delay for delay. Delay for delay is to sell a debt against one man for a debt against another man."

Malik said, "If someone advances for goods to be delivered after a time, and those goods are neither something to be eaten nor drunk, he can sell them to whomever he likes for cash or goods, before he takes delivery of them, to some one other than the person from whom he purchased them. He must not sell them to the person from whom he bought them except in exchange for goods which he takes possession of immediately and does not defer."

Malik said, "If the delivery date for the goods has not arrived, there is no harm in selling them to the original owner for goods which are clearly different and which he takes immediate possession of and does not defer."

Malik spoke about the case of a man who advanced dinars or dirhams for four specified pieces of cloth to be delivered before a specified time and when the term fell due, he demanded delivery from the seller and the seller did not have them. He found that the seller had cloth but inferior quality, and the seller said that he would give him eight of those cloths. Malik said, "There is no harm in that if he takes the cloths which he offers him before they separate. It is not good if delayed terms enter into the transaction. It is also not good if that is before the end of the term, unless he sells him cloth which is notthetypeof cloth for which he made an advance.

Malik said, "The generally agreed-on way of doing things in our community is that any setting-free which a man makes in a bequest that he wills in health or illness can be rescinded by him when he likes and changed when he likes as long as it is not a tadbir. There is no way to rescind a tadbir once he has made it.

"As for every child born to him by a slave-girl who he wills to be set free but he does not make mudabbara, her children are not freed with her when she is freed. That is because her master can change his will when he likes and rescind it when he likes, and being set free is not confirmed for her. She is in the position of a slave-girl whose master says, 'If so- and-so remains with me until I die, she is free.' " (i.e. he does not make a definite contract.)

Malik said, "If she fulfils that, that is hers. If he wishes, before that, he can sell her and her child because he has not entered her child into any condition he has made for her.

"The bequest in setting free is different from the tadbir. The precedent of the sunna makes a distinction between them. Had a bequest been in the position of a tadbir, no testator would be able to change his will and what he mentioned in it of setting free. His property would be tied up and he would not be able to use it."

Malik said about a man who made all his slaves mudabbar while he was well and they were his only property, "If he made some of them mudabbar before the others, one begins with the first until the third of his property is reached. (i.e. their value is matched against the third, and those whose value is covered are free.) If he makes the mall mudabbar in his illness, and says in one statement, 'So-and-so is free. So-and-so is free. So-and-so is free if my death occurs in this illness,' or he makes them all mudabbar in one statement, they are matched against the third and one does not begin with any of them before the others. It is a bequest and they have a third of his property divided between them in shares. Then the third of his property frees each of them according to the extent of his share.

"No single one of them is given preference when that all occurs in his illness."

Malik spoke about a master who made his slave a mudabbar and then he died and the only property he had was the mudabbar slave and the slave had property. He said, "A third of the mudabbar is freed and his property remains in his possession."

Malik said about a mudabbar whose master gave him a kitaba and then the master died and did not leave any property other than him, "A third of him is freed and a third of his kitaba is reduced, and he owes two-thirds."

Malik spoke about a man who freed half of his slave while he was ill and made irrevocable his freeing half of him or all of him, and he had made another slave of his mudabbar before that. He said, "One begins with the slave he made mudabbar before the one he freed while he was ill. That is because the man cannot revoke what he has made mudabbar and cannot follow it with a matter which will rescind it. When this mudabbar is freed, then what remains of the third goes to the one who had half of him freed so as to complete his setting-free entirely in the third of the property of the deceased. If what is left of the third does not cover that, whatever is covered by what is left of the third is freed after the first mudabbar is freed . "

] Allāhumma ‘j`alhu faraṭan wa dhukhran liwālidayh, wa shafī`an mujāban. Allāhumma thaqqil bihi mawāzīnahumā wa a`ẓim bihi ujūrahumā, wa alḥiqhu biṣāliḥi ‘l-mu'minīn, waj`alhu fī kafālati Ibrāhīm, wa qihi biraḥmatika `adhāba ‘l-jaḥīm, wa abdilhu dāran khayran min dārih, wa ahlan khayran min ahlih, Allāhumma’ghfir li aslāfinā wa afrāṭinā wa man sabaqanā bil īmān. O Allah, protect him from the torment of the grave. [It is also good to say:] O Allah, make him a precursor, a forerunner and a treasure for his parents and an answered intercessor. O Allah, make him weigh heavily in their scales (of good) and magnify their reward. Make him join the righteous of the believers. Place him in the care of Ibrahim. Save him by Your mercy from the torment of Hell. Give him a home better than his home, and a family better than his family. O Allah, forgive those who have gone (i.e. passed away) before us, our children lost (by death), and those who have preceded us in Faith. Reference: Ibn Qudamah, Al-Mughni 3/416 and Ad-Duroosul-Muhimmah li-Aammatil-'Ummah, pg. 15, by Shaikh 'Abdul-'Aziz bin Baz.

One day I was behind the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) [riding on the same mount] and he said, “O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]: Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, then ask Allah [alone]; and if you seek help, then seek help from Allah [alone]. And know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already prescribed against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.” It was related by at-Tirmidhi, who said it was a good and sound hadeeth. Another narration, other than that of Tirmidhi, reads: Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. Recognize and acknowledge Allah in times of ease and prosperity, and He will remember you in times of adversity. And know that what has passed you by [and you have failed to attain] was not going to befall you, and what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and hardship with ease.

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].

Abu Huraira told that the people asked, "Messenger of God, shall we see our Lord on the day of resurrection?" and then mentioned something to the same general effect as Abu Sa'id's tradition, except for "things will be made plain[1]." The Prophet then said, "The Path will be set over the main part of jahannam and I shall be the first of the messengers to take his people across. On that day only the messengers will speak and what they say that day will be, `0 God, keep safe, keep safe.' In jahannam there will be pronged flesh-hooks like sadan[2] thorns whose size is known only to God, and they will seize people for their deeds, some being confined for what they have done and others being cut in small pieces and escaping. Then when God finishes judging His servants and desires to take out of hell such people as He pleases among those who testified that there is no god but God, He will command the angels to bring out those who worshipped God. They will do so, recognising them by the marks of prostration, God most high having prevented hell from devouring the mark of prostration, for hell will devour everything in the sons of Adam except the mark of prostration. They will come forth from hell having been burned, the water of life will be poured over them, and they will sprout as a seed does in the rubbish carried away by a flood. Bat a man who will be the last of the inhabitants of hell to enter paradise will remain between paradise and hell facing hell and will say, `0 my Lord, turn my face away from hell, for its odour has annoyed me and its fierce blaze has burned me; but God will reply, 'If I do that you will perhaps ask something else.' He will say, `No, by Thy might,' giving God such covenant and agreement as God wishes, and He will turn his face away from hell. When he is turned to face paradise and sees its beauty, he will remain silent as long as God wishes him to remain so, and will then say, 'O my Lord, bring me forward to the gate of paradise.' God who is blessed and exalted will reply, `Did you not give covenants and agreement that you would not ask anything beside what you have asked?' and he will say, `O my Lord, let me not be made the most miserable of Thy creatures.' He will ask, `What else are you likely to ask for if you are granted that?' and he will reply, `No, by Thy might, I shall ask nothing else.' He will then give his Lord such covenant and agreement as He wishes, and He will bring him forward to the gate of paradise. Then when he reaches its gate and sees its freshness and the splendour and joy it contains, he will remain silent as long as God wishes him to remain so, and will then say, `O my Lord, bring me into paradise.' God who is blessed and exalted will reply, `Woe to you, son of Adam, how treacherous you are! Have you not given covenants and agreement that you would not ask anything more than you have been granted?' and he will say, `O my Lord, do not make me the most miserable of Thy creatures.' He will continue making supplication till God laughs at him, and when He does so He will give him permission to enter paradise, and will say, `State your wish.' When he has done so till his wishing has come to an end God most high will say, `State your wish from such and such,' his Lord mentioning the matters to him. Then when there is nothing more he can wish God will say, `You can have that and a similar amount along with it'." In Abu Sa'id's version God says, "You can have that and ten times as much." i.e., they will have everything as far as their eyes can see. The name of a plant with a prickly head on which camels pasture. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

