Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from 'Uqbah ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him), that he prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) one day the 'Asr prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up when he finished his prayer, moving quickly and stepping over the necks of the people to one of the rooms of his wives. Then he came out and saw that the people were surprised by this, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained to them the reason for this and said: meaning that which is obligatory to distribute Sahih al-Bukhari 851
In this hadith lies the promptness in doing good and not hesitating to do it, because a person does not know when death will overtake him and he will miss out on the good. A person should be shrewd, working for what comes after death, and not be negligent. If a person is quick in his worldly affairs and seizes opportunities, then it is obligatory for him to be the same in his hereafter affairs, and even more so. Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said:[Al-A'la 87:16-19]
In this is evidence that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the quickest of people to rush to do good, and that he (peace and blessings be upon him) is in need of action just as others are in need of action. For this reason, when he narrated, he said:Sahih Muslim 2816g This is the case, and he is the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
In this is evidence of the permissibility of stepping over necks after the salam of the prayer, especially if there is a need, because people after the salam of the prayer are not in need of remaining in their places; rather, they may leave. This is unlike stepping over necks before the prayer, for that is prohibited because it is a nuisance to people. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cut short his sermon on Friday when he saw a man stepping over necks, and he said to him:
In this hadith is evidence that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), like other human beings, is subject to forgetfulness, and that he forgets just as others forget. If he (peace and blessings be upon him) forgets what was known to him before, then it is all the more so that he is unaware of what was not known to him before, as Allah said to him: and after that: then: [Al-An'am 6:50] May Allah's prayers and peace be upon him. In this, the path is cut off for those who turn to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in their affairs and difficulties and call upon him, for these are among his enemies and not among his close friends (awliya). For he (peace and blessings be upon him), if he were alive, would have demanded their repentance; if they repented, well and good, otherwise he would have killed them, because they are polytheists. It is not permissible for a person to call upon anyone other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic), neither a close angel nor a sent prophet. He (peace and blessings be upon him) only came to protect the oneness of Allah (tawhid) and to establish the worship of Allah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) does not know the unseen, forgets what he had known before, and needs food, drink, clothing, and protection from enemies. And he meaning he wore two coats of mail out of fear of weapons. He is like other human beings; all human rulings apply to him (peace and blessings be upon him). For this reason, Allah said to him: [Al-Kahf 18:110] But he said "like you," meaning I do not distinguish myself from you in anything except by the revelation revealed to me: "Your God is one God."
In this is evidence of the severity of trust (amanah) and its greatness, and that if a person does not rush to fulfill it, it may detain him. For this reason, he said: "I feared it would detain me." If this is the case with trust, then it is also the case with debt; a person must rush to pay off his debt if it is due, unless the creditor grants him permission, in which case there is no harm in delaying it. But if he has not been granted permission, it is obligatory for him to rush to pay it off. So much so that the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said that the obligation of Hajj is dropped from one who has a debt until he pays it, because the matter of debt is great. He leaves off the funeral prayer for a dead person if he has a debt. Their faces changed; why did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) not pray over him? He said: Yes, I am bound by the right of the creditor and I am absolving the dead person. And unfortunately, many people today have debts and are able to pay them off, but they delay, and may Allah protect us from that. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: And know that debt is not as people understand it, which is taking a commodity for a price higher than its value. Debt is everything that is established in the liability; everything that is established in the liability is debt, even a loan, even the rent of a house, even the rent of a car, even anything that is established in your liability. It is upon you to rush to pay it off as long as it is due.
In this is evidence of the permissibility of appointing an agent in distribution, the distribution of what is obligatory for a person to distribute. For this reason, he (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that it be distributed. This agency is permissible in every right in which representation is involved, from the rights of Allah, such as Hajj, for example, and the payment of zakah, and the rights of people, such as buying and selling, pledging, and the like.
The summary of this, or the important point of this hadith, is to be prompt in doing good deeds. Do not be negligent. Know that if you accustom yourself to negligence, you will become accustomed to it, and if you accustom yourself to decisiveness, action, and promptness, you will become accustomed to that. And ask Allah the Exalted to help me and you in His remembrance, His gratitude, and the excellence of His worship.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from 'Uqbah ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him), that he prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) one day the 'Asr prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up when he finished his prayer, moving quickly and stepping over the necks of the people to one of the rooms of his wives. Then he came out and saw that the people were surprised by this, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained to them the reason for this and said:
I remembered some silver coins (tibr) in our possession
إني ذكرت تبرا عندناI did not like it to divert my attention from Allah's worship, so I have ordered it to be distributed (in charity).
فخشيت أن يحبسني فأمرت بقسمتهIn this hadith lies the promptness in doing good and not hesitating to do it, because a person does not know when death will overtake him and he will miss out on the good. A person should be shrewd, working for what comes after death, and not be negligent. If a person is quick in his worldly affairs and seizes opportunities, then it is obligatory for him to be the same in his hereafter affairs, and even more so. Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said:
(16) But you prefer the worldly life, (17) While the Hereafter is better and more enduring. (18) Indeed, this is in the former scriptures, (19) The scriptures of Abraham and Moses.
