The Quraish were anxious about a woman from Banu Makhzum who had committed theft and asked : "Who will speak to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) about her?" Then they said: "No one will be bold enough to do so except Usamah bin Zaid, the (Companion who was) dearly loved by the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)." So Usamah (May Allah be pleased with him) spoke to him and the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) (angrily) said, "Are you interceding regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah?" He then got up and delivered an address in which he said, "Indeed what destroyed the people before you was just that when a person of high rank among them committed a theft, they spared him; but if the same crime was done by a poor person they inflicted the prescribed punishment on him. I swear by Allah that if Fatimah daughter of Muhammad should steal, I would have her hand cut off."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In another narration 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: (Upon hearing the intercession of Usamah), the face of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) changed color (because of anger) and he said, "Do you dare to intercede in matters prescribed by Allah?" Usamah pleaded: "O Messenger of Allah! Pray for my forgiveness." 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) added: Thereafter the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) gave orders to have that woman's hand cut off.

Lā ilāha illallāh al-Wāḥidul-Qahhār, Rabbus-samāwāti wa ‘l-arḍi wa mā baynahuma al-`Azīzul-Ghaffār. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, the One, the Victorious, Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the All-Mighty, the All-Forgiving. Reference: This is to be said if you turn over in bed during the night. Al-Hakim graded it authentic and Ath-Thahabi agreed 1/540. Also see An-Nasa'i, 'Amalul-Yawm wal-Laylah, and Ibn As-Sunni. See also Al-Albani, Sahihul-Jami' As-Saghir 4/ 213.

`Abdullah bin Mas`ud said: “The Messenger of Allah (saws) was granted a combination of all manner of goodness, as well as its seal,” or he said: “The opening (of the way to) all good. He (saws) taught us the Khutbah of prayer and Khutbah of need. 'The Khutbah of prayer is: At-tahiyyatu lillahi was-salawatu wat-tayyibat. As-salamu `alaika ayyuhan-Nabiyyu was rahmat-ullahi was barakatuhu. As-salamu `alaina wa `ala `ibadillahis-salihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah. Wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan `abduhu wa rasuluh (All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah. And I bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave and Messenger). The Khutbah of need is: Al-hamdu lillahi nahmadhu wa nasta`inuhu wa nastaghfiruhu, wa na`udhu billahi min shururi anfusina wa min sayi'ati a`malina, man yahdihillahu fala mudilla lahu, wa man yudlil fala hadiya lahu. Wa ashadu an la ilaha illallahu wahduhu la sharika lahu, wa anna Muhammadan `abduhu wa rasuluhu. (Praise is to Allah, we praise Him and we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds, Whomsoever Allah guides will never be led astray; and whomsoever is led astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah, alone with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad (saws) is His slave and His Messenger). Then add to your Khutbah the following three verses: 'O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in the state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah.' And: 'O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person, and from him He created his wife, and from them both He created many men and women, and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.' And: 'O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins...' until the end of the verse.”

“When he entered into the ritual prayer, he said: ‘Allah is Supremely Great [Allahu Akbar], the Lord of power [jabarut], sovereignty [malakut], magnificence [kibriya’] and sublimity ['azama]! Then he recited the Sura of the Cow [al-Baqara]. Then he bowed down, and he bowed for approximately as long as he had stood erect, saying: ‘Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty! Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty!’ Then he raised his head, and he stood erect for approximately as long as he had bowed, saying: ‘To my Lord belongs the praise! To my Lord belongs the praise!’ Then he prostrated himself, and he prostrated for approximately as long as he had stood erect, saying: ‘Glory be to my Lord, the Most High! Glory be to my Lord, the Most High!’ Then he raised his head, and the pause between the two prostrations was approximately as long as the prostrations. During the pause he said: ‘My Lord, forgive me! My Lord, forgive me,’ until he recited the Suras of the Cow [al-Baqara], the Family of Imran [Al 'Imran], Women [an-Nisa’] and the Table Spread [al-Maida], or Cattle [al-An'am].” According to Abu 'Isa: “Shu'ba is the one who entertained doubts about [the Qur’anic Suras] al-Ma'ida and al- Anam."

Allāhummaghfir lī, warḥamnī, waḥdinī, wa `āfinī warzuqnī. Whenever anyone accepted Islam, the Prophet (SAW) used to teach him how to pray then he would instruct him to invoke Allah with the following words: O Allah forgive me, and have mercy on me and guide me and give me good health and provide for me. Reference: Muslim 4/2073, and in one of Muslim's reports there is the addition: 'For these words combine [the goodness of] this world and the next.'

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z Zubayr al-Makki from Tawus al-Yamani from Abdullah ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say, when he rose for prayer in the middle of the night, "O Allah, praise belongs to You. You are the light of the heavens and the earth and praise belongs toYou.You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and praise belongs to You. You are the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whoever is in them. You are the Truth, and Your words are true. Your promise is true, and the meeting with You is true. The Garden is true and the Fire is true and the Hour is true. O Allah, I submit toYou and I accept You and I trust in You and I turn to You and I argue by You and I summon toYou for judgement. Forgive me what I have sent before me and what I have left behind, what I have kept secret and what I have proclaimed, You are my god - there is no god but You."

Allahumma laka'l-hamdu anta nuru's-samawati wa'l-ardi, wa laka'l-hamdu anta qayamu's-Samawati wa'l-ardi, wa laka'l-hamdu anta rabbu's-Samawati wa'l-ardi,wamanfihina.Anta'l-haqqu,waqawluka'lhaqqu, wa waduka'l-haqqu, wa liqa'uka haqqun, wa jannatu haqqun, wa naru haqqun, wa sactu haqqun. Allahumma laka aslamtu, wa bikaamantu, waalayka tawakaltu, wa ilayka anabtu, wa bika khasamtu, wa ilayka hakamtu, fa'ghfirliy ma qadamtu wa akhartu wa asrartu, wa alantu. Anta ilahiy, la ilaha illa ant.

that when the Messenger of Allah (saws) would stand for prayer during the middle of the night, he would say: “O Allah, to You is the Praise, You are the Light of the heavens and the earth, and to You is the Praise, You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth, and to You is the praise, You are the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and those in them, You are the truth, and Your Promise is the truth, and Your meeting is true, and Paradise is true, and the Fire is true, and the Hour is true, O Allah, to You have I submitted, and in You have I believed , and in You have I relied, and to You have I turned, and by You have I argued, and to You have I referred for judgment. So forgive me what I have done before and after, and that which I have hidden and that which I have done openly. You are my Deity, no has the right to be worshiped but You (Allāhumma lakal-ḥamd, anta nūrus-samāwāti wal-arḍ, wa lakal-ḥamd, anta qayyāmus-samāwāti wal-arḍ, wa lakal-ḥamd, anta rabbus-samāwāti wal-arḍ, wa man fīhinn, antal-ḥaqq, wa wa`dukal-ḥaqq, wa liqā'uka ḥaqq, wal-jannatu ḥaqq, wan-nāru ḥaqq, was-sā`atu ḥaqq. Allāhumma laka aslamtu, wa bika āmantu, wa `alaika tawakkaltu, wa ilaika anabtu, wa bika khāṣamtu, wa ilaika ḥākamtu, faghfirlī mā qaddamtu wa mā akhartu, wa mā asrartu wa mā a`lant. Anta ilāhī lā ilāha illā ant).”

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) offered a funeral prayer and I memorized his supplication. He (PBUH) prayed: "Allahummaghfir lahu, warhamhu, wa 'afihi, wa'fu 'anhu, wa akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi' mudkhalahu, waghsilhu bil-ma'i wath-thalji wal-baradi, wa naqqihi minal-khataya, kama naqqaytath-thawbal-abyada minad-danasi, wa abdilhu daran khairan min darihi, wa ahlan khairan min ahlihi, wa zawjan khairan min zawjihi, wa adkhilhul-Jannata, wa a'idh-hu min 'adhabil- qabri, wa min 'adhabin-nar [if the dead person is a woman, one should change the ending of certain words in this supplication from hu to ha] (O Allah! Forgive him, bestow mercy upon him, pardon him, accord him a noble provision and make his grave spacious, wash him with water, snow and hail, purify him from sins as You have purified the white garment from soiling, give him a better abode in place of his present one, and a better family in exchange of his present one, and a better spouse in place of his present wife; admit him to Jannah and protect from the trial in the grave and punishment in the Hell)." (After hearing this supplication of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), Abu' Abdur-Rahman 'Auf bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I wished I had been that dead man.

[Muslim].