"The Messenger of Allah (saw) addressed us, and most of his speech had to do with telling us about Dajjal. He warned about him, and among the things he said was: 'There will not be any tribulation on earth, since the time Allah created the offspring of Adam, that will be greater than the tribulation of Dajjal. Allah has not sent any Prophet but he warned his nation about Dajjal. I am the last of the Prophets, and you are the last of the nations. He will undoubtedly appear among you. If he appears while I am among you, I will contend with him on behalf of every Muslim, and if he appears while I am not among you, then each man must fend for himself and Allah will take care of every Muslim on my behalf. He will emerge from Al-Khallah, between Sham and Iraq, and will wreak havoc right and left. O slaves of Allah, remain steadfast. I will describe him to you in a manner in which none of the Prophets has described him before me. He will start by saying "I am a Prophet," and there is no Prophet after me. Then a second time he will say: "I am your Lord." But you will not see your Lord until you die. He is one-eyed, and your Lord is not one-eyed, and written between his eyes is Kafir. Every believer will read it, whether he is literate or illiterate. Part of his Fitnah will be that he will have with him Paradise and Hell, but his Hell will be a Paradise and his Paradise a Hell. Whoever is tested with his fire (hell), let him seek the help of Allah and recite the first Verses of Al-Kahf, then it will be cool and safe for him, as the fire was for Ibrahim. Part of his Fitnah will be that he will say to a Bedouin: "What do you think, if I resurrect your father and mother for you, will you bear witness that I am your Lord?" He will say: "Yes." Then two devils will appear to him in the form of his father and mother and will say: "O my son, follow him, for he is your Lord." And part of his Fitnah will be that he will overpower a single soul and kill him, then he will cut him with a saw until he falls in two pieces. Then he will say: "Look at this slave of mine; I will resurrect him now, then he will claim that he has a Lord other than me." Then Allah will resurrect him and the evil one will say to him: "Who is your Lord?" and he will say: "Allah is my Lord, and you are the enemy of Allah, you are Dajjal. By Allah, I have never had more insight about you than I have today." (An addition) Abul-Hasan Tanafisi said: "Muharibi told us: 'Ubaidullah bin al-Walid Al-Wassafi told us, from 'Atiyyah, that Abu Sa'eed said: "The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: 'That man will be the highest in status in my nation in Paradise'" -  He said: "Abu Sa'eed said: 'By Allah, we did not think that man would be anyone other than 'Umar bin Khattab, until he passed away. -   Muharibi said: "Then we went back to the narration of Abu Rafi'." He said: - 'Part of his Fitnah will be that he will command the sky to rain, and it will rain, and he will command the earth to bring forth vegetation and it will do so. And part of his Fitnah will be that he will pass by a clan and they will disbelieve in him, so all their flocks will perish and none will be left. And part of his Fitnah will be that he will pass by a clan who will believe in him, so he will command the sky to rain, and it will rain, and he will command the earth to bring forth vegetation and it will do so, until their flocks will come back in the evening of that day, bigger and fatter than they have ever been, with their flanks stretched and their udders full of milk. There will be no part of the earth left that he does not enter and prevail over, except for Makkah and Al-Madinah, for he will not approach them on any of their mountain paths but he will be met by angels with unsheathed swords, until he will stop at the red hill at the end of the marsh. Then Al-Madinah will be shaken with its people three times, and no hypocrite, male or female, will be left, all will come out to him. Thus it will be cleansed of impurity just as the bellows cleanses the iron of dross. And that day will be called the Day of Deliverance.' "Umm Sharik bint Abi 'akar said: 'O Messenger of Allah, where will the Arabs be that day?' He said: 'On that day they will be few, and most of them will be in Baitul-Maqdis (Jerusalem), and their leader will be a righteous man. When their leader has stepped forward to lead them in subh prayer, 'Eisa bin Maryam will come down to them. Their leader will step backwards so that 'Eisa can come forward and lead the people in prayer, but 'Eisa will place his hand between his shoulders and say to him: "Go forward and pray, for the Iqamah was given for you." Then their leader will lead them in prayer. When he has finished, 'Eisa (as), will say: "Open the gate." So they will open it and behind it will be Dajjal with seventy thousand Jews, each of them carrying an adorned sword and wearing a greenish cloak. When Dajjal looks at him, he will start to melt as salt melts in water. He will run away, and 'Eisa (as), will say: "I have only one blow for you, which you will not be able to escape!" He will catch up with him at the eastern gate of Ludd, and will kill him. Then Allah will defeat the Jews, and there will be nothing left that Allah has created which the Jews will be able to hide behind, except that Allah will cause it to speak - no stone, no tree, no wall, no animal - except for Al-Gharqad (the box-thorn), for it is one of their trees, and will not speak - except that it will say: "O Muslim slave of Allah, here is a Jews, come and kill him!" "The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: 'His (Dajjal's) days will number forty years: a year like half a year, a year like a month, a month like a week, and the rest of his days will be like sparks from a fire (i.e., they will pass quickly). One of you will enter the gate of Al-Madinah in the morning and not reach its other gate until evening comes.' It was said: 'O Messenger of Allah, how should we pray on those short days?' He said: 'Estimate (the times of) the prayer, as you do on these long days, then pray.' The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Eisa bin Maryam (as), will be a just judge and a just ruler among my nation. He will break the cross, slaughter the pigs, abolish the Jizyah and charity will be left. No one will be appointed to (collect the Zakah of) sheep and camels. Grudges and mutual hatred will disappear and the venom of every venomous creature will be removed, so that a baby boy will but his hand in a snake and it will not harm him, and a baby girl will make a lion run away, and it will not harm her; and the wolf will be among the sheep like their sheepdog. The earth will be filled with peace just as a vessel is filled with water. The people will be united and none will be worshipped except Allah. War will cease and Quraish will no longer be in power. The earth will be like a silver platter, with its vegetation growing as it did at the time of Adam, until a group of people will gather around one bunch of grapes and it will suffice them, and a group will gather around a single pomegranate and it will suffice them. An ox will be sold for such and such amount of money, and a horse will be sold for a few Dirham.' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, why will horses be so cheap?' He said: 'They will never be ridden in war again.' It was said to him: 'Why will oxen be so expensive?' He said: 'Because all the land will be tilled. Before Dajjal appears there will be three difficult years in which the people will suffer severe famine. In the first year, Allah will command the sky to withhold one third of its rain and the earth to withhold one third of its produce. In the second year, He will command the sky to withhold two thirds of its rain and the earth to withhold two-thirds of its produce. In the third year, he will command the sky to withhold all of its rain, and not a single drop will fall, and the earth to withhold all of its produce, and nothing will grow. All cloven-hoofed animals will die, except those that Allah wills.' It was said: 'What will the people live on at that time?' He said: 'Tahlil, Takbir, Tasbih and Tahmid. That will take the place of food for them.'" Abu 'Abdullah (Ibn Majah) said: "I heard Abul-Hasan Tanafisi say: 'I heard 'Abdur-Rahman Al-Muharibi say: "This Hadith should be sent to every teacher so that they can teach it to the children in the schools."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard the same as that from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from Ibn Muayqib ad-Dawsi.

Malik said, "This is the way of doing things among us . "

Malik said, "The generally agreed on way of doing things among us is that wheat is not sold for wheat, dates for dates, wheat for dates, dates for raisins, wheat for raisins, nor any kind of food sold for food at all, except from hand to hand. If there is any sort of delayed terms in the transaction, it is not good. It is haram. Condiments are not bartered except from hand to hand."

Malik said, "Food and condiments are not bartered when they are the same type, two of one kind for one of the other. A mudd of wheat is not sold for two mudds of wheat, nor a mudd of dates for two mudds of dates, nor a mudd of raisins for two mudds of raisins, nor is anything of that sort done with grains and condiments when they are of one kind, even if it is hand to hand.

"This is the same position as silver for silver and gold for gold. No increase is halal in the transaction, and only like for like, from hand to hand is halal."