بل تؤثرون الحياة الدنيا والآخرة خير وأبقى إن هذا لفي الصحف الأولى صحف إبراهيم وموسىIn this is evidence that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the quickest of people to rush to do good, and that he (peace and blessings be upon him) is in need of action just as others are in need of action. For this reason, when he narrated, he said:
and understand that none amongst you can attain salvation because of his deeds alone. They said: Allah's Messenger, not even you? Thereupon he said: Not even I, but that Allah should wrap me in His Mercy and Grace.
إنه لن يدخل الجنة أحد بعمله قالوا ولا أنت قال ولا أنا إلا أن يتغمدني الله برحمتهIn this is evidence of the permissibility of stepping over necks after the salam of the prayer, especially if there is a need, because people after the salam of the prayer are not in need of remaining in their places; rather, they may leave. This is unlike stepping over necks before the prayer, for that is prohibited because it is a nuisance to people. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cut short his sermon on Friday when he saw a man stepping over necks, and he said to him:
Sit down, for you have caused harm
اجلس فقد آذيتIn this hadith is evidence that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), like other human beings, is subject to forgetfulness, and that he forgets just as others forget. If he (peace and blessings be upon him) forgets what was known to him before, then it is all the more so that he is unaware of what was not known to him before, as Allah said to him:
Say: I do not know the unseen
قل لا أعلم الغيبSay: I do not know the unseen
قل لا أعلم الغيبI do not tell you that I have the depositories [containing the provision] of Allah or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel
قل لا أقول لكم عندي خزائن الله ولا أعلم الغيب ولا أقول لكم إني ملكHe appeared between two coats of mail during the Battle of Uhud.
ظاهر بين درعين في غزوة أحدSay, "I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God.
قل إنما أنا بشر مثلكم يوحى إليّ أنما إلهكم إله واحدIn this is evidence of the severity of trust (amanah) and its greatness, and that if a person does not rush to fulfill it, it may detain him. For this reason, he said: "I feared it would detain me." If this is the case with trust, then it is also the case with debt; a person must rush to pay off his debt if it is due, unless the creditor grants him permission, in which case there is no harm in delaying it. But if he has not been granted permission, it is obligatory for him to rush to pay it off. So much so that the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said that the obligation of Hajj is dropped from one who has a debt until he pays it, because the matter of debt is great.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), before Allah opened up the conquests for him, used to be brought a man to pray over, and he would ask, “Does he have any debt?” If they said, “No,” he would step forward and pray over him. If they said, “Yes,” he would ask, “Does he have any assets to pay it off?” If they said, “Yes,” he would step forward and pray. If they said, “No,” he would step back and not pray.
كان النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام قبل أن يفتح الله عليه الفتوح إذا جيء إليه بالرجل سأل هل عليه دين فإن قالوا لا تقدم وصلى عليه وإن قالوا نعم سأل هل له وفاء إن قالوا نعم تقدم وصلى وإن قالوا لا تأخر ولم يصلOne day, a man from the Ansar was brought to him to pray over, and he took a few steps, then asked, “Does he have any debt?” They said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah, two dinars, and he has no assets to pay them off.” So he stepped back and said, “Pray over your companion.” The people’s faces changed, and they wondered why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had not prayed over him.
فقدّم إليه ذات يوم رجل من الأنصار ليصلي عليه فخطى خطوات ثم قال هل عليه دين قالوا نعم يا رسول الله ديناران وليس لهما وفاء فتأخر وقال صلوا على صاحبكم فعرف ذلك في وجوه القومAbu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stepped forward and said, “O Messenger of Allah, the two dinars are on me.” He said, “The creditor’s right is valid, and the deceased is free of it.”
فتقدم أبو قتادة رضي الله عنه وقال يا رسول الله الديناران عليّ قال حق الغريم وبرئ منهم الميتSo he stepped forward and prayed over him.
فتقدم فصلى عليهDelaying the payment of a wealthy person is injustice.
مطل الغني ظلمIn this is evidence of the permissibility of appointing an agent in distribution, the distribution of what is obligatory for a person to distribute. For this reason, he (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that it be distributed. This agency is permissible in every right in which representation is involved, from the rights of Allah, such as Hajj, for example, and the payment of zakah, and the rights of people, such as buying and selling, pledging, and the like.
The summary of this, or the important point of this hadith, is to be prompt in doing good deeds. Do not be negligent. Know that if you accustom yourself to negligence, you will become accustomed to it, and if you accustom yourself to decisiveness, action, and promptness, you will become accustomed to that. And ask Allah the Exalted to help me and you in His remembrance, His gratitude, and the excellence of His worship.