God’s messenger did a certain thing and gave permission for it to be done, but some people abstained from it. When God’s messenger heard of that, he delivered a sermon, and after extolling God he said, “What is the matter with people who abstain from a thing which I do? By God, I am the one of them who knows most about God and fears Him most.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reported that when God’s messenger entered the privy he used to say, "O God, I seek refuge in Thee from male and female devils.”* *One might be inclined to translate this phrase as "from infidelity and act of disobedience,” but the tradition from Zaid b. Arqam (p. 76) is very explicit, and so the translation above is probably the correct one. PT-2 (12-71.) (Bukhari and Muslim).

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “Do not fast till you see the new moon, and do not break your fast till you see it; but if the weather is cloudy calculate when it should appear.” In a version he said, “The month consists of twenty-nine days, but do not fast till you see it, and if the weather is cloudy wait till thirty days of the previous month have passed.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar told of God’s messenger taking him by the shoulders and saying, ‘‘Be in the world as though you were a stranger or one who is passing through.” Ibn ‘Umar used to say, “In the evening do not expect to see the morning and in the morning do not expect to see the evening, but take something when in health to serve you in time of illness and something in your life to serve you in your death.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir said that God’s messenger came to ‘Abdallah b. Ubayy after he had been placed in his grave and ordered him to be taken out. He then placed him on his knees, blew some of his saliva into him, and clothed him with his shirt. He said that he had clothed ‘Abbas with a shirt. ( i.e.. Jabir said the Prophet had clothed ‘Abbas with a shirt) (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Salama b. al-Akwa‘ reported the Prophet as saying, “Those of you who make a sacrifice must not have any of it in their house after three days." The following year the people asked him whether they should do as they had done the previous year, and he said, “Eat, provide food for others, and store some up, for that year there was distress among the people and I wanted you to help them." Bukhari and Muslim.

Nafi‘ said that when Ibn ‘Umar began prayer he said the takbir and raised his hands; when he bowed he raised his hands; when he said, “God listens to him who praises Him” he raised his hands; and when he got up at the end of two rak'as he raised his hands. Ibn ‘Umar traced that back to the Prophet. Bukhari transmitted it.

Shaqiq said that Hudhaifa saw a man who was not performing the bowing or the prostration perfectly, so when he finished his prayer he called him. Hudhaifa said to him, “You have not prayed.” He added that he thought he also said, “If you were to die, you would die following something other than the true religion which God created Muhammad to proclaim.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Humaid as-Sa‘idi said that when some people asked God’s Messenger how they should invoke blessings on him he told them to say, “O God, bless Muhammad, his wives and his offspring as Thou didst bless Abraham; and grant favours to Muhammad, his wives and his offspring as Thou didst grant favours to the family of Abraham. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah ibn Buhaina said that the Prophet led them in the noon prayer, and when he stood up at the end of the first two rak'as and did not sit, the people stood up along with him. When he finished the prayer and the people expected him to give the salutation, he said “God is most great" while sitting and made two prostrations before giving the salutation. Then he gave it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said that Abu Taiba cupped God’s Messenger and he ordered that sa’ of dates be given him, also ordering his people to remit some of his dues.* * Abu Taiba was a client of the B. Haritha. It was the custom for a slave to hand over to his master part of what he earned. Here the Prophet suggests that the masters of Abu Taiba should reduce the amount they took from him. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Urwa b. Abul Ja‘d al-Bariqi said that God’s Messenger gave him a dinar to buy a sheep for him. He bought two sheep for him, sold one of them for a dinar and brought him a sheep and dinar. So God’s Messenger invoked a blessing on him in his business dealings, and he was such that if he had bought dust he would have made a profit from it. Bukhari transmitted it.