‘Abbas my uncle, shall I not give you, shall I not present you, shall I not tell you, shall I not produce in you ten things, by your doing which God will forgive you your sin, first and last, old and new, involuntary and voluntary, small and great, secret and open? You should pray four rak'as reciting in each one Fatihat al-Kitab (Al-Qur’an; 1) and a sura and when you finish the recitation in the first rak'a you should say fifteen times while standing, “Glory be to God. Praise be to God. There is no god but God. God is most great.” Then you should bow and say it ten times while bowing. Then you should raise your head after bowing and say it ten times. Then you should get down in prostration and say it ten times while prostrating yourself. Then you should raise your head after prostrating yourself and say it ten times. ’ Then you should prostrate yourself and say it ten times, then raise your head and say it ten times. That is, seventy-five times in every rak'a. You should do that in four rak'as. If you can observe it once daily do so; if not, then once weekly; if not, then once a month; if not, then once a year; if not, then once in your lifetime. Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted something similar from Abu Rafi'.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The last hour will not come before the Byzantines alight in al-A`maq or in Dabiq[1], and an army consisting of the best people in the earth at that time will come forth from Medina against them. When the lines are drawn up the Byzantines will say, `Let us get at those who took captives from us and fight them,' but the Muslims will reply, `We swear by God that we will not let you get at our brethren.' They will then fight and a third whom God will never forgive will be routed, a third who will be the most excellent martyrs in God's sight will be killed, and a third who will never be subjected to trials will be victorious. They will then conquer Constantinople, but while they are dividing the spoils, having hung their swords on olive-trees, the devil will cry among them, `The dajjal has taken your place among your families;' so they will go out, but that will prove to be false. Then when they come to Syria he will come forth, and while they are preparing for battle and arranging the ranks the time for prayer will come and Jesus, son of Mary will descend and lead them in prayer. When God's enemy sees him, he will dissolve like salt in water, and if he[2] were to leave him he would dissolve completely; but God will kill him by his hand and he will show them his blood on his spear." Mirqat, 5:159. quotes the view that al-A'maq is on the outskirts of Medina and that L'abiq (or Dabaq) is a market-place in Medina. Yaqut, iii, 513. says Dabiq is a village near Aleppo, and (1:316) al-A'maq is a district near Dabiq between Aleppo and Antioch. i.e., Jesus. Muslim transmitted it.

'Lord, show mercy to them as they did in looking after me when I was small." (17:23-24) He said, "This was abrogated in Surat at-Tawba: 'It is not right for the Prophet and those who have iman to ask forgiveness for the mushrikun even if they are close relatives after it has become clear to them that they are the Companions of the Blazing Fire.' (9:113)"

'O Allah, I ask you for well-being in this world and the Next. O Allah, I ask you for forgiveness and well-being in my deen and in this world and in my family and my property. O Allah, veil my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, give me protection in front of me and behind me, on my right and my left and above me. I seek refuge by Your might from being overwhelmed from under me.'"

Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated, ‘When the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) prayed a funeral prayer, he would say, "O Allah! Forgive those of us who are alive, and those who are dead, those present and those absent, those who are young and those who are male and those who are female. O Allah! Let those of us to whom You have given life, live in Islam, and let those of us You take back die in a state of faith. O Allah! Do not deprive us of our reward for (supplicating for) him, and cause us not to go astray after him." Related by Muslim and the four Imams.

] A`ẓamallāhu ajrak, wa 'aḥsana `azā'ak, wa ghafara limayyitik. Surely, Allah takes what is His, and what He gives is His, and to all things He has appointed a time... so have patience and be rewarded.1 May Allah magnify your reward, and make perfect your bereavement, and forgive your departed.2 Reference: 1 Al-Bukhari 2/80, Muslim 2/636. 2An-Nawawi, Kitabul-'Athkar, p. 126.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to say at the end of his witr: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thy good pleasure from Thy anger, and in Thy forgiveness from Thy punishment, and I seek refuge in Thy mercy from Thy wrath. I cannot reckon the praise due to Thee. Thou art as Thou hast praised Thyself."

Abu Dawud said: Hisham is the earliest teacher of Hammad. Yahya b. Ma'in said: No one is reported to have narrated traditions form him except Hammad b. Salamah.

Abu Dawud said: Ubayy b. Ka'b said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) recited supplication in the witr before bowing.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by 'Isa b. Yunus through a different chain of narrators from Ubayy b. Ka'b. He also narrated it through a different chain of narrators on the authority of Ubayy b. Ka'b that the Messenger of Allah (saw) recited the supplication in the witr before bowing.

Abu Dawud said: The chain of narrators of the tradition of Sa'id from Qatadah goes: Yazid b. Zurai' narrated from Sa'id, from Qatadah, from 'Azrah, from Sa'id b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Abza, on the authority of his father, from the Prophet (saws). This version does not mention the supplication and the name of Ubayy. This tradition has also been narrated by 'Abd al-A'la and Muhammad b. Bishr al-'Abdi. He heard the traditions from 'Isa b. Yunus at Kufah. They did not mention the supplication in their version.

This tradition has also been narrated by Hisham al-Dastuwa'i and Shu'bah from Qatadah. They did not mention the supplication in their version. The tradition of Zubaid has been narrated by Sulaiman al-A'mash, Shu'bah, 'Abd al-Malik b. Abi Sulaiman, and Jarir b. Hazim; all of them narrated on the authority of Zubaid. None of them mention the supplication in his version, except in the tradition transmitted by Hafs b. Ghiyath from Mis'ar from Zubaid; he narrated in his version that he (the Prophet) recited supplication before bowing.

Abu Dawud said: This version of tradition is not well know. There is doubt that Hafs might have narrated this tradition from some other narrator than Mis'ar.

Abu Dawud said: It is reported that Ubayy (b. Ka'b) used to recited the supplication )in the witr) in the second half of Ramadan.

'Abdullah bin 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) met a bedouin on his way to Makkah, he greeted him, offered him to mount the donkey he was riding and gave him the turban he was wearing on his head. Ibn Dinar said to him: "May Allah make you pious! Bedouins can be satisfied with anything you give them (i.e., what you have given the bedouin is too much). Upon this, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar said, the father of this man was one of 'Umar's friends whom he loved best, and I heard Messenger of Allah saying, "The finest act of goodness is the good treatment of someone whom one's father loves".

Another narration goes: When 'Abdullah bin 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) set out to Makkah, he kept a donkey with him to ride when he would get tired from the riding of the camel, and had a turban which he tied round his head. One day, as he was riding the donkey, a bedouin happened to pass by him. He ('Abdullah bin 'Umar) said, "Aren't you so-and-so?" The bedouin said, "Yes". He ('Abdullah bin 'Umar) gave him his donkey and his turban and said, "Ride this donkey, and tie this turban round your head". Some of his companions said, "May Allah forgive you, you gave to this bedouin the donkey which you enjoyed to ride for change, and the turban which you tied round your head".'Abdullah bin 'Umar said,"I heard Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, 'The finest act of goodness is the kind treatment of a person to the loved ones of his father after his death,' and the father of this person was a friend of 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him).

[Muslim].

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When one of you goes to bed, he should dust his bed with the inside of his lower garment. he should say, 'In the Name of Allah.' He does not know what might have come on it after he left it. If he wants to lie down, he should lie down on his right side and say, 'Glory be to You, my Lord, I have laid down on my side by You and I raise it up by You. If you take my soul, then forgive it. If you release it, then guard over it as You guard over Your righteous slaves.'"

‘Auf bin Malik (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) offered the funeral prayer, and I memorized this supplication (that he said for the deceased), “'O Allah! Forgive him and have mercy on him (on her). Grant him ease and respite. Make his resting place a noble one, and facilitate his entry. Wash him with the most pure and clean water, snow and hail. Purify him from sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Give him in exchange a home better than his home (on earth) and a family better than his family. Grant him entrance to Paradise and protect him from the trials of the grave and the torture of Hell Fire." Related by Muslim.

Allah's Messenger (SAW) taught us Tashahhud in case of some need, which is: "Praise is due to Allah, Whom we praise and from Whom we ask help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves. He whom Allah guides has no one who can lead him astray, and he whom He leads astray has no one to guide him. I testify that there is nothing deserving of worship except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger." He (then) recites three Verses. [Reported by Ahmad and al-Arba'a. at-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim graded it Hasan (good)].

Allāhumma innī a`ūdhu biriḍāka min sakhaṭik, wa bimu`āfātika min `uqūbatik, wa a`ūdhu bika mink, lā uḥṣī thanā'an `alayk, Anta kamā athnayta `alā nafsik. O Allah, I seek refuge with Your Pleasure from Your anger. I seek refuge in Your forgiveness from Your punishment. I seek refuge in You from You. I cannot count Your praises, You are as You have praised Yourself. Reference: Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, An-Nasa'i, At-Tirmidhi, Ahmad. See Al-Albani, Sahih At-Tirmidhi 3/180, Sahih Ibn Majah 1/194, and 'Irwa'ul-Ghalil. 2/ 175.

“Whoever recites Sūrat al-Kahf as it was revealed will have a light on the Day of Resurrection, from his position to Makkah, and whoever recites the final ten verses of it (Al-Kahf) and then encounters Al-Dajjal, will not be harmed (by him). And whoever makes wudu’ and then says: “SubhānakAllahumma wa behamdika lā ilāha illā anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu elayk” (Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, there is no deity worthy of worship except for You, I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You),1 it will be written a scroll (of deeds), and then placed in a seal which will not be broken until the Day of Resurrection.” Reference: As-Silsilah as-Sahihah 2651.

