It is a sign of having knowledge that, when you do not know something, you say: 'Allah knows better.' Allah said to his Prophet: 'Say: No wage do I ask of you for this (Qur'an), nor am I one of the pretenders (a person who pretends things which do not exist)' (38.86) When the Quraish troubled and stood against the Prophet he said, "O Allah! Help me against them by afflicting them with seven years of famine like the seven years of Joseph." So they were stricken with a year of famine during which they ate bones and dead animals because of too much suffering, and one of them would see something like smoke between him and the sky because of hunger. Then they said: Our Lord! Remove the torment from us, really we are believers. (44.12) And then it was said to the Prophet (by Allah), "If we remove it from them. they will revert to their ways (of heathenism)." So the Prophet invoked his Lord, who removed the punishment from them, but later they reverted (to heathenism), whereupon Allah punished them on the day of the Battle of Badr, and that is what Allah's Statement indicates: 'Then watch for the day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible...we will indeed (then) exact retribution.' (44.10).

I said to `Aisha, "O Mother! Did Prophet Muhammad see his Lord?" Aisha said, "What you have said makes my hair stand on end ! Know that if somebody tells you one of the following three things, he is a liar: Whoever tells you that Muhammad saw his Lord, is a liar." Then Aisha recited the Verse: 'No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Courteous Well-Acquainted with all things.' (6.103) 'It is not fitting for a human being that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration or from behind a veil.' (42.51) `Aisha further said, "And whoever tells you that the Prophet knows what is going to happen tomorrow, is a liar." She then recited: 'No soul can know what it will earn tomorrow.' (31.34) She added: "And whoever tell you that he concealed (some of Allah's orders), is a liar." Then she recited: 'O Apostle! Proclaim (the Message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord..' (5.67) `Aisha added. "But the Prophet saw Gabriel in his true form twice."

The Prophet said, "Whoever claims to have seen a dream which he did not see, will be ordered to make a knot between two barley grains which he will not be able to do; and if somebody listens to the talk of some people who do not like him (to listen) or they run away from him, then molten lead will be poured into his ears on the Day of Resurrection; and whoever makes a picture, will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and will be ordered to put a soul in that picture, which he will not be able to do." Ibn `Abbas also narrated a similar hadith.

"The Messenger of Allah (saws) entered upon me and said: 'Do you have anything?' I said: 'No, except a piece of hard bread and vinegar.' so he said: 'Bring it, for a house that has vinegar is not impoverished of condiments."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Gharib from this route. We do not know of it as a Hadith of Umm Hani' except through this route. Abu Hamzah Ath-Thumali's (a narrator in the chain) name is Thabit bin Abi Safiyyah. And Umm Hani' died some time after 'Ali bin Abi Talib. I asked Muhammad about this Hadith. He said: "I do not know Ash-Sha'bi hearing from Umm Hani'." So I said: "How is Abu Hamzah according to you?" He said: "Ahmad bin Hanbal criticized him, but he is Muqarib (average) in Hadith to me."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Humayd ibn Qays al-Makki from Tawus al Yamani that from thirty cows, Muadh ibn Jabal took one cow in its second year, and from forty cows, one cow in its third or fourth year, and when less than that (i.e. thirty cows) was brought to him he refused to take anything from it. He said, "I have not heard anything about it from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. When I meet him, I will ask him." But the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died before Muadh ibn Jabal returned.

Yahya said that Malik said, "The best that I have heard about some one who has sheep or goats with two or more shepherds in different places is that they are added together and the owner then pays the zakat on them. This is the same situation as a man who has gold and silver scattered in the hands of various people. He must add it all u p and pay whatever zakat there is to pay on the sum total."

Yahya said that Malik said, about a man who had both sheep and goats, that they were added up together for the zakat to be assessed, and if between them they came to a number on which zakat was due, he paid zakat on them. Malik added, "They are all considered as sheep, and in Umar ibn al-Khattab's book it says, 'On grazing sheep and goats, if they come to forty or more, one ewe.' "

Malik said, "If there are more sheep than goats and their owner only has to pay one ewe, the zakat collector takes the ewe from the sheep. If there are more goats than sheep, he takes it from the goats. If there is an equal number of sheep and goats, he takes the ewe from whichever kind he wishes."

Yahya said that Malik said, "Similarly, Arabian camels and Bactrian camels are added up together in order to assess the zakat that the owner has to pay. They are all considered as camels. If there are more Arabian camels than Bactrians and the owner only has to pay one camel, the zakat collector takes it from the Arabian ones. If, however, there are more Bactrian camels he takes it from those. If there is an equal number of both, he takes the camel from whichever kind he wishes."

