Commentary

Hadith regarding the Abyssinian's practising warfare

Q: I have come across the below hadith which people are using to justify dancing. I would appreciate if mufti could please provide an explanation or clarify this issue. Are we allowed to dance in Islam?

Imam Ahmad reports the following narration in his Musnad :

حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ ‏ ‏قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏حَمَّادٌ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏ثَابِتٍ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏أَنَسٍ ‏ ‏قَالَ ‏كَانَتْ ‏ ‏الْحَبَشَةُ ‏ ‏ يَزْفِنُونَ ‏ ‏بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏وَيَرْقُصُونَ وَيَقُولُونَ ‏ ‏مُحَمَّدٌ ‏ ‏عَبْدٌ صَالِحٌ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏مَا يَقُولُونَ قَالُوا يَقُولُونَ ‏ ‏مُحَمَّدٌ ‏ ‏عَبْدٌ صَالِحٌ

Anas ibn Maalik (radhiya Allahu ‘anhu) said that the Abyssinians danced in front of Rasulullah (SAWS) (sallalllahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) while saying “Muhammad is a Righteous Slave” (in ethiopian) upon which Rasulullah (SAWS) (sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam asked, “What are they saying?” And they responded in Arabic, “Muhummadun ‘Abdun Saalihun”.

Shaykh Shu’ayb Al Arna’ut states in his ta’liq of the Musnad Ahmad, “It is authentic, and all of the men are the two Sahihs except for Hammad ibn Salamah, and he is from the men of Imam Muslim.”

This narration is also reported from our mother ‘Aa’ishah (radhiya Allahu ‘anhaa) as follows:

قَالَ ‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ ‏ ‏قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏أَبِيهِ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏عَائِشَةَ ‏ ‏قَالَتْ ‏وَضَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏ذَقْنِي عَلَى مَنْكِبَيْهِ لِأَنْظُرَ إِلَى ‏ ‏ زَفْنِ ‏ ‏الْحَبَشَةِ ‏ ‏حَتَّى كُنْتُ الَّتِي مَلِلْتُ فَانْصَرَفْتُ عَنْهُم

“‘Aa’ishah stated that Rasulullah (SAWS) put her cheek on his shoulder while looking at the Abyssinians dance…”

The narration of Imam Muslim, however, has the words, “…on the day of ‘Eid in the Masjid…”. These narrations are proof that the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) allowed dancing in his presence. It further proves that one can dance while performing worship with the tongue and heart, as the Abyssinians were chanting “Muhammad is a Righteous Slave”, which is affirmation of the Prophethood, as well as the testimony of faith.
A hadith referenced in there I think is this, from a translation of Sahih Bukhari.

Narrated 'Aisha: Once I saw Allah's Apostle at the door of my house while some Ethiopians were playing in the mosque (displaying their skill with spears). Allah's Apostle was screening me with his Rida' so as to enable me to see their display. ('Urwa said that 'Aisha said, "I saw the Prophet and the Ethiopians were playing with their spears.")

Reward for a woman miscarrying

Q: A woman miscarried between 6 - 8 weeks of pregnancy. According to the hadeeth when a woman miscarries the foetus will pull mother into jannat by its umbilical cord. Is this restricted to certain age of foetus? People are telling her this does not apply to her because a foetus has no rooh at this stage! Could mufti saheb please give clarity on this?

Is intending to please others besides Allah shirk?

Q: Tablighi jamaat members say that we should always avoid show and vanity and should render our services only to please Allah. I am quoting few ahadith's from Fazae'l aamaal below:

One hadith says: Allah has proclaimed I am the most self respecting and self sufficient of all partners, therefore whoever brings forth a partner to me in any action, i entrust him to the same partner. Then i have no value for his actions, which are all given to the partner. Another hadith says: whoever performs prayer for show, he becomes guilty of false worship. and whoever fast for show he also becomes guilty of false worship, and whoever gives alms for show also become guilty of false worship. and another hadith says: It will be proclaimed on the day of judgement: whoever has brought forward a partner to allah in any action, he should demand his reward from the same partner, for allah is far above needing any partner.

Few week back i have gone through One Hadith of Bukhari Shareef : "Umar ibnil khattab (radiyallhu anhu) narrated : I heard Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam saying; verily the reward of deeds depend upon intentions and indeed every man shall receive what he intended for. Thus, he whose migration was for Allah and his messenger, so his migration will be considered for Allah and his messenger. He whose Migration was towards the world or to be married to some woman, his migration will be considered to be for what he migrated for.

After reading the Bukhari hadith, I am getting lot of doubts and confusion in my mind. I am not denying of any Hadith. The waswasa that are coming in mind are as follows:

  1. As per the above Bukhari hadith, what I understand that  actions/deeds can be done for both Allah and his messenger? If yes this is not contradicting with Hadith which says that "Allah is the most self respecting and self sufficient of all partners".  Making Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) partner will not be considered as Shirk?
  2. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) will be consider a patner to Allah or not?
  3. I want to know is this above Bukhari Hadith is for only Sahabah, now as Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) passed away we have to perform all our actions only to Allah?
  4. So if the actions are performed for others (Excluding Allah and Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam), the actions will be considired as false worship/Shirk?
  5. Can we make intention to please Allah and His Messenger as well?

الأحاديث الصحيحة في فضائل مساعدة المسلمين بقضاء حاجاتهم

س: أريد منكم الحصول على عدة أحاديث صحيحة أو حسنة في فضائل مساعدة المسلمين بقضاء حاجاتهم أو حل مشكلاتهم و غيرهما من أنواع المناصرة و المساعدة. 

I have been commanded to fight the people until they profess there is no God but Allah

Q: Quite often in contemporary times various platforms on the internet like the one titled Answering Islam point out that islam is an intolerant religion and persecute followers of other faiths. To prove their point very often they use the Hadith: "I have been commanded to fight the people until they profess there is no God but Allah (Bukhari 385)." Can you kindly clarify the proper context and meaning of this hadith. The  negative understanding these anti Islamic forces imply use this particular hadith to good effect to prove their point.

40 Salaah in Musjid Nabawi

Q: I have come across a Hadith in Fazail Haj regarding the virtues of reading 40 Namazes in Musjid Nabawi,one attains freedom from hypocrisy, fire of hell & punishment. (Hadith No 7)

My question regarding this Hadith is:

  1. In order to receive these merits, is it a COMPULSORY CONDITION that these 40 Namazes be read in succession? Or is it just an encouragement? I have intention to first go to Medina for 3 days, go for Umra in between & return to Medina for 5 days!
  2. In order to receive these merits; does a person have to read ALL these Namazes with Takbeer Oola?
  3. Kindly define Takbeer Oola?