Allah's Apostle entered Mecca in the year of its Conquest wearing an Arabian helmet on his head and when the Prophet took it off, a person came and said, "Ibn Khatal is holding the covering of the Ka`ba (taking refuge in the Ka`ba)." The Prophet said, "Kill him."

My Lord agreed with me in three things: -1. I said, "O Allah's Apostle, I wish we took the station of Abraham as our praying place (for some of our prayers). So came the Divine Inspiration: And take you (people) the station of Abraham as a place of prayer (for some of your prayers e.g. two rak`at of Tawaf of Ka`ba)". (2.125) -2. And as regards the (verse of) the veiling of the women, I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! I wish you ordered your wives to cover themselves from the men because good and bad ones talk to them.' So the verse of the veiling of the women was revealed. -3. Once the wives of the Prophet made a united front against the Prophet and I said to them, 'It may be if he (the Prophet) divorced you, (all) that his Lord (Allah) will give him instead of you wives better than you.' So this verse (the same as I had said) was revealed." (66.5).

In the lifetime of the Prophet there was no wall around the Ka`ba and the people used to pray around the Ka`ba till `Umar became the Caliph and he built the wall around it. 'Ubaidullah further said, "Its wall was low, so Ibn Az-Zubair built it."

Ibn `Umar assumed Ihram and said, "If something should intervene between me and the Ka`ba, then I will do what the Prophet did when the Quraish infidels intervened between him and (the Ka`ba). Then Ibn `Umar recited: "You have indeed in Allah's Apostle A good example to follow." (33.21)

The Prophet said, "(There are) three (types of persons to whom) Allah will neither speak to them on the Day of Resurrections, nor look at them (They are):--(1) a man who takes a false oath that he has been offered for a commodity a price greater than what he has actually been offered; (2) and a man who takes a false oath after the `Asr (prayer) in order to grab the property of a Muslim through it; (3) and a man who forbids others to use the remaining superfluous water. To such a man Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection, 'Today I withhold My Blessings from you as you withheld the superfluous part of that (water) which your hands did not create.' "

The Prophet said, "A group of Israelites were lost. Nobody knows what they did. But I do not see them except that they were cursed and changed into rats, for if you put the milk of a she-camel in front of a rat, it will not drink it, but if the milk of a sheep is put in front of it, it will drink it." I told this to Ka`b who asked me, "Did you hear it from the Prophet ?" I said, "Yes." Ka`b asked me the same question several times.; I said to Ka`b. "Do I read the Torah? (i.e. I tell you this from the Prophet.)"

That Allah's Apostle saw him with the lice falling (from his head) on his face. Allah's Apostle said, "Are your lice troubling you? Ka`b said, "Yes." Allah's Apostle thus ordered him to shave his head while he was at Al-Hudaibiya. Up to then there was no indication that all of them would finish their state of Ihram and they hoped that they would enter Mecca. Then the order of Al-Fidya was revealed, so Allah's Apostle ordered Ka`b to feed six poor persons with one Faraq of food or slaughter a sheep or fast for three days.

The Prophet entered the Ka`ba along with Usama bin Zaid, `Uthman bin Talha and Bilal and remained there for a long time. When they came out, I was the first man to enter the Ka`ba. I asked Bilal "Where did the Prophet pray?" Bilal replied, "Between the two front Pillars."

While some people were offering Fajr prayer in the Quba' mosque, some-one came and said, "Allah has revealed to the Prophet Qur'anic instructions that you should face the Ka`ba (while praying) so you too, should face it." Those people then turned towards the Ka`ba.

I complained to Allah's Apostle that I was sick, so he said, "Perform the Tawaf (of Ka`ba at Mecca) while riding behind the people (who are performing the Tawaf on foot)." So I performed the Tawaf while Allah's Apostle was offering the prayer by the side of the Ka`ba and was reciting: 'By the Mount (Saini) and by a Decree Inscribed.'

In the mosque l asked Ibn Abi Hadrad to pay the debts which he owed to me and our voices grew louder. Allah's Apostle heard that while he was in his house. So he came to us raising the curtain of his room and said, "O Ka`b!" I replied, "Labaik, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "O Ka`b! reduce your debt to one half," gesturing with his hand. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have done so." Then Allah's Apostle said (to Ibn Abi Hadrad), "Get up and pay the debt to him."

Ibn `Umar said, "The Prophet arrived at Mecca and sent for `Uthman bin Talha. He opened the gate of the Ka`ba and the Prophet, Bilal, Usama bin Zaid and `Uthman bin Talha entered the Ka`ba and then they closed its door (from inside). They stayed there for an hour, and then came out." Ibn `Umar added, "I quickly went to Bilal and asked him (whether the Prophet had prayed). Bilal replied, 'He prayed in it.' I asked, 'Where?' He replied, 'Between the two pillars.' "Ibn `Umar added, "I forgot to ask how many rak`at he (the Prophet) had prayed in the Ka`ba."

`Aisha said that the Prophet said to her, "O Aisha! Were your nation not close to the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance, I would have had the Ka`ba demolished and would have included in it the portion which had been left, and would have made it at a level with the ground and would have made two doors for it, one towards the east and the other towards the west, and then by doing this it would have been built on the foundations laid by Abraham." That was what urged Ibn-Az-Zubair to demolish the Ka`ba. Jazz said, "I saw Ibn-Az-Zubair when he demolished and rebuilt the Ka`ba and included in it a portion of Al-Hijr (the unroofed portion of Ka`ba which is at present in the form of a compound towards the northwest of the Ka`ba). I saw the original foundations of Abraham which were of stones resembling the humps of camels." So Jarir asked Yazid, "Where was the place of those stones?" Jazz said, "I will just now show it to you." So Jarir accompanied Yazid and entered Al-Hijr, and Jazz pointed to a place and said, "Here it is." Jarir said, "It appeared to me about six cubits from Al-Hijr or so."

Usama bin Zaid said that while he. Sa`d and Ubai bin Ka`b were with the Prophet a daughter of the Prophet sent a message to him, saying. 'My daughter is dying; please come to us." The Prophet sent her his greetings and added "It is for Allah what He takes, and what He gives; and everything before His sight has a limited period. So she should hope for Allah's reward and remain patient." She again sent a message, beseeching him by Allah, to come. So the Prophet got up. and so did we (and went there). The child was placed on his lap while his breath was irregular. Tears flowed from the eyes of the Prophet. Sa`d said to him, "What is this, O Allah's Apostle?" He said. "This Is Mercy which Allah has embedded in the hearts of whomever He wished of His slaves. And Allah does not bestow His Mercy, except on the merciful among His slaves. (See Hadith No. 373 Vol. 2)

`Abdullah bin Abu `Aufa said, "Allah's Apostle performed the `Umra. He performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba and offered two rak`at behind the Maqam (Abraham's place) and was accompanied by those who were screening him from the people." Somebody asked `Abdullah, "Did Allah's Apostle enter the Ka`ba?" `Abdullah replied in the negative.

I was menstruating when I reached Mecca. So, I neither performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba, nor the Tawaf between Safa and Marwa. Then I informed Allah's Apostle about it. He replied, "Perform all the ceremonies of Hajj like the other pilgrims, but do not perform Tawaf of the Ka`ba till you get clean (from your menses)."

I reached him (the Prophet ) while in the shade of the Ka`ba; he was saying, "They are the losers, by the Lord of the Ka`ba! They are the losers, by the Lord of the Ka`ba!" I said (to myself ), "What is wrong with me? Is anything improper detected in me? What is wrong with me? Then I sat beside him and he kept on saying his statement. I could not remain quiet, and Allah knows in what sorrowful state I was at that time. So I said, ' Who are they (the losers)? Let My father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "They are the wealthy people, except the one who does like this and like this and like this (i.e., spends of his wealth in Allah's Cause).

(The wife of the Prophet) Allah's Apostle said, "Don't you see that when your people built the Ka`ba, they did not build it on all Abraham's foundations?" I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Why don't you rebuild it on Abraham's foundations?" He said, "Were your people not so close to (the period of Heathenism, i.e. the Period between their being Muslims and being infidels), I would do so." The sub-narrator, `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "Aisha had surely heard Allah's Apostle saying that, for I do not think that Allah's Apostle left touching the two corners of the Ka`ba facing Al-Hijr except because the Ka`ba was not built on all Abraham's foundations."

While the people were at Quba offering the morning prayer, suddenly a person came to them saying, "Tonight Divine Inspiration has been revealed to Allah's Apostle and he has been ordered to face the Ka`ba (in prayers): therefore you people should face it." There faces were towards Sham, so they turned their faces towards the Ka`ba (at Mecca).

I heard Ka`b bin Malik talking after his failure to join (the Ghazwa of) Tabuk. He said, "When I greeted Allah's Apostle whose face was glittering with happiness, for whenever Allah's Apostle was happy, his face used to glitter, as if it was a piece of the moon, and we used to recognize it (i.e. his happiness) from his face."

Allah's Apostle said, "Some poetry contains wisdom."

I asked `Urwa bin Az-Zubair (regarding the Hajj of the Prophet ). `Urwa replied, "Aisha narrated, 'When the Prophet reached Mecca, the first thing he started with was the ablution, then he performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba and his intention was not `Umra alone (but Hajj and `Umra together).' " Later Abu Bakr I performed the Hajj and the first thing he started with was Tawaf of the Ka`ba and it was not `Umra alone (but Hajj and `Umra together). And then `Umar did the same. Then `Uthman performed the Hajj and the first thing he started with was Tawaf of the Ka`ba and it was not `Umra alone. And then Muawiya and `Abdullah bin `Umar did the same. I performed Hajj with Ibn Az-Zubair and the first thing he started with was Tawaf of the Ka`ba and it was not `Umra alone, (but Hajj and `Umra together). Then I saw the Muhajirin (Emigrants) and Ansar doing the same and it was not `Umra alone. And the last person I saw doing the same was Ibn `Umar, and he did not do another `Umra after finishing the first. Now here is Ibn `Umar present amongst the people! They neither ask him nor anyone of the previous ones. And all these people, on entering Mecca, would not start with anything unless they had performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba, and would not finish their Ihram. And no doubt, I saw my mother and my aunt, on entering Mecca doing nothing before performing Tawaf of the Ka`ba, and they would not finish their lhram. And my mother informed me that she, her sister, Az-Zubair and such and such persons had assumed lhram for `Umra and after passing their hands over the Corner (the Black Stone) (i.e. finishing their Umra) they finished their Ihram."

Whenever Ibn `Umar entered the Ka`ba he used to walk straight keeping the door at his back on entering, and used to proceed on till about three cubits from the wall in front of him, and then he would offer the prayer there aiming at the place where Allah's Apostle prayed, as Bilal had told him. There is no harm for any person to offer the prayer at any place inside the Ka`ba.

While some people were offering morning prayer at Quba' a man came to them and said, "A Qur'anic Order has been revealed to Allah's Apostle tonight that he should face the Ka`ba at Mecca (in prayer), so you too should turn your faces towards it." At that moment their faces were towards Sham (i.e. Jerusalem) (and on hearing that) they turned towards the Ka`ba (at Mecca).

One of `Abdullah's sons said to `Abdullah (bin `Umar) "I wish you would stay this year (and not perform Hajj) as I am afraid that you will not be able to reach the Ka`ba." On that he (i.e. `Abdullah bin `Umar) said, "We went out with the Prophet (for `Umra), and when the Quraish infidel intervened between us and the Ka`ba, the Prophet slaughtered his Hadi and shaved (his head), and his companions cut short their hair." Then `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "I make you witness that I have intended to perform `Umra and if I am allowed to reach the Ka`ba, I will perform the Tawaf, and if something (i.e. obstacles) intervene between me and the Ka`ba, then I will do what Allah's Apostle did." Then after going for a while, he said, "I consider the ceremonies (of both `Umra and Hajj as one and the same, so I would like you to witness that I have intended to perform Hajj along with my `Umra." So he performed only one Tawaf and one Sai (between Safa and Marwa) and finished the Ihram of both Umra and Hajj).

The Prophet prayed facing Bait-ulMaqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months but he wished that his Qibla would be the Ka`ba (at Mecca). (So Allah Revealed (2.144) and he offered `Asr prayers(in his Mosque facing Ka`ba at Mecca) and some people prayed with him. A man from among those who had prayed with him, went out and passed by some people offering prayer in another mosque, and they were in the state of bowing. He said, "I, (swearing by Allah,) testify that I have prayed with the Prophet facing Mecca." Hearing that, they turned their faces to the Ka`ba while they were still bowing. Some men had died before the Qibla was changed towards the Ka`ba. They had been killed and we did not know what to say about them (i.e. whether their prayers towards Jerusalem were accepted or not). So Allah revealed:-- "And Allah would never make your faith (i.e. prayer) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered (towards Jerusalem). Truly Allah is Full of Pity, Most Merciful towards mankind." (2.143)

that a slave girl of theirs used to shepherd some sheep at Si'a (a mountain near Medina). On seeing one of her sheep dying, she broke a stone and slaughtered it. Ka`b said to his family, "Do not eat (of it) till I go to the Prophet and ask him, or, till I send someone to ask him." So he went to the Prophet or sent someone to him The Prophet permitted (them) to eat it.

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "Pride and arrogance are characteristics of the rural bedouins while calmness is found among the owners of sheep. Belief is Yemenite, and wisdom is also Yemenite i.e. the Yemenites are well-known for their true belief and wisdom)." Abu `Abdullah (Al-Bukhari) said, "Yemen was called so because it is situated to the right of the Ka`ba, and Sham was called so because it is situated to the left of the Ka`ba."

While some people were offering Fajr prayer at Quba mosque, someone came to them and said, "Qur'anic literature" has been revealed to Allah's Apostle tonight, and he has been ordered to face the Ka`ba (of Mecca) so you too, should turn your faces towards it. Their faces were then towards Sham (Jerusalem), so they turned towards the Qibla (i.e. Ka`ba of Mecca).

While some people were offering Fajr prayer at Quba' (mosque), some-one came to them and said, "Tonight some Qur'anic Verses have been revealed to the Prophet and he has been ordered to face the Ka`ba (at Mecca) (during prayers), so you too should turn your faces towards it." At that time their faces were towards Sham (Jerusalem) so they turned towards the Ka`ba (at Mecca).

A lady slaughtered a sheep with a stone and then the Prophet was asked about it and he permitted it to be eaten.

(the wife of the Prophet) that Allah's Apostle said to her, "Do you know that when your people (Quraish) rebuilt the Ka`ba, they decreased it from its original foundation laid by Abraham?" I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Why don't you rebuild it on its original foundation laid by Abraham?" He replied, "Were it not for the fact that your people are close to the Pre-Islamic Period of ignorance (i.e. they have recently become Muslims) I would have done so." The sub-narrator, `Abdullah (bin `Umar ) stated: `Aisha 'must have heard this from Allah's Apostle for in my opinion Allah's Apostle had not placed his hand over the two corners of the Ka`ba opposite Al-Hijr only because the Ka`ba was not rebuilt on its original foundations laid by Abraham.

The Prophet said, "Who is ready to kill Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf who has really hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Muhammad bin Maslama said, "O Allah's Apostle! Do you like me to kill him?" He replied in the affirmative. So, Muhammad bin Maslama went to him (i.e. Ka`b) and said, "This person (i.e. the Prophet) has put us to task and asked us for charity." Ka`b replied, "By Allah, you will get tired of him." Muhammad said to him, "We have followed him, so we dislike to leave him till we see the end of his affair." Muhammad bin Maslama went on talking to him in this way till he got the chance to kill him.

(One day) I sat along with Shaiba on the chair inside the Ka`ba. He (Shaiba) said, "No doubt, `Umar sat at this place and said, 'I intended not to leave any yellow (i.e. gold) or white (i.e. silver) (inside the Ka`ba) undistributed.' I said (to `Umar), 'But your two companions (i.e. The Prophet and Abu Bakr) did not do so.' `Umar said, They are the two persons whom I always follow.' "

When Allah's Apostle came to Mecca, he refused to enter the Ka`ba with idols in it. He ordered (idols to be taken out). So they were taken out. The people took out the pictures of Abraham and Ishmael holding Azlams in their hands. Allah's Apostle said, "May Allah curse these people. By Allah, both Abraham and Ishmael never did the game of chance with Azlams." Then he entered the Ka`ba and said Takbir at its corners but did not offer the prayer in it.

In the Pre-lslamic Period of Ignorance there was a house called Dhu-l-Khalasa or Al-Ka`ba Al- Yamaniya or Al-Ka`ba Ash-Shamiya. The Prophet said to me, "Won't you relieve me from Dhu-l- Khalasa?" So I set out with one-hundred-and-fifty riders, and we dismantled it and killed whoever was present there. Then I came to the Prophet and informed him, and he invoked good upon us and Al- Ahmas (tribe) .

Allah's Apostle said, "Dhus-Suwaiqatain (the thin legged man) from Ethiopia will demolish the Ka`ba."

I used to twist the garlands for the sheep of the Prophet and he would send them (to the Ka`ba), and stay as a non-Muhrim.

`Abdullah bin `Abdullah bin `Umar and his riding animal entered the house of Ibn `Umar. He (the son of Ibn `Umar) said, "I fear that this year a battle might take place between the people and you might be prevented from going to the Ka`ba. I suggest that you should stay here." Ibn `Umar said, "Once Allah's Apostle set out for the pilgrimage, and the pagans of Quraish intervened between him and the Ka`ba. So, if the people intervened between me and the Ka`ba, I would do the same as Allah's Apostle had done . . . "Verily, in Allah's Apostle you have a good example." Then he added, "I make you a witness that I have intended to perform Hajj along with `Umra." After arriving at Mecca, Ibn `Umar performed one Tawaf only (between Safa and Marwa).

Allah's Apostle came to Mecca through its higher region on the day of the Conquest (of Mecca) riding his she-camel on which Usama was riding behind him. Bilal and `Uthman bin Talha, one of the servants of the Ka`ba, were also accompanying him till he made his camel kneel in the mosque and ordered the latter to bring the key of the Ka`ba. He opened the door of the Ka`ba and Allah's Apostle entered in the company of Usama, Bilal and `Uthman, and stayed in it for a long period. When he came out, the people rushed to it, and `Abdullah bin `Umar was the first to enter it and found Bilal standing behind the door. He asked Bilal, "Where did the Prophet offer his prayer?" He pointed to the place where he had offered his prayer. `Abdullah said, "I forgot to ask him how many rak`at he had performed."

The Prophet;; said, "Dhus-Suwaiqa-tain (literally: One with two lean legs) from Ethiopia will demolish the Ka`ba."

The Prophet saw a man performing Tawaf of the Ka`ba tied with a string or something else. So the Prophet cut that string.

Allah's Apostle performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba and the Sa`i of Safa and Marwa so as to show his strength to the pagans.

Whenever the Prophet returned from a journey in the forenoon, he would enter the Mosque and offer two rak`at before sitting.

I saw Allah's Apostle in the courtyard of the Ka`ba in the Ihtiba.' posture putting his hand round his legs like this.

Malik said that the people of Makka who are doing hajj should shorten the prayer to two rakas when at Mina until they go back to Ma ka.

The Prophet set out on Thursday for the Ghazwa of Tabuk and he used to prefer to set out (i.e. travel) on Thursdays.

That Ubaidullah bin `Abdullah and Salim bin `Abdullah informed him that they told Ibn `Umar when Ibn Az-Zubair was attacked by the army, saying "There is no harm for you if you did not perform Hajj this year. We are afraid that you may be prevented from reaching the Ka`ba." Ibn `Umar said "We set out with Allah's Apostle and the non-believers of Quraish prevented us from reaching the Ka`ba, and so the Prophet slaughtered his Hadi and got his head shaved." Ibn `Umar added, "I make you witnesses that I have made `Umra obligatory for me. And, Allah willing, I will go and then if the way to Ka`ba is clear, I will perform the Tawaf, but if I am prevented from going to the Ka`ba then I will do the same as the Prophet did while I was in his company." Ibn `Umar then assumed Ihram for Umra from Dhul-Hulaifa and proceeded for a while and said, "The conditions of `Umra and Hajj are similar and I make you witnesses that I have made `Umra and Hajj obligatory for myself." So, he did not finish the Ihram till the day of Nahr (slaughtering) came, and he slaughtered his Hadi. He used to say, "I will not finish the Ihram till I perform the Tawaf, one Tawaf on the day of entering Mecca (i.e. of Safa and Marwa for both `Umra and Hajj).

I heard Ka`b bin Malik narrating (when he did not join the battle of Tabuk): Allah's Apostle forbade all the Muslims to speak to us. I would come to Allah's Apostle and greet him, and I would wonder whether the Prophet did move his lips to return to my greetings or not till fifty nights passed away. The Prophet then announced (to the people) Allah's forgiveness for us (acceptance of our repentance) at the time when he had offered the Fajr (morning) prayer.

Ibn Az-Zubair said to me, "Aisha used to tell you secretly a number of things. What did she tell you about the Ka`ba?" I replied, "She told me that once the Prophet said, 'O `Aisha! Had not your people been still close to the pre-Islamic period of ignorance (infidelity)! I would have dismantled the Ka`ba and would have made two doors in it; one for entrance and the other for exit." Later on Ibn Az-Zubair did the same.

`Abdullah bin `Umar said, "Allah's Apostle entered the Ka`ba along with Usama bin Zaid, Bilal and `Uthman bin Talha Al-Hajabi and closed the door and stayed there for some time. I asked Bilal when he came out, 'What did the Prophet do?' He replied, 'He offered prayer with one pillar to his left and one to his right and three behind.' In those days the Ka`ba was supported by six pillars." Malik said: "There were two pillars on his (the Prophet's) right side."

When Allah's Apostle arrived in Mecca, he refused to enter the Ka`ba while there were idols in it. So he ordered that they be taken out. The pictures of the (Prophets) Abraham and Ishmael, holding arrows of divination in their hands, were carried out. The Prophet said, "May Allah ruin them (i.e. the infidels) for they knew very well that they (i.e. Abraham and Ishmael) never drew lots by these (divination arrows). Then the Prophet entered the Ka`ba and said. "Allahu Akbar" in all its directions and came out and not offer any prayer therein.

The Prophet said, "As if I were looking at him, a black person with thin legs plucking the stones of the Ka`ba one after another. "

The Prophet performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba while riding a camel, and whenever he came in front of the Corner, he pointed towards it (with something).

In his Last Hajj the Prophet performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba riding a camel and pointed a bent-headed stick towards the Corner (Black Stone).

I heard Ka`b bin Malik talking about the story of the battle of Tabuk when he remained behind, "By Allah, I do not know anyone whom Allah has helped for telling the truth more than me since I mentioned that truth to Allah's Apostle till today, I have never intended to tell a lie. And Allah revealed to His Apostle: "Verily! Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirin............ and be with those who are true (in words and deeds)." (9.117-119) (See Hadith No. 702 Vol 5).

We were in the company of Allah's Apostle at Al-Hudaibiya in the state of Ihram and the pagans did not allow us to proceed (to the Ka`ba). I had thick hair and lice started falling on my face. The Prophet passed by me and said, "Are the lice of your head troubling you?" I replied, Yes." (The sub-narrator added, "Then the following Divine Verse was revealed:-- "And if anyone of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp, (necessitating shaving) must pay a ransom (Fida) of either fasting or feeding the poor, Or offering a sacrifice." (2.196)

Urwah ibn az-Zubayr reported from Fatimah daughter of AbuHubaysh that her blood kept flowing, so the Prophet (saws) said to her: When the blood of the menses comes, it is black blood which can be recognised; so when that comes, refrain from prayer; but when a different type of blood comes, perform ablution and pray, for it is (due only to) a vein.

Abu Dawud said: Ibn al-Muthanna narrates this tradition from his book on the authority of Ibn 'Adi in a similar way. Later on he transmitted it to us from his memory: Muhammad b. 'Amr reported to us from al-Zuhri from 'Urwah on the authority of 'Aishah who said: Fatimah used to have her blood flowing. He then reported the tradition conveying the same meaning.

Abu Dawud said: Anas b. Sirin reported from Ibn 'Abbas about the woman who has a prolonged flow of blood. He said: If she sees thick blood, she should not pray; if she finds herself purified even for a moment, she should was an pray.

Makhul said: Menses are not hidden from women. Their blood is black and thick. When it (blackness and thickness) goes away and there appears yellowness and liquidness, that is the flow of blood (from vein). She should wash and pray.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Sa'id b. al-Musayyab through a different chain of narrators, saying: The woman who has a prolonged flow of blood should abandon prayer when the menstruation begins; when it is finished, she should wash and pray.

Sumayy and others have also reported it from Sa'id b. al-Musayyab. This version adds: She should refrain (from prayer) during her menstrual period.

Hammad b. Salamah has reported it similarly from Yahya b. Sa'id on the authority of Sa'id b. al-Musayyab.

Abu Dawud said: Yunus has reported from Al-Hasan: When the bleeding of a menstruating woman extends (beyond the normal period), she should refrain (from prayer), after her menses are over, for one or two days. Now she becomes the woman who has a prolonged flow of blood.

