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

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

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.

I have never seen a day which was better or brighter than the day when God's messenger entered to us; and I have never seen a worse or a darker day than the I day on which God's messenger died. Darimi. In Tirmidhi's version he said: When the day came on which God's messenger entered Medina, everything in it shone; but when the day came on which he died, everything; in it was dark. We did not brush the earth off our hands when we were engaged in burying him, and we felt sore at heart.

`A'isha told that when God's messenger died the people disagreed about his burial, and Abu Bakr said he had heard something from God's messenger. He had said, "God takes a prophet only in the place where he wishes to be buried." So, he told them to bury him where his bedding lay. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`A'isha said God's messenger did not leave a dinar or a dirham, or a sheep or a camel, and did not make a will about anything. Muslim transmitted it.

`Amr b. al-Harith, the brother of Juwairiya, said that when God's messenger died, he did not leave a dinar or a dirham, a slave or a slave-woman, or anything but his white she-mule, his weapons and some land which he appointed as sadaqa. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God's messenger as saying, "A time is coming to mankind when a party will go to fight and be asked if there are among them any who were companions of God's messenger; and when they reply that there are, they will be given victory. Then a time is coming to mankind when a party will go to fight, and when they are asked if there are any among them who associated with the companions of God's messenger and reply that there are, they will be given victory. Then a time is coming to mankind when a party of people will go to fight, and when they are asked if there are any among them who associated with those who associated with the companions of God's messenger and reply that there are, they will be given victory." (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim he said, "A time is coming to mankind when an expedition will be sent forth from among them, and when they are asked to see whether they can find one of the companions of God's messenger among them and one is found, they will be given victory. Then a second expedition will be sent forth, and when they are asked if they include anyone who saw the companions of God's messenger and one is found, they will be given victory. Then a third expedition will be sent forth and people will be asked to look and see whether they include anyone who saw anyone who saw the Prophet's companions. Then there will be a fourth expedition and people will be asked to look and see whether they include anyone who saw anyone who saw anyone who saw the Prophet's companions. A man will be found and victory will be given because of him." Muslim.

In the time of the Prophet, we did not compare anyone with Abu Bakr. `Umar came next and then Uthman. We would then leave the Prophet's companions without treating any as superior to others. Bukhari transmitted it. In a version by Abu Dawud, he said: When God's messenger was alive, we used to say that the most excellent member of the Prophet's people after himself was Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman.

Abu Huraira told that he heard God's messenger say, "While I was asleep I saw myself above a well on which there was a bucket. I drew from it what God wished, then the son of Abu Quhafa[1] drew from it one bucketful or two, but in his drawing there was some weakness for which may God forgive him. It then changed into a large bucket which the son of al-Khattab took hold of, and I have never seen a strong man drawing as `Umar did, till the camels had enough and lay down[2]." [1] i.e., Abu Bakr [2] Or, "the people satisfied their thirst and stayed by the water." The Arabic is darab an nas bi-aian In Ibn `Umar's version he said, "Then the son of al-Khattab took it from Abu Bakr's hand and it changed into a large bucket. I have not seen a strong man accomplishing what he did, till the people had enough and the camels had enough and lay down." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Sahl b. Sa'd told that God's messenger said on the day of Khaibar, "I shall certainly give this standard tomorrow to a man who loves God and His messenger and is loved by God and His messenger, at whose hands God will give victory." In the morning the people came to God's messenger each hoping he would be given it, but he asked, "Where is `Ali b. Abu Talib?" On being informed that he was suffering from eye trouble he told them to send for him, and when he was brought God's messenger spat in his eyes and he recovered, so that it seemed as if nothing had been wrong with him. He then gave him the standard, and he said, "Messenger of God, I shall fight with them till they are like us." He then said, "Go gently till you come to their outskirts, then invite them to accept Islam and inform them of the demands due to God which it will involve for them. I swear by God it will be better for you that God should give guidance to one man through your agency than that you should acquire the red ones among the camels[*]." *This phrase indicates camels of the most valuable breed, and is also used figuratively of anything which is valuable. (Bukhari and Muslim.) The tradition of al-Bara' in which he said to `Ali, "You pertain to me and I pertain to you," has been mentioned in the chapter on young people attaining puberty.

He told that they used to call Zaid b. Haritha, God's messenger's client, simply Zaid b. Muhammad till the verse in the Quran came down, "Call them after their fathers[*]." *Quran, 33:5. (Bukhari and Muslim.) The tradition of al-Bara' in which he said to `Ali, "You pertain to me," has been mentioned in the chapter on young people attaining puberty, and their guardianship in childhood[*].

Ya'la b. Murra reported God's messenger as saying, "Husain pertains to me and I to him. May God love him who loves Husain! Husain is a grandson[*]." *Another possibility is `a tribe', meaning that he would have many descendants; but the translation above is more likely. Cf. Mirqat, 5:605. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`Ali said al-Hasan resembled God's messenger from the breast to the head and al-Husain resembled the Prophet below that. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

When `Ubaidallah b. Ziyad[*]was brought al-Husain's bead and it was put in a dish, he began to tap [it] and said something about his beauty, so I said, "I swear by God that he was the one of then who most closely resembled God's messenger." He was dyed with indigo. *The governor of Basra who was sent to Kufa to deal with Hussain's movement which ended with his death at Karbala. Bukhari transmitted it. In Tirmidhi's version he said: I was with Ibn Ziyad when al-Husain's head was brought in, and he began to tap on his nose with a wand and say, "I have never seen anyone as good looking as this man." I said, "I assure you that he was one of those who resembled God's messenger most closely." Tirmidhi said this is a sahih hasan gharib tradition.

