"Some of the poor people came to Allah's Messenger (S) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah (S)! The rich pray as we pray, they fast as we fast, but they have wealth with which they free slaves and which they give in charity.' He said: 'When you perform Salat, then say: 'Subhan Allah' thirty-three times, and: 'Al-Hamdulillah' thirty-three times, and: 'Allahu Akbar' thirty-four times, and 'La ilaha illallah' ten times. With that you will have surprassed them, and none would surpass you afterwards.'"

"Marwan left Abu Hurairah in charge of Al-Madinah and he went to Makkah. So Abu Hurairah led us in Salat in Friday, reciting Surah Al-Jumuah (in the first Rak'ah) and in the second prostration (Rak'ah): When the hypocrites come to you." Ubaidullah said: "So I caught up with Abu Hurairah and said to him: 'You recited two Surah that Ali recited in Al-Kufah. Abu Hurairah said: 'Indeed I heard Allah's Messenger reciting them.'"

"When the Prophet arrived in Makkah, he entered the Masjid and touched the (Black) Stone, then went to his right and performed Raml (walking quickly) for three (circuits) and walking for four. Then he came to the Maqam and said: 'And take you (people) the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.' Then he performed two Rak'ah while the Maqam was between him and the House. Then he came to the (Black) Stone after the two Rak'ah to touch it, then he left to As-Safa - I think - he said: Indeed As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah."

"I prayed for the funeral of a man with Anas bin Malik, so he stood parallel to his head. Then they came with the body of a woman from the Quraish. They said: 'O Abu Hamzah perform the prayer for her.' So he stood parallel to her waist. Al-Ala bin Ziyad said to him: 'Is this how you saw the Messenger of Allah standing in the place for the funeral as you did for her, and for a place that you stood for the man?' He said: 'Yes.' When he was finished he said: 'Remember (this).'"

"The first to advance the Khutbah before the Salat was Marwan. A man stood to say to Marwan: 'You have contradicted the Sunnah.' So he said: 'O so-and-so! What was there it has been left.' So Abu Sa'eed said: 'As for this, he has fulfilled what is upon him. I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) saying: 'Whomever among you sees an evil, then let him stop it with his hand. Whomever is not able,then with his tongue, and whomever is not able, then with his heart. That is the weakest of faith."'

"We were seated with the Prophet (s.a.w) when he looked towards the moon on the night of a full moon and said: "Indeed you shall be placed before your Lord and you shall see Him as you see this moon. You will see Him without trouble. So if you are able to keep from becoming overwhelmed from prayer before the rising of the sun and before its setting, then do so." Then he recited: And glorify the praises of your Lord before the setting."

That the Prophet (saws) sent an expedition in the direction of Najd. They gained many spoils of war and returned quickly. A man among those who did not go out said: “We have not seen an expedition quicker in return or greater in spoils than this expedition.” So the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “Should I not direct you to a group greater in spoils and quicker in return? A group who attended Salat As-Subh, then sat remembering Allah until the sun rose, for these are quicker in return and greater in spoils.”

"A delegation of Abdul-Qais came to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and said: 'We are a tribe from Rabi'ah, and we cannot come to you except during the sacred months. So order us with something that we can take from you, and then we call those who are behind us to it.' So he said: 'I order you with four things: To testify to La Ilaha Illallah, and that I am the Messenger of Allah; to establish the Salat, to give the Zakat, and to give the Khumus from the spoils of war that you gain.'"

"I saw the Messenger of Allah (SAW) at the time when the 'Asr prayer had drawn near, and the people were searching for water for Wudu, bu they did not find any. So the Messenger of Allah (SAW) was brought some water for Wudu, and the Messenger of Allah (SAW) put his hand in the container and ordered that the people make Wudu from it." He said: "So I saw water springing out from under his fingers. The people performed Wudu until the last of them made Wudu."

