The Prophet said, "Adam and Moses debated with each other and Moses said, 'You are Adam who turned out your offspring from Paradise.' Adam said, "You are Moses whom Allah chose for His Message and for His direct talk, yet you blame me for a matter which had been ordained for me even before my creation?' Thus Adam overcame Moses."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that Umar ibn al- Khattab demanded of the people at Mina, "If anyone has knowledge of blood-money, let him inform me." Ad-Dahhak ibn Sufyan al-Kilabi stood up and said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wrote to me that the wife of Ashyam ad-Dibabi inherited from the blood-money of her husband." Umar ibn al-Khattab said to him, "Go into the tent until I come to you." When Umar ibn al-Khattab came in, ad-Dahhak told him about it and Umar ibn al-Khattab gave a decision based on that.

Ibn Shihab said, "The killing of Ashyam was accidental."

Allah's Apostle recited the Verse:-- "It is He who has sent down to you the Book. In it are Verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundation of the Book, others not entirely clear. So as for those in whose hearts there is a deviation (from the Truth ). follow thereof that is not entirely clear seeking affliction and searching for its hidden meanings; but no one knows its hidden meanings but Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in it (i.e. in the Qur'an) the whole of it (i.e. its clear and unclear Verses) are from our Lord. And none receive admonition except men of understanding." (3.7) Then Allah's Apostle said, "If you see those who follow thereof that is not entirely clear, then they are those whom Allah has named [as having deviation (from the Truth)] 'So beware of them."

From his father that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: 'Whoever purchases a date-palm after it has been pollinated then its fruits are for the one who sold it, unless the buyer made it a condition. And whoever purchases slave who has property, then his property is for the one who sold him, unless the buyer made it a condition."

[He said:] There is something on this topic from Jabir. The Hadith of Ibn 'Umar is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. Similarly, it has been reported by more than one route from Az-Zuhri, from Salim, from Ibn 'Umar, that the Prophet (saws) "Whoever purchases a date-palm after it has been pollinated, then its fruits are for seller, unless the buyer made it a condition. And whoever purchases a slave who has property, then his property is for the seller, unless the buyer made it a condition." And it has been reported from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar, that the Prophet (saws) said: "Whoever purchases a date-palm that has been pollinated, then its fruits are for the seller, unless the buyer made it a condition."

It has been reported from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar, from 'Umar, that he (saws) said: "Whoever sold a slave who has property, his property is for the seller, unless the buyer made it a condition." This is how the two Ahadith were reported by 'Ubaidullah bin 'Umar and others from Nafi'.

Some of them have also reported this Hadith from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar, from the Prophet (saws).

'Ikrimah bin Khalid reported similar to the Hadith of Salim, from Ibn 'Umar, from the Prophet (saws).

This Hadith is acted upon according to some of the people of knowledge. It is the view of Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad, and Ishaq.

Muhammad bin Isma'il said: "The Hadith of Az-Zuhri from Salim, from his father, from the Prophet (saws) is the most correct [of what has been reported on this topic]."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.

This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge. They permit assurance of protection by a women. This is the view of Ahmad and Ishaq. They permitted the asylum of a woman and slave

It has been related from other routes from 'Umar bin Al-Khattab that he permitted the asylum granted by a slave.

One of the narrators of this last narration Abu Murrah is the freed slave of 'Aqil bin Abi Talib - they also say that he was freed slave of Umm Hani' - and his name was Yazid.

It has been related from 'Ali bin Abi Talib and 'Abdullah bin 'Amr that the Prophet (saws) said: "The covenants of the Muslims are one, it covers the rest of them."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] According to the people of knowledge, the meaning of this Hadith is that whoever gives assurance of protection among the Muslims, then it is valis to all of them.

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Abdullah ibn Umar was asked about what a pregnant woman should do if the fast became difficult for her and she feared for her child, and he said, "She should break the fast and feed a poor man one mudd of wheat in place of every day, using the mudd of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace."

Malik said, "The people of knowledge consider that she has to make up for each day of the fast that she misses as Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, says, 'And whoever of you is sick or on a journey should fast an equal number of other days, ' and they consider her pregnancy and her concern for her child as a sickness."

From his father, from his grandfather that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) delivering a Khutbah in which he said: "Whoever gives a writ of emancipation to his slave, for one hundred Uqiyyah, and he pays it to him less then ten Uqiyah." - or he said: "Ten Dirham" - "then he becomes incapable (of paying the remainder), the he remains a slave."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Gharib. And this acted upon according to most of the people of knowledge among the Companions of the Prophet (saws) and others: The Mukatab is a slave as long as something remains due from him for his Kitabah.

Al-Hajjaj bin Artat reported similarly from 'Amr bin Shu'aib.

That the Messenger of Allah (saws) passed by a pile of food. He put his fingers in it and felt wetness. He said: 'O owner of the food! What is this ?' He replied: 'It was rained upon O Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'Why not put it on top of the food so the people can see it?' Then he said: 'Whoever cheats, he is not one of us.'"

He said: There are narrations on this topic from Ibn 'Umar, Abu Al-Hamra', Ibn 'Abbas, Buraidah, Abu Burdah bin Niyar, and Hudhaifah bin Al-Yaman.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Abu Hurairah is Hasan Sahih Hadith. This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge. They dislike cheating and they say that cheating is unlawful.

Yahya related to me from Malik that Ibn Shihab used to say, "Some one who catches a raka of the jumua prayer should pray another one with it." Ibn Shihab said, "That is the sunna."

Malik said, "I saw the people of knowledge in our city doing that. That is because the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Whoever catches a raka of the prayer has caught the prayer.' "

Malik said, concerning some one who was in a crowd on the day of jumua and did the ruku but was not able to go into sajda until the imam had risen or finished his prayer, "If he is able to do the sajda and has already done the ruku then he should do the sajda when the people stand up. If he is unable to do thesajda until after the imam has finished the prayer, then I prefer that he begins the prayeragain and does the four rakas of dhuhr."

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "What I have heard from the people of knowledge is that if a man succumbs to an illness which makes fasting very difficult for him and exhausts him and wears him out, he can break his fast. This is the same as with a sick man in the prayer, who finds standing to be too difficult and exhausting, (and Allah knows better than the slave that it is an excuse for him and that it really cannot be described). If the man is in such a condition he prays sitting, and the deen of Allah is ease.

Allah has permitted a traveller to break the fast when travelling, and he has more strength for fasting than a sick man. Allah, the Exalted, says in His book, 'Whoever among you is ill or on a journey (must fast) a number of other days,' and Allah has thus permitted a traveller to break his fast when on a journey, and he is more capable of fasting than a sick man.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman from more than one of the people of knowledge of that time, that those who were killed on the Day of the Camel, the Day of Siffin, the Day of al-Harra, and the Day of Qudayd did not inherit from each other. None of them inherited anything from his companion unless it was known that he had been killed before his companion.

Malik said, "That is the way of doing things about which there is no dispute, and which none of the people of knowledge in our city doubt. The procedure with two mutual heirs who are drowned, or killed in another way, when it is not known which of them died first is the same - neither of them inherits anything from his companion. Their inheritance goes to whoever remains of their heirs. They are inherited from by the living."

Malik said, "No one should inherit from anyone else when there is doubt, and one should only inherit from the other when there is certainty of knowledge and witnesses. That is because a man and his mawla whom his father has freed might die at the same time. The sons of the free man could say, 'Our father inherited from the mawla.' They should not inherit from the mawla without knowledge or testimony that he died first. The living people most entitled to his wala' inherit from him."

Malik said, "Another example is two full brothers who die. One of them has children and the other does not. They have a half-brother by their father. It is not known which of them died first, so the inheritance of the childless one goes to his half-brother by the father. The children of the full-brother get nothing."

Malik said, "Another example is when a paternal aunt and the son of her brother die, or else the daughter of the brother and her paternal uncle. It is not known which of them died first. The paternal uncle does not inherit anything from the daughter of his brother, and the son of the brother does not inherit anything from his paternal aunt."

As-Salami: Allah's Apostle used to teach his companions to perform the prayer of Istikhara for each and every matter just as he used to teach them the Suras from the Qur'an He used to say, "If anyone of you intends to do some thing, he should offer a two rak`at prayer other than the compulsory prayers, and after finishing it, he should say: O Allah! I consult You, for You have all knowledge, and appeal to You to support me with Your Power and ask for Your Bounty, for You are able to do things while I am not, and You know while I do not; and You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah If You know It this matter (name your matter) is good for me both at present and in the future, (or in my religion), in my this life and in the Hereafter, then fulfill it for me and make it easy for me, and then bestow Your Blessings on me in that matter. O Allah! If You know that this matter is not good for me in my religion, in my this life and in my coming Hereafter (or at present or in the future), then divert me from it and choose for me what is good wherever it may be, and make me be pleased with it." (See Hadith No. 391, Vol. 8)

Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that Umar ibn al-Khattab asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about someone who died without parents or offspring, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, "The ayat which was sent down in the summer at the end of the Surat an-Nisa (Sura 4) is enoughfor you."

Malik said, "The generally agreed on way of doing things among us, in which there is no dispute, and which I saw the people of knowledge in our city doing, is that the person who leaves neither parent or offspring can be of two types. As for the kind described in the ayat which was sent down at the beginning of the Surat an-Nisa in which Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted! said, 'If a man or a woman has no direct heir, but has a brother or a sister by the mother, each of the two has a sixth. If there are more than that, they share equally in a third.' (Sura 4 ayat 12) This heirless one does not have heirs among his mother's siblings since there are no children or parents. As for the other kind described in the ayat which comes at the end of the Surat an-Nisa, Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, said in it, 'They will ask you for a decision. Say, "Allah gives you a decision about the indirect heirs. If a man perishes having no children, but he has a sister, she shall receive a half of what he leaves, and he is her heir if she has no children. If there are two sisters, they shall receive two-thirds of what he leaves. If there are brothers and sisters, the male shall receive the portion of two females. Allah makes clear to you that you might not go astray. Allah has knowledge of everything" ' " (Sura 4 ayat 176).

Malik said, "If this person without direct heirs (parents) or children has siblings by the father, they inherit with the grandfather from the person without direct heirs. The grandfather inherits with the siblings because he is more entitled to the inheritance than them. That is because he inherits a sixth with the male children of the deceased when the siblings do not inherit anything with the male children of the deceased. How can he not be like one of them when he takes a sixth with the children of the deceased? How can he not take a third with the siblings while the brother's sons take a third with them? The grandfather is the one who overshadows the half-siblings by the mother and keeps them from inheriting. He is more entitled to what they have because they are omitted for his sake. If the grandfather did not take that third, the half-siblings by the mother would take it and would take what does not return to the half-siblings by the father. The half-siblings by the mother are more entitled to that third than the half-siblings by the father while the grandfather is more entitled to that than the half- siblings by the mother."

Ibn Umar misunderstood (the Qur'anic verse, "So come to your tilth however you will")--may Allah forgive him. The fact is that this clan of the Ansar, who were idolaters, lived in the company of the Jews who were the people of the Book. They (the Ansar) accepted their superiority over themselves in respect of knowledge, and they followed most of their actions. The people of the Book (i.e. the Jews) used to have intercourse with their women on one side alone (i.e. lying on their backs). This was the most concealing position for (the vagina of) the women. This clan of the Ansar adopted this practice from them. But this tribe of the Quraysh used to uncover their women completely, and seek pleasure with them from in front and behind and laying them on their backs.

When the muhajirun (the immigrants) came to Medina, a man married a woman of the Ansar. He began to do the same kind of action with her, but she disliked it, and said to him: We were approached on one side (i.e. lying on the back); do it so, otherwise keep away from me. This matter of theirs spread widely, and it reached the Messenger of Allah (saws).

So Allah, the Exalted, sent down the Qur'anic verse: "Your wives are a tilth to you, so come to your tilth however you will," i.e. from in front, from behind or lying on the back. But this verse meant the place of the delivery of the child, i.e. the vagina.

Yahya related to me from Malik, "The generally agreed upon way of doing things among us and what I have seen the people of knowledge doing in our city about the fixed shares of inheritance of children from the mother or father when one or other of them dies is that if they leave male and female children, the male takes the portion of two females. If there are only females, and there are more than two, they get two thirds of what is left between them. If there is only one, she gets a half. If someone shares with the children, who has a fixed share and there are males among them, the reckoner begins with the ones with fixed shares. What remains after that is divided among the children according to their inheritance.

"When there are no children, grandchildren through sons have the same position as children, so that grandsons are like sons and grand-daughters are like daughters. They inherit as they inherit and they overshadow as they overshadow. If there are both children and grandchildren through sons, and there is a male among the children, then the grandchildren through sons do not share in the inheritance with him.

"If there is no surviving male among the children, and there are two or more daughters, the granddaughters through a son do not share in the inheritance with them unless there is a male who is in the same position as them in relation to the deceased, or further than them. His presence gives access to whatever is left over, if any, to whoever is in his position and whoever is above him of the granddaughters through sons. If something is left over, they divide it among them, and the male takes the portion of two females. If nothing is left over, they have nothing.

"If the only descendant is a daughter, she takes half, and if there are one or more grand-daughters through a son who are in the same position to the deceased, they share a sixth. If there is a male in the same position as the granddaughters through a son in relation to the deceased, they have no share and no sixth .

"If there is a surplus after the allotting of shares to the people with fixed shares, the surplus goes to the male and whoever is in his position and whoever is above him of the female descendants through sons. The male has the share of two females. The one who is more distant in relationship than grandchildren through sons has nothing. If there is no surplus, they have nothing. That is because Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, said in His Book, 'Allah charges you about your children that the male has the like of the portion of two females. If there are more than two women they have two thirds of what is left. If there is one, she has a half.' (Sura 4 ayat 10)

Malik said, "The generally agreed on way of doing things among us, in which there is no dispute, and which I saw the people of knowledge in our city doing, about paternal relations is that full brothers are more entitled to inherit than half-brothers by the father and half-brothers by the father are more entitled to inherit than the children of the full brothers. The sons of the full brothers are more entitled to inherit than the sons of the half-brothers by the father. The sons of the half-brothers by the father are more entitled to inherit than the sons of the sons of the full brothers. The sons of the sons of the half-brothers by the father's side are more entitled to inherit than the paternal uncle, the full brother of the father. The paternal uncle, the full brother of the father, is more entitled to inherit than the paternal uncle, the half-brotherof the father on the father's side. The paternal uncle, the half-brother of the father on the father's side is more entitled to inherit than the sons of the paternal uncle, the full brother of the father. The son of the paternal uncle on the father's side is more entitled to inherit than the paternal great uncle, the full brother of the paternal grandfather."

Malik said, "Everything about which you are questioned concerning the inheritance of the paternal relations is like this. Trace the genealogy of the deceased and whoever among the paternal relations contends for inheritance. If you find that one of them reaches the deceased by a father and none of them except him reaches him by a father, then make his inheritance to the one who reaches him by the nearest father, rather than the one who reaches him by what is above that. If you find that they all reach him by the same father who joins them, then see who is the nearest of kin. If there is only one half-brother by the father, give him the inheritance rather than more distant paternal relations. If there is a full brother and you find them equally related from a number of fathers or to one particular father so that they all reach the genealogy of the deceased and they are all half-brothers by the father or full brothers, then divide the inheritance equally among them. If the parent of one of them is an uncle (the full-brother of the father of the deceased) and whoever is with him is an uncle (the paternal half brother of the father of the deceased), the inheritance goes to the sons of the full brother of the father rather than the sons of the paternal half- brother of the father. That is because Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, said, 'Those related by blood are nearer to one another in the Book of Allah, surely Allah has knowledge of everything.' "

Malik said, "The paternal grandfather, is more entitled to inherit than sons of the full-brother, and more entitled than the uncle, the full brother of the father. The son of the father's brother is more entitled to inherit from mawali retainers (freed slaves) than the grandfathers."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that the people of knowledge did not disapprove of people fasting using tooth-sticks at any hour of the day in Ramadan, whether at the beginning or the end, nor had he heard any of the people of knowledge disapproving of or forbidding the practice.

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, about fasting for six days after breaking the fast at the end of Ramadan, that he had never seen any of the people of knowledge and fiqh fasting them. He said, "I have not heard that any of our predecessors used to do that, and the people of knowledge disapprove of it and they are afraid that it might become a bida and that common and ignorant people might join to Ramadan what does not belong to it, if they were to think that the people of knowledge had given permission for that to be done and were seen doing it.

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "I have never heard any of the people of knowledge and fiqh and those whom people take as an example forbidding fasting on the day of jumua. Fasting on it is good, and I have seen one of the people of knowledge fasting it, and it seemed to me that he was keen to do so."

I said to Ibn `Abbas, "Nauf-Al-Bakali claims that Moses (the companion of Khadir) was not the Moses of Bani Israel but he was another Moses." Ibn `Abbas remarked that the enemy of Allah (Nauf) was a liar.

Narrated Ubai bin Ka`b:

The Prophet said, "Once the Prophet Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked, "Who is the most learned man amongst the people. He said, "I am the most learned." Allah admonished Moses as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So Allah inspired to him "At the junction of the two seas there is a slave amongst my slaves who is more learned than you." Moses said, "O my Lord! How can I meet him?" Allah said: Take a fish in a large basket (and proceed) and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish. So Moses set out along with his (servant) boy, Yusha` bin Noon and carried a fish in a large basket till they reached a rock, where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down) and slept. The fish came out of the basket and it took its way into the sea as in a tunnel. So it was an amazing thing for both Moses and his (servant) boy. They proceeded for the rest of that night and the following day. When the day broke, Moses said to his (servant) boy: "Bring us our early meal. No doubt, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey." Moses did not get tired till he passed the place about which he was told. There the (servant) boy told Moses, "Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock, I indeed forgot the fish." Moses remarked, "That is what we have been seeking. So they went back retracing their footsteps, till they reached the rock. There they saw a man covered with a garment (or covering himself with his own garment). Moses greeted him. Al-Khadir replied saying, "How do people greet each other in your land?" Moses said, "I am Moses." He asked, "The Moses of Bani Israel?" Moses replied in the affirmative and added, "May I follow you so that you teach me of that knowledge which you have been taught." Al-Khadir replied, "Verily! You will not be able to remain patient with me, O Moses! I have some of the knowledge of Allah which He has taught me and which you do not know, while you have some knowledge which Allah has taught you which I do not know." Moses said, "Allah willing, you will find me patient and I will disobey no order of yours. So both of them set out walking along the seashore, as they did not have a boat. In the meantime a boat passed by them and they requested the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and took them on board without fare. Then a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice in the sea. Al-Khadir said: "O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah's knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak." Al- Khadir went to one of the planks of the boat and plucked it out. Moses said, "These people gave us a free lift but you have broken their boat and scuttled it so as to drown its people." Al-Khadir replied, "Didn't I tell you that you will not be able to remain patient with me." Moses said, "Call me not to account for what I forgot." The first (excuse) of Moses was that he had forgotten. Then they proceeded further and found a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold of the boy's head from the top and plucked it out with his hands (i.e. killed him). Moses said, "Have you killed an innocent soul who has killed none." Al-Khadir replied, "Did I not tell you that you cannot remain patient with me?" Then they both proceeded till when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found there a wall on the point of collapsing. Al-Khadir repaired it with his own hands. Moses said, "If you had wished, surely you could have taken wages for it." Al-Khadir replied, "This is the parting between you and me." The Prophet added, "May Allah be Merciful to Moses! Would that he could have been more patient to learn more about his story with Al-Khadir. "

I said to Ibn `Abbas, "Nauf Al-Bikali claims that Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir was not the Moses of the children of Israel" Ibn `Abbas said, "The enemy of Allah (Nauf) told a lie." Narrated Ubai bin Ka`b that he heard Allah's Apostle saying, "Moses got up to deliver a speech before the children of Israel and he was asked, Who is the most learned person among the people?' Moses replied, 'I (am the most learned).' Allah admonished him for he did not ascribe knowledge to Allah alone. So Allah revealed to him: 'At the junction of the two seas there is a slave of Ours who is more learned than you.' Moses asked, 'O my Lord, how can I meet him?' Allah said, 'Take a fish and put it in a basket (and set out), and where you, will lose the fish, you will find him.' So Moses (took a fish and put it in a basket and) set out, along with his boy-servant Yusha` bin Noon, till they reached a rock (on which) they both lay their heads and slept. The fish moved vigorously in the basket and got out of it and fell into the sea and there it took its way through the sea (straight) as in a tunnel). (18.61) Allah stopped the current of water on both sides of the way created by the fish, and so that way was like a tunnel. When Moses got up, his companion forgot to tell him about the fish, and so they carried on their journey during the rest of the day and the whole night. The next morning Moses asked his boy-servant 'Bring us our early meal; no doubt, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours.' (18.62) Moses did not get tired till he had passed the place which Allah had ordered him to seek after. His boy-servant then said to him,' 'Do you remember when we be-took ourselves to the rock I indeed forgot the fish, none but Satan made me forget to remember it. It took its course into the sea in a marvelous way.' (18.63) There was a tunnel for the fish and for Moses and his boy-servant there was astonishment. Moses said, 'That is what we have been seeking'. So they went back retracing their footsteps. (18.64) They both returned, retracing their steps till they reached the rock. Behold ! There they found a man covered with a garment. Moses greeted him. Al-Khadir said astonishingly. 'Is there such a greeting in your land?' Moses said, 'I am Moses.' He said, 'Are you the Moses of the children of Israel?' Moses said, 'I have come to you so that you may teach me of what you have been taught. Al-Khadir said, 'You will not be able to have patience with me. (18.66) O Moses! I have some of Allah's knowledge which He has bestowed upon me but you do not know it; and you too, have some of Allah's knowledge which He has bestowed upon you, but I do not know it." Moses said, "Allah willing, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in anything.' (18.6) Al-Khadir said to him. 'If you then follow me, do not ask me about anything until I myself speak to you concerning it.' (18.70), After that both of them proceeded along the sea coast, till a boat passed by and they requested the crew to let them go on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and allowed them to get on board free of charge. When they got on board suddenly Moses saw that Al-Khadir had pulled out one of the planks of the boat with an adze. Moses said to him.' These people gave us a free lift, yet you have scuttled their boat so as to drown its people! Truly, you have done a dreadful thing.' (18.71) Al-Khadir said, 'Didn't I say that you can have no patience with me ?' (18.72) Moses said, 'Call me not to account for what I forgot and be not hard upon me for my affair (with you.)" (18.73) Allah's Apostle said, "The first excuse given by Moses, was that he had forgotten. Then a sparrow came and sat over the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once in the sea. Al-Khadir said to Moses, 'My knowledge and your knowledge, compared to Allah's knowledge is like what this sparrow has taken out of the sea.' Then they both got out of the boat, and while they were walking on the sea shore, Al-Khadir saw a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir got hold of the head of that boy and pulled it out with his hands and killed him. Moses said, 'Have you killed an innocent soul who has killed nobody! Truly, you have done an illegal thing.' (18.74) He said, "Didn't I tell you that you can have no patience with me?' (18.75) (The sub narrator said, the second blame was stronger than the first one.) Moses said, 'If I ask you about anything after this, keep me not in your company, you have received an excuse from me.' (18.76) Then they both proceeded until they came to the inhabitants of a town. They asked them food but they refused to entertain them. (In that town) they found there a wall on the point of falling down. (18.77) Al-Khadir set it up straight with his own hands. Moses said, 'These are people to whom we came, but they neither fed us nor received us as guests. If you had wished, you could surely have exacted some recompense for it. Al-Khadir said, 'This is the parting between me and you ..that is the interpretation of (those things) over which you were unable to hold patience.' (18.78-82) Allah's Apostle said, "We wished that Moses could have been more patient so that Allah might have described to us more about their story."

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara (Istikhara means to ask Allah to guide one to the right sort of action concerning any job or a deed), in all matters as he taught us the Suras of the Qur'an. He said, "If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two rak`at prayer other than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer): -- 'Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, Wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratika, Wa as'alaka min fadlika Al-`azlm Fa-innaka taqdiru Wala aqdiru, Wa ta'lamu Wala a'lamu, Wa anta 'allamu l-ghuyub. Allahumma, in kunta ta'lam anna hadha-lamra Khairun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati `Amri (or 'ajili `Amri wa'ajilihi) Faqdirhu wa yas-sirhu li thumma barik li Fihi, Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha-lamra shar-run li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati `Amri (or fi'ajili `Amri wa ajilihi) Fasrifhu anni was-rifni anhu. Waqdir li al-khaira haithu kana Thumma ardini bihi.' (O Allah! I ask guidance from Your knowledge, And Power from Your Might and I ask for Your great blessings. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do not and You know the unseen. O Allah! If You know that this job is good for my religion and my subsistence and in my Hereafter--(or said: If it is better for my present and later needs)--Then You ordain it for me and make it easy for me to get, And then bless me in it, and if You know that this job is harmful to me In my religion and subsistence and in the Hereafter--(or said: If it is worse for my present and later needs)--Then keep it away from me and let me be away from it. And ordain for me whatever is good for me, And make me satisfied with it). The Prophet added that then the person should name (mention) his need.

A similar report (as above) was narrated from Ibn Abu Kabshah, from his father, from the Prophet (saw).

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard the people of knowledge say, "If someone goes into ihram to do hajj on its own, he cannot then go into ihram to do umra.''

Malik said, "This is what I have found the people of knowledge in our city doing."

I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: May Allah brighten a man who hears a tradition from us, gets it by heart and passes it on to others. Many a bearer of knowledge conveys it to one who is more versed than he is; and many a bearer of knowledge is not versed in it.

I heard the Prophet saying, "Allah will not deprive you of knowledge after he has given it to you, but it will be taken away through the death of the religious learned men with their knowledge. Then there will remain ignorant people who, when consulted, will give verdicts according to their opinions whereby they will mislead others and go astray."

Al-Miswar bin Makhrama and `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Aswad bin 'Abu Yaghuth said (to me), "What forbids you to talk to `Uthman about his brother Al-Walid because people have talked much about him?" So I went to `Uthman and when he went out for prayer I said (to him), "I have something to say to you and it is a piece of advice for you " `Uthman said, "O man, from you." (`Umar said: I see that he said, "I seek Refuge with Allah from you.") So I left him and went to them. Then the messenger of `Uthman came and I went to him (i.e. `Uthman), `Uthman asked, "What is your advice?" I replied, "Allah sent Muhammad with the Truth, and revealed the Divine Book (i.e. Qur'an) to him; and you were amongst those who followed Allah and His Apostle, and you participated in the two migrations (to Ethiopia and to Medina) and enjoyed the company of Allah's Apostle and saw his way. No doubt, the people are talking much about Al-Walid." `Uthman said, "Did you receive your knowledge directly from Allah's Apostle ?" I said, "No, but his knowledge did reach me and it reached (even) to a virgin in her seclusion." `Uthman said, "And then Allah sent Muhammad with the Truth and I was amongst those who followed Allah and His Apostle and I believed in what ever he (i.e. the Prophet) was sent with, and participated in two migrations, as you have said, and I enjoyed the company of Allah's Apostle and gave the pledge of allegiance him. By Allah! I never disobeyed him, nor did I cheat him till Allah took him unto Him. Then I treated Abu Bakr and then `Umar similarly and then I was made Caliph. So, don't I have rights similar to theirs?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Then what are these talks reaching me from you people? Now, concerning what you mentioned about the question of Al-Walid, Allah willing, I shall deal with him according to what is right." Then he called `Ali and ordered him to flog him, and `Ali flogged him (i.e. Al-Walid) eighty lashes.

That he heard Allah's Apostle saying, "If a judge gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is correct (i.e. agrees with Allah and His Apostle's verdict) he will receive a double reward, and if he gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is wrong, (i.e. against that of Allah and His Apostle) even then he will get a reward ."