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah created all the creatures and when He finished the task of His creation, Ar-Rahm (ties of relationship) said: '(O Allah) at this place I seek refuge with You against severing my ties.' Allah said: 'That I treat with kindness those who treat you with kindness and sever ties with those who sever ties with you.' It said: 'I am satisfied.' Allah said: 'Then this is yours". Then Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Recite this Ayah if you like: 'Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land, and sever your ties of kinship? Such are they whom Allah has cursed, so that He has made them deaf and blinded their sight". (47:22,23).

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The words in Al-Bukhari are: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah (SWT) says: 'He who maintains good ties with you, I maintain good ties with him; and he who severs your ties, I sever ties with him".

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) asked, "Who of you loves the wealth of his heir more than his own wealth?" The Companions said: "O Messenger of Allah! There is none of us but loves his own wealth more." He (PBUH) said, "His wealth is that which he has sent forward, but that which he retains belongs to his heir."

[Al-Bukhari].

Whenever the Prophet (PBUH) was given a choice between two matters, he would (always) choose the easier as long as it was not sinful to do so; but if it was sinful he was most strict in avoiding it. He never took revenge upon anybody for his own sake; but when Allah's Legal Bindings were outraged, he would take revenge for Allah's sake.

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].

I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, "When the Iqamah are pronounced, do not come to it running, you should walk calmly with tranquillity to join the congregation. Then join in what you catch for and complete what you miss."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In Muslim it is added: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "For when one of you is walking for Salat, he is, in fact, engaged in Salat."

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "When the time draws near (i.e., near the end of the world), the dream of a believer can hardly be false; and the dream of a believer represents one part from forty-six parts of Prophethood."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

One narration says: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The most truthful of you in their speech are those who see the truest visions."

The Prophet (PBUH) kissed his grandson Hasan bin 'Ali in the presence of Aqra' bin Habis. Thereupon Aqra' remarked: "I have ten children and I have never kissed any one of them." The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) cast a glance upon him and said, "He who does not show mercy to others, will not be shown mercy."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Whosoever attends the funeral of a Muslim believing and hoping for the reward from Allah and remains with it until the prayer is offered over it and the burial is completed, he will return with a reward of two Qirat; each Qirat is equivalent to Mount Uhud; and whosoever offers his prayer over it and returns before its burial, he will come back with one Qirat."

[Al- Bukhari].

I asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH): "Which action is dearest to Allah?" He (PBUH) replied, "Performing As-Salat (the prayer) at its earliest fixed time." I asked, "What is next (in goodness)?" He (PBUH) said, "Kindness towards parents." I asked, "What is next (in goodness)?" He (PBUH) said, "To participate in Jihad in the Cause of Allah."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

We accompanied the Prophet (PBUH) in an expedition when he (PBUH) said, "Some people have remained behind us in Al-Madinah, and we never cross a valley but they are with us. They share the reward with us because they have been held back by valid excuse."

In another narration the wordings are: "...by any genuine excuse."

In another narration the wordings are: "They are your partners in reward."

[Al- Bukhari].

I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, "Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?" They replied, "No soiling would left on him." He (PBUH) said, " That is the five (obligatory) Salat (prayers). Allah obliterates all sins as a result of performing them."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Were people to know the blessing of pronouncing Adhan and the standing in the first row, they would even draw lots to secure these privileges. And were they to realize the reward of performing Salat early, they would race for it; and were they to know the merits of Salat after nightfall ('Isha') and the dawn (Fajr) Salat, they would come to them even if they had to crawl."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Both parties in a business transaction have a right to annul it so long as they have not separated; and if they tell the truth and make everything clear to each other (i.e., the seller and the buyer speak the truth, the seller with regard to what is purchased, and the buyer with regard to the money) they will be blessed in their transaction, but if they conceal anything and lie, the blessing on their transaction will be eliminated."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "All of you are guardians and are responsible for your subjects. The ruler is a guardian and responsible for his subjects; the man is a guardian of his family; the woman is guardian in her husband's house and responsible for her wards; a servant is guardian of his master's property and responsible for his ward. So all of you are guardians and are responsible for your subjects".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "The person who perfectly maintains the ties of kinship is not the one who does it because he gets recompensed by his relatives (for being kind and good to them), but the one who truly maintains the bonds of kinship is the one who persists in doing so even though the latter has severed the ties of kinship with him".

