Question
Kindly explain the words فَجَعَلَ يَتَوَقَّصُ به that have appeared in the following Hadith:
عن جابر بن سمرة رضي الله عنه قال: صَلّى رَسولُ اللهِ ﷺ على ابْنِ الدَّحْداحِ: ثُمَّ أُتِيَ بفَرَسٍ عُرْيٍ فَعَقَلَهُ رَجُلٌ فَرَكِبَهُ، فَجَعَلَ يَتَوَقَّص به، وَنَحْنُ نَتَّبِعُهُ نَسْعى خَلْفَهُ، قالَ: فَقالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ القَوْمِ: إنَّ النبيَّ ﷺ قالَ: كَمْ مِن عِذْقٍ مُعَلَّقٍ، أَوْ مُدَلًّى، في الجَنَّةِ لاِبْنِ الدَّحْداحِ. أَوْ قالَ شُعْبَةُ لأَبِي الدَّحْداحِ
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 965)
Answer
فجعل يتوقص به means to have the horse move or ride at a canter, i.e., at a speed slightly faster than walking (between a trot and gallop).
(Ikmalul Mu’lim, Hadith: 965, An-Nihayah Fi Gharibil Hadith, Letters: و ق ص, and Tajul ‘Urus, vol. 18, pg. 208; Also see: Al-Minhaj, Hadith: 2236 and Tuhfatul Ahwadhi, Hadith: 1013)
Translation
It has been reported on the authority of Sayyidina Jabir ibn Samurah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) that he said: “Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) performed Janazah Salah over Ibn Dahdah (radiyallahu ‘anhu). Thereafter, he was brought an unsaddled horse. A man held it and then he [i.e., Nabi – sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam] mounted it. He then began to have it move [or ride it] at a canter whilst we followed, pursuing him from behind [i.e., we were walking and following him from the back].”
He [i.e., Jabir – radiyallahu ‘anhu – continued and] said: “A man from among the people said:
“Verily Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) commented: ‘So many a hanging date palm branches are in Jannah for Ibn Dahdah!’”
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 965; Also see: Al-Minhaj, Hadith: 2236, Mirqat, Hadith: 1666, and Faydul Qadir, Hadith: 6414)
And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Answered by: Mawlana Farhan Shariff
Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar