Allah's Apostle said, "Keeping horses may be a source of reward to some (man), a shelter to another (i.e. means of earning one's living), or a burden to a third. He to whom the horse will be a source of reward is the one who keeps it in Allah's Cause (prepare it for holy battles) and ties it by a long rope in a pasture (or a garden). He will get a reward equal to what its long rope allows it to eat in the pasture or the garden, and if that horse breaks its rope and crosses one or two hills, then all its footsteps and its dung will be counted as good deeds for its owner; and if it passes by a river and drinks from it, then that will also be regarded as a good deed for its owner even if he has had no intention of watering it then. Horses are a shelter from poverty to the second person who keeps horses for earning his living so as not to ask others, and at the same time he gives Allah's right (i.e. rak`at) (from the wealth he earns through using them in trading etc.,) and does not overburden them. He who keeps horses just out of pride and for showing off and as a means of harming the Muslims, his horses will be a source of sins to him." When Allah's Apostle was asked about donkeys, he replied, "Nothing particular was revealed to me regarding them except the general unique verse which is applicable to everything: "Whoever does goodness equal to the weight of an atom (or small ant) shall see it (its reward) on the Day of Resurrection."

My father was martyred on the day (of the Ghazwa) of Uhud and left six daughters and some debts to be paid. When the time of plucking the date-fruits came, I went to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! you know that my father was martyred on Uhud's day and owed much debt, and I wish that the creditors would see you." The Prophet said, "Go and collect the various kinds of dates and place them separately in heaps"' I did accordingly and called him. On seeing him, the creditors started claiming their rights pressingly at that time. When the Prophet saw how they behaved, he went round the biggest heap for three times and sat over it and said, "Call your companions (i.e. the creditors)." Then he kept on measuring and giving them, till Allah cleared all my father's debts. By Allah, it would have pleased me that Allah would clear the debts of my father even though I had not taken a single date to my sisters. But by Allah, all the heaps were complete, (as they were) and I looked at the heap where Allah's Apostle was sitting and noticed as if not a single date had been taken thereof.

When the Prophet intended to perform the `Umra he sent a person to the people of Mecca asking their permission to enter Mecca. They stipulated that he would not stay for more than three days and would not enter it except with sheathed arms and would not preach (Islam) to any of them. So `Ali bin Abi- Talib started writing the treaty between them. He wrote, "This is what Muhammad, Apostle of Allah has agreed to." The (Meccans) said, "If we knew that you (Muhammad) are the Apostle of Allah, then we would not have prevented you and would have followed you. But write, 'This is what Muhammad bin `Abdullah has agreed to..' " On that Allah's Apostle said, "By Allah, I am Muhammad bin `Abdullah, and, by Allah, I am Apostle of 'Allah." Allah's Apostle used not to write; so he asked `Ali to erase the expression of Apostle of Allah. On that `Ali said, "By Allah I will never erase it." Allah's Apostle said (to `Ali), "Let me see the paper." When `Ali showed him the paper, the Prophet erased the expression with his own hand. When Allah's Apostle had entered Mecca and three days had elapsed, the Meccans came to `Ali and said, "Let your friend (i.e. the Prophet) quit Mecca." `Ali informed Allah's Apostle about it and Allah's Apostle said, "Yes," and then he departed.

While I was sitting with the Prophet, Abu Bakr came, lifting up one corner of his garment uncovering his knee. The Prophet said, "Your companion has had a quarrel." Abu Bakr greeted (the Prophet ) and said, "O Allah's Apostle! There was something (i.e. quarrel) between me and the Son of Al-Khattab. I talked to him harshly and then regretted that, and requested him to forgive me, but he refused. This is why I have come to you." The Prophet said thrice, "O Abu Bakr! May Allah forgive you." In the meanwhile, `Umar regretted (his refusal of Abu Bakr's excuse) and went to Abu Bakr's house and asked if Abu Bakr was there. They replied in the negative. So he came to the Prophet and greeted him, but signs of displeasure appeared on the face of the Prophet till Abu Bakr pitied (`Umar), so he knelt and said twice, "O Allah's Apostle! By Allah! I was more unjust to him (than he to me)." The Prophet said, "Allah sent me (as a Prophet) to you (people) but you said (to me), 'You are telling a lie,' while Abu Bakr said, 'He has said the truth,' and consoled me with himself and his money." He then said twice, "Won't you then give up harming my companion?" After that nobody harmed Abu Bakr.

