“I have never heard anyone mention seeing the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) performing the mid¬morning ritual prayer except Umm Hani (may Allah the Exalted be well pleased with her). “She related that Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) entered her house on the Day of the Conquest of Mecca, whereupon he performed the major ritual ablution and glorified Allah in eight cycles. I never saw him (Allah bless him and give him peace) perform a ritual prayer in a more abbreviated form than that, even though he completed the bowing [ruku] and the prostration [sujud]!”

He heard the Prophet (PBUH) said: "There were three men among the Banu Israel, one leper, one bald and one blind. Allah wanted to test them. He therefore, sent to them an angel who came to the leper and asked him what he would like best. He replied: "A good colour, a good skin and to be rid of what makes me loathsome to people". He (the angel) rubbed him and his loathsomeness vanished and he was given a good colour and a good skin. He then asked him what type of property he would like best. The leper replied that he would like camels - [or perhaps he said cattle, for Ishaq (one of the subnarrator of the Hadith) was uncertain, either said: 'Camels,' or: 'Cattle']. He was given a pregnant she-camel. The angel invoked for Allah's Blessing on it. The angel then went to the bald man and asked him what he would like best and he replied: "Good hair and to be rid of what makes me loathsome to people". The angel ran his hand over him and he was given good hair. He then asked him what property he would like best. He replied that he would like cattle, so he was given a pregnant cow. The angel invoked Allah's Blessing on it. The angel then went to the blind man and asked him what he would like best, and he replied: "I wish that Allah restore my sight to me so that I may see people." Thereupon the angel ran his hand over him and Allah restored his sight. The angel then asked what property he would like best. He replied that he would like sheep, so he was given a pregnant ewe. Flocks and herds were produced for the three men, the first having a valley full of camels, the second one, a valley full of cows and the third one full of sheep. Then the angel came in the form of a leper, to the one who had been a leper, and said: "I am a poor man and my resources have been exhausted in my journey, and my only means of reaching my destination are dependent on Allah and then on you, so I ask you by Him Who gave you the good colour, the good skin and the property, for a camel by which I may get to my destination". He replied: "I have many dues to pay." The angel then said: "I think I recognize you. Were you not a leper whom people found loathsome and a poor man to whom Allah gave property?" He replied: "I inherited this property through generations". The angel said: "If you are telling a lie, may Allah return you to your former condition". The angel went in the form of a bald man to the one who had been bald, and said the same as he had said to the former and received a similar reply. So he said: "If you are telling a lie, may Allah return you to your former condition". The angel then went to the one who had been blind and said: "I am a poor traveller and my resources have been exhausted in my journey. My only means of reaching my destination are dependant on Allah and then on you, so I ask you by Him Who restored your eyesight for a sheep by which I may get to the end of my journey". He replied: "Yes, I was blind. Allah restored my eyesight, so take what you wish and leave what you wish. I swear by Allah that I shall not argue with you today to return anything you take, as I give it for Allah's sake". The angel said: "Keep your property. You have all simply been put to a test, and Allah is pleased with you and displeased with both of your companions".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

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.

Nu'aym ibn Qa'nab said, "I went to Abu Dharr and did not find him at home. I asked his wife, 'Where is Abu Dharr?' 'Fetching some things for the house. He will be back presently.' I sat down to wait for him and he came with two camels. One of them was lined up behind the other and each of the camels had a waterskin on its neck. Abu Dharr took them off. Then he came and I said, 'Abu Dharr! There was no man who I desired to meet more than you and there was none that I hated to meet more than you!' He said, 'Your father is for Allah! How can these two be joined together?' I replied, 'In the Jahiliyya, a buried a daughter alive and I feared that I would meet you and you would say, "There is no way for you to repent. There is no way out." On the other hand, I used to hope that you would say, "There is a way for you to repent. There is a way out."' He asked," Did you do that in the Jahiliyah?" And Nuaym said "Yes.". Abu Dharr (ra) said," Allah has forgiven the sins committed earlier (before the Islamic times)". He then said to his wife," Bring us the meal." But she refused to do so. He then commanded her but she again refused to bring it and their voices were soon raised. Abu Dharr (ra) said," You will not go beyond what the Messenger of Allah (saws) has said". Nuaym asked," What has the Messenger of Allah said about them?" Abu Dharr (ra) said," The Messenger of Allah has said that a woman is created from a crooked rib and if you attempt to straighten it you will break it but if you leave her alone you will enjoy her while the crookedness remains in her". His wife then turned her back to them and went away and brought thareed as though she matched the bird Qatah (in swiftness). He then said," you go ahead, eat the food. And do not worry (about eating alone). For I am fasting," he stood up to offer prayers and hurried to the bowing posture. After he had finished his prayer, he began to eat. Nuaym exclaimed, "We belong to Allah! I had given no thought to it that you would lie to me. You said just now that you were fasting and you have come to eat". He said,"Your father is for Allah! Ever since I have met you, I have not spoken a lie." Nuaym said, "Did you not tell me that you were fasting?" He said,"Yes. I have kept three fasts in this month so that the reward for it is written down for me while it is lawful for me to eat too.

'Umar ibn 'Abdu'l-'Aziz asked Abu Bakr ibn Abi Hathama, "Why did Abu Bakr write, 'From Abu Bakr, the Khalifa (Successor) of the Messenger of Allah' and then 'Umar wrote after him, 'From 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, the khalifa (successor) of Abu Bakr'? Who was the first to write 'the Amir al-Mu'minin'?" He replied, "My grandmother, ash-Shifa', related to me, and she was one of the first to write 'the Amir al-Mu'minin'?" He said, "My grandfather, ash-Shifa' related to me, (and she was one of the first Muhajirun and when 'Umar ibn al-Khattab entered the market, he visited her), saying, ''Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote to the governor of Iraq requesting him to send him two trustworthy noble men so that he could question them about Iraq and its people. He sent him a master of Iraq, Labid ibn Rabi'a and also 'Adi ibn Hatim, and they came to Madina. They made their camels kneel in the courtyard of the mosque, entered it and found 'Amr ibn al-'As. They said to him, ''Amr, ask permission for us to visit the Amir al-Mu'minin, 'Umar.' 'Amr got up and went to 'Umar. He said, 'Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu'minin.' 'Umar said to him, 'Ibn al-'As, what made you use this name? You have deviated from what you normally say.' He said, 'Yes, Labid ibn Rabi'a and 'Adi ibn Hatim came and said to me, "Ask permission for us to visit the Amir al-Mu'minin." I said, "You two, by Allah, have hit upon the correct name. He is the amir and we are the believers."' The title originated on that day."

“I asked 'A'sha (may Allah be well pleased with her) about the nighttime ritual prayer of Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), so she said: ‘He used to sleep at the beginning of the night. Then he would get up, and when it was the time before daybreak, he performed a witr [a ritual prayer with an odd number of cycles]. Then he came to his mattress, and if he had a need, he had sexual intercourse with his wife. When he heard the call to prayer, he sprang up, and if he was in a state of major ritual impurity, he poured water over himself, and if not, he performed the minor ritual ablution and went out to the ritual prayer.”

Subhānaka Allāhumma wa biḥamdik, ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā ant, astaghfiruka wa atību ilayk. Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise is to You. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You. Reference: Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i. See also Al-Albani, Sahih At-Tirmidhi 3/ 153. Aishah (RA) said: "Allah's Messenger (SAW) did not sit in a gathering, and did not recite the Qur'an, and did not perform any prayer without concluding by saying ... (then she quoted the above)." This was reported by An-Nasa'i in 'Amalul-Yawm wal-Laylah (no.308), and Dr. Farooq Hamadah graded it authentic in his checking of the same book, p. 273. See also Ahmad 6/77

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) very often used to ask his Companions, "Do any one of you has seen a dream?" So dreams would be narrated to him by those whom Allah willed to relate. One day he (PBUH) said, "Last night I had a vision in which two men (angels) came to me and woke me up and said to me, 'Proceed!' I set out with them and we came across a man lying down, and behold, another man was standing over his head, holding a big rock. Behold, he was throwing the rock at the man's head, smashing it. When he struck him, the stone rolled away and he went after it to get it, and no sooner had he returned to this man, his head was healed and restored to its former condition. The thrower (of the rock) then did the same as he had done before. I said to my two companions, 'Subhan-Allah! Who are these?' They said: 'Proceed, proceed.' So we proceeded and came to a man lying in a prone position and another man standing over his head with an iron hook, and behold, he would put the hook in one side of the man's mouth and tear off that side of his face to the back (of the neck), and similarly tear his nose from front to back, and his eyes from front to back. Then he turned to the other side of the man's face and did just as he has done with the first side. He had hardly completed that (second) side when the first returned to its normal state. I said to my two companions, 'Subhan-Allah! Who are these?' They said, 'Proceed, proceed.' So we proceeded and came across something like a Tannur (a kind of baking oven, a pit usually clay-lined for baking bread)." I (the narrator) think the Prophet (PBUH) said, "In that oven there was much noise and voices." The Prophet (PBUH) added, "We looked into it and found naked men and women, and behold, a flame of fire was reaching to them from underneath, and when it reached them they cried loudly. I asked, 'Who are these?' They said to me, 'Proceed, proceed.' And so we proceeded and came across a river." I (the narrator) think he said, "-- red like blood." The Prophet (PBUH) added, "And behold, in the river there was a man swimming, and on the bank there was a man who had collected many stones. Behold, while the other man was swimming, he went near him. The former opened his mouth and the latter (on the bank) threw a stone into his mouth whereupon he went swimming again. Then again he (the former) returned to him (the latter), and every time the former returned, he opened his mouth, and the latter threw a stone into his mouth, (and so on) the performance was repeated. I asked my two companions, 'Who are these?' They replied, 'Proceed, proceed.' And we proceeded till we came to a man with a repulsive appearance, the most repulsive appearance you ever saw a man having! Beside him there was a fire, and he was kindling it and running around it. I asked my two companions, 'Who is this (man).' They said to me, 'Proceed, proceed!' So we proceeded till we reached a garden of deep green dense vegetation, having all sorts of spring colours. In the midst of the garden there was a very tall man, and I could hardly see his head because of his great height, and around him there were children in such a large number as I have never seen! I said to my two companions, 'Who is this?' They replied, 'Proceed, proceed.' So we proceeded till we came to a majestic, huge garden, greater and better than any garden I have ever seen! My two companions said to me, 'Ascend up' and I ascended up." The Prophet (PBUH) added, "So we ascended till we reached a city built of gold and silver bricks, and we went to its gate and asked (the gatekeeper) to open the gate, and it was opened; and we entered the city and found in it men with one side of their bodies as handsome as the most handsome person you have ever seen, and the other side as ugly as the ugliest person you have ever seen! My two companions ordered those men to throw themselves into the river. Behold, there was a river flowing across (the city), and its water was like milk in whiteness. Those men went and threw themselves in it and then returned to us after the ugliness (of their bodies) had disappeared, and they came in the best shape." The Prophet (PBUH) further added, "My two companions said to me: 'This place is the 'Adn Jannah, and that is your place.' I raised up my sight, and behold, there I saw a palace like a white cloud! My two companions said to me, 'That palace is your place,' I said to them, 'May Allah bless you both! Let me enter it.' They replied, 'As for now, you will not enter it, but you shall enter it (one day).' I said to them, 'I have seen many wonders tonight. What does all that mean which I have seen?' They replied, 'We will inform you: As for the first man you came upon, whose head was being smashed with the rock, he is the symbol of the one who studies the Qur'an and then neither recites it nor acts on its orders, and sleeps, neglecting the enjoined prayers. As for the man you came upon, whose sides of mouth, nostrils and eyes were torn off from front to back, he is the symbol of the man who goes out of his house in the morning and tells lies that are spread all over the world. And those naked men and women whom you saw in a construction resembling an oven, they are the adulterers and the adulteresses. And the man who was given a stone to swallow is the eater of Ar-Riba (usury), and the bad-looking man whom you saw near the fire, kindling it and going around it, is Malik, the gatekeeper of Hell, and the tall man you saw in the garden is (Prophet) Abraham, and the children around him are those who died upon Al-Fitrah (the Islamic Faith of Monotheism)."' The narrator added: Some Muslims asked the Prophet (PBUH) , "O Messenger of Allah! What about the children of Al- Mushrikun (i.e., polytheists, pagans, idolaters, and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger Muhammad (PBUH))?" The Prophet (PBUH) replied, "And also the children of Al-Mushrikun." The Prophet (PBUH) added: "My two companions added, 'The men you saw half handsome and half ugly were these people who had mixed an act that was good with another that was bad, but Allah forgave them'."

Another narration of Al-Bukhari is: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "One night two men came to me and took me to a blessed land." (The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) told of the same incident as above) and said, "After a while of walking we came upon a pit like an oven, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom with fire raging in it. When the flames rose up (the people in it) also rose up till they were about to come out; and when the fire subsided they, too, would go down with it. In it were naked men and women." (The remainder of the Hadith is the same as the above Hadith except that at the end of it, the Messenger of Allah said: "We came upon a river of blood in the middle of which there was a man standing, and at the bank of the river there was a man with plenty of stones before him..." In this narration we also find: "They made me climb the tree and they made me enter an abode so beautiful the like of which I have never seen before. There (I saw) old men and youth." In this narration we also find: "'The first house you entered was the abode of the believers in general, and the other house was the abode of the martyrs. I am Jibril (Gabriel), and this is Mika'il. Raise your head.' I looked up and saw something like clouds. They said to me, 'That is your abode.' I said, 'Shall I enter it?' They said, 'You have not completed your term of life yet. When you do, you will certainly enter it."'

[Al-Bukhari]

He said he had heard the Prophet say there were three men among the B. Isra’il, one leprous, one bald and one blind, whom God wished to test. He therefore sent to them an angel who came to the leper and asked him what he would like best and he replied, “A good colour, a good skin, and to be rid of what makes me loathsome to people.” Thereupon he stroked him and his loathsomeness departed and he was given a good colour and a good skin. He then asked What property he would like best and he replied that he would like camels—or perhaps he said cattle, for Ishaq* was uncertain, but either the leper or bald man said camels and the other said cattle. He was given a she-camel ten months gone with young, the angel expressing the wish that God’s blessing might accompany it. He then went to the bald man and asked him what he would like best and he replied, "Good hair, and to be rid of what makes me loathsome to people.” Thereupon he stroked him and it departed from him and he was given good hair. He then asked what property he would like best and he replied that he would like cattle, so he was given a pregnant cow, the angel expressing the wish that God’s blessing might accompany it. He then went to the blind man and asked him what he would like best, and he replied, "That God should restore my sight to me so that I may see people.” Thereupon he stroked him and God restored his sight to him. He then asked what property he would like best and he replied that he would like sheep, so he was given a pregnant ewe. Flocks and herds were produced for the three men, the one having a wadi with camels, the second one with cattle, and the third one with sheep. Then the angel came to the one who had been a leper in the form and appearance of a leper and said, “I am a poor man whose resources are exhausted in my journey, and my only means of arriving at my destination are dependent on God and then on you, so I ask you by Him who gave you the good colour, the good skin and the property for a camel by which I may get to the end of my journey,” but he replied, "I have many dues to pay.” He then said, "I seem to recognise you. Were you not a leper whom people found loathsome and a poor man to whom God gave property?” He replied, "I became heir to this property as one great in dignity from one great in dignity.”** Then he said, "If you are lying, may God return you to your former condition.” He went to the one who had been bald in the form of a bald man and said the same as he had said to the other and received a similar reply, so he said, "If you are lying, may God return you to your former condition.” He then went to the one who had been blind in the form and appearance of a blind man and said, "I am a poor man and a traveller whose resources are exhausted in my journey, and my only means of arriving at my destination are dependent on God and then on you, so I ask you by Him who restored your sight to you for a sheep by which I may get to the end of my journey." He replied, “I have been blind and God restored my sight to me, so take what you wish and leave what you wish. I swear by God that I shall not importune you today for anything you take, as I give it for God's sake." He said, “Keep your property, for you have all simply been put to a test, and God is pleased with you and displeased with your two companions.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) * Ishaq b. 'Abdallah, one of the transmitters of the tradition. ** Meaning that, he was the oldest of his family, their leader, and of the best stock. His inheritance had come from people of similar nature.

Qays ibn 'Asim as-Sa'idi said, "I came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said, 'This is the master of the people of the desert.' I said, 'Messenger of Allah, how much property can I have without owning anything to someone who comes with a request or a guest?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'The best property is forty. A lot of property is sixty. Woe to those who have hundreds except for he who gives away something precious, lends an animal with abundant milk or sacrifices a fat animal to eat and feeds beggars and the poor.' I asked, 'Messenger of Allah, which is the noblest of these qualities?' The valley where I am does not support many flocks.' The Prophet replied, 'So what do you give as a gift?' I replied, 'I give virgin camels and she-camels.' The Prophet asked, 'How much do you give as a loan?' I said, 'I lend a hundred.' He asked, 'What do you do with she-camels that are ready to be mated?' He replied, 'People bring their ropes (to use as halters for the male camels) and no man is prevented from taking a camel on which he puts a halter. He takes the male camel he thinks is the proper one (for mating and keeps it) until he returns it.' The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Which do you love more ? your property or your mawali (i.e. your heirs).' ('My property,' he replied.) The Prophet said, 'Your share is what you eat of your property and consume or what you give away and spend. The rest of it belongs to your heirs.' I said, 'When I go back, I must lessen it.'"

'Glory be to Allah and by His praise in number as great as His creation and in accordance with His own pleasure and the weight of His Throne and the extent of His words.'"

Umm ‘Atiyah (RAA) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) came to us when we were washing his daughter (Zainab) after she had died and said, “Wash her three times, five times or more if necessary, with water and lotus leaves (Sidr) and apply some camphor to the last washing.” When we finished making Ghusl for her, we informed the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) and he threw his Izar (a cloth, which he wore round his waist) to us and told us to wrap her in it as the first sheet of the shroud (next to her body).’ Agreed upon. In another narration, “Start by washing the organs on the right and those parts that are washed in ablution.” In the narration of Al-Bukhari, “We braided her hair in three braids and made them fall at her back.”

When the month of Ramadan came, I feared lest I would have intercourse with my wife. So, I vowed az-Zihar (the she was like my mother). Then, one night something of her was uncovered to me and I had intercourse with her. Allah's Messenger (SAW) afterwards said to me, "Set a slave free," and I replied, "I do not possess one (that I can free)." He said, "Then fast two consecutive months." I replied, "Have I fallen into that which I have fallen into except due to fasting!?" He said, "Feed sixty poor people with an 'Araq (basket) of dates." [Reported by Ahmad and al-Arba'a except an-Nasa'i. Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn al-Jarud graded it Sahih (authentic)].

“How was the ritual prayer of Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) during Ramadan?” so she said: “Neither in Ramadan nor in any other month would Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) add to the total of eleven cycles of [nighttime] ritual prayer. He would perform four — do not ask about their excellence or their length — then he would perform four — do not ask about their excellence or their length — and then he would perform three.” ‘A'isha said (may Allah the Exalted be well pleased with her): “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before you perform the odd-numbered ritual prayer [witr]?' He said: ‘O 'A'isha, my eyes may sleep, but my heart does not sleep!’”

'Iyad ibn Himar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble so that none of you will oppress anyone else and none of you will disdain another.' I said, 'Messenger of Allah, what do you think I should do when a man reviles me in a low assembly and then I answer him back? Do I incur any wrong action in doing that?' He replied, 'Two men who revile one another are two shaytans who accuse one another and deny one another.'" 'Iyad said, "I was at war with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I gave him a she-camel before I became Muslim. He said, "I dislike the froth of the idolaters."

