In the time of God's Messenger we used to be called brokers, but God’s Messenger came upon us one day and called us by a better name than that, saying, "Company of merchants, unprofitable speech and swearing have a place in business dealing, so mix it with sadaqa. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘Ubada b. as-Samit told that he said, “Messenger of God, one of those whom I have been teaching the Book and the Qur’an has presented me with a bow, and as it cannot be reckoned property may I shoot with it in God's path?" He replied, “If you want to have a necklace of fire put on you, accept it." Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, said his grandfather reported God’s Messenger as saying, “No descendant of Adam may make a vow about what he does not possess, or set free what he does not possess, or divorce what he does not possess.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Abu Dawud added, “or sell what he does not possess.”

'Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God's Messenger as saying, “The blood wit for unintentional murder which resembles intentional, such as is done with a whip and a stick, is a hundred camels, forty of which are pregnant.” Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it, and Abu Dawud transmitted it both on his authority and on that of Ibn ‘Umar. Sharh as-sunna has the wording in al-Masabih on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar.

Al-Mustadrid b. Shaddad told that he heard the Prophet say, “He who acts as a governor for us must get a wife; if he has not a servant he must get one, and if he has not a dwelling he must get one.” A version says, “He who takes anything else than that is acting unfaithfully.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Unais reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Among the most serious of major sins are attributing a partner to God, unfilial behaviour, and deliberate perjury. If anyone swears an oath which he is compelled to take (or a firm oath) and introduces into it as much falsehood as a gnat’s wing, a spot will be put in his heart till the day of resurrection.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

knowledge which does not profit, a heart which is not submissive, an appetite which is insatiable, and a supplication which is not heard.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it. Tirmidhi transmitted it from ‘Abdallah b. 'Amr, and Nasa’i from both sources.

Abu Burda* told that when the Prophet sent his grandfather Abu Musa and Mu'adh to the Yemen he said, “Make things easy and do not make them difficult; gladden and do not scare; comply with one another and do not disagree.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) * This should be Sa'id b. Abu Burda on his father’s authority. C f. Bukhari, Maghazi, 60.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr told of a man who said, “Messenger of God, the mu'adhdhins excel us.”* To him God’s Messenger replied, ‘Say the same words as they say, and when you come to the end, if you make any petition it will be granted to you.” * This most probably means that they get a greater reward. The reply suggests how that may be counterbalanced. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that when the Prophet entered the House (the Ka’ba) he made supplications in all sides of it, but did not perform salat till he had come out. When he came out he prayed two rak'as facing the Ka'ba and said, “This is the qibla.” Bukhari transmitted it and Muslim transmitted it from Ibn ‘Abbas from Usama b. Zaid.

‘Ubaidallah said that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab asked Abu Waqid al- Laithi what God’s Messenger recited at the ‘Id al-Adha and 'Id al-Fitr, and he replied that he recited at both of them, “Qaf. By the glorious Qur’an’’1-and “The Hour is nigh.’’2 1. Al-Qur’an; 50. 2. Al-Qur’an, 54. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you prostrates himself he must not kneel in the manner of a camel, but should put down his hands before his knees.” Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it. Abu Sulaiman al-Khattabi said that the tradition of Wa’il b. Hujr is better established than this. The view is expressed that this one is abrogated.

Kharija b. Hudhafa told of God’s Messenger coming out to them and saying, “God has given you an extra prayer which is better for you than the high-bred camels,* the witr, which God has appointed for you between the evening prayer and the daybreak.” * Literally “the red ones of the camels.” These were considered to be the best quality. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s Messenger stood in humble supplication daily for a month at the noon, afternoon; sunset, evening and morning prayer when he said, “God listens to him who praises Him” in the last rak'a, invoking a curse on some clans of the B. Sulaim, Ri‘l, Dhakwan and ‘Usayya, and those standing behind him said Amen. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abud Darda' and Abu Dharr reported God’s Messenger as stating that God who is blessed and exalted said, “Son of Adam, if you perform four rak'as for me at the beginning of the day, I will supply what you need till the end of it.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it from Nu'aim b. Hammar al-Ghatafani, and Ahmad from them all.

