Examples of Being Given a Choice in the Prophetic Guidance: Educational and Faith-Based Objectives
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The sīrah (biography) of the Chosen Prophet ﷺ remains the shining reference and the illuminating lamp from which all Muslims — young and old, learned and unlearned — draw principles of good character and constructive values that build both the individual and society, in the finest and most beautiful form. Through it, the beauty of this religion is manifested in actions and practical applications that touch reality, so that all people, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, may witness it. As a result, the Muslim increases in īmān (faith), firmness, and rootedness in his religion, while the non-Muslim's [view] shifts, and he moves away from some of the mistaken ideas he holds toward this religion — if not abandoning them altogether and becoming one of the Muslims himself, subject to the same rights and obligations as they are.
In His speech, {which means} — "falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it; [it is] a revelation from a Wise, Praiseworthy [Lord]" [ Fuṣṣilat/42] — Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, pointed to the importance of good character, values, and principles, and their role in influence and persuasion, and the extent of their profound effect and effectiveness on the recipient's heart. Allah, Glorified is He, says {what means}: "So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him]" [Āl ‘Imrān/159]. And in the ḥadīth related by at-Tirmidhī, who graded it ḥasan (sound), on the authority of Jābir (raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: " Indeed, the dearest and nearest among you to me on the Day of Resurrection will be one who is the best of you in manners."
In this article, I will briefly point to some noble objectives — some educational and moral, and some related to faith and spirituality — which are found in abundance in the fragrant sīrah (biography) of the Chosen Prophet ﷺ. Researchers and writers have excelled in extracting and explaining these objectives, but this article distinguishes itself by presenting them through a collection of situations and events — specifically, choices that the Prophet ﷺ made, inclining toward one option and turning away from another. When gathered and studied together, these choices allow us to draw a general picture of his ﷺ character and personality.
Some of these choices that the Prophet ﷺ made and inclined toward were noticed by our mother ‘Ā'ishah aṣ-Ṣiddīqah, daughter of aṣ-Ṣiddīq (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhumā), who derived from them a general principle regarding his character, peace and blessings be upon him, when she said: "Whenever the Prophet ﷺ was given a choice between two matters, he would always choose the easier of the two, so long as it did not involve sin; but if it involved sin, he would be the furthest of people from it."[1] What a magnificent prophetic, moral, and educational principle this is — by Allah! It combines ease and gentleness on one hand, with standing firm at the limits set by Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, on the other. It takes into account human weakness, while remaining governed by the standard of taqwā (God-consciousness) and fear of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
On this meaning, Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said in at-Tamhīd: "In this ḥadīth is evidence that a person should leave aside whatever is difficult for him in matters of this world and the Hereafter, and should not insist upon it if he is not compelled to it, and should always incline toward ease — for ease in all matters is more beloved to Allah and to His Messenger. Allah, the Exalted, says {what means}: 'Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship'" [al-Baqarah/185]. [2] Following this weighty statement, he then cited some sayings of the salaf ( In Islam, it refers to al-salaf al-ṣāliḥ (the pious predecessors), meaning the earliest generations of Muslims who lived during the first three centuries and are viewed as the gold standard for religious practice) that reflect their sound understanding of this noble prophetic moral principle. He relates on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Salām that he said: "It is fitting for the scholar to guide people toward the concession (rukhṣah) and ease, so long as he does not fear [encouraging] sin."[3] He likewise relates on the authority of Ma‘mar ibn Rāshid that he said: "Knowledge is only [truly demonstrated] by hearing a concession from a trustworthy source; as for strictness, anyone can manage that."[4]
It is worth alerting the honorable reader to two matters. First: the examples mentioned from his fragrant sīrah, peace and blessings be upon him, are not all limited to a single theme, such as ease and leniency, as in the ḥadīth of ‘Ā'ishah (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhā) mentioned above. Rather, there are other examples that carry other meanings worthy of attention, from which educational and faith-based benefits can be drawn — such as his preference for the natural human disposition (fiṭrah) over what contradicts it, his preference for the Hereafter over this worldly life and its adornments, and his preference for consoling hearts and honoring companionship over kinship and tribal loyalty, as will be explained in detail in due course, if Allah wills.
The second matter is that these examples are not exhaustive. I have chosen only a small selection of what he ﷺ chose, sufficient to give the reader a general picture of this topic — and this is merely a modest effort. Success comes only through Allah, and upon Him we rely.
