This chapter is about al-ghadab, anger, but anger of a very specific kind: the indignation that rises when the sacred limits of the religion are violated. The Arabic title speaks of being roused when the hurumat, the inviolable things of Allah, are breached, and of championing the cause of His religion.
Earlier chapters praised restraining personal anger; here we see its rightful place. The Prophet stays calm over insults to himself yet visibly changes when a worshipper is driven away from prayer, when creation is mocked, when the law is treated unequally, or when the place of prayer is disrespected. The lesson is to keep anger asleep for the self and awake for the rights of Allah.
Hadith 648
Abu Mas'ud 'Uqbah bin 'Amr Al-Badri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبى مسعود عقبة بن عمرو البدرى رضي الله عنه قال: جاء رجل إلى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: إنى لأتأخر عن صلاة الصبح من أجل فلان مما يطيل بنا! فما رأيت النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم غضب في موعظة قط أشد مما غضب يومئذ، فقال: “يا أيها الناس: إن منكم منفرين، فأيكم أم الناس فليوجز، فإن من ورائه الكبير والصغير وذا الحاجة” ((متفق عليه))
A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: "I join the morning Salat late because of so-and-so who leads it and prolongs it." (Abu Mas'ud said): I have never seen the Prophet (ﷺ) so angry while giving a speech as he was on that day. He (ﷺ) said, "Some of you create hatred among the people against faith. Whoever leads Salat (the prayer), should make it brief because the congregation includes old men and youngsters and those who have some urgent work to do." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
A man complained that the morning prayer was being led too long. The Prophet, rarely so angry, warned that overburdening worshippers turns people away, and told whoever leads to keep it short out of care for the weak and the busy.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 648 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 648
Hadith 649
'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: قدم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من سفر وقد سترت سهوة لى بقرام فيه تماثيل، فلما رآه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم هتكه وتلون وجهه وقال: “يا عائشة: أشد الناس عذابا عند الله يوم القيامة الذين يضاهون بخلق الله” ((متفق عليه)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned once from a journey, and saw a curtain which I had hung along a platform with some pictures on it. The colour of his face changed. He tore it up and said, "O 'Aishah, the most tormented people on the Day of Resurrection are those who contend with Allah in terms of creation." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Seeing a curtain decorated with images of living beings, the Prophet's face changed and he warned against those who try to imitate Allah's act of creation. He took the matter seriously.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 649 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 649
Hadith 650
'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنها أن قريشاً أهمهم شأن المرأة المخزومية التى سرقت فقالوا: من يكلم فيها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم؟ فقالوا: من يجترئ عليه إلا أسامة بن زيد حب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم؟ فكلمة أسامة، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “أتشفع في حد من حدود الله تعالى؟!” ثم قام فاختطب ثم قال: “إنما أهلك من قبلكم أنهم كانوا إذا سرق فيهم الشريف تركوه، وإذا سرق فيهم الضعيف أقاموا عليه الحد! وايم الله، لو أن فاطمة بنت محمد سرقت لقطعت يدها” ((متفق عليه)) .
The Quraish were much worried about the case of a Makhzumiyah woman who had committed theft and wondered who should intercede for her with Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (so that she would not get punished for her crime). Some said Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him) was his beloved and so he may dare do so. So Usamah(May Allah be pleased with him) spoke to him about that matter and the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Do you intercede when one of the legal punishments ordained by Allah has been voilated?" Then he got up and addressed the people saying, "The people before you were ruined because when a noble person amongst them committed theft, they would leave him, but if a weak person amongst them committed theft, they would execute the legal punishment on him. By Allah, were Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad, to commit the theft, I would have cut off her hand." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
When people sought to spare a thief from punishment because she was from a noble family, the Prophet warned that earlier nations were ruined by applying the law only to the weak. Justice must not bend for status, even for his own daughter.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 650 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 650
Hadith 651
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أنس رضي الله عنه أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم رأى نخامة في القبلة، فشق ذلك عليه حتى رؤى في وجهه، فقام فحكه بيده فقال: “إن أحدكم إذا قام في صلاته فإنه يناجى ربه، وإن ربه بينه وبين القبلة، فلا يبزقن أحدكم في القبلة، ولكن عن يساره، أو تحت قدمه” ثم أخذ طرف ردائه فبصق فيه، ثم رد بعضه على بعض فقال: “أو يفعل هكذا” ((متفق عليه)).
The Prophet (ﷺ) noticed spittle in the mosque in the direction of the Qiblah. The signs of disgust were perceived on his face. Then, he stood up and scraped it away with his own hand and said, "When you stand in Salat, you hold communion with your Rubb and He is between you and the Qiblah. Let no one therefore cast out his spittle in that direction, but only to his left or under his foot." Then he caught hold a corner of his sheet, spat into it and folded it up and said, "Or he should do like this." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Disgusted at spittle facing the prayer direction, the Prophet cleaned it himself and taught that in prayer a person is in communion with their Lord, so that direction must be kept respected.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 651 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 651