Aba Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "Between the two blasts there are forty (and when Abu Huraira was asked if the forty referred to days he refused to say;[2] when asked if it referred to forty months he refused to say; and when asked if it referred to forty years he refused to say. God will then send down water from the sky and they will sprout like vegetables. The only thing in a man which does not decay is one bone, the tail-bone, from which the whole frame will be reconstituted on the day of resurrection." 1. The Trumpet; as-sur. Cf. Quran, 6:73; 18:93; 20:102, etc. 2. Mirqat, 5:229, explains this as meaning that he was unwilling to reply because he did not know. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim he said, "Every son of Adam will be devoured by the earth with the exception of the tail-bone from which he was created and from which he will be reconstituted." Muslim.

He reported God's messenger as saying that on the day of resurrection God will seize the earth and fold the sky in His right hand, then say, "I am the King. Where are the kings of the earth?" (Bukhari and Muslim.)

'Abdallah b. `Umar reported God's messenger as saying that God will fold the heavens on the day of resurrection, then seizing them in His right hand He will say, "I am the King. Where are the mighty men? Where are the proud men?" He will then fold the earths in His left hand. A version states that He will take them in His other hand and then say, "I am the King. Where are the mighty men? Where are the proud men?" Muslim transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. Mas'ud told that a Jewish doctor came to the Prophet and said, "On the day of resurrection, Muhammad, God will hold the heavens on a finger, the earths on a finger, the mountains and trees on a finger, the water and soil on a finger, and the rest of creation on a finger. He will then shake them and say, `I am the King, I am God.'" Laughing on account of being pleased at what the doctor had said and as an acknowledgment that he had spoken the truth- God's messenger recited, "They have not measured God truly. The whole earth will be His handful on the day of resurrection and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Glory be to Him! He is exalted above what they associate with Him[*]." *Quran; 39:67 (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`A'isha told that she asked God's messenger about the words of Him who is exalted, "On the day when the earth will be changed to a different earth, and also the heavens[*], wondering where mankind would be on that day. He replied that they would be on the Path. *Quran; 14:48 Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The sun and the moon will be folded up on the day of resurrection." Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God's messenger as saying. "How can I be at ease when the one who blows the trumpet has put it to his mouth, inclined his ears and bent his forehead, waiting to see when he will be ordered to blow it?" God's messenger was asked what command he had to give them and told them to say, "God is sufficient for us and an excellent guardian is He." * *Quran; 3:173 Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. `Amr reported the Prophet as saying, "The trumpet is a horn which will be blown." Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

Ibn `Abbas said regarding the words of Him who is exalted, "When the trump (naqur) is sounded,"[1] that it is the sur. He said the rajifa[2] is the first blast and the radifa[3] is the second. Quran; 74:8 Quran; 79:6 Quran; 79:7 Bukhari transmitted it in a chapter heading.

Abu Sa'id told that God's messenger mentioned the one who Would blow the trumpet, saying that Gabriel would be at his right hand and Michael at his left.

Abu Razin al- `Uqaili told that he asked God's messenger how God would restore all things and what indication there was of that in His creation. He replied, "Have you not come by the wadi of your people when it was barren, then come by it when it was shaking with verdure?" One being told that he had, he said, "That is God's sign in His creation and thus will God bring the dead to life." Razin transmitted the two traditions.

Sahl b. Sa'd reported God's messenger as saying, "On the day of resurrection mankind will be assembled on a white plain with a reddish tinge like a loaf of white bread with no mark set up for anyone.'' (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God's messenger as saying, "On the day of resurrection the earth will be one piece of bread which the Almighty will turn in His hand, as one of you turns his loaf while travelling, to be food provided for the inhabitants of paradise." A Jew then came and said, "May the Compassionate One bless you, Abul Qasim! Shall I not tell you the food provided on the day of resurrection for those who will go to paradise?" Receiving the reply, "Certainly," he said, "The earth will be one piece of bread as the Prophet has said." The Prophet then looked at the people and laughed so that his molar teeth were visible, and the Jew said, "Shall I not tell you what they will have to season it t It will be balam[*] and fish." He was asked what that wis and replied that it was an ox and a fish from whose excessive livers seventy thousand would eat. *This word which is explained as meaning an ox is mentioned in Taj al-'arus in connection with this tradition as a Hebrew word, but that is probably because a Jew used it and had to be asked what it meant. There seems to be no justification for calling it Hebrew. (Bukhari and Muslim,)

those who desire paradise and those who fear hell coming two, three, four and ten on a camel; and the rest will be assembled, hell being with them where they are at midday, where they spend the night, where they are in the morning, and where they are in the evening." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn `Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, "At the resurrection you will be assembled barefoot, naked and uncircumcised." He then recited, "As We originated the first creation so shall We restore it -- a promise binding on Us. We shall surely do so,"[1] and continued, "The first to be clothed on the day of resurrection will be Abraham. Then some of my companions will be taken to the left, and when I cry, `My little companions, my little companions!' I shall receive the reply that they have kept going back to infidelity since I left them. I shall then say as the upright servant said, `I was a witness regarding them as long as I remained among them...the Mighty, the Wise'." 2 1. Quran, 21:104. 2. Quran, 5:117 f (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`A'isha told that she heard God's messenger say, "Mankind will be assembled on the day of resurrection barefoot, naked and uncircumcised." She asked God's messenger whether men and women would be together looking at one another, and he replied, "The matter will be too serious, `A'isha, for them to look at one another." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that when a man asked, "Prophet of God, how will the infidel be brought to the assembly on his face on the day of resurrection?" he replied, "Is He who caused him to walk on his feet in the world not able to make him walk on his face on the day of resurrection?" (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, "On the day of resurrection Abraham will meet his father Azar with blackness and dust on Azar's face and ask him if he did not tell him not to disobey him. His father will reply that now he will not disobey him, and Abraham will say, `My Lord, Thou hast promised not to put me to shame on the day when men are resurrected, but what shame is greater than my father being farthest from Thy mercy?' God most high will reply, `I have debarred the infidels from paradise.' Abraham will then be told to look and see what is under his feet, and he will see a bespattered hairy hyena which will then be taken by its legs and thrown into hell[*]." *Abraham's father will be turned into the form of a hyena so that Abraham will not see him being thrown into hell in his own form. Bukhari transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "On the day of resurrection mankind will sweat to such an extent that their sweat will penetrate the earth seventy cubits, and it will cover their mouths, reaching to their ears." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Al-Miqdad told that he heard God's messenger say, "On the day of resurrection the sun will come near created beings till it is about a mile. from them, and mankind will sweat according to what they have done, the sweat reaching the ankles of some, the knees of others, the waists of others, while some will have their mouths covered by the sweat," and God's messenger pointed his hand at his mouth. Muslim transmitted it.

Aba Sa`id al-Khudri reported the Prophet as saying that God most high will call Adam and he will reply, "At Thy service and at Thy pleasure, in Whose hands is all good." God will tell him to bring out those who are to go to hell, and when he asks what this consists of, he will be told that it is nine hundred and ninety-nine out of every thousand. Then young children will become grey-haired, pregnant women will give birth, and mankind will appear drunk although they will not be really so; but God's punishment is severe. On being asked which of them that one would be God's messenger replied, "Be of good cheer, for there is one of you to every thousand of Gog and Magog." He then said, "By Him in whose hand my soul is, I hope you may be a quarter of the inhabitants of paradise," and when they cried, "God is most great," he said, "I hope you may be a third of the inhabitants of paradise." Again, they cried, "God is most great," and he said, " I hope you may be half the inhabitants of paradise." Yet again, they cried, "God is most great," and he said, "Among mankind you are just like a black hair in the skin of a white bull, or like a white hair in the skin of a black bull." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He told that he heard God's messenger say, "Our Lord will uncover His leg[*] and every believing man and woman will fall in prostration before Him. Those who prostrated themselves in the world from hypocrisy and show will remain, but when they proceed to prostrate themselves, their backs will become a single piece." *Cf. Quran, 48:42. The reference is either to the beginning of terrors, or to the end of all mystery. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

"We shall not assign them any weight on the day of resurrection." * *Quran; 18:105. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Aba Huraira-told that God's messenger recited this verse, "On that day it will, tell its news," [*] and asked whether they knew what its news would be. On their replying that God and His messenger knew best he said, " Its news will be that it will tell what every man and woman did when they were on it, saying they did such and such a thing on such and such a day. This will be its news." *Quran; 99:4, the reference being to the earth. Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "Everyone who dies will repent." He was asked the nature of their repentance and replied, "If one did what was good, he will repent of not having done more, and if one did evil, he will repent of not having restrained himself." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "Mankind will be assembled on the day of resurrection in three classes, one walking, one riding and one on their faces." "He was asked how people could walk on their faces and replied, "He who caused them to walk on their feet has power to make them walk on their faces. They will guard themselves by their faces from every acclivity and from thorns." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`When the sun is obscured[1] `When the sky shall be split open[2] and `When the sky shall be rent asunder.'"[3] 1. Quran, 81 2. Quran, 82 3. Quran, 84 Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Dharr said that the truthful one whose word is believed told him that mankind would be assembled in three groups, one riding with food and clothing, one being dragged on their faces by the angels who assemble them to hell, and one walking and running. God will cast a calamity on riding-beasts so that none will remain, with the result that a man who has a garden will be ready to give it for a saddled shecamel, but will be unable to get one. Nasa'i transmitted it.

`A'isha reported the Prophet as saying, "Everyone who is taken to account on the day of resurrection will perish." She asked if God does not say, "He will made subject to an easy reckoning," * and he replied, "That is merely the review, but those who are closely examined in the reckoning will perish." *Quran; 84:8 This is here explained as a general review and not a detailed examination. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

'Adi b. Hatim reported God's messenger as saying, "There is not one of you to whom his Lord will not speak-without an interpreter between them and with no veil which conceals Him. He will look to his right and see only the deeds he had previously done, he will look to his left and see only the deeds he had previously done, and he will look in front of him and see nothing but hell before his face. So, protect yourselves from hell, even if it should be with half a date." * *i.e., by giving even such a small amount as sadaqa. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn `Umar reported God's messenger as telling that God will bring the believer near, place His wing over him, cover him, and say, "Are you aware of such and such a sin? Are you aware of such and such a sin?" He will reply, "Yes, my Lord," and this will continue till He makes him acknowledge his sins and he feels within himself that he has perished. God will then say, "I concealed them for you in the world and I forgive you them to-day." He will then be given the record of his good deeds. But the infidels and hypocrites will have themselves proclaimed in presence of all creatures, "These are they who lied against their Lord. God's curse be upon the evildoers!" (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Musa reported God's messenger as saying that when the day of resurrection comes God will hand a Jew or a Christian to every Muslim and say, "This is your means of release from hell." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Said reported God's messenger as saying, "On the day of resurrection Noah will be brought and asked if he proclaimed the message, and when he replies, `Yes, my Lord,' his people will be asked whether he conveyed the message to them. They will say no warner came to them, so he will be asked who his witnesses are and will reply that they are Muhammad and his people." God's messenger said, "You will then be brought and testify that he did convey the message." He then recited, "Thus We have made you an intermediate people that you may be witnesses to mankind, and the messenger may be a witness to you." * *Quran; 2:143 Bukhari transmitted it.