"There was a woman who performed Salat behind the Messenger of Allah (SAW) who was the most beautiful among the people. Some of the people would go forward to the first line so as not to see her. Others would go back to the last line so when he would bow, he could look at her from under his armpit. So Allah revealed: Indeed We know those who try to come forward among you, and We know those who try to go back (15:24).

that 'Aishah the wife of the Prophet (SAW) said: "I asked about the Messenger of Allah (SAW) about this Ayah: And those who give that which they give with their hearts full of fear... (23:60)" 'Aishah said: "Are they those who drink Khamr and steal?" He said: "No, O daughter of As-Siddiq. They are those who fast, perform Salat, give charity while they fear that their Lord will not accept it from them: It is these who hasten to do good deeds, and they are the foremost of them (23:61)."

I said to Mu'awiyah (bin Abu Sufyan) (May Allah be pleased with them): I heard Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, "If Allah invests to someone the affairs of the Muslims and he (i.e., the ruler) ignores their rights, denies their access to him and neglects their needs, Allah will not answer his prayer or realize his hopes and will act towards him with indifference on the Day of Resurrection." So Mu'awiyah appointed a person to keep a vigil on the necessities of the people and to fulfill them.

[Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi].

I asked: "O Messenger of Allah, teach me a prayer." He (PBUH) said, "Say: Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min sharri sam'i, wa min sharri basari, wa min sharri lisani, wa min sharri qalbi, wa min sharri maniyyi (O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the evils of my hearing, the evils of my seeing, the evils of my tongue; the evils of my heart and the evils of passions)."

[Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi].

I said to 'Umar bin al Khattab رضي الله عنه , `And when you (Muslims) travel in the land, there is no sin on you if you shorten As­Salah (the prayer) if you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial (attack you)` (al Nisa' 4:101]. But now the people are safe. He said: I wondered the same thing as you are wondering, and I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about that. He said: “It is a charity that Allah has bestowed upon you, so accept His charity.`

`Uthman bin `Affan (رضي الله عنه) said, speaking from his minbar I am going to tell you a hadeeth that I heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) , nothing kept me from telling it to you except the fact that I care for you, I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: `Standing guard for one night for the sake of Allah, may He be exalted, is better than a thousand nights spent in prayer and [a thousand] days spent fasting.”

`Uthman bin `Affan (رضي الله عنه) said, speaking from his minbar: I am going to tell you a hadeeth that I heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ; nothing kept me from telling it to you except the fact that I care for you. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Standing guard for one night for the sake of Allah, may He be exalted, is better than a thousand nights spent in prayer and [a thousand] days spent fasting.`

Abu Huraira reported that an Arab came to the Prophet and said, "Guide me to a deed by doing which I shall enter paradise.” He said, “Worship God and associate nothing with Him, observe the prescribed prayer, pay the obligatory zakat, and fast during Ramadan.” He replied, "By Him in whose hand my soul is, I shall not add anything to this, or fall short of it.” Then when he turned away the Prophet said, "If anyone wishes to look at a man who will be among the people of paradise, let him look at this man.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone attends the funeral of a Muslim out of faith and seeking a reward from God, and stays till prayer is offered and the burial is complete, he will return with a reward of two qirats, each qirat being equivalent to Uhud (The qirat is a small weight, a twentieth, or twenty-fourth of a dinar. Here it is used somewhat figuratively. The statement that it is equivalent to the hill Uhud is a way of expressing that the reward will be very great); and if anyone prays over the dead and returns before the burial, he will come back with one qirat.” (Bukharl and Muslim.)

Khuraim o. Fatik told that when God’s Messenger had finished praying the morning prayer he stood up and said three times, “False witness has been made equivalent to attributing a partner to God. He then recited, “So avoid the abomination of idols and avoid spreading falsehood as people pure of faith to God, not associating anything with Him." (Al-Qur’an, 22:30) Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it and Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it on the authority of Aiman b. Khuraim. Ibn Majah did not mention what he recited.