Malik said, "If there is a clear difference in foodstuffs which are measured and weighed, there is no harm in taking two of one kind for one of another, hand to hand. There is no harm in taking a sa of dates for two sa of wheat, and a sa of dates for two sa of raisins, and a sa of wheat for two sa of ghee. If the two sorts in the transaction are different, there is no harm in two for one or more than that from hand to hand. If delayed terms enter into the sale, it is not halal ."

Malik said, "It is not halal to trade a heap of wheat for a heap of wheat. There is no harm in a heap of wheat for a heap of dates, from hand to hand. That is because there is no harm in buying wheat with dates without precise measurement."

Malik said, "With kinds of foods and condiments that differ from each other, and the difference is clear, there is no harm in bartering one kind for another, without precise measurement from hand to hand. If delayed terms enter into the sale, there is no good in it. Bartering such things without precise measurement is like buying it with gold and silver without measuring precisely."

Malik said, "That is because you buy wheat with silver without measuring precisely, and dates with gold without measuring precisely, and it is halal. There is no harm in it."

Malik said, "It is not good for someone to make a heap of food, knowing its measure and then to sell it as if it had not been measured precisely, concealing its measure from the buyer. If the buyer wants to return that food to the seller, he can, because he concealed its measure and so it is an uncertain transaction. This is done with any kind of food or other goods whose measure and number the seller knows, and which he then sells without measurement and the buyer does not know that. If the buyer wants to return that to the seller, he can return t. The people of knowledge still forbid such a transaction."

Malik said, "There is no good in selling one round loaf of bread for two round loaves, nor large for small when some of them are bigger than others. When care is taken that they are like for like, there is no harm in the sale, even if they are not weighed."

Malik said, "It is not good to sell a mudd of butter and a mudd of milk for two mudds of butter. This is like what we described of selling dates when two sa of kabis and a sa of poor quality dates were sold for three sa of ajwa dates after the buyer had said to the seller, 'Two sa of kabis dates for three sa of ajwa dates is not good,' and then he did that to make the transaction possible. The owner of the milk puts the milk with his butter so that he can use the superiority of his butter over the butter of the other party to put his milk in with it."

Malik said, "Flour for wheat is like for like, and there is no harm in that. That is if he does not mix up anything with the flour and sell it for wheat, like for like. Had he put half a mudd of flour and half of wheat, and then sold that for a mudd of wheat, it would be like what we described, and it would not be good because he would want to use the superiority of his good wheat to put flour along with it. Such a transaction is not good."

Malik related to me that he heard that Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz gave a judgement about the mudabbar who did an injury. He said, "The master must surrender what he owns of him to the injured person. He is made to serve the injured person and recompense (in the form of service) is taken from him as the blood-money of the injury. If he completes that before his master dies, he reverts to his master."

Malik said, "The generally agreed on way of doing things in our community about a mudabbar who does an injury and then his master dies and the master has no property except him is that the third (allowed to be bequeathed) is freed, and then the blood-money for the in jury is divided into thirds. A third of the blood-money is against the third of him which was set free, and two-thirds are against the two-thirds which the heirs have. If they wish, they surrender what they have of him to the party with the injury, and if they wish, they give the injured person two-thirds of the blood-money and keep their portion of the slave. That is because that injury is a criminal action by the slave and it is not a debt against the master by which whatever setting free and tadbir the master had done would be abrogated. If there were a debt to people held against the master of the slave, as well as the criminal action of the slave, part of the mudabbar would be sold in proportion to the blood-money of the injury and according to the debt. Then one would begin with the blood-money which was for the criminal action of the slave and it would be paid from the price of the slave. Then the debt of his master would be paid, and then one would look at what remained after that of the slave. His third would b be set free, and two-thirds of him would belong to the heirs. That is because the criminal action of the slave is more important than the debt of his master. That is because, if the man dies and leaves a mudabbar slave whose value is one hundred and fifty dinars, and the slave strikes a free man on the head with a blow that lays open the skull, and the blood-money is fifty dinars, and the master of the slave has a debt of fifty dinars, one begins with the fifty dinars which are the blood-money of the head wound, and it is paid from the price of the slave. Then the debt of the master is paid. Then one looks at what remains of the slave, and a third of him is set free and two-thirds of him remain for the heirs. The blood-money is more pressing against his person than the debt of his master. The debt of his master is more pressing than the tadbir which is a bequest from the third of the property of the deceased. None of the tadbir is permitted while the master of the mudabbar has a debt which is not paid. It is a bequest. That is because Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, said, 'After any bequest that is made or any debt.' " (Sura 4 ayat 10)

Malik said, "If there is enough in the third property that the deceased can bequeath to free all the mudabbar, he is freed and the blood-money due from his criminal action is held as a debt against him which follows him after he is set free even if that blood-money is the full blood-money. It is not a debt on the master."

Malik spoke about a mudabbar who injured a man and his master surrendered him to the injured party, and then the master died and had a debt and did not leave any property other than the mudabbar, and the heirs said, "We surrender the mudabbar to the party," whilst the creditor said, "My debt exceeds that." Malik said that if the creditor's debt did exceed that at all , he was more entitled to it and it was taken from the one who owed the debt, according to what the creditor was owed in excess of the blood-money of the injury. If his debt did not exceed it at all, he did not take the slave.

Malik spoke about a mudabbar who did an injury and had property, and his master refused to ransom him. He said, "The injured party takes the property of the mudabbar for the blood-money of his injury. If there is enough to pay it, the injured party is paid in full for the blood-money of his injury and the mudabbar is returned to his master. If there is not enough to pay it, he takes it from the blood-money and uses the mudabbar for what remains of the blood-money."

When delegations from Yemen came to the help of (the Muslim army at the time of Jihad) 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) would ask them, "Is there Owais bin 'Amir amongst you?" (He continued searching him) until he met Owais (May Allah be pleased with him). He said, "Are you Owais bin 'Amir?" He said, "Yes". 'Umar asked, "Are you from the Qaran branch of the tribe of Murad?" He said, "Yes". He 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) again said, "Did you suffer from leucoderma and then you were cured from it but for the space of a dirham?" He said, "Yes". He 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "Is your mother still alive?" He said, "Yes". He 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "I heard Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, 'There would come to you Owais bin 'Amir with the reinforcement from the people of Yemen. He would be from Qaran (the branch) of Murad. He had been suffering from leucoderma from which he was cured but for a spot of a dirham. He has a mother to whom he is very dutiful. If he were to take an oath in the Name of Allah, Allah would fulfill his oath. And if it is possible for you, ask him to ask forgiveness for you.' So, ask forgiveness for me". He Owais (May Allah be pleased with him) did so. 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) then said, "Where do you intend to go?" He said, "To Kufah." He 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "Let me write a letter for you to its governor," whereupon he Owais (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "I love to live amongst the poor people". The following year, a person from among the elite (of Kufah) performed Hajj and he met 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him). 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) asked him about Owais (May Allah be pleased with him). He said, "I left him in a state with meagre means of sustenance in a decayed house." (Thereupon) 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "I heard Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, 'There would come to you Owais bin 'Amir of Qaran, a branch (of the tribe) of Murad, along with the reinforcement of the people of Yemen. He had been suffering from leucoderma which would have been cured but for the space of a dirham. He has a mother to whom he is very dutiful. Were he to swear, trusting Allah, for something, Allah would fulfill his oath. If you can ask him to pray for forgiveness for you, do so". This man went to Owais (May Allah be pleased with him) and asked him to pray for forgiveness for him. Owais (May Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "You have just returned from a blessed journey, it is you who should pray for forgiveness for me; and did you meet 'Umar?" The man said, "Yes". 'Owais (May Allah be pleased with him) then prayed for forgiveness for him. People became aware of the high status of Owais (May Allah be pleased with him) and he set out following his course.

[Muslim].