The first example — his preference for intercession over half of his ummah entering Paradise
The first of these examples from his fragrant sīrah, peace and blessings be upon him, which shows you, dear reader, the extent of the Prophet's ﷺ great mercy toward his ummah, is his choosing intercession (shafā‘ah) and preferring it over half of his ummah entering Paradise [directly] — because intercession is more comprehensive and far-reaching. This reflects an educational principle: mercy toward all of creation, his love for their guidance, and his desire to save them from Allah's punishment in the Hereafter, along with his ﷺ call for abundant repentance (tawbah) and turning back to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
Ibn Mājah relates in his Sunan, on the authority of Abū Mūsā al-Ash‘arī, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "I was given the choice between intercession and half of my ummah entering Paradise, and I chose intercession, because it is more comprehensive and more sufficient. Do you think it is for the righteous (al-muttaqīn)? No — rather, it is for the sinners, those laden with wrongdoing, those stained [with sin]."[5]
The Prophet's ﷺ statement, "Do you think it is for the righteous? No," does not mean to negate that the righteous deserve intercession, but rather to negate that it is exclusive to them alone — for it encompasses them, as well as those beneath them among the people of major and minor sins. As-Ṣan‘ānī said: "This ḥadīth is general, applying to the entire ummah of response [to the Prophet's ﷺ call]. Its wording encompasses whoever died persisting in major sins, deserving of the Fire; whoever's good deeds and bad deeds were equal, such that he deserved neither of the two abodes outright; whoever did not deserve elevation of rank in Paradise; and whoever was admitted to the Fire for his sins but was then interceded for and removed from it. All of this applies to anyone who died without associating partners with Allah (shirk), and the proofs establishing intercession for these categories are firmly established and abundant."[6]
This is supported by what aṭ-Ṭībī said: "Intercession is of five types: the first is specific to our Prophet ﷺ — relief from the terror of the Standing [on the Day of Judgment] and the hastening of the reckoning. The second is [intercession] for admitting a group into Paradise without reckoning — this too has been narrated in connection with our Prophet ﷺ. The third is intercession for a group who deserved the Fire, whereby our Prophet ﷺ intercedes for whomever Allah, the Exalted, wills. The fourth is intercession for those among the sinners who [are already] entering the Fire... The fifth is intercession for raising the ranks of the people of Paradise, and this too is not something we deny."[7]
The second example — his choice of forgiveness for the people of Ṭā'if
You can imagine the greatness of this mercy, further manifested in the second example I have chosen: his treatment of the people of Ṭā'if, who harmed him and expelled him, so that he left them with his heart filled with grief and sorrow over their rejection of his call — out of fear for them, and mercy toward them, from Allah's punishment, Glorified and Exalted is He. Here, the Angel of the Mountains gave him the choice between forgiving them or hastening their punishment, and he ﷺ chose forgiveness, peace and blessings of my Lord be upon him.
Al-Bukhārī and Muslim relate, on the authority of the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā'ishah (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhā), that she asked the Prophet ﷺ: "Did you ever experience a day harder than the Day of Uḥud?" He ﷺ said: "I certainly experienced from your people what I experienced, and the hardest of what I experienced from them was on the Day of al-‘Aqabah, when I presented myself to Ibn ‘Abd Yālīl ibn ‘Abd Kulāl, and he did not respond to what I sought. So I left, grief-stricken, and did not come to myself until I was at Qarn ath-Tha‘ālib. There I raised my head, and behold, a cloud had shaded me. I looked, and there was Jibrīl [Gabriel] within it. He called out to me and said: 'Allah has heard what your people said to you, and how they responded to you, and Allah has sent to you the Angel of the Mountains, so that you may command him as you wish concerning them.' Then the Angel of the Mountains called out to me, greeted me with salām, and said: 'O Muḥammad, that is for you to decide — if you wish, I will bring together upon them the two mountains [crushing them between them].' But the Prophet ﷺ said: 'Rather, I hope that Allah will bring forth from their descendants those who worship Allah alone, without associating any partner with Him.'"[8]
Indeed, his mercy, peace and blessings be upon him, was not limited to those people alone, but extended even to their offspring and descendants — a deeply significant indication that he is the Prophet of mercy sent [to all creation], and the Prophet of compassion, not the Prophet of bloodshed.