‘Ubada b. as-Samit reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Five times of prayer have been prescribed by God. If anyone performs the ablution for them well, observes them at their proper time, and perfectly performs the bowing and showing of submissiveness during them, he has a covenant from God to forgive him; but if anyone does not do so, he has no covenant. If He wills He may forgive him, but if He wills He may punish him.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Malik and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

Thauban reported God’s Messenger as saying, “There are three things which are unlawful for anyone to do. A man must not act as imam for others in prayer and make a supplication for himself excluding them, for if he does that he has acted treacherously towards them. No one must look inside a house before asking permission to enter, for if he does so he has acted treacherously towards [its inhabitants]. And no one should pray while retaining urine, but should first relieve himself.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi has something similar.

Abu Huraira reported that God's Messenger said to Bilal at the dawn prayer, “Tell me, Bilal, of the action you have done since becoming a Muslim which is most calculated to cause hope in you, for I heard the sound of your sandals in front of me in paradise.” He replied, “I have done no action more calculated, in my opinion to cause hope than that I have never performed ablution at any hour of the night or day without immediately praying what was ordained for me to pray.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, “Every bone of men’s fingers and toes must give sadaqa every day the sun rises. If one gives justice between two men it is sadaqa; if one helps a man with his beast, loading or lifting* his goods on it, it is sadaqa; a good word is sadaqa; every step one takes towards prayer is sadaqa; and if anyone removes anything injurious from the road it is sadaqa.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) * Mirqat suggests that the transmitter says 'loading or lifting', being doubtful which word was used.

I had myself cupped like that in the middle of my head for a reason other than poison and suffered some loss of memory till I was recommended to use Fatihat al-Kitab in the prayer. Razin transmitted it. * An attempt was made to poison the Prophet after the conquest of Khaibar in 7 A.H., but when he had taken a mouthful of the poisoned meat he spat it out realizing that it was poisoned.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “One of the best types of subsistence is that of a man who grasps his horse’s rein in (God’s path and races on its back, making for the places where being killed and dying are liable to take place as often as he hears a terrible shout or a cry for help; or of a man with a few sheep on one of these highlands or down in one of these wadis who observes prayer, pays the zakat and worships his Lord till death* comes. Such a one is in a good condition among men.” * Al-yaqin, the certainty. Muslim transmitted it.

Ja’far bin Muhammad reported on the authority of his father The Prophet (saws) prayed the noon and the afternoon prayers with one adhan and two iqamahs at ‘Arafah and he did not offer supererogatory prayers between them. He prayed the sunset and night prayers at Al Muzdalifah with one adhan and two iqamahs and he did not offer supererogatory prayers between them.

Abu Dawud said This tradition has been narrated by Hatim bin Isma’il as a part of the lengthy tradition. Muhammad bin ‘Ali Al Ju’fi narrated it from Ja’far from his father on the authority of Jabir, like the tradition transmitted by Hatim bin Isma’il. But this version has He offered the sunset and night prayers with one adhan and one iqamah.