Another narration is: A delegation from Kufah came to 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him). Among them was one who used to make fun of Owais (May Allah be pleased with him). 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) enquired, "Is there anyone among you who is from Qaran?" So this man stepped forward. Then 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "I heard Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, 'A man will come to you from Yemen named Owais. He will have left in the Yemen only his mother. He was suffering from leucoderma and prayed to Allah to be cured of it. So he was cured except for a space of the size of a dinar or a dirham. Whoever of you should meet him should ask him to pray for forgiveness for him."'

Another narration is: 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "I heard Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, 'The best one of the next generation (At-Tabi'un) is a man called Owais, he will have a mother and he will be suffering from leucoderma. Go to him and ask him to pray for forgiveness for you".

[Muslim].

Yahya said from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Bushayr ibn Yasar informed him that Abdullah ibn Sahl al-Ansari and Muhayyisa ibn Masud went out to Khaybar, and they separated on their various businesses and Abdullah ibn Sahl was killed. Muhayyisa, and his brother Huwayyisa and Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sahl went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Abd ar-Rahman began to speak before his brother. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The older first, the older first.

Therefore Huwayyisa and then Muhayyisa spoke and mentioned the affair of Abdullah ibn Sahl. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to them, "Do you swear with fifty oaths and claim the blood-money of your companion or the life of the murderer?" They said, "Messenger of Allah, we did not see it and we were not present." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Will you acquit the jews for fifty oaths?' They said, "Messenger of Allah, how can we accept the oaths of a people who are kafirun?"

Yahya ibn Said said, "Bushayr ibn Yasar claimed that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, paid the blood-money from his own property."

Malik said, "The generally agreed on way of doing things in our community and that which I heard from whoever I am content with, concerning the oath of qasama, and upon which the past and present imams agree, is that those who claim revenge begin with the oaths and swear. The oath for revenge is only obligatory in two situations. Either the slain person says, 'My blood is against so-and-so,' or the relatives entitled to the blood bring a partial proof of it that is not irrefutable against the one who is the object of the blood-claim. This obliges taking an oath on the part of those who claim the blood against those who are the object of the blood-claim. With us, swearing is only obliged in these two situations."

Malik said, "That is the sunna in which there is no dispute with us and which is still the behaviour of the people. The people who claim blood begin the swearings, whether it is an intentional killing or an accident."

Malik said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, began with Banu Harith in the case of the killing of their kinsman murdered at Khaybar."

Malik said, "If those who make the claim swear, they deserve the blood of their kinsman and whoever they swear against is slain. Only one man can be killed in the qasama. Two cannot be killed in it. Fifty men from the blood-relatives must swear fifty oaths. If their number is less or some of them draw back, they can repeat their oaths, unless one of the relatives of the murdered man who deserves blood and who is permitted to pardon it, draws back. If one of these draws back, there is no way to revenge."

Yahya said that Malik said, "The oaths can be made by those of them who remain if one of them draws back who is not permitted to pardon. If one of the blood-relatives draws back who is permitted to pardon, even if he is only one, more oaths can not be made after that by the blood- relatives. If that occurs, the oaths can be on behalf of the one against whom the claim is made. So fifty of the men of his people swear fifty oaths. If there are not fifty men, more oaths can be made by those of them who already swore. If there is only the defendant, he swears fifty oaths and is acquitted."

Yahya said that Malik said, "One distinguishes between swearing for blood and oaths for one's rights. When a man has a money-claim against another man, he seeks to verify his due. When a man wants to kill another man, he does not kill him in the midst of people. He keeps to a place away from people. Had there only been swearing in cases where there is a clear proof and had one acted in it as one acts about one's rights (i.e. needing witnesses), the right of blood retribution would have been lost and people would have been swift to take advantage of it when they learned of the decision on it. However, the relatives of the murdered man were allowed to initiate swearing so that people might restrain themselves from blood and the murderer might beware lest he was put into a situation like that (i.e. qasama) by the statement of the murdered man.' "

Yahya said, "Malik said about a people of whom a certain number are suspected of murder and the relatives of the murdered man ask them to take oaths and they are numerous, so they ask that each man swears fifty oaths on his own behalf. The oaths are not divided out between them according to their number and they are not acquitted unless each man among them swears fifty oaths on his own behalf."

Malik said, "This is the best I have heard about the matter."

He said, "Swearing goes to the paternal relatives of the slain. They are the blood-relatives who swear against the killer and by whose swearing he is killed."

When the Prophet prayed he turned his face to us and asked, “Who among you had a vision last night?” If one of us had had one he told it and he would interpret it as God willed. One day he asked us, “Has any of you had a vision?” and when we replied that we had not he said: “But last night I saw two men who came to me, took me by the hand and brought me out to a holy land. I saw a man sitting and a man standing with a hooked piece of iron in his hand which he was inserting into the other man's jaw and cleaving it till it reached the back of his neck, and doing the same with the other jaw. This jaw was recovering, and then he would do the same again. I asked what this was and they told me to come away. So we went on till we came to a man who was lying on his back over whom a man was standing with a stone the size of his hand, or a rock, with which he was pounding his head. When he struck him the stone rolled away and he went after it to get it, and did not return to this man till his head was healed and restored to its former condition. He then went back to him and struck him. I asked what this was and they told me to come away. So we went on till we came to a hole like an oven, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, under which there was a fire. It contained naked men and women who when the fire rose mounted till they almost came out, but who returned into it when it subsided. I asked what this was and they told me to come away. So we went on till we came to a river of blood in the middle of which a man was standing and on the bank of which there was a man with some stones in front of him. The man who was in the river came forward and when he wanted to come out the other threw a stone into his mouth and sent him back where he came from; and as often as he tried to come out he threw a stone into his mouth and he returned to where he came from. I asked what this was and they" told me to come away. So we went on till we reached a green garden containing a huge tree at the foot of which were an old man and some boys and near which there was a man in front of whom there was a fire which he was kindling. My two companions took me up the tree and brought me into a house in the middle of the tree more beautiful than any I had seen in which were old men, youths, women and boys. They then took me out of it and brought me up the tree and took me into a more beautiful and more excellent house in which were old men and youths. Telling them that they had taken me round this night, I asked them to inform me about what I had seen, to which they agreed. They said that the man I had seen having his jaw cloven was a liar who told lies which were reported from him and carried to the ends of the earth, so what I had seen would be done to him till the day of resurrection. The man whose head I had seen being pounded was a man whom God had taught the Qur’an but who had slept at night and neglected it and had not acted according to its teachings in the daytime, so what I had seen would be done to him till the day of resurrection. Those I had seen in the hole were fornicators and the one I had seen in the river was the one who devoured usury. The old man I had seen at the foot of the tree was Abraham, the boys around him were the children of men, and the one who was kindling the fire was Malik the guardian of hell. The first house I entered was the abode of the generality of believers, but this house was the abode of the martyrs. One of them informing me that he was Gabriel and that the other was Michael told me to raise my head, and when I did so I saw something like a white cloud (a version giving cumulus cloud) and they told me that would be my abode. I asked them to let me enter my dwelling, but they told me I had still some time to live which I had not completed and that if I had completed it I would have entered my dwelling.” Bukhari transmitted it.