“The Messenger of Allah (saw) said to ‘Abbas: ‘O uncle, shall I not give you a gift, shall I not benefit you, shall I not uphold my ties of kinship with you?’ He said: ‘Of course, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Pray four Rak’ah, and recite in each Rak’ah the Opening of the Book (Al-Fatihah) and a Surah. When you have finished reciting, say: Subhan-Allah wal-hamdu Lillah wa la ilaha illallah wa Allahu Akbar (Glory is to Allah, praise is to Allah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Allah is the Most Great) fifteen times before you bow in Ruku’. Then bow and say it ten times; then raise your head and say it ten times; then prostrate and say it ten times; then raise your head and say it ten times; then prostrate and say it ten times; then raise your head and say it ten times before you stand up. That wil be seventy-five times in each Rak’ah and three hundred times in the four Rak’ah, and even if your sins are like the grains of sand, Allah will forgive you for them.’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what if someone cannot say it in one day?’ He said: ‘Then say it once in a week; if you cannot, then say it once in a month’ until he said: ‘Once in a year.’”

Allāhummagh’fir lī mā qaddamtu, wa mā ‘akhkhartu, wa mā ‘asrartu, wa mā ‘a`lantu, wa mā ‘asraftu, wa mā 'anta ‘a`lamu bihi minnī. ‘anta ‘l-Muqaddimu, wa 'anta ‘l-Mu‘akhkhiru lā 'ilāha 'illā 'anta. O Allah, forgive me what I have sent before me and what I have left behind me, what I have concealed and what I have done openly, what I have done in excess, and what You are better aware of than I. You are the One Who sends forth and You are the One Who delays. There is none worthy of worship but You. Reference: Muslim 1/534.

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) dispatched a contingent of the Muslims to a tribe of the polytheists. The two sides met (in combat) at one place. A man among the polytheists was so dashing that, whenever he intended to kill a man from Muslims, he killed him. Amongst the Muslims, too, was a man looking forward to (an opportunity of) his (polytheist's) unmindfulness. He (the narrator) said: We talked that he was Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him). When he raised his sword, he (the soldier of the polytheists) uttered: "La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah)." But he (Usamah bin Zaid) killed him. When the good news of victory reached Messenger of Allah (PBUH) he asked him (about the events of the battle), and he informed him about the man (Usamah) and what he had done. He (Messenger of Allah (PBUH)) sent for him and asked him why he had killed him. He (Usamah) said, "O Messenger of Allah, he struck the Muslims and killed such and such of them." And he named some of them. (He continued): "I attacked him and when he saw the sword he said: 'La ilaha illallah."' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Did you kill him?" He (Usamah) replied in the affirmative. The Messenger of Allah then remarked, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?" He (Usamah) said, "O Messenger of Allah! Beg forgiveness for me". He (the Prophet (PBUH)) said, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?" He (Messenger of Allah (PBUH)) added nothing to it but kept repeating, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?".

[Muslim].

Yazid b. Nu'aim b. Hazzal told on his father’s authority that Ma'iz b. Malik who was an orphan under his father's protection had intercourse with a slave girl belonging to the clan, so his father told him to go and inform God's Messenger what he had done, for he might perhaps ask forgiveness for him. His purpose in that was simply a hope that it might be a way of escape for him. He went to him and said, “Messenger of God, I have committed fornication, so inflict on me the punishment ordained by God.” He turned away from him, so he came back and said, “Messenger of God, I have committed fornication, so inflict on me the punishment ordained by God.” When he had said it four times God’s Messenger said, “You have said it four times. With whom did you commit it?” When he replied that it was with so and so he asked whether he had lain with her and he replied that he had. He asked whether his skin had been in contact with hers and he replied that it had. He then asked whether he had had intercourse with her and he replied that he had. He ordered him to be stoned to death and he was taken out to the harra, but when he felt the effect of the stones and could not bear it he went away quickly. But ‘Abdallah b. Unais encountered him when those who had been stoning him could not catch up on him, threw the bone of a camel’s foreleg at him, hit him and killed him. Then when he went to the Prophet and mentioned that to him he said, “Why did you not leave him alone,* for perhaps he might have repented and been forgiven by God.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. *The verb is in the plural.

Maqil bin Yasar (ra) said that he came to the Prophet (saws) with Abu Bakr (ra). He said, "O Abu Bakr, polytheism enters your people more quietly (secretly) than the movement of ants." Abu Bakr asked, "Is there a kind of polytheism besides associating anything with Allah?" The Prophet (saws) said," By him who has my life in his power, polytheism is more concealed than the movement of ants. Shall I not teach you something which if you say will eliminate minor or major (polytheism)?" He then said, "Say `O Allah! I seek refuge in you lest I associate anything with you while I know it, and I seek your forgiveness for what I do not know.’"

Subhānaka Allāhumma wa biḥamdik, ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā ant, astaghfiruka wa atību ilayk. Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise is to You. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You. Reference: Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i. See also Al-Albani, Sahih At-Tirmidhi 3/ 153. Aishah (RA) said: "Allah's Messenger (SAW) did not sit in a gathering, and did not recite the Qur'an, and did not perform any prayer without concluding by saying ... (then she quoted the above)." This was reported by An-Nasa'i in 'Amalul-Yawm wal-Laylah (no.308), and Dr. Farooq Hamadah graded it authentic in his checking of the same book, p. 273. See also Ahmad 6/77

(It was) gold moths. He also said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was given three things: “He was given the five daily prayers, he was given the concluding verses of Sūrah al-Baqarah (i.e., 285-286), and forgiveness of serious sins for those among his Ummah who do not associate partners with Allah.” Reference: Sahih Muslim 173

God’s Messenger taught us the tashahhud in the prayer and in case of some need, saying that the tashahhud in the prayer is, “The adorations of the tongue, acts of worship and all good things belong to God. Peace, and God’s mercy and blessings be upon you, O Prophet. Peace be upon us and upon God’s upright servants. I testify that there is no god but God, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.” The tashahhud in case of some need is, “Praise be to God from whom we ask help and pardon. We seek refuge in God from the evils within ourselves. He whom God guides if has no one who can lead him astray, and he whom He leads astray has no one to guide him. I testify that there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger." And one should recite three verses: “You who believe, fear God as He should be feared, and die only as Muslims;” (Al-Qur’an 3:102). “You who believe . . . fear God by whom you ask your mutual rights, and reverence the wombs. God has been watching over you;” (Al-Qur’an 4:1 which has ‘O Mankind.’). “You who believe, if you fear God and say what is true He will make your deeds sound and forgive you your sins. He who obeys God and His Messenger has attained a mighty success” (Al-Qur’an 33:70). Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. In Tirmidhi’s Jami' Sufyan ath-Thauri gave a commentary on the three verses. Ibn Majah added “whom we praise” after “praise be to God”, and “from our evil actions” after “from the evils within ourselves.” After “mighty success” Darimi added that one should then express what he needs. In Sharh as-sunna it is transmitted on the authority of Ibn Mas’ud concerning the form of words for some need, whether marriage or something else.

I went in an expedition along with the Prophet (PBUH) in the direction of Najd. When Messenger of Allah (PBUH) returned, I also returned with him. Then the mid-day sleep overtook us in a valley full of prickly shrubs. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) got down and the people scattered around seeking shade under the trees. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) hang up his sword on the branch of a tree. We were enjoying a sleep when Messenger of Allah (PBUH) called us, and lo! There was a desert Arab bedouin near him. He (PBUH) said, "This man brandished my sword over me while I was asleep. I woke up and saw it in his hand unsheathed. He asked: `Who will protect you from me?' I replied: 'Allah' - thrice". He did not punish him and sat down.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In another narration, Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) said: We accompanied Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in the campaign of Dhat-ur-Riqa`. We left Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to take rest under a shady tree. One of the polytheists came to him. The sword of Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was hanging on a tree. He drew it and said: "Are you afraid of me?'' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "No". Then he said: "Who will then protect you from me?'' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) replied, "Allah".

And in a narration of Abu Bakr Al-Isma`ili, the polytheist asked: "Who will protect you from me?'' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) replied, "Allah.'' As soon as he said this, the sword fell down from his hand and Messenger of Allah (PBUH) catching the sword, asked him, "Who will protect you from me.'' He said, "Please forgive me.'' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "On condition you testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and that I am His Messenger.'' He said, "No, but I promise you that I shall not fight against you, nor shall I be with those who fight with you". The Prophet (PBUH) let him go. He then went back to his companions and said: "I have come to you from one of the best of mankind".

Lā ilāha illallāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu ‘l-mulku walahu ‘l-ḥamd, wa huwa `alā kulli shay'in qadīr. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise and He is Able to do all things. (Recite ten times 1 in Arabic or one time to ward off laziness.) 2 Reference: 1Allah will write ten Hasanaat (rewards) for whoever recites this ten times in the morning, and forgive him ten misdeeds and give him the reward of freeing ten slaves and protect him from Satan. Whoever recites this ten times in the evening will get this same reward. An-Nasa'i, 'Amalul-Yawm wal-Laylah (no. 24). Its chain of transmission is sound (Sahih). Albani 1/272. Abu Hurayrah «fe narrated that the Prophet j§ said: "Allah will write one hundred Hasanat for whoever says There is no God but Allah alone, He has no partner. To Allah is possession of everything, and to Him all praise is. He is Capable of all things' ten times in the morning, and forgive him one hundred misdeeds. He will have the reward of freeing a slave and will be protected from Satan throughout the day unto dusk. Whoever says it in the evening will have the same reward." Ahmad 8/704, 16/293. Its chain of transmission is good (Hasan), Ibn Baz, p. 44. 2 Whoever recites this in the morning, will have the reward of freeing a slave from the Children of Isma'il. Ten Hasanaat (rewards) will be written for him, and he will be forgiven ten misdeeds, raised up ten degrees, and be protected from Satan until evening. Whoever says it in the evening will have the same reward until morning. Abu Dawud 4/319, 3/957, Ahmad 4/ 60, Ibn Majah 2/331, Ibn Al-Qayyim Zadul-Ma'ad 2/388. Its chain of transmission is sound (Sahih). Al-Albani 1/270.

