CHAPTER 5: WOMEN – PART 5
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, commanded people to act kindly with the one who sinned and repented:
‘Imraan ibn Husayn (a Companion) narrated: “A woman from the tribe of Juhaynah came to the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and she had become pregnant because of adultery. She said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I have done something for which (prescribed punishment) must be imposed upon me, so impose that.’
The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, called her guardian and said: “Treat her kindly, and when she delivers, bring her to me.” Her guardian did accordingly.
Then the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, commanded people to apply the punishment of stoning, and she was stoned to death. He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then prayed the funeral prayer over her (dead body).
Thereupon ‘Umar said to him, ‘O Messenger of Allah, do you offer the funeral prayer for her, whereas she had committed adultery?’ Thereupon he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “She has made such repentance that if it were to be divided among seventy men of Madinah, it would be enough. Have you found any repentance better than this, that she sacrificed her life for Allah, The Majestic?”(Reported by Muslim (1696).)
An-Nawawi (a scholar) said: “The words he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to her guardian: “Treat her kindly, and when she delivers bring her to me” were said for two reasons:
One: He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said this so that her relatives would not harm her due to the shame she brought upon them by the sin she committed, and thus he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told him this as a way of warning them from harming her.
In Islam, there is no place for unjustifiable killing. Even in case of capital punishment, only the head of the Muslim state can apply the law through judicial procedures. No one has the authority to execute the law other than the officers who are in charge.
The so-called “honour” crimes are unjust and inhumane cultural traditions, the perpetrators of which deserve punishment under Islamic law.
Islam holds every soul in high esteem and does not allow any transgression upon it. It does not allow people to take the law into their own hands and administer justice, because doing so will be leading to chaos and lawlessness.
Two: He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, pitied her and showed mercy since she repented. He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, instructed her guardian to be kind because people usually resent those who commit such sins and speak to them rudely and aggressively, and thus he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, wanted to prevent this from happening to her.”(The explanation of An-Nawawi on the book of Muslim (205/11).)
‘Aa’ishah narrated the story of the woman from the tribe of Makhzoom who was charged for stealing, she said: “The woman from the Makhzoom tribe repented sincerely and then got married. She used to come and visit me after that, and I would convey her requests to the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.”(Reported by Al-Bukhari (4304) and Muslim (1688).)
In another narration, she said: “The woman from the Makhzoom tribe asked the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, saying: ‘O Messenger of Allah, would my repentance be accepted?’ he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Today, you are as free from sin as the day your mother gave birth to you.””(Reported by Ahmad (6619) on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr.)
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would accept gifts from women Companions:
Anas ibn Maalik (a Companion) narrated:
“The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, entered into a marriage contract and he went in to his wife. My mother Umm Sulaym said to me: ‘We should send the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, a gift’. I agreed and said: ‘Yes, we should.”
She prepared Hais (which is a mixture of dates, clarified butter and dry yoghurt) and placed it in a ceramic vessel and asked me to take it to the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. She told me to say: ‘My mother has sent this to you and she offers greetings to you, and says that it is a humble gift for you on our behalf, O Messenger of Allah’’.
So I went with it to the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said: ‘My mother offers you salutations, and says that it is a humble gift for you on our behalf.’
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Place it here”, and then said: “Go and invite on my behalf so and so and anyone whom you meet”, and he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, even named some persons.
Anas said: ‘I invited the people he named and whomever I met.’
One of the narrators said: ‘I asked Anas: How many (persons) were there?’
He (Anas) said: ‘There were about three hundred people.’
Anas continued:
‘When I returned I found that the house was full of people. Then the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to me: “O Anas, bring that earthen vessel.”
I saw the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, placing his hand in the container and he said whatever Allah willed him to say, and then he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, started calling people in groups of ten, and said: “Make a circle of ten [guests], and every person should eat from what is nearest to him.” They began to eat, until they ate to their fill. A group went out (after eating the food), and another group came in until all of them had eaten. He (the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to me: “Anas, lift it [the earthen vessel]” so I lifted it, but I could not assess whether it had more food when I placed it (before the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) or when I lifted it (after the people had been served out of it). (Reported by Muslim (1428).)
An-Nawawi (a scholar) said: “This narration proves one of the miracles of the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, which is increasing the food.”(The explanation of An-Nawawi on the book of narrations by Muslim (232/9).)
Sahl ibn Sa’d (a Companion) narrated:
“A woman brought a new woven Burdah (sheet to cloak oneself with) having an edging (border) to the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
The woman said: ‘I have woven it with my own hands and I have brought it so that you may wear it.’
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, accepted it, and at that time he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was in need of it. So he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, came out wearing it as his waist-sheet. A man praised it and said: ‘Will you give it to me? How nice it is!’
