Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "I have been commissioned from among the best of the generations of Adam's descendants, generation after generation, till I came into being in the generation in which I have come." Bukhari transmitted it.

Wathila b. al-Asqa' told that he heard God's messenger say, "God chose Kinana from the descendants of Ishmael, He chose Quraish from Kinana, from Quraish He chose the B. Hashim, and He chose me from the B. Hashim.'' Muslim transmitted it. In a version by Tirmidhi he said, "God chose Ishmael from among the children of Abraham, and He chose the B. Kinana from among the descendants of Ishmael.' Tirmidhi

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be preeminent among the descendants of Adam on the day of resurrection, the first from whom the grave will be cleft open, the first intercessor and the first whose intercession will be accepted." Muslim transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "I am the prophet who will have the greatest number of followers on the day of resurrection, and I shall be the first to knock at the gate of paradise." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall come to the gate of paradise on the day of resurrection and ask that it be opened. The keeper will ask who I am, and when I tell him that I am Muhammad he will reply that he has been given orders regarding me not to open to anyone before me." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be the first intercessor in paradise, no prophet having been believed to the extent I have. Among the prophets there is one who was believed by only one man out of his people." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The way in which I may be compared with the prophets is by a castle which was beautifully constructed, but in which the place of one brick was left incomplete. Sightseers went round admiring the beauty of its construction with the exception of the place for that brick. Now I have filled up the place of that brick, in me the building is completed and in me the messengers are complete." A version has "I am the brick and I am the seal of the prophets." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "No prophet has failed to be given a miracle which caused men to believe in him when it was seen What I have been given is simply a revelation which God gave to me and I hope I may be the one of them who will have the largest following on the day of resurrection." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I have been helped by terror [being put in the hearts of enemies] as far as a month's journey away, the earth has been made for me a place of worship and ceremonially pure, so that when the time of prayer comes any man of my people may pray; spoils have been made lawful to me, but were not made lawful to anyone before me; I have been granted the right of intercession; and prophets were formerly sent to their people alone, whereas I have been sent to all mankind." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been helped by terror [in the hearts of enemies] ; spoils have been made lawful to me; the earth has been made for me a place of worship and ceremonially pure; I have been sent to all mankind; and the line of prophets is closed with me." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "I have been commissioned with words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been helped by terror [in the hearts of enemies]; and while I was asleep, I saw myself being brought the keys of the treasures of the earth which were placed in my hand." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Thauban reported God's messenger as saying, "God gathered together the earth for me and I saw its eastern and western parts. My people will attain to rule over it so far as it was gathered together for me. I have also been given the two treasures, viz. gold and silver[*]. I asked my Lord not to destroy my people by a general famine, or to allow an enemy from another people to rule over them and uproot them, and my Lord replied, `When I decree something, Muhammad, it cannot be averted, but I have granted you for your people that I shall not destroy them by a general famine, or allow an enemy from another people to rule over them and uproot them, even though those in all quarters of the earth were to unite against them in order that they might destroy one another and take one another captive'." *Literally, "the red and the white." Muslim transmitted it.

Passing the mosque of the B. Mu'awiya, God's messenger entered and prayed two rak`as in it and we prayed along with him. He made supplication to his Lord for a long time and then went away. He then said, "I asked my Lord for three things two of which He granted me, but one of which He refused me. I asked my Lord not to destroy my people by famine and He granted me that; I asked Him not to destroy my people by drowning and He granted me that; I asked Him not to let war arise among them but He refused me that." Muslim transmitted it.

`Ata' b. Yasar told that he met `Abdallah b. `Amr b. al- `As and asked him to inform him of the description of God's messenger given in the Torah. He agreed, swearing by God that he was certainly described in the Torah by part of the description of him given in the Qur'an when it says, "0 prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good tidings, and a warner[1], and a guard for the common people. You are my servant and my messenger; I have, called you the one who trusts, not harsh or rough, nor loud-voiced in the streets. He will not repulse evil with evil, but will- pardon and forgive, and God will not take him till He uses him to straighten the crooked creed so that people may say there is no god but God, and opens thereby blind eyes, deaf ears and hardened hearts[2]." Quran; 33:45. Reminiscent of Isaiah 42; 1-4. Bukhari transmitted it, and Darimi also gives something to the same effect on the authority of `Ata who gave as his authority Ibn Salam.

God's messenger led us in prayer and prolonged it, and when the people said, "Messenger of God, you have prayed a prayer such as you have not been accustomed to pray," he replied, "Yes, it was a prayer of hope and fear during which I asked God for three things, two of which He granted me but one of which He refused me. I asked Him not to destroy my people by famine and He granted me that, I asked Him not to let an enemy from another people rule over them and He granted me that, and I asked Him not to let them experience one another's violence but He refused me that." Tirmidhi and Nasa'i transmitted it.

that your prophet should not invoke a curse on you and you should all perish, that those who follow what is false should not prevail over those who follow the truth, and that you should not all join in an error." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

'Auf b. Malik reported God's messenger as saying, "God will not cause two swords to smite this people together, one from among itself and one from its enemy." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Al 'Abbas told that he came to the Prophet who seemed to have heard something and so mounted the pulpit and asked, "Who am I?" On being told that he was God's messenger he said, "I am Muhammad son of `Abdallah son of Abd al-Muttalib. God created all creatures and placed me among the best of them, then put them in two sections[*] and placed me in the better section, then made them into tribes and placed me in the best tribe, then made them into families and placed me in the best family, and I am inherently the best of them and come of the best family." *Mirqat; 5:366, explains this as meaning Arabs and foreigners, with which may be compared the contrast between Jews and Gentiles, or Greeks and barbarians. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that when God's messenger was asked when the office of prophet had been established for him, he replied, "When Adam had not yet had his spirit joined to his body." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

it was the petition of Abraham[2], the good tidings by Jesus[3], and the vision my mother saw when she gave birth to me and a light issued to her from which the castles of Syria shone for her." 1. i.e., the substance to which bodily form was to be added and to which the soul was to be joined. The tradition says Muhammad was inscribed in God's presence as the seal (i.e., the last) of the prophets before Adam's creation was complete. 2. Cf. Quran; 2:129. 3. Cf. Quran; 61:6 It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna, and Ahmad transmitted it on the authority of Abu Umama from "I shall inform you . . .'' to the end.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be preeminent among the descendants of Adam on the day of resurrection, and this is no boast; and in my hand will be the banner of praise, and this is no boast. There will be no prophet, Adam or any other, who will not be under my banner. I shall be the first from whom the earth will be cleft open, and this is no boast." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn 'Abbas told that when some of the companions of God's messenger were sitting, he came out, and when he came near them, he heard them discussing. One of them said God had taken Abraham as a friend[1], another said He spoke direct to Moses[2], another said Jesus is God's word and spirit[3], and another said God chose Adam[4]. God's messenger then came out to them and said, "I have heard what you said, and you wonder that Abraham was God's friend, as indeed he was; that Moses was God's, confidant, as indeed he was; that Jesus was His spirit and word, as indeed he was; and that Adam was chosen by God, as indeed he was. I am the one whom God loves, and this is no boast. On the day of resurrection, I shall be the bearer of the banner of praise under which will be-Adam and the others, and this is no boast. I shall be the first intercessor and the first whose intercession is accepted on the day of resurrection, and this, is no boast. I shall be the first to rattle the knocker of paradise, and God will open for me and bring me into it accompanied by the poor ones among the believers, and this is no boast. I shall be the most honourable in God's estimation among those of earliest and latest times, and this is no boast." 1. Cf. Quran; 4:125. 3. Cf. Quran; 4:171. 2. Cf. Quran; 4:164. 4. Cf. Quran; 3:33 Tirmidhi and Dirimi transmitted it.

Abraham was God's friend, Moses was God's chosen one, and I am God's belove done who will have the banner of praise on the day of resurrection. God has given me promises regarding my people and has granted them protection from three things: He will not bring on them a universal famine, an enemy will not extirpate them, and He will not cause them all to unite in an error." Darimi transmitted it.

Jabir reported the Prophet as saying, "I am the leader (qa'id) of the messengers, and this is no boast; I am the seal of the prophets, and this is no boast; and I shall, be the first to make intercession and the first whose intercession is accepted, and this is no boast." Darimi transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be the first to come forth when mankind are resurrected; I shall be their leader when they present themselves before G od; I shall be their spokesman when they are speechless; I shall be the one who is. asked to intercede for them when they are restrained ; I shall be throne who gives them good tidings when they despair; honour and the keys will on that day be in my hand; the banner of praise will on that day be in my h a n d ; and I shall be the most honourable of the descendants of Adam in my Lord's estimation. A thousand servants like concealed eggs or scattered pearls will go round me." Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, "I shall be clothed with one of the robes of paradise and shall then stand at the right of the Throne, a place where no other creature than I shall stand." Tirmidhi transmitted it. The version on his authority in Jami al-usul has "I shall be the first from whom the earth will be cleft open and I shall be clothed...[*]" *The tradition begins "and I shall be clothed." but I have omitted the conjunction as it would seem awkward in English. The version beginning with the words "I shall be the first..." makes the conjunction quite natural.

He reported the Prophet as saying, "Ask God to grant me the wasila." God's messenger was asked what the wasila meant and replied, "The highest grade in paradise which only one man will attain, and I hope I may be he." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ubayy b. Ka'b reported the Prophet as saying, "On the day of resurrection I shall be the leader (imam) of the prophets, their spokesman, and the one who will intercede for them, and this is no boast." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. Mas`ud reported God's messenger as saying, "Every prophet has friends from among the prophets, and my friend is my father, the friend of my Lord." He then recited, "Those who will be nearest to Abraham are those who followed him, as well' as this prophet and those who believe, and God is the Patron of the believers[*]." *Quran; 3:63 Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Jabir reported the Prophet as saying, "God has sent me to perfect good qualities of character and to complete good deeds." It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Ka'b, quoting the Torah, said we find written, "Muhammad God's messenger, My chosen servant, is not rough, or coarse, or loud-voiced in the streets, he does not require evil with evil, but forgives and pardons. His birthplace will be in Mecca, his place of emigration in Taiba, his kingdom in Syria, and his people will be those who are devoted to praising who praise God in prosperity and adversity, who praise God in every alighting-place, who declare God's greatness on every rising ground, who watch for the sun and observe the prayer when its time comes, who tie their lower garments round their middle, who perform ablution a t their extremities, whose crier summons in the open air, who are the same in fighting as they are in prayer, who make a low sound a t night like the buzzing of bees." This is the wording in al-Masabih. Darimi transmitted it with a slight difference.

Abdallah b. Salam said the description of Moses is written in the Torah and also that Jesus, son of Mary will be buried along; with him. Abu Maudud[1] said that a place for a grave has remained in the house[2]." One of the transmitters of the tradition. He was `Abd al-`Aziz b. Abu Sulaiman al Madani (d. 62) i.e., `Aisha's house. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

God most high gave Muhammad superiority over the prophets and the inhabitants of heaven. On being asked, "In what respect, Abu 'Abbas[1], has God given him superiority over the inhabitants of heaven?'' he replied that God most high said to the inhabitants of heaven, "If any of them says, `I am a god apart from Him,' We shall recompense that one with jahannam. Thus we recompense the evildoers."[2] And God most high said to Muhammad, "We have certainly given you a clear victory, that God may forgive you your former and latter sins[3]." He was asked the nature of his superiority over the prophets and replied that God most high said, "We have sent no messenger who, did not use the tongue of his people to make matters clear to them; then God leads astray those whom He will...[4]" And God most high said to Muhammad, "We have sent you only to all mankind[5]." Then He sent him to jinn and men. This is the kunya of 'Abdallah b. al-'Abbas. Quran; 21:29 Quran; 48:1 f. Quran; 14:4 Quran; 34:28 (Darimi).

Abu Dharr al-Ghifari told that he asked God's messenger how he knew he was a prophet so that he was quite sure of it, and that he replied, "Two angels came to me, Abu Dharr, when I was at a place in the valley of Mecca, one alighting on the earth and the other remaining between heaven and earth. One of them asked the other if this was the man, and when he replied that I was, he told him to weigh me against a man. This was done and I was the heavier. He told him to weigh me against ten men, and when this was done, I outweighed them. He then told him to weigh me against a hundred men, and when this was done, I outweighed them. He then told him to weigh me against a thousand men, and when this was done, I outweighed them; and it seemed to me as if I were looking at them being scattered over me because of the lightness of the scale. Then one said to the other that if he were to weigh me against my people, I would outweigh them." Darimi transmitted the two traditions.

Ibn `Abbas reported God s messenger as saying, "Sacrifice was prescribed for me but not for you, and I was ordered to observe prayer in the forenoon but you were not." Daraqutni transmitted it.

Jubair b. Mut'im told that he heard the Prophet say, "I have names. I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am al-Mahi (the obliterator) by whom God obliterates infidelity, I am al-Hashir (the gatherer) who will gather mankind at my feet, I am al-'Aqib (the last in succession), al- `Aqib being the one after whom there will be no prophet." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Musa al-Ash`ari told that God's messenger used to name himself to them in various ways, saying, "I am Muhammad, Ahmad, al-Muqaffi (the follower)[*], al-Hashir, the prophet of repentance and the prophet of mercy." *This title indicates that he follows other prophets, being the last. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, `Are you not astonished at the manner in which God turns away from me the reviling and cursing of Quraish? They revile one who is blameworthy (mudhammam) and curse one who is blameworthy, whereas I am Muhammad (praiseworthy)." Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir b. Samura told that the front of God's messenger's head and his beard had become grey, and that while this was not visible when he had had his head oiled it was visible when his head was dishevelled. He had a thick beard. When a man remarked that his face was like a sword[*] Jabir replied that that was no so, for it was like the sun and the moon, as it was round. He told that he had seen the seal on his shoulder like a pigeon's egg with the same colour as his body. *It has been suggested that this means it was bright, but does not agree with what follows. The context suggests the man meant he had a long face. Muslim transmitted it.

`Abdullah b. Sarjis told that he had seen the Prophet and had eaten bread and meat along with him (or he said tharid). He had then gone round behind him and looked at the seal of prophecy between his shoulders at the end of his left shoulder-blade, a collection of moles on him like warts. Muslim transmitted it.

