Which takes precedence: making up missed Ramadan fasts or fasting in expiation for breaking an oath or fulfilment of a vow?

I have some fasts to make up from Ramadan, and I also have some fasts to observe in expiation for breaking an oath (kafaarat yameen). I heard once that the first thing I should do is make up the missed Ramadan fasts, and after that I should observe the expiatory fasts. Is doing it in that order obligatory, or is it permissible to do it differently?

Praise be to Allah

If someone owes days from Ramadan, he may delay making them up, so long as the next Ramadan has not begun.

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: To sum up, if someone owns a fast from Ramadan, then he may delay it so long as the next Ramadan has not begun, because of the report narrated by ‘Aa’ishah, who said: I used to have fasts that I still owed from Ramadan, and I would not make them up until Sha‘baan. Agreed upon. It is not permissible for him to delay making them up until the next Ramadan begins without a valid reason, because ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did not delay making up missed fasts to that extent; if she could have, she would have delayed hem.

End quote from al-Mughni (3/85)

With regard to expiation for breaking an oath (kafaarat yameen), the scholars differed as to whether it is obligatory to do it immediately or whether it may be deferred.

It says in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (10/14): The majority of scholars are of the view that it is not permissible to delay expiation for breaking an oath, and that when the oath is broken, the expiation must be offered immediately. End quote.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Part of heeding the solemnity of oaths is offering expiation immediately after breaking the oath; the expiation becomes obligatory with immediate effect, because the basic principle with regard to obligatory matters is that they must be done immediately.

End quote from al-Qawl al-Mufeed ‘ala Kitaab at-Tawheed (2/456). See also ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘(15/159).

The Shaafa‘is, according to the more correct opinion, are of the view that it is obligatory to offer the expiation immediately if breaking the oath involves an act of disobedience, such as if a person swore to refrain from committing a sin, then he does it. They said: In this case, he must offer expiation immediately.

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: As for expiation, if it has to do with an act that did not involve deliberate transgression, such as expiation for accidental killing, or expiation for breaking an oath, in some instances, then it may be done later on, and there is no difference of scholarly opinion in this case, because the act is excused.

But if the act involved deliberate transgression, then must the expiation be offered immediately or can it be deferred? There are two opinions which were both narrated by al-Qaffaal and his companions; the more sound view is that it must be offered immediately.

End quote from al-Majmoo‘ (3/70)

So according to the majority view, expiation for breaking an oath should be given precedence, because it must be offered immediately, whereas making up missed Ramadan fasts may be deferred.

If the time is short and there are only a few days left until Ramadan, so there is not enough time to both make up the missed fasts and offer expiation, then precedence should be given to making up the missed fasts, because that is more important, and the scholars stated that it should be given precedence over fasting in fulfilment of a vow.

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If he missed any of the fasts in Ramadan because of a valid reason, and the excuse is no longer applicable, then he must make up the missed Ramadan fasts, because that is more important than fasting in fulfilment of a vow.

End quote from al-Majmoo‘ (6/391)

And Allah knows best.

She is not sure whether she formed the intention to make up a missed Ramadan fast before dawn or not, so she changed her intention to observing a voluntary fast.

One time I was fasting to make up a missed fast, but halfway through the day I became uncertain as to whether I had formed the intention before dawn or after dawn, so I changed my intention to intending that this day’s fast would be a voluntary fast for Allah, may He be exalted. Is what I did correct, or is that not permissible? If it is not permissible, do I have to offer expiation or do anything in particular? I hope that you will answer, because I am very confused about this matter.

Praise be to Allah

Firstly:

If the accountable person is uncertain about his intention for making up a fast, and whether he formed the intention before the break of dawn or not, then the basic principle is that he did not form an intention, because this is what is certain. He is not sure whether the intention was there before dawn, so what is certain is that there was no intention, and what is certain cannot be changed by what is doubtful.

But if the questioner is affected by waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan), then she should continue her fast on the basis that the intention is to make up for a fast, because doubts do not count if they are many; it is essential to put a stop to waswaas and doubts and not allow oneself to become carried away with them, and to avoid making things difficult for oneself, which is contrary to the easy-going teachings of Islam.

The same applies if the doubt is something that crossed your mind suddenly, when you think it most likely that the intention was sound, or there is corroborative evidence to indicate that you were fasting to make up for a missed day, such as if you do not usually fast on such a day or in such a situation except when you are making up a missed fast.

Hence the scholars said:

Doubt after doing an action does not count for anything, and the same applies if doubts occur frequently.

Secondly:

If someone starts to observe an obligatory fast, such as making up a day from Ramadan, it is not permissible for him to break the fast without a valid reason, such as sickness or travel.

If he does break the fast – with or without a valid reason – he must make up this day, and make up another day in its stead.

He does not have to offer any expiation for breaking the fast, whether it was with a valid reason or otherwise, because expiation is only required for breaking the fast by having intercourse during the day in Ramadan. See the answer to question no. 49750.

If the Muslim changes his intention from making up a missed fast to observing a general naafil (supererogatory) fast, he does not have to offer expiation for that, but he must seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent.

Conclusion:

If you had the intention from the night before to fast in order to make up a missed fast, then it is not permissible for you to break the fast.

But if that has already happened, then you must seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent, but there is no specific expiation that is required in that case.

If you are not sure whether you had formed the intention from the night before to make up for a missed fast, then the basic principle is that there was no intention to that effect from the night before. We act on the basis of what is certain, which is that the idea came to your mind after dawn. So the fast is valid as a naafil fast. This applies if there is considerable reason for doubt.