The third example — his choice of ransom for the captives of Badr
These educational and faith-based objectives are also clearly manifested in the story of the captives of Badr, and the Prophet's ﷺ consultation with his Companions in deciding the appropriate course of action regarding them, and his choosing ransom instead of execution — a decision in which mercy and compassion are clearly manifested.
Muslim relates in his Ṣaḥīḥ:[9] "When the captives were taken, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Abū Bakr and ‘Umar: 'What do you think concerning these captives?' Abū Bakr said: 'O Prophet of Allah, they are cousins and kinsmen. I think you should take a ransom from them, which will strengthen us against the disbelievers, and perhaps Allah will guide them to Islam.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said: 'What do you think, O son of al-Khaṭṭāb?' I [‘Umar] said: 'No, by Allah! I do not hold the view that Abū Bakr holds; rather, I think you should hand them over to us so we may strike their necks... for these are the leaders of disbelief and its chieftains.'
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ inclined toward what Abū Bakr had said, and did not incline toward what I had said. The next day, I came and found the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abū Bakr sitting and weeping. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, tell me why you and your companion are weeping, so that if I find cause to weep, I will weep, and if I do not, I will at least pretend to weep out of sympathy for your weeping.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'I weep for what your companions proposed to me — taking the ransom. Indeed, their punishment was shown to me, as close as this tree.' And Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, then revealed: 'It is not for a prophet to have captives [of war] until he inflicts a massacre [upon Allah's enemies] in the land. Some of you desire the goods of this world, but Allah desires [for you] the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise. If not for a decree from Allah that preceded, you would have been touched for what you took by a great punishment. So consume what you have taken of war booty [as being] lawful and good, and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful'" [Sūrat al-Anfāl/67–69]. "So Allah made the spoils of war lawful for them."
Here, the reader clearly perceives a profound faith-based objective: the reproach and warning in this noble verse was not directed at our infallible Prophet ﷺ, who chose ransom out of hope for [the captives'] eventual acceptance of Islam and out of mercy toward them. Rather, the reproach was directed at some among the army who had desired the fleeting goods of this world. This is why the revelation did not descend affirming one opinion over the other at the outset; rather, it ultimately affirmed the choice of ransom and mercy by saying: "So consume what you have taken of war booty [as being] lawful and good."
Abu al-‘Abbās al-Qurṭubī (raḥimahullāh) said: "That [reproach and warning] was directed only at those who intended, by their action, the goods of this world, and did not intend [to serve] the religion or the abode of the Hereafter — as indicated by the words of Allah, the Exalted: 'Some of you desire the goods of this world, but Allah desires [for you] the Hereafter' [al-Anfāl/67]. Neither the Prophet ﷺ, nor Abū Bakr, nor those who shared their view, desired the goods of this world; rather, the warning and reproach are directed at others who did desire that — and this is the best of the opinions [on this matter]."[10]
The fourth example — his choice of milk over wine on the Night Journey
Returning to his choices, peace and blessings be upon him, in the matter of fiṭrah (the natural human disposition) and what suits the human being in the original nature Allah created him upon, this is clearly manifested in the ḥadīth of al-Isrā' wa al-Mi‘rāj (the Night Journey and Ascension) — specifically, his choosing milk and preferring it over wine.
Al-Bukhārī and Muslim relate, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah (raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Then I was brought two vessels, in one of which was milk, and in the other, wine. I was told: 'Take whichever of them you wish.' So I took the milk and drank it. Jibrīl said: 'You have been guided to the fiṭrah' — or 'You have hit upon the fiṭrah.' 'Had you taken the wine, your ummah would have gone astray.'"[11]
He ﷺ chose milk because it suits the original nature that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, created within the human being — unlike wine, in which human intervention has occurred, changing it from its original state into an intoxicant that removes the intellect. In this is an indication of the necessity of a person preserving his intellect, which is the very basis of religious accountability (taklīf) and a gift with which Allah has honored him — and through which his character, principles, and values are elevated.