I went to the Prophet (saws) while two men who were Ash’ arIs were with me. One of them was on my right and the other on my left side. Bothe of them asked him for employment. The prophet (saws) was silent. He asked : What do you say Abu Musa, or ‘Abd Allah b. Qais (Abu Musa’s name)? I replied: By him who has sent you with truth, they did not inform me of what they had in their hearts, and I did not know that they would ask for an employment. He said : I have the scene before my eyes that he had his toothstick below his lip which receded. He (the prophet) said: We will never or will not put in charge of our work anyone who asks for it. But go, ye, Abu Musa, or ‘Abd Allah b. Qais. He then sent him as a Governor of the Yemen, After him he sent Muadh b. Jabal. When Muadh came to him, he said: come down , and he put a cushion for him. He saw that a man was chained with him. He asked : What is this? He replied: He was a Jew and he accepted Islam. He then converted to his religion, an evil religion. He said: I will not sit until he is killed according to the decision of Allah and his Apostle (saws). He said: Yes, be seated. He said: I will not sit until he is killed according to the decision of Allah and his Apostle (peace be upon him). He said it three times. He then commanded for it and he was killed. Both of them then discussed the question of prayer and vigilance at night. One of them, probably Muadh, said : So far as I am concerned, I sleep and I keep vigilance: I keep vigilance and I sleep: I hope for the same reward for my sleep as for my vigilance.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As reported God’s messenger as saying there are two characteristics which will not be retained by any Muslim without his entering paradise. While they are easy, those who act upon them are few. One should say ‘Glory be to God’ ten times after every prayer, ‘Praise be to God’ ten times and ‘God is most great’ ten times. (He said he had seen God’s messenger counting them on his hand, and saying, “That is a hundred and fifty on the tongue, but one thousand five hundred in the scale”).[The three phrases each said ten times after the five times of prayer makes a hundred and fifty, and as a good deed gets a ten-fold reward the total is treated as one thousand five hundred.] When he goes to his bed he should say ‘Glory be to God,’ ‘God is most Great’ and ‘Praise be to God’ a hundred times, for that is a hundred on the tongue, but a thousand in the scale. He asked them which of them could commit two thousand five hundred sins in a day and a night.* He was asked how they could not retain these characteristics, and told them that the devil comes to a man while he is engaged in prayer, calling such and such and such and such to his memory until he turns away and perhaps may not do it. He also comes to him on his bed and keeps on making him sleep till he falls asleep. *The thousand plus the preceding fifteen hundred make two thousand five hundred good deeds with which the man who observes the two characteristics mentioned is credited, and as one could hardly commit as many sins in a day and a night there is a balance in his favour. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. In Abu Dawud's version he said, “Two qualities or two characteristics will not be adhered to by a Muslim ...” And also in his version after saying “One thousand five hundred in the scale” he said, “When he goes to his bed he should say ‘God is most great’ thirty-four times, ‘Praise be to God’ thirty-three times and ‘Glory be to God’ thirty-three times.” In most texts of al-Masabih it is given on the authority of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar.

"The Messenger of Allah taught us the Tashah-hud for Salat and the Tashah-hud for Al-Hajjah." He said: "The Tashah-hud for Salat is: (At-Tahiyyatulilah, was-walawtu wat-tayyibatu. As-Salamu alaika ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmatullilahi wa barakatuhu, As-Salamu alina wa ala ibadillahis-salihin. Ashahadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduha wa Raduluh.) 'All greetings, prayers, and pure words are for Allah. Peace be upon you O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and His blessings. Peace be upon us and all of the righteous worshippers of Allah. I testify that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah. and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger."And the Tashah-hud for Al-Hajjah is: 'Indeed all praise is due to Allah, we seek His aid, and we seek His forgiveness, and we seek refuge with Allah from the evils of our souls and the mischief of our deeds. (Innal-Hamdlillahi nasta'inuhu, wa nastaghfirhu, wa na'udhu billahi min sharuri anfusina, wa sayy'ita a'malina, man yahdihi, sala mudilla lahu, wa manyudlil, fala Hadiya lahu, wa ashadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa Rasuluh) 'Whoever He guides - meaning Allah - then here is none to lead him astray, and whomever He misleads, then there is no guide for him. I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His worshipper and Messenger.'" He said: "And he recited three Ayat."

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Shall I not guide you to something for which God blots out sins and raises men's ranks?” When his hearers expressed their desire that he should tell them, he said, “Performing complete ablution although circumstances make it difficult, travelling far to mosques, and looking expectantly to the next time of prayer after prayers have been said. That is the defence of the frontier.”* The tradition of Malik b. Anas has, “That is the defence of the frontier; that is the defence of the frontier. He repeated it twice.” *Here meant in a spiritual sense, as a defence against infidelity and wrongdoing. Muslim transmitted it. Tirmidhi’s version has thrice.

Malik related to us from Abdullah ibn Yazid the mawla of al-Aswad ibn Sufyan, from Abu Salama ibn Abd ar-Rahman from Muhammad ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn Thawban from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When the heat is fierce delay the prayer until it gets cooler, for scorching heat is a part of the blast of Jahannam."