 But if you have the problem of waswaas, then this is a doubt that is not regarded as considerable, and it is an obligatory fast that is not affected by doubts or uncertainty, so it is not permissible to break the fast.

Because you broke the fast, then you must make up a day in its stead, and not do this again, but you do not have to offer expiation.

And Allah knows best.

What is the ruling on sacrificing a hermaphrodite animal?.

Praise be to Allaah.

There is no reason why a hermaphrodite animal should not be sacrificed, unless that affects the quality of the meat. 

The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) described the faults which make an animal unacceptable for sacrifice. They are: obvious one-eyedness, obvious sickness, obvious lameness and extreme weakness. 

By analogy, this includes faults that are similar to these or worse, such as blindness, a limp or having a leg cut off. This has been explained in the answer to question no. 36755. 

Is seems that a hermaphrodite does not have any of these faults, unless the quality of the meat is affected. 

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him ) was asked about sacrificing a hermaphrodite cow and he ruled that it was permissible, as was narrated from him in Mawaahib al-Jaleel (3/239).

Observing voluntary fasts before making up fasts from Ramadan

What is the ruling on observing voluntary fasts before making up obligatory fasts from Ramadan?

Praise be to Allah

The scholars differed concerning the ruling on observing voluntary fasts before making up missed fasts.

Some scholars were of the view that “it is not correct to observe voluntary fasts before making up missed fasts, and that the one who does that is a sinner.” The reason they gave for that was that an optional (non-obligatory) action should not be done before an obligatory action.

Some scholars said that it is permissible so long as time is not short. They said: So long as there is sufficient time, it is permissible to observe optional fasts, just as one may perform optional prayers before praying (an obligatory prayer). For example, the time of Dzuhr starts after the sun reaches its zenith and ends when the shadow of an object is equal in length to its length, so one may delay Dzuhr to the end of its time, and during this period it is permissible to offer optional prayers, because there is sufficient time.

This is the view of the majority of fuqaha (jurists), and was the view favoured by ash-Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen, who said: “This is the most correct view, and his fast is valid and he is not a sinner, because this is a clear analogy… And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

‘and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other days’

[al-Baqarah 2:185]

This means that he has to make up (the missed fasts) on other days, but Allah did not stipulate that they must be consecutive days; if He had stipulated that, then they would have had to be made up immediately. This indicates that there is some room for maneuver in this matter.”

Secondly: with regard to fasting on Mondays and Thursdays with the intention of making up missed fasts.

Difficulties encountered by a woman who wears hijaab

My problem is that i recently began wearing hijab. in my city there are very few women who wear this and my town is very small. i am newly convert to islam and african american, my husband is pakistani and we have been married 4 yrs. he does not seem to like the fact that i am wearing hijab. he does not want to go out in public with me wearing this. i dont know what to do..this is very hard for me to wear it but this is something that i know i must do , for we all have to make our own path to paradise. should i consider divorce, because my religion is very seriouse to me. my husband does prayer only at masjid on fridays, and i am constantly into my islam. this problem causes me to cry often..if you are able.

Praise be to Allaah.  

First of all, we would like to congratulate you for having been guided by Allaah to embrace Islam, the true and final religion. I ask Allaah to help us and you remain steadfast in adhering to it until we die. 

I give you the glad tidings of the words that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to the Sahaabah: “There will come a time when patience is required of the one who adheres (to Islam), and he will have the reward of fifty of you.” They said, “Of them?” He said, “No, of you.”

(Narrated by Ibn Nasr; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 494) 

Before you think of divorce, try to play the role of a daa’iyah, calling your husband and those around you to Islam. This will benefit others and help you to remain steadfast. You have an example of that in the righteous believing women such as Umm al-Mu’mineen (the Mother of the Believers) Khadeejah (may Allaah be pleased with her), who played a great role in making the heart of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) remain firm and steadfast when his mission began. Whenever he mentioned her after she had died, he would praise her in glowing terms, as was narrated by ‘Aa’ishah who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned Khadeejah one day, and he praised her highly.”

(Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, 24684; classed as hasan by al-Haythami in al-Majma’) 

Another example is Umm Sulaym (may Allaah be pleased with her). Abu Talhah [who was not yet a Muslim at that time] proposed marriage to her, and she said: “By Allaah, O Abu Talhah, a man like you is not to be refused, but you are a kaafir man and I am a Muslim woman. It is not permissible for me to marry you, but if you become Muslim, that will be my mahr (dowry).” So he became Muslim, and that was her mahr.

(Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 3341; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i,3133)                                                  

So start – may Allaah help you – by calling your husband and convincing him by all kinds of means to adhere to Islam and its obligations, such as prayer, wearing hijaab, etc, especially since he is already Muslim. Calling one’s husband is one of the ways that lead to Paradise. 

I hope that Allaah will guide your husband through your sincere advice. Also make a lot of du’aa’ for him. If after some time you do not see any improvement, or you think that you will be able to find someone to marry who is better than this husband, then think of divorce. This is only if this man is negligent about his prayers, praying sometimes and not at other times. But if he has forsaken prayer altogether and does not even pray on his own, then it is not permissible for you to stay with him, because forsaking prayer constitutes disbelief in Allaah. 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The covenant that stands between us and them is prayer; whoever gives it up is a kaafir.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2621; al-Nasaa’i, 463 and others. It is a saheeh report. Al-Mishkaat, 574) 

And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Between a man and shirk and kufr, there stands his giving up prayer.”