One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up and prayed Fajr, then he sat until the forenoon, then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled. Then he sat where he was until he had prayed Zuhr, 'Asr and Maghrib, and he did not speak until he had prayed 'isha'. Then he got up and went to his family. The people said to Abu Bakr: Why don't you ask the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) what is the matter? He did something today that he never did before. So he asked him and he said: `Yes, I was shown what is to come of this world and the Hereafter. The earlier and later generations were gathered in one place and the people got terrified because of that. They went to Adam when the sweat was about to reach their mouths, and they said: O Adam, you are the father of mankind and Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, chose you. Intercede for us with your Lord, He said: I am in the same position as you. Go to your father after your father, to Nooh, “Allah chose Adam, Nooh (Noah), the family of Ibraheem (Abraham) and the family of 'Imran above the 'Alameen (mankind and jinn) (of their times)` (Al 'Imran 3:33}. Then they will go to Nooh and will say: Intercede with your Lord for us, for Allah chose you and answered your supplication, and He did not leave one of the disbelievers on the Earth (cf. 71:26). He will say: I am not the one you want; go to Ibraheem for Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, took him as a close friend (khaleel). So they will go to Ibraheem but he will say: I am not the one you want; go to Moosa, for Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, spoke directly to him (cf. 4:164). But Moosa will say: I am not the one you want; go to 'Eesa Ibn Maryam, for he healed those born blind and the lepers, and he brought forth the dead. But 'Eesa will say: I am not the one you want; go to the leader of the sons of Adam, for he is the first one for whom the earth is split on the Day of Resurrection. Go to Muhammad, for he will intercede for you with your Lord, may He be glorified and exalted. Then (the Prophet) will go and Jibreel will come to his Lord and Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will say: Give him permission and give him the glad tidings of Paradise. Jibreel will take him and he will fall down in prostration for a week. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will say: Raise your head, O Muhammad; speak and you will be heard, intercede and your intercession will be accepted. So he will raise his head, and when he looks at his Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, he will fall down in prostration for another week. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will say: Raise your head, O Muhammad; speak and you will be heard, intercede and your intersession will be accepted. He will start to fall down in prostration again, but Jibreel (peace be upon him) will take hold of his upper arms and Allah, may he be glorified and exalted, will inspire him to offer a supplication such as no human being was ever inspired with. He will say: `O Lord, You created me as the leader of the sons of Adam, and no boast; the first one for whom the earth is split on the Day of Resurrection, and no boast; there will come to my Cistern more people than there can be between San‘a’ and Allah (Eilat).` Then it will be said: Call the Siddeeq's so that they might intercede. Then it will be said: Call the Prophets. So one Prophet will come with a group, and another Prophet will come with five or six people, and another Prophet will come with nobody. Then it will be said: Call the martyrs so that they might intercede for whoever they want. When the martyrs do that, Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will say: I am the Most Merciful of those who show mercy; I admit to My Paradise anyone who does not associate anything with Me. So they will enter Paradise. Then Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will say: Look in Hell; can you find anyone who ever did anything good? And they will find a man in Hell, and He will say to him: Did you ever do anything good? He will say: No, except that I was easy-going with people in buying and selling. And Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will say: Be easy-going with My slave as he was easygoing with My slaves. Then they will bring a man out of Hell and He will say to him: Did you ever do anything good? He will say: No, except that l instructed my sons: When I die, burn me with fire, then grind me until I am like kohl powder. Then take me to the sea and scatter me in the wind, for by Allah the Lord of the Worlds will never be able to punish me. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will say: Why did you do that? He will say: For fear of You. And Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will say: Look at the kingdom of the greatest king and you will have the like thereof and ten times as much. He will say: Are You making fun of me when You are the Sovereign? He (the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “That is what I was smiling at, at the time of the foremoon.`

One morning the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) made a mention of Dajjal, and he described him to be insignificant and at the same time described him so significant that we thought he was on the date-palm trees (i.e., nearby). When we went to him (the Prophet (PBUH)) in the evening, he perceived the sign of fear on our faces. He said, "What is the matter with you?'' We said: "O Messenger of Allah, you talked about Dajjal this morning raising your voice and lowering it until we thought he was hiding in the palm-trees grove: He said: "Something other than Dajjal make worry about you. If he appears while I am with you, I will defend you against him. But if he appears after I die, then everyone of you is his own defender. Allah is the One Who remains after me to guide every Muslim. Dajjal will be a young man with very curly hair with one eye protruding (with which he cannot see). I compare (his appearance) to that of Al-`Uzza bin Qatan. He who amongst you survives to see him, should recite over him the opening Ayat of Surat Al-Kahf (i.e., Surat 18: Verses 1-8). He will appear on the way between Syria and Iraq and will spread mischief right and left. O slaves of Allah! Remain adhered to the truth.'' We asked: "O Messenger of Allah! How long will he stay on the earth?'' He said, "For forty days. One day will be like a year, one day like a month, one day like a week and the rest of the days will be like your days.'' We said: "O Messenger of Allah! Will one day's Salat (prayer) suffice for the Salat of that day which will be equal to one year?'' Thereupon he said, "No, but you must make an estimate of time and then offer Salat.'' We said: "O Messenger of Allah! How quickly will he walk upon the earth?'' Thereupon he said, "Like cloud driven by the wind (i.e., very quickly). He will come to the people and call them to his obedience and they will affirm their faith in him and respond to him. He will then give command to the sky and it will send its rain upon the earth and he will then send his command to the earth and it will grow vegetation. Then in the evening their pasturing animals will come to them with their humps very high and their udders full of milk and their flanks stretched. He will then come to another people and invite them, but they will reject him and he will leave them, in barren lands and without any goods and chattels! He would then walk through the waste land and say to it: `Bring forth your treasures', and the treasures will come out and follow him like swarms of bees. He will then call a person brimming with youth and strike him with the sword and cut him into two pieces and make these pieces lie at a distance, which is generally between the archer and his target. He will then call that young man and he will come forward, laughing, with his face gleaming out of joy; and it will be at this very time that Allah will send `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) who will descend at the white minaret in the eastern side of Damascus, wearing two garments lightly dyed and placing his hands on the wings of two angels. When he will lower his head, there would fall drops of water from his head, and when he will raise it up, drops like pearls would scatter from it. Every disbeliever who will find his (i.e., `Isa's) smell will die and his smell will reach as far as he will be able to see. He will then search for Dajjal until he will catch hold of him at the gate of Ludd (village near Jerusalem), and will kill him. Then the people, whom Allah will have protected, will come to `Isa son of Maryam, and he will wipe their faces and will inform them of their ranks in Jannah, and it will be under such conditions that Allah will reveal to `Isa these words: `I have brought forth from amongst my slaves such people against whom none will be able to fight, so take these people safely to the mountain.' And then Allah will send Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog people) and they will sworn down from every slope. The first of them will pass the Lake Tabariyah (near the Dead Sea in Palestine) and drink all its water. And when the last of them will pass, he will say: `There was once water there.' Prophet `Isa (PBUH) and his companions will then be so much hard-pressed that the head of an ox will be dearer to them than one hundred dinar, and `Isa along with his companions, will make supplication to Allah, Who will send insects which will attack their (Ya'juj and Ma'juj people) neck until they all will perish like a single person. Prophet, `¦sa and his companions will then come down and they will not find in the earth as much space as a single span which would not be filled with their corpses and their stench. Prophet `Isa and his companions will then again beseech Allah, Who will send birds whose necks will be like those of Bactrian camels, and they will carry them and throw them where Allah will desire. Then Allah will send down rain which will spare no house in the city or in the countryside. It would wash away the earth until it appears like a mirror. Then the earth will be told to bring forth its fruit and restore its blessings; and as a result of this, there will grow such a big pomegranate that a group of people will eat from it and seek shelter under its skin. Milk will be so blessed that the milk of one she-camel will suffice for a large company and the cow will give so much milk, that it will suffice for a whole tribe. The sheep will give so much milk that the whole family will be able to drink out of that, and at that time Allah will send a pleasant wind which will soothe people even under their armpits, and will take the life of every Muslim and true believer, and only the wicked will survive. They will commit adultery in public like asses and the Resurrection Day will be held.''

[Muslim].

Malik related to me from Humayd ibn Qays al-Makki that a son of al-Mutawakkil had a mukatab who died at Makka and left (enough to pay) the rest of his kitaba and he owed some debts to people. He also left a daughter. The governor of Makka was not certain about how to judge in the case, so he wrote to Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan to ask him about it. Abd al-Malik wrote to him, "Begin with the debts owed to people, and then pay what remains of his kitaba. Then divide what remains of the property between the daughter and the master."

Malik said, "What is done among us is that the master of a slave does not have to give his slave a kitaba if he asks for it. I have not heard of any of the Imams forcing a man to give a kitaba to his slave. I heard that one of the people of knowledge, when someone asked about that and mentioned that Allah the Blessed, the Exalted, said, 'Give them their kitaba, if you know some good in them' (Sura 24 ayat 33) recited these two ayats, 'When you are free of the state of ihram, then hunt for game.' (Sura 5 ayat 3) 'When the prayer is finished, scatter in the land and seek Allah's favour.' " (Sura 62 ayat 10)

Malik commented, "It is a way of doing things for which Allah, the Mighty, the Majestic, has given permission to people, and it is not obligatory for them." Malik said, "I heard one of the people of knowledge say about the word of Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, 'Give them of the wealth which Allah has given you,' that it meant that a man give his slave a kitaba and then reduce the end of his kitaba for him by some specific amount."