Once when we were with God's messenger he laughed and asked if we knew why he was laughing. On our replying that God and His messenger knew best he told us that in the conversation a man will hold with his Lord he will say, "My Lord, didst Thou not grant me protection from oppression?" and when He replies that He certainly did he will say, "I allow only a witness of my own kind concerning me." He will reply, "You are sufficient to-day as a witness to yourself as are also the noble ones who keep records. His mouth will then be sealed and the members of his body will be told to speak. They will tell about his deeds, and when he is allowed to speak he will say, "May you perish and be cursed! You are the ones in whose defence I was pleading." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that some people asked God's messenger whether they would see their Lord on the day of resurrection, and he asked them if they disagreed with one another about seeing the sun at noon when it was not clouded. When they replied that they did not he asked them whether they disagreed with one another about seeing the moon on the night when it is full and unclouded. They replied that they did not, and he said, "By Him in whose hand my soul is, your disagreement with one another about seeing your Lord will just be like your disagreement about seeing one of these two." He then told that He would meet a man and say, "So and so, did I not honour you, make you a lord, give you a wife, make horses and camels subject to you, and did I not let you be a chief and take a quarter of the spoil?" and he will reply that that is so. He will ask if he thought he would meet Him, and when he replies tha t he did not He will say, "Well, I have forgotten you as you forgot Me.' He will meet another, about whom he mentioned something similar. He will then meet a third, and when he says the same kind of thing to him, he will reply, "My Lord, I believed in Thee, Thy Book, Thy messengers, I prayed, fasted and gave sadaqa," and he will praise himself for his good actions as much as he can. He will reply, "Stay here, then. Now We shall raise up a witness concerning you," whereupon he will wonder within himself who it is who will testify concerning him. His mouth will be sealed and his thigh will be told to speak, then his thigh, his flesh and his bones will speak about what he has done. That man makes excuses for himself, but that one is the hypocrite and that is the one with whom God is displeased. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Umama a told that he heard God's messenger say, "My Lord has promised me to bring into paradise seventy thousand of my people without any reckoning or punishment, each thousand accompanied by seventy thousand and three handfuls[*] added by my Lord." *A figure of speech to indicate an unspecified additional number. Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Al-Hasan quoted Abu Huraira who reported God's messenger as saying, "On the day of resurrection mankind will be reviewed three times, the first two consisting of disputing and excuses, but at the third the records of men's deeds will go quickly into their hands, some getting them in their right hands and some in their left." Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, but Tirmidhi said this tradition is not sound, as al-Hasan did not hear anything from Abu Huraira and some have transmitted it on al-Hasan's authority quoting Abu Musa as his authority.

`Abdullah b. `Amr reported God's messenger as saying that on the day of resurrection God will separate a man belonging to his people in presence of all creatures and spread ninety-nine scrolls over him, each scroll extending as far as the eye can see, then say, "Do you object to anything in this? Have my scribes who keep note wronged you?" He will reply, "No, my Lord." He will ask him if he has any excuse; and when he tells his Lord that he has none, He will say, "On the contrary you have with Us a good deed, and you will not be wronged to-day." A document will then be brought out containing, "I testify that there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger," and He will say, "Come to be weighed." He will ask his Lord what this document along with these scrolls is. and He will reply, "You will not be wronged." The scrolls will then be put in one side of the scale and the document in the other, and the scrolls will become light and the document heavy, for nothing can compare in weight with God's name. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

`A'isha told that she thought of hell and wept, and when God's messenger asked what was making her weep she replied, "I thought of hell and wept. Will you remember your family on the day of resurrection?" God's messenger said, "There are three places where no one will remember anyone, at the scale until one knows whether his weight is light or heavy; at [the examination of] the book when command is given to take and read God's record until he knows whether his book will come into his right hand, or into his left behind his back; * and at the Path when it is placed across Jahannam." *Cf. Quran; 84:7, 10. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

`A'isha told that a man came and when he had sat down in front of God's messenger he said, "Messenger of God, I have slaves who lie to me, deceive me and disobey me, and I revile and beat them. How do I stand with respect to them?" He replied, "On the day of resurrection account will be taken of the extent of their deceit, disobedience and lying towards you, and of the punishment you administered to them. If your punishment of them was in accordance with their offences, its being exactly right will count neither for you nor against you; if your punishment of them was less than their offence deserved it will be something extra to your credit; but if your punishment of them was greater than their offences deserved requital will be taken from you on their behalf for the excess." The man went aside and began to shout and weep, so God's messenger asked him if he did not recite the words of God most high, "We shall place the just scales for the day of resurrection and no soul will be wronged in any respect, and even if there is only the weight of a grain of mustard-seed We will bring it, and. We are sufficient to take account[*]." The man said, "Messenger of God, I find nothing better for myself and these men than to separate from them. I call you to witness that they are all free." *Quran; 21:47 Tirmidhi transmitted it.

She told that she heard God's messenger say in the course pf his prayer, "0 God, grant me a light reckoning," and asked, "Prophet of God, what is the light reckoning?" He replied, "That one's book should be examined and that God should forgive him. He who is severely taken to account that day, `A'isha, will perish." Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri told that he went to God's messenger and asked him to tell him who would be strong enough to stand on the day of resurrection of which God who is great and glorious said, "A day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the universe."¹ He replied, "It will be made easy for the believer, so that it will be for him like the prescribed prayer." He told that God's messenger was asked about "a day whose extent is fifty thousand years²," how men could endure the length of this day, and replied, "By Him in whose hand my soul is, it will be made easy for the believer so that it will be easier for him than the prescribed prayer he observes in this world." [1] Quran; 83:6 [2] Quran; 70:4 Baihaqi transmitted the two traditions in Kitab al-ba'th wan nushur.

Asma.' daughter of Yazid reported God's messenger as saying, "On the day of resurrection mankind will be assembled on one plain. A crier will call asking where those are whose sides kept away from their beds[*] and they, few in number, will arise and enter paradise without reckoning being taken. Then the rest of mankind will be commanded to come to the reckoning. *Quran; 32:16 Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "While I was travelling in paradise, I came to a river whose banks were domes of hollowed pearls, and when I asked Gabriel what this was, he replied that it was al-Kauthar* which my Lord had given me. Its soil was the most excellent musk." *Quran, 108. Bukhari transmitted it.

'Abdallah b. 'Amr reported God's messenger as saying, "My pond is a month's journey and its sides are equal. Its water is whiter than milk, its odour is sweeter than musk, and its jugs are like the stars in the sky. He who drinks of it will never thirst." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "My pond is more extensive than the distance between Aila and Aden[*]. It is whiter than snow, sweeter than honey mixed with milk, and its vessels are more numerous than the stars. I shall drive people away from it just as a man drives away other people's camels from his pond." His hearers asked him if he would recognize them on that day and he replied, "Yes, you will have a mark which will not be possessed by anyone belonging to other peoples. You will come down to me with a white blaze on your foreheads and white marks on your hands and feet because of the trace of ablution." *Aila is at the top of the Gulf of 'Aqaba. Muslim transmitted it. In a version by him on the authority of Anas he said, "Vessels of gold and silver as numerous as the stars in the sky will be seen at it." In another version by him on Thauban's authority it is said that when he was asked about its drink he replied, "It is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. Two pipes which supply it from paradise flow into it, one of gold and the other of silver." Muslim.

Shal b. Sa'd reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall go to the Pond before you; he who comes to me will drink, and he who drinks will never thirst. Folk whom I know and who know me will come down to me, but something will come between them and me. I shall say that they belong to me, but I shall be told that I do not know what innovations they have produced since I departed from them. I shall then say, `Destruction, destruction to those who have made changes since my departure'!" (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, "The believers will be restrained on the day of resurrection so that they will be concerned about that and express a desire to find an intercessor with their Lord that He may relieve them from the position in which they are placed. They will go to Adam and say, `You are Adam, the father of mankind, whom God created by His hand, whom He caused to dwell in His garden, to whom He made the angels do obeisance, and whom He taught the names of everything. Intercede for us with your Lord so that He may relieve us from this position in which we are placed.' But he, mentioning the sin he committed by eating of the tree when he had been forbidden to do so, will reply, `I am not in a position to do that for you; go to Noah, the first prophet God sent to the inhabitants of the earth.' They will then go to Noah and he, mentioning the sin he committed by making request of his Lord without knowledge,[1] will say, `I am not in a position to do that for you, but go to Abraham, the friend of the Compassionate One.' They will then go to Abraham and he, mentioning three lies he told, will say, `I am not in a position to do that for you, but go to Moses, a servant to whom God brought, the Torah, to whom He spoke, and whom He brought near Him as a confidant.' They will then go to Moses and he, mentioning the sin he committed when he took a life, will say, `I am not in a position to do that for you, but go to Jesus, God's servant and messenger, God's spirit and word.' They will then go to Jesus and he will say, `I am not in a position to do that for you, but go to Muhammad, a servant whose former and latter sins have been forgiven him by God.' They will then come to me and I shall ask permission to enter my Lord's abode. When this is granted and I see Him I shall fall down in prostration, and God will leave me as long as He wishes to do so. He will then say, `Rise, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make intercession, it will be accepted, and if you make a request, it will be granted.' I shall then raise my head and extol and laud my Lord in a manner He will teach me. I shall then make intercession, but He will appoint a limit for me after which I shall go out, bring them forth from hell and bring them into paradise. I shall return a second time and ask permission to enter my Lord's abode. When this is granted and I see Him I shall fall down in prostration, and God will leave me as long as He wishes to do so. He will then say, `Rise, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make intercession, it will be accepted, and if you make a request, it will be granted.' I shall then raise my head and extol and laud my Lord in a manner He will teach me. I shall then make intercession, but He will appoint a limit for me after which I shall go out, bring them forth from hell and bring them into paradise. I shall then return a third time and ask permission to enter my Lord's abode. When this is granted and I see Him I shall fall down in prostration, and God will leave me as long as He wishes to do so. He will then say, `Rise, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make intercession, it will be accepted, and if you make a request, it will be granted.' I shall then raise my head and extol and laud my Lord in a manner He will teach me. I shall then make intercession, but He will appoint a limit for me after which I shall go out, bring them forth from hell and bring them into paradise, till there will remain in hell only those restrained by the Quran, i.e., those doomed to eternal punishment." He then recited this verse, "It may be that your Lord will raise you up in a praiseworthy position[2]." He said, "And this praiseworthy position is that which He promised your prophet." Quran; 11:45 Quran; 17:79 (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "When the day of resurrection comes mankind will be in confusion and will go to Adam and say, `Intercede with your Lord,' and he will reply, `I am not capable, but go to Abraham, for he is the friend of the Compassionate One.' They will go to Abraham and he will say, `I am not capable, but go to Moses, for he is God's interlocutor.' They will then go to Moses and he will say, `I am not capable, but go to Jesus, for he is God's spirit and word.' They will then go to Jesus and he will say, `I am not capable, but go to Muhammad.' Then they will come to me and, saying I am capable, I shall ask permission to enter my Lord's presence. When this is granted He will teach me certain utterances of praise which I do not know at present, and I shall use them and fall down prostrating myself. Then will be said, `Raise your head, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make a request it will be granted, and if you make intercession it will be accepted." I shall then say, `0 my Lord, my people, my people,' and shall be told to go away and bring forth from hell those in whose hearts there is as much faith as a grain of barley. I shall go and do so, after which I shall return and use those utterances of praise, then fall down prostrating myself Then will be said, `Raise your head, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make a request it will be granted, and if you make intercession it will be accepted.' I shall then say, `0 my Lord, my people, my people,' and shall be told to go away and bring forth from hell those in whose hearts there is as much faith as a mote or a grain of mustard-seed. I shall go and do so, after which I shall return and use those utterances of praise, then fall down prostrating myself. Then will be said, `Raise your head, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make a request it will be granted, and if you make intercession it will be accepted.' I shall then say, `0 my Lord, my people, my people, and shall be told to go away and bring forth from hell those in whose hearts there is as much faith as the smallest smallest, smallest grain of mustard-seed. I shall go and do so, after which I shall return a fourth time and use those utterances of praise then fall down prostrating myself. Then will be said, `Raise your head, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make a request it will be granted, arid if you make intercession it will be accepted.' I shall then say, `0 my Lord, grant me permission regard - ing those who have said there is no god but God,' and He will reply, `You have no business with this, but by my might, glory, pride and greatness, I will certainly bring out of it those who have said there is no god but God'." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, "The one who will be most fortunate by reason of my intercession on the day of resurrection will be the one who says there is no god but God sincerely from his heart," or, "his soul." Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that once when the Prophet was brought some meat and was offered the foreleg, which was a part he liked, he bit off a piece of it and then said, ``I shall be the lord of mankind on the day of resurrection, the day when mankind will stand up before the Lord of the universe and the sun will draw near. Mankind will then experience a degree of care and anxiety which they will be unable to bear, so they will ask one another whether they cannot see anyone who may intercede for them with their Lord and will go to Adam." He then mentioned the tradition about intercession and said, "I shall then set off and come below the Throne and fall down prostrating myself before my Lord, and after God has revealed to me some utterances of His praise and of a worthy manner of extolling Him which He had not revealed to anyone before me He will say, `Raise your head, Muhammad. If you make a request, it will be granted, and if you make intercession, it will be accepted.' I shall then raise my head and say, `My people, O my Lord; my people, O my Lord; my people, O my Lord,' and the reply will be given, `Bring in by the right gate of paradise, Muhammad, those of your people who are not taken into account, though they may equally enter by other gates along with mankind'." He then said, "By Him in whose hand my soul is, the distance between the two halves of the gates of paradise is like that between Mecca and Hajar." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