(Narrated by Muslim, 82). 

For yourself, be patient in adhering to hijaab even though it may be difficult. How much did our examples, the men and women of the Sahaabah, suffer for the sake of Allaah; we suffer only a fraction of what they suffered. This is the path to Paradise. For Hell is surrounded with whims and desires and Paradise is surrounded with difficulties. 

Be certain that hijaab is only difficult because it is new to you. If you are patient and have faith, this difficulty will fade – in sha Allaah – and it will become easy and you will become comfortable with the hijaab. If you remember the reward, that which is difficult will become easier. 

The fact that you are wearing hijaab even though you find it difficult is a sign that your faith is strong.

 I ask Allaah to make us and you steadfast in adhering to the religion. Ameen.

What can she do? - How can she make it easier for herself to wear hijab?

Praise be to Allah

We appreciate your eagerness to adhere to the commands of Allah and to attain the status of true servitude to the Lord of the Worlds and to follow the straight path which Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, wants every person to follow, and commanded them to seek guidance to it at all times: “Guide us to the Straight Way” [al-Faatihah 1:6]. 

We advise you to hasten to that which is good and to compete in doing righteous deeds, for Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, urges us to do that in the verse in which He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:133]. 

And Allah, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“So hasten towards all that is good”

[al-Baqarah 2:148]. 

The one who is truly a slave to Allah is the one who is content with Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion, and Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as his Prophet, and he does not hesitate, or seek people’s advice, or consult them, with regard to anything that Allah commands him to do:

“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error”

[al-Ahzaab 33:36]. 

Abu’z-Zinaad (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Faqeeh wa’l-Mutafaqqih (1/222): 

What is prescribed as Sunnah is not to be contested, and should not be subjected to personal opinions. If people did that, no day would pass without them moving from one religion to another. Rather it should be adhered to and followed, regardless of whether it is in accordance with one’s opinion or otherwise. Indeed what is prescribed as Sunnah, and many other aspects of the truth, may often differ with one’s opinion, but the Muslims have no alternative but to follow them and submit to them. End quote. 

Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Mirwazi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Whoever follows the religion of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), let him accept what he brought, whether it is in accordance with his opinion or otherwise, and let him not develop any doubts about anything he said, because doubt about the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) constitutes disbelief.

End quote from Ta‘zeem Qadr as-Salaah 

This is the greatness of Allah’s way of disciplining those who believe in Him, and is a warning from Him to them lest the following of His religion be based on whims and desires and personal interests. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“They (hypocrites) say: ‘We have believed in Allah and in the Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)), and we obey,’ then a party of them turn away thereafter, such are not believers.

And when they are called to Allah (i.e. His Words, the Qur’an) and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), to judge between them, lo! a party of them refuse (to come) and turn away.

But if the right is with them, they come to him willingly with submission.

Is there a disease in their hearts? Or do they doubt or fear lest Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) should wrong them in judgement. Nay, it is they themselves who are the Zalimoon (polytheists, hypocrites and wrong-doers, etc.).

The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah (His Words, the Quran) and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), to judge between them, is that they say: ‘We hear and we obey.’ And such are the prosperous ones (who will live forever in Paradise).

And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), fears Allah, and keeps his duty (to Him), such are the successful ones”

[an-Noor 24:47-52]. 

Shaykh as-Sa ‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the verses quoted above: 

Here Allah, may He be exalted, tells us about the situation of the wrongdoers, those in whose hearts is a disease, weakness of faith, hypocrisy, doubt or lack of knowledge. They speak words and make a show of commitment to faith and obedience to Allah, but then they do not act in accordance with what they say. Some of them turn away significantly from obedience, based on the fact that Allah says here: “then a party of them turn away”. The one who turns away may have the intention of coming back to that from which he turned away, but in this case what is referred to is the one who turns away and does not turn back at all, and does not look at that from which he is turning away. You will find that this is applicable to many of those who claim to believe in Allah and be obedient to Him, but they are weak in faith; you will find that they do not do many acts of worship, especially those that are hard for many people, such as giving zakâh, spending in ways that are obligatory or recommended, jihad in Allah’s cause, and so on. 

“And when they are called to Allah (i.e. His Words, the Qur’an) and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), to judge between them” that is, if an issue arises between them and someone else where a judgement is required, and they are called to the judgement of Allah and His Messenger,

“lo! a party of them refuse (to come) and turn away”, seeking the rulings of the time of ignorance, and preferring the rulings of man-made laws over the rulings of sharia, because they know that they are in the wrong and that sharia only judges on the basis of what really is the case. 

“But if the right is with them, they come to him” that is, they come to the ruling of sharia

“willingly with submission” but that is not because it is the ruling of sharia; rather that is because it coincides with their whims and desires. So they are not doing anything praiseworthy in this case, even if they come willingly, because the one who is a slave of Allah in a true sense is the one who follows the truth whether he likes it or not, whether it suits him or not. As for the one who follows sharia when it coincides with his whims and desires and rejects it when it does not, and gives precedence to his whims and desires over sharia, he is not a slave of Allah in a true sense. 

Allah says, criticising them for turning away from the ruling of sharia:

“Is there a disease in their hearts?” that undermines the healthy state of the heart and removes common sense, so that he becomes like a sick person who turns away from that which will benefit him and turns towards that which will harm him? 