Malik said, "This is what I have heard from the people of knowledge and what I see people doing here."

Malik said, "I have heard that Abdullah ibn Umar gave one of his slaves his kitaba for 35,000 dirhams, and then reduced the end of his kitaba by 5,000 dirhams."

Malik said, "What is done among us is that when a master gives a mukatab his kitaba, the mukatab's property goes with him but his children do not go with him unless he stipulates that in his kitaba."

Yahya said, "I heard Malik say that if a mukatab whose master had given him a kitaba had a slave- girl who was pregnant by him, and neither he nor his master knew that on the day he was given his kitaba, the child did not follow him because he was not included in the kitaba. He belonged to the master. As for the slave-girl, she belonged to the mukatab because she was his property."

Malik said that if a man and his wife's son (by another husband) inherited a mukatab from the wife and the mukatab died before he had completed his kitaba, they divided his inheritance between them according to the Book of Allah. If the slave paid his kitaba and then died, his inheritance went to the son of the woman, and the husband had nothing of his inheritance.

Malik said that if a mukatab gave his own slave a kitaba, the situation was looked at. If he wanted to do his slave a favour and it was obvious by his making it easy for him, that was not permitted. If he was giving him a kitaba from desire to find money to pay off his own kitaba, that was permitted for him.

Malik said that if a man had intercourse with a mukataba of his and she became pregnant by him, she had an option. If she liked she could be an umm walad. If she wished, she could confirm her kitaba. If she did not conceive, she still had her kitaba.

Malik said, "The generally agreed on way of doing things among us about a slave who is owned by two men is that one of them does not give a kitaba for his share, whether or not his companion gives him permission to do so, unless they both write the kitaba together, because that alone would effect setting him free. If the slave were to fulfil what he had agreed on to free half of himself, and then the one who had given a kitaba for half of him was not obliged to complete his setting free, that would be in opposition to the words of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 'If someone frees his share in a slave and has enough money to cover the full price of the slave, justly evaluated for him, he must give his partners their shares, so the slave is completely free . ' "

Malik said, "If he is not aware of that until the mukatab has met the terms or before he has met them the owner who has written him the kitaba returns what he has taken from the mukatab to him, and then he and his partner divide him according to their original shares and the kitaba is invalid. He is the slave of both of them in his original state."

Malik spoke about a mukatab who was owned by two men and one of them granted him a delay in the payment of the right which he was owed, and the other refused to defer it, and so the one who refused to defer the payment exacted his part of the due. Malik said that if the mukatab then died and left property which did not complete his kitaba, "They divide it according to what they are still owed by him. Each of them takes according to his share. If the mukatab leaves more than his kitaba, each of them takes what remains to them of the kitaba, and what remains after that is divided equally between them. If the mukatab is unable to pay his kitaba fully and the one who did not allow him to defer his payment has exacted more than his associate did, the slave is still divided equally between them, and he does not return to his associates the excess of what he has exacted, because he only exacted his right with the permission of his associate. If one of them remits what is owed to him and then his associate exacts part of what he is owed by him and then the mukatab is unable to pay, he belongs to both of them. And the one who has exacted something does not return anything because he only demanded what he was owed. That is like the debt of two men in one writing against one man. One of them grants him time to pay and the other is greedy and exacts his due. Then the debtor goes bankrupt. The one who exacted his due does not have to return any of what he took."

Malik related to me that he heard that Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made a settlement with her mukatab for an agreed amount of gold and silver.

Malik said, "The generally agreed on way of doing things among us in the case of a mukatab who is shared by two partners, is that one of them cannot make a settlement with him for an agreed price according to his portion without the consent of his partner. That is because the slave and his property are owned by both of them, and so one of them is not permitted to take any of the property except with the consent of his partner. If one of them settled with the mukatab and his partner did not, and he took the agreed price, and then the mukatab died while he had property or was unable to pay, the one who settled would not have anything of the mukatab's property and he could not return that for which he made settlement so that his right to the slave's person would return to him. However, when someone settles with a mukatab with the permission of his partner and then the mukatab is unable to pay, it is preferable that the one who broke with him return what he has taken from the mukatab for the severance and he can have back his portion of the mukatab. He can do that. If the mukatab dies and leaves property, the partner who has kept hold of the kitaba is paid in full the amount of the kitaba which remains to him against the mukatab from the mukatab's property. Then what remains of property of the mukatab is between the partner who broke with him and his partner, according to their shares in the mukatab. If one of the partners breaks off with him and the other keeps the kitaba, and the mukatab is unable to pay, it is said to the partner who settled with him, 'If you wish to give your partner half of what you took so the slave is divided between you, then do so. If you refuse, then all of the slave belongs to the one who held on to possession of the slave.' "

Malik spoke about a mukatab who was shared between two men and one of them made a settlement with him with the permission of his partner. Then the one who retained possession of the slave demanded the like of that for which his partner had settled or more than that and the mukatab could not pay it. He said, "The mukatab is shared between them because the man has only demanded what is owed to him. If he demands less than what the one who settled with him took and the mukatab can not manage that, and the one who settled with him prefers to return to his partner half of what he took so the slave is divided in halves between them, he can do that. If he refuses then all of the slave belongs to the one who did not settle with him. If the mukatab dies and leaves property, and the one who settled with him prefers to return to his companion half of what he has taken so the inheritance is divided between them, he can do that. If the one who has kept the kitaba takes the like of what the one who has settled with him took, or more, the inheritance is between them according to their shares in the slave because he is only taking his right."

Malik spoke about a mukatab who was shared between two men and one of them made a settlement with him for half of what was due to him with the permission of his partner, and then the one who retained possession of the slave took less than what his partner settled with him for and the mukatab was unable to pay. He said, "If the one who made a settlement with the slave prefers to return half of what he was awarded to his partner, the slave is divided between them. If he refuses to return it, the one who retained possession has the portion of the share for which his partner made a settlement with the mukatab."

Malik said, "The explanation of that is that the slave is divided in two halves between them. They write him a kitaba together and then one of them makes a settlement with the mukatab for half his due with the permission of his partner. That is a fourth of all the slave. Then the mukatab is unable to continue, so it is said to the one who settled with him, 'If you wish, return to your partner half of what you were awarded and the slave is divided equally between you.' If he refuses, the one who held to the kitaba takes in full the fourth of his partner for which he made settlement with the mukatab. He had half the slave, so that now gives him three-fourths of the slave. The one who broke off has a fourth of the slave because he refused to return the equivalent of the fourth share for which he settled."

Malik spoke about a mukatab whose master made a settlement with him and set him free and what remained of his severance was written against him as debt, then the mukatab died and people had debts against him. He said, "His master does not share with the creditors because of what he is owed from the severance. The creditors begin first."

Malik said, "A mukatab cannot break with his master when he owes debts to people. He would be set free and have nothing because the people who hold the debts are more entitled to his property than his master. That is not permitted for him."

Malik said, "According to the way things are done among us, there is no harm if a man gives a kitaba to his slave and settles with him for gold and reduces what he is owed of the kitaba provided that only the gold is paid immediately. Whoever disapproves of that does so because he puts it in the category of a debt which a man has against another man for a set term. He gives him a reduction and he pays it immediately. This is not like that debt. The breaking of the mukatab with his master is dependent on his giving money to speed up the setting free. Inheritance, testimony and the hudud are obliged for him and the inviolability of being set free is established for him. He is not buying dirhams for dirhams or gold for gold. Rather it is like a man who having said to his slave, 'Bring me such-and-such an amount of dinars and you are free', then reduces that for him, saying, 'If you bring me less than that, you are free.' That is not a fixed debt. Had it been a fixed debt, the master would have shared with the creditors of the mukatab when he died or went bankrupt. His claim on the property of the mukatab would join theirs."