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Yes indeed.”
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, sat in the gathering for as long as Allah willed for him to stay, and then he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, went back to his house and folded the Burdah and sent it to the man.
The other people said to the man (who asked for the Burdah): ‘You have not done the right thing as the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is in need of it and you asked for it when you know that he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, never turns down anybody’s request.’
The man replied: ‘By Allah, I have not asked for it to wear it but to make it my shroud.’ Later it was indeed his shroud.’(Reported by Al-Bukhari (1277).)
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would accept invitations to meals from women Companions:
Anas ibn Maalik narrated:
‘My mother, Umm Sulaym, invited the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to a dinner which she had prepared. He (the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ate out of that and then said: “Stand up so that I may pray.”
‘I picked up a mat (belonging to us) which had turned dark on account of its long use (or the lack of usage). I sprinkled water over it (in order to soften it and cleaned it from the dust that had accumulated on it). Then the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, stood upon it, and I and an orphan formed a row behind him, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and the old woman (i.e. his mother) was behind us, and the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, led us in two Rak’ahs (units) of prayer and then went back.’(Reported by Al-Bukhari (380) and Muslim (658).)
Ibn Hajar (a scholar) said: “The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, wanted to teach them (including the woman Companion) how to pray by watching him pray because she may be unaware of some of the actions or movements of prayer.”
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, visited women Companions who fell sick:
Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah (a Companion) narrated:
‘The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, visited Umm As-Sa’ad (a woman Companion) and said to her: “What is the matter with you, O Umm As-Saa’ib, why are you shivering so violently?” She said: “I have a fever, may Allah not bless it!” The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Do not curse fevers, because they do away with the sins of the children of Adam just as a furnace does away with the impurities of iron.” (Reported by Muslim (2575).)
Umm Al-’Alaa’ (a female Companion) narrated: ‘The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, visited me while I was sick. He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Glad tidings to you O Umm Al-’Alaa’, for Allah removes the sins of a Muslim due to his illness as fire removes the impurities of gold and silver.”’(Reported by Abu Dawood (3092).)
Abu Umamah (a Companion) narrated:
“A woman from the residence of Al-’Awaali area (in Madinah) became (extremely) sick. The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was the foremost person in visiting the sick. He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “If she dies [tonight] then inform me [to pray the funeral prayer over her].” She died at night and people buried her without informing the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. In the morning, the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked about her, and people told him that she had died, and that they hated to wake him up during his sleep. Then he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, offered the funeral prayer over her.”(Reported by An-Nasa’i (1907). It was also reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurayrah.)
Ibn ‘Abd Al-Barr (a scholar) said: “The narration proves that it is permissible to visit elderly women when they fall sick. However, this is not the case with young women, except if he goes and asks about her health (from her family) without entering upon her.”(At-Tamheed (255/6).)
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to speak in jest with elderly women:
Al-Hasan (a Companion) narrated: “An old woman came to the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, supplicate that Allah admits me into Jannah (Paradise).’ To which he, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, replied: “O Umm so and so [the mother of so and so], Paradise will not have old people in it.” The old lady started to cry and walk away, so the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to his Companions: “Tell her that she will not enter it while she is old, because Allah Says (what means): «Indeed, We have produced them [i.e. the women of Paradise] in a [new] creation. And made them virgins. Devoted [to their husbands] and of equal age.» [Quran: 56:35-37]”” (Reported by At-Tirmidhi in his book Ash-Shama’il (page 199).)
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said what he did jokingly with her, but he only wanted to clarify to her that when she is admitted into Paradise, she will be thirty-three years old.
He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would intercede between couples for reconciliation:
When Bareerah (a female slave) was freed, her husband was still a slave, she chose to separate from him (Because when a female slave is freed she is given the choice of either staying with her slave husband or separating from him.) , so the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, interceded for him so that she would accept to return to him, but she said: “I am not in need of him.”
Ibn ‘Abbas (a Companion) narrated: “Bareerah was married to a man who was a slave called Mugheeth. It is as if I am seeing him now, going behind her and weeping with his tears flowing down his beard. The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to ‘Abbaas (the Prophet’s uncle): “O ‘Abbas! are you not astonished at the love of Mugheeth for Bareerah and the hatred of Bareerah for Mugheeth?” The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then said to Bareerah: “Why don’t you return to him?”(Reported by An-Nasa’i (5332) with the following wording: “Why don’t you return to him, as heis the father of your children”.) She said: “O Messenger of Allah! Are you ordering me to do so?” He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “No, I am only interceding for him.” She said: “I am not in need of him.”(Reported by Al-Bukhari (5283).) Meaning, if it is not an order then I have no desire to return to him.
By Muhammad Saalih Al-Munajjid
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