'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas said "When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, rose to pray in the middle of the night, he would say, 'O Allah, Yours is the praise. You are the light of the heavens and the earth and whoever is in them. Yours is the praise. You are the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whoever is in them. You are the Truth and Your promise is true and the meeting with You is true. The Garden is true and the Fire is true and the Hour is true. O Allah, I have surrendered to You and I have believed in You. I have trusted in You and I repent to You. I argue by You and I have come to You for judgement. Forgive me my past and future wrong actions, what I conceal and what I show. You are My God. There is no god but You."

"In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful. To the slave of Prophet, Mu'awiya, the Amir al-Mu'minin, from Zayd ibn Thabit. Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu'minin, and the mercy of Allah. I praise Allah to you. There is no god but Him. Following on from that, you asked me about the inheritance of the grandfather and brothers (and he mentioned the letter). We ask Allah for guidance, preservation and firmness in all our affairs. We seek refuge with Allah from being misguided or ignorant or taking on what we have no knowledge of. Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu'minin, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings and His forgiveness. Wuhayb has written it on Thursday, the 20th Ramadan, 42 (AH)."

Ibn `Abbas said: “We were with the Messenger of Allah (saws) when `Ali bin Abi Talib came to him, and he said: ‘May my father and mother be ransomed for you! This Qur’an has suddenly left my heart, and I do not find myself capable of it.’ So the Messenger of Allah (saws) said to him: ‘O Abul-Hasan! Should I not teach you words that Allah shall benefit you with, and benefit whomever you teach, and they will make whatever you have learned in your chest firm?’ He said: ‘Of course, O Messenger of Allah (saws), so teach me.’ He (saws) said: ‘When it is the night of (before) Friday, then if you are able to stand in the last third of the night, then verily it is a witnessed hour, and supplication is answered in it. And my brother Ya`qub (as) did say to his sons: I shall seek forgiveness for you from my Lord. He said: “Until the night of Friday comes.” So if you are not able, then stand in the middle of it, and if you are not able then stand in the first of it. And pray four Rak`ah. Recite Fatihatul-Kitab (the Opening of the Book) and Surat Ya-Sin in the first Rak`ah, and Fatihatul-Kitab and Ha-Mim Ad-Dukhan in the second Rak`ah, and Fatihatul-Kitab and Alif Lam Mim Tanzil As-Sajdah in the third Rak`ah, and Fatihatul-Kitab and Tabarak Al-Mufassal in the fourth Rak`ah. So when you have finished with the Tasha-hud, then praise Allah and mention Allah’s greatness in an excellent manner, and send Salat upon me - and be excellent in it - and upon the rest of the Prophets. And seek forgiveness for the believing men and the believing women, and for your brothers who have preceded you in faith. Then say in the end of that: “O Allah, have mercy on me by abandonment of sins forever, so long as You keep me remaining. And have mercy on me from taking upon myself what does not concern me, and provide me good sight for what will make You pleased with me. O Allah, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Possessor of glory, and generosity, and honor that is not exceeded. I ask you, O Allah, O Rahman, by Your glory and the light of Your Face, to make my heart constant in remembering Your Book as You taught me, and grant me that I recite it in the manner that will make You pleased with me. O Allah, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Possessor of glory, and generosity, and honor that is not exceeded. I ask you, O Allah, O Rahman, by Your glory and the light of Your Face, to enlighten my sight with Your Book, and make my tongue free with it, and to relieve my heart with it, and to expand my chest with it, and to wash my body with it. For indeed, none aids me upon the truth other than You, and none gives it except You, and there is no might or power except by Allah, the High, the Magnificent. (Allāhummarḥamnī bitarkil-ma`āṣī abadan mā abqaitanī, warḥamnī an atakallafa mā lā ya`nīnī, warzuqnī ḥusnan-naẓari fī mā yurḍīka `annī. Allāhumma badī`as-samāwāti wal-arḍi dhal-jalāli wal-ikrāmi wal-`izzatil-latī lā turāmu, as’aluka yā Allāhu yā Raḥmānu bi-jalālika wa nūri wajhika, an tulzima qalbī ḥifẓa kitābika kamā `allamtanī, warzuqnī an atluwahū `alan-naḥwil-ladhī yurḍīka `annī. Allāhumma badī`as-samāwāti wal arḍi dhal-jalāli wal-ikrāmi wal `izzati-llatī lā turāmu, as’aluka yā Allāhu, yā Raḥmānu bi-jalālika wa nūri wajhika, an tunawwira bi-kitābika baṣarī, wa an tuṭliqa bihī lisānī, wa an tufarrija bihī `an qalbī, wa an tashraḥa bihī ṣadrī, wa an taghsila bihī badanī, fa innahu lā yu`īnunī `alal-ḥaqqi ghairuka wa lā yu’tīhi illā anta wa lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāhil-`Aliyyil-`Aẓīm).” O Abul-Hasan! So do this three Fridays, or five, or seven, you will be answered - by the will of Allah - by the One Who sent me with the Truth, it has not failed a believer once.’” `Abdullah bin `Abbas said: “So, by Allah, `Ali did not wait but five or seven until [`Ali] came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) in a gathering similar to that and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (saws), indeed I was [a man] in the time that passed, who used to not take except four Ayat or about that much, so when I would recite them to myself they would suddenly depart from me, and today I learn forty Ayat or about that much, and when I recite them to myself, then it is as if the Book of Allah is before my eyes. I used to hear a Hadith and when I would repeat it, it would suddenly depart from me, and today I hear Ahadith, and when I report them, I do not err in a single letter.’ So the Messenger of Allah (saws) said at that point: ‘A believer, by the Lord of the Ka`bah, O Abul-Hasan.’”

“The Messenger of Allah (saw) said to ‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib: ‘O ‘Abbas, O my uncle, shall I not give you a gift, shall I not give you something, shall I not tell you of something which, if you do it, will expiate for ten types of sins? If you do them, Allah will forgive you your sins, the first and the last of them, the old and the new, the unintentional and the deliberate, the minor and the major, the secret and the open, ten types of sin. Pray four Rak’ah, and recite in each Rak’ah the Opening of the Book (Al-Fatihah) and a Surah. When you have finished reciting in the first Rak’ah, while you are standing, say: Subhan-Allah wal- hamdu Lillah wa la ilaha illallah wa Allahu Akbar (Glory if to Allah, praise is to Allah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Allah is the Most Great) fifteen times. Then bow and say it ten times while you are bowing. Then raise your head from Ruku’ and say it ten times. Then go into prostration and say it ten times while you are prostrating. Then raise your head from prostration and say it ten times. Then prostrate and say it ten times. Then raise your head from prostration and say it ten times. That will be seventy-five times in each Rak’ah. Do that in all four Rak’ah. If you can pray it once each day then do so. If you cannot, then once each week; if you cannot, then once each month. If you cannot, then once in your lifetime.’”

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah, the Exalted, has teams of angels who go about on the roads seeking those who remember Allah. When they find some people remembering Allah they call to one another and say, 'Come to what you are looking for;' and they surround them with their wings till the space between them and the lowest sky is fully covered. Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, asks them (although He is best informed about every thing): 'What are my slave saying?' They say: 'They are glorifying Your Tasbih, Tahmid, Takbir, Tamjid, (i.e., they were declaring Your Perfectness, praising, remembering the Greatness and Majesty of Allah).' He asks: 'Have they seen Me?' They reply, 'No, indeed, they have not seen You.' He asks: 'How would they act if they were to see Me?' Thereupon they reply: 'If they were to see You, they would engage more earnestly in worshipping and glorifying You and would extol You more.' He would say: 'What do they beg of Me?' They say, 'They beg You for Your Jannah.' Allah says, 'Have they seen My Jannah?' They say, 'No, our Rubb.' He says: 'How would they act if they were to see My Jannah?' They reply, 'Were they to see it, they would more intensely eager for it.' They (the angels) say, 'They seek Your Protection.' He asks, 'Against what do they seek My Protection?' They (the angels) say, 'Our Rubb, from the fire of Hell.' (He, the Rubb) says, 'Have they seen the fire of Hell?' They say, 'No. By Your Honour, they have not seen it.' He says: 'How would they act if they were to see My Fire?' They say: 'If they were to see it, they would more earnest in being away from it and fearing it. They beg of Your forgiveness.' He says: 'I call you to witness that I hereby grant pardon to them and confer upon them what they ask for; and grant them protection against what they seek protection from.' One of the angels says: 'Our Rubb, there is amongst them such and such slave who does not belong to the assembly of those who are participating in Your remembrance. He passed by them and sat down with them.' He says: 'I also grant him pardon because they are the people by virtue of whom their associates will not be unfortunate'."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

(The narration in Muslim is also the same with minor changes in wordings).