‘Abdallah b. Zaid said God's Messenger took the people out to the place of prayer and prayed for rain. He led them in two rak'as in the course of which he recited from the Qur'an in a loud voice. He faced the qibla making supplication, raised his hands and turned round his cloak when he faced the qibla. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abdallah b. Mughaffal reported the Prophet as saying, "Were dogs not a species of creature I should command that they all be killed; but kill every pure black one." Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it. Tirmidhi and Nasa'i added, "No family attaches itself to a dog without a qirat of their good deeds being deducted daily, except in the case of a hunting dog, a farm dog, or a sheepdog.”

Umayya b. Makhshi told that a man who was eating and had not mentioned God’s name said when he raised the last morsel to his mouth, “In the name of God at the beginning and at the end of it.” The Prophet laughed and said, “The devil kept eating along with him, but when he mentioned God’s name he vomited what was in his belly.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He told that God’s Messenger sent his letter to Kisra with ‘Abdallah b. Hudhafa as-Sahmi, ordering him to hand it to the governor of al- Bahrain. The governor of al-Bahrain conveyed it to Kisra, and when he read it he tore it up. Ibn al-Musayyib said that God’s Messenger then invoked a curse on them to the effect that they might be torn into little pieces. Bukhari transmitted it.

'Abdallah b. ‘Amr told that when a man called Karkara* who was in charge of the Prophet’s belongings died God’s Messenger said, “He will go to hell. “The people went off and looked and found a striped woollen garment which he had dishonestly appropriated from the spoil. *There is doubt about the spelling of this man’s name. Karkira and Kirkira are also mentioned. Bukhari transmitted it.

Zurara b. Aufa told that God's messenger asked Gabriel, "Have you seen your Lord?" Gabriel trembled and replied, "Between Him and me, Muhammad, there are seventy veils of light, and if I approached one of them I would be burned." Thus, it is given in al-Masabih. Abu Nu'aim transmitted it in al-Hilya on the authority of Anas, but did not mention that Gabriel trembled.

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

Hudhaifa told that the people of Najran came to God's messenger and said, "Messenger of God, send us a trustworthy man." When he replied, "I shall certainly send you a trustworthy man who is genuinely trustworthy," the people[*] were looking to see if they would be appointed. He then sent Abu `Ubaida b. al-Jarrah. *i.e., the Prophet's companions. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

The one who most closely resembled God's messenger in deportment, manner of life and conduct was Ibn Umm `Abd[*] from the time he came out of his house till he returned to it, but we did not know how he treated his family when he was alone with them. *i.e., Abdallah b. Masud. Bukhari transmitted it.

When God’s Messenger ordered a bell to be made so that it might be struck to gather the people for prayer, a man carrying a bell in his hand appeared to me while I was asleep, and I said, “Servant of God, will you sell the bell ?” When he asked what I would do with it and I replied that we would use it to call people to prayer, he said, “Shall I not guide you to something better than that?" I replied, “Certainly”; so he told me to say, “God is most great ...” and similarly in the iqama. When I told God’s Messenger in the morning what I had seen he said, “It is a genuine vision, if God will; so get up along with Bilal, and when you have taught him what you have seen let him use it in making the call to prayer, for he has a stronger voice than you have. So I got up along with Bilal and began to teach it to him, and he used it in making the call to prayer. ‘Umar b, al-Khattab heard that when he was in his house, and he came out trailing his cloak and said, “Messenger of God, by Him who has sent you with the truth, I have seen the same kind of thing as has been revealed," to which God’s Messenger replied, “To God be the praise!” Abu Dawud, Darimi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, but Ibn Majah did not mention the iqama. Tirmidhi said that this is a sahih, tradition, but that it did not make the story of the bell explicit.

Abu Nadra said, "One of our men called Jabir or Jubayr said, 'I went to 'Umar while he was Khalif to ask for something which I needed. I reached Madina during the night and went straight to him. I am someone with intelligence and a ready tongue - or he said speech (meaning eloquence). I had looked at this world and thought little of it. I had abandoned it as not being worth anything. At 'Umar's side there was a man with white hair and white clothes. When I had finished speaking, he said, "All that you have said is correct except for your attack on this world. Do you know what this world is? This world is that in which we reach (or he said, 'where our provision is') the Next World. It contains our actions for which we will be rewarded in the Next World." He said, "A man who knows this world better than I do worked in it." I asked, "Amir al-Mu'minin, who is this man at our side?" He replied, 'The master of the Muslims, Ubayy ibn Ka'b.'"