“Or do they doubt” and that has made them anxious about the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, so that they accused him of not judging in accordance with the truth? 

“or fear lest Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) should wrong them in judgement?” That is, are they afraid that an unfair and unjust ruling will be passed against them? Rather that is how they are, “Nay, it is they themselves who are the Zalimoon (polytheists, hypocrites and wrong-doers, etc.)”. As for the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, it is based on the utmost justice and is in accordance with wisdom. “And who is better in judgement than Allah for a people who have firm Faith?” [al-Maa’idah 5:50]. 

These verses indicate that faith is not just words, unless those words are accompanied by action. Therefore the one who turns away from obedience has no faith. It is obligatory to submit to the ruling of Allah and His Messenger in all cases, and if a person does not submit to that ruling, this is indicative of a disease in his heart and weakness in his faith. It is forbidden to think negatively of the rulings of sharia or to think that they are contrary to justice and wisdom. 

Having described the condition of those who turn away from the rulings of sharia, Allah now describes the condition of the praiseworthy believers: 

“The only saying of the faithful believers” that is, the true believers whose deeds confirm their faith, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he may judge between them, whether that is in accordance with their whims and desires or otherwise,

“is that they say: ‘We hear and we obey’” that is, we hear the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, we respond to that to which he called us, and we obey him completely, without any reservation. 

“And such are the successful ones (who will live forever in Paradise)” it is only they who will be successful, because success means attaining what is sought and being saved from what one fears, and no one will succeed except the one who refers to Allah and His Messenger for judgement, and obeys Allah and His Messenger. 

Having mentioned the virtue of obedience with regard to the rulings in particular, Allah now mentions the virtue of obedience in general terms, in all situations:

“And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger” by believing in what they say and complying with their commands,

“fears Allah” that is, fear accompanied by knowledge, so he refrains from what is forbidden to him and restrains himself from following whims and desires. Hence Allah says, “and keeps his duty (to Him)” by refraining from that which is prohibited, because keeping one’s duty to Allah (taqwa) – when it is mentioned in general terms – includes doing what is enjoined and refraining from what is forbidden. When this is mentioned alongside righteousness or obedience – as in this case – it is interpreted as referring to warding off the punishment of Allah by refraining from disobeying Him. 

“such” namely those who combine obedience to Allah, obedience to His Messenger, fear of Allah and mindfulness of Him

“are the triumphant ones” as they will be saved from the punishment, because they avoided the causes that lead to that, and they will attain reward, because they did that which leads to it. So triumph is theirs alone. As for those who were not like that, they will miss out on triumph, according to what they failed to attain of these praiseworthy characteristics.

End quote from Tafseer as-Sa‘di 

Remember that your time in this world is very short, and no one knows when his time will be up. So it is better to prepare to meet Allah with that which is pleasing to Him, not with that which incurs His wrath and anger. 

Remember that the Shaytaan is constantly urging you to procrastinate and delay, until there comes to you that which will prevent you from obeying Allah, for he has devoted all his efforts to tempt people and he will never miss any opportunity to deprive the believer of virtue, and he is always watching out for such opportunities. Therefore one of the early generations said: Beware of saying “I will…” for it is one of the troops of Iblees! 

Hijab is an honour and a source of pride for the Muslim woman, but over and above all that, it is a means of attaining mercy and divine pleasure. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e., screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”

[al-Ahzaab 33:59]. 

Do not think little of that piece of cloth, for it hides behind it purity, chastity, good manners and etiquette. It is the practice of the Mothers of the believers and the righteous women; it is the practice of Khadeejah, Faatimah, ‘Aa’ishah, Hafsah, Umm Salamah, and all the righteous, devout women who guard that which Allah would have them guard. 

It pains us greatly to see crowds of girls hastening to display themselves and take off their hijab, not one of them paying any attention to good manners of feeling shy before people, not hesitating to display their charms and show their adornments, going against the natural characteristic of modesty that Allah has instilled in women, but because the Shaytaan makes that fair-seeming to them, they are able to do that. 

After that, is there any reason to feel too shy to wear hijab or niqab? Can we approve of the situation in which those who commit sin do so openly and audaciously, whereas those who seek to obey Allah feel shy about their acts of obedience, their chastity and their purity? 

Have the commands of Allah becomes so insignificant in our minds that we subject them to the whims and desires of the people and their views? 

The first and most important step in wearing hijab is to be convinced that it is obligatory, and to submit to the command of Allah as something unavoidable. The believing woman does not have any choice about it, for Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error”

[al-Ahzaab 33:36]. 

Then you should train yourself to ignore people’s stares and comments, because pleasing people is a goal that you can never attain, and the one who watches people’s reactions will die of worry. Rest assured that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will be pleased with you for your obedience, and He can see what you are faced with in your efforts to follow the straight path, and He will grant you ease after hardship. 

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever seeks to please Allah by incurring the wrath of the people, Allah will suffice him and will protect him from the people, but whoever seeks to please people by incurring the wrath of Allah, Allah will leave him to the people.”

Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (2414); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in as-Silsilah as-Saheehah (2311) 

‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) wrote this hadith in a letter to Mu‘aawiyah, after he asked her for advice, and she wrote to him again and said: To proceed: fear Allah, for if you fear Allah, He will suffice you against the people, but if you fear the people, they will not avail you at all before Allah. Wa’s-salaam. 