Imam an-Nawawī (raḥimahullāh) said: "His statement 'I chose the fiṭrah' — they interpreted fiṭrah here as Islam and uprightness (istiqāmah). Its meaning, and Allah knows best, is: 'I chose the symbol of Islam and uprightness.' Milk was made the symbol because it is easy, wholesome, pure, agreeable to those who drink it, and safe in its outcome — whereas wine is the 'mother of all vices' (umm al-khabā'ith), bringing about various forms of harm both immediately and in the long run."[12]
There is also another indication here of the elevated status of the Prophet ﷺ, in his choosing the lawful and rejecting the unlawful. Tāj ad-Dīn as-Subkī said, in his commentary on Mukhtaṣar Ibn al-Ḥājib: "Being given a choice between an obligatory matter and a forbidden one is only impossible when the person addressed is one for whom either option would not be far-fetched. But when it is impossible for him to commit the forbidden matter, being protected from it [by infallibility], then this is not impossible. If it is asked: 'Then what benefit is there in it?' I would say: 'The elevation of his rank, by virtue of having undertaken the choice of the lawful.'"[13] This reflects the depth of his understanding and the precision of his scholarship, may Allah have mercy on him.
The fifth example — his choice to be a servant-messenger rather than a king-messenger
As for the objective of Zuhd (asceticism) and humility before Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, we clearly see his choice, peace and blessings be upon him, to be a servant and messenger, rather than a king and messenger— since servitude to Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, is the noblest and highest of all ranks. Through this, the Prophet ﷺ, peace and blessings of my Lord be upon him, teaches us to be servants of Allah in every stillness, moment, movement, and word of our lives — not servants to anyone or anything else.
Imam Aḥmad relates in his Musnad, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah, who said: Jibrīl sat with the Prophet ﷺ, and looked up to the sky, and behold, an angel was descending. Jibrīl said: "This angel has not descended before this moment since the day he was created." When the angel descended, he said: "O Muḥammad, your Lord has sent me to you — shall He make you a king-prophet, or a servant-messenger?" Jibrīl said: "Humble yourself before your Lord, O Muḥammad." He ﷺ said: "Rather, a servant-messenger."[14]
Although both options were established as good, superiority was affirmed in what he chose, peace and blessings be upon him, and the difference between the two options lies in the honor of the status of servitude to Allah, which is better than kingship.
Ibn Kathīr (raḥimahullāh) said in his tafsīr: "When he was given the choice between being a servant-messenger — one who does what he is commanded, being merely a distributor who apportions among people what Allah has commanded him — and being a king-prophet who gives to whomever he wishes and withholds from whomever he wishes, without account or blame, he chose the first status after consulting Jibrīl, who told him: 'Humble yourself,' and so he chose the first status, because it holds a higher rank with Allah and a loftier station in the Hereafter — even though the second status, prophethood combined with kingship, is also great in this world and the next. This is why, when Allah, the Exalted, mentioned what He gave to Sulaymān (Solomon) in this world, He noted that he also has a great share with Allah on the Day of Resurrection."[15]
The sixth example — honoring the Anṣār and consoling their hearts
In the matter of consoling hearts and preserving gratitude for those deserving it, this is manifested in a magnificent situation, shining like the sun in the midst of the sky, after the Battle of Ḥunayn, when the time came to distribute the spoils of war. The Anṣār (The term ansar refers to the citizens of Medina who welcomed and supported the Prophet Muhammad and his followers after their migration, known as the Hijrah, in 622 CE. These individuals, primarily from the al-Khazraj and al-Aws tribes, played a crucial role in establishing the first Muslim community, the ummah, alongside the muhajirun (Early followers, close friends, and family members of the Prophet Muhammad.) did not receive a share of the spoils, and they felt something in their hearts toward the Prophet ﷺ, peace and blessings of my Lord be upon him. He then stood to address them, honoring them and preferring them and the city of Madīnah above all others. Let us leave the rest of the story as it was narrated in the books of Sunnah, for hearing the Prophetic ḥadīth as it is carries a pleasure surpassing all other pleasures.
Imam Aḥmad relates in his Musnad, on the authority of Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī (raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), who said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave those gifts that he gave to Quraysh and the Arab tribes, and the Anṣār received nothing from it, this tribe among the Anṣār felt something within themselves, until talk of it spread widely among them, so much so that one of them said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ has met [again] with his own people [Quraysh]." Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah then came to him and said: "O Messenger of Allah, this tribe has felt something within themselves regarding what you have done with this war-spoil that you acquired — you distributed it among your own people, and gave great gifts to the Arab tribes, while this tribe of the Anṣār received nothing from it."