Abu Sa'id said, "A man came from al-Bahrayn to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and greeted him, but the Prophet did not answer him. The man was wearing a gold ring and a silk robe. The man went away in sorrow. He complained to his wife and she said, 'Perhaps the Messenger of Allah objects to your robe and your ring. Throw them away and then go back.; he did that and then the Prophet returned his greeting. he said, 'I came to you yesterday and you turned away from me.' He said, 'You had a coal of the Fire on your hand.' He said, 'I came then with any coals.' He said, 'As for what you brought, there is no one who is free from dependence on these stones. But it is the enjoyment of the life of this world.' He said, 'What should I make a ring from?' 'From silver, brass, or iron,' he replied.

he heard Allah’s Messenger say (Allah bless him and give him peace): 'If someone has two children from my Community who died an untimely death, Allah will cause him to enter the Garden of Paradise on their account,' so 'A'isha said (may Allah be well pleased with her): 'What about someone who has only one child from your Community who has died an untimely death?' He said: 'Also someone who has only one child who has died young, O favored one!' She said: 'So what about someone who does not have any child from your Community who has died as an infant?' He said: 'I am a child of my Community who died an untimely death. Never again will they be afflicted by the loss of the likes of me!'”

"Together with Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), Khalid ibn al-Walid and I entered the presence of Maimuna, whereupon she brought us a vessel of milk and Allah’s Messenger drank (Allah bless him and give him peace), while I was on his right side and Khalid was on his left. He said to me: 'The drink is yours, but if you wish, you may let Khalid have it.' I said: 'I wouldn't give up your leftover drink for anyone!' Then Allah’s Messenger said (Allah bless him and give him peace): 'If Allah feeds someone a meal, let him say: ‘O Allah, bless us in it, and give us something even better!’ If Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) gives a person some milk to drink, let him say: ‘O Allah, bless us in it, and grant us more of it!’ Then Allah’s Messenger said (Allah bless him and give him peace): 'Nothing but milk can substitute for both food and drink'!"

So-and-so asked and said, "O Allah's Messenger, what do you think if one of us finds his wife committing adultery, how should he act? If he talks he would talk about a grievous affair, and if he keeps silent he would keep silent about something similar (a grievous affair)." He gave no answer. Afterwards he came to him (SAW) and said, "I have been afflicted with the very problem which I had asked you about." Then Allah revealed the verses of Surat an-Nur (the Light). He then recited them to him and exhorted, admonished and informed him that the punishment of this world is easier than that of the Hereafter. He said, "No, by Him Who sent you with the Truth, I have not lied against her." He then summoned the woman and exhorted her in the same way. She said, "No, by Him Who sent you with the Truth, he is a liar." He began with the man; and he (the man) bore witness four times with an oath by Allah; he then did the same with the woman, then he separated them. [Reported by Muslim].

"Four ayats were revealed about me. The first was when my mother swore she would neither eat nor drink until I left Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Allah Almighty revealed, 'But if they try to make you associate something with Me about which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. Keep company with them correctly and courteously in this world' (31:15) The second was when I took a sword that I admired and said, 'Messenger of Allah, give me this!' Then the ayat was revealed: 'They will ask you about booty.' (8:1) The third was when I was ill and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to me and I said, 'Messenger of Allah, I want to divide my property. Can I will away a half?' He said, 'No.' 'A third?' I asked. He was silent and so after that it was allowed to will away a third. The fourth was when I had been drinking wine with some of the Ansar. One of them hit my nose with the jawbone of a camel. I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Allah Almighty revealed the prohibition of wine."