Remember that the individual’s destiny is connected to his deeds, and that when the people carry him to his grave, and throw the dust onto his body, he will never find anything to comfort him except his righteous deeds, for he will be cut off from all means at that time, except the means that connect him to the Creator, may He be glorified and exalted. So let each of us prepare for that momentous Day. 

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“That Day shall a man flee from his brother,

And from his mother and his father,

And from his wife and his children.

Everyman, that Day, will have enough to make him careless of others”

[‘Abasa 80:34-37]. 

And He, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Friends on that Day will be foes one to another except Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”

[az-Zukhruf 43:67]. 

So beware of being among the heedless, and beware of procrastination and delay; hasten to do good before it is too late, for this world is only a few transient days and its joys are fleeting. We ask Allah to guide us and you, and to make us steadfast in this world and the Hereafter. 

Please see also answers no. 11967, 13998 and 69804 

And Allah knows best.

What can he do? - The management at work force him to wear a uniform that has a cross on it.

I am an employee working in a Christian hospital, and wearing a cross on the uniform is compulsory. What is the ruling on that?

Praise be to Allah

The practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was to remove the image of the cross if he found it on a garment, mat or anything else. He did not approve of leaving the symbol of a distorted religion that falsely affirmed that the Messiah ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary, peace be upon him) had been crucified, to the extent that this symbol became sanctified, venerated and worshipped by the followers of that religion.

It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would not leave anything in his house on which there were crosses except he would erase them. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5608).

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked:

What is the ruling on wearing clothes on which there are crosses, and we did not know that they were there when we bought it, because it is not in the usual form, such that we could have recognised it before buying it; rather it is in an unusual and unclear form. What is the ruling on wearing it?

They replied:

If you find out that there are crosses on clothes after buying them, then it is forbidden to pray wearing them, and you must remove the cross by whatever means will remove its image, by scratching it off or dyeing it and the like. That is because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh from ‘Imraan ibn Hattaan, that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would not leave anything in his house on which there were crosses except he would erase them.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez Aal ash-Shaykh, Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd

Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah (24/19)

How can the Muslim accept to put on his garment the image of an idol that is worshipped instead of Allah, and is symbolic of a distorted religion and false belief, that was declared false by the Holy Qur’an:“And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them” [an-Nisa’ 4:157]?

The shar‘i ruling on wearing it is clear; it is forbidden. Allah has promised those who fear Him relief from their calamity and provision from where they do not expect it. He, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out

And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent”

[at-Talaaq 65:2-3].

And Allah knows best.

Every monotheist will enter Paradise, so why should the Muslims strive?

Someone said to me: I heard Shaykh ‘Adnaan Ibraaheem say: All the Muslims will enter Paradise, so do whatever you wish. He said to me: Why should we pray, when we will all enter Paradise?

Praise be to Allah

Firstly:

This man, ‘Adnaan Ibraaheem, is not someone who is to be followed regarding religious matters, and his talks should not be listened to, because of the corrupt ideas and beliefs that he promotes.

He is not one of the scholars to whom one should refer; rather his ideas are deviant in terms of knowledge, methodology and belief, as the Ahl as-Sunnah of our time have pointed out.

For more information on him and what he promotes of deviant ideas, please click on the following link:

http://sunnahway.net/node/1127

Secondly:

What is indicated by the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and the salaf (early generations) of this ummah are unanimously agreed upon it, is that no one in whose heart is an atom’s weight of faith will abide in Hell forever. Even if he enters Hell because of his sin, he will remain there for as long as Allah wills, then he will be brought forth therefrom to Paradise.

Al-Bukhaari (44) and Muslim (193) narrated from Anas that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever says Laa ilaaha ill-Allah and has in his heart goodness the weight of a grain of barley will be brought out of Hell, then whoever says Laa ilaaha ill-Allah and has in his heart goodness the weight of a grain of wheat will be brought out of Hell, then whoever says Laa ilaaha ill-Allah and has in his heart goodness the weight of an atom (or a small ant) will be brought out of Hell.”

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Whoever dies affirming the oneness of Allah (Tawheed) and not associating anything with Allah will be one of the people of Paradise, even if he commits zina and steals, and even if he commits other sins, such as defiance towards parents, riba (usury), bearing false witness, and so on. For the sinner is subject to Allah’s will; if our Lord wills, He will forgive him, and if He wills, He will punish him according to his sins, if he dies without having repented. And even if he enters Hell and is punished therein, he will not abide therein forever; rather he will be brought forth therefrom to Paradise, after he has been cleansed and purified.

End quote from Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb (6/51).

See also the answers to questions no. 112113, 147996 and 170526.

Thirdly::

For someone to say, “All the Muslims will enter Paradise, so do whatever you want” is a false statement and is contrary to what is  well-known of the religion, which calls and urges people to obey Allah, and warns them against disobeying Him. In fact, it is contrary to the messages of all the Prophets, which call on people to worship Allah and enjoin them to do so. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allah and avoid Taghut [false gods].’ And among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those upon whom error was [deservedly] decreed. So proceed through the earth and observe how was the end of the deniers”

[an-Nahl 16:36].

Allah sent the Prophets to correct people’s beliefs, deeds and attitudes; the call of Islam sets out guidelines and instructions for the rectification of every aspect of human life:

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I have only been sent to perfect good attitude and good manners.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami‘ (2349).