In the tradition about intercession Hudhaifa reported God's messenger as saying, "Fidelity and ties of relationship will be sent and will stand on the two sides of the path, right and left." Muslim transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. `Amr b. al- `As told that the Prophet recited the words of God most high in [sura] Ibrahim, "My Lord, they have indeed led astray many people, but he who follows me belongs to me[1] and the words of Jesus, "If Thou dost punish them they are Thy servants[2]," then, raising his hands, he said, "0 God, my people, my people," and wept. God most high then said, "Go to Muhammad, Gabriel although your Lord is best informed, and ask him what is making him weep." Gabriel then went to him and asked him, and God's messenger informed him of what he had said. God most high then said to Gabriel, "Go to Muhammad and tell him that We shall please him and not grieve him concerning his people." 1. Quran, 14:36. 2. Quran, 5:118. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri told that when some people asked God's messenger whether they would see their Lord on the day of resurrection he replied, "Yes. Do you disagree about seeing the sun at noonday when it is unconcealed and there are no clouds, or do you disagree about seeing the moon on the night when it is full when it is unconcealed and there are no clouds?" On their replying that they did not, he said, "You will not disagree about the vision of God on the day of resurrection any more than you do about seeing one of them. When the day of resurrection comes a mu'adhdhinwill cry, `Let every people follow what it was worshipping.' Then all who worshipped idols and stones apart from God will fall one after the other into hell, and when only the righteous and wicked who worshipped God are left the Lord of the universe will come to them and say, `What are you waiting for? Let every people follow what it was worshipping.' They will reply, `Our Lord, we kept separate from the people in the world though we felt great need of them, and did not associate with them.' (In Abu Huraira's version they will say, `This is our place till our Lord comes to us, and when our Lord comes to us we shall recognize Him.') In Abu Sa'id's version He will say, `Is there a sign between you and Him by which you will recognize Him? On their replying that there is, things will be made plain[1]. Those who prostrated themselves before God for His sake will all be permitted by God to prostrate themselves, but those who prostrated themselves for self-protection and show will all have their backs made into one piece by God and will fall on the back of their necks as often as they wish to prostrate themselves. The bridge will then he set up over Jahannam and intercession will be allowed, and they[2] will say, `O God, keep safe, keep safe.' The believers will then pass over like the twinkling of an eye, like lightning, like wind, like a bird, like the finest horses and camels. Some will escape and be kept safe, some will be lacerated and let go, and some will be pushed into the fire of Jahannam. Then when the believers are safe from hell, I swear by Him in whose hand my soul is that none of you is more eager to claim a right when it has become clear to you than those who believe in God will be on the day of resurrection to make claims on behalf of their brethren who are in hell. They will say, `0 our Lord, they were fasting along with us, praying and performing pilgrimage, and will be told to bring out those they recognize. Their faces will be protected from the fire and they will bring forth a large number of people, then say, `O our Lord, not one of those about whom Thou didst give us command remains in it.' He will reply, `Go back and bring forth those in whose hearts you find as much as a dinar of good.' When they have brought forth a large number of people He will say, `Go back and bring forth those in whose hearts you find as much as half a dinar of good.' When they have brought forth a large number of people He will say, 'Go back and bring forth those in whose hearts you find as much as an atom of good.' When they have brought forth a large number of people they will say, `O our Lord, we have not left in it any good.' Then God will say, 'The angels have interceded, the prophets have interceded, the believers have interceded, and only the Most Merciful of the merciful ones remains.' He will then take a handful from hell, bring forth from it people who never did any good, who have been turned into charcoal and cast them into a river at the outskirts of paradise called the river of life. They will come out as a seed comes out from the rubbish carried away by a flood, and they will come forth like pearls with seals on their necks. The inhabitants of paradise will say, `Those are they who have been set free by the Compassionate One who has brought them into paradise without anything they have done or any good they have sent before them.' They will then be told that theirs is what they see and a like quantity along with it." Quran, 48:42 The reference is either to the beginning of terrors, or to the end of all mystery. The second of the two meanings given seems to fit this passage. Presumably the Prophets, but later in this tradition reference is made to intercession having been made by angels, prophets and believers. Abu Huraira's tradition however states that the messenger will say these words. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "When the inhabitants of paradise enter paradise and the inhabitants of hell enter hell God most high will say, `Bring forth those in whose hearts there is as much faith as a grain of mustard-seed.' They will then be brought forth burned and turned to charcoal and be cast into the river of life, and they will sprout as does a seed in the rubbish carried away by a flood. Have you not seen that it comes out yellow and twisted?" (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira told that the people asked, "Messenger of God, shall we see our Lord on the day of resurrection?" and then mentioned something to the same general effect as Abu Sa'id's tradition, except for "things will be made plain[1]." The Prophet then said, "The Path will be set over the main part of jahannam and I shall be the first of the messengers to take his people across. On that day only the messengers will speak and what they say that day will be, `0 God, keep safe, keep safe.' In jahannam there will be pronged flesh-hooks like sadan[2] thorns whose size is known only to God, and they will seize people for their deeds, some being confined for what they have done and others being cut in small pieces and escaping. Then when God finishes judging His servants and desires to take out of hell such people as He pleases among those who testified that there is no god but God, He will command the angels to bring out those who worshipped God. They will do so, recognising them by the marks of prostration, God most high having prevented hell from devouring the mark of prostration, for hell will devour everything in the sons of Adam except the mark of prostration. They will come forth from hell having been burned, the water of life will be poured over them, and they will sprout as a seed does in the rubbish carried away by a flood. Bat a man who will be the last of the inhabitants of hell to enter paradise will remain between paradise and hell facing hell and will say, `0 my Lord, turn my face away from hell, for its odour has annoyed me and its fierce blaze has burned me; but God will reply, 'If I do that you will perhaps ask something else.' He will say, `No, by Thy might,' giving God such covenant and agreement as God wishes, and He will turn his face away from hell. When he is turned to face paradise and sees its beauty, he will remain silent as long as God wishes him to remain so, and will then say, 'O my Lord, bring me forward to the gate of paradise.' God who is blessed and exalted will reply, `Did you not give covenants and agreement that you would not ask anything beside what you have asked?' and he will say, `O my Lord, let me not be made the most miserable of Thy creatures.' He will ask, `What else are you likely to ask for if you are granted that?' and he will reply, `No, by Thy might, I shall ask nothing else.' He will then give his Lord such covenant and agreement as He wishes, and He will bring him forward to the gate of paradise. Then when he reaches its gate and sees its freshness and the splendour and joy it contains, he will remain silent as long as God wishes him to remain so, and will then say, `O my Lord, bring me into paradise.' God who is blessed and exalted will reply, `Woe to you, son of Adam, how treacherous you are! Have you not given covenants and agreement that you would not ask anything more than you have been granted?' and he will say, `O my Lord, do not make me the most miserable of Thy creatures.' He will continue making supplication till God laughs at him, and when He does so He will give him permission to enter paradise, and will say, `State your wish.' When he has done so till his wishing has come to an end God most high will say, `State your wish from such and such,' his Lord mentioning the matters to him. Then when there is nothing more he can wish God will say, `You can have that and a similar amount along with it'." In Abu Sa'id's version God says, "You can have that and ten times as much." i.e., they will have everything as far as their eyes can see. The name of a plant with a prickly head on which camels pasture. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn Mas'ud reported God's messenger as saying, "The last to enter paradise will be a man who will walk at one moment, stumble at another, and be burned by hell at another. Then when he gets beyond it he will turn to it and say, `Blessed is He who has saved me from you. God has given me something He has not given to anyone of those in earlier or later times. His attention will then be drawn to a tree and he will say, `O my Lord, bring me near this tree so that I may shelter in its shade and drink some of its water.' God will reply, `Son of Adam, if I grant you that you will perhaps ask me for something else,' and he will say, `No, my Lord' and make a covenant with Him not to ask Him for anything else. His Lord will excuse him because he is seeing something he cannot help desiring, so He will bring him near it and he will shelter in its shade and drink some of its water. His attention will then be drawn to a tree more beautiful than the first and he will say, `O my Lord, bring me near this tree in order that I may drink some of its water and shelter in its shade. I shall not ask Thee for anything else.' He will reply, `Son of Adam, did you not covenant with me not to ask anything else?' and He will add, `If I bring you near it you will perhaps ask me for something else.' He will then covenant with Him not to ask for anything else, and his Lord will excuse him because he is seeing something he cannot help desiring, so He will bring him near it and he will shelter in its shade and drink some of its water. His attention will then be drawn to a tree at the gate of paradise more beautiful than the first two and he will say, `O my Lord, bring me near this tree so that I may shelter in its shade and drink some of its water, and I shall not ask Thee for anything else.' He will reply, `Son of Adam, did you not covenant with me not to ask me for anything else?' and he will say, `Certainly, my Lord, but I shall not ask Thee for anything else than this.' So his Lord will excuse him because he is seeing something he cannot help desiring and will bring him near it; but when He does so he will hear the voices of the inhabitants of paradise and say, `0 my Lord, bring me into it.' He will reply, `Son of Adam, what will bring an end to your making requests of me? Will it please you if I give you the world and a like amount along with it?' He will `say, '0 my Lord, art Thou mocking me when Thou art the Lord of the universe?'" Ibn Mas'ud then laughed and asked his hearers why they did not ask him what he was laughing at. On their doing so he told them that God's messenger had laughed similarly, and when he was asked what he was laughing at he said, "At the Lord of the universe laughing when he said, `Art Thou mocking me when Thou art the Lord of the universe?' He will reply, `I am not mocking you, but I have power to do whatever I will'." Muslim transmitted it.

In a version by him on the authority of Abu Sa'id there is something to the same effect, but he did not mention that He will say, "What will bring an end to your making requests of me ..." to the end of the tradition. In it he added that God will teach him saying, "Ask such and such," and when his wishes come to an end God most high will say, "You can have it and ten times as much." He said that he will then enter his house and his two wives from the large-eyed maidens will come in to him and say, "Praise be to God who has created you for us and us for you." He will then say, "No one has been given anything like what I have."

"Peoples will be smitten with a scorching from hell as a punishment for sins they have committed, then God by His grace and mercy will bring them into paradise, and they will be called the Jahannamis." Bukhari transmitted it.