He ﷺ said: "And where do you stand on this, O Sa‘d?"
He said: "O Messenger of Allah, I am but one man from among my people, and what am I [to say otherwise]?"
He ﷺ said: "Then gather your people for me in this enclosure."
So Sa‘d went out and gathered the Anṣār in that enclosure. Some men from among the Muhājirūn (the early Muslims who left Mecca and moved to Medina with the Prophet Muhammad in 622 CE) came, and he let them enter; others came, and he turned them away. When they had all gathered, Sa‘d came to him and said: "This tribe of the Anṣār has gathered for you."
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then came to them, praised Allah as befits Him, and then said: "O assembly of the Anṣār, what is this talk that has reached me about you, a grievance that you have found within yourselves? Did I not come to you when you were astray, and Allah guided you through me? And destitute, and Allah enriched you through me? And enemies to one another, and Allah united your hearts through me?"
They said: "Rather, Allah and His Messenger have bestowed favor and grace."
He said: "Will you not answer me, O assembly of the Anṣār?"
They said: "What answer could we give you, O Messenger of Allah, when all favor and grace belong to Allah and His Messenger?"
He said: "By Allah, had you wished, you could have said — and would have spoken the truth, and would have been believed — 'You came to us rejected [by your own people], and we believed you; abandoned, and we supported you; a fugitive, and we sheltered you; poor, and we comforted you.' Do you feel within yourselves some resentment, O assembly of the Anṣār, over a fleeting portion of worldly goods, with which I sought to win over [the hearts of new converts] so that they might embrace Islam, while I entrusted you to your own [already firm] Islam? Are you not content, O assembly of the Anṣār, that other people go away with sheep and camels, while you go back with the Messenger of Allah among your own dwellings? By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muḥammad, were it not for the Hijrah, I would have been one of the Anṣār. And if the people were to take one path, and the Anṣār another, I would take the path of the Anṣār. O Allah, have mercy upon the Anṣār, and the children of the Anṣār, and the children of the children of the Anṣār."
At this, the people wept until their beards were soaked with tears, and they said: "We are content with the Messenger of Allah as our share and portion." Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ departed, and they dispersed.[16]
You can see, dear reader, from this ḥadīth — which overflows with deep emotion, refined manners, and elevated prophetic sensitivity — how the Prophet ﷺ, peace and blessings of my Lord be upon him, handled the situation by preserving gratitude toward the Anṣār and mending their broken hearts, which had feared that the Prophet ﷺ had grown indifferent toward them and had left them, desiring instead to return to Makkah among his own family and clan.
A similar event occurred in consoling their hearts at the Conquest of Makkah, when fear crept into the hearts of the Anṣār that he ﷺ might remain in Makkah [rather than return with them to Madīnah]. He reassured them by accepting the choice to return with them, saying: "My living is your living, and my dying is your dying." From this, the Muslim learns the necessity of preserving gratitude and appreciation for whoever stood by him in times of hardship, and of comforting their hearts — for this is the way of those of elevated stations and lofty ranks.
Imam Shaykh al-Islām an-Nawawī (raḥimahullāh) commented on this ḥadīth: "When he said this to them, they wept and apologized, saying: 'By Allah, we only said what we said earlier out of eagerness to remain with you and keep your company, and to continue benefiting from you and seeking your blessing, and [for you] to guide us upon the straight path' — as Allah, the Exalted, says: 'And indeed, you guide to a straight path' [Sūrat ash-Shūrā/52]... Their weeping was out of joy at what he had said to them, and out of shyness over what they feared might have reached him of what they had said, which they were embarrassed by."[17]
The seventh example — his choice of the Hereafter over the adornments of this world
In the station of his ascetic detachment from this world, casting it behind his back, and preferring the Highest Companionship to the flower of this world, this is clearly seen in two situations:
The first: Al-Bukhārī and Muslim relate, on the authority of Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī (raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat upon the minbar {a short set of steps with a platform at the top, acting as a pulpit inside a mosque} and said: "A servant was given a choice by Allah between being given whatever he wished of the flower of this world, and what is with Allah, and he chose what is with Allah." At this, Abū Bakr wept and said: "We would ransom you with our fathers and mothers!" We were astonished at this, and the people said: "Look at this old man — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is informing [us] about a servant whom Allah gave the choice between the flower of this world and what is with Allah, and he says, 'We would ransom you with our fathers and mothers!'" But it was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who was the one being given the choice, and it was Abū Bakr who was the most knowledgeable among us of that.[18]
The second: Ibn Ḥibbān, al-Bukhārī, and Muslim relate, on the authority of ‘Ā'ishah (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhā), that she said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell unconscious with his head in my lap, and I began wiping [his face] and supplicating for his healing. When he regained consciousness, he ﷺ said: 'No — rather, [I ask] the Highest Companionship, with Jibrīl, Mīkā'īl, and Isrāfīl.'"[19]
It appears from these two narrations that he was given the choice twice — once during the Farewell Sermon, and again at the moment of his passing, while resting in the lap of our mother ‘Ā'ishah aṣ-Ṣiddīqah, daughter of aṣ-Ṣiddīq (raḍiyallāhu ‘anhumā). Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī said: "He ﷺ was not taken [in death] until he was given the choice once again between this world and the Hereafter."[20] In his choice, may there be for us a lesson: to choose the Hereafter and to leave this world and its adornments behind us — not meaning to abandon acquiring it for others' benefit, but rather to acquire it with the hand, while keeping the heart detached from attachment to it.
May Allah reward our Prophet ﷺ with the best of rewards, for he fulfilled the trust, conveyed the message, and strove in the way of Allah with the utmost striving until certainty (death) came to him, and he sacrificed himself and his wealth so that this religion might reach us — myself and you, dear reader. So hold fast to his sunnah, cling to his guidance, and grip firmly the burning coals of his commands and prohibitions, for therein lies salvation, and there is no salvation elsewhere.
This concludes our discussion, and may Allah send blessings upon our master Muḥammad, and upon his family and his Companions. And our final call is that all praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
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Footnotes
[1] Al-Bukhārī: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl, ed. Muṣṭafā al-Bughā, Dār Ibn Kathīr, 5th ed., Ḥadīth No. 3367.
[2] At-Tamhīd, 5/451.
[3] Ibid., 5/452.
[4] Ibid., 5/452.
[5] Ibn Mājah: Sunan Ibn Mājah, Muḥammad ibn Yazīd, ed. Shu‘ayb al-Arnā'ūṭ, Dār ar-Risālah al-‘Ālamiyyah, 1st ed., Ḥadīth No. 4311.
[6] At-Tanwīr Sharḥ al-Jāmi‘ aṣ-Ṣaghīr, 1/289.
[7] Sharḥ al-Mishkāh, 11/3546.
[8] Al-Bukhārī: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl, ed. Muṣṭafā al-Bughā, Dār Ibn Kathīr, 5th ed., Ḥadīth No. 3059.
[9] Muslim: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj, ed. Muḥammad Fu'ād ‘Abd al-Bāqī, Ḥadīth No. 1763.
[10] Al-Mufhim li-mā Ashkala min Talkhīṣ Kitāb Muslim, 3/580.
[11] Al-Bukhārī: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl, ed. Muṣṭafā al-Bughā, Dār Ibn Kathīr, 5th ed., Ḥadīth No. 3254.
[12] Sharḥ an-Nawawī ‘alā Muslim, 2/212.
[13] Raf‘ al-Ḥājib ‘an Mukhtaṣar Ibn al-Ḥājib, 1/511.
[14] Aḥmad: Musnad Aḥmad, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, ed. Shu‘ayb al-Arnā'ūṭ, Dār al-Ḥadīth, 1st ed., Ḥadīth No. 7160.
[15] Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, 7/74.
[16] Aḥmad: Musnad Aḥmad, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, ed. Shu‘ayb al-Arnā'ūṭ, Dār al-Ḥadīth, 1st ed., Ḥadīth No. 11730.
[17] Sharḥ an-Nawawī ‘alā Muslim, 12/129.
[18] Al-Bukhārī: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl, ed. Muṣṭafā al-Bughā, Dār Ibn Kathīr, 5th ed., Ḥadīth No. 3691.
[19] Ibn Ḥibbān: Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān, Muḥammad ibn Ḥibbān at-Tamīmī, ed. Muḥyī ad-Dīn ‘Alī Sönmez and Khāliṣ Aydemir, Dār Ibn Ḥazm, 1st ed., Ḥadīth No. 7355.
[20] Laṭā'if al-Ma‘ārif, p. 261.