The texts which indicate that it is obligatory to obey Allah and obey His Messenger, and warn against doing anything contrary to that, are too many to mention here. For example:

Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And obey Allah and the Messenger that you may obtain mercy”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:132]

“And obey Allah and obey the Messenger and beware. And if you turn away - then know that upon Our Messenger is only [the responsibility for] clear notification”

[al-Maa’idah 5:92].

And He warns against disobeying Allah and His Messenger, and neglecting His commands. He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“So let those beware who dissent from the Prophet's order, lest fitnah strike them or a painful punishment”

[an-Noor 24:63]

“And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits - He will put him into the Fire to abide eternally therein, and he will have a humiliating punishment”

[an-Nisaa’ 4:14]

“It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error”

[al-Ahzaab 33:36].

Moreover, it is also contrary to the reason for which Allah created the jinn and mankind. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me”

[adh-Dhaariyaat 51:56].

As for this baseless question, “why should we strive, so long as every Muslim will be in Paradise?”,

It may be answered from several angles.

-1-

The believer will only attain Paradise by virtue of his own deeds, and not by virtue of his name or heritage. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And We will have removed whatever is within their hearts of resentment, [while] flowing beneath them are rivers. And they will say, ‘Praise to Allah , who has guided us to this; and we would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us. Certainly the messengers of our Lord had come with the truth.’ And they will be called, ‘This is Paradise, which you have been made to inherit for what you used to do’”

[al-A‘raaf 7:43]

“The ones whom the angels take in death, [being] good and pure; [the angels] will say, ‘Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do’”

[an-Nahl 16:32]

“[They will be told], ‘Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you used to do’”

[at-Toor 52:19]

“Indeed, the righteous will be among shades and springs

And fruits from whatever they desire,

[Being told], ‘Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you used to do’”

[al-Mursalaat 77:41-43].

-2-

If we assume that Allah, may He be exalted, has decreed that someone will enter Paradise, he is also enjoined to strive, and it will be made easy for him to do the deeds of the people of Paradise, so that he will enter it by virtue of his deeds. There is no contradiction between the prior decree of Allah and the religious duties. This is something that is well-known in the religion, that Allah has commanded His slaves to believe in the divine decree (predestination), but at the same time has also enjoined upon them that they should strive.

It was narrated that ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was at a funeral, and he picked up something and started to hit the ground with it, and said: “There is no one among you but his place in Hell or his place in Paradise is already decreed.” They said: O Messenger of Allah, then should we not rely on our destiny and give up striving? He said: “Keep striving, for everyone will be helped to do that for which he was created. As for the one who is among the blessed, he will be helped to do the deeds of the blessed; as for the one who is among the doomed, he will be helped to do the deeds of the doomed. Then he recited the words: “As for he who gives and fears Allah, And believes in the best [reward], We will ease him toward ease” [al-Layl 92:5-7].

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (4949) and Muslim (2647).

-3-

It may be said: Yes, no one will enter Paradise except a Muslim, and no one will remain in Hell in whose heart is an atom’s weight of faith, but how can you be certain that Allah will not cast into your heart fitnah, shirk, deviation and misguidance, in requital for your deviating from what He has enjoined and your failing to obey Him? Allah, may He be exalted, has warned those who disobey him, as we have seen above. And Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people”

[as-Saff 61:5].

Each individual should understand that his deeds and his status will only be judged according to how his life ends, and who can guarantee him a good and believing end, if he persists in his deviation and disobedience?

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us, and he is the most truthful one: “The creation of any one of you is put together in his mother’s womb for forty days, then he becomes a ‘alaqah (a piece of thick coagulated blood) for a similar period, then he becomes like a chewed piece of flesh (mudghah) for a similar period, then Allah sends to him an angel who is enjoined to write down four things; it is said to Him: Write down his deeds, his provision, his lifespan, and whether he is doomed (to Hell) or blessed (destined for Paradise). Then the soul is breathed into him. One of you may strive until there is nothing between him and Paradise but a cubit, then the decree overtakes him and he does a deed of the people of Hell. Or he may strive until there is nothing between him and Hell but a cubit, then the decree overtakes him and he does a deed of the people of Paradise.” Agreed upon.

It was narrated from Sahl ibn Sa‘d as-Saa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: A man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise, or so it appears to people, although he is one of the people of Hell, and a man may do the deeds of the people of Hell, or so it appears to people, although he is one of the people of Paradise. Deeds are judged by how they end.” Agreed upon.

And Allah knows best.

Why did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his two companions flee from the battlefield and hide in the cave?

According to Sahih Muslim, Book of Jihad & Expeditions, 4413. 
It has been reported on the authority of Anas b. Malik that (when the enemy got the upper hand) on the day of the Battle of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was left with only seven men from the ansar and two men from the Quraish. When the enemy advanced towards him and overwhelmed him, he said: Whoso turns them away from us will attain Paradise or will be my Companion in Paradise. A man from the Ansar came forward and fought (the enemy) until he was killed. The enemy advanced and overwhelmed him again and he repeated the words: Whoso turns them away, from us will attain Paradise or will be my Companion in Paradise. A man from the Arsar came forward and fought until he was killed. This state continued until the seven Ansar were killed (one after the other). Now, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to his two Companions: We have not done justice to our Companions. 
Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) endanger the lives of those 7 Ansar to protect his own? That seems unfair. Why couldnt they all just hide or leave, since its OK to leave the battlefield if the enemy outnumbers tremendously. What is the wisdom behind this decision? And, why did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his 2 companions leave the battle field & seek refuge in the cave?