He added, "The Fire complained to its Lord, so He allowed it two breaths in each year, a breath in winter and a breath in summer."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father from A'isha, umm al-muminin, that whenever the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did ghusl for major ritual impurity, he would begin by washing his hands, and then do wudu as for prayer. He would then put his fingers in the water and rub the roots of his hair with them. Then he would pour as much water as two hands can hold on to his head three times, and over the entire surface of his skin.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Fatima bint Abu Hubaysh said, 'Messenger of Allah, I never become pure - am I permitted to pray?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'That is a vein, not menstruation. So when your period approaches, leave off from the prayer, and when its grip leaves, wash the blood from yourself and pray.' "

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Qasim that Abdullah ibn Umar told him that he used to see Abdullah ibn Umar cross his legs in the sitting position of the prayer.He said, "So I did the same, and I was young at the time. Abdullah ibn Umar forbade me and said, 'The sunna of the prayer is that you keep your right foot vertical and lay your left foot down.' I said to him, 'But you do the same (as I did).' He said, 'My feet do not support me.' "

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az- Zubayr that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I never once saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, doing the voluntary prayer of duha, but I myself do it. Sometimes the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would refrain from a practice that he loved to do, fearing that people would do the same and it would become fard for them ."

Anas bin Malik was asked about the Prophet's fasting and he said: "He would fast during a month until we thought that he did not want to abstain from fasting during any of it. And, he would not fast during a month until we thought that he did not want to fast during any of it. (There was no time) that I wanted to see if he was performing Salat during the night, except that I would see him praying, nor to see him sleeping, except that I would see him sleeping."

"Dreams are of three types: The true dream, dreams about something that has happened to the man himself, and dreams in which the Shaitan frightens someone. So whoever sees what he dislikes, then he should get up and perform Salah." And he would say: "I like fetters and I dislike the iron collar." And he would say: " Whoever has seen me (in a dream) then it is I , for indeed Shaitan is not able to resemble me." And he would say: "The dream is not to be narrated except to a knowledgeable person or a sincere advisor."

"When the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) arrived- meaning in Al-Madinah – the people came out to meet him. It was said that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) had arrived, so I went among the people to get a look at him. When I gazed upon the face of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w), I knew that this face was not the face of a liar. The first thing that he spoke about was that he said: 'O you people! Spread the Salam, feed(others), and perform Salat while the people are sleeping; you will enter Paradise with(the greeting of) Salam.'” (Sahih)

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The best of people is a man who is holding his horse's rein in the way of Allah (in Jihad) and is galloping towards the place wherever he hears a call for war or detects a note of danger; he goes on proceeding, seeking martyrdom or death wherever it is expected. And a man who retires with some sheep in a mountainside or a valley. He performs Salat regularly and pays the Zakat, continues worshipping his Rubb, till death overtakes him. He does not interfere in the affairs of the people except for betterment."

[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "When any one of you sleeps, Satan ties three knots at the back of his neck. He recites this incantation at every knot: 'You have a long night, so sleep.' If he awakes and remembers Allah, one knot is loosened. If he performs Wudu', the (second) knot is loosened; and if he performs prayer, (all) knots are loosened. He begins his morning in a happy and refreshed mood; otherwise, he gets up in bad spirits and sluggish state."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

There was a man of the Ansar whose house was the farthest from the mosque. As far as I know, he never missed Salat (in congregation). It was said to him: "If you buy a donkey, you may ride upon it in the dark nights and in the hot days." He said: "I do not like that my house should be situated close to the mosque. I desire that my walking towards the mosque and returning home be recorded to my credit." Upon this the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah has gathered all (rewards) for you."

[Muslim].

Umm Salama said that in the time of God’s messenger there was a woman who had an issue of blood, so Umm Salama asked the Prophet to give a decision about her. He said, “She should consider the number of nights and days during which she used to menstruate each month before she was afflicted with this trouble and abandon prayer during that period each month; then when she finishes that she should wash, tie a cloth over her private parts and pray.” Malik, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it, and Nasa’i transmitted something to the same effect;

Ibn ‘Abbas said God's messenger left Medina to go to Mecca and fasted till he reached ‘Usfan. He then called for water, and raising it aloft so that the people might see it, he broke his fast and did not resume it till he reached Mecca, and that was in Ramadan. Ibn ‘Abbas used to say, “God’s messenger has fasted and has broken his fast, so he who wishes may fast and he who wishes may break his fast.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim from Jabir it says that he drank after the afternoon prayer.

