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Collected by Imam Al-Bukhari Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ismail

With commentary based on the checking, editing, rulings, and comments of:

Imam Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee

Shaykh Husayn ‘Awdah al-‘Awaayisha

Shaykh Sameer bin Ameen az-Zuhayree

Dr. Muhammad Luqman as-Salafee

Chapter 8:

Kindness To The Non-Muslim Parent

1. Sa’d bin Abu Waqqas said:

“Four verses of the book of Allah, the Mighty, were revealed about me:

The first was when my mother swore she would neither eat nor drink until I left Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم . Allah the Mighty revealed, ‘If they strive with you to make you ascribe to Me something of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them. Keep company with them in this world in a correct manner.’ (Luqman 31:15)

The second was when I took a sword that I admired and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, give me this.’ Then the verse was revealed: ‘They will ask you about the booty.’ (al-Anfal 8:1)

The third was when I was ill and the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم  came to me and I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I want to divide my property. Can I will away a half?’ He said, ‘No.’ I asked, ‘A third?’ He was silent and so after that it was allowed to will away a third.

The fourth was when I had been drinking wine with some of the Ansar. A man from among them hit my nose with the jawbone of a camel. I went to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم  and Allah the Mighty and Exalted revealed the prohibition of wine.” (Authentic)


Commentary:
We learn from this hadeeth that one could tell others about Allah’s favors on him if it will not lead him to self-importance. The fact that the parents should not be followed when they order disbelief or any other act of disobedience to Allah the Most High is also deduced from the hadeeth. Even when the parents do that, one should deal with them kindly, being mild and generous to them, inviting them to faith and obedience to Allah with good words and in a nice manner. In another wording of the same hadeeth collected by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim in their Saheehs, Allah’s Messenger
صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “that you leave your heirs rich is better than leaving them poor, having to beg the people.” So, this hadeeth also points to the fact that, generally speaking, it is better to be rich through legitimate means than to remain poor, having to beg the people. Taking wine is prohibited “for it is the key to every evil”.



2. Asma’ bint Abu Bakr said:


“During the period of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم my mother (still a non-believer) came to me hoping I would be dutiful to her. I asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم , ‘Do I have to keep ties of kinship with her?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’”
Ibn ‘Uyayna said, “Then Allah the Mighty and Exalted revealed about her,

لَّا يَنْهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَـٰرِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ ٨

‘Allah does not forbid you as regards to those who have not fought you in the deen and drove you not out from your homes, that you should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loves the just dealers.’” (al-MumtaHanah 60:8)(Authentic)


Commentary:
This hadeeth indicates the eagerness of the companions رضي الله عنهم to know the rulings of the religion, and that they gave preference for the religion whenever it conflicted with issues of family ties. The hadeeth also teaches that the Muslim child should give maintenance to the non-Muslim parents as a matter of obligation and that family ties could be kept with non-Muslim relatives within the same limits. The visit of Asma’s mother to her in Madinah was during the period of the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah as is indicated in other wordings of the hadeeth.



3. Ibn ‘Umar said:


“‘Umar saw a silk robe for sale. He said, ‘Messenger of Allah, would you buy this robe and wear it on Friday and when delegations come to you?’ He replied, ‘Only a person who has no portion in the Hereafter could wear this.’ Then the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم was given some robes of the same material. He sent one of these robes to ‘Umar. ‘Umar said, ‘How can I wear it when you said what you said about it?’ The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied, ‘I did not give it to you so you could wear it. You can sell it or give it to be worn by someone else.’ ‘Umar sent it to his brother in Makkah who had not yet become a Muslim.” (Authentic)


Commentary:
‘Umar’s proposal that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم should wear  the robe on such important occasions like Friday or when delegations visit him was upheld by the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم; he only rejected the silk robe particularly, and any other prohibited dress or mode of dressing as is known from other narrations by extension. However, the hadeeth shows the permissibility of selling silk clothes, earning profit thereby and connecting ties of kinship with non-Muslim relatives by giving them gifts.

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