Umm Khalid daughter of Sa'id. told that once when the Prophet was brought some garments among which was a small black cloak with a border he said, "Bring me Umm Khalid.'' Then when she was carried to him1 he took the cloak in his hand and put it on her, saying, "Wear it out and make it ragged, then wear it out and make it clear[2].'' It had a green, or a yellow, mark on it, and he said, "This is sanah, which means `beautiful' in the language of the Abyssinians." She said that she began to play with the seal of prophecy and that when her father rebuked her God's messenger said, "Leave her alone." Indicating that she was an infant at the time. Mirqat, 5:378, says this represents a prayer that she might live long. Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas said that God's messenger was neither very tall nor was he short, he was neither pure white nor dark, and his hair was neither very curly nor long. God commissioned him when he had just reached the age of forty. He stayed in Mecca ten years and in Medina ten years, and God took him when he had just reached the age of sixty; and there were not twenty white hairs in his head and beard. In a version he describes the Prophet saying he was a man of average size, neither tall nor short, with a fair complexion; and he said God's messenger's hair came half-way down his ears. Another version says it came between his ears and his shoulder. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Bukhari, he said he had a large head and large feet and that he had never seen anyone like him before or since. The palms of his hands were thick[*]. In another version by him he said he had callouses on his feet and hands. * The phrase is often used as a figure of speech for generosity, but in the present context it would seem to be meant literally. Bukhari.

Al-Bara' said God's messenger was of medium height, broad. shouldered, with his hair hanging down to the lobes of his ears. He had seen him wearing a red robe and had never seen anything more beautiful than he. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim, he said he had never seen anyone with a hanging lock of hair more beautiful when wearing a red robe than God's messenger. His hair reached his shoulders, he was broad-shouldered and neither tall nor short. Muslim.

Simak b. Harb quoted the authority of Jabir b. Samura for the statement that God's messenger had a dali mouth, ashkal eyes and manhush ankles. Simak was asked the meaning of a dali mouth and said it meant a large mouth. He was asked the meaning of ashkal eyes and said they were oval[*]. He was asked the meaning of manhush ankles and said there was little flesh on the ankle. *Ashkal normally means `reddish white,' here referring to redness in the white of the eye. Cf. Mirqat, 5:380. Muslim transmitted it.

Abut Tufail said he had seen God's messenger, and he was white, good-looking and of moderate size. Muslim transmitted it.

Thabit told that when Anas was asked about God's messenger's hair dye, he replied that [his hair] did not reach the stage of needing to be dyed, adding that if he (i.e., Anas) wanted he could count the number of grey hairs in his beard. A version says that if he wanted to count the grey hairs which were in his head he could do so. In a version he said the white hairs above his chin, on his temples and on his head were few. (Bukhari and Muslim,)

Anas said God's messenger had a clear complexion, his sweat was like pearls and when he walked, he bent forwards. He said he had not touched brocade or silk which was softer than the palm of God's messenger's hand, or smelt musk or ambergris sweeter than the Prophet's odour. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Umm Sulaim told that the Prophet used to visit her and have a siesta in her house, and she would spread out a leather cloth on which he had his siesta. He sweated profusely, and she would collect his sweat and put it in perfume. The Prophet asked, "What is this, Umm Sulaim?" and she replied, "It is your sweat which we put in our perfume, and it is a perfume of the sweetest type." In a version she said, "Messenger of God, we hope for your blessing on our children," and he replied, "You are right." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I prayed the first prayer along with God's messenger, then he went out to his family and I went out with him. Some children met him and he began to stroke the cheeks of one of them one after the other. He stroked my cheeks, and I experienced a coolness, or a fragrance, in his hand as though he had-brought it out of a scent-bag. Muslim transmitted it.

God's messenger was neither tall nor short, he had a large head and beard, the palms of his hands and his feet were calloused, he had a reddish tinge, he had large joints, the hair on his breast was long, and when he walked, he bent forward as though he were descending a slope. I have never seen anyone like him before or since. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahih tradition.

He was neither very tall nor excessively short, but was a man of medium size, he had neither very curly nor flowing hair but a mixture of two, he was not obese, he did not have a very round face, but it was so to some extent, he was reddish-white, he had wide black eyes and long eyelashes, he had protruding joints and shoulder-blades, he was not hairy but had some hair on his chest, the palms of his hands and his feet were calloused, when he walked he raised his feet as though he were walking on a slope, when he turned round he turned completely, between his shoulders was the seal of prophecy and he was the seal of the prophets, he had a finer chest than anyone else, was truer in utterance than anyone else, had the gentlest nature and the noblest tribe. Those who saw him suddenly stood in awe of him and those who shared his acquaintanceship loved him. Those who described him said they had never seen anyone like him before or since. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Jabir said the Prophet never walked along a road without one who came along afterwards knowing he had walked along it because of his sweet odour. Or he said, "because of the fragrance of his sweat." Darimi transmitted it.

Abu `Ubaida b. Muhammad b. `Ammar b. Yasir told that he asked ar-Rubaiyi`, daughter of Mu'awwidh b. `Afra' to describe God's messenger to him, and she replied, "If you had seen him, sonny, you would have seen the sun rising." Darimi transmitted it.

I saw the Prophet on a cloudless[*] night and began to look at God's messenger and at the moon. He was wearing a red robe, and he appeared more beautiful than the moon to me. *Lisan al-'arab, 19, 115, gives this meaning adding that some say it means `moonlit' and that some say it is a night when the moon shines all night. The word is idhiyan. Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

I have seen nothing more beautiful than God's messenger who looked as if the sun were pursuing its course in his face. And I have seen no one who walked more quickly than God's messenger, for it seemed as if the earth were being contracted for him. We would exert ourselves, but he was unruffled. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

God's messenger's legs were slender, his laughter was no more than a smile, and when I looked at him, I thought that there was collyrium in his eyes, but there was not. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

God's messenger had spaces between his front teeth, and when he talked something like light seemed to come out between his front teeth. Darimi transmitted it.

When God's messenger was pleased his face lit up so that it looked like a bit of a moon, and we were familiar with that. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that when a young Jew who was a servant of the Prophet became ill, he went to visit him and found his father sitting by his head reciting the Torah. God's messenger said to him, "I adjure you, Jew, by God who sent down the Torah to Moses, do you find in the Torah any account or description of me, or anything about my coming forth?" On his replying that he did not, the young man said, "Certainly, messenger of God, I swear by God. that we do find in the Torah an account and description of you and a statement about your coming forth, and I testify that there is no god but God and that you are God's messenger." The Prophet then said to his companions, "Remove this man from beside his head and look after your brother." Baihaqi transmitted it in Dala'il an-nubuwwa.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, "I am just a mercy which has been bestowed." Darimi and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al-iman, transmitted it.

I served the Prophet for ten years, and he never said to me, "Shame!" or "Why did you do such and such?" or "Why did you not do such and such?" (Bukhari And Muslim.)

God's messenger was one of the best of men in character. One day he sent me to do something, and I said, "I swear by God that I will not go." But in my heart, I felt I should go to do what God's messenger had commanded me; so, I went out and came upon some boys who were playing in the street. All of a sudden God's messenger who had come up behind caught me by the back of the neck, and when I looked at him, he was laughing. He said, "Did you go where I ordered you, little Anas?" and I replied, "Yes, I am on my way, messenger of God." Muslim transmitted it.

When I was walking with God's messenger who was wearing a Najrani cloak with a coarse fringe, a nomadic Arab caught up on him and gave his cloak a violent tug, pulling God's Prophet back against his chest, and I saw that the side of God's messenger's shoulder was marked by the fringe of the cloak because of the violence of the man's tug. He said, "Command, that I be given some of God's property which you have, Muhammad," and God's messenger turned round to him and laughed, then ordered that he be given something. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

God's messenger was the best of men, the most generous of men, the bravest of men. One night when the people of Medina were startled and went in the direction of the sound, they were met by the Prophet who had gone in the direction of the sound before them, and he was saying, "You have nothing to fear, you have nothing to fear." He was on a bare-backed horse with no saddle belonging to Abu Talha and had a sword slung on his neck. He said, "I found it could run like a great river." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir said that when God's messenger was asked for anything he never said, "No[*]." *Mirqat, 5:388, explains this as meaning that he either gave what was asked or explained why he could not, and refers to Quran, 17:28. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that when a man had asked the Prophet for enough sheep to fill the valley between two mountains and had been given them, he went to his people and said, "Accept Islam, my people, for I swear by God that Muhammad gives gifts to such an extent that there is no fear of poverty[*]." *The translation depends on whether the verb is read as active or passive. The translation above takes it in the passive sense. If it is active, it means that the Prophet does not fear poverty. Muslim transmitted it.

Jubair b. Mut'im told that while he was travelling along with God's messenger returning from Hunain the nomadic Arabs persisted in making requests of him till they forced him up against an acacia tree and his cloak was snatched away[*]. The Prophet stopped and said, "Give me my cloak. If I had as many camels and sheep as these thorny trees I would divide them among you, then you would not find me niggardly, or untruthful, or cowardly." *This means either that it was caught by the tree, or taken by the Arabs. Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas told that when God's messenger prayed the dawn prayer the servants in Medina brought their vessels containing water and they would not bring a vessel into which he did not dip his hand. They would often bring them on a cold morning and he would dip his hand into them. Muslim transmitted it.

He told that one of the maidservants belonging to the people of Medina would hold God's messenger by the hand and take him where she wished. Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that a woman whose mind was affected said, "Messenger of God, I want something from you[*]." He replied, "Mother of so and so, consider which of the streets you wish so that I may accomplish what you want." He then went alone with her into a road till she got all she wanted. *Presumably meaning that she wished to speak to him privately about something. Muslim transmitted it.

He said that God's messenger was not unseemly in his language, or given to cursing or reviling. All he said when reproaching someone was, "What is the matter with him? May his forehead cleave to the dust!" Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that when God's messenger was asked to invoke a curse on the polytheists, he replied, "I was not sent as one given to cursing; I was sent only as a mercy." Muslim transmitted it.

The Prophet was more modest than a virgin in her apartment, and when he saw anything of which he disapproved we could recognise the fact in his face. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`A'isha- said she never saw the Prophet laughing so immoderately that she could see his uvula, for he used only to smile. Bukhari transmitted it.

God's messenger did not go on talking rapidly as you do, but would talk in such a way that anyone who wished to count his words would be able to do so. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Al-Aswad told that he asked `A'isha what the Prophet used to do in his house, and she replied that he used to engage in the mihna, i.e. the service, of his family, and when the time for prayer came he went out to prayer. Bukhari transmitted it.

`A'isha said God's messenger was never given his choice between two things without taking the lesser of them provided it involved no sin, for if it did, no one kept farther away from it than he. And God's messenger never took revenge on his own behalf for anything unless something God had forbidden had been transgressed, in which event he took revenge for it for God's sake. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She said God's messenger never struck anyone with his hand, neither a woman nor a servant, unless he was striving in God's path; and nothing was ever done to him for which he took revenge on the perpetrator unless things God had forbidden were transgressed, in which event he took revenge for God's sake. Muslim transmitted it.

I served God's messenger for ten years from the time I was eight years old and he never blamed me for anything which was destroyed at my hand. If any member of his family blamed me, he said, "Leave him alone, for if anything were decreed it would happen." This is the wording in al-Masabih, and Baihaqi has a slightly different version in Shu'ab al-iman.

`A'isha said God's messenger was not unseemly or lewd in his language, nor was he loud-voiced in the streets, nor did he return evil for evil, but he would forgive and pardon. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas used to tell of the Prophet that he would visit the sick, attend funerals, accept a slave's invitation, and ride on a donkey. He said he had seen him on a donkey at the battle for Khaibar using a rein of palm-fibres. Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al Iman, transmitted it.

God's messenger used to patch his sandals, sew his garment and conduct himself at home as anyone of you does in his house. He was a human being, searching his garment for lice, milking his sheep, and doing his own chores. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

I was his neighbour, and when the inspiration descended on him, he sent for me and I went to him and wrote it down for him. When we talked about this world, he did so along with us, when we talked about the next world, he did so along with us, and when we talked about food, he did so along with us. All this I tell you about God's messenger. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas told that when God's messenger shook hands with a man, he did not withdraw his hand till the other did so, he did not turn his face away till the other did so, and he was not seen to put forward his knees in front of one with whom he was sitting. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He said that God's messenger did not store up anything for the next day. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Jabir b. Samura said God's messenger was far from talkative[*]. *This is free translation expressing the meaning of the Arabic which is literally `long of silence'. The idea that he spoke only when he had good reason for doing so. Cf. Mirqat, 5:394. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Jabir[*] said God's messenger spoke in a distinct and leisurely manner. *Jabir b. Abdallah. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

God's messenger did not go on talking rapidly as you do, but spaced out his words so that those who sat with him could remember them. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. al-Harith b. Jaz' said he had seen no one more given to smiling than God's messenger. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. Salam said that when God's messenger sat talking he would often raise his eyes to the sky. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

I never saw anyone more kindly towards children than God's messenger. His son Ibrahim was being suckled in the `Awali of Medina[1], and he would go accompanied by us and enter the house which was full of smoke, the boy's foster-father[2] being a blacksmith. He would take him and kiss him and then go back. `Amr told that when Ibrahim died God's messenger said, "Ibrahim is my son who has died while being suckled, but he has two foster-mothers who will complete his suckling in paradise." 1. A village in Madina province. 2. He was Abu Samin al Bara b. Aus Al-Ansari. Muslim transmitted it.

`Muhammad b. 'Abdallah whose birthplace is in Mecca, whose place of emigration is in Taiba, and whose kingdom is in Syria; he is not harsh or rough, or loud-voiced in the streets, and he is not characterised by coarseness or lewd speech.' I testify that there is no god but God, and I testify that you are God's messenger. Give a decision about this property of mine according to what God has shown you." Now the Jew was very rich. Baihaqi transmitted it in Dala'il an-nubuwa.

God's messenger was often given to making mention of God, seldom given to idle talk, he would pray at length, deliver short sermons, not disdain to walk with a widow or a humble person, and he would accomplish for him what he needed. Nasai and Darimi transmitted it.