"We make no distinction between any of His Messengers," and they say: "We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your Forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return." Allah burdens not a person beyond what he can bear. He gets rewarded for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error. Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us. Our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have the strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Protector, and help us against the disbelieving people. Reference: Al-Baqarah 2:285-6. These two Verses will be sufficient for anyone who recites them at night before sleeping. Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari.9/94, Muslim 1/554.

Allah (glorified and exalted be He) has supernumerary angels who rove about seeking out gatherings in which Allah's name is being invoked: they sit with them and fold their wings round each other, filling that which is between them and between the lowest heaven. When [the people in the gathering] depart, [the angels] ascend and rise up to heaven. He (the Prophet (saws)) said: Then Allah (mighty and sublime be He) asks them - [though] He is most knowing about them: From where have you come? And they say: We have come from some servants of Yours on Earth: they were glorifying You (Subhana llah), exalting you (Allahu akbar), witnessing that there is no god but You (La ilaha illa llah), praising You (Al-Hamdu lillah), and asking [favours] of You. He says: And what do they ask of Me? They say: They ask of You Your Paradise. He says: And have they seen My Paradise? They say: No, O Lord. He says: And how would it be were they to have seen My Paradise! They say: And they ask protection of You. He says: From what do they ask protection of Me? They say: From Your Hell-fire, O Lord. He says: And have they seen My Hell-fire? They say: NO. He says: And how would it be were they to have seen My Hell-fire: They say: And they ask for Your forgiveness. He (the Prophet (saws)) said: Then He says: I have forgiven them and I have bestowed upon them what they have asked for, and I have granted them sanctuary from that from which they asked protection. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: They say: O Lord, among them is So-and-so, a much sinning servant, who was merely passing by and sat down with them. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: And He says: And to him [too] I have given forgiveness: he who sits with such people shall not suffer.

It was related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari, at-Tirmidhi, and an-Nasa'i).

"When a man enters his house or goes to bed, an angel and shaytan hasten to him. The angel says, 'Seal it with good!' The Shaytan says, 'Seal it with evil.' If he praises Allah and remembers Him, he chases the shaytan away and spends the night with him guarding him. When he wakes up, the angel and shaytan hasten to him and say the same thing. If he mentions Allah and says, 'Praise be to Allah, who keeps firm hold of the heavens and earth, preventing them from vanishing away. And if they vanished no one could then keep hold of them. Certainly He is Most Forbearing, Ever-Forgiving.' (35:41) Praise be to Allah who holds back the sky preventing it from falling on the earth, except by His permission. Allah is All-Compassionate to mankind, Most Merciful.' (22:63) If he dies, he dies a martyr, If he gets up and prays, he prays in virtue.'"

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa that his father said that a man who pronounced a dhihar from his four wives in one statement, had only to do one kaffara. Yahya related the same as that to me from Malik from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman.

Malik said, "That is what is done among us. Allah, the Exalted said about the kaffara for pronouncing dhihar, 'It is to free a slave before they touch one another. If he does not find the means to do that, then fasting for two consecutive months before they touch one another. If he cannot do that, it is to feed sixty poor people. ' " (Sura 58 ayats 4,5).

Malik said that a man who pronounced dhihar from his wife on various occasions had only to do one kaffara. If he pronounced dhihar, and then did kaffara, and then pronounced dhihar after he had done the kaffara, he had to do kaffara again.

Malik said, "Some one who pronounces dhihar from his wife and then has intercourse with her before he has done kaffara, only has to do one kaffara. He must abstain from her until he does kaffara and ask forgiveness of Allah. That is the best of what I have heard. "

Malik said, "It is the same with dhihar using any prohibited relations of fosterage and ancestry."

Malik said, "Women have no dhihar."

Malik said that he had heard that the commentary on the word of Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, "Those of you who pronounce the dhihar about their wives, and then retract what they have said," (Sura 56 ayat 3), was that a man pronounced dhihar on his wife and then decided to keep her and have intercourse with her. If he decided on that, he must do kaffara. If he divorced her and did not decide to retract his dhihar of her and to keep her and have intercourse with her, there would be no kaffara incumbent on him.

Maliksaid, "If he marries her after that, he does not touch her until he has completed the kaffara of pronouncing dhihar."

Malik said that if a man who pronounced dhihar from his slave-girl wanted to have intercourse with her, he had to do the kaffara of the dhihar before he could sleep with her.

Malik said, "There is no ila in a man's dhihar unless it is evident that he does not intend to retract his dhihar."

"One morning, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) was prevented from coming to us for Salat As-Subh, until we were just about to look for the eye of the sun (meaning sunrise). Then he came out quickly, had the Salat prepared for. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) performed the Salat, and he performed his Salat in a relatively quick manner. When he said the Salam, he called aloud with his voice saying to us: 'Stay in your rows as you are.' Then he turned coming near to us, then he said: 'I am going to narrate to you what kept me from you this morning: I got up during the night, I performed Wudu and prayed as much as I was able to, and I dozed off during my Salat, and fell deep asleep. Then I saw my Lord, Blessed and Most High, in the best of appearances. He said: 'O Muhammad!' I said: 'My Lord here I am my Lord!' He said: 'What is it that the most exalted group busy themselves with?' I said: 'I do not know Lord.' And He said it three times." He said: "So I saw Him place His Palm between my shoulders, and I sensed the coolness of His Fingertips between my breast. Then everything was disclosed for me, and I became aware. So He said: 'O Muhammad!' I said: 'Here I am my Lord!' He said: 'What is it that the most exalted group busy themselves with?' I said: 'In the acts that atone.' He said: 'And what are they?' I said: 'The footsteps to the congregation, the gatherings in the Masajid after the Salat, Isbagh Al-Wudu during difficulties.' He said: 'Then what else?' I said: 'Feeding others, being lenient in speech, and Salat during the night while the people are sleeping.' He said: 'Ask.' I said: 'O Allah! I ask of you the doing of the good deeds, avoiding the evil deeds, loving the poor, and that You forgive me, and have mercy upon me. And when You have willed Fitnah in the people, then take me without the Fitnah. And I ask You for Your love, the love of whomever You love, and the love of the deeds that bring one nearer to Your love.'" The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "Indeed it is true, so study it and learn it."

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) as told that 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair (May Allah be pleased with them) had said in respect of selling of a gift which was presented to her: "By Allah! If 'Aishah does not stop this kind of thing, I will declare her incompetent to administer her property." 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) asked: "Did He ('Abdullah bin Az-Zubair) say so?" The people said: "Yes." 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: "I vow it before Allah that I will never speak to Ibn Az-Zubair." When this desertion lasted long, 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair sought intercession with her, but she said: "By Allah I will not accept the intercession of anyone for him, and I will not commit a sin of breaking my vow." When this state of affairs was prolonged, Ibn Az-Zubair felt it hard on him. He said to Al-Miswar bin Makhramah and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Aswad bin Yaghut: "I beseech you in the Name of Allah that you should take me to 'Aishah because it is unlawful for her to vow to sever relations with me." So Al-Miswar and 'Abdur-Rahman took him with them. They sought her permission, saying: "As-salamu 'alaika wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu! Shall we come in?" 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: "Come in," They asked: "All of us?" She said: "All of you," not knowing that Ibn Az-Zubair was also with them. So, when they entered, Ibn Az-Zubair entered the screened place and got hold of 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her), his aunt. He was requesting her to forgive him and wept. Al-Miswar and 'Abdur-Rahman also pleaded on his behalf and requested her to speak to him and to accept his repentance. They said to her: "The Prophet (PBUH) forbade to cut off relationship because it is unlawful for any Muslim not to talk to his (Muslim) brother (or sister, for that matter) for more than three (days)." So when they persisted in urging and reminding her of the superiority of having good relation with kith and kin, she began to weep, saying: "I have made a vow which is a matter of very serious nature." They persisted in their appeal till she spoke with 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair, and she freed forty slaves as an expiation for breaking her vow. Later on, whenever she remembered her vow, she would weep so much that her veil would become wet with tears.

[Al- Bukhari].

