Part 65

‘No, you have a greater right than I do to the front of your mount, unless you make it mine (by giving it as a gift).’

The man said, “Then I have made it yours,’ and the Prophet # then mounted [the animal].”"

6) Two Riders May Sit On The Same Riding Animal, As Long As Doing So Is Not Burdensome For The Animal

"I Related by At-Tirmidhee (2773), who said, “From this chain, the hadith is Hasan Ghareeb.” Abu Daawood (2573) also related it, and Al-Albaanee said, “It is Hasan sahih.”

'2] Refer to Bukhaaree (2856) and Muslim (30).

8) Refer to Bukhaaree (1670) and Muslim (1280).

4] Refer to Bukhaaree (1513) and Muslim (1334).

Chapter - 16 The Manners Of Walking And Riding 395,

7) It Is Disliked To Use Riding Animals As Pulpits (Upon Which The Rider Delivers A Sermon Or Lecture)

Abu Hurairah 4 said, ‘‘Beware of taking the backs of your riding animals as pulpits, for verily, Allah made them subservient to you only so that you can reach a land that you would not otherwise have reached except after undertaking much strain and toil upon yourselves. And Allah has made the earth for you, so carry out your needs on it (and not on your mounts; i.e., do not conduct, for instance, business transactions while you are seated on your mounts, for by staying constantly on your riding animal, you are burdening in7] Al-Qaaree said, “This is not in conflict with the fact that the Prophet #% stayed on his riding animal during the Farewell Pilgrimage, for he # did so for a benefit that [lasted for a short period of time and that] did not repeat itself consistently (therefore, his action did not constitute a burden on the animal).” And Ibn Al-Qayyim said, “As for the Prophet #% sitting on his riding animal during the Farewell Pilgrimage and for his Khutbah [during the pilgrimage], that does not fall under his prohibition, for he # did that as an exception, for a general benefit, during a short period of time, as opposed to staying on a mount [to conduct business affairs or to deliver sermons] always. His sitting on his mount for that purpose did not cause his mount to become tired, which is not the case when one habitually sits on one’s mount for no good reason...The Prophet #% sat on his mount while he delivered his sermon for a purpose so that others could hear him, and so that he could teach them what they needed to know about Islam and the rites of Hajj. This entailed a general benefit for everyone present, and it did not require a long period of time; [hence, no undue burden was placed on the riding animal].””

Related Issue: Regarding this issue, a car does not take the same ruling as a riding animal. Since a car does not become tired or weak when occupants sit in it for long while, one may remain

{1 Abu Daawood related it (2567), and Al-Albaanee declared it to be authentic.

seated in it for a long time while he is having a conversation with others. Yet, he must not do so in such a way as to bother or annoy others - for example, by blocking the way and bothering others with loud voices. It is Haram to inflict harm upon Muslims in any way, for Allah 3 says: Ch a BK OR RS aut tt GIS 4B C2 OY

“And those who annoy believing men and women undeserved, bear on themselves the crime of slander and plain sir.’ (Quran

The Manners Of The Pathway

“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is AllAware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.” (Quran

Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree 2 related that the Messenger of Allah 2% said, “Beware of sitting on pathways.”

Some of his Companions said, “We are driven by necessity, for they are nothing other than our places of gathering, where we speak to one another.” He # said,

“So if you are insistent upon taking them as your places of gathering, then give the pathway its due right.”

They asked, “ And what is the right of the pathway?” He xg said,

“To lower the gaze, refrain from harming [others], returning greetings of peace, ordering to what is good, and forbidding what is evil."

The Manners Of The Pathway

tt {s Compulsory To Fulfill The Rights Of The Pathway

In the above-mentioned hadith, the Prophet # enumerated the rights of the pathway; however, we must understand that what he mentioned are just some of the rights of the pathway, and not all of them, for in other narrations the Prophet # mentioned other rights as well. Let us now discuss each right individually:

Lowering The Gaze: This order is intended equally for men and women. To allow one’s gaze to remain fixated on a Haram (forbidden) object leads to nothing but pain and agony in one’s heart. One might feel that, by staring at an object of beauty, one is relaxing his soul and allowing happiness to enter into his heart, but nothing is further from the truth. The most tormented of all is a person who is addicted to looking at forbidden objects. Ibn Taymiyyah said, ‘“ When one looks on purpose (e.g., a man looking at a stranger woman), an attachment will form in his heart, and that will bring nothing but torment and misery. If that attachment increases to the point that one falls in love, the punishment and torment will only increase, regardless of whether one’s love is requited or not. If one’s love remains unrequited, then one will continue to remain in a state of sadness, misery, and depression. And one who has his love requited is also in a state of great pain, always fearing that he will be parted from the object of his love, always trying to please that object, and always striving to satisfy that object’s needs and wants. All of this began with a look. Had he averted his gaze, his soul and heart would both be in a state

') Related by Bukhaaree (2465).

of peace and calmness.”

The Shariah, of course takes into consideration what people do inadvertently, for it orders a man who unintentionally looks at a stranger woman to then immediately avert his gaze instead of prolonging the look. Jareer Ibn ‘Abdullah # said, “I asked the Messenger of Allah #% about the sudden glance, and he ordered me to avert my gaze.”""] “Sudden glance” refers to when one unintentionally looks at a stranger woman. There is no sin upon a person when that happens, but one must then immediately avert his gaze. If he immediately averts his gaze, then there is no sin upon him. But if he persists in looking, he sins, a ruling that is clearly indicated by the preceding hadith.

b) Refraining From Harming Others: ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr & reported that the Prophet # said,

“A Muslim is he from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe..."

This is a typically epigrammatic saying of the Prophet #é, for though it contains a few words, it encompasses many meanings. A person can harm others with his tongue in many ways, by cursing them, attacking their honor, backbiting them, slandering them, or mocking them. Similarly, a person can harm others with his hand in more ways than just punching or striking them; one may use his hand to write abusive words or slander, one may use it to concoct poison, one may use it to kill another person with a gun, and so on. One of the beautiful teachings of this religion is that, when a person refrains from harming others, he is giving charity to his own self. Abu Dharr 4 reported that he asked the Prophet #, “’ Which deed is best?” He #% said,

{1 Related by Muslim (2159), Ahmad (18679), At-Tirmidhee (2776), Abu Daawood (2148), and Ad-Daarimee (2643).

"1 Related by Bukhaaree (10), Muslim (40), Ahmad (6714), An-Nassaaee (4996), Abu Daawood (2481), and Ad-Daarimee (2716).

tales 3 Seg ail Stap “Eemaan (faith, belief) in Allah and Jihad in His path.”

Abu Dharr ¢ asked, “ Which Ar-Rigaab (referring to the freeing of slaves by purchasing them from their owners) is best?” He # said,

egal te Yeats ti use “The most expensive of them in price and those that are most

precious to their people (i.e., to their owners).””

Abu Dharr # said, “And if I do not do so (ie., if I do not free slaves, then what is next best?).” The Prophet 2 said,

“Help a workman or make something for a person who has no trade.” He # asked, “And if I do not do that?” He 3 said,

(8 iF le bhai bis eb sh yy 2 (pl ra)

“Leave people alone from [your] evil, for indeed, that is charity which you give to your own self.”

Muslim related it with this wording, ‘Hold back your evil from people; for verily, that is charity from your own self to your own self.’

c) Returning Greetings Of Peace: This right is compulsory for the pathway and for ali situations. Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet 2% said, eb 2.85 iy pe 85 sae Je plAtl) Col 2s

“A Muslim has five compulsory rights over his brother: returning greetings of peace, saying, ‘Yarhamukallah (may

' Related by Bukhaaree (2518), Muslim (84), and Ahmad (20824).

Allah have mercy on you)’ to a person who sneezes (i.e., a person who sneezes and then says, ‘Alhamdulillah,’ all praise is to Allah), accepting an invitation, visiting the sick, and following funerals,”

Many people are remiss in this regard; you will find that they greet people they know, while they ignore those they do not know, a practice that is in clear violation of the Prophet's Sunnah.

d) Ordering others to what is good and forbidding them from what is evil

The application of these matters is what makes our Nation the best Nation:

Bee ig oe “You [true believers in Islamic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad 3% and his Sunnah (legal ways, etc.)] are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin AlMa’roof (i.e, Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief, and all that Islam has forbidden), and you believe in Allah.” (Quran