Malik said, "Similarly, cows and water buffaloes are added up together and are all considered as cattle. If there are more cows than water buffalo and the owner only has to pay one cow, the zakat collector takes it from the cows. If there are more water buffalo, he takes it from them. If there is an equal number of ...

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Talha that Anas ibn Malik said, "I saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on one occasion when the asr prayer was at hand . Everyone was looking for water for wudu but no- one could find any. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought some water in a vessel . He put his hand into the vessel and then he told them all to do wudu from it." Anas added, "I saw water coming out from his fingers. Then all of them to the last man did wudu."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Talha from Anas ibn Malik that his grandmother, Mulayka, invited the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for food and he ate some of it. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Get up and I will lead you in prayer."

Anas said, "I stood up and took a woven mat belonging to us that had become black through long use and sprinkled it with water, and the Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stood on it. The orphan and I formed a row behind him, and the old woman stood behind us. He prayed two rakas with us and then left."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman from Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If a misfortune befalls some one and he says, as Allah has ordered, 'We belong to Allah and to Him we are returning. O Allah, reward me in my misfortune and give me better than it afterwards,' Allah will do that for him" (Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun. Allahumma' jurniy fi musiybatiy, wa a qibhiy khayran minha, illa faala 'llahu dhalika bihi.).

Umm Salama said, "When Abu Salama died I said that, and then I said, 'Who is better than Abu Salama?' " And then Allah left her the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he married her.

Juwayriyyah, daughter of al-Harith ibn al-Mustaliq, fell to the lot of Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas, or to her cousin. She entered into an agreement to purchase her freedom. She was a very beautiful woman, most attractive to the eye.

Aisha said: She then came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) asking him for the purchase of her freedom. When she was standing at the door, I looked at her with disapproval. I realised that the Messenger of Allah (saws) would look at her in the same way that I had looked.

She said: Messenger of Allah, I am Juwayriyyah, daughter of al-Harith, and something has happened to me, which is not hidden from you. I have fallen to the lot of Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas, and I have entered into an agreement to purchase of my freedom. I have come to you to seek assistance for the purchase of my freedom.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Are you inclined to that which is better? She asked: What is that, Messenger of Allah? He replied: I shall pay the price of your freedom on your behalf, and I shall marry you.

She said: I shall do this. She (Aisha) said: The people then heard that the Messenger of Allah (saws) had married Juwayriyyah. They released the captives in their possession and set them free, and said: They are the relatives of the Messenger of Allah (saws) by marriage. We did not see any woman greater than Juwayriyyah who brought blessings to her people. One hundred families of Banu al-Mustaliq were set free on account of her.

Abu dawud said: This evidence shows that a Muslim ruler may marry a slave woman himself.

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "Three men from among those who were before you, set out together till they reached a cave at night and entered it. A big rock rolled down the mountain and closed the mouth of the cave. They said (to each other), Nothing could save you from this rock but to invoke Allah by giving reference to the righteous deed which you have done (for Allah's sake only).' So, one of them said, 'O Allah! I had old parents and I never provided my family (wife, children etc.) with milk before them. One day, by chance I was delayed, and I came late (at night) while they had slept. I milked the sheep for them and took the milk to them, but I found them sleeping. I disliked to provide my family with the milk before them. I waited for them and the bowl of milk was in my hand and I kept on waiting for them to get up till the day dawned. Then they got up and drank the milk. O Allah! If I did that for Your Sake only, please relieve us from our critical situation caused by this rock.' So, the rock shifted a little but they could not get out." The Prophet added, "The second man said, 'O Allah! I had a cousin who was the dearest of all people to me and I wanted to have sexual relations with her but she refused. Later she had a hard time in a famine year and she came to me and I gave her one-hundred-and-twenty Dinars on the condition that she would not resist my desire, and she agreed. When I was about to fulfill my desire, she said: It is illegal for you to outrage my chastity except by legitimate marriage. So, I thought it a sin to have sexual intercourse with her and left her though she was the dearest of all the people to me, and also I left the gold I had given her. O Allah! If I did that for Your Sake only, please relieve us from the present calamity.' So, the rock shifted a little more but still they could not get out from there." The Prophet added, "Then the third man said, 'O Allah! I employed few laborers and I paid them their wages with the exception of one man who did not take his wages and went away. I invested his wages and I got much property thereby. (Then after some time) he came and said to me: O Allah's slave! Pay me my wages. I said to him: All the camels, cows, sheep and slaves you see, are yours. He said: O Allah's slave! Don't mock at me. I said: I am not mocking at you. So, he took all the herd and drove them away and left nothing. O Allah! If I did that for Your Sake only, ...