`Imran b. Husain reported God's messenger as saying, "People will come forth from hell by Muhammad's intercession, will enter paradise and be named the Jahannamis." Bukhari transmitted it.

A version has "Some of my people will come forth from hell by my intercession and be named the Jahannam is." `Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God's messenger as saying, " I know the last of the inhabitants of hell to come out of it and the last of the inhabitants of paradise to enter. He is a man who will come crawling out of hell and God will say, `Go and enter paradise.' When he comes to it he will be made to think it is full, so he will say, `O my Lord, I have found it full.' God will reply, `Go and enter paradise, for you will have the equivalent of the world and ten times as much.' He will say, `Art Thou making fun of me?' or `Art Thou laughing at me when Thou art the King?' "He told he had seen God's messenger laughing to such an extent that his back teeth were visible. It was said that that was the inhabitant of paradise who would have the lowest rank. (Bukhari and Muslim,)

Abu Dharr reported God's messenger as saying, "I know the last of the inhabitants of paradise to enter it and the last of the inhabitants of hell to come out of it. He is a man who will be brought on the day of resurrection and then a command will be given to confront him with his small sins and remove from him his serious sins. He will then be confronted with his small sins and told, `On such and such a day you did such and such, and on such and such a day "you did such and such.' He will agree, being unable to deny it, and he will be afraid that he will be confronted with his serious sins. He will be told that in place of every evil deed he will have a good deed, and he will say, `My Lord, I have done things I do not see here'." He said he had seen God's messenger laughing to such ail extent that his back teeth were visible. Muslim transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "Four men will be taken out of hell and presented before God. Command will then be given that they should be sent to hell, but one of them will turn and say, 0 my Lord, I was hoping that when Thou tookest me out of it Thou wouldest not send me back into it.' ' God will then save him from it." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying, "The believers will be rescued from hell and restrained at a bridge between paradise and hell. Retaliation will be taken from some for others for wrongs done among them in the world, and when they have been cleansed and purified permission will be granted them to enter paradise. By Him in whose hand Muhammad's soul is, one of them shall find the way more easily to his dwelling in paradise than he did to his dwelling which he owned in the world." Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "No one will enter paradise without being shown his place in hell, which will cause him all the more gratitude if he has done evil, and no one will enter hell without being shown his place in paradise, which will be a cause of grief to him if he has done good." Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn `Umar reported God's messenger as saying, "When the inhabitants of paradise come to paradise and the inhabitants of hell come to hell, death will be brought and placed between paradise and hell, then slain. A crier will call, `Inhabitants of paradise, there is no death, and inhabitants of hell, there is no death.' This will add joy to the joy of the inhabitants of paradise and grief to the grief of the inhabitants of hell." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Thauban reported the Prophet as saying, "My pond is like the distance between Aden and 'Amman in al-Balqa'[*]. Its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey, and its cups are as numerous as the stars in the sky. He who takes one drink of it will never thirst thereafter. The first to come down to it will be the poor emigrants, those with dishevelled heads and dirty clothes who do not marry delicate women and do not have doors opened for them ." *'Amman, capital of the modern state of Jordan, is farther from Aden than Aila mentioned in the corresponding tradition. Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.

Zaid b. Aqram told that when they were with God's messenger he said when they arrived at a halting place, "You are not a hundred thousandth part of those who will come down to the pond." He was asked what their number was that day and replied that it was seven or eight hundred. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Samura[*] reported God's messenger as saying, "Every prophet has a pond and they will vie with one another about which of them will have the largest number coming down to it. I hope that I may have the largest number." *Samura b. Jundub. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Anas told that he asked the Prophet to intercede for him on the day of resurrection, and when he replied that he would do so he asked God's messenger where he should look for him. He replied, "Look for me first at the Path." He asked, "Supposing I do not find you at the Path?" and received the reply, "Look for me at the scale." He asked, "Supposing I do not find you at the scale?" and received the reply, "Look for me at the pond, for I shall not go beyond these three places." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Ibn Mas'ud told that when the Prophet was asked the meaning of the praiseworthy station[*] he replied, "That will be on the day when God will descend on to His throne and it, whose extent is as great as the distance between heaven and earth, will creak like a new pack-saddle owing to its being compressed. You will then be brought barefoot, naked and uncircumcised, and the first to be clothed will be Abraham. God most high will say, `Clothe my friend,' and two white seamless garments of paradise will be brought. I shall then be clothed after him and shall stand in a place a t God's right hand for which those of earliest and latest times will envy me." *Quran, 17:97. Darimi transmitted it.

Al-Mughira b. Shu'ba reported God's messenger as saying, "On the day of resurrection the distinguishing sign of the believers on the Path will be, `My Lord, keep safe, keep safe'." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, "My intercession will be for those of my people who have committed major sins." Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it on Jabir's authority.

`Auf b. Malik reported God's messenger as saying, "One came to me from my Lord and gave me a choice between half of my people entering paradise and intercession, and I chose intercession. It will apply to those who have died and have associated nothing with God." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. Abul Jad'a' told that tie heard God's messenger say, "More than the number of the B. Tamim[*] will enter paradise through the intercession of a man of my people." *'Abdallah b. Abul Jad'a' belonged to Tamim himself. See Isti'ab, p. 343 Tirmidhi, Darimi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying, "Some of my people will intercede for & large number, some for a tribe, some for a group, and some for a single man, till they enter paradise." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "God who is great and glorious has promised me that four hundred thousand of my people will enter paradise without being taken to account." Abu Bakr asked God's messenger to tell them more, and he replied that God did thus, taking up two handfuls and joining his hands together. Abu Bakr asked him to tell them more, and he did the same again. `Umar then said, "Let the matter alone, Abu Bakr," to which Abu Bakr replied, "What harm would it do you if God were to bring us all into paradise?" `Umar said, "If God who is great and glorious wishes to bring all His creatures into paradise simultaneously, He can do so," and the Prophet said, "`Umar has spoken the truth." It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "The inhabitants of hell will be drawn up in line, and when one of the inhabitants of paradise passes them one of them will say, `So and so, do you not recognise me? I am the one who gave you a drink.' And one of them will say, `I am the one who gave you water for ablution.' He will then intercede for him and bring him into paradise." Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "Two men of those who enter hell will shout loudly, and the Lord most high will say, `Bring them out.' He will ask them why they shouted so loudly and they will reply, `We did that in order that Thou mightest have mercy on us.' He will say, `My mercy to you is that you should go and throw yourselves where you were in hell.' One of them will do so and God will make it coolness and peace for him, but the other will stand and not do so. The Lord most high will ask him, `What has prevented you from throwing yourself in as your companion did?' and he will reply, 'My Lord, I hope that Thou wilt not send me back into it after taking me out of it.' The Lord most high will then say to him, `You will have your hope realised and they will both be brought into paradise by God's mercy." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God's messenger as saying, "Mankind will go down to hell and then come up from it because of their deeds, the first of them like a flash of lightning, next like the wind, next like a horse's gallop, next like one riding on his pack-saddle, next like a man's running, next like his walking." Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

Ibn `Umar reported God's messenger as saying, "Before you will be my pond, the distance between whose sides is like that between Jarba' and Adruh." One of the transmitters said they are villages in Syria three days' journey apart[*]. A version has "Beside it there are vessels as numerous as the stars in the sky. He who comes down to it and drinks of it will never thirst afterwards." *Yaqut, Mu'jam, 1:174, says Adhruh was in the neighbourhood of al-Balqa' and 'Amman and quotes statements that the distance between Adhruh and Jarba', which he calls al-Jarba', was s mile or less. For Jarba' see also 2:45. Mirqat, 5:281. says the tradition really means the distance between Medina and those two villages, and refers to a version by Daraqutni to that effect. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Hudhaifa and Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "God who is blessed and exalted will collect mankind and the believers will stand till paradise is brought near them. They will then go to Adam and say, `Ask, father, that paradise may be opened for us,' but he will reply, `Has anything but your father's sin put you out of paradise? I am not the one to do that; go to my son Abraham, God's friend.' Then Abraham will say, `I am not the one to do that, for I was only a friend long, long ago; but apply to Moses to whom God spoke.' They will then go to Moses, but he will say, `I am not the one to do ta t; go to Jesus, God's word and spirit.' Jesus will say, `I am not the one to do that, so they will go to Muhammad and he will stand and be given permission. Faithfulness and ties of relationship will be sent and will stand on the sides of the Path, right and left, and the first of you will pass like lightning (Abu Huraira telling that he interpolated, " You for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom, what is there like the movement of lightning?" and received the reply, "Have you not seen how the lightning goes and returns like the twinkling of an eye?"), next like the passing of the wind, next like the passing of a bird and the running of men whose deeds cause them to run, your prophet standing on the Path and saying, 0 my Lord, keep safe, keep safe,' till men's deeds are so weak that a man comes able only to creep. On both sides of the Path pronged flesh-hooks placed under command will be hung and will seize those about whom they receive command, some being lacerated and escaping and others being thrown Pell Mell into hell. By Him in whose hand Abu Huraira's soul is[*], the pit of Jahannam is a seventy years' journey down." *There is some doubt as to whether the end of the tradition gives the Prophet's or Abu Huraira's word, this oath suggesting the latter. In the text "on both sides of the Path" is preceded by "he said." One wonders. Therefore, whether from there to the end Abu Huraira is making an addition to his own. Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir reported God's messenger as saying, "People will come forth from hell like tha'arir because of the intercession." He was asked the meaning of tha'arir and replied that it meant small cucumbers. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`Uthman b. 'Affan reported God's messenger as saying, "Three groups will make intercession on the day of resurrection, the prophets, next the learned, next the martyrs." Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that after God's messenger had stated that God most high has said, "I have prepared for my upright servants what eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man," 1 he added, "Recite, if you wish, `No soul knows what comfort has been concealed for them'." [2] 1. Cf. 1 Corinthians, 2:9. 2. Quran, 32:17. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger us saying, "The place occupied by a whip in paradise is better than the world and what it contains." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "A morning or evening expedition in God's path is better than the world and what it contains. If one of the women of paradise were to look down to the earth she would illuminate the space in between, fill the space in between with fragrance, and her scarf on her head is better than the world and what it contains." Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "In paradise there is a tree in whose shade a rider can travel for a hundred years without reaching the end of it, and the length of a bow of one of you in paradise is better than that on which the sun rises or sets." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Musa reported God's messenger as saying, "In paradise the believer will have a tent of a single hollowed pearl whose breadth (a version saying, whose length) is sixty miles, in each corner of which there will be a family out of sight of one another, each of which the believer will visit in turn. He will also have two gardens whose vessels and contents will be of silver and two gardens whose vessels and contents will be of gold. The only thing intervening to hinder the people from looking at their Lord will be the mantle of grandeur over His face in the garden of Eden." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`Ubada b. as-Samit reported God's messenger as saying, "In paradise there are a hundred stages between each two of which there is a distance like that between heaven and earth. Al-Firdaus from which issue the four rivers of paradise is the highest of them, and above it is the Throne; so, when you make request from God ask Him for al-Firdaus." Tirmidhi transmitted it. I have not found it in the two Sahihs or al-Humaidi's book[*]. *In Masabih as-sunna the source of each individual tradition is not given but those in section 1 are all called sahih and come from Bukhari or Muslim, or from both. One therefore does not expect to find a tradition from Tirmidhi in section 1. It occurs in his collection in Sifat al janna, 4. In Masabih as-sunna it does not say that this tradition comes from 'Ubada, but the Mishkat is correct in attributing it to him. There is one like it from Abu Huraira in Bukhari, jihad, 4, but the wording is not identical.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "In paradise there is a market to which they will come every Friday. The north wind will blow and will scatter [fragrance] on their faces and their clothing, and they will be increased in beauty and loveliness. They will then return to their families, having been increased in beauty and loveliness, and their families will say to them, `We swear by God that you have been increased in beauty and loveliness since leaving us, to which they will reply, `You also, we swear by God, have been increased in beauty and loveliness since we left you'." Muslim transmitted it.

