put their ahwā’ before their a’māl.”

(Sahīh Muwattā of Imām Mālik of al-Hilālī pg. 137, who declared it Sahīh Mawqūf – authentic as a statement of a companion. Who further said:

It was narrated as marfū’ – attributed to the Prophet – but it is not authentic. See: “As-Sahīhah” (3189). However, the mawqūf – statement attributed to a Companion – has the ruling of marfū’, because something like this is not said based on personal opinion. It has a shāhid – supporting witness – from the hadīth of Abū Dharr as marfū’. See “As-Sahīhah” (2510))

Hāfidh Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr said: “This narration has indeed been narrated from Ibn Mas’ūd through connected, good, and mutawātirah chains (of narration).” (Al-Istidhkār 4/488)

Shaykh ‘Abdul-Karīm al-Khudayr said: “… in it they will lengthen the khutbah – this is evident today. Some of them give sermons for half an hour, rather even a full hour, And they shorten the prayer – this contradicts the sunnah…

What Ibn Mas’ūd (رضي الله عنه) informed about (in this narration) is a description of a reality we see today. He reported about a future that he didn’t speak about from his own opinion, because while it was possible for him to speak about his time, it wouldn’t be feasible for him to speak about future times. Therefore, this report of his has the ruling of marfū’ (attributed to the Prophet).” (Sharh Muwattā 2/220)

Acting upon weak hadith – part 1: Yahyā ibn Ma’īn, Bukhārī, Muslim, Ibn al-‘Arabī’, Al-Albānī

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“مَنْ حَدَّثَ عَنِّي حَدِيثًا وَهُوَ يَرَى أَنَّهُ كَذِبٌ فَهُوَ أَحَدُ الْكَاذِبِينَ“

“Whoever narrates a Hadīth from me which he knows is a lie, then he is one of the liars.”. (Tirmidhī 2662)

In another narration:

“مَنْ حَدَّثَ عَنِّي بِحَدِيثٍ وَهُوَ يَرَى أَنَّهُ كَذِبٌ فَهُوَ أَحَدُ الْكَاذِبَيْنِ“

Whoever narrates a Hadīth from me thinking it to be false, then he is one of the two liars [meaning the one who initiated it and the one who spread it]. ” (Ibn Mājah 41)

Lying upon the messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) is a major sin. Lying upon the prophet (ﷺ) includes the one who relate what is false, whether done intentionally or unintentionally. (Benefits from the introduction to Sahīh Muslim pg. 41 of Ibn Ādam)

Al-Qādī Ibn al-‘Arabī al-Mālikī said:

Verily the weak hadīth is never acted upon. (Sahīh Targhīb 1/48)

Shaykh al-Khudayr said: “(from the scholars who held that it’s not permitted to act upon weak hadīth absolutely)

1 – Yahyā ibn Ma’īn – Ibn Sayyid an-Nās said when discussing the authentication of Muhammad ibn Ishāq “Among those from whom equalization between rulings and other [matters] has been reported is Yahyā ibn Ma’īn”.

2 – Imām Muhammad ibn Ismā’īl al-Bukhārī – It is apparent from al-Bukhārī’s practice in his Sahīh, his strict conditions regarding narrators, and his not including any weak hadīth, that his methodology is not to act upon weak hadīth, which is what Shaykh Jamāl ad-Dīn al-Qāsimī concluded.

3 – Imām Muslim ibn al-Hajjāj al-Qushayrī – It appears from his strong criticism in the introduction of his Sahīh of the narrators of weak [hadīth] that his methodology is not to use weak hadīth as evidence absolutely.

Ibn Rajab said: “Whats apparent is that what Muslim mentioned in the introduction of his book necessitates that he not narrate hadīth of encouragement (targhīb) except from those from whom rulings are narrated from.”” (al-Hadīth Da’īf pg. 260-261)

Imām Al-Albānī said: “…for indeed among the scholars (are those who) do not act upon weak hadīths absolutely, neither in ahkām (rulings) nor in fadā’il (virtues), and Ibn Sayyid al-Nās related that in “ʿUyūn al-Athā” from Yahyā ibn Maʿīn, and it is attributed in “Fath al-Mughīth” to Abū Bakr ibn al-ʿArabī.

The great scholar, Jamāl al-Dīn al-Qāsimī said in “Qawāʿid al-Tahdīth fī Mustalah al-Hadīth”:

“And (what’s) apparent is that this is also the position of Bukhārī and Muslim. Bukhārī’s condition in his Sahīh indicates this, (as does) Imam Muslim’s tashnī’ (strong criticism) of those who narrate weak hadīths agreed upon as weak. This is also the position of Ibn Hazm, may Allāh have mercy on him, as he stated in ‘al-Milal wa al-Nihal.’ Refer to his words there. And also in ‘al-Muhallā.’

