until the slave-concubine gives birth to a daughter for her master; and the master’s daughter counts as the master himself. Other interpretations have also been put forward. The term al-ʿaala refers to the poor, and the word maliyyan means “for a long time”—in this incident, three days.

Explanation
The author—may Allah have mercy on him—cites the momentous ḥadīth of ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him). At the end the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to ʿUmar, “Do you know who the questioner was?” He replied, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” The Prophet said, “That was Gabriel; he came to teach you your religion.” Hence, our religion in its entirety is contained in this report, for it brings together Islam, faith (īmān), and excellence (iḥsān).

His word baynamā (“while…”) is an adverb that conveys the sense of suddenness; for this reason it is often followed by idhā (“suddenly”), which likewise signals surprise. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to sit with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) frequently, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was seldom absent from either his Companions or his family. He would be

• at home, taking care of his household affairs—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—milking the sheep, patching a garment, or repairing a sandal;
• or with his Companions in the mosque;
• or on his way to visit a sick person, call on a relative, or attend to some other matter—never letting a single moment pass without being in obedience to Allah, exalted is He.

He safeguarded his time, unlike us who squander ours. It is striking that the most precious thing a person possesses is time, yet it is the very thing he treats most cheaply. Allah the Exalted says, “until, when death comes to one of them, he says, ‘My Lord, send me back…’” (Qur’an 23:99).