. J (cont.)

It refers to purity, remembrance of Allah, prayer, charity, patience, abiding by the Quran and the ultimate journey of mankind. About the Narrator: Al-Haarith ibn Aasim al-Ashari This is a Companion concerning whose name there is quite a difference of opinion. In fact, there are ten different opinions as to his exact and complete name. He was from the Ashari tribe in Yemen and was one of their delegation that came to the Prophet (peace be upon him). 1 Cf., al-Nawawi, Sharh sahih, vol. 3, pp. 98-99. There is also a difference of opinion over whether Y ahya ibn Abu Katheer ever received hadith directly from Zaid ibn Aslam. Y ahya ibn Maeen said that he did not while Ahmad said that he did. This particular chain makes it clear that Yahya did receive this hadith directly from Zaid. Cf., ibn Rajab, Jaami, vol. 2, p. 5. However, although the hadith is definitely sahih, some scholars, including al-Daraqutni, ibn Hajr and Muqbil al-Waadiee, claim that the chain in Sahih Muslim is broken. [See Muqbil al-Waadiee's footnotes to Ali al-Daaraqutni, al-/lzaamaat wa al-Tatabba (Makkah: Daar al-Baaz, 1985), pp. 159-160.] It should be noted that it would not be strange for Imam Muslim to intentionally record that chain which some thought was a broken chain in order to express his view that the chain is, in fact, unbroken or in order to affirm that Yahya did hear hadith from Zaid. The most important point for Imam Muslim was that the hadith itself was sahih. After establishing that fact, he may include a specific chain for a specific secondary purpose. 2 In this narration, the past tense is used, "filled". This is considered a way of stressing that such will really occur when those words are said. 3 Cf., ibn Rajah, Jaami, vol. 2, p. 6. 71 1 Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi He lived in Greater Syria. He died there during the plague outbreak in the year 1 8 A.H. According to al-Haitami, Muaadh, Abu Ubaidah, Sharahbeel and al-Haarith all died on the same day during that plague outbreak.1 Twenty-seven hadith have been recorded on his authority. His hadith have been recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasaai and ibn Maajah. Jaabir ibn Abdullah and others narrated hadith on his authority. "Purification is half of the faith." There is a great deal of difference of opinion as to what the Prophet (peace be upon him) exactly meant by this statement. Below are some of the explanations that have been offered by the scholars: (1) Its meaning is that the reward for purification is up to half of the reward for faith. In other words, the reward for cleanliness and purity is so great that it could reach to half the reward of faith. This points out the importance of purity and cleanliness in Islam. This interpretation is one of many mentioned by al-Nawawi.2 Most of the other commentators either did not mention it or did not accept it. Sultan, for example states, "This goes against the apparent meaning of the text and there is no evidence for it."3 However, al­ Sabbaagh favors this interpretation while al-Baitaar calls it acceptable.4 (2) Faith wipes away all of the previous sins that were committed. Similarly, ablution wipes away the previous minor sins. But ablution is not sound without faith. Therefore, the effectiveness of ablution is dependent on faith in the same way that half of something is dependent on the other half. This interpretation also seems far-fetched according to Sultaan.5 (3) The meaning of imaan or faith in this phrase is the prayer. For example, Allah says in the Quran, (. J ,.. ,.,, .... I ଂ / J. J."'\ / ,,..... I// - - • - All ou i.,. J A .... .... "Allah would never allow your imaan to be lost" (al-Baqara 143). This is in reference to the prayers that were performed in the direction of Jerusalem before the command to face Makkah. The explanation of the word imaan in this verse is "prayers". Since purification is a condition for the soundness of prayer, it is like it is half of the prayer. (In this case, the word shatr does not 1 Al-Haitami, Fath, p. 1 83. 2 Al-Nawawi, Sharh sahih, vol. 3, p. 99. The first four opinions stated above were all mentioned by al-Nawawi, Ibid., vol. 3, pp. 99-1 00. 3 Sultaan, p. 196. Al-Qaari, vol. 1, p. 3 1 8 also explicitly refutes it. 4 Muhammad Al-Sabbaagh, Min Hadyi al-Nubuwwah Tammulaatfi Adad min Jawaami al-Kalim (Beirut: al-Maktab al-Islaami, 1994), p. 13; al-Baitaar, p. 142. Since he made this conclusion, al­ Sabbaagh discusses the place of cleanliness in Islam for a few pages. He says that both physical and spiritual cleanliness are of great importance in Islam, as can be proven through numerous hadith. He then concludes that this belief in and understanding of cleanliness is something that is missing from the Muslim world today and needs to be revived. See al-Sabbaagh, pp. 13-15. 5 Sultaan, p. 197. Hadith #23: "Purification is Half of Faith . .