This is what Muhammad God's Messenger has decided.” Suhail protested, “I swear by God that if we knew you were God’s Messenger we would not turn you away from the House or fight with you; but write: Muhammad b. ‘Abdallah.” The Prophet replied, “I swear by God that I am God’s Messenger even if you disbelieve me; write Muhammad b. ‘Abdallah.” Suhail said, “And that a man will not come to you from us, even if he follows your religion, without your sending him back to us." Then when he finished drawing up the document God’s Messenger said to his companions, "Get up and sacrifice, and then shave.” Thereafter some believing women came and God most high sent down, "O you who believe, when believing women come to you as emigrants…”3 God most high forbade them to send them back, but ordered them to restore the dower. When the Prophet returned to Medina Abu Basir, a man of Quraish who was a Muslim, came to him and they sent two men to look for him, so he handed him over to the two men. They took him away, and when they reached Dhul Hulaifa and alighted to eat some dates which they had Abu Basir said to one of the men, "I swear by God, so and so, that I think this sword of yours is a fine one; let me look at it.” He let him have it and he struck him till he died, whereupon the other fled from him and when he reached Medina went running into the mosque. The Prophet said, “This man has seen something frightful.” He said, “I swear by God that my companion has been killed, and I am as good as dead.”4 Abu Basir arrived and the Prophet said, "Woe to his mother, stirrer up of war! Would that he had some kinsfolk!”5 When he heard that he knew that he would send him back to them, so he went out and came to the seashore. Abu Jandal b. Suhail escaped and joined Abu Basir, and it became the practice that every man of Quraish who went out having accepted Islam joined Abu Basir, till a band of them collected. Whenever they heard of a caravan which belonged to Quraish going out to Syria they intercepted it, killed the men and seized their goods; so Quraish sent a message to the Prophet adjuring him by God and the ties of relationship to send instructions to them to stop, and agreeing that anyone who came to him would be safe. So the Prophet sent them instructions. 1. Cf. Al-Qur'an; 105. 2. This indicates that a part of Bukhari’s tradition is omitted here. 3. Al-Qur'an; 60:10. 4. Literally “and I am killed." 5. Literally “would that he had someone!” It probably means that the Prophet wished Abu Basir had had some kinsfolk to whom he could go, and so save him the necessity of returning him to Mecca. 6. Bukhari's tradition is very long. In the version given here it is much reduced, the purpose evidently being to give the essential parts of it without including every detail. Bukhari transmitted it.6

When the Messenger of Allah (saws) finished a prayer in which he had recited (the Qur'an) loudly, he asked: Did any of you recite along with me just now? A man replied: Yes, Messenger of Allah. He said: I am wondering what is the matter with me that I have been contended with reciting the Qur'an. He said: When the people heard that from the Messenger of Allah (saws) they ceased reciting (the Qur'an) along with him at the prayers in which he recited aloud.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition reported by Ibn Ukaimah has also been narrated by Ma'mar, Yunus, and Usamah b. Zaid on the authority of al-Zuhri similar to the tradition of Malik.

If one of you marries a woman or buys a slave, he should say: "O Allah, I ask You for the good in her, and in the disposition You have given her; I take refuge in You from the evil in her, and in the disposition You have given her." When he buys a camel, he should take hold of the top of its hump and say the same kind of thing.

Abu Dawud said: Abu Sa'id added the following words in his version: He should then tale hold of her forelock and pray for blessing in the case of a woman or a slave.

You have brought what is good from this man. Then they brought a lunatic in chains. He recited Surat al-Fatihah over him three days, morning and evening. When he finished, he collected his saliva and then spat it out, (he felt relief) as if he were set free from a bond. They gave him something (as wages). He then came to the Prophet (saws) and mentioned it to him. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Accept it, for by my life, some accept it for a worthless charm, but you have done so far a genuine one.

