Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was the best amongst people in disposition and behaviour.

Anas b. Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) wits the best among people in character. On occasions, the time of prayer would come while he was in our house. He would then order to spread the mat lying under him. That was dusted and then water was sprinkled over it. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) then led the prayer and we stood behind him, and that mat was made of the leaves of date-palm.

The Prophet was the best of all the people in character. I had a brother called Abu `Umar, who, I think, had been newly weaned. Whenever he (that child) was brought to the Prophet the Prophet used to say, "O Abu `Umar! What did Al-Nughair (nightingale) (do)?" It was a nightingale with which he used to play. Sometimes the time of the Prayer became due while he (the Prophet) was in our house. He would order that the carpet underneath him be swept and sprayed with water, and then he would stand up (for the prayer) and we would line up behind him, and he would lead us in prayer.

Allah's Apostle was the handsomest of all the people, and had the best appearance. He was neither very tall nor short.

Al-Bara' reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) had the most handsome face amongst men and he had the best disposition and he was neither very tall nor short-statured.

The Prophet was the best among the people (both in shape and character) and was the most generous of them, and was the bravest of them. Once, during the night, the people of Medina got afraid (of a sound). So the people went towards that sound, but the Prophet having gone to that sound before them, met them while he was saying, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." (At that time) he was riding a horse belonging to Abu Talha and it was naked without a saddle, and he was carrying a sword slung at his neck. The Prophet said, "I found it (the horse) like a sea, or, it is the sea indeed."

Allah's Apostle was the (most handsome), most generous and the bravest of all the people. Once the people of Medina got frightened having heard an uproar at night. So, the Prophet met the people while he was riding an unsaddled horse belonging to Abu Talha and carrying his sword (slung over his shoulder). He said (to them), "Don't get scared, don't get scared." Then he added, "I found it (i.e the horse) very fast."

The 'Prophet was the best and the bravest amongst the people. Once the people of Medina got terrified at night, so they went in the direction of the noise (that terrified them). The Prophet met them (on his way back) after he had found out the truth. He was riding an unsaddled horse belonging to Abu Talha and a sword was hanging by his neck, and he was saying, "Don't be afraid! Don't be afraid!" He further said, "I found it (i.e. the horse) very fast," or said, "This horse is very fast." (Qastala-ni)

A Jubba (i.e. cloak) made of thick silken cloth was presented to the Prophet. The Prophet used to forbid people to wear silk. So, the people were pleased to see it. The Prophet said, "By Him in Whose Hands Muhammad's soul is, the handkerchiefs of Sa`d bin Mu`adh in Paradise are better than this." Anas added, "The present was sent to the Prophet by Ukaidir (a Christian) from Dauma."

A silken cloak was presented to the Prophet and he used to forbid the usage of silk (by men). When the people were fascinated by the cloak. he said, "By Allah in Whose Hands the life of Muhammad is, the handkerchiefs of Sa`d bin Mu`adh in Paradise are better than this."

The Prophet said, "(The people will be thrown into Hell ( Fire) and it will keep on saying, 'Is there any more?' till the Lord of the worlds puts His Foot over it, whereupon its different sides will come close to each other, and it will say, 'Qad! Qad! (enough! enough!) By Your 'Izzat (Honor and Power) and YOUR KARAM (Generosity)!' Paradise will remain spacious enough to accommodate more people until Allah will create some more people and let them dwell in the superfluous space of Paradise. "

The Prophet said, "Paradise and the Fire (Hell) argued, and the Fire (Hell) said, "I have been given the privilege of receiving the arrogant and the tyrants.' Paradise said, 'What is the matter with me? Why do only the weak and the humble among the people enter me?' On that, Allah said to Paradise. 'You are My Mercy which I bestow on whoever I wish of my servants.' Then Allah said to the (Hell) Fire, 'You are my (means of) punishment by which I punish whoever I wish of my slaves. And each of you will have its fill.' As for the Fire (Hell), it will not be filled till Allah puts His Foot over it whereupon it will say, 'Qati! Qati!' At that time it will be filled, and its different parts will come closer to each other; and Allah will not wrong any of His created beings. As regards Paradise, Allah will create a new creation to fill it with."

Yahya related to me from Malik that Muadh ibn Jabal said, "The last advice the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, gave me when I put my foot in the stirrup was that he said, 'Make your character good for the people, Muadh ibn Jabal!' "

The Prophet said, "My similitude in comparison with the other prophets is that of a man who has built a house completely and excellently except for a place of one brick. When the people enter the house, they admire its beauty and say: 'But for the place of this brick (how splendid the house will be)!"

The Prophet (saws) said: The most perfect believer in respect of faith is he who is best of them in manners.

Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet(saws) as saying Abraham(peace be upon him) never told a lie except on three occasions twice for the sake of Allaah. Allaah quoted his words (in the Qur’an) “I am indeed sick” and “Nay, this was done by - this is their biggest one”. Once he was passing through the land of a tyrant (king). He stayed there in a place. People went to the tyrant and informed him saying “A man has come down here; he has a most beautiful woman with him.” So he sent for him (Abraham) and asked about her. He said she is my sister. When he returned to her, he said “he asked me about you and I informed him that you were my sister. Today there is no believer except me and you. You are my sister in the Book of Allaah (i.e., sister in faith). So do not belie me before him. The narrator then narrated the rest of the tradition.

Abu Dawud said “A similar tradition has also been narrated by Shu’aib bin Abi Hamza from Abi Al Zinad from Al A’raj on the authority of Abu Hurairah from the Prophet (saws).

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Sulayman ibn Yasar said, "I understood from people that when they made the kaffara for a broken oath, they gave a mudd of wheat according to the smaller mudd. They thought that that would compensate for them."

Malik said, "The best of what I have heard about the one who does kaffara for breaking his oath by clothing people is that if he clothes men he clothes them each in one garment. If he clothes women, he clothes them each in two garments, a long shift and a long scarf, because that is what is satisfactory for each of them in the prayer."

¹ i.e. he has not been ostentatious in his obedience. It was related by at-Tirmidhi (also by Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Ibn Majah). Its chain of authorities is sound.

Abraham did not tell a lie except on three occasion. Twice for the Sake of Allah when he said, "I am sick," and he said, "(I have not done this but) the big idol has done it." The (third was) that while Abraham and Sarah (his wife) were going (on a journey) they passed by (the territory of) a tyrant. Someone said to the tyrant, "This man (i.e. Abraham) is accompanied by a very charming lady." So, he sent for Abraham and asked him about Sarah saying, "Who is this lady?" Abraham said, "She is my sister." Abraham went to Sarah and said, "O Sarah! There are no believers on the surface of the earth except you and I. This man asked me about you and I have told him that you are my sister, so don't contradict my statement." The tyrant then called Sarah and when she went to him, he tried to take hold of her with his hand, but (his hand got stiff and) he was confounded. He asked Sarah. "Pray to Allah for me, and I shall not harm you." So Sarah asked Allah to cure him and he got cured. He tried to take hold of her for the second time, but (his hand got as stiff as or stiffer than before and) was more confounded. He again requested Sarah, "Pray to Allah for me, and I will not harm you." Sarah asked Allah again and he became alright. He then called one of his guards (who had brought her) and said, "You have not brought me a human being but have brought me a devil." The tyrant then gave Hajar as a girl-servant to Sarah. Sarah came back (to Abraham) while he was praying. Abraham, gesturing with his hand, asked, "What has happened?" She replied, "Allah has spoiled the evil plot of the infidel (or immoral person) and gave me Hajar for service." (Abu Huraira then addressed his listeners saying, "That (Hajar) was your mother, O Bani Ma-is-Sama (i.e. the Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael, Hajar's son).

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z-Zinad that Said ibn al- Musayyab said, "People used to be given bonuses from the Khumus."

Malik said, "That is the best of what I have heard on the matter."

Malik was asked about bonuses and whether they were taken from the first of the spoils, and he said, "That is only decided according to the ijtihad of the Imam. We do not have a known reliable command about that other than it is up to the ijtihad of the Sultan. I have not heard that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, gave bonuses in all his raids. I have only heard that he gave bonuses in one of them, namely the day of Hunayn. It depends on the ijtihad of the Imam whether they are taken from the first of the spoils or what is after it."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that A'isha, umm al-muminin said, "Rashness in oaths is that a man says, 'By Allah, No! by Allah!' " i.e. out of habit.

Malik said, "The best of what I have heard on the matter is that rashness in oaths is that a man take an oath on something to show that he is certain that it is like he said, only to find that it is other than what he said. This is rashness."

Malik said, "The binding oath is for example, that a man says that he will not sell his garment for ten dinars, and then he sells it for that, or that he will beat his young slave and then does not beat him, and so on. One does kaffara for making such an oath, and there is no kaffara in rashness."

Malik said, "As for the one who swears to a thing which he knows is wicked, and he swears to a lie he knows to be a lie, in order to please someone with it or to excuse himself to someone by it or to gain money by it, no kaffara that he does for it can cover it."

Abdullah bin 'Amr mentioned Allah's Apostle saying that he was neither a Fahish nor a Mutafahish. Abdullah bin 'Amr added, Allah's Apostle said, 'The best among you are those who have the best manners and character.'

When a man who had dyed himself with henna passed by the Prophet (saws), he said: How fine this is! When another man who had dyed himself with henna and katam passed by, he said: This is better than that. Then another man who had dyed himself with yellow dye, passed by, he said: This is better than all that.