I heard Ka'b bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) narrating the story of his remaining behind instead of joining Messenger of Allah (PBUH) when he left for the battle of Tabuk. Ka'b said: "I accompanied Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in every expedition which he undertook excepting the battle of Tabuk and the battle of Badr. As for the battle of Badr, nobody was blamed for remaining behind as Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and the Muslims, when they set out, had in mind only to intercept the caravan of the Quraish. Allah made them confront their enemies unexpectedly. I had the honour of being with Messenger of Allah (PBUH) on the night of 'Aqabah when we pledged our allegiance to Islam and it was dearer to me than participating in the battle of Badr, although Badr was more well-known among the people than that. And this is the account of my staying behind from the battle of Tabuk. I never had better means and more favourable circumstances than at the time of this expedition. And by Allah, I had never before possessed two riding-camels as I did during the time of this expedition. Whenever Messenger of Allah (PBUH) decided to go on a campaign, he would not disclose his real destination till the last moment (of departure). But on this expedition, he set out in extremely hot weather; the journey was long and the terrain was waterless desert; and he had to face a strong army, so he informed the Muslims about the actual position so that they should make full preparation for the campaign. And the Muslims who accompanied Messenger of Allah (PBUH) at that time were in large number but no proper record of them was maintained." Ka'b (further) said: "Few were the persons who chose to remain absent believing that they could easily hide themselves (and thus remain undetected) unless Revelation from Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious (revealed relating to them). And Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out on this expedition when the fruit were ripe and their shade was sought. I had a weakness for them and it was during this season that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and the Muslims made preparations. I also would set out in the morning to make preparations along with them but would come back having done nothing and said to myself: 'I have means enough (to make preparations) as soon as I like'. And I went on doing this (postponing my preparations) till the time of departure came and it was in the morning that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out along with the Muslims, but I had made no preparations. I would go early in the morning and come back, but with no decision. I went on doing so until they (the Muslims) hastened and covered a good deal of distance. Then I wished to march on and join them. Would that I had done that! But perhaps it was not destined for me. After the departure of Messenger of Allah (PBUH) whenever I went out, I was grieved to find no good example to follow but confirmed hypocrites or weak people whom Allah had exempted (from marching forth for Jihad). Messenger of Allah (PBUH) made no mention of me until he reached Tabuk. While he was sitting with the people in Tabuk, he said, 'What happened to Ka'b bin Malik?' A person from Banu Salimah said: "O Messenger of Allah, the (beauty) of his cloak and an appreciation of his finery have detained him.' Upon this Mu'adh bin Jabal (MatAllah be pleased with him) admonished him and said to Messenger of Allah (PBUH): "By Allah, we know nothing about him but good.' Messenger of Allah (PBUH), however, kept quiet. At that time he (the Prophet (PBUH)) saw a person dressed in white and said, 'Be Abu Khaithamah.' And was Abu Khaithamah Al- Ansari was the person who had contributed a Sa' of dates and was ridiculed by the hypocrites." Ka'b bin Malik further said: "When the news reached me that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was on his way back from Tabuk, I was greatly distressed. I thought of fabricating an excuse and asked myself how I would save myself from his anger the next day. In this connection, I sought the counsels of every prudent member of my family. When I was told that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was about to arrive, all the wicked ideas vanished (from my mind) and I came to the conclusion that nothing but the truth could save me. So I decided to tell him the truth. It was in the morning that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) arrived in Al-Madinah. It was his habit that whenever he came back from a journey, he would first go to the mosque and perform two Rak'ah (of optional prayer) and would then sit with the people. When he sat, those who had remained behind him began to put forward their excuses and take an oath before him. They were more than eighty in number. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) accepted their excuses on the very face of them and accepted their allegiance and sought forgiveness for them and left their insights to Allah, until I appeared before him. I greeted him and he smiled and there was a tinge of anger in that. He then said to me, 'Come forward'. I went forward and I sat in front of him. He said to me, 'What kept you back? Could you not afford to go in for a ride?' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, if I were to sit before anybody else, a man of the world, I would have definitely saved myself from his anger on one pretext or the other and I have a gifted skill in argumentation, but, by Allah, I am fully aware that if I were to put forward before you a lame excuse to please you, Allah would definitely provoke your wrath upon me. In case, I speak the truth, you may be angry with me, but I hope that Allah would be pleased with me (and accept my repentance). By Allah, there is no valid excuse for me. By Allah, I never possessed so good means, and I never had such favourable conditions for me as I had when I stayed behind.' Thereupon, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, 'This man spoke the truth, so get up (and wait) until Allah gives a decision about you.' I left and some people of Banu Salimah followed me. They said to me, 'By Allah, we do not know that you committed a sin before. You, however, showed inability to put forward an excuse before Messenger of Allah (PBUH) like those who stayed behind him. It would have been enough for the forgiveness of your sin that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) would have sought forgiveness for you.' By Allah, they kept on reproaching me until I thought of going back to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and retract my confession. Then I said to them, 'Has anyone else met the same fate?' They said, 'Yes, two persons have met the same fate. They made the same statement as you did and the same verdict was delivered in their case.' I asked, 'Who are they?' They said, 'Murarah bin Ar-Rabi' Al-'Amri and Hilal bin Umaiyyah Al- Waqifi.' They mentioned these two pious men who had taken part in the battle of Badr and there was an example for me in them. I was confirmed in my original resolve. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) prohibited the Muslims to talk to the three of us from amongst those who had stayed behind. The people began to avoid us and their attitude towards us changed and it seemed as if the whole atmosphere had turned against us, and it was in fact the same atmosphere of which I was fully aware and in which I had lived (for a fairly long time). We spent fifty nights in this very state and my two friends confined themselves within their houses and spent (most of their) time weeping. As I was the youngest and the strongest, I would leave my house, attend the congregational Salat, move about in the bazaars, but none would speak to me. I would come to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) as he sat amongst (people) after the Salat, greet him and would ask myself whether or not his lips moved in response to my greetings. Then I would perform Salat near him and look at him stealthily. When I finish my Salat, he would look at me and when I would cast a glance at him he would turn away his eyes from me. When the harsh treatment of the Muslims to me continued for a (considerable) length of time, I walked and I climbed upon the wall of the garden of Abu Qatadah, who was my cousin, and I had a great love for him. I greeted him but, by Allah, he did not answer to my greeting. I said to him, 'O Abu Qatadah, I adjure you in the Name of Allah, are you not aware that I love Allah and His Messenger (PBUH)?' I asked him the same question again but he remained silent. I again adjured him, whereupon he said, 'Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) know better.' My eyes were filled with tears, and I came back climbing down the wall.