I said: Messenger of Allah, from whom should we conceal our private parts and to whom can we show? He replied: conceal your private parts except from your wife and from whom your right hands possess (slave-girls).

I then asked: Messenger of Allah, (what should we do), if the people are assembled together?

He replied: If it is within your power that no one looks at it, then no one should look at it.

I then asked: Messenger of Allah if one of us is alone, (what should he do)?

He replied: Allah is more entitled than people that bashfulness should be shown to him.

When the Prophet (May peace e upon him) commanded to stone Ma’iz b. Malik, we took him out to Baql. I swear by Allah, we did not tie him, nor did we dig a pit for him. But he was standing before us. The narrator Abu Kamil said: So we threw at him bones, clods of mud and pieces of earthenware. He ran away and we ran after him till he came to a side of the Harrah. He stood there before us and we threw at him big stones of the Harrah until he died. He (the Prophet) did not ask forgiveness for him, nor did he speak ill of him.

The deputation of ‘Abd al-Qais asked (the prophet):From which(vessels)should we drink ? He (the prophet) replied: Do not drink from the pumpkins, vessels smeared with pitch, and hollow stumps , and steep dates in skins. They asked: Messenger of Allah, if it ferments? He replied: infuse water in it. They asked: Messenger of Allah...” (repeating the same words). He replied to them third or fourth time: Pour it away. He then said: Allah has forbidden me, or he said: He has forbidden me wine, game of chance and kubah(drums). He said: Every intoxicant is unlawful. Sufyan said: I asked ‘All b. Badhimah about kubah . He replied: Drum.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) distributed outer garments with full-length sleeves but did not give Makhramah anything. Makhramah said: Go with us to the Messenger of Allah (saws). So I went with him and he said: Enter and call him for me. I then called him. He came out to him and he had an outer garment with full-length sleeves over him from those garments. He said: I kept it for you. He looked at it, meaning Makhramah according to the addition of Ibn Mawhab. The agreed version then says: He said: Makhramah was pleased. Ibn Qutaibah said: From Ibn Abi Mulaikah, but he did not name it.

A daughter of Messenger of Allah (saws) sent him message while I and Sa'd were with him and I think Ubayy was also there: My son or daughter (the narrator is doubtful) is dying, so come to us. He sent her greeting, saying at the same time: Say! What Allah has been taken belongs to Him, what He has given (belongs to Him), and He has appointed time for everything. She then sent a message adjuring him (to come to her). So he came to her and the child who was on the point of death was placed in the hearts of those whom He wished. Allah shows compassion only to those of His servants who are compassionate.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) entered the mosque (and saw that) a rope tied between two pillars. He asked: What is this rope (for) ? The people told him: This is (for) Hamnah b. Jahsh who prays (here). When she is tired, she reclines on it. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: She should pray as much as she has strength. When she is tired, she should sit down.

This version of Ziyad has: He said: What is this ? The people told him: This is for Zainab who prays. When she becomes lazy, or is tired, she holds it. He said: Undo it. One of you should pray in good spirits. When he is lazy or tired, he should sit down.

Another version of the above tradition adds: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Go away from this place of yours where inadvertence took hold of you. He then commanded Bilal who called for prayer and announced that the prayer in congregation was ready (i.e. he uttered the iqamah) and he observed prayer.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Malik, Sufyan b. 'Uyainah, al-Awza'i, and 'Abd al-Razzaq from Ma'mar and Ibn Ishaq, none of them made a mention of the call for prayer (adman) in this version of the tradition narrated by al-Zuhri, and none of them attribute (this tradition) to him except al-Awza'i and Aban al-'Attar on the authority of Ma'mar.

The mosque (of the Prophet) during his lifetime was built with bricks, its roof with branches of the palm-tree, and its pillars with palm-wood, as Mujahid said: Abu Bakr did not add anything to it. But 'Umar added to it; he built as it was built during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (saws) with bricks and branches, and he changed its pillars. Mujahid said: Its pillars were made of wood. 'Uthman changed it altogether with increasing addition. He built its walls with decorated stone and lime. And he built the pillars with decorated stone and its roof with teak. Mujahid said: Its roof was made of teak.