`Ali told that Abu Jahl said to the Prophet, "We do not call you a liar, but we say that what you have brought is false." God most high then sent down concerning them, "They do not call you a liar, but the evildoers deny God's signs[*]." *Quran; 6:33. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`A'isha reported God's messenger as saying, "If I wished, `A'isha, mountains of gold would go with me. An angel whose waist was as high as the Ka'ba came to me and told me that my Lord sent me a greeting and said that if I wished I could be a prophet and a servant, or if I wished I could be a prophet and a king. I looked at Gabriel and he gave me a sign to humble myself. (In the version by Ibn `Abbas it says that God's messenger turned to Gabriel as one asking his advice and Gabriel made a gesture with his hand indicating that he should be humble.) I then said that I would be a prophet and a servant." `A'isha said that after that God's messenger did not eat reclining, saying he would eat like a slave and sit like a slave. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Ibn `Abbas said God's messenger was commissioned at the age of forty, he remained in Mecca thirteen years receiving revelations, after which he was ordered to emigrate, he was an emigrant for ten years and died at the age of sixty-three. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said God's messenger stayed in Mecca fifteen years hearing the voice and seeing the light for seven years, but seeing nothing along with it, and eight years during which revelations were given to him. He stayed in Medina ten years and died at the age of sixty-five. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said God took him when he was just sixty years old. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said the Prophet was taken at the age of sixty-three, Abu Bakr at the age of sixty-three, and `Umar at the age of sixty-three. Muslim transmitted it.

The first revelation God's messenger received was the true vision in sleep, and every vision he saw came like the bright gleam of dawn. He then became fond of solitude and would go alone to the cave on Hira where he would engage in tahannuth, which means worship for a number of nights, before feeling a yearning for his family. He would take provisions for that purpose, then he would return to Khadija and get provisions for a like period, till the truth came to him when he was in the cave on Hira. The angel came to him and said, `Recite,'[1] to which he replied, "I am not a reciter." He said, "He then took me and squeezed me till I was distressed, after which he let me go and said, `Recite.' When I replied, `I am not a reciter,' he took me and squeezed me a second time till I was distressed, then letting me go he said, `Recite;' When I replied, "I am not a reciter,' he took me and squeezed me a third time till I was distressed. He then let me go and said, `Recite! In the name of your Lord who created, created man from a clot of blood. Recite! And your most bountiful Lord is He who taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know.' "[2] God's messenger came back with the verses, his heart trembling, and went in to Khadija and, said "Wrap me up, wrap me up." So, they wrapped him up till the terror had left him. He then spoke to Khadija and informed her of what had happened, saying, "I fear for myself." She replied, "By no means! I swear by God that God will never shame you. You join ties of relationship, you speak the truth, you bear people's burdens, you give to the destitute, you entertain guests, and you help against the vicissitudes which affect people's rights." Khadija then took him to Waraqa b. Naufal, her paternal cousin, and said to him, "Listen, cousin, to what your nephew has to say." Waraqa said to him, "Son of my brother, what do you see?'' God's messenger then informed him about what he had seen and Waraqa said, "It is the namus[3] which God sent down to Moses. Would that I were a young man during your prophetic career! Would that I might be alive when your people expel you!" God's messenger asked, "Will they expel me?'' and he replied, "Yes; no man has ever brought anything like what you have brought without meeting hostility. If I see your day, I shall give you strong help."Waraqa died soon afterwards, and there was an intermission in the inspiration. 1. The word iqra means either "recite" or "read". The former is to be preferred here. 2. Quran; 96:1-5. 3. This word is most likely derived from the Greek nomos (law). It indicates the revelation of scripture in the form of a divine law such as that given to Moses. "The suggestion may also have been present that Muhammad should be the founder or legislator of a community" (W. M. Watt, Muhammad at Mecca, Oxford, 1953, p. 51). (Bukhari and Muslim.) Bukhari added: so that the Prophet was grieved, as we have heard, and on that account went out in the morning several times to throw himself down from the heights of the mountain; but as often as he reached the summit of a mountain to throw himself from it, Gabriel appeared to him and said, "Muhammad, you are truly God's messenger." On that account his turmoil would then quieten and he would feel at ease.

"While I was walking I heard a voice from the sky, and raising my eyes I saw the angel who had come to me on Hira sitting on a throne between heaven and earth. I was terror stricken on that account so that I fell to the ground. I then went to my family and said, `Wrap me up, wrap me up.' They wrapped me up, and then God most high sent down, `You who are shrouded, arise and deliver warning, your Lord magnify, your clothes cleanse, and defilement shun. * The inspiration then became hot and followed continuously." *Quran; 74:1-5 (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`A'isha told that al-Harith b. Hisham asked God's messenger, "How does the inspiration come to you, messenger of God?" to which he replied, "It comes to me at times like the clanging of a bell, and that is the type which is most severe for me; it then leaves me, I having retained of it what the angel said. At times the angel appears to me in human form and speaks to me, and I retain what he says." `A'isha said she had seen the inspiration descending on him on a very cold day, and his forehead pouring with sweat when it left him. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`Ubada b. as-Samit said that when the inspiration descended on the Prophet, he was distressed on account of that and his face was altered to a dark hue. A version says, he lowered his head and his companions lowered their heads; then when it was removed from him, he raised his head. Muslim transmitted it.

When "And warn your nearest relations"[1] was sent down the Prophet went out, ascended as-Safa', and began to call, "B. Fihr, B. `Adi," calling clans of Quraish until they gathered; and when a man was unable to go out, he sent a messenger to see what was the matter. When Abu Lahab arid all Quraish had come he said, "Tell me; If I were to inform you that horsemen were coming forth from the side of this mountain (a version having: were coming forth in the wadi) with the intention of making a raid on you, would you believe me?" They replied, "Yes; we have experienced nothing but truth from you." He said, "Well, I am a warner to you before a severe chastisement." Abu Lahab said, "May you perish! Is it for this you have brought us together?" Then came down, "Perish the hands of Abu Lahab and may he perish!"[2] Quran; 26:214 Quran; 111 (Bukhari and Muslim.)

While God's messenger was praying at the Ka'ba and the company of Quraish were in the places where they sat, someone said, "Which of you will go to the sacrificial camel of the family of so and so, make for the contents of its stomach, its blood and the skin over the foetus then wait and put it on his shoulders when he prostrates himself?" The most wretched one among them* then went off, and when he prostrated himself put it on his shoulders; and as the Prophet remained in prostration, they laughed to such an extent that they rolled against one another. Someone went to tell Fatima who came running, and the Prophet remained in prostration till she threw it off him, faced them and reviled them. Then when God's messenger finished the prayer, he said three times, "0 God, deal with Quraish (it being his practice when he made supplication to make it three times and when he made a request to make it three times); 0 God, deal with 'Amr b. Hisham, `Utba b. Rabi'a, Shaiba b. Rabi'a, al Walid b. `Utba, Umayya b. Khalaf, `Uqba b. Abu Mu'ait, and `Umara b. al-Walid." `Abdallah said: I swear by God that I have seen them prostrate at the battle of Badr, after which they were dragged to the well, the well of Badr; and God's messenger said, "Those thrown into the well have been followed with a curse." *Mirqat, 5:409, says this was either Abu Jahl, or `Uqba b. Abu Mu'ait, adding that Nawawi said it was the latter. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`A'isha told that she asked God's messenger whether he had experienced a day more severe than that of Uhud, and that he replied, "I have experienced things from your people, but the most severe thing I experienced from them was on the day of the `Aqaba when I offered myself to Ibn `Abd Yalil b. Kulal and he did not agree to what I wanted.1 I then went off full of care not noticing where I was going, and did not come to my senses till I was at Qarn ath-Tha'alib[2]. Raising my head, I saw a cloud which overshadowed me, and when I looked, I saw Gabriel in it. He called to me, told me God had heard the words of my people and their rejection of me, and said He had sent me the angel of the mountains for me to order him to do to them what I wanted. The angel of the mountains then called to me, saying, after giving me a salutation, `God has heard the words of your people, Muhammad, and I am the angel of the mountains whom your Lord has sent to you to order me if you wish to cover them with al-Akhshaban[3].'" God's messenger replied, "No, I hope God may bring forth from their loins people who will worship God alone, associating nothing with Him." Ibn 'Abd Yalil belonged to at-Ta'if. His father was one of the leading men, but he was 'Abd Ya`lil b. 'Amr b. `Umair (see Isti'ab, p. 410). Yaqut, Mu'jam, 4:72, sats it is a day and a night's journey from Mecca when one comes from Najd. Two hills near Mecca. Cf. Yaqut, Mu'jam, 1:163. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that when one of God's messenger's teeth between the front and the canine teeth was broken at the battle of Uhud and a cut was made in his head, he began to remove the blood from himself and say, "How can a people who have split the head of their prophet and broken his tooth next to his eyetooth prosper?'' Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "God is very angry with people who have done this to their prophet (pointing to the tooth next his eyetooth). God is very angry with a man who is killed by God's messenger in God's path." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I asked Abu Salama b. `Abd ar Rahman about the first portion of the Quran to come down, and he replied that it was, "O you who are shrouded . . ."[1] I told him that people said it was, "Recite! In the name of your Lord," [2] and Abu Salama replied that he had asked Jabir about that, saying to him the. same kind of thing as I had just said, and that Jabir had replied that he would tell me only what God's messenger had told him. He had said, "I stayed in Hira for a month, and when I had finished my stay, I came down. A call was made to me and I looked to my right but saw nothing; I looked to my left but saw nothing; I looked behind me but saw nothing; then when I raised my head and saw something I went to Khadija and said, `Wrap me up.' They did so, and poured cold water over me, and then `You who are shrouded, arise and deliver warning, your Lord magnify, your clothes cleanse, and defilement shun,' came down." He said that was before the prayer was made obligatory. Quran, 74. Quran, 94. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that Gabriel came to God's messenger when he was playing with some other boys, seized him, threw him down, split open his heart and took out of it a clot of blood, saying, "This is the devil's portion in you." He then washed it with Zamzam water in a gold dish, repaired it, and put it back in its place. The boys went running to his mother, i.e., his foster-mother, saying, "Muhammad has been killed," so they went to him and found him looking upset. Anas said he used to see the mark of the sewing in his breast. Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir b. Samura reported God's messenger as saying, "I know a stone in Mecca which used to give me a salutation before I received my commission, and indeed I know it now." Muslim transmitted it.

Anas said that when the people of Mecca asked God's messenger to show them a sign, he showed them the moon in two pieces between which they were able to see Hira. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn Mas'ud said that in the time of God's messenger the moon was split in two portions, one above the mountain and one below it, and God's messenger said, "Testify." [*] *A call to the people to testify to his prophetic office, or to the miracle. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira told that Abu Jahl said, "Does Muhammad rub his face in the dust among you?" and that when he was told that he did he said, "I swear by al-Lat and al-`Uzza that if I see him do that I will tramp on his neck." He then came to God's messenger when he was praying with the purpose of tramping on his neck, but all of a sudden, he was sitting back on his heels and warding off something with his hands. He was asked what was the matter with him and replied, "Between him and me there are a trench of fire, something which causes terror, and wings." God's messenger said, "If he had come near me the angels would have snatched him limb by limb." Muslim transmitted it.

While I was with the Prophet a man came to him and complained to him of poverty; then another came to him and complained to him of highway robbery. He then said, "Have you seen al-Hira, `Adi? If you live long enough you will certainly see a woman travelling from al-Hira to go round the Ka'ba, fearing no one but God; if you live long enough the treasures of Kisra will certainly be conquered; if you live long enough you will certainly see a man coming out with a handful of gold or silver looking for someone to accept it but finding no one to accept it from him.[1] One of you will certainly meet God on the day he meets Him with no one between them to interpret for him. He will then certainly say, `Did I not send you a messenger who was conveying the message to you?' He will reply, `Certainly.' He will then say, `Did I not give you property and show favour to you?' He will reply, `Certainly;' then he will look to his right and see only Jahannam, and he will look to his left and see only Jahannam. Guard against hell, even though it be with half a date;[2] and if anyone cannot get so much, he should do it with a good word." `Adi said: I have seen a woman travelling from al-Hira to go round the Ka'ba, fearing no one but God; I was among those who conquered the treasures of Kisra, son of Hurmuz; and if you live long enough you will see what the Prophet Abul Qasim said, one coming out with his hand full. Because there will be no poor at that time. As alms. Bukhari transmitted it.

We made complaint to the Prophet when he was using a striped cloak as a cushion in the shade of the Ka'ba, for we had experienced persecution from the polytheists, asking him if he would not make supplication to God. His face became red, and he sat and said, "Before your time a man would have a pit dug for him in the earth and be put in it, then a saw would be brought and placed above his head which would be split in two, but that would not turn him away from his religion. He would be combed with iron combs below his flesh in bone and sinew, but that would not turn him away from his religion. I swear by God that this matter will reach perfection, so that a rider will go from San'a' to Hadramaut fearing nothing but God, or a wolf which may attack his sheep; but you are in a hurry." [*] *An assurance is here given that the polytheists will receive their punishment, but the people who complained to the Prophet are exhorted to exert patience till the time for that comes. Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas told that God's messenger used to visit Umm Haram, daughter of Milhan who was married to `Ubada b. as-Samit. One day when he visited her, she gave him food and sat clearing his head of lice. God's messenger went to sleep, and then awoke laughing. She asked what was making him laugh and he replied, "Some of my people were shown to me who, while on an expedition in God's path, were sailing in the midst of this sea as kings on thrones (or, like kings on thrones)." She said, "Messenger of God, beseech God that He may put me among them." He made supplication for her, then laid down his head and went to sleep, and after a time awoke laughing. She asked what was making him laugh and he replied, "Some of my people were shown to me who, while on an expedition in God's path ..." (and so on as in the first reply). She said, "Messenger of God, beseech God that He may put me among them." He replied, "You will be among the first." Umm Haram sailed on the sea in Mu'awiya's time, and was thrown from her beast when she came ashore, and died. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn `Abbas told that Dimad, a man of Azd Shanu'a who applied spells to avert the jinn[*], came to Mecca, and heard the foolish ones among the inhabitants of Mecca saying Muhammad was jinn-possessed. So, he said, "If I could only see this man, perhaps God might heal him at my hand." He met him and said, "I apply spells to avert the jinn, Muhammad. Would you like me do so?" God's messenger replied, "Praise is due to God whom we praise and from whom we seek help. No one can lead astray one whom God guides, and no one can guide one whom God leads astray. I testify that there is no god but God alone who has no partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. To proceed." Here he interrupted by saying, "Repeat these words to me," so God's messenger repeated them three times. He then said, "I have heard what the kahinssay, what the sorcerers say and what the poets say, but I have never heard anything like these words of yours which have reached a depth like that of the sea (balaghna qamus al-bahr). If you give me your hand, I will swear allegiance to you by accepting Islam." He said that he swore allegiance to him. *Literally, "applied spells against this wind." The word rih(wind) is sometimes used of the jinn, the reason given being that they are invisible like the wind. Muslim transmitted it. Some text of al-Masabih have balaghna na'us al-bahr, but it is a corruption.