Jarir b. ‘Abdillah told that when God’s Messenger sent an expedition to Khath'am some of them sought God’s protection by having recourse to prostration* and were quickly killed. When the Prophet heard that, he ordered half the blood wit to be paid for them, saying, “I am not responsible for any Muslim who stays among polytheists.” On being asked why that was, he replied, “Their fires should not be visible to one another.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Some members of Khath'am who were Muslims prostrated themselves in prayer to God thinking that this would make it clear to the attackers that they were Muslims.

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to make supplication during the prayer saying, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in the grave, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of the antichrist, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of life and the trial of death. O God, I seek refuge in Thee from sin and debt.” Someone said to him, “How often you seek refuge from debt!” He replied, “When a man is in debt he talks and tells lies, makes promises and breaks them.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. az-Zubair said that when God’s Messenger uttered the salutation at the end of his prayer he used to say as loudly as he could. “There is no god but God alone who has no partner. To Him belongs the kingdom, to Him praise is due, and He is omnipotent. There is no might or power except in God. There is no god but God whom alone we worship. To Hirn belongs wealth, to Him belongs grace, and to Him is worthy praise accorded. There is no god but God to whom we are sincere in devotion, even though the infidels should disapprove’ (Al-Qur’an; 40:14). Muslim transmitted it.

Imran b. Husain said that God’s Messenger prayed the afternoon prayer and gave the salutation at the end of three rak'as, then went into his house. A man called al-Khirbaq who had long arms got up and went to him, and addressing him mentioned to him what he had done. He came out angrily trailing his cloak, and when he came to the people he asked, “Is this man telling the truth?” When they told him that he was, he prayed a rak‘a, then gave the salutation, then made two prostrations, then gave the salutation. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Mas'ud reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The one of you who is most versed in God’s Book should act as imam for the people; but if they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who has most knowledge regarding the sunna; if they are equal regarding the sunna, then the earliest of them to emigrate; if they emigrated at the same time, then the oldest of them. No man must lead another in prayer where the latter has authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, without his permission.” Muslim transmitted it. A version by him has, “And a man must not act as imam for another in his own family.”

God’s Messenger was detained one morning from observing the prayer with us till the sun had almost appeared over the horizon. He then came cut quickly, and when the iqama had been uttered he conducted the prayer in a shortened form; then when he had given the salutation he called out to us saying, “Keep to your rows as you were.” Then turning to us he said, “I shall tell you what detained me from you this morning. I got up during the night, performed ablution, and prayed what I could; but during my prayer I dozed and was overcome, and there and then I saw my Lord in the most beautiful form. He addressed me by name, and when I replied, ‘At Thy service, my Lord,’ He asked, ‘What do the angels near My presence dispute about?’ and I replied that I did not know. He asked it three times. Then I saw Him put the palm of His hand between my shoulder-blades, so that I experienced the coolness of His fingers between my nipples so everything became clear to me and I attained knowledge. He then addressed me by name, and when I replied, ‘At Thy service, my Lord,’ He asked, ‘What do the angels near My presence dispute about?’ I replied, ‘Expiation.’ He asked what they were, and I replied, ‘Walking on foot to the congregational prayers, sitting in the mosques after the prayers are over, and performing complete ablution in difficult circumstances. He asked what next they disputed about, and when I said it was about degrees, He asked what they were and I replied, ‘Providing food, speaking gently, and praying at night when people are asleep.’ He then told me to make a request, and I said, ‘O God, I ask Thee for power to do good things and abandon objectionable things, for love towards the poor, that Thou shouldest forgive me and show mercy to me, and that when Thou intendest to test any people Thou wilt take me to Thyself without being led astray. And I ask for Thy love, the love of those who love Thee, and a love of doing things which will bring me near to Thy love.’” Then God’s Messenger said, “It is true, so study it and learn it.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said, “This is a hasan sahih tradition. I asked Muhammad b. Isma'il (Al-Bukhari) about this tradition, and he said it is a sahih tradition.”

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."