God’s Messenger was detained one morning from observing the prayer with us till the sun had almost appeared over the horizon. He then came cut quickly, and when the iqama had been uttered he conducted the prayer in a shortened form; then when he had given the salutation he called out to us saying, “Keep to your rows as you were.” Then turning to us he said, “I shall tell you what detained me from you this morning. I got up during the night, performed ablution, and prayed what I could; but during my prayer I dozed and was overcome, and there and then I saw my Lord in the most beautiful form. He addressed me by name, and when I replied, ‘At Thy service, my Lord,’ He asked, ‘What do the angels near My presence dispute about?’ and I replied that I did not know. He asked it three times. Then I saw Him put the palm of His hand between my shoulder-blades, so that I experienced the coolness of His fingers between my nipples so everything became clear to me and I attained knowledge. He then addressed me by name, and when I replied, ‘At Thy service, my Lord,’ He asked, ‘What do the angels near My presence dispute about?’ I replied, ‘Expiation.’ He asked what they were, and I replied, ‘Walking on foot to the congregational prayers, sitting in the mosques after the prayers are over, and performing complete ablution in difficult circumstances. He asked what next they disputed about, and when I said it was about degrees, He asked what they were and I replied, ‘Providing food, speaking gently, and praying at night when people are asleep.’ He then told me to make a request, and I said, ‘O God, I ask Thee for power to do good things and abandon objectionable things, for love towards the poor, that Thou shouldest forgive me and show mercy to me, and that when Thou intendest to test any people Thou wilt take me to Thyself without being led astray. And I ask for Thy love, the love of those who love Thee, and a love of doing things which will bring me near to Thy love.’” Then God’s Messenger said, “It is true, so study it and learn it.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said, “This is a hasan sahih tradition. I asked Muhammad b. Isma'il (Al-Bukhari) about this tradition, and he said it is a sahih tradition.”

We went in to visit Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, and while we were sitting we heard a movement under his couch. When we had looked and found a snake in it I jumped up to kill it, but Abu Sa'id who was engaged in prayer made a gesture to me indicating that I should sit down, so I sat down. When he finished he pointed to a room in the house and asked if I saw it, and when I said I did he told me that a servant of theirs who had recently been married had occupied it. They went out with God’s messenger to the Trench, and that young man was asking permission from God’s messenger to leave after staying half the day and would return to his wife. One day when he asked God's messenger’s permission he told him to carry his weapons with him as he feared Quraiza might do him harm. The man took his weapons and returned, and finding his wife standing between the two doors he was smitten with jealousy and made to pierce her with his lance, but she told him to put away his lance and enter the house to see what had made her come out. He entered and found a huge snake coiled on the bedding, so he made for it with the lance and pierced it with it and then went out and fixed it in the ground in the house, but the snake quivered and attacked him, and no one knew which of them died first, the snake or the young man. They went to God's messenger and mentioned that incident to him, asking him to supplicate God to restore him to life for them, but he replied, "Ask forgiveness for your friend." Then he said, "These houses have resident jinn, so when you see one of them give it a warning three times. 1 If it goes away, well and good; otherwise kill it, for it is an infidel.'' He then told them to go and bury their friend. A version reports him as saying, ''In Medina there are jinn who have accepted Islam, so when you see one of them pronounce a warning to it for three days and if it appears to you after that kill it, for it is only a devil." 1. Hiarrijiu ‘alaiha thalithan. The verb means to make things difficult. This phrase is explained as meaning that one should tell the snake three times that it will be in difficulties if it returns, and that it must not blame one if, after this warning, it is driven away and killed. Muslim transmitted it.

"What was said about me had been said, and I myself was unaware of it, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) got up and addressed the people. He recited the Tashahhud and after praising and expressing gratitude to Allah, as He deserved, he said: 'To proceed: O people! Give me your opinion regarding those people who made a forged story against my wife. By Allah, I do not know anything bad about her at all. By Allah, they accused her of being with a man about whom I have never known anything bad, and he never entered my house unless I was present there, and whenever I went on a journey, he went with me.' Sa'd bin Mu'adh [may Allah be pleased with him] got up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah (SAW)! Allow me to chop their heads off!' Then a man from Al-Khazraj, to whom the mother of Hassan bin Thabit was a relative, got up and said (to Sa'd): 'You have told a lie! By Allah, if those persons were from Al-Aws, you would not like to chop their heads.' It was probable that some evil would take place between Aws and Khazraj in the Masjid while I was unaware of that. In the evening of that day, I went out for some of my needs, and Umm Mistah was accompanying me. On our return, Umm Mistah stumbled and said: 'Let Mistah be ruined!' I said to her, 'O mother! Why do you abuse your son?' On that Umm Mistah became silent for a while, and stumbling again, she said: 'Let Mistah be ruined!' I said to her: 'O mother! Why do you abuse your son?' She stumbled for the third time and said: 'Let Mistah be ruined!' I said to her: 'O mother! Why do you abuse your son?' Upon that she said: 'By Allah! I do not abuse him except because of you.' I asked her: 'Concerning what of my affairs?' So she disclosed the whole story to me. I said: 'Has this really happened?' She replied: 'Yes, by Allah!' I returned to my house, so astonished, that I did not know for what purpose I had gone out. Then I became sick and said to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) 'Send me to my father's house.' So he sent a servant with me, and when I entered the house, I found Umm Ruman downstairs, while Abu Bakr was reciting something upstairs. My mother asked: 'What has brought you, O daughter?' She said: "I informed her and mentioned the whole story to her, but she did not feel as I did about it. She said: 'O my daughter! Do not worry much about this matter, for there is never a charming lady loved by her husband who has other wives, but that they feel jealous of her and speak badly of her.' But she did not feel the same about it as I did. I asked her: 'Does my father know about it?' She said 'Yes.' I asked: 'Does the Messenger of Allah (SAW) know about it too?' She said 'Yes, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) also knows about it.' Tears filled my eyes and I wept. Abu Bakr, who was reading upstairs, heard my voice, and came down asking my mother: 'What is the matter with her?' She said: 'She has heard what has been said about her.' On that Abu Bakr wept and said: 'I beseech you, by Allah, O my daughter, to go back to your home.' I went back to my home, and the Messenger of Allah (SAW) had come to my house asking my maid-servant about me. The maid-servant said: 'By Allah! I do not know of any fault or defect in her character except that she sleeps and lets the sheep enter and eat her dough.' On that, some of the Prophet's Companions spoke harshly to her and said: 'Tell the truth to the Messenger of Allah (SAW).' Finally, they told her of the slander and she said: 'Subhan Allah! By Allah, I know nothing against her except what a goldsmith knows about a piece of pure gold.' Then this news reached the man who was accused, and he said: 'Subhan Allah! By Allah, I have never uncovered the private parts of any woman.' Later, that man was martyred in Allah's Cause. Then the next morning, my parents came to pay me a visit and they stayed with me until the Messenger of Allah (SAW) came to me, after he performed the 'Asr prayer. He came to me and while my parents were sitting around me on my right and my left. The Prophet (SAW) said the Tashahhud, praised and glorified Allah and said: 'Now then, O 'Aishah! If you have committed a bad deed, or you have wronged (yourself), then repent to Allah, as Allah accepts the repentance from His worshipers.' An Ansari woman had come and was sitting near the gate. I said to the Prophet (SAW): 'Isn't it improper that you speak in such a way in the presence of this lady?' The Messenger of Allah (SAW) then gave a piece of advice and I turned to my father and requested him to reply to him. My father said: 'What should I say?' Then I turned to my mother and asked her to answer him. She said: 'What should I say?' When my parents did not reply to the Prophet (SAW), I said the Tashahhud, praised and glorified Allah as His due, and I said: 'Then, by Allah! If I were to tell you that I have not done (this) and Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, is witness that I am telling the truth, that would not be of any use to me on your part, because you (people) have spoken about it and your hearts have absorbed it (as truth); and if I were to tell you that I have done this sin, and Allah knows that I have not done it, then you will say: 'She has confessed her guilt.' By Allah! I do not see a suitable example for me and you except the example of - and I could not remember Ya'qbus name - Yusuf's father when he said: So patience is most fitting. And it is Allah Whose help can be sought against that which you describe (12:18). She said: "It was at that time that Revelation came to the Messenger of Allah (SAW), and we remained silent. Then the Revelation was over, and I noticed the signs of happiness on his face while he was wiping (the sweat) from his forehead, and saying: 'Have the good tidings O 'Aishah! Allah has revealed your innocence.' At that time I was extremely angry. My parents said to me: 'Get up and go to him.' I said: 'By Allah, I will not do it,and will not thank him nor either of you, but I will thank Allah, Who has revealed my innocence. You have heard (this story) but neither of you have denied it, nor have you changed it (to defend me).'" 'Aishah used to say: "But as regards to Zainab bint Jahsh, Allah protected her because of her piety. She did not say anything except good (about me). But her sister, Hamnah was ruined among those who were ruined. Those who used to speak evil about me were Mistah, Hassan bin Thabit, and the hypocrite 'Abdullah bin Ubayy [bin Salul] and [it is he who] used to spread that news and tempt others to speak of it, and it was he and Hamnah who had the greater share therein. Abu Bakr took an oath that he would never do any favor for Mistah at all. Then Allah, Most High, revealed this Ayah: 'Let not those among you who are blessed with graces and wealth' [until the end of the Ayah] referring to Abu Bakr: 'to give their kinsmen, the poor, and those who left their homes for Allah's Cause.' - meaning Mistah - up to His saying: Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (24:22).' On that, Abu Bakr said: 'Yes, by Allah! O our Lord! We wish that You forgive us.' So he returned to what he had been doing."

