7. The scholars were perplexed by the Prophet’s ﷺ permitting ʿĀʾishah to purchase Barīrah from her owners while they insisted on reserving the right of clientage for themselves—an invalid stipulation—despite the consensus that the Prophet ﷺ would never knowingly allow them to be deceived. Numerous explanations have been offered, and the best appears to be this: the narrative itself shows that the Prophet ﷺ had already clarified the ruling, namely that the walāʾ belongs solely to the emancipator. The sellers nonetheless tried to claim it out of greed for the benefit it brings. What may have emboldened them is that the contract of mukātabah had been concluded and some of its instalments had been paid, so they imagined this entitled them to the walāʾ. The Prophet ﷺ, however, grew indignant that the Book of Allah and its rulings should be toyed with on so flimsy a pretext. He therefore rose, admonished the people, and declared that every condition not sanctioned by the Sacred Law is null and void, no matter how numerous or emphatically worded, for goodness and justice lie in following His law, while evil and injustice lie in turning away from it. May Allah guide us to follow it.

Objection: One might say, “If this condition was obviously invalid and provoked the Prophet’s ﷺ anger, why did ʿĀʾishah herself stipulate that the walāʾ should belong to her?” The answer seems to be that the ruling was unclear to her because the mukātabah existed and some instalments had been delivered; she therefore wished to protect her right by claiming what she believed the Law entitled her to. When they refused, she informed the Prophet ﷺ of their refusal. His anger was thus directed at those who sought a stipulation contrary to Allah’s ruling, even though their action may have stemmed from a far-fetched interpretation. I have found no one else to raise or answer this objection; Allah knows best.

8. It is recommended to clarify legal rulings on suitable occasions and to do so in large gatherings.

9. Sermons should begin with praising and extolling Allah so that they are blessed and more readily accepted, rather than delivered dryly.

10. It is recommended for the preacher to open the transition with the phrase “To proceed,” for it signals a shift to a new topic and lends the speech additional sweetness and eloquence.

11. The phrase “the Book of Allah” is intended here to mean His rulings and legislation.

12. Every condition to which Allah has not given permission is invalid and rejected, even if it is plentiful and strongly affirmed.

13. The reference to “a hundred conditions” is not meant as a strict limit; if the number exceeds that, the same rule applies to all conditions.