I said to Ibn `Abbas, "Nauf Al-Bukah claims that Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir was not Moses (the prophet) of the children of Israel, but some other Moses." Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah's enemy (i.e. Nauf) has told a lie. Ubai bin Ka`b told us that the Prophet said, 'Once Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked who was the most learned man amongst the people. He said, 'I.' Allah admonished him as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So, Allah said to him, 'Yes, at the junction of the two seas there is a Slave of Mine who is more learned than you.' Moses said, 'O my Lord! How can I meet him?' Allah said, 'Take a fish and put it in a large basket and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish.' Moses took a fish and put it in a basket and proceeded along with his (servant) boy, Yusha` bin Noon, till they reached the rock where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down). Moses slept, and the fish, moving out of the basket, fell into the sea. It took its way into the sea (straight) as in a tunnel. Allah stopped the flow of water over the fish and it became like an arch (the Prophet pointed out this arch with his hands). They travelled the rest of the night, and the next day Moses said to his boy (servant), 'Give us our food, for indeed, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours.' Moses did not feel tired till he crossed that place which Allah had ordered him to seek after. His boy (servant) said to him, 'Do you know that when we were sitting near that rock, I forgot the fish, and none but Satan caused me to forget to tell (you) about it, and it took its course into the sea in an amazing way?.' So there was a path for the fish and that astonished them. Moses said, 'That was what we were seeking after.' So, both of them retraced their footsteps till they reached the rock. There they saw a man Lying covered with a garment. Moses greeted him and he replied saying, 'How do people greet each other in your land?' Moses said, 'I am Moses.' The man asked, 'Moses of Bani Israel?' Moses said, 'Yes, I have come to you so that you may teach me from those things which Allah has taught you.' He said, 'O Moses! I have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught me, and which you do not know, while you have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught you and which I do not know.' Moses asked, 'May I follow you?' He said, 'But you will not be able to remain patient with me for how can you be patient about things which you will not be able to understand?' (Moses said, 'You will find me, if Allah so will, truly patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.') So, both of them set out walking along the sea-shore, a boat passed by them and they asked the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and so they took them on board without fare. When they were on board the boat, a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice into the sea. Al-Khadir said to Moses, 'O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah's Knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak.' Then suddenly Al-Khadir took an adze and plucked a plank, and Moses did not notice it till he had plucked a plank with the adze. Moses said to him, 'What have you done? They took us on board charging us nothing; yet you I have intentionally made a hole in their boat so as to drown its passengers. Verily, you have done a dreadful thing.' Al-Khadir replied, 'Did I not tell you that you would not be able to remain patient with me?' Moses replied, 'Do not blame me for what I have forgotten, and do not be hard upon me for my fault.' So the first excuse of Moses was that he had forgotten. When they had left the sea, they passed by a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold of the boys head and plucked it with his hand like this. (Sufyan, the sub narrator pointed with his fingertips as if he was plucking some fruit.) Moses said to him, "Have you killed an innocent person who has not killed any person? You have really done a horrible thing." Al-Khadir said, "Did I not tell you that you could not remain patient with me?' Moses said "If I ask you about anything after this, don't accompany me. You have received an excuse from me.' Then both of them went on till they came to some people of a village, and they asked its inhabitant for wood but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they saw therein a wall which was just going to collapse (and Al Khadir repaired it just by touching it with his hands). (Sufyan, the sub-narrator, pointed with his hands, illustrating how Al-Khadir passed his hands over the wall upwards.) Moses said, "These are the people whom we have called on, but they neither gave us food, nor entertained us as guests, yet you have repaired their wall. If you had wished, you could have taken wages for it." Al-Khadir said, "This is the parting between you and me, and I shall tell you the explanation of those things on which you could not remain patient." The Prophet added, "We wished that Moses could have remained patient by virtue of which Allah might have told us more about their story. (Sufyan the sub-narrator said that the Prophet said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Moses! If he had remained patient, we would have been told further about their case.")

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of the (religious learned men) remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray."

The Prophet embraced me and said, "O Allah! Teach him (the knowledge of) the Book (Qur'an)."

Another chain with similar narration.

This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge regarding the permission for the food of the People of the Book.

Once the Prophet embraced me and said, "O Allah! Bestow on him the knowledge of the Book (Qur'an).

Some of the people of knowledge, among the Companions of the Prophet (saws) and others, permitted that.

That the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "When you see someone selling or buying in the Masjid then say: 'May Allah not profit your business.' And when you see someone announcing about something lost then say: 'May Allah not return it to you.'"

The Hadith of Abu Hurairah is Hasan Gharib. This is acted upon according to some of the people of knowledge. They dislike selling and buying in the Masjid. This is the view of Ahmad and Ishaq. Some of the people of knowledge permitted selling and buying in the Masjid.

The Prophet said, "The keys of the Unseen are five." And then he recited: 'Verily, the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah (alone).' (31.34)