[Al-Bukhari].

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Allah has forbidden you: disobedience to your mothers, to withhold (what you should give), or demand (what you do not deserve), and to bury your daughters alive. And Allah dislikes idle talk, to ask too many questions (for things which will be of no benefit to one), and to waste your wealth".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "There are three qualities whoever has them, will taste the sweetness of Iman: To love Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) more than anyone else; to love a slave (of Allah) only for (the sake of) Allah; and to abhor returning to infidelity after Allah has saved him from it as he would abhor to be thrown into the fire (of Hell)".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

`A'isha said God's messenger was never given his choice between two things without taking the lesser of them provided it involved no sin, for if it did, no one kept farther away from it than he. And God's messenger never took revenge on his own behalf for anything unless something God had forbidden had been transgressed, in which event he took revenge for it for God's sake. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`Ali told that he heard God's messenger say, "The best woman of her time was Mary daughter of `Imran, and the best woman of her time is Khadija daughter of Khuwailid." (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version Abu Kuraib said that Waki pointed to the sky and to the earth[*]. *The tradition is usually understood as translated above, but the gesture of Waki suggests that he understood the words to be spoken in Khadija's lifetime and meant Mary was the best in heaven and Khadija the best on earth.

I was not so jealous of any of the Prophet's wives as I was of Khadija. I never saw her, but he frequently mentioned her, and he would often kill a sheep, cut it in pieces and send, them round among Khadija's friends. I often said to him, "It seems as if Khadija was the only woman in the world," and he replied, "She was indeed a fine woman, and I had children from her." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "The fountain-head of unbelief is towards the east; boasting and pride are to be found among owners of horses and camels and husbandmen[*] who live in camel-hair tents; but calm deportment is to be found among the owners of sheep." *The word faddadun means either husbandmen or `camel-drivers. The former seems the more appropriate here as owners of camels have already been mentioned. Cf. Mirqat, 5: 649. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Salman reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If any man bathes on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can with ablution, anoints himself with oil, or puts on a touch of perfume which he has in his house, then goes out and, without squeezing between two men, prays what is prescribed for him, then remains silent when the imam speaks, his sins between that time and the next Friday will be forgiven him.” Bukhari transmitted it.

The Prophet addressed us on the day of sacrifice saying, “The first thing we do on this day of ours is to pray; then we return and sacrifice. If anyone does that he has correctly followed our custom; but if anyone makes sacrifice before praying, it is only mutton* he has got ready beforehand for his family, and has nothing to do with the rites." *It counts merely as ordinary food, and is not reckoned as a sacrifice. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said that when they experienced a drought ‘Umar b. al-Khattab prayed for rain by virtue of al-‘Abbas b. ‘Abd al-Muttalib, and said, "O God, we used to supplicate Thee by virtue of our prophet and Thou didst give us water. We are now supplicating Thee by virtue of our prophet’s uncle, so give us water.” He said that they were then given water. Bukhari transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Abu Aufa told that the Prophet said when people brought him their sadaqa, “O God, bless the family of so and so.” He told how, when his father brought him his sadaqa, he said, “O God, bless the family of Abu Aufa.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) A version says that when a man brought the Prophet his sadaqa he said, “O God, bless him.”

Abu Huraira told that when a man asked God’s messenger which sadaqa produced the greatest reward he replied, “That which you give when you are healthy and inclined to be mean, fearing poverty and hoping for a competence. Do not put it off and then say when you are about to die that you give such and such to so and so and such and such to so and so when it has already become the property of so and so.”* (Bukhari and Muslim.) * i.e. by inheritance.

