Omissions of Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam and Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum, were a means of educating the Ummah
Transcribed from the Islaahi Majlis conducted by Mufti Mohammed Desai, on 8 June 2023
Recap
In the previous Bayaan, we mentioned the high levels of respect the Ulama of Deoband held for other Ulama. In particular, we spoke of Imaam Bukhari Rahmatullahi Alaihi, and the utmost respect Hadrat Sheikh had for him. Hadrat would address him as Imaam Bukhari “Radiallahu Anhu”. On the other hand, there were those who, because of their love for Imaam Bukhari Rahimahullah, used unfavourable words for Imaam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah.
We also mentioned that Allah Ta’ala blessed Hadrat Sheikh Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Sahib Rahimahullah with great wisdom and knowledge, particularly in the field of Hadith. Hadrat would always provide good, satisfactory answers when objections were raised on Hadith.
The Establishment of Adhaan
Hadrat explained that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam made Mashwera with the Sahaabah, regarding how the Muslims should be called to the Masjid for the five daily Salaah. The matter was not concluded during the Mashwera. Hadrat Abdullah Bin Zayd spent the night in the Masjid with this concern and was shown the Adhaan in his dream. Hadrat says that he was “Mutaffakir” (one that was concerned) thus, the Adhaan was shown to him in his dream. However, he was not appointed as the Muazzin, but rather, Hadrat Bilaal Radiallahu Anhu was appointed as the first Muazzin. He remained with Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam whether he would be a resident or, while travelling, and would call the Adhaan. This is because he called the name of Allah in the initial days of Islam. When he would be dragged on the burning sands of Makkah, he would proclaim, “Ahad! Ahad! (The One! The One!)” So, when Islam flourished, he was then appointed as the first Muazzin of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
Ghusl on the Day of Jumu’ah
Another example of his excellent manner of reconciling narrations; Hadrat reconciled the different Ahaadith regarding taking Ghusl on the Day of Jumu’ah. One Hadith states that the Ghusl of Jumu’ah is Waajib upon every Baaligh person, while another Hadith states, “When any one of you come for Jumu’ah Salaah, then he should perform Ghusl.” There is yet another narration that states, “It is the right of Allah Ta’ala upon every Muslim that he takes a Ghusl on every seventh day.”
Explaining the difference that arises between these Ahaadith, Hadrat Sheikh Rahimhullah mentions that there are three types of Ghusl:
1) Ghusl for the Salaah of Jumuah
2) Ghusl for the day of Jumu’ah
3) Ghusl which must be made at least once every seven days
Hadrat Sheikh then explained that, if a person makes Ghusl before the Salaah of Jumu’ah, he will attain the reward of Ghusl for the Salaah of Jumu’ah, and for the day of Jumu’ah.
If a person makes Ghusl after the Salaah of Jumu’ah, he gets the reward for making Ghusl on the day of Jumu’ah, and for making Ghusl on one day in the week; and if one makes Ghusl on any other day, then he gets the reward of making Ghusl on any day of the week.
The Qadhaa of Fajr Salaah
It is recorded in another Hadith that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam was returning with Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum from an expedition. When they reached a certain place, they decided to spend the night there. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam asked, “Who will guard us tonight? We don’t want to sleep through Salaatul Fajr.” Hadrat Bilaal Radiallahu Anhu raised his hand and said, ” I will do so.”
Hadrat Bilaal Radiallahu Anhu faced in the direction from where the sun would rise, and waited for Subh Saadiq. However, he fell off to sleep. As a result, everyone overslept and only awoke when the heat of the sun struck them. Immediately, they moved away from that place and went elsewhere. They made Wudhu, called the Fajr Adhaan and Iqaamah, and performed Salaah in Jamaat, despite the fact that the time of Fajr had expired. Hadrat Bilaal Radiallahu Anhu called out the Adhaan, and they then performed their Salaah.
The question that arises here is, any normal person that is concerned with his Fajr Salaah, is easily able to awaken. Allah Ta’ala makes it such that his eyes open at the time of Salaah. So how is it that the Nabi of Allah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam overslept, and had to make Qadhaa? Hadrat Sheikh clarified this objection by saying that many errors that were perpetrated by Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, were filled with great wisdom.
The first Mas’ala is, if a person had to miss his Fajr, is he required to make Qadhaa of the Fardh, only or the Fardh and the Sunnah?According to the Hanafi Madhab, a person should make Qadhaa of the Sunnah of Fajr (together with the Fardh), until the time of Zawwal. Then we learn that, if a person misses his Fajr, he should perform it immediately after waking up, without delaying it until a later time.
Another Mas’ala that we learn is, whether Adhaan and Iqaamah should be made for the Qadhaa of Fajr, or not. Hadrat Bilaal Radiallahu Anhu called out the Adhaan and Iqaamah on this occasion, so we learn that both the Adhaan and the Iqaamah should be called out. Also, if Salaah time has passed, should the Qadhaa be made individually, or in Jamaat? Here we learn that they performed it in Jamaat.