The Prophet (saws) said: When one of you eats, he must not eat from the top of the dish, but should eat from the bottom; for the blessing descends from the top of it.

We went to Anas bin Malik and complained about the wrong we were suffering at the hand of Al- Hajjaj. Anas bin Malik said, "Be patient till you meet your Lord, for no time will come upon you but the time following it will be worse than it. I heard that from the Prophet."

who was one of the companions of Allah's Apostle and one of the Ansar's who took part in the battle of Badr: I came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle I have weak eyesight and I lead my people in prayers. When it rains the water flows in the valley between me and my people so I cannot go to their mosque to lead them in prayer. O Allah's Apostle! I wish you would come to my house and pray in it so that I could take that place as a Musalla. Allah's Apostle said. "Allah willing, I will do so." Next day after the sun rose high, Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr came and Allah's Apostle asked for permission to enter. I gave him permission and he did not sit on entering the house but said to me, "Where do you like me to pray?" I pointed to a place in my house. So Allah's Apostle stood there and said, 'Allahu Akbar', and we all got up and aligned behind him and offered a two-rak`at prayer and ended it with Taslim. We requested him to stay for a meal called "Khazira" which we had prepared for him. Many members of our family gathered in the house and one of them said, "Where is Malik bin Al-Dukhaishin or Ibn Al-Dukhshun?" One of them replied, "He is a hypocrite and does not love Allah and His Apostle." Hearing that, Allah's Apostle said, "Do not say so. Haven't you seen that he said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah' for Allah's sake only?" He said, "Allah and His Apostle know better. We have seen him helping and advising hypocrites." Allah's Apostle said, "Allah has forbidden the (Hell) fire for those who say, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah' for Allah's sake only."

A woman came to Allah's Apostle and said, "I present myself (to you) (for marriage). She stayed for a long while, then a man said, "If you are not in need of her then marry her to me." The Prophet said, "Have you got anything m order to pay her Mahr?" He said, "I have nothing with me except my Izar (waist sheet)." The Prophet said, "If you give her your Izar, you will have no Izar to wear, (so go) and search for something. He said, "I could not find anything." The Prophet said, "Try (to find something), even if it were an iron ring But he was not able to find (even that) The Prophet said (to him). "Do you memorize something of the Qur'an?" "Yes. ' he said, "such Sura and such Sura," naming those Suras The Prophet said, "We have married her to you for what you know of the Qur'an (by heart).

We went out with Allah's Apostle to Khaibar and we travelled during the night. A man amongst the people said to 'Amir bin Al-Aqwa', "Won't you let us hear your poetry?" 'Amir was a poet, and so he got down and started (chanting Huda) reciting for the people, poetry that keep pace with the camel's foot steps, saying, "O Allah! Without You we would not have been guided on the right path, neither would we have given in charity, nor would we have prayed. So please forgive us what we have committed. Let all of us be sacrificed for Your cause and when we meet our enemy, make our feet firm and bestow peace and calmness on us and if they (our enemy) will call us towards an unjust thing we will refuse. The infidels have made a hue and cry to ask others help against us. Allah's Apostle said, "Who is that driver (of the camels)?" They said, "He is 'Amir bin Al-Aqwa."' He said, "May Allah bestow His mercy on him." A man among the people said, Has Martyrdom been granted to him, O Allah's Prophet! Would that you let us enjoy his company longer." We reached (the people of) Khaibar and besieged them till we were stricken with severe hunger but Allah helped the Muslims conquer Khaibar. In the evening of its conquest the people made many fires. Allah's Apostle asked, "What are those fires? For what are you making fires?" They said, "For cooking meat." He asked, "What kind of meat?" They said, "Donkeys' meat." Allah's Apostle said, "Throw away the meat and break the cooking pots." A man said, O Allah's Apostle! Shall we throw away the meat and wash the cooking pots?" He said, "You can do that too." When the army files aligned in rows (for the battle), 'Amir's sword was a short one, and while attacking a Jew with it in order to hit him, the sharp edge of the sword turned back and hit 'Amir's knee and caused him to die. When the Muslims returned (from the battle), Salama said, Allah's Apostle saw me pale and said, 'What is wrong with you?"' I said, "Let my parents be sacrificed for you! The people claim that all the deeds of Amir have been annulled." The Prophet asked, "Who said so?" I replied, "So-and-so and soand- so and Usaid bin Al-Hudair Al-Ansari said, 'Whoever says so is telling a lie. Verily, 'Amir will have double reward."' (While speaking) the Prophet put two of his fingers together to indicate that, and added, "He was really a hard-working man and a Mujahid (devout fighter in Allah's Cause) and rarely have ...