… the truth in this issue is with the scholars who held the position of abandoning acting on weak hadīths regarding virtuous deeds, and that (is for) several reasons:

First: The weak hadīth only yields dhann (conjecture) by agreement (of the scholars), and acting upon conjecture is not permissible, due to the saying of Allāh:

“إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلا الظَّنَّ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا“

“They follow nothing but conjecture, and conjecture avails nothing against the truth” [53:28]

and his (i.e. the Prophet’s) statement (ﷺ):

“إياكم والظن فإنه أكذب الحديث“

“Beware of conjecture, for it is the most false of speech.” (Musnad Imām Ahmad 7337. Isnād declared Sahīh upon the conditions of Sahīh Bukhārī and Muslim by al-Arnāūt in his checking)

Second: The Prophet (ﷺ) commanded us to avoid narrating from him except what we know is authentic from him, saying:

“اتقوا الحديث عني إلا ما علمتم“

“Fear/avoid narrating from me except what you know/are certain of.” (Musnad Imām Ahmad 2974. Declared Sahīh by Al-Arnāūt in his checking)

and from the known (is) that narrating a hadīth is only a means to act upon what is established in it. So if he (ﷺ) prohibits us from narrating what is not established from him, then prohibiting acting upon it is even more appropriate. This is clear and evident.

Third: In what is established from him (ﷺ), there is sufficiency from what is not established… [i.e. authentic hadīth already provide complete guidance, thus, weak hadīth are not necessary].” (Jāmi al-Turāth 2/428-429)

The name of Allāh: 3) Al-Wāsi’ (The All-Encompassing/Vast)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Allāh said:

﴿ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴾

“Indeed, Allāh is All-Encompassing/Vast (Wāsiʿ), All-Knowing” [Al-Baqarah: 115].

And Allāh said:

﴿ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴾

“And Allāh is All-Encompassing/Vast (Wāsiʿ), All-Knowing” [Al-Baqarah: 247].

And Allāh said:

﴿ رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا ﴾

“Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge” [Ghāfir: 7].

Shaykh al-Sa’dī said: He is The One who is vast with respect to His Attributes and qualities and those things linked to them this from the point of view that none can enumerate His praise as He deserves, rather He is as He has praised Himself. Vast in grandeur, authority and dominion, vast in bestowing grace and good, great in majesty and nobility. (Explanation to the Beautiful and Perfect Names of Allāh pg. 95, Dar as Sunnah print, Taysīr al-Karīm al-Rahmān 5/305)

Shaykh al-‘Uthaymīn said: Al-Wāsiʿ means vast in encompassment, and vast in attributes, so He is vast in His knowledge, and in His power, and His Hearing and His Seeing, and other attributes of His. (Tafsīr Thamanīn 1/195)

Al-Tabarī said: “Wāsiʿ”: He encompasses all His creation with sufficiency, bounty, generosity and management. (Tafsīr Al-Tabarī 3/984)

Ibn Qutaybah said: “Among His attributes is ‘Al-Wāsiʿ,'” and it means The-Rich/Self-Sufficient (i.e. in need of none, whilst all else is needy), and “al-sa’ah” (السعة) means wealth. (Tafsīr Gharīb al-Qurān pg. 46)

Al-Azharī said: Al-Wāsi’ – among the attributes of Allāh The Most-High: He whose provision encompasses all His creation, and whose mercy encompasses everything. (Mu’jam al-Tahdhīb al-Lughā 4/3889)

Al-Kalbī said: “Indeed, Allāh is All-Encompassing/Vast (Wāsiʿ), All-Knowing” (2:115) means “vast in Forgiveness.” (Tafsīr al-Baghawī 1/140)

Ibn al-Anbārī said: “Al-Wāsiʿ” among Allāhs names means: “The One abundant in giving, who has capacity for what is asked of Him.” (Mu’jam al-Tahdhīb al-Lughā 4/3890)

Al-Wāhidī said: He is All-Encompassing/Vast in His bounty upon His creation, and in His tolerance of His servants’ requests, and the persistence of their asking does not trouble Him (Tafsīr al-Basīt 3/235)

Al-Rāghib Al-Asfahānī: “And His saying: ‘My Lord has encompassed all things in knowledge’ is a description of Him, like: ‘He has encompassed all things in knowledge,’ and His saying: ‘And Allāh is All-Encompassing/Vast, All-Knowing,’ and ‘Allāh is All-Encompassing/Vast, All-Wise,’ expresses the vastness of His Power, Knowledge, Mercy, and Bounty” (al-Mufradāt 211)

‘Abdul-‘Azīz al-Humaydī said: Allāh is Al-Wāsiʿ, who multiplies reward and recompense for His servants many times over, as He said:

﴿ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنبُلَةٍ مِّائَةُ حَبَّةٍ وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴾

Allāh is Al-Wāsiʿ whose bounty and generosity are in His Hand; He gives His bounty to whom He wills among His servants, as He said:

“The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allāh is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allāh multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allāh is All-Encompassing/Vast, All-Knowing” [Al-Baqarah: 261].

﴿ قُلْ إِنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴾

“Say, ‘Indeed, [all] bounty is in the hand of Allāh – He grants it to whom He wills. And Allāh is All-Encompassing/Vast, All-Knowing'” [Āl ‘Imrān: 73]. (Rawāih al-Husnā pg. 248-249)