Ahadith from ‘Miftah-ul-Ma`ani’

1.Abdullah Sunabihi was a well-known Follower. (Fat^h al-Mun`im)

2. `Ubadah b. Thabit was prominent Companion of the Prophet (saws). He had pledged his hand to the Prophet at `Aqabah 2 and was appointed, among twelve, one of the Nuqaba’ (leaders). He participated in the battle of Badr, and in many battles thereafter. He was sent to Syria as a Qur’an teacher by `Umar (ra). This was his last meeting with his followers, in Bayt al-Maqdis, in 45 AH. (Fat<sup>h</sup> al-Mun`im)

3. It appears that seeing him in death pangs the events of death and after-death, such as Questioning, Resurrection etc. began to flash before Sunabihi. `Ubadah could read that in his face and said, “By Allah, if I am asked to bear witness ..” to the end. (Fat<sup>h</sup> al-Mun`im)

But it is also possible that Sunabihi’s cry was because of his observatioin of death-pangs, or for fear that he will lose `Ubadah’s company and tutorship, although the meaning above seems to be more appropriate. (Al-Kawkab al-Wahhaj).

4. At this point `Ubadah used plural form meaning, ‘you all,’ which means that there were other people around him. (Fat<sup>h</sup> al-Mun`im)

5. Zuhri (Ibn Shihab) was asked about the Prophet’s words, ‘Whosoever said, ‘there is no deity save Allah, entered Paradise.’ He replied, “That was in the early days of Islam before the revelation of obligations, and the injunctions to do not to do.” (Fat^h al-Mun`im)

1.Some reports state the figure as “seventy and some”, which means that the exact number is not intended, the emphasis is on numerousness.

2. The Prophet also said about modesty: “Modesty does not bring back but good.” Once he said to his Companions: “By shy of Allah, the way shyness deserves.” They replied, “We do observe shness against Allah, the way shyness deserves – Allah be praised.” He responded, “That’s not what I meant. Being shy of Allah consists: in the head and what it possesses; the stomach and what it contains; death be remembered and what scatters (the bones). Whoever intended the Hereafter will abandon the adornments of the world and will prefer the Last to the First (this world). Whoever did this, felt shy of Allah the way shyness deserves. (Nawawi’s commentary on Sahih Muslim)

Master Abul Qasim al-Qushayri narrated from Junayd, may Allah be pleased with him, that haya’ (modesty/shyness) is defined as recounting (Allah’s) numerous blessings, and balancing them with one’s own failures. The feeling that this exercise gives birth to is called haya’. (Nawawi’s commentary on Sahih Muslim)

Qadi `Iyad and others have said that although haya’ is something natural, it has been called a branch of faith. It can be something naturally inherited, or may be earned and obtained. However, in Islamic matters it is earned through effort, intention and faith. If someone haya’ prevents him from doing a wrong in the presence of a respectful person, then happens to be out of fear, and is haya’ only in name. (Nawawi’s commentary on Sahih Muslim)

3. That is, since iman signifies testimony as well as deeds, it has several branches, one of which is modesty.

1.Denial of other deities besides Allah is a part of tawheed. Unless a man denies all others besides Allah, one cannot be sure what and whom is it that he believes in. There are more false gods than the one true God. There are more things to deny than to attest. The attestation need not be in such great detail, as the denial. `Umar (ra) has said: “He who does not know kufr (falsehood) does not know the truth. Hence in the testimony of Islam the “la” (there is none – or denial) comes first and “illa Allah” (save for Allah – or affirmation) comes later. (Au.)