Aba Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The first party to enter paradise will be in the form of the moon on the night when it is full; then will come those who will be near them, like the brightest shining planet in the sky, their hearts like one man's heart with no disagreement or mutual hatred among them. Every man among them will have two wives from the large-eyed maidens the marrow of whose legs will be visible through the bone and the flesh owing to their slender beauty. They will glorify God morning and evening, they will not become ill, or pass water, or void excrement, or spit, or suffer from catarrh. Their vessels will be of gold and silver, their combs will be of gold, the fuel of their braziers will be aloes, and their sweat will be musk. All will be alike in the form of their father Adam, sixty cubits tall." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir reported God's messenger as saying, "The inhabitants of paradise will eat and drink in it, but they will not spit, or pass water, or void excrement, or suffer from catarrh." He was asked what would happen to the food and replied, "It will produce belching and sweat like musk. They will give vent to glorifying and praising of God as easily as you breathe." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "He who enters paradise will be in affluent circumstances and will not be destitute, his clothing will not wear out and his youth will not pass away." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id and Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "A crier will call, `You will have the privilege of being healthy and never ailing, you will have the privilege of living and never dying, you will have the privilege of retaining your youth and never becoming decrepit, you will have the privilege of being in affluent circumstances and never being destitute'." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God's messenger as saying, "The inhabitants of paradise will look at those in the upper apartments above them as you look at a shining planet which remains in the east or west horizon[*], on account of the superiority some have over others." God's messenger was asked whether those were the dwellings of the prophets which no one else would reach and replied, "Yes, they will. By Him in whose hand my soul is, men who believed in God and acknowledged the truth of the messengers will reach them." *It can be seen in the morning after daybreak, or in the west before the darkness descends. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

(1) with no jealousy, rancour, deceit, or hatred; (2) in trepidation, being on their guard; (3) with complete trust, as birds trust God for their food. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as telling that God most high will say to the inhabitants of paradise, "O inhabitants of paradise," to which they will reply, "At Thy service and pleasure, our Lord, in whose hands is all good." He will ask them if they are pleased, and they will reply, "Why should we not be pleased, O Lord, when Thou hast given us what Thou hast not given to any of Thy creatures?" He will say, "Shall I not give you something more excellent than that?" and they will reply, "0 Lord, what can be more excellent than that?" He will say, "I shall cause my good pleasure to alight on you and I shall never afterwards be displeased with you." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The lowest place of any of you in paradise will be that God will tell him to express his wish, and he will wish and wish. He will then ask him if he has expressed his wish and when he replies that he has, He will tell him that he will have what he has wished and an equal amount along with it." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, `Saihan, Jaihan', * the Euphrates and the Nile are all among the rivers of paradise." *The Sarus and Pyramus respectively, frontier rivers in the early Muslim period between the Islamic territory and that of the Byzantines. See G. Le Strange, The Lands of the Eastern Caliphate (Cambridge, 1930), pp. 129 ff. Muslim transmitted it.

It was mentioned to us that a stone will be thrown from the lip of Jahannam and fall in it for the space of seventy years without reaching the bottom. 'I swear by God that Jahannam will certainly be filled. It was also mentioned to us that the space between the two halves of the gates of paradise is a distance of forty years journey, yet a day will come when they will be full because of the crowding. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that he asked God's messenger what the creation was made of and he replied that it was made of water. He was asked what paradise was constructed of and replied, "A brick of gold and a brick of silver with mortar of strong-scented musk; its pebbles are pearls and rubies and its soil is saffron. Those who enter it will be in affluent circumstances and will not be destitute, they will live forever and not die, their garments will not wear out, and their youth will not pass away." Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "The trunk of every tree in paradise is of gold." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "There are a hundred grades in paradise with a distance of a hundred years between every two." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying, "There are a hundred grades in paradise; if the universe were gathered in one of them it would hold it all." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

He reported the Prophet as saying regarding the words of God most high, "And couches raised high[*]," that their height is like the distance between heaven and earth, a distance of five hundred years. *Quran; 56:34 Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "The faces of the first company to enter paradise on the day of resurrection will be as bright as the moon on the night when it is full, and the second company will be like the most beautiful shining planet in the sky. Every man among them will have two wives, each wife wearing seventy mantles through which the marrow of her leg will be seen." Tirmidhi transmitted.it.

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, "In paradise the believer will be given such and such power to conduct sexual intercourse.' He was asked whether he would be capable of that and replied that he would be given the capacity of a hundred men. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas reported the Prophet as saying, "If as much of what is in paradise as could be carried by a fingernail were to appear the space between the cardinal points of the heavens and the earth would be adorned on account of it, and if a man of the inhabitants of paradise were to look down and his bracelets were to appear his light would obliterate the light of the sun just as the sun obliterates the light of the stars." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The inhabitants of paradise are hairless, beardless and have black eyes, their youth does not pass away and their garments do not wear out." Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

Mu'adh b. Jabal reported the Prophet as saying, "The inhabitants of paradise will enter paradise hairless, beardless with their eyes anointed with collyrium, aged thirty or thirty-three years." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Asma' daughter of Abu Bakr told that she heard God's messenger say when the lote-tree of the boundary[*] was mentioned to him, "A rider can travel in the shade of a branch of it for a hundred years," or "a hundred riders can take shelter in its shade (the transmitter being in doubt); in it there are golden butterflies and its fruit looks like earthenware jars." *Quran; 53:14 Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying th is is a gharib tradition

Anas told that when God's messenger was asked what al-Kauthar[*] was he replied, "That is a river God has given me (meaning in paradise), whiter than milk and sweeter than honey, containing birds whose necks are like the necks of sacrificial camels." `Umar remarked, "These have a pleasant life," and God's messenger replied, "Those who eat them have a pleasanter life." *Quran; 108 Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Buraida told that when a man asked God's messenger whether there were any horses in paradise he replied, " If God brings you into paradise you will not wish to be conveyed in it on a horse of red ruby which will fly with you in paradise wherever you wish without doing so." A man asked God's messenger whether there were any camels in paradise and he did not give him the same reply as he gave the other, but said, "If God brings you into paradise, you will have what your soul desires and your eye takes pleasure in." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Ayyub told that a nomadic Arab came to the Prophet and said, "Messenger of God, I am fond of horses. Are there any horses in paradise?" He replied, "If you are granted entrance into paradise, you will be brought a winged horse made of a ruby and will be mounted on it, then it will fly with you wherever you wish." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a tradition whose isnad is not strong, that Abu Saura its transmitter is declared to be a weak traditionist, and that he had heard Muhammad b. Isma'il, i.e., Bukhari say this Abu Saura's traditions were rejected, he being one who transmitted dis acknowledged traditions.

Buraida reported God's messenger as saying, "The inhabitants of paradise will be in a hundred and twenty rows, eighty of them from this people and forty from the rest of the peoples," Tirmidhi, Darimi and Baihaqi, in Kitab al-ba'th wan nushur, transmitted it.

Salim quoted his father (Abdullah bin Umar) who reported God's messenger as saying. 'The breadth of the gate by which my people will enter paradise will be a three years[*] journey for a fine rider, yet they will be so crushed that they will almost lose their shoulders." *The noun le not specified in the text. From the form of the numeral, it might be either nights or years. Mirqat 5, 207. expresses a preference for years, as that conveys better the idea of huge extent. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying that this is a weak tradition, and that when he asked Muhammad b. Ismail about this tradition he did not know it, adding that Yakhlud b.Abu Bakr transmitted dis acknowledged traditions.

'Ali reported God's messenger as saying, "In paradise there is a market in which there is no buying or selling, but only the forms of men and women; and when a man desires a form, he enters it." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Sa'id b. al-Musayyib told that he met Abu Huraira who said, "I ask God to bring us together in the market of paradise." Sa'id asked if it contained a market and he replied that it did, for God's messenger had informed him that when the inhabitants of paradise enter it they will alight in it by virtue of their deeds. They will then be granted permission for the period of a Friday in this world and will visit their Lord whose throne will be shown to them, and He will appear to them in one of the gardens of paradise. Pulpits of light, pulpits of pearls, pulpits of rubies, pulpits of chrysoprase, pulpits of gold and pulpits of silver will be placed for them, and the humblest of them, for there is no one worthless among them, will sit on mounds of musk and camphor, not considering that those who are on the chairs are in a more excellent position than they. Abu Huraira told that he asked, "Messenger of God, shall we see our Lord?" to which he replied, "Yes, are you in doubt about seeing the sun and the moon on the night when it is full?" On receiving the reply that they were not, he said, "Similarly you will have no doubts about the vision of your Lord, and no man will remain in that assembly without God conversing with him, till he says to one of them, `So and so son of so and so, do you remember the day you said such and such?' and He will remind him of one of the dishonest things he did in the world. He will say, `0 my Lord, hast Thou not forgiven me?' and He will reply, `Yes; by the wideness of my forgiveness, you have reached this station of yours.' While that is taking place a cloud will overshadow them from above and rain on them perfume whose fragrance will be such as they have never experienced my thing to compare with, and our Lord will say, `Get up and go to the honour I have prepared for you, and take what you desire.' We shall then come to a market surrounded by angels containing such things as eyes have never seen, ears have never heard, and hearts have never thought of. What we desire will be conveyed to us, there being no buying or selling in it, and in that market the inhabitants of paradise will meet one another. A man of exalted station will come forward and meet one who is humbler than he, though there is no one worthless among them, who will be charmed by the clothing he sees him wearing, but before their talk comes to an end, he will imagine that he has something more beautiful than the other. That is because it is not fitting for anyone to grieve in it. We shall then go to our dwellings and our wives will meet us and say, `Welcome; you have come with more excellent beauty than you had when you left us.' We shall reply, To-day we have had a meeting with our Lord, the Overpowering One, and it is fitting that we should come away as we have done'." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah trans - mitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying, "The lowliest of the inhabitants of paradise will be he who has eighty thousand servants, seventy-two wives, and for whom a round pavilion of pearls, chrysoprase and rubies as large as the distance between al-Jabiya[1] and San'a'[2] will be set up." By the same isnad he said, "Those who are to go to paradise who die whether young or old will come into paradise aged thirty and never grow older. The same applies to those who will go to hell." By the same isnad he said, "They will wear crowns the smallest pearl of which will illuminate the space between the east and the west." By the same isnad he said, "When a believer in paradise wishes a child, its conception, delivery and growth to full age will be accomplished in a moment as he wishes." Ishaq b. Ibrahim said regarding this tradition that when a believer in paradise wishes a child it will come in a moment, "But he will not wish one." To the NE of the Lake of Tiberias. Capital of the Yemen. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition. Ibn Majah transmitted the fourth part, and Darimi the last statement.

`Ali reported God's messenger as saying, "In paradise there is a meeting-place for the large-eyed maidens who will raise voices such as created beings have never heard and say, `We are the women who live forever and do not pass away, we are the women in affluent circumstances who will not be destitute, we are the women who are pleased and not displeased. Blessed are those who belong to us and to whom we belong!" Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Hakim b. Mu'awiya reported God's messenger as saying, "In paradise there are a great river of water, a great river of honey, a great river of milk and a great river of wine; then the smaller rivers will be divided off." Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Darimi transmitted it from Mu'awiya. (Mirqat, 5, 301 says this is most probably Mu'awiya b. Abu Sufyan because Hakim's father is not known to have been a Companion of the Prophet.)

