Abu Bakrah (May Allah bepleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Time has completed its cycle and has come to the state of the day when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year consists of twelve months of which four are inviolable; three of them consecutive - Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram and Rajab, the month of Mudar (tribe), which comes between Jumada and Sha`ban. What month is this?" We said, "Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) know better". The Prophet (PBUH) remained silent for some time until we thought that he would give it a name other than its real name. Then asked, "Is it not (the month of) Dhul-Hijjah?". We replied in the affirmative. He asked, "Which city is this?". We replied: "Allah and His Messenger know better". He remained silent until we thought that he would give it another name. He (PBUH) asked, "Is it not Al-Baldah (Makkah)?" We said: "Yes". He (PBUH) asked, "What day is this?". We said: "Allah and His Messenger know better." He (PBUH) remained silent until we thought that he would give it another name. He asked, "Is it not the day of An-Nahr (the sacrifice)?". We replied in the affirmative. Thereupon he said, "Your blood, your property and your honour are inviolable to you all like the inviolablity of this day of yours, in this city of yours and in this month of yours. You will soon meet your Rubb and He will ask you about your deeds. So do not turn to disbelief after me by striking the necks of one another. Behold! Let him who is present here convey (this message ) to him who is absent; for many a person to whom a message is conveyed has more retentive memory than the one who hears it." He (PBUH) again said, "Have I conveyed the message to you? Behold! Have I conveyed the Commandments (of Allah) to you." We submitted: "Yes". He then said, "O Allah, bear witness (to this)".[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:
1. The cycle of years and months (that is to say a month consists of 30 or 29 days and a year has 12 months) was completed at the time of creation of heavens and earth. 2. The Hadith mentions the sanctity of life, property, respect and honour of each Muslim for the other and lays stress upon the importance of this bond in them. 3. It reminds that everyone will be answerable for his actions on the Day of Requittal. 4. It urges that one should not just keep to oneself the Commandments of Allah and His Prophet's teachings but disseminate them among others also. It is quite possible that someone who remembers these teachings more adheres to them more in practice.
|