As I was walking in the bazaars of Al-Madinah, a man from the Syrian peasants, who had come to sell food grains in Al-Madinah, asked people to direct him to Ka'b bin Malik. People pointed towards me. He came to me and delivered a letter from the King of Ghassan, and as I was a scribe, I read that letter whose purport was: 'It has been conveyed to us that your friend (the Prophet (PBUH)) was treating you harshly. Allah has not created you for a place where you are to be degraded and where you cannot find your right place; so come to us and we shall receive you graciously.' As I read that letter I said: 'This is too a trial,' so I put it to fire in an oven. When forty days had elapsed and Messenger of Allah (PBUH) received no Revelation, there came to me a messenger of the Messenger of Allah and said, 'Verily, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has commanded you to keep away from your wife.' I said, 'Should I divorce her or what else should I do?' He said, 'No, but only keep away from her and don't have sexual contact with her.' The same message was sent to my companions. So, I said to my wife: 'You better go to your parents and stay there with them until Allah gives the decision in my case.' The wife of Hilal bin Umaiyyah came to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, Hilal bin Umaiyyah is a senile person and has no servant. Do you disapprove if I serve him?' He said, 'No, but don't let him have any sexual contact with you.' She said, 'By Allah, he has no such desire left in him. By Allah, he has been in tears since (this calamity) struck him.' Members of my family said to me, 'You should have sought permission from Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in regard to your wife. He has allowed the wife of Hilal bin Umaiyyah to serve him.' I said, 'I would not seek permission from Messenger of Allah (PBUH) for I do not know what Messenger of Allah might say in response to that, as I am a young man'. It was in this state that I spent ten more nights and thus fifty days had passed since people boycotted us and gave up talking to us. After I had offered my Fajr prayer on the early morning of the fiftieth day of this boycott on the roof of one of our houses, and had sat in the very state which Allah described as: 'The earth seemed constrained for me despite its vastness', I heard the voice of a proclaimer from the peak of the hill Sal' shouting at the top of his voice: 'O Ka'b bin Malik, rejoice.' I fell down in prostration and came to know that there was (a message of) relief for me. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had informed the people about the acceptance of our repentance by Allah after he had offered the Fajr prayer. So the people went on to give us glad tidings and some of them went to my companions in order to give them the glad tidings. A man spurred his horse towards me (to give the good news), and another one from the tribe of Aslam came running for the same purpose and, as he approached the mount, I received the good news which reached me before the rider did. When the one whose voice I had heard came to me to congratulate me, I took off my garments and gave them to him for the good news he brought to me. By Allah, I possessed nothing else (in the form of clothes) except these garments, at that time. Then I borrowed two garments, dressed myself and came to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) On my way, I met groups of people who greeted me for (the acceptance of) repentance and they said: 'Congratulations for acceptance of your repentance.' I reached the mosque where Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was sitting amidst people. Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah got up and rushed towards me, shook hands with me and greeted me. By Allah, no person stood up (to greet me) from amongst the Muhajirun besides him." Ka'b said that he never forgot (this good gesture of) Talhah. Ka'b further said: "I greeted Messenger of Allah (PBUH) with 'As-salamu 'alaikum' and his face was beaming with pleasure. He (PBUH) said, 'Rejoice with the best day you have ever seen since your mother gave you birth. 'I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Is this (good news) from you or from Allah?' He said, 'No, it is from Allah.' And it was common with Messenger of Allah (PBUH) that when ever he was happy, his face would glow as if it were a part of the moon and it was from this that we recognized it (his delight). As I sat before him, I said, I have placed a condition upon myself that if Allah accepts my Taubah, I would give up all of my property in charity for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (PBUH)!' Thereupon Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, 'Keep some property with you, as it is better for you.' I said, 'I shall keep with me that portion which is in Khaibar'. I added: 'O Messenger of Allah! Verily, Allah has granted me salvation because of my truthfulness, and therefore, repentance obliges me to speak nothing but the truth as long as I am alive." Ka'b added: "By Allah, I do not know anyone among the Muslims who has been granted truthfulness better than me since I said this to the Prophet (PBUH). By Allah! Since the time I made a pledge of this to Messenger of Allah (PBUH), I have never intended to tell a lie, and I hope that Allah would protect me (against telling lies) for the rest of my life. Allah, the Exalted, the Glorious, revealed these Verses:

'Allah has forgiven the Prophet (PBUH), the Muhajirun (Muslim Emigrants who left their homes and came to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (Muslims of Al- Madinah) who followed him (Muhammad (PBUH)) in the time of distress (Tabuk expedition), after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated (from the Right Path), but He accepted their repentance. Certainly, He is unto them full of kindness, Most Merciful. And (He did forgive also) the three who did not join [the Tabuk expedition and whose case was deferred (by the Prophet (PBUH)) for Allah's Decision] till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their ownselves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but with Him. Then, He forgave them (accepted their repentance), that they might beg for His Pardon [repent (unto Him)]. Verily, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful. O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in word and deeds)." (9:117,118).