During the period of peace between God's messenger and me I went off, and while I was in Syria a letter was brought from the Prophet to Hiraql. Dihya al-Kalbi brought it and handed it to the governor of Busra who handed it to Hiraql. Hiraql asked whether there was anyone there belonging to the people of that man who asserted `that he was a prophet, and when he was told that there was, I was summoned along with some members of Quraish. We entered the presence of Hiraql who made us sit in front of him and then asked, "Which of you is most closely related to this man who asserts that he is a prophet?" When I said that I was, they made me sit in front of him and made my companions sit behind me. He then called for his interpreter and said, "Tell them I am asking this man about this one who asserts he is a prophet, and that if he lies to me, they must accuse him of falsehood." (Abd Sufyan swore by God that if he had not been afraid of his falsehood being reported, he would have lied to him.) He said to his interpreter, "Ask him about the-nature of his lineage among them," and I replied, "He is a man of high lineage among us." He asked, "Has there been any king among his ancestors?" and I replied that there had not been any. He asked whether we had suspected him of falsehood before he said what he had said, and I replied that we had not. He asked whether he was followed by the nobles among the people or by the weak ones, and I replied that he was followed by the weak ones. He asked whether their numbers were increasing or diminishing, and I replied that they were increasing. He asked whether any apostatised from his religion after accepting it through displeasure with him, and I replied that they did not. He asked if we had fought with him, and I replied that we had. He asked the nature of our fighting with him, and I replied that it had its ups and downs, he neither getting the better of us nor we getting the better of him. He asked if he employed treachery, and I replied that he did not, but added that during that period we did not know what he was doing. I swear by God that he did not give me an opportunity of inserting a word except on this occasion. He asked if anyone had said what he was saying before him, and I replied that no one had. He then told his interpreter to say to me, "I asked you about his lineage among you and you asserted that he had a high lineage among you; and messengers are commissioned thus from the high families of their people. I asked you whether any of his ancestors had been a king and you asserted that none had, for if any of his ancestors had been a king, I would have considered him to be a man who was seeking the kingdom of his ancestors. I asked you about his followers whether they were weak people or nobles, to which you replied that they were their weak ones, and such are the followers of the messengers. I asked you whether you suspected him of falsehood before he said what he has said, and you replied that you did not, so I recognised that he was not one to avoid falsehood about men and then go and lie about God. I asked you whether any of them apostatised from his religion after accepting it through displeasure with him, to which you replied that none had, and thus is faith when its cheerfulness mingles with hearts. I asked you whether they were increasing or diminishing, to which you replied that they were increasing, and thus is faith till it is complete. I asked you whether you fought with him, and you asserted that the war between you and him had its ups; and downs, he sometimes getting the better of you and you sometimes getting the better of him; now thus messengers are tested, after which the issue turns out in their favour. I asked you if he employed treachery and you asserted that he did not; now that is how the messengers are, not employing treachery. I asked you whether anyone had said what he was saying before him, and you asserted ta t no one had done so, for if someone had said this before him, I would have said he was a man who copied something said before his time." He then asked what he commanded us and we replied, "He commands us to observe prayer, zakat, ties of relationship, and chastity." He then said, "If what you say is true, he is a prophet. I knew he would come forth but did not think it would be from among you. If I knew I could get to him I would like to meet him, and if I were with him, I would wash his feet. His kingdom will certainly reach to what is under my feet." He then called for God's messenger's letter and read it. (Bukhari and Muslim.) The completion of the tradition has already been given in the chapter on writing to infidels.

Qatada quoted the authority of Anas b. Malik who quoted the authority of Malik b. Sa'sa'a to the effect that God's prophet told them about the night when he was taken up to heaven, saying, "While I was lying down at al-Hatim[2] (but perhaps he said al-Hijr), someone came to me and made a split from here to here (meaning from the pit of his chest to the hair below his navel), then took out my heart. I was next brought a gold dish full of faith, and my heart was washed, then filled up and put back. (A version says the inside was washed with Zamzam water, after which it was filled with faith and wisdom.) I was then brought a beast smaller than a mule and larger than a donkey, which was white, was called al-Buraq, and stepped a distance equal to the range of its vision. I was mounted on it, and Gabriel went with me till he came to the lowest heaven. He asked that the gate be opened, and when he was asked who he was he replied that he was Gabriel. He was asked who was with him and replied that it was Muhammad. He was asked whether he had been sent for, and when he replied that that was so, the words were uttered, `Welcome; his coming is good,' and the gate was opened. When I entered Adam was there, and Gabriel said, `This is your father Adam, so give him a salutation. I did so, and when he had returned my salutation he said, `Welcome to the good son and the good prophet.' Gabriel then took me up till he came to the second heaven. He asked that the gate be opened, and when he was asked who he was he replied that he was Gabriel. He was asked who was with him and replied that it was Muhammad. He was asked whether he had been sent for, and when he replied that that was so, the words were uttered, `Welcome; his coming is good' and the gate was opened. When I entered John[3] and Jesus, who were cousins on the mother's side, were there, and Gabriel said, `These are John and Jesus, so give them a salutation I did so, and when they had returned my salutation they said, `Welcome to the good brother and the good prophet.' Gabriel then took me up to the third heaven. He asked that the gate be opened, and when he was asked who he was he replied that he was Gabriel. He was asked who was with him, and replied that it was Muhammad. He was asked whether he had been sent for, and when he replied that that was so, the words were uttered, `Welcome, his coming is good and the gate was opened. When I entered Joseph was there, and. Gabriel said, this is Joseph, so give him a salutation.' I did so, and when he had returned my salutation he said, `Welcome to the good brother and the good prophet.' Gabriel then took me up till he came to the fourth heaven. He asked that the gate be opened, and when he was asked who he was he replied that he was Gabriel. He was asked who was with him and replied that it was Muhammad. He was asked whether he had been sent for, and when he replied th at th at was so, the words were uttered, `Welcome; his coming is good,' and the gate was opened. When I entered Idris was there, and Gabriel said, `This is Idris, so give him a salutation.' I did so, and when he had returned my salutation he said, `Welcome to the good brother and the good prophet.' Gabriel then took me up till he came to the fifth heaven. He asked that the gate be opened, and when he was asked who he was he replied that he was Gabriel. He was asked who was with him and replied that it was Muhammad. He was asked whether he had been sent for, and when he replied that that was so, the words were uttered, `Welcome; his coming is good,' and the gate was opened. When I entered Aaron was there, and Gabriel said, `This is Aaron, so give him a salutation' I did so, and when he had returned my salutation he said, `Welcome to the good brother and the good prophet.' Gabriel then took me up till he came to the sixth heaven. He asked that the gate be opened, and when he was asked who he was he replied that he was Gabriel. He was asked who was with him and replied that it was Muhammad. He was asked whether he had been sent for, and when he replied that that was so, the words were uttered, `Welcome; his coming is good,' and the gate was opened. When I entered Moses was there, and Gabriel said, `This is Moses, so give him a salutation.' I did so, and when he had returned my salutation he said, `Welcome to the good brother and the good prophet.' Then when I passed on he wept, and when he was asked what was making him weep he replied, `I am weeping because more followers of a young man who was commissioned after my time will enter paradise than of mine.' Gabriel then took me up to the seventh heaven. He asked that the gate be opened, and when he was asked who he was he replied that he was Gabriel. He was asked who was with him and replied that it was Muhammad. He was asked whether he had been sent for and when he replied that that was so, the words were uttered, `Welcome; his coming is good.' When I entered Abraham was there, and Gabriel said, `This is your father Abraham, so give him a salutation.' I did so, and when he had returned my salutation he said, `Welcome to the good son and the good prophet.' I was then taken up to the lote tree of the boundary[4] and saw that its fruits were like the earthenware vessels of Hajar and its leaves like elephants' ears. He told me that this was the lote-tree of the boundary. I saw four rivers, two concealed and two apparent, and. when I asked Gabriel what these two pairs were, he replied, `The two concealed ones are rivers in paradise, and the two apparent ones are the Nile and the Euphrates.' After that I was shown the frequented house.[5] I was then brought a vessel of wine, a vessel of milk, and a vessel of honey, and when I took the milk he said, `It is the true religion[6] which you and your people follow.' Then fifty daily prayers were prescribed for me, but when I returned and passed Moses and on being asked by him what worship I had been commanded replied that I had been commanded to observe fifty daily prayers, he said, `Your people are not capable of observing fifty daily prayers. I swear by God that I have tested men before your time and have laboured most earnestly to prevail over the B. Isra'il, so go back to your Lord and ask Him to make things lighter for your people.' I did so, and when He had reduced them by ten, I returned to Moses. He said the same as before, so I went back, and when He had reduced them by ten, I returned to Moses. He said the same as before, so I went back, and when He had reduced them by ten, I returned to Moses. He said the same as before, so I went back, and when He had reduced them by ten and I had been ordered to observe ten daily prayers I returned to Moses. He said the same as before, so I went back, and when I had been ordered to observe five daily prayers I returned to Moses. He asked what I had been ordered, and when I replied that I had been ordered to observe 'five daily prayers he said, `Your people are not capable of observing five daily prayers. I have tested men before your time and have laboured most earnestly to prevail over the B. Isra'il, so go back to your Lord and ask Him to make things lighter for your people.' I replied, `I have asked my Lord till I am ashamed, but now I am satisfied and I submit.' Then when I passed on a crier called, `I have executed what I have made obligatory and have made things light for my servants'." 1. Literally 'the ascent'. The Prophet's night journey to heaven. 2. A semi-circular wall on the north-west side of the Ka'ba, the area between it and the Ka'ba being al-Hijr. 3. i.e., John the Baptist. 4. Cf. Quran; 53:14. 5. Cf. p. 929, n. 1. 6. Cf. Quran; 52:4. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Thabit al-Bunani told on the authority of Anas that God's messenger said, "I was brought al-Buraq which was an animal white and long, larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, whose hoof touched the ground at a distance equal to the range of its vision. I mounted it and came to Jerusalem, then tied It to the ring used by the prophets. Then after entering the mosque and praying two rak'as in it I came out and Gabriel brought me a vessel of wine and a vessel of milk. I chose the milk, and Gabriel said, `You have chosen the true religion.' We were then taken up to heaven ..." and he went on with something to the same effect as has been mentioned already. He said, "I found Adam who welcomed me and prayed for my wellbeing." Regarding the third heaven he said, "I found Joseph who had been given half of beauty[*], and he welcomed me and prayed for my wellbeing." But he did not mention the weeping of Moses. Regarding the seventh heaven he said, "I found Abraham supporting his back against the frequented house which is entered daily by seventy thousand angels who do not return to it. He then took me to the lote-tree of the boundary whose leaves are like elephants' ears and whose fruits are like earthenware vessels. When what God commands overshadows it, it changes, and none of God's creatures can describe it because of its beauty. God revealed to me what He revealed and made obligatory for-me fifty prayers every day and night. I came down to Moses who asked what my Lord had made obligatory for my people, and when I told him He had prescribed fifty prayers every day and night he said, `Go back to your Lord and ask Him to make things lighter, for your people are not capable of that. I have tested and had experience of the B. Isra'il.' I went back to my Lord and said, `0 my Lord, make things lighter for my people,' so He relieved me of five. When I returned to Moses and told him He had relieved me of five he said, `Your people are not capable of that, so go back to your Lord and ask Him to make things lighter.' I then kept going back and forth between my Lord and Moses till He said, `They are five prayers every day and night, Muhammad, each being credited as ten, so that makes fifty times of prayer. He who intends to do a good deed and does not do it will have a good deed recorded for him, and if he does it, it will be recorded for him as ten; whereas he who intends to do an evil deed and does not do it will have nothing recorded for him, and if he does it one evil deed will be recorded for him.' I then came down, and when I came to Moses and told him he said, `Go back to your Lord and ask Him to make things lighter'." God's messenger said that he replied, "I have gone back to my Lord till I am ashamed to face Him." *Mirqat, 5:432, says this may either mean half of the whole category of beauty, or half of the beauty of all his contemporaries. Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn Shihab told on the authority of Anas that Abu Dharr used to tell that God's messenger said, "The roof of my house was cleft when I was in Mecca and Gabriel descended and opened my breast, after which he washed it with Zamzam water. He then brought a gold dish full of wisdom and faith, and after emptying it into my breast he closed it up. Then taking me by the hand he ascended with me to heaven, and when I came to the lowest heaven Gabriel said to the guardian of heaven, `Open.' He asked who was there, and when he replied that it was Gabriel, he asked whether anyone was with him. When he replied that he had Muhammad with him he was asked whether he had been sent for and replied that he had. When the gate was opened, we went up into the lowest heaven and I saw a man sitting with people on his right and people on his left. When he looked to his right he laughed, and when he looked to his left he wept. He said, `Welcome to the good prophet and the good son.' I asked Gabriel who this was and he replied, `This is Adam, and these people on his right and his left are the souls of his descendants. Those of them on his right are the inhabitants of paradise and those on his left are the inhabitants of hell, so when he looks to his right he laughs and when he looks to his left he weeps.' He then took me up to the second heaven and said to its guardian, `Open,' and its guardian said to him the same as the first one had said." Anas said he mentioned that he had found in the heavens Adam, Idris, Moses, Jesus and Abraham, hut did not specify the nature of their abodes, except th a t he mentioned he had found Adam in the lowest heaven and Abraham in the sixth. Ibn Shihab said he was told by Ibn Hazm that Ibn `Abbas and Abu Habba al-Ansar! used to say that the Prophet said, "I was then taken up till I mounted a height in which I heard the scraping of the pens." Ibn Hazm and Anas told that the Prophet said, ``God then made fifty prayers obligatory for my people and I returned with that. When I passed Moses, he asked what God had made it obligatory for me to impose on my people, and when I told him He had made fifty I prayers obligatory he said, `Go back to your Lord, for your people are | not capable.' So, he sent me back and half of them were remitted, and i! when I returned to Moses and told him that half of them had been i remitted, he said, `Go back to your Lord, for your people are not capable.' I went back and repeated what I had said, and half of them were remitted. I then returned to him and he said, `Go back to your Lord, for your I people are not capable of that.' I went back to Him and He said, `They are five and at the same time fifty. What has been said is not changed with Me.' I then returned to Moses, and when he told me to go back to my Lord I replied, `I am ashamed to face my Lord.' He then travelled; with me till he brought me to the lote-tree of the boundary covered with colours, what they were I do not know. I was then brought into paradise and saw in it domes of pearls, and its soil was musk." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