Praise be to Allah

The worst thing that a reader or researcher can do is give himself the right to pass judgement upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or upon one of his companions, on the basis of an incident that he reads about in some report, without bearing in mind what happened before and after that, and without examining or understanding the context, even if the whole story is not narrated in that particular report. What the critic must do is try to think about it and find out about it, and put together the pieces of the story that is assumed to have taken place. Only then will he be able to form an objective and fair-minded picture of what happened.

When you read the hadith of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him), which says that on the day of Uhud the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was left with only seven men of the Ansaar and two men of Quraysh.

When they were surrounded, he said: “Who will repel them from us and Paradise will be his, or he will be my companion in Paradise?” One of the Ansaari men went forward and fought until he was killed… and that continued until all seven had been killed. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to his two companions: “We have not been fair to our companions”,

the first thing you should bear in mind is that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was not to be accused by any of his companions or any of the Muslims. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the Messenger of light, guidance, and mercy to all of mankind, and the future of all of humanity is connected to his call; the fate of all religions is connected to his religion. Therefore Allah ended all divine messages with him, and raised him in status and renown throughout the world, and He protected him from people, by the means that He, may He be glorified and exalted, decreed.

Therefore his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would love to sacrifice their lives and their wealth for him, with no hesitation or resentment whatsoever, because by protecting the Prophet of Allah, they would be protecting the light of Tawheed, justice, righteousness and goodness throughout the world. By means of such sacrifices the message of Islam continued, and the Muslim ummah was shaped and formed, and attained the highest possible level of glory, justice, knowledge and peace. All of that was due to the immense sacrifices made by the noble Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them).

Therefore it is not possible for any Muslim – let alone any Sahaabi who was defending al-Madinah al-Munawwarah alongside the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – to think of his Prophet in anything but the most perfect terms, or to think of his own life as being more deserving of protection and being given precedence than the life of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

Furthermore, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best example and the best model, for he took up arms and joined his companions in defending the sanctity of the Muslims, warding off the efforts of the haters and wrongdoers, and protecting Muslim lives, honour and wealth against the ignorant tyranny of Quraysh and their arrogance in the land. Because of his courage, his companions felt more secure by being near him when the fighting grew intense.

Ahmad (1346) narrated that ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When fighting grew intense and the two groups met in battle, we sought protection by drawing close to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace, you), and none of us was closer to the enemy than him.

Shaykh Ahmad Shaakir said in his commentary on al-Musnad: Its isnaad is saheeh.

Al-Bukhaari (2627) and Muslim (2307) narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best of people, and he was the most generous of people and the most courageous of people. One night the people of Madinah were in a state of panic, and some people went out towards the sound. They were met by the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who was coming back, as he had gone towards the sound before them. He was riding the horse of Abu Talhah bareback, with his sword around his neck, and he said: “Do not be afraid, do not be afraid.”

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

From this hadith we learn several things, one of which is that it highlights the courage of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), because he hastened to go out towards the enemy before all the people, and because he went out and found out what was going on, and came back before the people got there. End quote.

What is meant by riding a horse bareback is that it had no saddle on it. This is reflective of his perfect courage (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

During the battle of Hunayn, when most of the Sahaabah fled from the battlefield, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) started urging his mule on towards the enemy, saying: “I am the Prophet and no lie; I am the son of ‘Abd al-Muttalib.” Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: No one among the people was seen to be more courageous on that day than him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3042) and Muslim (1776).

But the calamities suffered by the Muslims at Uhud were great indeed. The cheek of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was injured, he was bleeding and his tooth had been broken. He himself fought and defended his companions in the most difficult circumstances. He – may my father and mother be sacrificed for him, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him – was at the head, protecting their lives, standing between them and the aggressors of Quraysh; he did not stay safe and sound in his house or his tent at that critical moment.

What the questioner is confused about is the final moments of that incident, which were very painful and difficult for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his noble Companions. He was exhausted from fighting and bearing arms, and his wound was bleeding with no treatment or anything that could stop the bleeding. He fell in a hole, and a link of chain mail got embedded in his cheek and could not be removed. His iron helmet was broken on his head, and large rocks were being hurled at him, until rumours spread that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had been killed, because of what he went through of hardships. He – may my father and mother be sacrificed for him – was approaching the age of sixty, and undoubtedly could not have the physical strength and endurance that a young man would have.

Ibn Hishaam (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Ibn Ishaaq said: The Muslims were put to flight and the enemy slew many of them. It was a day of trial and testing in which Allah honoured several with martyrdom, until the enemy reached the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He was hit with a stone so that he fell on his side and one of his teeth was smashed, his face scored, and his lip injured. The man who wounded him was ‘Utbah ibn Abi Waqqaas.

Ibn Ishaaq said: Humayd at-Taweel told me, from Anas ibn Maalik: The incisor of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was broken on the Day of Uhud, and his face was scored. The blood began to run down his face and he began to wipe it away, saying the while: “How can people prosper who have stained their Prophet’s face with blood while he was calling them to their Lord?” So Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, revealed concerning that the words (interpretation of the meaning):

“Not for you (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but for Allâh) is the decision; whether He turns in mercy to (pardons) them or punishes them; verily, they are the Zâlimûn (polytheists, disobedients, and wrong-doers)”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:128].