Abu Dawud said: Al-Qassah means lime used as mortar.

When the Messenger of Allah (saws) was observing I'tikaf (in the mosque), I would come to him to visit him. I had a talk with him and then stood up. I then returned and he (the Prophet) also stood up to accompany me (to my house). Her dwelling place was in the house of Usamah b. Zaid. Two men from the Ansar (helpers) passed (by him at the moment). When they saw the Prophet (saws), they walked quickly. The Prophet (saws) said: Be at ease, she is Safiyyah daughter of Huyayy. They said: Be glory to Allah, Messenger of Allah! He said: Satan runs in man like blood. I feared he might inspire something in your mind, or he said: evil (the narrator doubted).

The Mosque (of the Prophet) was built in the land of Banu al-Najjar which contained crops, palm trees and graves of the disbelievers. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Sell it to me for some price. They (Banu al-Najjar) replied: We do not want (any price). The palm-trees were cut off, and the crops removed and the graves of the disbelievers dug opened. He then narrated the rest of the tradition. But this version has the word "forgive" in the verse, instead of the word "help". Musa said: 'Abd al-Warith also narrated this tradition in a like manner. The version of 'Abd al-Warith has the word "dung-hill" (instead of crop), and he asserted that he narrated this tradition to Hammad.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you dies, his abode among the inhabitants of paradise will be shown him morning and evening if he is to be one of them; but if he is to be one of the inhabitants of hell, his abode among them will be shown him. He will be told that this is his abode to which God will finally raise him on the day of resurrection.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ruwaifi' b. Thabit told that God’s messenger said to him, “You may live for a long time after I am gone, Ruwaifi', so tell people that if anyone ties his beard, or wears round his neck a string to ward off the evil eye, or cleanses himself with animal dung or bone, Muhammad has nothing to do with him. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. al-Mughaffal on hearing his son say, “O God, I ask Thee for the white palace on the right of paradise,” said, “Sonny, ask God for paradise and seek refuge in Him from hell, for I heard God’s Messenger say, ‘There will be some among this people who will go over the score in ablution and supplication.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

He said that the Prophet used to teach them to say when afflicted by fever or any pain, "In the name of God, the Great, I seek refuge in God, the Mighty, from the evil of every vein that bleeds and from the evil of the heat of hell.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, but said this was a gharib tradition which he knew only among the traditions of Ibrahim b. Isma'il who is declared to be weak in tradition.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a servant of God is accustomed to worship Him in a good manner, then becomes ill, the angel who is entrusted with him is told to record for him actions equivalent to those which he did when he was well till God sets him free from his illness or takes him in death.” Transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

'Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father's authority, said that his grandfather reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Both parties in a business transaction have a right to annul it so long as they have not separated unless it is a bargain with the right to annul it attached to it; and one has not the right to separate from the other for fear that he may demand that the bargain be rescinded.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Sa'id b. al-Musayyib reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A pledge does not become lost to its owner when he does not redeem it in time. Any increase in its value goes to him and any loss must be borne by him.” Shafi'i transmitted it in mursal form, and something similar or something with a similar meaning with no discrepancy is transmitted on the authority of Abu Huraira with a fully connected isnad.

Hakim b. Hizam said God's Messenger sent him with a dinar to buy a sacrificial animal for him. He bought a sheep for a dinar, sold it for two, came back, bought a sacrificial animal for a dinar, and brought it along with the extra dinar which he had gained. God’s Messenger gave the dinar as sadaqa and asked a blessing on him in his trading. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Hubaish reported God's Messenger as saying, ‘‘If anyone cuts down a lote tree, God will lower his head in hell.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, saying this is an abbreviated tradition meaning that if anyone wrongfully, unjustly and with no benefit to him from it cuts down in a desert a lote tree under which travellers and animals seek shade, God will lower his head in hell.

‘ Abdallah b. Umar said that God’s Messenger handed over to the Jews of Khaibar the palm-trees and the land of Khaibar on condition that they should employ what belonged to them in working on them and that he should have half the produce. Muslim transmitted it. In Bukhari's version, it says that God’s Messenger gave Khaibar to the Jews to work and cultivate, in return for which they would get half of what it produced.