That Al-Miqdad bin `Amr Al-Kindi, who was an ally of Bani Zuhra and one of those who fought the battle of Badr together with Allah's Apostle told him that he said to Allah's Apostle, "Suppose I met one of the infidels and we fought, and he struck one of my hands with his sword and cut it off and then took refuge in a tree and said, "I surrender to Allah (i.e. I have become a Muslim),' could I kill him, O Allah's Apostle, after he had said this?" Allah's Apostle said, "You should not kill him." Al- Miqdad said, "O Allah's Apostle! But he had cut off one of my two hands, and then he had uttered those words?" Allah's Apostle replied, "You should not kill him, for if you kill him, he would be in your position where you had been before killing him, and you would be in his position where he had been before uttering those words."

I came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and swore allegiance to him, and after telling a long story he said: Then a man came to him and said: Give me some of the sadaqah (alms). The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Allah is not pleased with a Prophet's or anyone else's decision about sadaqat till He has given a decision about them Himself. He has divided those entitled to them into eight categories, so if you come within those categories, I shall give you what you desire.

A man seized his debtor who owed ten dinars to him. He said to him: I swear by Allah, I shall not leave you until you pay off (my debt) to me or bring a surety. The Prophet (saws) stood as a surety for him.

He then brought as much (money) as he promised. The Prophet (saws) asked: From where did you acquire this gold? He replied: From a mine. He said: We have no need of it; there is no good in it. Then the Messenger of Allah (saws) paid (the debt) on his behalf.

I heard Allah's Apostle saying "From among my followers, a group (o 70,000) will enter Paradise without being asked for their accounts, Their faces will be shining like the moon." 'Ukasha bin Muhsin Al-Asadi got up, lifting his covering sheet and said, "O Allah's Apostle Invoke Allah for me that He may include me with them." The Prophet said! "O Allah! Make him from them." Then another man from Al-Ansar got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah for me that He may include me with them." On that Allah's Apostle said, "'Ukasha has anticipated you."

A man said, "O Allah's Apostle! Inform me of a deed which will make me enter Paradise." The people said, "What is the matter with him? What is the matter with him?" Allah's Apostle said, "He has something to ask (what he needs greatly)." The Prophet said (to him), (In order to enter Paradise) you should worship Allah and join none in worship with Him: You should offer prayers perfectly, give obligatory charity (Zakat), and keep good relations with your Kith and kin." He then said, "Leave it!" (The sub-narrator said, "It seems that the Prophet was riding his she camel."

The Prophet had a she-camel called Al-`Adba' and it was too fast to surpass in speed. There came a bedouin riding a camel of his, and that camel outstripped it (i.e. Al-Aqba'). That result was hard on the Muslims who said sorrowfully, "Al- Adba has been outstripped." Allah's Apostle said, "It is due from Allah that nothing would be raised high in this world except that He lowers or puts it down."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'n Nadr, the mawla of Abdullah ibn Ubaydullah, from Sulayman ibn Yasar from alMiqdad ibn al- Aswad that Ali ibn Abi Talib told him to ask the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, what a man should do, who, when close to his wife, had a flow of prostatic fluid. Ali explained that the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was living with him then and he was too shy to ask for himself. Al-Miqdad said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about it, and he said, 'When you find that, wash your genitals with water and do wudu as for prayer.' "

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ayyub ibn Abi Tamima as- Sakhtayani from Muhammad ibn Sirin from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, finished the prayer after two rakas and Dhu'l-Yadayn said to him, "Has the prayer been shortened or have you forgotten, Messenger of Allah?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Has Dhu'l-Yadayn spoken the truth?" The people said, "Yes," and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stood and prayed the other two rakas and then said, "Peace be upon you." Then he said, "Allah is greater" and went into a sadja as long as his usual prostrations or longer. Then he came up and said, "Allah is greater" and went into a sajda as long as his usual prostrations or longer and then came up.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Sumayy, the mawla of Abu Bakr, from Abu Salih as-Samman from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever says 'There is no god but Allah, alone, without any partner. The Kingdom and praise belong to Him and He has power over everything' (La ilaha illa'llah, wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu'l mulku wa lahu'l hamd, wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadir) one hundred times a day, it is the same for him as freeing ten slaves. One hundred good actions are written for him and one hundred wrong actions are erased from him, and it is a protection from Shaytan for that day until the night. No-one does anything more excellent than what he does except someone who does more than that."

