Maʿānī al-ʾAkhbār

ونهى صلى الله عليه وآله عن بيع حبل الحبلة. فمعناه ولد ذلك الجنين الذي في بطن الناقة، و قال غيره: هو نتاج النتاج وذلك غرر.

He, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, also forbade the selling of that which is carried (by pregnancy) by that which is carried by the pregnant. Its meaning is the child of that fetus that is in the belly of a female camel. Others said: It is the production of what is (yet) to be produced, and it is a deception.

وقال صلى الله عليه وآله: ليس منا من لم يتغن بالقرآن. ومعناه: ليس منا من لم يستغن به ولا يذهب به إلى الصوت وقد روي أن من قرأ القرآن فهو غنى لا فقر بعده. وروي أن من أعطى القرآن فظن أن أحدا أعطي أكثر مما أعطي فقد عظم صغيرا وصغر كبيرا، فلا ينبغي لحامل القرآن أن يرى أن أحدا من أهل الأرض أغنى منه ولو ملك الدنيا برحبها. ولو كان كما يقوله أنه الترجيع بالقراءة وحسن الصوت لكانت العقوبة قد عظمت في ترك ذلك أن يكون من لم يرجع صوته بالقراءة فليس من النبي صلى الله عليه وآله حين قال: " ليس منا من لم يتغن القرآن ".

He, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, also said: «He is not from us, the one who does perform taghanni with the Qur’an.» Its meaning is: He is not of us, the one who does not enrich himself with the Qur’an, and does not indicate sound [1]. It has been reported that the one who recites the Qur’an, that it is a wealth after which is no poverty. It has been reported that the one who is given the Qur’an and assumes that someone has been given more than what he has been given, has certainly magnified a small thing and belittled a big thing. Hence, the carrier of the Qur’an should not see that anyone from the people of earth is wealthier than him, even if he was to own the (whole) world with its spaciousness. If it was like how some people say with regards to that it is to resound in recitation and (reciting with) good voice, then surely the punishment would have been magnified if that is abandoned, in the sense that the one who does not resound his voice in recitation is not considered to be from the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, when he said: « He is not from us, the one who does perform taghanni with the Qur’an.»

وقال صلى الله عليه وآله: إني قد نهيت عن القراءة في الركوع والسجود فأما الركوع فعظموا الله فيه، وأما السجود فأكثروا فيه من الدعاء فإنه قمن أن يستجاب لكم، قوله صلى الله عليه وآله " قمن " كقولك " جدير وحري " أن يستجاب لكم.

He, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, also said: «Indeed, I have forbidden (Qur’anic) recitation during kneeling and prostration. As for kneeling, magnify Allah during it, and as for prostration, increase prayer in it, for indeed, it is worthy that it is responded to you.» The saying of him, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family: «worthy» is like you would say: «deserving and appropriate that it is responded to you».

وقال صلى الله عليه وآله: استعيذوا بالله من طبع يهدي إلى طبع، والطبع الدنس والعيب، وكل شين في دين أو دنيا فهو طبع.

He, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, also said: «Seek refuge in Allah from disposition that leads to another disposition.» A disposition [1] is uncleanness and blemish. Every disgrace with regards to religion or this life is a disposition.

واختصم رجلان إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله في مواريث وأشياء قد درست، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله: لعل بعضكم أن يكون ألحن بحجته من بعض فمن قضيت له بشئ من حق أخيه فإنما أقطع له قطعة من النار. فقال له كل واحد من الرجلين: يا رسول الله حقي هذا لصاحبي فقال: ولكن اذهبا فتوخيا ثم استهما، ثم ليحلل كل واحد منكما صاحبه. فقوله: " لعل بعضكم أن يكون ألحن بحجته من بعض " يعني أفطن لها وأجدل، واللحن الفطنة - بفتح الحاء - واللحن - بجزم الحاء -: الخطأ، وقوله: " استهما " أي اقترعا. وهذا حجة لمن قال بالقرعة في الاحكام، وقوله: " اذهبا فتوخيا " يقول: توخيا الحق فكأنه قد أمر الخصمين بالصلح.

Two men went in lawsuit to the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, with regards to inheritance and things that ceased. The Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: Perhaps some of you is more eloquent in his argument than the other, and hence, the one to whom I judge to his favor some from the right of his brother, I will only be dedicating for him a spot from the Fire. Then each one of the two men said to him: O Messenger of Allah, this right of mine is to my companion. Then he said: Go, then fraternize yourselves and then draw lots. Then, let each one of you relieve his companion. His saying: « Perhaps some of you is more eloquent in his argument than the other» means to be smarter and more efficient in arguing. Lahan [1] refers to cleverness, with an accusative Hhaa’, and lahn with a jussive Hhaa’ refers to error. His saying: «draw lots» refers to lot tossing. This is an argument (in jurisprudence) for those who hold the opinion of (the validity of) lot tossing when it comes to (certain) rulings. With regards to his saying: «Go, then fraternize yourselves» he says: Fraternize yourselves with regards to the (disputed) right. It is as if he ordered the two opponents to reconcile.

ونهى صلى الله عليه وآله عن تقصيص القبور وهو التجصيص وذلك أن الجص يقال له: " القصة " يقال: منه قصصت القبور والبيوت إذا جصصتها.

He, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, also forbade performing taqsees for graves, that is stuccoing. That is due to gypsum being called qussa. It is said, stemming from this: «I performed taqsees to the graves» if I would plaster gypsum on them.

ونهى صلى الله عليه وآله عن قيل وقال وكثرة السؤال وإضاعة المال ونهى عن عقوق الأمهات ووأد البنات ومنع [ال‍] وهات. يقال: إن قوله: " إضاعة المال " يكون في وجهين: أما أحدهما وهو الأصل فما أنفق في معاصي الله عز وجل من قليل أو كثير وهو السرف الذي عابه الله تعالى ونهى عنه. والوجه الاخر: دفع المال إلى ربه وليس له بموضع. قال الله عز وجل: " وابتلوا اليتامى حتى إذا بلغوا النكاح فإن آنستم منهم رشدا - وهو العقل - فادفعوا إليهم أموالهم " وقد قيل: إن الرشد صلاح في الدين وحفظ المال وأما كثرة السؤال فإنه نهى عن مسألة الناس. أموالهم وقد يكون أيضا من السؤال عن الأمور وكثرة البحث عنها كما قال عز وجل: " لا تسألوا عن أشياء إن تبد لكم تسؤكم "، وأما وأد البنات فإنهم كانوا يدفنون بناتهم أحياء ولهذا كانوا يسمون القبر " صهرا "، وأما قوله: " نهى عن قيل وقال " القال: مصدر، ألا ترى أنه يقول: " عن قيل وقال " فكأنه قال: عن قيل وقول، يقال على هذا: قلت قولا وقيلا وقالا. وفي حرف عبد الله " ذلك عيسى ابن مريم قال الحق " وهو من هذا فكأنه قال: قول الحق.

He, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, also forbade to speak of «it was said, and what is said» abundant asking and wasting of property. He also forbade disobedience towards mothers and burial of girls, and he forbade wihat [1]. It is said: His saying: « wasting of property» comes in two indications: as for one of them, which is the principle, it is what is spent in (acts of) disobedience to Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, be it little or much, and that is the thriftlessness whom Allah, Exalted is He, reproached for and forbade; the other indication is that one pays money to one’s lord while it has no spot (to be spent for). Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, said: «And test the orphans (in ability) until age of marriage. If you are satisfied with them in (terms of) sound judgement – that is rationality – then give to them their property.» (4:6) It was said: Sound judgement is righteousness in terms of religion and maintenance of property. As for much questioning, he forbade people from asking about their properties, and it may also be included, among questioning, commandments and much search for it, like how He, Exalted and Glorious is He, said: «Do not ask about things which if they were visible to you, they would harm you.» (5:101) As for the burial of girls, they used to bury their daughters alive, and that is why they used to call the grave a «son-in-law». As for his saying that he forbade to speak of «it was said, and what is said». «What is said» refers to an infinitive tense. Do you not see that when he says «it was said, and what is said» it is as if he is said: «it was said, and sayings (of people)». It is said, in this regard: «I said a qawl, qeel and qaal [2]». In accordance to the (Qur’anic) recitation of Abdullah [3]: «That is Isa bin Mariam, the Qaal [4] of Truth» (19:34). Stemming from this, it is as if he said: «The Saying of Truth».

ونهى صلى الله عليه وآله عن التبقر في الأهل والمال. قال الأصمعي: أصل التبقر التوسع والتفتح، ومنه يقال: " بقرت بطنه " إنما هو شققته وفتحته. وسمي أبو جعفر " الباقر " لأنه بقر العلم أي شقه وفتحه.

He, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, forbade (excessive) openness with regards to family and property. Al-Asma’I said: The root of openness is to cause width and cause something to open. It stems from this that one says: «I opened his stomach» when it only refers to: «I slit it and opened it». Abu Ja’far [1] was named the Baqir, because he split the knowledge, meaning that he slit it and opened it.

ونهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله أن يدبح الرجل في الصلاة كما يدبح الحمار، ومعناه أن يطأطئ الرجل رأسه في الركوع حتى أخفض من ظهره. وكان صلى الله عليه وآله إذا ركع لم يصوب رأسه ولم يقنعه. معناه أنه لم يرفعه حتى يكون أعلى من جسده ولكن بين ذلك، و " الاقناع " رفع الرأس وإشخاصه، قال الله تعالى: " مهطعين مقنعي رؤسهم " والذي يستحب من هذا أن يستهوي ظهر الرجل ورأسه في الركوع لان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله كان إذا ركع لو صب على ظهره ماء لاستقر. وقال الصادق عليه السلام: لا صلاة لمن لم يقم صلبه في ركوعه وسجوده.

He, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, also forbade that a man performs tadbeeh in prayer like how a donkey performs tadbeeh. Its meaning is that a man lowers his head during kneeling until it becomes lower than (the level of) his back. When he, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, used to kneel, he did not make upright his head nor raise, but it was between that. Raising is to ascend the head and make it in an upright position. Allah, Exalted is He, said: «Racing ahead, their heads raised up» (14:43). What is recommended of this is that a man’s back and hand are leveled during kneeling, because the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, if water was poured on his back while he was kneeling, he would have remained firm. Al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: «There is no prayer (that is accepted) for the one who does not make firm his spine during his kneeling and prostration.»

ونهى صلى الله عليه وآله عن اختناث الأسقية. ومعنى الاختناث أن يثني أفواهها ثم يشرب منها، وأصل الاختناث التكسر ومن هذا سمي المخنث لتكسره، وبه سميت المرأة خنثى. ومعنى الحديث في النهى عن اختناث الأسقية يفسر على وجهين: أحدهما أنه يخاف أن يكون فيه دابة، والذي دار عليه معنى الحديث أنه صلى الله عليه وآله نهى عن أن يشرب من أفواهها.

He, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, also forbade the performing of ikhtinath with waterskins. The meaning of ikhtinath is that one bends their openings and then drinks from it. The root of ikhtinath is to bend. It is from here that the effeminate was named, due to his bending (as in deviation from normative sexuality), and it is from here that a woman may be called a shemale . The meaning of the narration with regards to prohibiting the bending of waterskins has two indications: one of them is that one can be precautious to whether there is an animal inside it; and that which the meaning of the narration circles is that he, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, forbade drinking from its opening.