Lā 'ilāha 'illallāhu waḥdahu la sharīka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-ḥamdu, wa huwa 'alā kulli shay'in qadīr Subḥānallāhi, walḥamdu lillāhi, wa lā 'ilāha 'illallāhu, wallāhu 'akbar, wa lā ḥaula wa lā quwwata 'illā billāhil-`aliyyil-`aẓīm, rabbighfir lī. There is none worthy of worship but Allah alone, Who has no partner, His is the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He is able to do all things. Glory is to Allah. Praise is to Allah. There is none worthy of worship but Allah. Allah is the Most Great. There is no might and no power except by Allah's leave, the Exalted, the Mighty. My Lord, forgive me. Reference: Whoever says this will be forgiven, and if he supplicates Allah, his prayer will be answered; if he performs ablution and prays, his prayer will be accepted. Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 3/39, among others. The wording here is from Ibn Majah 2/335.

Allāhumma’ghfir liḥayyinā, wa mayyitinā, wa shāhidinā, wa ghā'ibinā, wa ṣaghīrinā wa kabīrinā, wa dhakarinā wa unthānā. Allāhumma man aḥyaytahu minnā fa aḥyihi `ala ‘l-Islām, wa man tawaffaytahu minnā fatawaffahu `alal-īmān, Allāhumma lā taḥrimnā ajrah wa lā tuḍillanā ba`dah. O Allah forgive our living and our dead, those who are with us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our menfolk and our womenfolk. O Allah, whomever you give life from among us give him life in Islam, and whomever you take away from us take him away in Faith. O Allah, do not forbid us their reward and do not send us astray after them. Reference: Ibn Majah 1/480, Ahmad 2/368. See also Al-Albani, Sahih Ibn Majah 1/251.

We visited 'Amr bin Al-'as (May Allah be pleased with him) when he was in his deathbed. He wept for a long time and turned his face towards the wall. His son said: "O father, did not the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) give you the good news of such and such? Did he not give you glad tidings of such and such?" Then he ('Amr) turned his face towards us and said: "The best thing which you can count upon is the affirmation that: La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah), and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I have passed through three phases. I remember when I hated none more than I hated the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and there was no other desire stronger in me than that of killing him. Had I died in that state, I would have definitely been one of the dwellers of Fire (Hell). When Allah instilled the love for Islam in my heart, I went to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and said, 'Extend your right hand, so that I pledge allegiance to you.' He (PBUH) stretched out his right hand, but I withdrew my hand. He said, 'What is the matter, 'Amr?' I said, 'I wish to lay down same conditions.' He asked, 'What conditions do you wish to put forward?' I replied, 'To be granted forgiveness.' He said, 'Do you not know that (embracing) Islam wipes out all that has gone before it (previous misdeeds). Verily, emigration wipes out all the previous sins, and the Hajj (pilgrimage) wipes out all the previous sins.' Thereafter, no one was dearer to me than Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and none was more respectable than him in my eyes. So bright was his splendour that I could not gather enough courage to look at his face for any length of time. If I were asked to describe his feature, I would not be able to do so because I have never caught a full glimpse of his face. Had I died in that state I could have hoped to be one of the dwellers of Jannah. Thereafter, we were made responsible for many things and in the light of which I am unable to know what is in store for me. When I die, no mourner, nor fire should accompany my bier. When you bury me, throw the earth gently over me and stand over my grave for the space of time within which a camel is slaughtered and its meat is distributed so that I may enjoy your intimacy, and in your presence ascertain what answer can I give to the Messengers of my Rubb (the angels in grave)."

[Muslim].

Sa'id b. al-Musayyib told that he met Abu Huraira who said, "I ask God to bring us together in the market of paradise." Sa'id asked if it contained a market and he replied that it did, for God's messenger had informed him that when the inhabitants of paradise enter it they will alight in it by virtue of their deeds. They will then be granted permission for the period of a Friday in this world and will visit their Lord whose throne will be shown to them, and He will appear to them in one of the gardens of paradise. Pulpits of light, pulpits of pearls, pulpits of rubies, pulpits of chrysoprase, pulpits of gold and pulpits of silver will be placed for them, and the humblest of them, for there is no one worthless among them, will sit on mounds of musk and camphor, not considering that those who are on the chairs are in a more excellent position than they. Abu Huraira told that he asked, "Messenger of God, shall we see our Lord?" to which he replied, "Yes, are you in doubt about seeing the sun and the moon on the night when it is full?" On receiving the reply that they were not, he said, "Similarly you will have no doubts about the vision of your Lord, and no man will remain in that assembly without God conversing with him, till he says to one of them, `So and so son of so and so, do you remember the day you said such and such?' and He will remind him of one of the dishonest things he did in the world. He will say, `0 my Lord, hast Thou not forgiven me?' and He will reply, `Yes; by the wideness of my forgiveness, you have reached this station of yours.' While that is taking place a cloud will overshadow them from above and rain on them perfume whose fragrance will be such as they have never experienced my thing to compare with, and our Lord will say, `Get up and go to the honour I have prepared for you, and take what you desire.' We shall then come to a market surrounded by angels containing such things as eyes have never seen, ears have never heard, and hearts have never thought of. What we desire will be conveyed to us, there being no buying or selling in it, and in that market the inhabitants of paradise will meet one another. A man of exalted station will come forward and meet one who is humbler than he, though there is no one worthless among them, who will be charmed by the clothing he sees him wearing, but before their talk comes to an end, he will imagine that he has something more beautiful than the other. That is because it is not fitting for anyone to grieve in it. We shall then go to our dwellings and our wives will meet us and say, `Welcome; you have come with more excellent beauty than you had when you left us.' We shall reply, To-day we have had a meeting with our Lord, the Overpowering One, and it is fitting that we should come away as we have done'." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah trans - mitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition

I heard Ka'b bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) narrating the story of his remaining behind instead of joining Messenger of Allah (PBUH) when he left for the battle of Tabuk. Ka'b said: "I accompanied Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in every expedition which he undertook excepting the battle of Tabuk and the battle of Badr. As for the battle of Badr, nobody was blamed for remaining behind as Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and the Muslims, when they set out, had in mind only to intercept the caravan of the Quraish. Allah made them confront their enemies unexpectedly. I had the honour of being with Messenger of Allah (PBUH) on the night of 'Aqabah when we pledged our allegiance to Islam and it was dearer to me than participating in the battle of Badr, although Badr was more well-known among the people than that. And this is the account of my staying behind from the battle of Tabuk. I never had better means and more favourable circumstances than at the time of this expedition. And by Allah, I had never before possessed two riding-camels as I did during the time of this expedition. Whenever Messenger of Allah (PBUH) decided to go on a campaign, he would not disclose his real destination till the last moment (of departure). But on this expedition, he set out in extremely hot weather; the journey was long and the terrain was waterless desert; and he had to face a strong army, so he informed the Muslims about the actual position so that they should make full preparation for the campaign. And the Muslims who accompanied Messenger of Allah (PBUH) at that time were in large number but no proper record of them was maintained." Ka'b (further) said: "Few were the persons who chose to remain absent believing that they could easily hide themselves (and thus remain undetected) unless Revelation from Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious (revealed relating to them). And Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out on this expedition when the fruit were ripe and their shade was sought. I had a weakness for them and it was during this season that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and the Muslims made preparations. I also would set out in the morning to make preparations along with them but would come back having done nothing and said to myself: 'I have means enough (to make preparations) as soon as I like'. And I went on doing this (postponing my preparations) till the time of departure came and it was in the morning that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out along with the Muslims, but I had made no preparations. I would go early in the morning and come back, but with no decision. I went on doing so until they (the Muslims) hastened and covered a good deal of distance. Then I wished to march on and join them. Would that I had done that! But perhaps it was not destined for me. After the departure of Messenger of Allah (PBUH) whenever I went out, I was grieved to find no good example to follow but confirmed hypocrites or weak people whom Allah had exempted (from marching forth for Jihad). Messenger of Allah (PBUH) made no mention of me until he reached Tabuk. While he was sitting with the people in Tabuk, he said, 'What happened to Ka'b bin Malik?' A person from Banu Salimah said: "O Messenger of Allah, the (beauty) of his cloak and an appreciation of his finery have detained him.' Upon this Mu'adh bin Jabal (MatAllah be pleased with him) admonished him and said to Messenger of Allah (PBUH): "By Allah, we know nothing about him but good.' Messenger of Allah (PBUH), however, kept quiet. At that time he (the Prophet (PBUH)) saw a person dressed in white and said, 'Be Abu Khaithamah.' And was Abu Khaithamah Al- Ansari was the person who had contributed a Sa' of dates and was ridiculed by the hypocrites." Ka'b bin Malik further said: "When the news reached me that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was on his way back from Tabuk, I was greatly distressed. I thought of fabricating an excuse and asked myself how I would save myself from his anger the next day. In this connection, I sought the counsels of every prudent member of my family. When I was told that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was about to arrive, all the wicked ideas vanished (from my mind) and I came to the conclusion that nothing but the truth could save me. So I decided to tell him the truth. It was in the morning that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) arrived in Al-Madinah. It was his habit that whenever he came back from a journey, he would first go to the mosque and perform two Rak'ah (of optional prayer) and would then sit with the people. When he sat, those who had remained behind him began to put forward their excuses and take an oath before him. They were more than eighty in number. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) accepted their excuses on the very face of them and accepted their allegiance and sought forgiveness for them and left their insights to Allah, until I appeared before him. I greeted him and he smiled and there was a tinge of anger in that. He then said to me, 'Come forward'. I went forward and I sat in front of him. He said to me, 'What kept you back? Could you not afford to go in for a ride?' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, if I were to sit before anybody else, a man of the world, I would have definitely saved myself from his anger on one pretext or the other and I have a gifted skill in argumentation, but, by Allah, I am fully aware that if I were to put forward before you a lame excuse to please you, Allah would definitely provoke your wrath upon me. In case, I speak the truth, you may be angry with me, but I hope that Allah would be pleased with me (and accept my repentance). By Allah, there is no valid excuse for me. By Allah, I never possessed so good means, and I never had such favourable conditions for me as I had when I stayed behind.' Thereupon, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, 'This man spoke the truth, so get up (and wait) until Allah gives a decision about you.' I left and some people of Banu Salimah followed me. They said to me, 'By Allah, we do not know that you committed a sin before. You, however, showed inability to put forward an excuse before Messenger of Allah (PBUH) like those who stayed behind him. It would have been enough for the forgiveness of your sin that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) would have sought forgiveness for you.' By Allah, they kept on reproaching me until I thought of going back to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and retract my confession. Then I said to them, 'Has anyone else met the same fate?' They said, 'Yes, two persons have met the same fate. They made the same statement as you did and the same verdict was delivered in their case.' I asked, 'Who are they?' They said, 'Murarah bin Ar-Rabi' Al-'Amri and Hilal bin Umaiyyah Al- Waqifi.' They mentioned these two pious men who had taken part in the battle of Badr and there was an example for me in them. I was confirmed in my original resolve. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) prohibited the Muslims to talk to the three of us from amongst those who had stayed behind. The people began to avoid us and their attitude towards us changed and it seemed as if the whole atmosphere had turned against us, and it was in fact the same atmosphere of which I was fully aware and in which I had lived (for a fairly long time). We spent fifty nights in this very state and my two friends confined themselves within their houses and spent (most of their) time weeping. As I was the youngest and the strongest, I would leave my house, attend the congregational Salat, move about in the bazaars, but none would speak to me. I would come to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) as he sat amongst (people) after the Salat, greet him and would ask myself whether or not his lips moved in response to my greetings. Then I would perform Salat near him and look at him stealthily. When I finish my Salat, he would look at me and when I would cast a glance at him he would turn away his eyes from me. When the harsh treatment of the Muslims to me continued for a (considerable) length of time, I walked and I climbed upon the wall of the garden of Abu Qatadah, who was my cousin, and I had a great love for him. I greeted him but, by Allah, he did not answer to my greeting. I said to him, 'O Abu Qatadah, I adjure you in the Name of Allah, are you not aware that I love Allah and His Messenger (PBUH)?' I asked him the same question again but he remained silent. I again adjured him, whereupon he said, 'Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) know better.' My eyes were filled with tears, and I came back climbing down the wall.