Al-Fadl (his brother) was riding behind Allah's Apostle and a woman from the tribe of Khath'am came and Al-Fadl started looking at her and she started looking at him. The Prophet turned Al-Fadl's face to the other side. The woman said, "O Allah's Apostle! The obligation of Hajj enjoined by Allah on His devotees has become due on my father and he is old and weak, and he cannot sit firm on the Mount; may I perform Hajj on his behalf?" The Prophet replied, "Yes, you may." That happened during the Hajj-al-Wida (of the Prophet ).

I came riding on my she-ass and had (just) then attained the age of puberty. Allah's Apostle was praying at Mina. I passed in front of a part of the first row and then dismounted from it, and the animal started grazing. I aligned with the people behind Allah's Apostle (The sub-narrator added that happened in Mina during the Prophet's Hajjat-al-Wada`.)

The Messenger of Allah (saws) entered the mosque and saw a man who had finished his prayer, and was reciting the tashahhud saying: O Allah, I ask you, O Allah, the One, the eternally besought of all, He begetteth not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable unto Him, that you may forgive me my sins, you are Most Forgiving, Merciful.

He (the Prophet) said: He was forgiven (repeating three times.)

The people used to rent their land for cultivation for one-third, one-fourth or half its yield. The Prophet said, "Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise keep it uncultivated." Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise he should keep it uncultivated."

`Umar bin Al-Khattab saw a silken dress (cloak) being sold at the gate of the Mosque and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Would that you buy it and wear it on Fridays and when the delegates come to you!" Allah's Apostle said, "This is worn by the one who will have no share in the Hereafter." Later on some silk dresses were brought and Allah's Apostle sent one of them to `Umar. `Umar said, "How do you give me this to wear while you said what you said about the dress of 'Utarid?" Allah's Apostle said, "I have not given it to you to wear." So, `Umar gave it to a pagan brother of his in Mecca.

Allah's Apostle said, "There are three persons whom Allah will neither talk to nor look at, nor purify from (the sins), and they will have a painful punishment. (They are): (1) A man possessed superfluous water on a way and he withheld it from the travelers. (2) a man who gives a pledge of allegiance to a Muslim ruler and gives it only for worldly gains. If the ruler gives him what he wants, he remains obedient to It, otherwise he does not abide by it, and (3) a man bargains with another man after the `Asr prayer and the latter takes a false oath in the Name of Allah) claiming that he has been offered so much for the thing and the former (believes him and) buys it."

Some people asked the Prophet: "Who is the most honorable amongst the people?" He replied, "The most honorable among them is the one who is the most Allah-fearing." They said, "O Allah's Prophet! We do not ask about this." He said, "Then the most honorable person is Joseph, Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Khalil." They said, "We do not ask about this." He said, "Then you want to ask me about the Arabs' descent?" They said, "Yes." He said, "Those who were best in the pre-lslamic period, are the best in Islam, if they comprehend (the religious knowledge).

I never failed to join Allah's Apostle in any of his Ghazawat except in the Ghazwa of Tabuk. However, I did not take part in the Ghazwa of Badr, but none who failed to take part in it, was blamed, for Allah's Apostle had gone out to meet the caravans of (Quraish, but Allah caused them (i.e. Muslims) to meet their enemy unexpectedly (with no previous intention) .

Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad b. Hanbal say: He was asked : How retaliation of a tooth is taken ? He said: It is broken with a file.

AbuBakr ibn AbdurRahman reported on the authority of a Companion of the Prophet (saws): I saw the Prophet (saws) commanding the people while he was travelling on the occasion of the conquest of Mecca not to observe fast. He said: Be strong for your enemy. The Messenger of Allah (saws) fasted himself.

Narrated AbuBakr:

A man who narrated his tradition to me said: I have seen the Messenger of Allah (saws) in al-Arj pouring water over his head while he was fasting, either because of thirst or because of heat.

