. JI ದ : ; (cont.)

The major sins are not extinguished by charity but are in need ofrepentance. Wrong done toward others needs their forgiveness.2 In the Quran, Allah also states that through charity one's sins may be wiped away. Allah says, H ;,.;_ Ê ËT)'o1\ Ìp}rj ä 01j / _lb ౯ daI iJ:¢ 01 Ȓ ,,. ,,,, / / / / "If you disclose your charity, it is well; but if you conceal it and give it to the poor, that is better for you. [Allah] will expiate some of your sins. And Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do" (al-Baqara 271). In general, good deeds may wipe away evil deeds. Allah says, , H ..;:_,\=: ǡ11 ચ¨ DZ (./_;.J\ 01 / . ,,. ,,. ,,. ,,,. "Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds" (Hood 1 14). Al-Haitami states that charity has been specifically mentioned because its benefit extends to others and all of the creatures are Allah's creatures and dependents. In general, if a person helps another person's dependents, that removes the latter's anger. This is also how charity has been described in other reports.3 Al-Teebi points out that the removal of sins has been mentioned in three different manners. First is the removal of sins, as in the verse mentioned above. Second is the wiping away or erasing of sins as in the hadith, ઙ i:..;.i1 ;:: \\ df "Follow up a bad deed with a good deed and it will wipe it out."4 The third level is given here in this hadith: the extinguishing of sin. This expression gives the impression that the acts of charity will take one away from the Hell-fire 1 Cf., Taataay, pp. 259-260; Sultaan, p. 257. 2 Cf., al-Haitami, Fath, p. 224; al-Bugha and Mistu, p. 207. 3 Al-Haitami, Fath, pp. 224-225. 4 This is from Hadith Number 1 8 in this collection. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi because sins take one to the Hell-fire. If the sins are not extinguished, one will be consumed by the fire of Hell. The person can save himself from being consumed due to his sins by giving in charity, which will extinguish his sins and extinguish the fire for him in the Hereafter. 1 "the prayer of a man in the depths of the night. . . they used to do." According to ibn Raj ab, the meaning of the Prophet's statement is that the late-night prayer extinguishes sins in the same manner that charity does.2 The word jauf (u.1'!") when used along with the word night means the middle of the night. That is the case here. In some cases, there is reference to the ...._.Jo'!" of the last of the night. In that case, it is referring to the middle of the last half of the night or, in other words, after five-sixths of the night has passed.3 The Importance of the Late-Night Prayer In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) quoted the following verses of the Quran, .,. "/ ,;:.b" 6 A :' AJ B ,,.. ,,. J ౭ ખ\ ,, AJ J C J l "· ౬ /'.J ෘ '_r>- ౮_) u.Y- - ਅ ਆ ઔક iS · ,,.. ,,.. J ,,. ,,. # -// , .,.. / ' _',,\ / '" t -C. " '" / '._1:/; ૶­ / ' ' .,., / .,./ / .l_r.- 1I ._:,..._; 2 IT ગ ઘ ,-_: ઓ o ਇj_) $ .'I%:/. i '·tS' L:_i oȐ _,...i .: "Their sides forsake their beds to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend [in charity] out of what We have bestowed on them. No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do" (al­ Sajdah 16-17).4 There is a great deal of difference of opinion concerning the meaning of the phrase, "their sides forsake their beds," and what prayer it is referring to. However, this statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him) seems to make it clear that the verse is in reference to the late-night prayer, although perhaps not exclusively.5 1 Quoted in al-Mudaabaghi, p. 224. 2 Ibn Rajab, Jaami, vol. 2, p. 141. 3 Ibn Rajab, Jaami, vol. 2, p. 145. 4 All the commentators on this hadith relate this verse directly only to the late-night prayers in this hadith. (See, for example, ibn Rajab, Jaami, vol. 2, p. 142.) However, the verse alludes to both the late-night prayer as well as spending. It could be the case that the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited this verse in relation to both the late-night prayer and the charity that he had just mentioned. Allah knows best. 5 Other interpretations include performing prayers between the Sunset and Night Prayers, waiting for the Night Prayer, performing the Dawn Prayer, performing the Night and Dawn Prayers in congregation and so forth. Al-Tabari concludes that the verse is general for any prayer said during the night time when people may be sleeping.