AbuSalam reported on the authority of a man from the companion of the Prophet (saws). He said: We attacked a tribe of Juhaynah. A man from the Muslims pursued a man of them, and struck him but missed him. He struck himself with the sword. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Your brother, O group of Muslims. The people hastened towards him, but found him dead. The Messenger of Allah (saws) wrapped him with his clothes and his blood, and offered (funeral) prayer for him and buried him. They said: Messenger of Allah, is he a martyr? He said: Yes, and I am witness to him.

Um-Salama said, "I got my menses while I was lying with the Prophet under a woolen sheet. So I slipped away, took the clothes for menses and put them on. Allah's Apostle said, 'Have you got your menses?' I replied, 'Yes.' Then he called me and took me with him under the woolen sheet." Um Salama further said, "The Prophet used to kiss me while he was fasting. The Prophet and I used to take the bath of Janaba from a single pot."

A man from Basrah said: Tell me what you heard from the Messenger of Allah (saws). He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: No one will enter Hell who has prayed before the rising of the sun and before its setting (meaning the dawn and the afternoon prayers). He said three times: Have you heard it from him? He replied: Yes, each time saying: My ears heard it and my heart memorised it. The man then said: And I heard him (the Prophet) say that.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Said ibn al- Musayyab that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, travelled by night on the way back from Khaybar.Towards the end of the night he stopped for a rest and told Bilal to stay awake to keep watch for the subh prayer. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his companions slept. Bilal stayed on guard as long as was decreed for him and then he leant against his riding camel facing the direction of the dawn and sleep overcame him and neither he nor the Messenger of Allah nor any of the party woke up until the sun's rays had struck them. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was alarmed. Bilal excused himself, saying, "Messenger of Allah! The One who took your self was the One who took myself. "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered the party to move on and so they roused thei r mounts and rode on a short distance. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered Bilal to give the iqama and then led them in the subh prayer. When he had finished he said, "Anyone who forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers. Allah theBlessed and Exalted says in His book, 'Establish the prayer to remember Me.'"

I was a man who was more given than others to sexual intercourse with women. When the month of Ramadan came, I feared lest I should have intercourse with my wife, and this evil should remain with me till the morning. So I made my wife like my mother's back to me till the end of Ramadan. But one night when she was waiting upon me, something of her was revealed. Suddenly I jumped upon her. When the morning came I went to my people and informed them about this matter.

I said: Go along with me to the Messenger of Allah (saws).

They said: No, by Allah. So I went to the Prophet (peace be upon him and informed him of the matter.

He said: Have you really committed it, Salamah? I said: I committed it twice, Messenger of Allah. I am content with the Commandment of Allah, the Exalted; so take a decision about me according to what Allah has shown you.

He said: Free a slave. I said: By Him Who sent you with truth, I do not possess a neck other than this: and I struck the surface of my neck.

He said: Then fast two consecutive months. I said: Whatever I suffered is due to fasting.

He said: Feed sixty poor people with a wasq of dates.

I said: By Him Who sent you with truth, we passed the night hungry; there was no food in our house.

He said: Then go to the collector of sadaqah of Banu Zurayq; he must give it to you. Then feed sixty poor people with a wasq of dates; and you and your family eat the remaining dates. Then I came back to my people, and said (to them): I found with you poverty and bad opinion; and I found with the Prophet (saws) prosperity and good opinion. He has commanded me to give alms to you.

Ibn al-Ala' added: Ibn Idris said: Bayadah is a sub-clan of Banu Zurayq.

I heard from Sa`d, the first man who has thrown an arrow in Allah's Cause, and from Abu Bakra who jumped over the wall of the Ta'if Fort along with a few persons and came to the Prophet. They both said, "We heard the Prophet saying, " If somebody claims to be the son of somebody other than his father knowingly, he will be denied Paradise (i.e. he will not enter Paradise).' " Narrated Ma`mar from `Asim from Abu Al-`Aliya or Abu `Uthman An-Nahdi who said. "I heard Sa`d and Abu Bakra narrating from the Prophet." `Asim said, "I said (to him), 'Very trustworthy persons have narrated to you.' He said, 'Yes, one of them was the first to throw an arrow in Allah's Cause and the other came to the Prophet in a group of thirty-three persons from Ta'if.'