I was eager to ask 'Umar about the two wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) concerning whom Allah said, “If you two (wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) turn in repentance to Allah, (it will be better for you), your hearts are indeed so inclined (to oppose what the Prophet (ﷺ) likes)” [at-Tahreem 66:4], until 'Umar went for Hajj and I went with him. When we were partway there, 'Umar turned aside and I turned aside with him, bringing the jug. He relieved himself, then he came to me and I poured water onto his hands, and he did wudoo’. I said: “O Ameer al -Mu'mineen, who are the two wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) of whom Allah said: ‘If you two (wives of the Prophet (ﷺ)) turn in repentance to Allah, (it will be better for you), your hearts are indeed so inclined (to oppose what the Prophet (ﷺ) likes)’?” [at-Tahreem 66:4] 'Umar said, “How strange of you, O Ibn 'Abbas”, (az-Zuhri said: By Allah, he did not like the question, but he did not conceal anything.) He said, “They were Hafsah and 'A'ishah.” Then he started to narrate the hadeeth and said: We people of Quraish were a people who dominated women, but when we came to Madinah we found a people who were dominated by their women, and our women started to learn from their women. My house was among Banu Umayyah bin Zaid in al-'Awali. One day I got angry with my wife, and she argued with me. I did not like her to argue with me, but she said: Do you not like me to argue with you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) argue with him, and one of them will forsake him all day until night comes, I went and entered upon Hafsah, and I said: Do you argue with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? She said: Yes. I said: Does one of you forsake him all day until night comes? She said: Yes. I said: Any one of you who does that is doomed and lost. Does any one of you feel assured that Allah will not be angry with her because of the anger of His Messenger (ﷺ), for then she will be doomed? Do not argue with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and do not ask him for anything. Ask me for whatever you want. And do not be misled by the fact that your neighbour is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) than you – referring to 'A'ishah. And ‘Umar said: I had a neighbour among the Ansar. We used to take turns to go down to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He would go down one day and I would go down the next. He would bring me the news of the Revelation and other things, and I would do likewise. We were saying that Ghassan were shoeing their horses to attack us. My friend went down, then he came to me at night and knocked on my door, then he called out to me. I went out to him and he said: Something terrible has happened! I said: What? Have Ghassan come? He said: No, it is more terrible than that and worse. The Prophet (ﷺ) has divorced his wives! I said: Hafsah is doomed and lost! I thought that this would happen. Then when I had prayed Fajr, I got dressed, then I went down and entered upon Hafsah, who was weeping. I said: Has the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)divorced you? She said: I do not know. He has secluded himself in this loft. I went to a black slave of his and said: Ask for permission for ‘Umar to enter. He went in, then he came out to me and said: I mentioned you to him but he did not say anything, I went away and came to the minbar, where I sat down. By it was a group of people, some of whom were weeping. I sat for a little while, then I could not bear it any longer, so I went to the slave and said: Ask for permission for ‘Umar to enter. He went in, then he came out to me and said: I mentioned you to him but he did not say anything. I turned to leave, then the slave called me and said: Go in, he has given you permission. So I went in and greeted the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with salam. He was resting on a reed mat that had left marks on his side. I said: O Messenger of Allah, have you divorced your wives? He looked up at me and said, “No.” I said: Allah Akbar! if you had seen us, O Messenger of Allah, we Quraish were a people who dominated women, but when we came to Madinah we found a people who were dominated by their women, and our women started to learn from their women. I got angry with my wife one day, and she started to argue with me. I did not like her to argue with me, but she said: Do you not like me to argue with you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) argue with him, and one of them will forsake him all day until night comes. I said: Any one of them who does that is doomed and lost. Does one of them feel assured that Allah will not be angry with her because of the anger of His Messenger (ﷺ),then she will be doomed? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled. I said: O Messenger of Allah, I entered upon Hafsah and I said: Do not be misled by the fact that your neighbour (i.e. ‘Aa'ishah) is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) than you. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled again. I said: O Messenger of Allah, may I speak to you freely? He said: “Yes.” So I sat down and looked around the room, and by Allah, I did not see anything in it to please the eye except three hides. I said: Pray to Allah, O Messenger of Allah, to make life prosperous for your ummah, for He has made life prosperous for the Persians and Romans, but they do not worship Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. He sat up straight and said: “Are you doubting. O son of al-Khattab? They are people whose good things have been hastened for them in this world.” I said: Pray for forgiveness for me, O Messenger of Allah. He had sworn that he would not enter upon them for a month, because he was so annoyed with them until Allah rebuked him.

the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one, for He is One and loves the odd (numbered). Whoever learns them will enter Paradise. They are: Allah, Al-Wahid (the One), As-Samad (the Self-Sufficient Master who all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks), Al-Awwal (the First), Al-Akhir (the Last), Az-Zahir (the Most High), Al-Batin (the Most Near), Al-Khaliq (the Creator), Al-Bari (the Inventor of all things), Al-Musawwir (the Bestower of forms), Al-Malik (the King), Al-Haqq (the Truth), As-Salam (the One free from all defects), Al-Mu'min (the Giver of security), Al-Muhaymin (the Watcher over His creatures), Al-'Aziz (the All-Mighty), Al-Jabbar (the Compeller), Al-Mutakabbir (the Supreme), Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful), Al-Latif (the Most Subtle and Courteous), Al-Khabir (the Aware), As-Sami' (the Hearing), Al-Basir (the Seeing), Al-'Alim (the All-Knowing), Al-'Azim (the Most Great), Al-Barr (the Source of goodness), Al-Muta'al (the Most Exalted), Al-Jalil (the Sublime One), Al-Jamil (the Beautiful), Al-Hayy (the Ever-Living), Al-Qayyum (the One Who sustains and protects all that exists), Al-Qadir (the Able), Al-Qahir (the Irrestible), Al-'Ali (the Exalted), Al-Hakim (the Most Wise), Al-Qarib (the Ever-Near), Al-Mujib (the Responsive), Al-Ghani (the Self-Sufficient), Al-Wahhab (the Bestower), Al-Wadud (the Loving), Ash-Shakur (the Appreciative), Al-Majid (the Most Gentle), Al-Wajid (the Patron), Al-Wali (the Governor), Al-Rashid (the Guide), Al-'Afuw (the Pardoner), Al-Ghafur (the Forgiver), Al-Halim (the Forbearing One), Al-Karim (the Most Generous), At-Tawwab (the Acceptor of Repentance), Ar-Rabb (the Lord and Cherisher), Al-Majid (the Most Glorious), Al-Wali (the Helper), Ash-Shahid (the Witness), Al-Mubin (the Manifest), Al-Burhan (the Proof), Ar-Ra'uf (the Compassionate), Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful), Al-Mubdi' (the Originator), Al-Mu'id (the Restorer), Al-Ba'ith (the Resurrector), Al-Warith (the Supreme Inheritor), Al-Qawi (the All-Strong), Ash-Shadid (the Severe), Ad-Darr (the One Who harms), An-Nafi' (the One Who benefits), Al-Baqi' (the Everlasting), Al-Waqi (the Protector), Al-Khafid (the Humble), Ar-Rafi' (the Exalter), Al-Qabid (the Retainer), Al-Basit (the Expander), Al-Mu'izz (the Honorer), Al-Mudhill (the Humiliator), Al-Muqsit (the Equitable), Ar-Razzaq (the Providor), Dhul-Quwwah (the Powerful), Al-Matin (the Most Strong), Al-Qa'im (the Firm), Ad-Da'im (the Eternal), Al-Hafiz (the Guardian), Al-Wakil (the Trustee), Al-Fatir (the Originator of creation), As-Sami' (the Hearer), Al-Mu'ti (the Giver), Al-Muhyi (the Giver of life), Al-Mumit (the Giver of death), Al-Mani' (the Withholder), Al-Jami' (the Gatherer), Al-Hadi (the Guide), Al-Kafi (the Sufficient), Al-Abad (the Eternal), Al-'Alim (the Knower), As-Sadiq (the Truthful), An-Nur (the Light), Al-Munir (the Giver of light), At-Tamm (the Perfect), Al-Qadim (the Earlier), Al-Witr (the One), Al-Ahad (the Lone), As-Samad [(the Self-sufficient Master, Who all creatures need, (He neither eats no drinks)]. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none co-equal or comparable unto him."(One of the narrators) Zuhair said: We heard from more than one of the scholars that the first of these (names) should begin after saying: La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, bi yadihil-khair wa Huwa 'ala kulli shay-in Qadir, la ilaha illallahu lahul-asma'ul-husna [None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, with no partner or associate. His is the dominion and all praise is His. In His Hand is (all) goodness, and He is Able to do all things, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and His are the (Most) Beautiful Names].

