trace or sign among the commanders of the armies of our time. They bid their armies farewell to the melodies of musical instruments, which some Islamic preachers today consider unobjectionable, in imitation of Ibn Hazm’s Zahirism—though they may ridicule it whenever it conflicts with their opinions; I do not say, their whims. Yet they do not follow the statements of the four imams and others that accord with the authentic and unequivocal hadiths prohibiting musical instruments, claiming that this is to make matters easier for people! To Allah alone do we complain of Islam’s estrangement, of the few who act upon its rulings in this age, and of one who casts doubt upon them by invoking the disagreement that exists concerning many of them, so that he may choose whatever he desires, without referring the matter for judgment to Allah’s saying: “If you differ over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day.” It is as though this verse has been abrogated in his view. Allah is the One whose help is sought.

1606 — “The elderly man has control over himself.”

Ahmad recorded it (2/185 and 221) from Ibn Lahiʿah, from Yazid ibn Abi Habib, from Qaysar al-Tujibi, from Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, who said: “We were with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when a young man came and asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, may I kiss while fasting?’ He replied, ‘No.’ Then an elderly man came and asked, ‘May I kiss while fasting?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ He said: Some of us then looked at one another, whereupon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said ...” Then he cited it.

I say: This chain of transmission is acceptable as corroborative evidence. Its narrators are trustworthy, except Ibn Lahiʿah, who had poor retention. However, this hadith has corroborating reports, which I mentioned long ago in al-Taʿliqat al-Jiyad, and through which the hadith is strengthened. Among its corroborating reports is what al-Tabarani recorded in al-Muʿjam al-Kabir (11040), through Habib ibn Abi Thabit, from Mujahid, from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “The elderly man was granted permission to kiss while fasting, and the young man was forbidden.”