In this incident we learn that Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam made arrangements to be woken up for Fajr Salaah before going to sleep. Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam was concerned about missing his Fajr Salaah. Likewise, we should also go to sleep at night, taking precaution not to oversleep and miss Fajr either by setting an alarm, or instructing another person to wake us up.
When the Sahaaba Radiallahu Anhum woke up, Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam saw evidence of distress on their faces and thus consoled them, saying that despite them oversleeping, due to them having made arrangements to be woken up, there is no deficiency in them. However, if a person wakes up and neglects his Salaah, then he will be held accountable.
From this error of Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, we learnt so many Masaa’il. Those errors which did not go against the position of Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam also fell in such errors. And if an error went against the position of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, then the Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum committed those errors, which then served as lesson for the Ummah.
Hadrat Sheikh Rahimahullah mentioned further that, Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam had asked the Sahaaba Radiallahu Anhum who would take the responsibility of keeping guard to wake them for Fajr, and Hadrat Bilaal Radiallahu Anhu replied, “I will do so”. From a Tassawuf point of view, we should never say “I can do” and “I will do”. We should always put our reliance in Allah Ta’ala.
Stealing
Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Quraan Sharif that if a male thief, or a female thief, steal to the value of approximately R450 (which is equivalent to 10 Dirhams), then both their hands should be cut. This is a punishment for what they have earned, and it is a lesson to deter them from doing so in the future. The punishment to cut the hand is clear in the Quraan Sharif, however, the practical implementation isn’t. For example, how much of the hand should be cut, or how many hands should be cut, etc. Hence, there were those instances when the Sahaaba Radiallahu Anhum stole, and these laws of Shariah were learnt by the Ummah. It was deduced from these incidents that the right hand is cut up to the wrist and thereafter, dipped in hot oil to cauterize the wound, so that the person wouldn’t bleed to death.
Adultery
We will terminate on the Hadith regarding adultery. When certain Sahaaba Radiallahu Anhum erred and committed Zinah, various laws pertaining to adultery were learnt. If a person is accused of Zinah, then the Shari’ee punishment will only be implemented if four adult males, bear testimony that they had seen the act of penetration take place, like a Surmah stick that is entered into the Surmah bottle, which is close to impossible.
If a person confesses to Zinah, how should he be dealt with? While stoning the adulterer to death, if he wakes up and walks away, then what are we required to do? Is Janaazah Salaah performed for an adulterer, or not? On account of questions like these arising, the Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum erred, and then confessed to their sin, and these matters were clarified for the Ummah.
Hadrat Maa’idh Radiallahu Anhu came to Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam and requested Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam to purify him as he had sinned. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam told him to repent and make Istighfaar. So, he returned, but his Imaani strength didn’t allow him to rest in peace. He went back to Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam and confessed for the second time, but Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam told him to repent and make IstIstighfaar. This occured for a third time. When he came back the fourth time, the Shari’ee law now had to be enforced. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam instructed that he be stoned to death.
Some Sahaaba Radiallahu Anhum came forward and commented that Allah Ta’ala had concealed his fault, what was the need for him to expose himself and die in a disgraceful manner. Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam kept silent and walked ahead with the Sahaaba Radiallahu Anhum. They came across a dead donkey, whose body and legs had swelled. Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam called for the two Sahaaba that had made the unsavoury remarks, and told them to eat from the donkey. They asked Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, how could they eat from a donkey that is carrion? Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam commented that they had destroyed the honour of their Muslim brother, and this was worse than eating the flesh of a dead donkey.
Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam then said, ” I take a Qasm in the Name of Allah, that I see that Sahabi diving in the rivers of Jannah.”
In another narration, a Ghaamidiyyah woman came to Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, and confessed to her sin. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam turned her away telling her to repent and make Istighfaar. She questioned Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam if he would turn her away, the way he turned Hadrat Maa’idh away. She took a Qasm in the Name of Allah that she was pregnant. Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said that they would pelt her only after she gave birth to the child.
She then returned to Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam when the baby was born. Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said that due to the child being breastfed, they cannot take her life until it weans. When the child was weaned, she returned to Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam and only then did he gave the order for her to be stoned. While pelting this lady, some blood spilled on Hadrat Khalid Radiallahu Anhu. Hadrat Khalid Radiallahu Anhu uttered an unfavourable word against this woman. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam addressed him saying that there are government officials that oppress people to a great degree; however, if they had to make Taubah of the calibre that this woman had made Taubah, even they would be forgiven.
After the stoning of another woman (that committed adultery), Hadrat Umar Radiallahu Anhu asked Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam if he was going to perform her Janaazah Salaah. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam remarked that, if the Taubah of this woman was to be distributed amongst 70 people of Madinah Sharif, it would suffice them.
CONCLUSION
In all these incidents lie great lesson for us. The ommissions of Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam and the Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum were a benefit for mankind until the end of time. The master was truly a mercy for mankind, in every sense of the word!