She told that the people used to choose `A'isha's day to bring their gifts, seeking thereby to please God's messenger. She said that God's messenger's wives were in two parties, one including `A'isha, Hafsa, Safiya, and Sauda, and the other including Umm Salama and the rest of God's messenger's wives Umm Salama's party spoke to her telling her to ask God's messenger to say to the people, "If anyone wishes to make a present to God's messenger, let him present it to him wherever he happens to be." She did so and he replied, "Do not annoy me regarding `A'isha, for inspiration has not some to me when I was in any woman's garment but `A'isha's." She said, "I repent to God of annoying you, messenger of God." They then called Fatima, sent her to God's messenger, and she spoke to him, but he replied, "Do you not like what I like, girlie?" She said, "Certainly," so he said; "Then love this woman[*]." *i.e., Aisha. (Bukhari and Muslim.) The tradition of Anas, "`A'isha's superiority over women..." has been mentioned in the chapter on the beginning of creation on Aba Musa's authority.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "He who goes up the pass, the pass of al-Murar[1], will have remitted to him what was remitted to the B. Isra'il." The first to go up it were our cavalry, the cavalry of the B. al-Khazraj; then all the people followed and God's messenger said, "You will all have your sins forgiven except the owner of the red camel[2]." We went to him and said, "Come and let God's messenger ask forgiveness for you," but he replied, "I would rather find my stray than have your companion ask forgiveness for me." Near Al Hudaibiya Abdullah bin Ubayy Muslim transmitted it. The tradition of Anas that he said to Ubayy b. Ka'b, "God has commanded me to recite the Quran to you," has been mentioned in a chapter after that on the excellent qualities of the Quran.

Qais b. Abu Hazim told that the grant to those who were present at Badr was five thousand each and that `Umar said, "I shall certainly give them precedence over those who come after them." Bukhari transmitted it. List of names of those present at Badr whose names are given in the Jami' by Bukhari. The Prophet, Muhammad b. `Abdallah al-Hashimi, `Abdallah b. `Uthman Abu Bakr as-Siddiq al-Qurashi, `Umar b. al-Khattab al-`Adawi, `Uthman b, `Affan al-Qurashi whom the Prophet left behind to look after his daughter Ruqayya but to whom he appointed his portion, `Ali b. Abu Talib al-Hashimi, Iyas b. al-Bukair, Bilal b. Rabah client of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, Hamza b. `Abd al-Muttalib al-Hashimi, Hatib b. Abu Balta'a the ally of Quraish, Abu Hudhaifa b. `Utba b. Rabi'a al Qurashi, Haritha b. ar-Rubayyi' al-Ansari who was killed at the battle of Badr, and he was Haritha b. Suraqa[1] who was one of the look-out, Khubaib b. `Adi al-Ansari, Khunais b. Hudhafa as-Sahmi, Riafa'a b. Rafi' al-Ansari, Rifa'a b. `Abd al-Mundhir Abu Lubaba al-Ansari, az-Zubair b. al-`Awwam al-Qurashi, Zaid b. Sahl Abu Talha al-Ansari, Abu Zaid al-Ansari, Sa'd b. Malik az-Zuhri, Sa'd b. Khaula al-Qurashi, Sa'id b. Zaid b. `Amr b. Nufail al-Qurashi, Sahl b. Hunaif al-Ansari, Zuair b. Rafi' al-Ansari and his brother[2], 'Abdallah b. Mas'ud al-Hudhali[3], 'Abd ar-Rahman b. ` Auf az Zuhri, `Ubaida b. al-Harith al-Qurashi, `Ubada b. as Samit al-Ansari, `Amr b. 'Auf the ally of the B. `Amir b. Lu'ayy, 'Uqba b. `Amr al-Ansari, `Amir b. Rabi'a al-'Anzi, `Asim b. Thabit al Ansari, `Uwaim b. Sa'ida al-Ansari, `Itban b. Malik al-Ansari, Qudama b. Maz'un, Qatada b. an-Nu`man al-Ansari, Mu'adh b. `Amr b. al-Jamuh, Mu'awwidh b. `Afra and his brother[4], Malik b. Rabi'a Abu Usaid al Ansari, Mistah b. Uthatha b. 'Abbad b. al-Muttalib b. 'Abd Manaf, Murara b. ar-Rabi' al-Anaari, Ma'n b. `Adi al-Ansari, Miqdad b. 'Amr al-Kindi the ally of the B. Zuhra, Hilal b. Umayya al-Ansari. God be pleased with them all![5] 1. Cf. p. 810. 2. His name was Muzahhir. 3. Bukhari, Maghazi, 13, adds here 'Utba b. Mas'ud al-Hudhali. 4. His name was Mu'adh. 5. Bukhari, Maghazi, 13, does not give `all'.