When God's messenger was taken up to heaven, he was brought to the lote-tree of the boundary which is in the sixth heaven, to which what is taken up from the earth reaches and of which something is grasped, and to which what is sent down from above reaches and of which something is grasped. He said that "Behold, there overshadows the lote-tree what overshadows''[2] means a covering of gold. He said God's messenger was then given three things: he was given the five times of prayer, he was given the last verses of sura-al-Baqara, and forgiveness of serious sins was granted to those of his people who did not associate anything with God. 1, i.e., Ibn Mas'ud. 2 Quran, 53:16 Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "I have seen myself in al-Hijr when Quraish were questioning me about my night journey and asked me about matters connected with Jerusalem regarding which I was not sure. I was worried to an extent I had never experienced before, so God raised it up before me and they did not ask about anything without my informing them. I have seen myself in a company of the prophets, and there was Moses standing in prayer, a spare, strong-limbed man looking like one of the men of Shanu'a. Jesus was there standing in prayer, `Urwa b. Mas'ud ath-Thaqaf being the one who resembles him most closely. Abraham also was there standing in prayer, your companion (meaning himself) being the one who resembles him most closely. When the time for prayer came, I acted as their imam, and when I had finished the prayer, someone said to me, `This, Muhammad, is Malik, the guardian of hell, "so give him a salutation.' I turned round to him, and he gave me a salutation before I had time to salute him." Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir told that he heard God's messenger say, "When Quraish accused me of falsehood I stood up in al-Hijr, then God made Jerusalem clear to me, and I informed them of its distinguishing marks while I was looking at it." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I looked at the feet of the polytheists above our heads when we were in the cave and said, "Messenger of God, if one of them were to look at his foot he would see us." He replied, "Abd Bakr, what do you think of two people along with whom God makes a third?" (Bukhari and Muslim.)

We travelled all night and the following day till the midday sun offered little shade, the road being empty with no one passing on it. Seeing a tall, shady rock protected from the sun's rays we alighted beside it, and when I had smoothed a place with my hands for him to sleep and spread a skin garment over him, I said, "Sleep, messenger of God, and I shall keep watch around you." He went to sleep, and when I went out to keep watch around him, I saw a shepherd approaching. I asked if his sheep had any milk and he replied that they had, so I asked if he would draw some milk and he agreed, and drew a cupful into a wooden cup. I had a small skin vessel I carried for the Prophet from which he took water both for drinking and for performing ablution, so I went to the Prophet, but as I did not like to waken him, I waited for him till he awoke. I then poured some water on the milk till the bottom of it was cooled, and said, "Drink, messenger of God." When he had drunk an amount which made me feel pleased, he said, "Is it not time to be moving?" and I agreed that it was; so, we moved on after the sun had passed the meridian. Suraqa b. Malik had followed us up and I said, "We have been overtaken, messenger of God." He replied, "Do not grieve; God is with us." The Prophet then prayed that he might be hindered and his horse sank with him up to its belly in hard ground. He said, "I see that you two have prayed that I might be hindered; now pray for me, for God is on your side, that I may turn away the search from you." The Prophet prayed for him, and when he got free, he began to say whenever he met anyone, "You have been saved trouble, for there is no one here; and he met no one without turning him back. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that 'Abdallah b. Salam heard of the arrival of God's messenger when he was in an orchard gathering dates, so he went to the Prophet and said, "I shall ask you about three things which only a prophet knows What is the first sign of the last hour? What is the first thing the inhabitants of paradise will eat? And what makes a boy look like his father or his m other?" He replied, "Gabriel has just informed me about them. The first sign of the last hour will be a fire which will collect mankind from the east to the west; the first thing the inhabitants of paradise will eat will be the ligament of a fish's liver; and when the man's liquid comes before the woman's he attracts the child to his likeness, but when the woman's liquid comes first, she attracts it to her likeness." He said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that you are God's messenger. The Jews, messenger of God, are slanderous people, and if they know of my acceptance of Islam before you ask them, they will slander me." When the Jews came, he asked, "What kind of a man is `Abdallah among you?" They replied, "Our best one and the son of our best one, our chief and the son of our chief." He said, "Tell me what you will do supposing he accepts Islam," to which they replied, "God preserve him from that!" `Abdallah then came out and said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God's messenger." They said, "He is the worst of us and the son of the worst of us," and belittled him, whereupon he said, "This is what I feared, messenger of God." Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that God's messenger asked advice when they heard of the approach of Abu Sufyan, and Sa`d b. `Ubada got up and said, "Messenger of God, by Him in whose hand my soul is, if you were to command us to plunge our animals[1] into the sea we would do so, and if you were to command us to drive them as vigorously as possible to Bark al-Ghimad[2] we would do so." God's messenger then invited the people, and they went off till they alighted at Badr. God's messenger then said, "This is where so and so will be killed," putting his hand on the ground here and there. Anas said that none of them[3] left the place indicated by God's messenger's hand. 1. 'Literally, "to plunge them ". The context makes it clear that the reference is to animals. 2. A place in the Yemen. 3. This is explained as referring to the infidels the place of whose death the Prophet had foretold. Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn `Abbas told that the Prophet said when he was in a round tent on the day of Badr, "O God, I ask Thee to fulfil Thy covenant and promise. O God, if Thou willest Thou shalt not be worshipped after to-day." Abu Bakr then took him by the hand and said, "What you have supplicated is enough, messenger of God; you have importuned your Lord." So, he went out hurrying in a coat of mail and saying, "The company will be routed and turn their backs[*]." *Quran; 54:45 Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that the Prophet said on the day of Badr, "This is Gabriel holding his horse's head with the accoutrements of war on him." Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that when one of the Muslims was going quickly after one of the polytheists in front of him, he heard the crack of a whip above him and the voice of a horseman saying, "Go on, Haizum[*]," and saw the polytheist in front of him fall on his back. He looked at him and saw his nose was cut and his face split as with a slash of a whip, and the whole of that turned green. When the Ansari came and told God's messenger he said, "You have spoken the truth; that was one of the troops of the third heaven." That day they killed seventy and took seventy prisoners. *The name of the angel's horse. Muslim transmitted it.

Sa`d b. Abu Waqqas told that at the battle of Uhud he saw two men in white clothing whom he had never seen before or since fighting as violently as possible on the right and left of God's messenger, meaning Gabriel and Michael. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

The Prophet sent a small party of Abu Rafi'[*], and `Abdallah b. `Atik entered his house at night when he was asleep and killed him. `Abdallah b. `Atik said, "I put the sword in his belly till it came out at his back, and I knew that I had killed him I then began to open the doors till I came to a stair, but when I put my foot on it, I fell and broke my leg, and it was a moonlight night. I tied it with a turban and rejoined my companions, and when I came to the Prophet, I told him all that had happened. He told me to stretch out my leg, and when I had done so and he had passed his hand over it, it seemed as though I had never had anything wrong with it." *Different dates are given for the incident. J.M.B. Jones who has made an important study of the dates of the Maghazi prefers the date given by Ibn Ishaq, viz. Dhul Hijja 5 or Muharram 6. See Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 1957, 19/2, pp. 250, 269 f. Bukhari transmitted it.

When we were digging at the battle of the Trench a huge piece of rock appeared as an obstruction, so they went to the Prophet and told him that this piece of rock had appeared as an obstruction in the trench. Saying, "I shall go down," he stood up (and he had a stone tied on his belly[*], for we had been three days without tasting any food). The Prophet then took the pick and struck it and it became a mound of sand pouring down. I then went off to my wife and asked her if she had anything, for I had seen the Prophet was very hungry, and she brought out a bag containing a sa` of barley. We had a tame lamb which I killed and she ground the barley, and we put the meat in the pot. I then went to the Prophet and told him secretly that we had killed a small lamb and my wife had ground a sa' of barley, inviting him to come and bring some people with him. So, the Prophet shouted, "You who are working at the trench, Jabir has prepared a repast, so come on." God's messenger then said, "Do not take off your pot and do not bake your dough till I come." When he came, I brought out dough for him and he spat in it and invoked a blessing. He then went to our pot, spat, invoked a blessing, and then said, "Call a woman to bake along with you, and take ladlefuls from your pot but do not take it off." There were a thousand present, and I swear by God that they ate till they left it and went away, and our pot was boiling as it had been and our dough was being baked as before. *For the purpose of allaying the pangs of hunger. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Qatada told that when `Ammar was digging the trench God's messenger began to wipe his head and say, "How unfortunate Ibn Sumayya is! The wicked party will kill you[*]." *Yasir, 'Ammar's father, is said to have come from the Yemen to Mecca, where he married a slave woman called Sumayya who bore 'Ammar. `Ammar fought on 'Ali's side at the battle of Siffin (37 A.H.) and was killed. The wicked party mentioned in the tradition is Mu'awiya s army. See Ibn `Abd al-Barr, Isti'ab pp. 422 ff. Muslim transmitted it.

Sulaiman b. Surad reported the Prophet as saying when the Confederates[*] were removed from him, "Now we shall raid them and they will not raid us; we shall go to them." *Those who fought against the Muslims at the battle of the Trench (cf. Quran. 82:9 ff). Bukhari transmitted it.

When God's messenger returned from the battle of the Trench, put off his armour and bathed, Gabriel came to him when he was shaking the dust off his head and said, "You have put off your armour, but I swear by God that I have not done so. Go out to them." The Prophet asked where he was to go and he indicated that it was to the B. Quraiza so the Prophet went out to them. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Bukhari Anas said: I can imagine myself looking at the dust rising in the street of the B. Ghanm, the cavalcade of Gabriel when God's messenger went to the B. Quraiza.

Jabir told that on the day of al-Hudaibiya the people were thirsty and God's messenger had in front of him a water-vessel from which he performed ablution. Then the people came forward to him and told him they had no water for ablution or for drinking except what was in his vessel; so, the Prophet put- his hand into the vessel and the water began to pour forth between his fingers like springs. Jabir said they drank and performed ablution, and when he was asked how many they were he replied that if they had been a hundred thousand it would have been sufficient for them, adding that they numbered fifteen hundred. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

On the day of al-Hudaibiya we were along with God's messenger to the number of fourteen hundred. Now al Hudaibiya was a well which we drained leaving not a drop in it, and when the Prophet heard of that he came to it and sat down beside it. He called for a vessel of water, and when he had performed ablution, rinsed his mouth and made supplication, he poured the water into it, and told them to leave it for a time. Then they drew sufficient water for themselves and their animals until they left. Bukhari transmitted it.

When we were on a journey with the Prophet the people complained to him of thirst, so he dismounted and called for so and so (whose name was mentioned by Abu Raja' but forgotten by `Auf) and for `Ali and told them to go and look for water. They went off and met a woman riding with a leather water-bag, or a water-skin on either side of her, so they brought her to the Prophet and asked her to dismount from her camel. The Prophet called for a vessel and poured water into it from the mouths of the skins, after which proclamation was made among the people to draw water, and they did so. Then we forty thirsty men drank till we had had enough, and we filled every skin and small vessel which we had. I swear by God that water was taken from the skin, but it seemed to us to be fuller than it was when he began. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

We travelled with God's messenger, and when we alighted in a broad wadi God's messenger went to relieve himself, but could find nothing with which to screen himself. There were two trees at the side of the wadi, so God's messenger went to one of them and, taking hold of one of its branches, he said, "Allow yourself to be led by me, with God's permission." Then it was led by him like a camel with a piece of wood in its nose which is amenable to the one who guides it, until he came to the other tree. Then taking hold of one of its branches he said, "Allow yourself to be led by me, with God's permission," and it was led similarly. Then when he was in the middle between them, he said, "Draw close together about me, with God's permission," and they did so. I sat occupied with my thoughts, and when I turned round, I saw God's messenger coming, and noticed that the trees had separated, each standing on its own trunk. Muslim transmitted it.

I saw the mark of a blow on the leg of Salama b. al-Akwa' and asked, "What is this blow, Abu Muslim?" He replied, "It is a blow I received at the battle for Khaibar which made the people say I had been killed. I went to the Prophet who blew spittle on it three times, and up to now I have been having no trouble with it." Bukhari transmitted it.

The Prophet announced the death of Zaid, Ja`far and Ibn Rawaha to the people before news of them had reached them[*], saying, "Zaid took the standard and was smitten, then Ja'far took it and was smitten, then Ibn Rawaha took it and was smitten (the tears mean while dripping from his eyes). Finally, one of God's swords (meaning Khalid b. al-Walid) took the standard till God granted them success." Bukhari transmitted it.

