As I have been reading Hadith books, I came across several points that are at variance with what is commonly known. This has created some confusion. Could you please clarify.
Abd Al-Haiy
Q. How can the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that none enters heaven by reason of his deeds only be explained?
A. The Prophet has explained this by telling us that even if we spend all our lives in worship and glorification of God, we would not be able to thank Him enough for the blessings we enjoy in life. Therefore, no one would have done what is sufficient to merit entry into heaven on the basis of his actions alone. However, God has extended to us the favour that He accepts from us our good work and rewards us for it on the basis of His generosity, multiplying it at least ten times. So our admittance into heaven is based on His grace and generosity, not on the value of our actions, although it is our actions that determine our destiny.
Q. The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells that a believer does not become impure, not even when he is in the state of ceremonial impurity, or janabah. How come we are not allowed to read the Qur’an when we are in this state?
A. Yes, we are never impure in the sense that some substance like urine is impure. Nevertheless we are required to have ablution, or wudhu, in order to pray, and when we are in a state of janabah or ceremonial impurity, we need to have a bath or a shower in order to be able to pray. There is no contradiction here. The same applies to reading the Qur’an.
Q. The Prophet is said to have married Maymoonah when he was in ihraam, while we are told that during ihraam it is not permissible to enter into a marriage contract for oneself or on behalf of others.
A. The Prophet married Maymoonah after his Umrah in year 7. There are different Hadiths on how this was done. A Hadith reported by Abu Rafi’ states: “The Prophet made his marriage contract with Maymoonah after he released himself from ihraam, and had his wedding after his release. I was the emissary between them.” This Hadith is clear in its import, while the other Hadith reported by Ibn Abbas, which mentions that the Prophet was in consecration or ihraam when he married her, admits other interpretations, such as that the marriage was done when the Prophet was in the sacred month, or in the sacred city of Makkah. It is agreed by most scholars that a marriage contract may not be done while one is in the state of consecration, or ihraam.
Q. After the burial of the unbelievers killed in Badr, the Prophet addressed them. Aishah denies this on grounds that the Qur’an mentions that the dead cannot hear. Please explain.
A. It is reported that the Prophet addressed the dead unbelievers after their burial asking whether they have found out that God’s promises and warnings have come true. People asked him how could he speak to the dead. It is reported that he said: “You cannot hear me better than they.” It is to this statement that Aishah objected on grounds of verse 22 of Surah 35 which states: “You cannot make the dwellers of the graves hear.” Aishah said: “The Prophet did not say that you cannot hear me better than they, but said: you cannot be better aware of what I say than they.” This is true, as they would have met their destiny that confirmed everything the Prophet had told them.
Q. In Al-Bukhari’s Sahih, it is mentioned that if it were not for Hawwa, no woman would have betrayed her husband. Does this mean that she is the origin of betrayal?
A. The Hadith you refer to says: “Had it not been for the Children of Israel, meat would not have got rotten, and had it not been for Hawwa, or Eve, no woman would have betrayed her husband.” The first part means that the Israelites were ordered not to hoard meat, but they did until it got rotten. They were the first to do that. Had it not been for their invention, people would not have stored meat and their practice would have been to consume it fresh. It does not mean that meat would not have gone bad regardless of how long it stayed in one’s possession. This is against natural laws.
The second part does not speak of unfaithful behaviour, because Hawwa, or Eve, was not unfaithful. She only listened to the promptings of the devil and this constituted her betrayal. This is what she started, and her offspring got it. Thus, any action that lacks honesty is classified under such betrayal, whether it is a glance, a word or a gesture. The Prophet’s statement must not be taken to refer to adultery. Any woman who commits adultery, or man for that matter, is responsible for her or his own action.
Q. It is said that the prohibition of usury was in Madinah, while the Prophet mentions this in his pilgrimage speech in Makkah.
A. Yes, verses 275-279 of surah 2, which speak of the prohibition of usury, were revealed in Madinah, before the Prophet’s pilgrimage at the end of year 10. When he spoke about usury in his pilgrimage speech, he was giving details of the extent of prohibition. There is no contradiction between the two. In fact the speech gave more information about something already established, namely, the strict prohibition of all usurious transactions. He stated that all such transactions were, on the basis of the prohibition already established in the Qur’anic verses, are null and void.