As I was walking in the bazaars of Al-Madinah, a man from the Syrian peasants, who had come to sell food grains in Al-Madinah, asked people to direct him to Ka'b bin Malik. People pointed towards me. He came to me and delivered a letter from the King of Ghassan, and as I was a scribe, I read that letter whose purport was: 'It has been conveyed to us that your friend (the Prophet (PBUH)) was treating you harshly. Allah has not created you for a place where you are to be degraded and where you cannot find your right place; so come to us and we shall receive you graciously.' As I read that letter I said: 'This is too a trial,' so I put it to fire in an oven. When forty days had elapsed and Messenger of Allah (PBUH) received no Revelation, there came to me a messenger of the Messenger of Allah and said, 'Verily, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has commanded you to keep away from your wife.' I said, 'Should I divorce her or what else should I do?' He said, 'No, but only keep away from her and don't have sexual contact with her.' The same message was sent to my companions. So, I said to my wife: 'You better go to your parents and stay there with them until Allah gives the decision in my case.' The wife of Hilal bin Umaiyyah came to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, Hilal bin Umaiyyah is a senile person and has no servant. Do you disapprove if I serve him?' He said, 'No, but don't let him have any sexual contact with you.' She said, 'By Allah, he has no such desire left in him. By Allah, he has been in tears since (this calamity) struck him.' Members of my family said to me, 'You should have sought permission from Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in regard to your wife. He has allowed the wife of Hilal bin Umaiyyah to serve him.' I said, 'I would not seek permission from Messenger of Allah (PBUH) for I do not know what Messenger of Allah might say in response to that, as I am a young man'. It was in this state that I spent ten more nights and thus fifty days had passed since people boycotted us and gave up talking to us. After I had offered my Fajr prayer on the early morning of the fiftieth day of this boycott on the roof of one of our houses, and had sat in the very state which Allah described as: 'The earth seemed constrained for me despite its vastness', I heard the voice of a proclaimer from the peak of the hill Sal' shouting at the top of his voice: 'O Ka'b bin Malik, rejoice.' I fell down in prostration and came to know that there was (a message of) relief for me. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had informed the people about the acceptance of our repentance by Allah after he had offered the Fajr prayer. So the people went on to give us glad tidings and some of them went to my companions in order to give them the glad tidings. A man spurred his horse towards me (to give the good news), and another one from the tribe of Aslam came running for the same purpose and, as he approached the mount, I received the good news which reached me before the rider did. When the one whose voice I had heard came to me to congratulate me, I took off my garments and gave them to him for the good news he brought to me. By Allah, I possessed nothing else (in the form of clothes) except these garments, at that time. Then I borrowed two garments, dressed myself and came to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) On my way, I met groups of people who greeted me for (the acceptance of) repentance and they said: 'Congratulations for acceptance of your repentance.' I reached the mosque where Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was sitting amidst people. Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah got up and rushed towards me, shook hands with me and greeted me. By Allah, no person stood up (to greet me) from amongst the Muhajirun besides him." Ka'b said that he never forgot (this good gesture of) Talhah. Ka'b further said: "I greeted Messenger of Allah (PBUH) with 'As-salamu 'alaikum' and his face was beaming with pleasure. He (PBUH) said, 'Rejoice with the best day you have ever seen since your mother gave you birth. 'I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Is this (good news) from you or from Allah?' He said, 'No, it is from Allah.' And it was common with Messenger of Allah (PBUH) that when ever he was happy, his face would glow as if it were a part of the moon and it was from this that we recognized it (his delight). As I sat before him, I said, I have placed a condition upon myself that if Allah accepts my Taubah, I would give up all of my property in charity for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (PBUH)!' Thereupon Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, 'Keep some property with you, as it is better for you.' I said, 'I shall keep with me that portion which is in Khaibar'. I added: 'O Messenger of Allah! Verily, Allah has granted me salvation because of my truthfulness, and therefore, repentance obliges me to speak nothing but the truth as long as I am alive." Ka'b added: "By Allah, I do not know anyone among the Muslims who has been granted truthfulness better than me since I said this to the Prophet (PBUH). By Allah! Since the time I made a pledge of this to Messenger of Allah (PBUH), I have never intended to tell a lie, and I hope that Allah would protect me (against telling lies) for the rest of my life. Allah, the Exalted, the Glorious, revealed these Verses:

'Allah has forgiven the Prophet (PBUH), the Muhajirun (Muslim Emigrants who left their homes and came to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (Muslims of Al- Madinah) who followed him (Muhammad (PBUH)) in the time of distress (Tabuk expedition), after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated (from the Right Path), but He accepted their repentance. Certainly, He is unto them full of kindness, Most Merciful. And (He did forgive also) the three who did not join [the Tabuk expedition and whose case was deferred (by the Prophet (PBUH)) for Allah's Decision] till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their ownselves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but with Him. Then, He forgave them (accepted their repentance), that they might beg for His Pardon [repent (unto Him)]. Verily, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful. O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in word and deeds)." (9:117,118).

Ka'b said: "By Allah, since Allah guided me to Islam, there has been no blessing more significant for me than this truth of mine which I spoke to Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and if I were to tell a lie I would have been ruined as were ruined those who had told lies, for Allah described those who told lies with the worst description He ever attributed to anybody else, as He sent down the Revelation:

They will swear by Allah to you (Muslims) when you return to them, that you may turn away from them. So turn away from them. Surely, they are Rijsun [i.e., Najasun (impure) because of their evil deeds], and Hell is their dwelling place - a recompense for that which they used to earn. They (the hypocrites) swear to you (Muslims) that you may be pleased with them, but if you are pleased with them, certainly Allah is not pleased with the people who are Al- Fa'siqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah)". (9:95,96)

Ka'b further added: "The matter of the three of us remained pending for decision apart from the case of those who had made excuses on oath before Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and he accepted those, took fresh oaths of allegiance from them and supplicated for their forgiveness. The Prophet (PBUH) kept our matter pending till Allah decided it. The three whose matter was deferred have been shown mercy. The reference here is not to our staying back from the expedition but to his delaying our matter and keeping it pending beyond the matter of those who made their excuses on oath which he accepted".

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim]

Another version adds: "Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out for Tabuk on Thursday. He used to prefer to set out on journey on Thursday." Another version says: "Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to come back from a journey in the early forenoon and went straight to the mosque where he would perform two Rak'ah prayer. Afterwards he would seat himself there".