I was present with God's messenger at the battle of Hunain. When the Muslims and the infidels met the Muslims turned in retreat, but God's messenger began to spur his she-mule in the direction of the infidels, while I was holding the bridle of his she-mule to restrain it, desiring that it should not go quickly, and Abu Sufyan b. al-Harith was holding God's messenger's stirrup. God's messenger then said, "Call those who were present at the gum-acacia tree[1]." `Abbas, who had a loud voice, told that he called at the top of his voice, "Where are those who were present at the gum-acacia tree?" adding, ``I swear by God that I made them turn back when they heard my voice as cows turn back to their young." They said, "At your service, at your service." They and the-infidels then fought, and the call among the Ansar was, "O company of the Ansar, O company of the Ansar." Then the call was confined to the B. al-Harith b. al Khazraj[2]. God's messenger watched their fighting while sitting on his she-mule like one stretching out his neck, and said, "This is when the oven has become hot[3]." Then taking some pebbles and throwing them in the faces of the infidels he said, "Be routed, by the Lord of Muhammad." I swear by God that no sooner had he thrown the pebbles at them than I began to see their power becoming weak and their ranks, turning in retreat. 1. The reference is to the battle of Mu'ta. 2. Those who swore allegiance to the Prophet at al-Hudaibiya. Cf. Quran, 48:18. 3. A tribal group which formed a section of the Ansar. 4. A figure of speech meaning that the fighting has become violent. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Ishaq told that a man said to al-Bara'[1], "Abu `Umara, did you[2] fly at the battle of Hunain?" He replied, 'No, I swear by God. God's messenger did not turn back, but some of his young companions who did not have many weapons went out against the enemy and met some archers whose arrows rarely fell on the ground[3], and they shot at them and rarely missed. So, they then went towards God's messenger who was on his white she-mule with Abu Sufyan b. al-Harith in front of him. He dismounted and prayed for victory saying. "I am the Prophet without falsehood; I am the descendant of Abd al-Muttalib." He then drew them up in line. 1. Al-Bara' b. 'Azib, whose kunya was Abu 'Umara. 2. The pronoun is plural, referring to the army. 3. i.e., failed to bit someone. 4. A line in the rajaz metre. Muslim transmitted it, and Bukhari has something to the same effect. In a version by both of them al Bara.' said, "I swear by God that when the battle became fierce, we sought refuge with him, and the bravest of us was the one who kept shoulder to shoulder with him," meaning the Prophet.

We went to the battle of Hunain with God's messenger and his companions turned back. Then when God's messenger was surrounded, he dismounted from his she-mule, took a handful of earth from the ground, and turning towards them threw it in their faces saying, "May the faces be made ugly!" Then there was not a man among them whom God had created whose eyes were not filled with earth by reason of that handful. They turned in retreat, God routed them, and God's messenger divided the spoils among the Muslims. Muslim transmitted it.

When we were with God's messenger at Hunain, he said of one of those who were with him who claimed to be a Muslim, "This will be one of the inhabitants of hell." When the fighting took place, the man fought most valiantly and received many wounds, so a man came and said, "Messenger of God, tell me about the man of whom you were telling that he would be one of the inhabitants of hell. He has fought valiantly in God's path and received many wounds." He replied, "He will indeed be one of the inhabitants of hell." Some people almost doubted, but while things were so the man felt the pain of his wounds, and putting his band into his quiver drew out an arrow and stabbed himself with it. Some Muslims then hastened to God's messenger and said, "Messenger of God, God has verified what you told. So and so has stabbed and killed himself." God's messenger then said, "God is most great. I testify that I am God's servant and messenger. Get up, Bilal, and make an announcement that only a believer will enter paradise, but that God will support this religion with a wicked man[*]." *While hypocrites and others whose character is worthless may fight on the side of the Muslims, only those who have faith will enter paradise. The idea is that taking part in Jihad does not of itself guarantee entrance into paradise. Bukhari transmitted it.

God's messenger was bewitched so that he would imagine he had done something he had not done. One day when he was staying with me, he made supplication after supplication to God, then said, "Do you know, `A'isha, that God has given me a decision about what I asked? Two men came to me and one of them sat at my head and the other at my feet. One of them asked the other, `What is the man suffering from?' and he replied, `He is under a spell.' He asked, `Who has put a spell on him?' and he replied, `Labid b. al-A`sam the Jew .' He asked, `What did he use?' and he replied, `A comb and combings and the spathe of a male palm-tree He asked, `Where is it?' and he replied, `In the well of Dharwan'[*]." The Prophet then went with some of his companions to the well and said, "This is the well I was shown." Its water looked like diluted henna and its palm-trees like the heads of devils. He then took it out. *Bukhari, Adab, 56, has Dharwan, but Tibb, 50, has Dhu Arwan, which is the form given by Muslim in Salam, 43. Nawawi in his commentary on Muslim (Cairo, 1349, vol. 14, p. 177) says both forms are correct, but Dhu Arwan is better and sounder. He says it was a well in the garden in Madina belonging to the B. Zuraiq. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

While we were with God's messenger when he was dividing portions, Dhul Khuwaisira, a man of the B. Tamim, came to him and said, "Act equitably, messenger of God." He replied, "Out upon you! Who will act equitably if I do not? You will be disappointed and losing if I do not act equitably." `Umar asked permission to cut off his head, but he replied, "Leave him alone, for he has companions[1] in comparison with whose prayers any of you would despise his, and in comparison, with whose fasting any of you would despise his. They recite the Quran but it does not pass their collarbones. They swerve from the religion as an arrow goes through the animal aimed at. Their look is directed to its head, on to the sinew on its socket, on to its nadi, which is its rod, on to its feathers, but there is no sign of excrement or blood on it[2]. They will be recognised by the presence of a black man one of whose upper arms quivers like a woman's breast, or like a piece of meat, and they will revolt against the best section of mankind[3]. Abu Sa'id said: I testify that I heard this tradition from God's messenger, and I testify that `Ali b. Abu Talib fought with them and that I was with him. He gave orders about that man who was sought for, and when he was brought in and I looked at him, he was exactly as the Prophet had described him. A version has: A man with deep-set eyes, a projecting brow, a thick beard, high cheekbones and a shaven head came forward and said, "Fear God, Muhammad." He replied, "Who will obey God if I disobey Him? God entrusts me with power over the inhabitants of the earth but you[4] do not." A man asked to be allowed to kill him but he prevented him. Then when the man turned away, he said, "From this one's stock there will be people who recite the Quran, yet it will not pass their throats. They will swerve from Islam as an arrow goes through the animal shot at. They will kill the followers of Islam and leave the worshippers of idols alone; but if I live to their time, I shall certainly kill them as `Ad were killed." 1. People like him, or people at a later period who will acquire a reputation for piety. The reference is to the Kharijites. 2. Just as an arrow can go through an animal without traces of excrement or blood, they will abandon Islam so quickly that no trace of it will be left in them. 3. `Ali and his party. 4. The pronoun is plural, indicating the man and his people. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I used to invite my mother who was a polytheist to accept Islam, and one day when I had invited her and she caused me to hear something about God's messenger which I do not care to repeat[*] I went to him weeping and said, "Messenger of God, supplicate God to guide Abu Huraira's mother." He said, "O God, guide Abu Huraira's mother," so I came out cheered by the Prophet's supplication. When I came to the door, I found it shut, and when she heard the sound of my feet she said, "Stay where you are, Abu Huraira." I heard the splashing of water, and when she had bathed and put on her chemise, but was in too big a hurry to put on her head-covering, she opened the door and said, "I testify, Abu Huraira, that there is no god but God, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger." I then returned to God's messenger weeping for joy, and he praised God and said some good words. *Or, 'of which I disapproved' Muslim transmitted it.

You say that Abu Huraira transmits much from the Prophet, but God is the One to whom account will have to be given. My brethren among the Emigrants were occupied by business in the markets and my brethren among the Helpers were occupied by looking after their property, but I was a poor man who kept near God's messenger and was satisfied with what would fill my stomach. One day the Prophet said, "No one among you who spreads out his garment till I finish this address of mine and then gathers it to his breast will ever forget anything I say." I therefore spread out a woollen garment which was all I was wearing till the Prophet finished his address and afterwards gathered it to my breast, and I swear by Him who sent him with the truth that up to this day I have not forgotten any of that address of his. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

God's messenger said to me, "Why do you not give me rest from Dhul Khalasa?" I told him that I certainly would, but as I was not able to keep from falling off a horse's back, I mentioned the fact to the Prophet. He gave me such a blow with his hand on my breast that I could see the mark of his hand on it and said, "O God, make him sit firm, and make him a guide who is led aright." After that I never fell off my horse. He went with a hundred and fifty resolute horsemen of Ahmas[*] and burned it and broke it up. *Ahmas (brave) is said to have been applied to Quraish, Kinana and Jadila of Qais because of the hardships they imposed on themselves in their religious observances in pre-Islamic times. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

A man, who had acted as secretary to the Prophet apostatised from Islam and attached himself to the polytheists, so the Prophet said, "The earth will not accept him." Abu Talha told me he came to the land in which the man died and found him cast on the surface of the ground. He asked the reason and was told by the people that they had buried him several times, but that the earth would not accept him. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Ayyub told that the Prophet went out when the sun had set, and on hearing a sound said, "The Jews are being punished in their graves." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir told that when the Prophet was near Medina on his return from a journey a wind arose which stirred up the sand to such an extent that it could almost bury a horseman.' God's messenger said, "This wind has been sent on account of the death of a hypocrite." When he came to Medina, he found that one of the leading hypocrites had died. Muslim transmitted it.

We went out with the Prophet, and when we came to `Usfan he stayed there some nights. The people said, "We are serving no purpose here, our children have been left and we are not sure of their safety," and when the Prophet heard of that he said, "I swear by Him in whose hand my soul is that there is no ravine or mountain road in Medina which does not have two angels guarding it till you return." He then gave the order to set out, and we did so and came to Medina. Then, by Him in whose name oaths are sworn, we had not unloaded our beasts after entering Medina before the B. 'Abdallah b. Ghatafan raided us, but nothing had roused them to do so before that. Muslim transmitted it.

The people were afflicted by famine in the time of God's messenger, and while the Prophet was preaching on a Friday a nomadic Arab got up and said, "The animals are perishing and the children are hungry, so make supplication to God for us." He then raised his hands, and we could not see a speck of cloud in the sky, but I swear by Him in whose hand my soul is that he had not lowered his hand before the clouds were appearing like mountains and before he descended from his pulpit, I saw the rain coming down on his beard. We had rain that day, the next, the following day, and on till the next Friday. Then that nomadic Arab or someone else got up and said, "Messenger of God, the buildings are being broken down and the animals are being drowned, so make supplication to God for us." He then raised his hands and said, "O God, round about us, but not on us." Then he did not point to any region in the clouds without their breaking up, and Medina became like a gap[*]. The wadi had a channel flowing in it for a month, and no one came from any region without speaking of plenty. In a version he said, "O God, round about us, but not on us; O God, on the mounds and knolls, in the basins of the wadis and in the plantations." He said: Then it stopped and we went out walking in the sun. *Meaning that Madina, unlike surrounding districts, had no clouds immediately above it or that it was like a wide, round hollow with the clouds round its edges. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

When the Prophet preached, he leaned on the trunk of a palm-tree which was one of the pillars of the mosque, then when the pulpit was made for him and he went up on it the palm-tree beside which he had preached shouted till it almost split. The Prophet therefore descended, took it, and embraced it, and it began to moan like a boy who is being calmed down till it became quiet. 'He then said, "It wept for the mention of God which it had been accustomed to hear." Bukhari transmitted it.

Salama b. al-Akwa` told that when a man ate with his left hand in the presence of God's messenger he said, " Eat with your right hand." On his replying, "I am not able," he said, "May you not be able!" for it was simply pride which prevented him. He told that he did not raise it[*] to his mouth [after that]. *i.e., his right hand. Muslim transmitted it.

Anas told that, once when the people of Medina had an alarm the Prophet mounted a slow horse belonging to Abu Talha which took short steps. When he returned, he said, "I found this horse of yours could run like a great river." After that it had none to compete with it. A version says it was never outstripped after that day. Bukhari transmitted it.

My father died in debt and I suggested, to his creditors that they should accept the dates we had in payment of his debt. When they refused, I went to the Prophet and said, "You know that my father died a martyr at the battle of Uhud leaving a large debt, and I would like the creditors to see you." He told me to go and collect all the dates in separate groups, and when I had done so I called him. When they looked at him it seemed as though they were more persistent with me at that time, and when he saw what they were doing he went round the largest group three times, then sitting down beside it he said, "Call your creditors to me." He then kept measuring out to them till God paid on my father's behalf what he owed. I should have been pleased that God should pay my father's debt leaving me not a date to take back to my brothers; but God kept all the groups intact, and when I looked at the group beside which the Prophet was, it seemed as if it had not been diminished by a single date. Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that Umm Malik used to present clarified butter to the Prophet in a skin of hers. Her sons would come to her and ask for seasoning when they had nothing, and she would go to the skin from which she made presents to the Prophet and find clarified butter in it. It kept providing her with seasoning for her household till she squeezed it, so she went to the Prophet who asked whether she had squeezed it, and when she replied that she had, he said, "If you had left it alone it would have kept on as it was." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Talha told Umm Sulaim[*] he had noticed God's messenger's voice was weak and realised that he was suffering from hunger, so he suggested she might have something. Replying that she had, she brought out some barley loaves, then took out a head-covering of hers in part of which she wrapped the bread, and when she had put it under my arm, she wound part of it round my head and sent me to God's messenger. When I went with it, I found God's messenger in the mosque accompanied by some people. I gave them a salutation and God's messenger asked me if Abu Talha had sent me. I replied that he had, and he asked if he had sent me with food. When I replied that that was so he told the people who were with him to get up. He set off and I went in front of them, and when I came to Abu Talha, I informed him. He said, "God's messenger has come with some people, Umm Sulaim, and we have nothing to give them to eat." When she replied that God and His messenger knew best, he went off till he met God's messenger, who then came accompanied by Abu Talha and said, "Bring what you have, Umm Sulaim." She brought that bread, and he then ordered that the bread be broken into small pieces, and when Umm Sulaim had squeezed a skin and put seasoning on its God's messenger said regarding it what God willed him to say. He then asked permission for ten to enter, and when that was granted, they ate till they had had enough'. When they had gone out, he asked permission for one group of ten after another to enter, and all the people ate and had enough. They numbered seventy or eighty men. *She had married Malik b. an-Nadr to whom she bore Anas. Miltk had gone to Syria, where he died, and she married Abu Talha. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim he said, "Permit ten to enter," and when they entered, he said, "Eat, mentioning God's name." They ate until he had done that with eighty men, after which the Prophet and the members of the household ate, and he left something over. In a version by Bukhari he said, "Enter by tens," until he had counted forty. Then the Prophet ate, and I began to look whether it had diminished at all. A version by Muslim says he then took what remained and collected it, then invoked a blessing on it, and when it returned to its original state he said, "Take this."