Ka'b said: "By Allah, since Allah guided me to Islam, there has been no blessing more significant for me than this truth of mine which I spoke to Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and if I were to tell a lie I would have been ruined as were ruined those who had told lies, for Allah described those who told lies with the worst description He ever attributed to anybody else, as He sent down the Revelation:

They will swear by Allah to you (Muslims) when you return to them, that you may turn away from them. So turn away from them. Surely, they are Rijsun [i.e., Najasun (impure) because of their evil deeds], and Hell is their dwelling place - a recompense for that which they used to earn. They (the hypocrites) swear to you (Muslims) that you may be pleased with them, but if you are pleased with them, certainly Allah is not pleased with the people who are Al- Fa'siqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah)". (9:95,96)

Ka'b further added: "The matter of the three of us remained pending for decision apart from the case of those who had made excuses on oath before Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and he accepted those, took fresh oaths of allegiance from them and supplicated for their forgiveness. The Prophet (PBUH) kept our matter pending till Allah decided it. The three whose matter was deferred have been shown mercy. The reference here is not to our staying back from the expedition but to his delaying our matter and keeping it pending beyond the matter of those who made their excuses on oath which he accepted".

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim]

Another version adds: "Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out for Tabuk on Thursday. He used to prefer to set out on journey on Thursday." Another version says: "Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to come back from a journey in the early forenoon and went straight to the mosque where he would perform two Rak'ah prayer. Afterwards he would seat himself there".

Sahl bin Abi Khaithamah (RAA) narrated on the authority of some honored men from his people that 'Abdullah bin Sahl and Muhaiysah bin Mas'ud, went out to Khaibar because of a hardship they were undergoing. Muhaiysah came and told them that 'Abdullah bin Sahl had been killed and thrown into a well. He came to the Jews and said to them, ‘I swear by Allah that you have killed him.’ They replied, ‘We swear by Allah that we have not killed him.' Then Muhaiysah came along with his brother Huwaiysah and 'Abdur Rahman bin Sahl to the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and Muhaiysah started to talk. The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) said to him, “Let an older one speak (take charge of this matter).” So Huwaiysah narrated what happened and then Muhaiysah spoke. The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) said, “Either they pay the Diyah of your companion or be ready for war.” The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) wrote to them about this and they wrote back saying, ‘By Allah, we have not killed him.’ The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) then said to Huwaiysah, Muhaiysah and 'Abdur Rahman bin Sahl, “Would you take an oath (that they killed him) and then you will be entitled to the Diyah of your companion” 'They answered, ‘No (as they did not witness the crime).’The Messenger of Allah then said, “Then the Jews should take an oath (that they are innocent).” They said, ‘They are not Muslims.’ The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) thereupon paid the Diyah of the victim himself and sent them 100 camels. Sahl commented, ‘A red she-camel (of these 100 camels) kicked me.’ Agreed upon.

"Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) went out during an hour in which he did not usually go out, and in which no one used to meet him, but Abu Bakr came to him, so he said: “What has brought you forth, O Abu Bakr?” He replied: “I came out to meet Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), behold his face, and greet him with the salutation of peace.” Shortly thereafter "Umar came along, so he said: “What has brought you forth, O 'Umar?” He replied: “Hunger, O Messenger of Allah!” He said (Allah bless him and give him peace): “I have also experienced some of that!” Then they went to the house of Ibn at-Tihan al-Ansari, who was owned many date palms and sheep, but who had no servants, so they did not find him. They therefore asked his wife: “Where is your mate?” She said: “He has gone to draw sweet water for us.” They did not have to wait long before Abu’l-Haitham brought a waterskin that he was carrying full, so he set it down, and came to embrace the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), offering his father and his mother as ransom for him. Then he took them to his garden, and spread a carpet for them. Then he went to a date palm, brought a bunch of dates and set it down. The Prophet said (Allah bless him and give him peace): “Have you not selected for us some of its ripe dates?” He replied: “O Messenger of Allah, I intended to let you choose or prefer some of its ripe and its unripe dates,” so they ate dates and drank from that water. Then the Prophet said (Allah bless him and give him peace): “By the One in whose Hand is my soul, this is some of the gracious favor about which you shall be asked on the Day of Resurrection: cool shade, good dates and cold water!” Then Abu’l-Haitham went to make a meal for them, so the Prophet said (Allah bless him and give him peace): “Do not slaughter a milch-animal for us.” He therefore slaughtered a young she-goat or a young billy goat, and brought it to them, so they ate. The Prophet said (Allah bless him and give him peace): “Do you have a servant?” When the answer was “No,” he said: “If a prisoner of war comes to us, come to us!” Then he (Allah bless him and give him peace) was brought two captives, unaccompanied by a third. Abu’l-Haitham then came to him, and the Prophet said (Allah bless him and give him peace): “Choose from the pair of them,” so he said: “O Messenger of Allah, choose for me!” The Prophet said (Allah bless him and give him peace): “The person whose opinion is requested deserves to be trusted. Take this one, for I have seen him performing the ritual prayer, and expect well of him!” Abu l-Haitham then went to his wife and told her what Allah’s Messenger had said, so his wife said: “You cannot arrive at the truth of what the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said about him, except by setting him free!” He said: “He is free, then!” The Prophet said (Allah bless him and give him peace): “Allah has not sent any Prophet, nor any Caliph, without his having two intimate friends: one who commands him to do what is right and fair, and forbids him to do what is wrong and unfair, and one who will spare no effort to corrupt him. If one is wary of the evil companion, he will be preserved from harm.”