‘Umar said the Prophet forbade wearing silk except to this extent, which was indicated by God's messenger raising his middle and forefinger and joining them. (Bukhari and Muslim.) A version by Muslim tells that in an address given by him at al-Jabiya (a town to the east of the Sea of Galilee, north of the Yarmuk battlefield. ‘Umar went there before the fall of Jerusalem.) he said God’s messenger forbade wearing silk except to the extent of two, three, or four fingers.

circumcision, shaving with a razor, clipping the moustache, paring the nails, and plucking out hairs under the armpit.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha told that when the Prophet was ill some of his wives mentioned a church called Mariya. Umm Salama and Umm Habiba who had gone to Abyssinia mentioned its beauty and the statues it contained, whereupon he raised his head and said, "When a pious man among those people dies they build a place of worship over his grave, then make those statues in it. Those are the worst of God’s creatures.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Shaqiq said that ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud used to exhort the people every Thursday. A man said, “ I wish, Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman [This is Ibn Mas`ud’s kunya], that you would give us a daily exhortation.” He replied, “My dislike of wearying you prevents me from that, so I am considerate in my exhortations to you as God’s messenger was to us for fear of causing us aversion.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

he to whom God and His messenger are dearer than all else; he who loves a human being for God’s sake alone; and he who has as great an abhorrence of returning to unbelief after God has rescued him from it as he has of being cast into hell.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

God's messenger gave us an address on which occasion he left out nothing that would happen up to the last hour without telling of it. Some remembered and some forgot, and these companions of mine have known it. Some of it I have forgotten, but when I see it, I remember it, just as a man remembers another's face when he is away and recognizes him when he sees him. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "When the time becomes short[1] knowledge will be withdrawn, civil strife will appear, niggardliness will be cast into people's hearts, and harj will be prevalent." He was asked the meaning of harj and said it meant slaughter.[2] 1. Literally, `when time is contracted'. The reference is to the approach of the last hour. 2. Harj, meaning 'turmoil' or 'Rioting, a state of affairs which leads ta people being killed. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "When the inhabitants of paradise enter paradise and the inhabitants of hell enter hell God most high will say, `Bring forth those in whose hearts there is as much faith as a grain of mustard-seed.' They will then be brought forth burned and turned to charcoal and be cast into the river of life, and they will sprout as does a seed in the rubbish carried away by a flood. Have you not seen that it comes out yellow and twisted?" (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Ikrima told that when some heretics were brought to ‘Ali he had them burned, and that when Ibn ‘Abbas heard of it he said that if it had been he, he would not have had them burned because of God’s Messenger's prohibition, “Do not inflict God’s punishment on anyone”, but would have had them killed on account of the statement made by God’s Messenger, “Kill those who change their religion.” Bukhari transmitted it.

When a man who had been drinking was brought to the Prophet he told those present to beat him, so some of us beat him with their hands, some with their sandals and some with their garments. Then when the man went away and one of those present said, “God shame you!’' the Prophet said, “Do not say such a thing. Do not help the devil to get power over him.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “God had ninety-nine names, one short of a hundered. He who retains them in his memory* will enter paradise.” A version has, “And He is One. He loves what is single.” *The Arabic is ahsaha, a word which has different meanings. Besides the meaning above can mean to number, to reach the last number, to understand, to attain comprehensive knowledge. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Aba Huraira told that he heard the Prophet say, "When the slave woman of any of you commits fornication and the matter is clear, he should give her the appropriate beating, but not hurl reproaches at her. If she does it again he should give her the appropriate beating, but not hurl reproaches at her. If she does it a third time and the matter is clear he should sell her, even if only for a rope of hair." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “You will find among the best people those who have the strongest dislike of this command till they fall into it.”* (Bukhari and Muslim.) *This is explained as meaning either they cease to dislike having authority and so cease to be among the best people, or they find that God helps them. Preference is given to the first explanation, but the remark is made that whichever explanation is correct, in the end these people do not object to having authority.