I went to `Aisha and asked her to describe to me the illness of Allah's Apostle. `Aisha said, "Yes. The Prophet became seriously ill and asked whether the people had prayed. We replied, 'No. O Allah's Apostle! They are waiting for you.' He added, 'Put water for me in a trough." `Aisha added, "We did so. He took a bath and tried to get up but fainted. When he recovered, he again asked whether the people had prayed. We said, 'No, they are waiting for you. O Allah's Apostle,' He again said, 'Put water in a trough for me.' He sat down and took a bath and tried to get up but fainted again. Then he recovered and said, 'Have the people prayed?' We replied, 'No, they are waiting for you. O Allah's Apostle.' He said, 'Put water for me in the trough.' Then he sat down and washed himself and tried to get up but he fainted. When he recovered, he asked, 'Have the people prayed?' We said, 'No, they are waiting for you. O Allah's Apostle! The people were in the mosque waiting for the Prophet for the `Isha prayer. The Prophet sent for Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer. The messenger went to Abu Bakr and said, 'Allah's Apostle orders you to lead the people in the prayer.' Abu Bakr was a softhearted man, so he asked `Umar to lead the prayer but `Umar replied, 'You are more rightful.' So Abu Bakr led the prayer in those days. When the Prophet felt a bit better, he came out for the Zuhr prayer with the help of two persons one of whom was Al-`Abbas. while Abu Bakr was leading the people in the prayer. When Abu Bakr saw him he wanted to retreat but the Prophet beckoned him not to do so and asked them to make him sit beside Abu Bakr and they did so. Abu Bakr was following the Prophet (in the prayer) and the people were following Abu Bakr. The Prophet (prayed) sitting." 'Ubaidullah added "I went to `Abdullah bin `Abbas and asked him, Shall I tell you what Aisha has told me about the fatal illness of the Prophet?' Ibn `Abbas said, 'Go ahead. I told him her narration and he did not deny anything of it but asked whether `Aisha told me the name of the second person (who helped the Prophet ) along with Al-Abbas. I said. 'No.' He said, 'He was `Ali (Ibn Abi Talib).

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that Hamza ibn Amr al-Aslami once said to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Messenger of Allah, I am a man who fasts. Can I fast when travelling?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If you want you can fast, and if you want you can break the fast."

Allah's Apostle said, "Between my house and the pulpit there is a garden of the gardens of Paradise."

We came with Allah's Apostle (to Mecca) and we were saying: 'Labbaika Allahumma Labbaik' for Hajj. Allah's Apostle ordered us to perform `Umra with that Ihram (instead of Hajj).

Allah's Apostle said, "The month (can be) 29 nights (i.e. days), and do not fast till you see the moon, and if the sky is overcast, then complete Sha'ban as thirty days."

I have given a pledge of allegiance to Allah's Apostle for to testify that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and Muhammad is His Apostle, to offer prayers perfectly, to pay Zakat, to listen to and obey (Allah's and His Prophet's orders), and to give good advice to every Muslim.

During some of the Ghazawat of Allah's Apostle a woman was found killed, so Allah's Apostle forbade the killing of women and children.

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Abdullah ibn Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Do not forbid the female slaves of Allah from (going into) the mosques of Allah.' "

On the authority of Abu Huraira: The people said, "O Allah's Apostle! Shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?" The Prophet said, "Do you have any difficulty in seeing the moon on a full moon night?" They said, "No, O Allah's Apostle." He said, "Do you have any difficulty in seeing the sun when there are no clouds?" They said, "No, O Allah's Apostle." He said, "So you will see Him, like that. Allah will gather all the people on the Day of Resurrection, and say, 'Whoever worshipped something (in the world) should follow (that thing),' so, whoever worshipped the sun will follow the sun, and whoever worshiped the moon will follow the moon, and whoever used to worship certain (other false) deities, he will follow those deities. And there will remain only this nation with its good people (or its hypocrites). (The sub-narrator, Ibrahim is in doubt.) Allah will come to them and say, 'I am your Lord.' They will (deny Him and) say, 'We will stay here till our Lord comes, for when our Lord comes, we will recognize Him.' So Allah will come to them in His appearance which they know, and will say, 'I am your Lord.' They will say, 'You are our Lord,' so they will follow Him.

Then a bridge will be laid across Hell (Fire)' I and my followers will be the first ones to go across it and none will speak on that Day except the Apostles. And the invocation of the Apostles on that Day will be, 'O Allah, save! Save!' In Hell (or over The Bridge) there will be hooks like the thorns of As-Sa'dan (thorny plant). Have you seen As-Sa'dan? " They replied, "Yes, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "So those hooks look like the thorns of As-Sa'dan, but none knows how big they are except Allah. Those hooks will snap the people away according to their deeds. Some of the people will stay in Hell (be destroyed) because of their (evil) deeds, and some will be cut or torn by the hooks (and fall into Hell) and some will be punished and then relieved. When Allah has finished His Judgments among the people, He will take whomever He will out of Hell through His Mercy. He will then order the angels to take out of the Fire all those who used to worship none but Allah from among those whom Allah wanted to be merciful to and those who testified (in the ...