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Ibn Ishaq and al-Auza'i from Yahya b. Sa'id in a similar manner, and Malik narrated it from Yahya b. Sa'id, saying: He observed I'tikaf during twenty days of Shawwal.

When we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (saws), he talked about periods of trial (fitnahs), mentioning many of them.

When he mentioned the one when people should stay in their houses, some asked him: Messenger of Allah, what is the trial (fitnah) of staying at home?

He replied: It will be flight and plunder. Then will come a test which is pleasant. Its murkiness is due to the fact that it is produced by a man from the people of my house, who will assert that he belongs to me, whereas he does not, for my friends are only the God-fearing. Then the people will unite under a man who will be like a hip-bone on a rib. Then there will be the little black trial which will leave none of this community without giving him a slap, and when people say that it is finished, it will be extended. During it a man will be a believer in the morning and an infidel in the evening, so that the people will be in two camps: the camp of faith which will contain no hypocrisy, and the camp of hypocrisy which will contain no faith. When that happens, expect the Antichrist (Dajjal) that day or the next.

Once while I was in a state of fatigue (because of severe hunger), I met 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, so I asked him to recite a verse from Allah's Book to me. He entered his house and interpreted it to me. (Then I went out and) after walking for a short distance, I fell on my face because of fatigue and severe hunger. Suddenly I saw Allah's Apostle standing by my head. He said, "O Abu Huraira!" I replied, "Labbaik, O Allah's Apostle, and Sadaik!" Then he held me by the hand, and made me get up. Then he came to know what I was suffering from. He took me to his house, and ordered a big bowl of milk for me. I drank thereof and he said, "Drink more, O Abu Hirr!" So I drank again, whereupon he again said, "Drink more." So I drank more till my belly became full and looked like a bowl. Afterwards I met 'Umar and mentioned to him what had happened to me, and said to him, "Somebody, who had more right than you, O 'Umar, took over the case. By Allah, I asked you to recite a Verse to me while I knew it better than you." On that Umar said to me, "By Allah, if I admitted and entertained you, it would have been dearer to me than having nice red camels.

The night which the Messenger of Allah (saws) passed with me was the one that followed the day of sacrifice. He came to me and Wahb ibn Zam'ah also visited me. A man belonging to the lineage of AbuUmayyah accompanied him. Both of them were wearing shirts.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to Wahb: Did you perform the obligatory circumambulation (Tawaf az-Ziyarah), AbuAbdullah?

He said: No, by Allah Messenger of Allah.

He (the Prophet) said: Take off your shirt. He then took it off over his head, and his companion too took his shirt off over his head.

He then asked: And why (this), Messenger of Allah? He replied: On this day you have been allowed to take off ihram when you have thrown the stones at the jamrahs, that is, everything prohibited during the state of ihram is lawful except intercourse with a woman. If the evening comes before you go round this House (the Ka'bah) you will remain in the sacred state (i.e. ihram), just like the state in which you were before you threw stones at the jamrahs, until you perform the circumambulation of it (i.e. the Ka'bah).

We proceeded in the company of the Messenger of Allah (saws) for the battle of Dhat ar-Riqa. One of the Muslims killed the wife of one of the unbelievers. He (the husband of the woman killed) took an oath saying: I shall not rest until I kill one of the companions of Muhammad.

He went out following the footsteps of the Prophet (saws). The Prophet (saws) encamped at a certain place. He said: Who will keep a watch on us? A person from the Muhajirun (Emigrants) and another from the Ansar (Helpers) responded. He said: Go to the mouth of the mountain-pass. When they went to the mouth of the mountain-pass the man from the Muhajirun lay down while the man from the Ansar stood praying.

The man (enemy) came to them. When he saw the person he realised that he was the watchman of the Muslims. He shot him with an arrow and hit the target. But he (took the arrow out and) threw it away. He (the enemy) then shot three arrows. Then he (the Muslim) bowed and prostrated and awoke his companion. When he (the enemy) perceived that they (the Muslims) had become aware of his presence, he ran away.

When the man from the Muhajirun saw the (man from the Ansar) bleeding, he asked him: Glory be to Allah! Why did you not wake me up the first time when he shot at you.

He replied: I was busy reciting a chapter of the Qur'an. I did not like to leave it.