He told that the Prophet was brought a vessel when he was in az-Zaura', and when he put his hand in the vessel the water began to spout between his fingers, and the people performed ablution. Qatada said he asked Anas how many were present, and he replied that there were three hundred, or, about three hundred. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

We used to reckon the signs[*] as a blessing, but you reckon them as something to cause fear. Once when we were on a journey with God's messenger and there was little water he said, "Look if there is any water left." They brought him a vessel containing a little water, and when he had put his hand into it, he said, "Come to the blessed cleansing medium and the blessing from God." I have seen the water spouting between God's messenger's fingers, and we have been hearing the glorifying of God over food when it was being eaten. *i.e., the miracles. Bukhari transmitted it.

God's messenger addressed us saying, "You will travel all evening and all night and come to water to-morrow, if God wills.' The people then set off not turning round to one another. Abu Qatada said: While God's messenger was travelling, when the middle of the night came, he turned aside from the road, laid down his head and said, "Keep watch for us for our time of prayer." Now the first to awake was God's messenger when he felt the sun on his back, and he said "Mount." We did so and travelled till the sun had risen in the sky, when he dismounted, called for an ablution vessel. I had containing some water and performed ablution from it to a less extent than usual. Some water remained in it, and he said, `Keep your ablution vessel for us, for it will be something to talk about. Bilal then gave the call to prayer, and God's messenger prayed two rak`as, after which he prayed the morning prayer. He then mounted and we mounted along with him and reached the people when the day had advanced and everything was hot. They were saying, "Messenger of God, we are perishing from thirst," to which he replied, "You will not perish." He called for the ablution vessel, began to pour out water, and Abu Qatada[*] was supplying them with water. No sooner did the people see that there was water in the ablution vessel then they crowded around it, so God's messenger said, "Behave in an orderly manner, for every one of you will get a supply of water." They did so, and God's messenger began to pour and I to supply them with water till only he and I were left. He then poured and told me to drink, but I replied, "I shall not drink till you do so, messenger of God." He said, "The one who supplies water for people comes last," so I drank and then he drank. Then the people came to the watering-place in comfort, having had a supply of water. *I have retained the Arabic construction here. Abu Qatada is telling the story and elsewhere uses the first-person pronoun when making reference to himself, Muslim transmitted it thus in his Sahih, and it is told similarly in al-Humaidi's book and in Jami' al-usul. In al-Masabih the words "in drinking" are added after "comes last."

On the day of the expedition of Tabuk the people were afflicted by hunger, and `Umar said, "Messenger of God, tell them to bring what is left over of their provisions and pray God for a blessing for them on them." He agreed, then called for a leather cloth and it was spread out. He then called for the provisions which were left, and one brought a handful of millet, another a handful of dates, another crumbs until a small quantity was collected on the leather cloth. God's messenger then prayed for a blessing, after which he said, "Take a supply in your receptacles." They did so until they did not leave a receptacle in the army which they did not fill. They then ate till they were satisfied, and there was something over. God's messenger then said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that I am God's messenger. No one who meets God and affirms the two testimonies without harbouring any doubts will not be kept away from paradise." Muslim transmitted it.

When the Prophet was newly married to Zainab, my mother Umm Sulaim took some dates, clarified butter and curd, and made hais[1]. When she had prepared it in a cooking-pot she said, "Take this to God's messenger, Anas, say your mother has sent this to him along with her good wishes, and tell him this is a small gift to him from us." When I had gone and repeated this, he told me to put it down, then said, "Go and invite so and so, so and so, and so and so (naming some men) to come to me, and invite those whom you meet to come to me." I invited those he named and those I met, and when I returned the house was crowded with people[2]. (Anas was asked how many there were and replied that there were about three hundred.) I saw the Prophet put his hand on that bit of hais and say such words as God wished. He then began to invite them to eat in groups of ten, and he was saying to them, "Mention God's name, and let each man eat from the place nearest him." When they had eaten to their satisfaction one party went out and another entered till they had all eaten. He told me to remove the food and I did so, and I do not know whether there was more of it when I set it down or when I removed it. Hais (special dish prepared from dried yoghourt, butter and dates). This is what the Arabic says, but in view of what follows about the people being admitted in tens, it probably means that the house was surrounded by a great throng. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I went on an expedition with God's messenger on a camel used for drawing water which had grown weary and could scarcely go on. The Prophet came up beside me and asked what was the matter with my camel, and when I told him it had grown weary, he went behind it and urged it on. He then made supplication for it and it kept going in front of the other camels. He asked me how I found my camel and I replied that it was fine, having received the benefit of his blessing. He asked if I would sell it to him for a wuqiya, and I agreed on condition that I might ride it till we came to Medina. When God's messenger came to Medina I took the camel to him in the morning, and he gave me its price, then returned the animal to me. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

We went out with God's messenger on the expedition to Tabuk, and in the wadi al-Qura we came to a garden belonging to a woman. God's messenger told us to estimate its amount and we did so, and God's messenger estimated it at ten camel loads. He told the woman to calculate the amount and have it ready for our return should God will, and then we set off. When we came to Tabuk God's messenger said, "You will have a violent wind to-night, so no one must get up while it is blowing and those who have camels must hobble them firmly." A violent wind blew, and a man got up and was carried by the wind and thrown on the two mountains of Tayy[*]. We then went on till we came to the wadi al-Qura., and when God's messenger asked the woman how much the fruit in her garden had amounted to, she replied that it was ten camel loads. *Aia' and Salma. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Dharr reported God's messenger as saying, "You will conquer Egypt, which is a land in which the qirat is mentioned. When you conquer it treat its inhabitants well, for protection and blood-relationship apply to them (or he said, protection and marriage relationship)[1]. But when you see two men quarrelling in a brickwork leave[2] it." Abu Dharr said he saw `Abd ar-Rahman b. Shurahbil b. Hasana and his brother Rabi'a quarrelling in a brickwork, and so left it. 1. The reference is to Abraham's son Ishmael having Hagar as mother, and to Mariya the Copt who was sent to the Prophet. 2. 'You' in this sentence and the preceding one is plural, but `leave' is singular, addressed particularly to Abu Dharr. Muslim transmitted it.

Hudhaifa reported the Prophet as saying, "Among my companions (a version has, my people) there will be twelve hypocrites who will neither enter paradise nor experience its odour till a camel goes through a needle's eye. Eight of them will be repelled by an internal ulcer (a burning, fiery wick) which will appear on their shoulders and extend into their breasts." Muslim transmitted it.

this is the messenger of the Lord of the universe whom God is commissioning as a mercy to the universe." Some shaikhs of Quraish asked him how he knew, and he replied, "When you came over the hill not a tree or a stone failed to bow in prostration, and they prostrate themselves only before a prophet. I recognise him by the seal of prophecy, like an apple, below the end of his shoulder-blade." He then went and prepared food for them, and when he brought it to them the Prophet was looking after the camels, so he told them to send for him. He came with a cloud above him shading him, and when he approached the people, he found they had gone before him into the shade of a tree. Then when he sat down the shade of the tree inclined over him, and the monk said, "Look how the shade of the tree has inclined over him. I adjure you by God to tell me which of you is his guardian." On being told that it was Abu Talib he kept adjuring him to send him back until he did so. Abu Bakr sent Bilal along with him and the monk gave him provision of coarse bread and olive-oil. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Once when I was with the Prophet in Mecca and we went out into one of its districts in the neighbourhood, not a mountain or tree which confronted him failed to say, "Peace be upon you, messenger of God." Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

Anas told that on the night when the Prophet was taken up to heaven al-Buraq was brought to him bridled and saddled, but it proved refractory, so Gabriel said to it, "Is it to Muhammad you are doing this? No one more honourable in God's sight than he has mounted you." It then poured with sweat. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Buraida reported God's messenger as saying, "When I came to Jerusalem Gabriel made a sign with his finger, making with it a hole in the stone, and tied al-Buraq to it." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

There are three things I saw relating to God's messenger. While we were travelling with him, we passed a camel being used for irrigation, and when the camel saw him, it rumbled and bent down its neck. The Prophet stopped beside it and asked where the owner of that camel was, and when he came, he asked him to sell it to him. He replied, "No, I shall not give it to you, messenger of God, it belongs to a family which has no other means of livelihood." He said, "Since you have mentioned this about it, note that it has complained to me of a great amount of work and a small amount of fodder; so, treat it well[*]." We then travelled on, and when we came to a stage and the Prophet had lain down to sleep a tree came cleaving the earth till it overshadowed him and then returned to its place. When God's messenger awoke, I mentioned the m atter to him and he said, "It is a tree which asked its Lord's permission to give a salutation to God's messenger, and He allowed it." We then travelled on, and when we passed a watering-place a woman brought a son of hers who was possessed, and the Prophet seized his nostril and said, "Come out, for I am Muhammad, God's messenger." We then travelled on, and when we passed that watering-place on the way back he asked the woman about the boy and she said, "I swear by Him who commissioned you with the truth that we have seen nothing in him to disturb us since you left." *The Prophet evidently had no desire to take the camel either by payment or as a gift, since it was the man's only means of earning a livelihood. He therefore left him with an exhortation to treat the camel properly. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Ibn `Abbas told that a woman brought a son of hers to God's messenger and said, "Messenger of God, my son is possessed, and it seizes him when we have our morning and evening meals." God's messenger stroked his breast and made a supplication, and when the boy had vomited once, something like a black puppy came running out from within him. Darimi transmitted it.

Anas told that Gabriel came to the Prophet when he was sitting grieved, smeared with blood as a result of what the people of Mecca had done[*], and said, "Messenger of God, would you like me to show you a sign?" When he agreed, Gabriel looked at a tree behind him and said, "Call it." He did so, and it came and stood in front of him. He then said, "Order it to go back," and when he had done so and it had gone back God's messenger said, "That is enough for me, that is enough for me." *Mirqat, v, 474, relates this to the injuries the Prophet suffered at the battle of Uhud Darimi transmitted it.

When we were on a journey with the Prophet a nomadic Arab approached, and when he came near God's messenger said to him, "Do you testify that there is no god but God alone who has no partner and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger?" He asked, "Who will testify to what you say?" Replying, "This mimosa tree," he called it. It was at the side of the wadi, and it came forward furrowing the ground till it stood in front of him. He asked it to testify three times, and when it had testified three time that it was as he had said, it returned to its said. Darimi transmitted it.

Ibn 'Abbas told that a nomadic Arab came to God's messenger and asked, "By what means can I know that you are a prophet?" He replied, "If I call this raceme from this palm-tree it will testify that I am God's messenger." He called it and it began to come down from the palm-tree and fell beside the Prophet. He then told it to go back, and when it returned the nomadic Arab accepted Islam. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying it is sahih.

A wolf came to a shepherd and took a sheep, and the shepherd went after it and snatched it from it. The wolf went up on a mound, and sitting on its haunches with its tail between its legs, it said, "I went to provision, God had provided for me and took it, then you snatched it from me." The man declared, "I swear by God that have never seen anything like what I have seen to-day, a wolf talking!" The wolf replied, "Something more wonderful than this is a man among the palm-trees between the two harras[*] who can tell you what has happened and what will happen after your time." The man who was a Jew came to the Prophet and told him and accepted Islam. The Prophet believed him and said, "There are signs before the last hour. A man will soon go out and not return before being informed by his sandals and his whip about the new things his family have been up to since he left them." * Two mountains. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

We were with the Prophet and were taking turns out of a large bowl from morning till night; ten getting up and ten sitting down. He was asked from what it was being replenished and replied, "What are you wondering at[*]?" "It was being replenished only from here," pointing with his hand to the sky. *Mirqat, 5:476, explains this as being addressed by Samura to Abul `Ala. Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. `Amr told that the Prophet went out at the battle of Badr with three hundred and fifteen men and said, "0 God, they are barefoot, so provide mounts for them; O God, they are naked, so clothe them; O God, they are hungry, so satisfy them." God then gave him victory, and when they went back there was not a man who did not return with one camel or two, and they were clothed and had enough to eat. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God's messenger as saying, "You will be helped, granted spoils, and given victory; so, let those of you who attain to that fear God, command what is reputable, and forbid what is disreputable." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jabir told that a Jewess belonging to Khaibar poisoned a roasted sheep and presented it to God's messenger. He took a foreleg and ate some of it, and some of his companions ate along with him. Then telling them to withdraw their hands, he sent for the Jewess, called her and said, "You have poisoned this sheep." She asked who told him and he replied, "This which is in my hand," referring to the foreleg. She said, "Yes, I said to myself that if he is a prophet, it will not harm him, and if he is not a prophet, we shall be rid of him." God's messenger pardoned her and did not punish her. His companions who had eaten some of the sheep died, and God's messenger had himself cupped on the upper arm because of what he had eaten of the sheep. Abu Hind who was a client of the B. Bayada, a section of the Ansar, cupped him with a horn and the edge of a knife. Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

Sahl b. al-Hanzaliya told that on the day of Hunain they travelled for a long time with God's messenger, and that in the evening a horseman came and said, "Messenger of God, I went up such and such a mountain and saw Hawazin all together with their women and animals, having collected at Hunain." God's messenger smiled and said, "That will be the booty of the Muslims to-morrow if God most high will." He asked who would go on guard that night, and when Anas b. Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi said he would, he told him to mount. Then when he had mounted a horse of his he said, "Go forward to this ravine till you get to the top of it." In the morning God's messenger came out to his place of prayer and after praying two rak'as he said, "Have you seen any sign of your horseman?" to which a man replied, "We have not, messenger of God." The announcement that the time of prayer had come was then made, and while God's messenger was saying the prayer he began to glance towards the ravine, and when he finished, he said, "Cheer up, for your horseman has come." They began to look between the trees in the ravine, and sure enough he had come. He came on and standing by God's messenger said, "I went till I reached the top of this ravine where God's messenger commanded me, and in the morning, I looked down into both ravines but saw no one." God's messenger asked him if he had dismounted during the night, and when he replied that he had not, except to pray or to relieve himself, God's messenger said, "No blame will apply to you if you do no more supererogatory deeds in future*." *Literally, "no blame will apply to you supposing you do not work (i.e., do anything) after it." The translation above is based on the explanation given in Mirqat, 5:478. ' Abu Dawud transmitted it.