Ibn Hishaam said: Rabeeh ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Abi Sa‘eed al-Khudri narrated from his father, from Abu Sa‘eed al-Khudri that ‘Utbah ibn Abi Waqqaas hit the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with a stone on that day, and broke his lower right incisor and wounded him in his lower lip, and that ‘Abdullah ibn Shihaab az-Zuhri struck him on the forehead, and Ibn Qam’ah wounded his cheek, so two links of chain mail became embedded in his cheek. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell in a hole that had been made by Abu ‘Aamir so that the Muslims would fall into it without realising. ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) took the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) by the hand and Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah lifted him up until he was standing upright.

End quote from Seerat Ibn Hishaam (2/79).

When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had suffered so much hardship and a group of the mushrikeen gathered around him, wanting to kill him, in addition to what he had already gone through, a group of his noble companions rallied around him to defend him with their lives, as Ibn Hazm said: The mushrikeen caught up with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and a group of the Muslims (may Allah be pleased with them) charged to his defence, of whom there were seven – and it was said that there were more – until they were all killed. The last of them was ‘Amaarah ibn Yazeed ibn as-Sakan.

End quote from Jawaami‘ as-Seerah (p. 127)

In that situation, what is wrong with him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) seeking help and support from his companions?

What is wrong with it if those who were fighting for the sake of Allah cooperated to ward off aggression and defend one another, as all fighters do, the strong helping the injured, and protecting one another?

Over and above all of that, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was holding firm to the rope of Allah and trusting that He would protect him; he was taking all possible measures to achieve that, which included asking his companions to help him in that, so that the call of truth would not die in its infancy and the wrongdoers and aggressors would not prevail, after having crossed desert and wilderness from Makkah to Madinah, seeking to commit aggression and wreak havoc upon the believers in their safe and secure city, and so that the disbelievers would not divert them from their religion and impose upon them the fetters of shirk and jaahiliyyah in which there is no goodness, no ethics, no truth and no true religion.

This is a brief glimpse into that painful scene, and it is sufficient to explain the reason that prompted the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to honour his companions by urging them to come and defend him, by saying: “Who will repel them from us and Paradise will be his?” The impact of what had befallen him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – as it says in as-Seerah al-Halabiyyah (2/322, 324) – meant that he could not climb upon a rock in order to protect himself, until Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) helped him, and on that day he led his companions in prayer whilst seated.

What we think is that what was not mentioned in any of the reports was even more serious and grievous, because war at that time would inflict serious and painful physical injuries for which there would be no treatment. If the questioner had imagined the pain that could be caused by swords and wounds and borne in mind the well-known military principle which says that fighters and their commanders are more aware of the circumstances of their battle than others, he would not have dared to blame or criticise the way in which the defence plan was drawn up on the basis of a single report taken out of context. Rather, even if he read all of history, he would never be able to truly understand what happened as the people involved themselves understood it, except only approximately. In that case he will understand that his doubt and questioning were not appropriate.

With regard to the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “We have not been fair to our companions (ma ansafna as-haabana)”, that does not mean that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) endangered their lives to protect his own. Rather what is meant is a rebuke to the two men of Quraysh who did not go forward to defend him too. They should all have participated in defending and protecting him, and should not have fallen short in that important duty that should not have been carried out only by the Ansaar who went forth one after another until all seven were martyred.

One of the scholars said that the more correct vowelling of this phrase is ma ansafana as-haabuna(meaning: our companions have not been fair to us), referring to those of the Sahaabah who fled and left him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to face this wounding and attempt to kill him by himself.

Al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad said:

With regard to the battle of Uhud, if we read the phrase as “ma ansafna as-haabana (we have not been fair to our companions)”, as we have vowelled it, then it refers to the Ansaar who fought in his defence and were all killed, whilst others were not. Some of the narrators of the book of Muslim vowelled it so that it reads “ma ansafana as-haabuna (our companions have not been fair to us),” which refers to those who fled and left him with only a few people. And Allah knows best.

End quote from Mashaariq al-Anwaar ‘ala Sihaah al-Athaar (2/16)

Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

This may be difficult for some people to understand, so they ask: how could he instruct them to fight and then say, We have not been fair to our companions? Was he ever anything but fair?

The response to that is: people were obliged to protect the Messenger of Allah with their lives, so when he said: “Who will repel them from us?” all of them should have hastened to respond, so for some of them to lag behind was not fair.

It may be that he was referring to the two Qurashi men, because they left the Ansaar to do that on their own.

End quote from Kashf al-Mushkil min Hadith as-Saheehayn (3/305)

Imam an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

What this means is: Quraysh have not been fair to the Ansaar, because the two Qurashis did not go out and fight; rather the Ansaar went out, one after another.

End quote from Sharh Muslim (12/147)

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

If the word is read as ansafna (so what is meant is “we have not been fair”), then what is meant is when the Ansaar went out to fight one after another until they were all killed, but the two Qurashi men did not go out, he said that – meaning: Quraysh have not been fair to the Ansaar.

If the word is read as ansafana (so that what is meant is “[they] have not been fair to us”), then what is meant is the companions who fled and deserted the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) so that he was left alone with a few men, and they were killed one after another. They were not fair to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and those who stood firm with him.

End quote from Zaad al-Ma‘aad (3/183).

There is no dispute among all people that the commander in a battle is in a unique position, unlike anyone else, and he is to be surrounded by protective measures to defend him, such as are not available to other soldiers, and that if the commander is captured or killed, it is one of the greatest blows to the army and may well be the cause of its defeat, both psychologically and militarily, so how can he be compared to others?

So how about if the commander is the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), may my father and mother be sacrificed for him?

And Allah knows best.