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]

“I asked my maternal uncle, Hind ibn Abi Hala, who was an expert describer, about the finery of Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), and I asked him to describe something of it for me, so he said: ‘Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) was an honored dignitary, whose face shone with the radiance of the moon on the night of the full moon.’" Then he related the tradition in its full length. Al-Hasan said: “I concealed it from al-Husain for some time, then I related it to him, so I found that he had beaten me to it.” He therefore asked him about what he had asked him about, and he found that he had asked his father about his entrance and his exit and his outward appearance, so he did not leave anything out of it. Al-Husain said: “I asked my father about the entry of Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), so he said: ‘When Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) betook himself to his residence, he divided his entry into three sections: a section for Allah’s sake, a section for his family’s sake, and a section for his own sake. Then he divided his section between himself and the people, so he was assigning that in particular to the common folk, and he was not keeping anything from them. His conduct in the section of the Community included preference for the people of excellent merit, with his permission, and its allotment according to the value of their excellent merit in the religion, for among them was the one burdened with one need, and among them was the one burdened with two needs, and among them was the one burdened with multiple needs. He would therefore preoccupy himself with them, and preoccupy them with what would benefit them and the Community, including questioning them about it and informing them of what would be appropriate for them. He would say: 'Let the one of you who is present inform the absentee, and notify me of the need of someone who is incapable of notification, for if someone notifies a Sultan of the need of someone who is incapable of its notification, Allah will establish his feet firmly on the Day of the Resurrection. Nothing but that will be mentioned in His presence, and it will not be accepted from anyone other than him. They will enter as seekers, and they will not separate except on the strength of an intuition, and they will emerge as guides (meaning to goodness).’” He said: “Then I asked him about his exit: ‘How was he used to behaving in it?’ He said: ‘Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to hold his tongue with regard to anything that did not concern him. He used to bring people together and not alienate them. He would honor the noble, generous man of every community, and put him in charge of them. He would caution people and be wary of them, without concealing his good humor and his natural disposition from anyone among them. He would watch out for his Companions, and he would ask people about their affairs. He would present the beautiful in a favorable light and strengthen it, and he would reveal the ugly for what it was and weaken it. He was equitable, not argumentative. He remained vigilant lest others be negligent or deviate from the right path. He had a means of dealing with every situation. He would neither fall short of the truth, nor overstep it. Those who followed him were the best of people. The most meritorious in his sight were those most receptive to sincere advice and most elevated in status those most generous in consolation and support.’” He said: “Then I asked him about his session, so he said: ‘Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) would neither stand up nor sit down without observing the remembrance of Allah. When he eventually joined a group of people, he would take whatever seat was available, and he instructed others to do the same. He would give each of his sitting companions his share of time and attention, and every one of them would feel equally honored. If someone sat with him, or conferred with him about a need, he would bear with him patiently, so that the person who had sought him out would be the first to leave. If someone asked him for something he needed, he would not send him away without what he had requested, or least some comforting words. His munificence and his good nature encompassed people such that he became a father to them, and they became truly equal in his presence. His session was a session of knowledge, forbearance, modesty, trust and patience. Voices were not raised there, there was no talk of women, and people’s lapses were not broadcast. They were on a par with one another, contending with each other only in piety, humbly revering the elderly and showing compassion for the young. They were solicitous to the needy, and took good care of the stranger.’”

"Eleven women sat together and agreed that they would not conceal anything pertaining to their husbands. [Each of them spoke in rhyming Arabic]. ‘The first said: “My husband is the flesh of a scrawny camel [jamal] on top of a mountain [jabal] that is rugged, not smooth, so he climbs it, emaciated, and is carried away [yuntaqal].” ‘The second said: “I do not broadcast my husbands story [khabara-hu], for I am afraid that I may not let him alone [la adhara-hu]. If I mention him, I shall mention his apparent faults ['ujara-hu] and his hidden defects [bujara-hu]” ‘The third said: “My husband is extremely tall and ill- natured ['ashannaq]. If I speak, I will be divorced [utallaq], and if keep silent, I will be left in suspense [u'allaq]” ‘The fourth said: “My husband is like the night of Tihama [the province in which Mecca is situated]: neither heat nor cold, and neither fear nor disgust [sa’ama].” ‘The fifth said: “If my husband comes in, he is relaxed like the lynx [fahida], and if he goes out, he is bold like the lion [asida] and does not ask about what he has undertaken ['ahida]. ‘The sixth said: “If my husband eats, he gorges and mixes all sorts of food [laffa], and if he drinks, he swigs all the contents of the bowl [ishtaffa]. If he lies down to sleep, he wraps himself up [iltaffa], and he does not feel with the palm of his hand to detect [his wife’s] sorrow [al-baththa].” ‘The seventh said: “My husband is incompetent ['ayaya’]— or dispirited [ghayaya’]—, impotent [tabaqa], sick with every sickness [da’]. He would fracture your skull [shajja-ki] or jag you [falla-ki], or do both to you [la-ki]” ‘The eighth said: “My husband is softness, the softness of a rabbit [arnab], and scent, the scent of saffron [zarnab]” ‘The ninth said: “My husband is of lofty status [imad], of tall stature [najad], of splendid hospitality [ramad], the neighbor of the clubhouse [bait an-nad].” ‘The tenth said: “My husband is Malik, and what is Malik? Malik is better than that. [In order to provide food for the guest], he has camels with many stalls [mabarik] and few pastures. If they hear the sound of the lute, they know for certain that they are about to be slaughtered [hawalik]” ‘The eleventh said: “My husband is Abu Zar", and what about Abu Zar'? He has made my ears dangle with jewelry. He has filled my upper arms with fat. He has made me happy, so my soul has become happy with me. He found me among the owners of little sheep and goats, in dire straits, so he put me among the owners of neighing [horses], braying [camels], crop-treading [cows] and fattening [sheep]. I therefore speak in his presence, for I shall not be rebuked. I sleep soundly until the morning arrives, and I shall drink until I satisfy my thirst. “The mother of Abu Zar so what about the mother of Abu Zar? Her bundles [of clothes and suchlike] are heavy, and her house is spacious. “The son of Abu Zar so what about the son of Abu Zar? His couch is like a palm-stick stripped of its leaves [because he is very slender], and the foreleg of the lamb fills his stomach. “The daughter of Abu Zar, so what about the daughter of Abu Zar? She is obedient to her father and obedient to her mother. She fits perfectly into her clothes, and she is the rage of her female neighbor. “The maidservant of Abu Zar so what about the maidservant of Abu Zar? She does not broadcast our speech, nor does she scatter our provisions, nor does she fill our home with treachery and slander.” ‘She said: “Abu Zar" went out while the milkskins were being churned, and so he encountered a woman accompanied by two children of hers. Like a pair of lynxes, they were playing below her waist with a couple of lumps shaped like pomegranates. He therefore divorced me and married her, so I married a nobly generous man. He rode a sturdy horse and held a spear. He endowed me with rich benefits, and gave me a couple of every perfume. He said: ‘Eat, Umm Zar, and feed your relatives!’ Yet even if I collected everything that he gave me, it would not amount to the smallest of the vessels of Abu Zar'!” 'A'isha said (may Allah be well pleased with her): “Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to me: ‘I have been to you as Abu Zar was to Umm Zar'.”