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying, "A man will recline in paradise on seventy pillows before he turns round. A woman will then come and strike him on the shoulder and he will see his face in her cheek clearer than a mirror. The smallest pearl she wears will illuminate the space between the east and the west. She will give him a salutation to which he will respond, and when he asks her who she is she will reply that she is some of the extra[*]. She will be wearing seventy garments through which his eye will pierce so that he will see the marrow of her leg through them, and she will be wearing crowns the smallest pearl of which will illuminate the space between the east and the west." *Quran, 1, 35. Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that one of the people of the desert was with the Prophet when he was telling that one of the inhabitants of paradise will ask his Lord's permission to cultivate crops, and He will reply, "Do you not have what you have wished for?" He will say, "Yes; but I should like to cultivate crops." He will then sow seed and in less than the twinkling of an eye it will appear, grow to maturity and be reaped, like mountains in magnitude. God most high will then say, "There you are, son of Adam, for nothing will satisfy you." Then the desert Arab said, "I swear by God that we shall find him belonging to Quraish or to the Ansar, for they are agriculturists; but as for us, we are not agriculturists." Thereupon God's messenger laughed. Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir told that when a man asked God's messenger whether the inhabitants of paradise would sleep, he replied, "Sleep is the brother of death, and the inhabitants of paradise do not die." Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.

Jarir b. 'Abdallah reported God's messenger as saying, "You will have ocular vision of your Lord." In a version he told that when they were sitting with God's messenger, he looked at the moon on the night when it was full and said, "You will see your Lord as you see this moon and have no doubts about seeing Him. If, therefore, you can keep from being prevented from prayer before the sun rises and before it sets, do so." He then recited, "Celebrate the praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting[*]." *Quran; 20:130 (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Suhaib reported the Prophet as saying, "When the inhabitants of paradise enter it God most high will ask, `Do you wish me to give you anything more?' and they will reply, `Hast Thou not whitened our faces, hast Thou not brought us into paradise and saved us from hell?' The veil will then be removed, they will look at God's face, and will not have been given anything dearer to them than looking at their Lord." He then recited, "Those who do good will have the best reward and something more[*]." *Quran; 10:26 Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn `Umar reported God's messenger as saying. "The lowest in station among the inhabitants of paradise will be he who looks at his gardens, his wives, his bliss, his servants, and his couches stretching a thousand years' journey, and the one who will be most honoured by God will be he who looks at His face morning and evening." He then recited, "Faces on that day will be bright, looking at their Lord[*]." *Quran; 75:22 f. Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Razin al-`Uqaili told that he asked, "Messenger of God, will each one of us see his Lord, being alone with Him, on the day of resurrection?" and received the reply, "Certainly." He asked, "What sign is there of that in His creation?" and received the reply, "Abu Razin, does each one of you not see the moon on the night when it is full, being alone with it?" When he agreed, he said, "It is only a part of God's creation, but God is more glorious and greater." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Dharr told that he asked God's messenger whether he had seen his Lord and received the reply, "He is Light; how can I see Him?" Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn `Abbas quoted, "The heart did not belie what it saw[1]," And he has seen Him at another descent[2]," saying that he saw Him twice in his heart. Quran; 53:11 Quran; 53:13 Muslim transmitted it. In Tirmidhi's version he said Muhammad saw his Lord. `Ikrima said he asked whether God does not say, "The eyes do not perceive Him but He perceives the eyes[*]," and he replied, "Out upon you! That is when He shines forth with His own essential light; but he has seen his Lord twice." *Quran; 6:103 Tirmidhi.

Ash-Sha'bi told that Ibn `Abbas met Ka`b at `Arafa and asked him about something, whereupon he said "God is most great" so loudly that the mountains re-echoed his voice. Ibn `Abbas said, "We are the B. Hashim," and Ka'b replied, "God has divided the vision of Him and His speech between Muhammad and Moses, for He spoke twice to Moses and Muhammad saw Him twice." Masruq said he went to visit `A'isha and asked whether Muhammad had seen his Lord, whereupon she replied, "You have said something that makes my hair stand on end." Telling her not to be excited he recited, "He has indeed seen the greatest of the signs of his Lord<sup>1</sup>." She replied, "where is it leading you? It was only Gabriel. Who told you that Muhammad saw his Lord, or concealed any command given him, or knew the five things of which God most high said, `God has knowledge of the last hour, He sends down the rain ²? He considered falsehood to be serious. But he saw Gabriel, seeing him in bodily form only twice, once at the lote-tree of the boundary, and once at Ajyad³ with six hundred wings blocking out the horizon." [1] Quran; 53:18 [2] Quran; 31:34 [3] A place in the neighbourhood of Makkah. Tirmidhi transmitted it, and the two shaikhs transmitted it with an addition and a difference. In their version he told that he asked `A'isha the meaning of His words, "Then he drew near and was suspended, and was two bows' length away or nearer[4], "and she replied, "That was Gabriel who used to come to him in human form, but on this occasion he came to him in his own form in which he was fashioned and blocked out the horizon." [4] Quran; 53:8

Ibn Mas'ud said regarding God's words, "He was two bows' length away or nearer," "The heart did not belie what it saw," and "He has indeed seen the greatest of the signs of his Lord," that they all refer to his seeing Gabriel who had six hundred wings. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In Tirmidhi's version he said regarding "The eye did not belie what it saw" that God's messenger saw Gabriel in a mantle of thin brocade, filling the space between the sky and the earth. Tirmidhi and Bukhari tell regarding His words, "He has indeed seen the greatest of the signs of his Lord," that he saw thin green brocade which blocked out the horizon in the sky.

Malik b. Anas was asked about the words of God most high, "Looking towards their Lord[1]," and told that some people said it referred to His reward. To this Malik replied, "They lie. How do they explain His words, `Nay, on that day they shall be veiled from their Lord'[2]?" Malik said men would look at their Lord with their eyes on the day of resurrection, adding, "If the believers were not to look at their Lord on the day of resurrection God would not have reproached the infidels with being veiled saying, `Nay, on that day they shall be veiled from their Lord'." Quran; 75:23 Quran; 83:15. This verse refers to unbelievers. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Jabir reported the Prophet as saying, "While the inhabitants of paradise are in their bliss a light will shine out to them, and raising their heads they will see that their Lord has looked down on them from above. He will then say, `Peace be to you, inhabitants of paradise,' the proof of that being the words of God most high, `Peace, a word from a merciful Lord[*].' He will then look at them and they will look at Him, and they will not turn aside to any of their bliss as long as they are looking at Him till He veils Himself from them and His light remains." *Quran; 36:58 Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The fire you have is one-seventieth part of the fire of Jahannam." Someone suggested that if it were ordinary fire, it would be enough, but he replied, "It has sixty-nine parts in excess of fires in this world, each of them being equivalent to their heat." (Bukhari and Muslim, the wording being Bukhari's.) Muslim's version has "Your fire which the son of Adam kindles," and uses the feminine singular pronoun instead of the feminine plural. (This is a matter which makes no difference to the translation, but is purely connected with different forms of expression allowable in Arabic grammar.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God's messenger as saying, "Jahannam will be brought on that day having seventy thousand halters, each being pulled by seventy thousand angels." Muslim transmitted it.

An-Nu`man b. Bashir reported God's messenger as saying, "The inhabitant of hell who will have the lightest punishment will be he who has two sandals and two sandal-straps of fire from which his brain will bubble like a pot, and he will think that no one is having a more severe punishment than he, although he is having the lightest punishment." (Bukhari and Muslim;)

Ibn `Abbas reported God's messenger as saying, "The inhabitant of hell who will have the lightest punishment will be Abu Talib, and he will be wearing two sandals from which his brain will bubble." Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "The one among the inhabitants of hell who had the pleasantest life in the world will be brought on the day of resurrection and dipped once in hell. Then will be said, `Son of Adam, have you ever experienced any good? Has any pleasantness come your way?' to which he will reply, `No, my Lord, I swear by God.' Then the one among the inhabitants of paradise who had the most miserable life in the world will be brought and dipped once in paradise. Then will be said, `Son of Adam, have you ever experienced any misfortune? Has any distress come your way?' to which he will reply, `No, my Lord, I swear by God, no misfortune has ever come my way, and I have never experienced any distress'." Muslim transmitted it.

He quoted the Prophet as stating that on the day of resurrection God will say to the inhabitant of hell who has the lightest punishment, " If you had everything the earth contains would you seek to ransom yourself with it? " and when he replies that he would, He will say, "I desired less than that from you when you were in Adam's loins, viz. that you should associate nothing with Me[*], but you insisted on associating others with Me." *The reference here is to what is mentioned in Quran, 7:172, regarding the covenant with the descendants of Adam. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Samura b. Jundub reported the Prophet as saying, "There will be some to whose ankles the fire will reach, some to whose knees the fire will reach, some to whose waist the fire will reach, and some to whose collar-bone the fire will reach." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The distance between the shoulders of an infidel in hell will be a three days' journey for a swift rider." A version says the molar tooth of an infidel will be like Uhud and the thickness of his skin a three nights' journey. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, "Hell was kindled for a thousand years till it became red, then it was kindled for a thousand years till it became white, then it was kindled for a thousand years till it became black, and it is black and dark." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "On the day of resurrection the molar tooth of an infidel will be like Uhud, his thigh like al-Baida'[1], and his abode in hell a three nights' journey like ar-Rabadha[2]." There are various places with this name. Mirqat, 5, 314, quotes the vague statement that it is a mountain. It is the name of an acclivity near Mecca leading to at-Tanim. Cf. Yaqut, Mu'jam, 1, 792 ff., for different explanations. A place not far from Madinah. There is another in Najd. Cf., Yaqut, Mu'jam, 2, 749. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "The thickness of an infidel's skin will be forty-two cubits, his molar tooth will be like Uhud, and his seat in Jahannam will be like the distance between Mecca and Medina." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn `Umar reported God's messenger as saying, "The infidel will drag his tongue a league and two leagues with people treading on it." Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying this is a gharib tradition.

Abu Sa`id reported God's messenger as saying, "The ascent[*] is a mountain in hell up which people will be made to climb for seventy years and down which they will be made to fall a like distance, and so on forever." *Quran; 74:17. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He reported the Prophet as saying about God's words, "Like molten copper[*]," that it is like the sediment of olive-oil, and that when it approaches one's face the skin of one's face will fall into it." *Quran; 18:29; 44:45; 70:8 Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, "The hot water[1] will be poured over their heads and the hot water will penetrate till it comes inside a man. It will scour what is inside him till it comes out at his feet; and that is the melting[2]. He will then be restored as he was[3]." Quran; 22:19 Quran; 22:20 Quran; 4:56 Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Umama reported the Prophet as saying about God's words, "He will be given to drink some liquid pus which he will gulp[1]," that it will come near his mouth and he will dislike it, then when it is brought near him it will scald his face and the skin of his head will fall away. Then when he drinks it, it will cut his entrails to pieces till it comes out at his posterior. God most high says, "They will be given to drink a boiling liquid and it will cut their entrails to pieces[2]." He also says, "And if they ask for help, they will be helped with a liquid like molten copper which will scald their faces. How evil a drink it is[3]!" Quran; 14:16 f. Quran; 47:15 Quran; 18:29 Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported the Prophet as saying, "The awnings of hell have four thick walls, each wall a distance of forty years." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "If a bucket of the pus of the inhabitants of hell were poured into the world, the people in the world would have an offensive stench." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn `Abbas told that God's messenger recited this verse, "Fear God as He ought to be feared, and die only as Muslims[1]," after which he said, "If a drop of az-Zaqqum[2] were to fall on this world it would corrupt the people's means of livelihood, so what about those whose food it is?" Quran; 3:102 A tree growing in the bottom of hell. Cf. Quran; 37:62, 44:43; also 17:60. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahih tradition.

