Azami 139

Bukhari narrated it in the Book of Military Expeditions (4388), and Muslim in the Book of Faith (52), both through chains from Abu Hurairah, and he mentioned the hadith, with identical wording. In a version narrated by both of them, "The people of Yemen have come to you, they are the most tender in heart and the softest in feeling." And in a version narrated by Bukhari (4389), "And tribulation is here, here is where the horn of Satan rises."Meaning of the hadith. Ibn Salah relates in Siyanat Sahih Muslim (p. 210), and after him Nawawi in Sharh Muslim, that what is mentioned regarding the attribution of faith to Yemen and its people was interpreted away from its apparent meaning, since the origin of faith was from Makkah and then Madinah, may Allah protect them both. He then mentioned the sayings of the scholars regarding the identification of the people of Yemen, and said at the end of his discussion,"There is nothing preventing us from taking the statement at its apparent meaning and applying it literally to the people of Yemen, for whoever is characterized by a quality, firmly established in upholding it, and confirmed in his capacity for it, has that quality attributed to him as an indication of his distinction in it and the completeness of his state in it. Such was indeed the state of the people of Yemen at that time in faith, and the state of those who came from among them during his lifetime and in the period following his death, such as Uways Qarani and Abu Muslim Khawlani and others like them whose hearts were sound and whose faith was strong. So the attribution of faith to them was, for this reason, an indication of the completeness of their faith, without this implying a denial of it for others. There is thus no contradiction between this and his saying, "Faith is among the people of Hijaz" [which will come later]. Moreover, what is meant by this are those who existed among them at that time, not all the people of Yemen in every era, for the wording does not require this. Allah Most High knows best, and this is the truth of the matter. We thank Allah for guiding us to it. Allah knows best." This is the end of the statement of Sheikh Abu Amr bin Salah, which Sheikh Nawawi affirmed, may Allah have mercy on them both.As for what has been reported as an addition, "And I find the relief of your Lord coming from the direction of Yemen...", this requires examination. It was narrated by Imam Ahmad (10978), Tabarani in Awsat (4661), and Musnad Shamiyin (1083), both from the hadith of Hurayz bin Uthman, from Shabib Abu Rawh, from Abu Hurairah, who mentioned the hadith. Tabarani said in Awsat, following the hadith, "No one narrated this hadith from Shabib except Hurayz bin Uthman."I say, Shabib is Ibn Nuaym Abu Rawh, also said to be Ibn Abu Rawh. Abu Ubayd Ajurri said, on the authority of Abu Dawud, "The teachers of Hurayz bin Uthman are all trustworthy." And Ibn Hibban mentioned him among the trustworthy narrators (4/359). However, Hafiz mentioned him in his Tahdhib, saying, "Ibn Qattan relates from Ibn Jarud that Muhammad bin Yahya Dhuhli said, 'This is Shuba and Abdul-Malik bin Umayr, despite their eminence, narrating from Shabib Abu Rawh.' Ibn Qattan said, 'Shabib is a man whose integrity is not known.'" This is the end of Ibn Qattan's statement.Hafiz said, "What Dhuhli meant by Shuba's narration from him is that he transmitted his hadith, not that he heard directly from him, since Shuba's narration is only from Abdul-Malik, from him. Ibn Qani mentioned him among the Companions and cited for him a hadith from the Prophet ﷺ. Ahmad related the hadith in his Musnad from the narration of Shuba, from Abdul-Malik, from Shabib, from a man who was a Companion, and this is the correct view." This is the end of Hafiz's statement in Tahdhib.If this addition is sound, then its meaning is as Sheikh Islam bin Taymiya, may Allah have mercy on him, said when he was asked about this hadith, "His saying, 'from Yemen,' clarifies the purpose of the hadith, for Yemen has no special connection to the attributes of Allah Most High such that this might be supposed. Rather, from it came those whom He loves and who love Him, those about whom He said, "O you who believe, whoever among you turns back from his religion, then Allah will bring a people whom He loves and who love Him" [Maidah 5:54]. It has been reported that when this verse was revealed, he was asked about these people, and it was mentioned that they were the people of Abu Musa Ashari. And the sahih hadiths have come, such as his saying, "The people of Yemen have come to you, the softest in heart and the most tender in feeling, faith is Yemeni and wisdom is Yemeni." These are the ones who fought the people of apostasy and conquered the lands, so through them the Merciful relieved the believers of their distresses. Whoever restricts this to Uways Qarani has gone too far." End of quote. See his Fatawa (6/398).So the meaning of the hadith, "The relief of your Lord comes from the direction of Yemen," is, I find the relief of your Lord for you coming from the direction of Yemen. And "nafas," with the fatha, is a noun placed in the position of the true verbal noun from nafasa yunaffisu tanfisan wa nafasan, like faraja yufarrigu tafrijan wa farajan. So the meaning of "nafas" here is the relieving of distress.