Al-Taimi reported from Qatadah: If her menstrual period is prolonged by five days, she should pray. Al-Taimi said: I kept on reducing (the number of days) until I reached two days. He said: If the period extends by two days, they will be counted from the menstrual period. When Ibn Sirin was questioned about it, he said: Women have better knowledge of that.

The Prophet offered the Zuhr, `Asr, Maghrib and the `Isha' prayers and slept for a while at a place called Al-Muhassab and then rode to the Ka`ba and performed Tawaf round it .

In the pre-lslamic period of ignorance a flood of rain came and filled the valley in between the two mountains (around the Ka`ba).

During the last Hajj (Hajj-al-Wada`) of Allah's Apostle he performed `Umra and Hajj. He drove a Hadi along with him from Dhul-Hulaifa. Allah's Apostle started by assuming Ihram for `Umra and Hajj. And the people, too, performed the `Umra and Hajj along with the Prophet. Some of them brought the Hadi and drove it along with them, while the others did not. So, when the Prophet arrived at Mecca. he said to the people, "Whoever among you has driven the Hadi, should not finish his Ihram till he completes his Hajj. And whoever among you has not (driven) the Hadi with him, should perform Tawaf of the Ka`ba and the Tawaf between Safa and Marwa, then cut short his hair and finish his Ihram, and should later assume Ihram for Hajj; but he must offer a Hadi (sacrifice); and if anyone cannot afford a Hadi, he should fast for three days during the Hajj and seven days when he returns home. The Prophet performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba on his arrival (at Mecca); he touched the (Black Stone) corner first of all and then did Ramal (fast walking with moving of the shoulders) during the first three rounds round the Ka`ba, and during the last four rounds he walked. After finishing Tawaf of the Ka`ba, he offered a two rak`at prayer at Maqam Ibrahim, and after finishing the prayer he went to Safa and Marwa and performed seven rounds of Tawaf between them and did not do any deed forbidden because of Ihram, till he finished all the ceremonies of his Hajj and sacrificed his Hadi on the day of Nahr (10th day of Dhul-Hijja). He then hastened onwards (to Mecca) and performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba and then everything that was forbidden because of Ihram became permissible. Those who took and drove the Hadi with them did the same as Allah's Apostle did.

' Aisha said, We went out with the Prophet (from Medina) with the intention of performing Hajj only and when we reached Mecca we performed Tawaf round the Ka`ba and then the Prophet ordered those who had not driven the Hadi along with them to finish their Ihram. So the people who had not driven the Hadi along with them finished their Ihram. The Prophet's wives, too, had not driven the Hadi with them, so they too, finished their Ihram." `Aisha added, "I got my menses and could not perform Tawaf round the Ka`ba." So when it was the night of Hasba (i.e. when we stopped at Al-Muhassab), I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Everyone is returning after performing Hajj and `Umra but I am returning after performing Hajj only.' He said, 'Didn't you perform Tawaf round the Ka`ba the night we reached Mecca?' I replied in the negative. He said, 'Go with your brother to Tan`im and assume the Ihram for `Umra, (and after performing it) come back to such and such a place.' On that Safiya said, 'I feel that I will detain you all.' The Prophet said, 'O 'Aqra Halqa! Didn't you perform Tawaf of the Ka`ba on the day of sacrifice? (i.e. Tawaf-al-ifada) Safiya replied in the affirmative. He said, (to Safiya). 'There is no harm for you to proceed on with us.' " `Aisha added, "(after returning from `Umra), the Prophet met me while he was ascending (from Mecca) and I was descending to it, or I was ascending and he was descending."

Allah's Apostle said, "Who would kill Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf as he has harmed Allah and His Apostle ?" Muhammad bin Maslama (got up and) said, "I will kill him." So, Muhammad bin Maslama went to Ka`b and said, "I want a loan of one or two Wasqs of food grains." Ka`b said, "Mortgage your women to me." Muhammad bin Maslama said, "How can we mortgage our women, and you are the most handsome among the Arabs?" He said, "Then mortgage your sons to me." Muhammad said, "How can we mortgage our sons, as the people will abuse them for being mortgaged for one or two Wasqs of food grains? It is shameful for us. But we will mortgage our arms to you." So, Muhammad bin Maslama promised him that he would come to him next time. They (Muhammad bin Maslama and his companions came to him as promised and murdered him. Then they went to the Prophet and told him about it.