Abu Sa'id reported the Prophet as saying regarding "And they in it will be showing their teeth[*]," that the fire will roast a person and his upper lip will retract till it reaches the middle of his head, and his lower lip will hang down till it strikes his navel." *Quran; 23:104 Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, "O people, weep, but if you are unable to do so, then pretend to weep, for the inhabitants of hell will weep in hell till their tears flow on their faces as though they were streams, and when the tears stop blood will flow and the eyes will be made sore. If ships were blown along in them, they could sail." It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Abud Darda' reported God's messenger as saying, "Hunger will be cast upon the inhabitants of hell and will be equal to the punishment they are experiencing. They will cry for help and will be helped with food of dari' [1] which neither fattens nor satisfies hunger. They will then call for food and will be fed with food which chokes[2]. So, remembering that they helped down choking food with drink when they were in the world they will ask for drink and the scalding drink[3] will be presented to them on iron flesh-hooks. When they approach their faces they will scorch their faces, and when they enter their bellies, they will cut in pieces the contents of their bellies. They will then ask the guards of Jahannam to be called and they will say, `Did your messengers not bring you the clear signs?' and when they reply, `Yes,' they will say, `Then make supplication, but the supplication of the infidels is only in error[4].' They will then ask Malik to be called and will say, `0 Malik, would that your Lord might put an end to us!' He will reply to them, `You are remaining'[5] (al-A`mash[6] saying he had been informed that the period between their appeal and Malik's reply to them would be a thousand years). They will then say, `Call your Lord, for no one is better than your Lord,' and they will say, `0 our Lord, our adversity was too much for us and we were a people who were astray. 0 our Lord, bring us out of it; then if we return to evil, we shall indeed be wrongdoers.' He will then answer them, `Retreat into it in shame and do not speak to Me[7].' They will then despair of all good and will begin to sigh, grieve and bemoan themselves." `Abdallah b. `Abd ar-Rahman[8] said that people do not trace this tradition back to the Prophet. 1. Cf. Qur'an, 88:6. The name of a thorny plant which animals avoid. It is used in the Qur'an of some substance which, as Taj al-'arus says, is more bitter than aloes, more offensive than a corpse, and hotter than fire. 2. Cf. Qur'an, 73:13. 3. Cf. Qur'an, 22:19 f. 4. Qur'an, 40:50. 5. Qur'an, 43:77. Malik is the angel in charge of hell. 6. One of the transmitters of the tradition. 7. Qur'an, 23:106 ff. 8. i.e., Darimi, whose Musnad is frequently quoted. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

I heard God's messenger say, "I have warned you of hell, I have warned you of hell," and he kept on saying it so loudly that if he had been where I am just now the people in the street would be able to hear it. He went on till a cloak he was wearing fell down at his feet. Darimi transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. `Amr b. al-`As told that God's messenger pointed to something like a bowl and said, "If a piece of lead like this were sent from heaven to earth, which is a journey of five hundred years, it would reach the earth before night; and if it were sent from the top of the chain[*] it would travel forty years night and day before reaching its foot (or, its bottom)." *Quran; 69:32 Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Burda told on his father's authority that the Prophet said, "In jahannam there is a wadi called Habhab which every oppressor will inhabit." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn `Umar reported the Prophet as saying, "The inhabitants of hell will become huge in hell so that the space between the lobe of the ear and the shoulder of one of them will be a journey of seven hundred years, the thickness of his skin will be seventy cubits, and his molar tooth will be like Uhud."

`Abdallah b. al-Harith b. Jaz' reported God's messenger as saying, "In hell there are snakes like Bactrian camels, one of which can give a sting the effect of which will be felt for forty years; and in hell there are scorpions like saddled mules, one of which can give a sting the effect of which will be felt for forty years." Ahmad transmitted both traditions.

Al-Hasan said Abu Huraira told him that God's messenger said, "The sun and the moon are two oxen which will be cast away into hell on the day of resurrection." Al-Hasan asked what sin they had committed, and on receiving the reply, "I am telling you on the authority of God's messenger," al-Hasan said no more. Baihaqi transmitted it in Kitab al-ba'th wan nushur.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "Only he who is miserable will enter hell." He was asked to whom that referred and replied, "He who has not done an act of obedience for God's sake, or left an act of disobedience undone." Ibn Majah transmitted it

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "Paradise and hell had a dispute and hell said, `I have been distinguished by the proud and mighty ones.' Paradise said, `What is the matter with me that only weak, lowly and inexperienced people enter me?' God then said to paradise, `You are only my mercy by whom I show mercy to those of my servants whom I wish;' and He said to hell, `You are only my punishment by whom I punish those of my servants whom I wish. Both of you will be full.' Hell will not be filled till God puts down His foot. `It will say, `Enough, enough, enough,' and at that time it will be full with all its parts collected together, and God will not wrong any of His creatures. For paradise God will create people." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, "Hell will continue to have people thrown into it and ask if there are any more[*] till the Lord of might puts down His foot on it and its parts are collected together. It will then say, `Enough, enough, by Thy might and generosity.' In paradise there will continue to be more room till God creates people for it and causes them to dwell in the extra space in paradise." *Quran; 1:30 (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as telling that when God created paradise, He said to Gabriel, "Go and look at it." He went and looked at it and at what God had prepared in it for its inhabitants, then came and said, "0 my Lord, by Thy might, no one who hears of it will fail to enter it. He then surrounded it with disagreeable things and said, "Go and look at it, Gabriel." He went and looked at it, then came and said, "0 my Lord, by Thy might, I am afraid that no one will enter it." When God created hell He said, "Go and look at it, Gabriel." He went and looked at it, then came and said, "O my Lord, by Thy might, no one who hears of it will enter it." He then surrounded it with desirable things and said, "Go and look at it, Gabriel." He went and looked at it, then said, "0 my Lord, by Thy might, I am afraid that no one will remain who does not enter it." Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa'i transmitted it.

Anas told that God's messenger led them in prayer one day, then mounted the pulpit and, pointing to the qibla in the mosque, said, "I have just now been shown, since I led you in prayer, paradise and hell pictured in front of this wall, and I have never seen such good and evil as I have seen to-day." Bukhari transmitted it.

I was with God's messenger when some people of Tamim came to him. He said, "Receive the good news, B. Tamim," and they replied, "You have given us good news, so grant us something." Some of the people of the Yemen then entered and he said, "Receive the good news, people of the Yemen, since the B. Tamim have not accepted it." They replied, "We have accepted it. We have come to you to become versed in the religion and to ask you about what was the beginning of this matter." He said, "God existed and there was nothing before Him, His Throne being upon the water. He then created the heavens and the earth and inscribed everything in the memorial[*]." At that point a man came to me and said, "Catch up on your she-camel, `Imran," for it had gone away. I therefore went off to look for it, but I swear by God that I wish it had been lost and that I had not got up and left. *i.e., the Preserved Tablet. Bukhari transmitted it.

`Umar told that God's messenger stood up among them and told them about the beginning of creation up to the time when the inhabitants of paradise will enter their abodes and the inhabitants of hell will enter theirs, saying that some remembered that and others forgot. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that he heard God's messenger say God most high had inscribed a document before bringing the creation into being, "My mercy has preceded my anger," and that it is written in His presence above the throne. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`A'isha reported God's messenger as saying, "The angels were created from light, the jinn from smokeless fire[1], and Adam from what has been described to you[2]." Quran; 4:13, Quran; 3:59 (dust); 15:26, 28:33; 55:14 (crackling clay). Muslim transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "When God fashioned Adam in paradise, He left him as long as God wished to leave him; then Iblis began to visit him and consider what kind of being he was, and when he saw that he had a hollow space within he recognised that he had been created as a being not possessed of self-control." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "Abraham the prophet circumcised himself with an axe[*] when he was eighty years old." *The Arabic is bil-qadum which has the meaning above. Another reading is bil-qaddum which is said to mean at al-Qaddum' (a village in Syria); but this version with the doubled letter is not considered correct. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "Abraham told only, three lies two of which were for God's sake, his words, `I am indeed sick[1],' and `Nay, this largest one of them did it[2].' One day when he and Sarah came by a tyrant who was told that there was a man present accompanied by a most beautiful woman, he sent for him and asked him who she was, to which he replied that she was his sister. He then went to Sarah and told her that if this tyrant knew she was his wife he would take her away from him, so if he asked her, she must inform him she was his sister[3], she being his sister in Islam, for he and she were the only believers on the face of the earth. She was sent for arid brought to him and Abraham stood up and prayed. When she entered his presence, he was about to touch her with his hand, but he had a seizure (a variant saying that he choked) and kicked the ground with his feet. He asked her to supplicate God for him, saying he would do her no harm, and she did so; but when he was set free, he stretched out to touch her a second time and suffered a similar or a more severe seizure. He asked her to supplicate God for him, saying he would do her no harm, and she did so. He then called one of his chamberlains, and saying that it was not a human being but a devil he had brought him, he told him to give her Hagar as a servant. She came to Abraham while he was standing in prayer, and he made a sign with his hand indicating that he was asking what had happened. She told him that God had thrown back the infidel's scheme in his throat and given Hagar as a servant." Abu Huraira said, "That was your mother, B. Ma' as-Sama'.'?[4] Quran, 37: 89. Quran, 21: 63. Cf. Genesis, 12:11 ff. This is said to be a general term for the Arabs because they sought out places where rain fell. Ma' as-sama' means literally "the water of the sky." Ma' as-sama' was a laqab of Mawiya, mother of al-Mundhir III, king of al-Hira, but it is difficult to see how that has any connection here. Ma' as sama' is also said to be applied to Zamzam, which is traditionally said to be the well which the angel revealed to Hagar and her son Ishmael. That might justify the suggestion that Abu Huraira is here referring to the northern Arabs in particular. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "We have more right to doubt than Abraham when he said, `My Lord, show me how Thou wilt raise the dead to life.'[1] God have mercy on Lot who sought refuge in a strong support[2]. If I had stayed in the prison as long as Joseph did, I would have responded to the summoner[3]." 1. Quran, 2:260. 2. Quran, 11:80 3. Quran, 12:50. (Bukhari and Muslim)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "Moses was a modest man who kept himself covered, none of his skin being seen because pf modesty. Some of the B. Isra'il annoyed him by saying that he concealed himself to this extent only because of some skin trouble such as leprosy or a scrotal hernia, but God wished to clear him. So, one day when he was alone having a bath, he placed his garment on a stone and the stone flew away with his garment. Moses raced after it saying, `My garment, stone; my garment, stone,' till he came to a company of the B. Isra'il who, seeing him naked in the most beautiful form God had created, said, `We swear by God that there is nothing wrong with Moses.' He took his garment and began to beat the stone, and I swear by God that there were three, four, or five scars on the stone from the effect of his beating." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported-God's messenger as saying, "While Job was naked having a bath some golden locusts alighted on him and Job began to gather them in his garment. His Lord called to him, `Job, have I not enriched you from what you see?' and he replied, 'Certainly, by Thy might, but I cannot dispense with Thy blessing'." Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that a man among the Muslims and a man among the Jews reviled one another. The Muslim said, "By Him who chose Muhammad above the universe," and the Jew said, "By Him who chose Moses above the universe." Thereupon the Muslim raised his hand and struck the Jew on his face, and the Jew went to the Prophet and told him what had happened between him and the Muslim. The Prophet summoned the Muslim and asked him about that, and when he informed him, the Prophet said, "Do not make me superior to Moses, for mankind will swoon on the day of resurrection[1] and I shall swoon along with them. I shall be the first to recover and shall see Moses seizing the side of the Throne; and I shall not know whether he was among those who swooned and had recovered before me, or whether he was among those of whom God had made an exception." A version has "I shall not know whether he had his reckoning when he swooned on the day at at-Tur,[2] or was resurrected before me. And I do not say that anyone is more excellent than Jonah, son of Matta." In Abu Sa'id's version he said, "Do not make distinctions between the prophets." Abu Huraira's version has "Do not treat some of the prophets of God most high as superior to others." Quran, 39:68. Quran, 7:143. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "It is not fitting for a man to say I am better than Jonah son of Matta." (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Bukhari he said, "Whoever says I am better than Jonah son of Matta has lied." Bukhari

Ubayy b. Ka'b reported God's messenger as saying, "The youth whom al-Khidr killed was given the nature of an infidel, and if he had lived, he would certainly have imposed on his parents insolence and unbelief[*]." *Cf. Quran, 28:80. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, "The reason why al Khidr was so called was because he sat on some white waste land and it sprouted green (khadra') behind him." Bukhari transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "The angel of death came to Moses, son of Imran and told him to answer his Lord's summons, whereupon Moses gave the angel of death a blow in the eye and knocked it out. The angel then returned to God most high and said, `Thou didst send me to a servant of Thine who does not wish to die, and he has put out my eye.' God restored his eye to him and said, `Go back to my servant and ask him if it is life he wants, then tell him that if he wants life he must place his hand on an ox's back, and he will live a year for every hair which covers his hand.' [Moses] asked what would happen after that, and when he was told that he would die he said, `Let it be now without delay. My Lord, bring me within a stone's throw of the holy land'." God's messenger said, "I swear by God that if I were there, I would show you his grave beside the road at the red mound.'[*] (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir reported God's messenger as saying, "The prophets were presented before me and I saw Moses of a type which resembled one of the men of Shanu'a. I saw Jesus, son of Mary, and the nearest to him in appearance whom I have seen is `Urwa b. Mas'ud. I saw Abraham, and the nearest to him in appearance whom I have seen is your companion (meaning himself). I also saw Gabriel, and the nearest to him in appearance whom I have seen is Dihya b. Khalifa." Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn `Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, "On the night when I was taken up to heaven I saw Moses, a dark, tall, curly-headed man, looking as though he were one of the men of Shanu'a. I saw Jesus, a man of medium height, reddish fair, with long hair. And I saw Malik, the guardian of hell, and the dajjal (with signs which God showed him) *. Now do not be in doubt about meeting him." *The phrase in brackets is an insertion by the transmitter who tells that God showed Muhammad miracles which the dajjal will perform (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "On the night when I was taken up to heaven, I met Moses who may be described as a lanky man with somewhat curly hair who resembled one of the men of Shanu'a; I met Jesus who was of medium height and red as though he had come out of a dimas (i.e., a hot bath); and I saw Abraham to whom I am the one among his descendants who bears the closest resemblance. I was brought two vessels, one containing milk and the other wine, and was told to take whichever oi them I wished. I took the milk and drank it and was told I had been guided to the true religion, for if I had taken the wine my people would have gone astray." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

We travelled with God's messenger between Mecca and Medina, and when we passed a wadi he asked its name. On being told it was the wadi al-Azraq he said, "I can fancy myself looking at Moses (and he mentioned something about his colour and his hair) putting two fingers in his ears, making loud supplication to God saying, `At Thy service,' while passing this wadi.'' He said: We journeyed till we came to a mountain pass and he asked its name. On being told that it was Harsha, or Lift, he said, "I can fancy myself looking at Jonah on a red she-camel with a nose-rein of palm fibre, wearing a woolen mantle and saying `At Thy service' while passing this wadi. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, "Recitation of Scripture was made easy for David, who would order his beasts to be saddled and recite the Scripture before they had been saddled; and he would eat only what his hands had earned.'' Bukhari transmitted it.

He reported the Prophet as saying, "There were two women both of whom had a son, and a wolf went off with the son of one of them. Her companion said, `It has gone off with your son,' but the other replied, `It is with your son it has gone off.' They took the case before David and he decided that the child belonged to the elder. They then went out to Solomon, son of David and told him, and he said, `Bring me, a knife and let me divide it between you.' The younger woman then said, `Don't do it, God have mercy on you; He is her son.' So, he decided that the child belonged to the younger woman.'' (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as telling that Solomon said, "I shall to-night visit ninety women (a version has a hundred) all of whom will give birth to a horseman who will fight in God's path." The angel told him to say, "If God will," but he forgot and did not say it. He visited them and none of them bore a child except one of them who gave birth to half a man. He added, "By Him in whose hand Muhammad's soul is, if he had said, `If God will,' they would all have striven as horsemen in God's path." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying that Zechariah was a carpenter. Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "I am the nearest of kin to Jesus, son of Mary in this world and the next. The prophets are brothers, sons of one father by co-wives. Their mothers are different, but their religion is one[*]. There has been no prophet between us." *This saying is explained as meaning that all prophets have the same religion, which is figuratively called their lather, but they differ in their law and in a number of regulations, these being figuratively called their mothers. Cf. Mirqat, 5:346. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "All the descendants of Adam have their sides pierced by the devil with two of his fingers at birth, except the son of Mary. He went to pierce him, but pierced the membrane covering him." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Musa reported the Prophet as saying, "Many men have been perfect, but among women only Mary the daughter of `Imran and Asiya the wife of Pharaoh were perfect; and `A'isha's superiority over women is like the superiority of tharid over other kinds of food." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Razin told that he asked God's messenger, "Where was our Lord before He created the creation?" to which he replied, "He was in obscurity ('ama') with no air below Him and no air above Him, and He created His Throne on the water." Tirmidhi transmitted it. Yazid b. Harun[1] said `ama' means that there was nothing with Him[2]. Al-Wasiti (d.206), a highly estimated authority who appears in the course of the isnad. The word 'ama' presents difficulty. It commonly means `clouds', but this is felt to be inappropriate here unless figuratively in the sense of God being veiled. It is suggested that this means it is a matter which the mind cannot grasp. Cf. Mirqat, 5:349.

Al- `Abbas b. `Abd al-Muttalib asserted that he was sitting in al Batha'[*] with a company among whom God's messenger was sitting when a cloud passed. They looked at it and God's messenger asked, "What do you call this?" and received the reply "Clouds (sahab)." He said, "And rain-clouds (muzn)," to which they agreed. He said, "And clouds (`aman)," to which they agreed. He asked, "Do you know the distance between heaven and earth?" and when they replied that they did not, he said, "The distance between them is seventy-one, seventy-two, or seventy-three years, the heaven which is above it is at a similar distance (going on till he counted seven heavens). Above the seventh heaven there is a sea the distance between whose surface and bottom is like that between one heaven and the next. Above that there are eight mountain goats the distance between whose hoofs and haunches is like that between one heaven and the next. On their backs is the Throne the extent of which from top to bottom is like the distance between one heaven and the next. Then God is above that." *A stony valley at Mecca. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jubair b. Mut'im told that a nomadic Arab came to God's messenger and said, "People are suffering distress, the children are hungry, the crops are withered and the animals are perishing, so ask God to grant us rain, for we seek you as our intercessor with God and God as our intercessor with you." Thereupon the Prophet said, "Glory be to God, glory be to God," and he continued declaring God's glory till the effect of that was apparent in the faces of his companions. He then said, "Woe to you! God is not to be sought as intercessor with anyone. God's state is greater than that. Woe to you! Do you know how great God is? His Throne is above the heavens thus (indicating with his fingers something like a dome over him), and it groans on account of Him as a saddle does because of the rider." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jabir b. `Abdallah reported God's messenger as saying, "I have been permitted to tell about one of God's angels who bear the Throne that the distance between the lobe of his ear and his shoulder is a journey of seven hundred years." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Zurara b. Aufa told that God's messenger asked Gabriel, "Have you seen your Lord?" Gabriel trembled and replied, "Between Him and me, Muhammad, there are seventy veils of light, and if I approached one of them I would be burned." Thus, it is given in al-Masabih. Abu Nu'aim transmitted it in al-Hilya on the authority of Anas, but did not mention that Gabriel trembled.

Ibn `Abbas reported God's messenger as saying, "God created Israfil who has been keeping his feet in line from the day he was created and not raising his glance. Between him and the Lord who is blessed and exalted there are seventy lights not one of which he could approach without being burned." Tirmidhi transmitted it and called it sahih.

Jabir reported the Prophet as saying that when God created Adam and his offspring the angels said, "O Lord, Thou hast created them eating, drinking, marrying and riding[*], so appoint the world for them and the next world for us." God most high replied, "I shall not make him whom I have created with My hand and in whom I have breathed of My spirit like one to whom I say `Be' and he comes into existence." *Mirqat, 5:333, says this refers to riding on animals and sailing on ships. The verb rakiba can have either meaning. Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-lman.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "A believer is held by God in more honour than some of His angels." Ibn Majah transmitted it.

God's messenger took me by the hand and said, "God created the earth on Saturday, created the mountains in it on Sunday, created the trees on Monday, created what is objectionable on Tuesday, created the light on Wednesday, sent forth the animals in the earth on Thursday, and created Adam in the late afternoon on Friday, at the end of the creation and at the last hour of the day between the afternoon and the night." Muslim transmitted it.

He told that while God's prophet and his companions were sitting clouds came over them and God's prophet asked, "Do you know what these are?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "These are the clouds (`anan), these are the water-carriers of the earth which God drives to people who do not thank Him or call upon Him." He then asked, "Do you know what is above you?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "It is the firmament, a ceiling which is guarded and waves which are kept back." He then asked, "Do you know what is between you and it?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "Between you and it are five hundred years." He then asked, "Do you knew what is above that?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "Two heavens with a distance of five hundred years between them." He went on speaking like that till he counted seven heavens, the distance between each pair being like that between the heaven and the earth. He then asked, "Do you know what is above that?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "Above that is the Throne, and the distance between it and the [seventh] heaven is the same as that between each pair of heavens." He then asked, "Do you know what is below you?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "It is the earth." He then asked, "Do you know what is under that?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "Under it there is another earth with a journey of five hundred years between them," and so on till he had counted seven earths with a journey of five hundred years between each pair. He then said, "By Him in whose hand Muhammad's soul is, if you were to drop a rope[1] to the lowest earth it would not pass out of God's knowledge[2]." He then recited, "He is the First and the Last, the Outward and the Inward, and He is omniscient[3]." Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying[4] that God's messenger's recitation of the verse indicates that it would go down within God's knowledge, power and authority, for God's knowledge, power and authority are everywhere, while He is on the Throne, as He described Himself in His Book[5]. This is the reading in the text on the margin of Mirqat. In Tirmidhi, in his book on Tafsir al Quran, the tradition occurs in his section on sura 57 (al-hadid), the reading being "if you were to drop a man with a rope..." Literally, "it would fall upon God." Quran, 57:3. Tirmidhi says in the passage cited above, "some of the learned have expounded this tradition..." Cf. Quran; 7:54; 10:3, etc.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "Adam was sixty cubits tall and seven cubits broad."

Abu Dharr told that he asked God's messenger who was the first of the prophets and he replied that it was Adam. He asked if he was really a prophet and he replied, "Yes, he was a prophet to whom a message was given." He asked God's messenger how many messengers there had been, and he replied, "There have been three hundred and between ten and twenty all told." In a version on the authority of Abu Umama Abu Dharr told that he had asked God's messenger the number which made up the full complement of the prophets, and he replied, "A hundred and twenty-four thousand among whom were three hundred and fifteen messengers all told."

Ibn 'Abbas reported God's messenger as saying, "Being given information is not like seeing. God most high gave Moses information about what his people had done regarding the calf and he did not throw down the tablets, but when he saw what they did he threw down the tablets and they were broken." Ahmad transmitted the three traditions.