I brought the Prophet some dates saying, "Ask God for a blessing on them, messenger of God." He took them, prayed that I might have a blessing in them and said, "Take them and put them' in your provision-bag; and as often as you wish to take any, put in your hand and take them, but do not scatter them." I carried such and such a number of camel loads from those dates in God's path, eating of them and giving others something to eat. It never left my side until the day `Uthman was killed, for the bag was cut away. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

"One night, Quraish consulted together in Mecca. Some said they should tie him up (i.e., the Prophet) in the morning; others said they should rather kill him; and others said they should rather expel him. God informed His prophet about that, so `Ali spent that night on the Prophet's bed, and the Prophet went out till he came to the cave. The polytheists spent the night keeping guard on `Ali, thinking he was the Prophet, and in the morning, they rushed on him, but when they saw `Ali, God had turned away their guile. They asked, "Where is this companion of yours?" and he replied, "I do not know." They tracked him but when they reached the mountain his tracks became confused, so they went up the mountain and passed by the cave. They saw a spider's web at the entrance and said, "If he had entered here there would not have been a spider's web at the entrance." He stayed in it for three nights. Ahmad transmitted it.

When Khaibar was conquered a poisoned sheep was presented to God's messenger and he said, "Collect for me the Jews who are here." Then when they were collected God's messenger said to them, "I am going to ask you something, so will you tell me the truth about it?" They replied, "Yes, Abul Qasim." He asked who their father was, and when they replied that he was so and so he told them they lied, for their father was so and so. They said, "You have spoken truly and well." He then said, "Will you tell me the truth about a matter if I ask you about it?" They replied, "Yes, Abul Qasim; and if we lie you will know as you did about our father." He asked them who would go to hell and they replied, "We shall be in it for a little, then you[*] will succeed us in it." He said, "Go off in shame into it. I swear by God that we shall never succeed you in it." He then said, "Will you tell me the truth about a matter if I ask you about it?" and when they replied, "Yes, Abul Qasim," he said, "Have you put poison in this sheep?" They replied that they had, and when he asked them what had induced them to do that they replied, "We wanted to get rid of you if you are a liar, for if you are telling the truth it will not harm you." *The Pronoun is plural, indicating the Prophet and his followers. Bukhari transmitted it.

One day God's messenger led us in the dawn prayer, and mounting the pulpit addressed us till the time for the noon prayer came. He then descended and prayed, after which he mounted the pulpit and addressed us till the time for the afternoon prayer came. He then descended and prayed, after which he mounted the pulpit till the sun set. He informed us of what is to happen up to the day of resurrection, and the one of us who knows most is the one who committed most to memory. Muslim transmitted it.

Ma'n b. 'Abd ar-Rahman told of hearing his father say he had asked Masruq, who told the Prophet about the jinn on the night they listened to the Quran, and he replied, "Your father (meaning 'Abdallah b. Mas'ud) told me that he said a tree told about them." (Bukhari and Muslim).

When we were with `Umar between Mecca and Medina we tried to see the new moon, and I saw it as I had sharp sight, but no one else claimed to have seen it. I began to ask `Umar if he could not see it, but while he could not see it, he said he would see it when he was lying on his back on his bed. He began to tell us of those who had been at Badr, saying that God's messenger had shown them the day before where the combatants would fall. He had said, "This is where so and so will fall to-morrow, if God will; this is where so and so will fall to-morrow, if God will." `Umar swore by Him who had sent the Prophet with the truth that they did not go beyond the limits specified by God's messenger. He told that they were put on top of one another into a well and that God's messenger went to them and said, "So and so son of so and so, and so and so son of so and so, have you found what God and His messenger promised you to be true? I have found what God promised me to be true." 'Umar asked, "Messenger of God, how can you speak to bodies which contain no spirits?" to which he replied, "You are no better able to hear what I am saying than they are, but they are unable to make any reply." Muslim transmitted it.

Unaisa, daughter of Zaid b. Arqam told on her father's authority that the Prophet went in to visit Zaid when he was ill and said, "No harm will come to you from your illness, but how will you do if your life is prolonged after I am gone and you become blind?" He replied, "I shall seek my reward from God and show endurance," whereupon he said, "In that case you will enter paradise without being taken to account." She said he became blind after the Prophet died, and that God restored his sight to him before he died.

Usama b. Zaid reported God's messenger as saying, "Let him who falsely attributes to me things I have not said come to his seat in hell." That was because a man he had sent on an errand had told lies about him. God's messenger therefore invoked a curse on him and he was found dead with his belly split, and the earth would not accept him. Baihaqi transmitted the two traditions in Dala'il an-Nubuwa.

Jabir told that a man came to God's messenger asking him for food and he gave him half a camel-load of barley. The man, his wife and their guest kept on eating of it till he measured it, and then it came to an end. He went to the Prophet who said to him, "If you had not measured it you would have eaten of it and it would have remained for you." Muslim transmitted it.

We went out with God's messenger to a funeral, and I saw him at the grave giving this instruction to the grave-digger, "Make it wide where the feet go and wide where the head goes." When he came back, he was met by one who conveyed an invitation from the widow, and he accepted it and we went along with him. Food was brought, and when he put in his hand the people did the same, and they ate. We noticed that God's messenger was moving a morsel round in his mouth. He then said, "I find the flesh of a sheep which has been taken without its owners' permission." The woman sent a message to say, "Messenger of God, I sent to an-Naqi (a place where sheep were sold) to have a sheep bought for me, but there were none, so I sent to a neighbour of mine who had bought a sheep asking him to send it to me for the price he had paid, but he could not be found. I therefore sent to his wife and she sent it to me." God's messenger then said, "Give this food to the prisoners." Abu Dawud and Baihaqi, in Dala'il an-nubuwa, transmitted it.

Hizam b. Hisham, on his father's authority, said that his grandfather, Hubaish b. Khalid brother of Umm Ma'bad, told that when God's messenger was put out of Mecca he went as an emigrant to Medina, he, Abu Bakr and `Amir b. Fuhaira, Abu Bakr's client, with `Abdallah al-Laithi as their guide. They passed the two tents of Umm Ma'bad and asked her for some meat and dates meaning to buy them from her, but found she had nothing of that nature, for the provisions were exhausted as the tribe had been afflicted with famine. God's messenger looked at a sheep at the side of the tent and said, "What is this sheep, Umm Ma'bad?" She replied, "It is a sheep too emaciated to follow the flock." He asked if it had any milk, and when she replied that it was too exhausted for that, he asked if she would let him milk it. She said, "You for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom, if you see anything to milk in it, milk it." God's messenger asked it to be brought, and wiping its udder with his hand and mentioning the name of God most high, he prayed that she might have a blessing in her sheep. It then opened its legs for him, gave a flow of milk and ruminated. He called for a vessel which could hold enough for the people and milked an abundant supply into it till the froth appeared on the top. He gave her a drink till she was satisfied and gave his companions a drink till they were satisfied, then drank himself last of all. Immediately afterwards he milked it a second time, and when he had filled the vessel, he left it with her. He contracted with her [to accept Islam] and they departed from her. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna, by Ibn `Abd al-Barr in al-Isti'ab, and by Ibn al-Jauzi Kitab al-wafa'. In the tradition a story follows.

Anas told that one very dark night Usaid b. Hudair and `Abbad b. Bishr talked with the Prophet about a matter which concerned them till a short part of the night had passed. They then left God's messenger and went away, each having a small staff in his hand. The staff of one of them gave them light so that they walked by its light, and when their paths separated the other's staff gave him light, so each walked by the light of his staff till he reached his family. Bukhari transmitted it.

Before the battle of Uhud began my father called me 1 during the night and said, "I feel that I shall be among the first of the Prophet's companions to be killed, and apart from God's messenger himself I shall leave no one dearer to me than you. I owe a debt, so pay it; and look after your sisters well." In the morning he was the first to be killed, and I buried him in a grave along with another. Bukhari transmitted it.

The people in the Suffa were poor men, and the Prophet said, "Let him who has food for two take a third, and let him who has food for four take a fifth, or a sixth*." Abu Bakr brought three men and the Prophet went off with ten. Abu Bakr had supper with the Prophet, then remained till the evening prayer was said, after which he went back and stayed till the Prophet had had his supper. Then when so much of the night as God willed had passed, he came home and his wife asked what had kept him away from his guests. He asked if she had not given them their supper, and when she told him they had refused to take it till he came he was angry and said, "I swear by God that I will never taste it." His wife swore that she would not taste it, and the guests swore that they would not taste it; so Abu Bakr, saying this came from the devil, called for the food and ate, and they ate also. Whenever they raised a morsel to their mouths the place from which it was taken increased in quantity, so Abu Bakr said to his wife, "You who come from the B. Firas, what does this mean?" She replied, "I swear by my wellbeing that it is three times as great as it was." They ate and he sent it to the Prophet, and it is mentioned that he ate some of it. *It is not clear whether there is doubt about whether a fifth or a sixth is correct, or whether the words "or a sixth" indicate that two extra people may be invited when there is enough for four. The construction of the sentence rather suggests this latter meaning. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`A'isha said that when the Negus died, they discussed the fact that a light continued to be seen over his grave. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

She told that when they intended to wash the Prophet, they said they did not know whether they should strip him of his clothes as they did with their dead, or wash him with his clothes on. When they disagreed, God cast sleep upon them, so that every man's chin was on his breast. Then someone of whose identity they were unaware addressed them from the comer of the house saying, "Wash the Prophet with his clothes on," so they got up and washed him with his shirt on, pouring the water over the shirt and rubbing him with the shirt. Baihaqi transmitted it in Dala'il an nubuwa.

Ibn al-Munkadir told that Safina, God's messenger's client, missed the army in the land of the Byzantines, or was taken prisoner, and went in flight in search of the army. He met a lion and said, "Abul Harith[*], I am the client of God's messenger, and such and such has happened to me." The lion came forward wagging its tail and stood beside. him, and as often as it heard a sound it rushed towards it. It then went forward walking at his side till he reached the army, after which the lion went back. *This is a name in the form of a kunya commonly applied to a lion. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

The people of Medina were afflicted by a severe famine and complained to `A'isha who said, "Look at the Prophet's grave and make windows opening from it towards the sky so that there will be no ceiling between it and the sky." When they had done so they were given rain to such an extent that the herbage sprouted and the camels were bursting with fat. It was called the year of the bursting. *He was Aus b. 'Abdallah ar-Rab'i. He belonged to Basra and died in 83. Darimi transmitted it.

During the days of the battle of the harra[*] neither the call to prayer nor the declaration that the time for prayer had come was made for three days at the Prophet's Mosque. Sa'id b. al-Musayyib did not leave the mosque, and the only means by which he knew the time for prayer was a whinnying he heard coming from the Prophet's grave. *When the people of Medina rebelled against the Umayyad Caliph Yazid he sent an army under Muslim b. 'Uqba al-Murri towards the end of 63 A.H. The Medina troops were defeated in a battle known by the name given above. Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Khalda[1] told that he asked Abul `Aliya[2] whether Anas had heard anything from the Prophet, and he replied that he had served him for ten years and that the Prophet had prayed for a blessing on him. He had a garden which produced two crops of fruit annually, and in it there was basil which gave off the odour of musk. He was Khalid b. Dinar at-Tamimi as-Sa'di. He was Rufai' b. Mihran ar-Rayahi. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

'Urwa b. az-Zubair told that Arwa daughter of Aus brought a dispute with Sa'id b. Zaid b. `Amr b. Nufail before Marwan b. al-Hakam claiming he had taken some of her land. Sa'id said, "Would I take any of her land after what I heard from God's messenger?" He was asked what he had heard from God's messenger and replied that he had heard him say, "If anyone takes a span of land wrongfully it will be tied round him like a necklace to a depth of seven earths." Marwan said he would ask him for no proof after that, and Sa'id said, "0 God, if she is lying make her blind and kill her in her land." Urwa said she did not die till after she had lost her eyesight. And while she was walking on her land she fell into a hole and died. (Bukhari and Muslim.) Something to the same effect is given in a version by Muslim on the authority of Muhammad b. Zaid b. `Abdallah b. `Umar who said he had seen her blind, feeling for walls, and saying she had been smitten by Sa'id's curse; and that she had come past a well in the region about which she had disputed with him and fallen into it, and it was her grave. Muslim

Ibn `Umar told that 'Umar sent off an army over which he appointed a man called Sariya as commander. While `Umar was addressing the people he began to shout, `Keep near the mountain, Sari[*]" A messenger came later from the army and said, "Commander of the faithful, we met our enemy and they routed us, then someone began to shout, `Keep near the mountain, Sari,' so we set our backs to the mountain and God most high routed them." *A shortened form of the man's name. Baihaqi transmitted it in Dala'il an-nubuwa.

Nubaiha b. Wahb told th at once when Ka'b[1] went in to visit `A'isha and those present mentioned God's messenger, Ka'b said, "Not a day begins without seventy thousand angels descending, surrounding the grave of God's messenger, beating their wings and invoking blessings on him. When evening comes, they ascend and a like number come down and do the same as that. This will go on till the earth is cloven[2] and he comes forth escorted by seventy thousand angels." i.e., Ka'b al-Ahbar On the day of resurrection. Darimi transmitted it.

The first of the companions of God's messenger to come to us were Mus'ab b. `Umair and Ibn Umm Maktum who began to teach us the Quran[1]. Then `Ammar,[2] Bilal[3] and Sa'd[4] came. Then `Umar b. al-Khattab came with twenty of the Prophet's companions. Then the Prophet came, and I never saw the people of Medina so happy about anything as they were about him. I even saw the little girls and boys saying, "This is God's messenger who has come." By the time he came I had learned "Glorify the name of your most high Lord"[5] along with similar suras from al-Mufassal. 1. These two were sent to Medina before the Hijra to teach the people who had sworn allegiance to the Prophet. 2. 'Ammar b. Yasir. 3. Bilal b. Rabah. 4. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqe. 5. Quran:87 Bukhari transmitted it.