I heard Ibn Az-Zubair who was on the pulpit at Mecca, delivering a sermon, saying, "O men! The Prophet used to say, "If the son of Adam were given a valley full of gold, he would love to have a second one; and if he were given the second one, he would love to have a third, for nothing fills the belly of Adam's son except dust. And Allah forgives he who repents to Him." Ubai said, "We considered this as a saying from the Qur'an till the Sura (beginning with) 'The mutual rivalry for piling up of worldly things diverts you..' (102.1) was revealed."

Allah's Apostle said, "While I was sleeping I saw (in a dream) some people wearing shirts of which some were reaching up to the breasts only while others were even shorter than that. Umar bin Al-Khattab was shown wearing a shirt that he was dragging." The people asked, "How did you interpret it? (What is its interpretation) O Allah's Apostle?" He (the Prophet ) replied, "It is the Religion."

A man came and said, "O Allah's Apostle! By Allah, I keep away from the morning prayer only because So and so prolongs the prayer when he leads us in it." The narrator said, "I never saw Allah's Apostle more furious in giving advice than he was at that time. He then said, "Some of you make people dislike good deeds (the prayer). So whoever among you leads the people in prayer should shorten it because among them are the weak, the old and the needy."

On a rainy day Ibn `Abbas said to his Mu'adh-dhin, "After saying, 'Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah' (I testify that Muhammad is Allah's Apostle), do not say 'Haiya 'Alas-Salat' (come for the prayer) but say 'Pray in your houses'." (The man did so). But the people disliked it. Ibn `Abbas said, "It was done by one who was much better than I (i.e. the Prophet (p.b.u.h) ). No doubt, the Jumua prayer is compulsory but I dislike to put you to task by bringing you out walking in mud and slush."

Abdullah b. 'Umar reported that the people encamped along with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) in the valley of Hijr, the habitations of Thamud, and they quenched their thirst from the wells thereof and kneaded the flour with it. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) commanded that the water collected for drinking should be spilt and the flour should be given to the camels and commanded them that the water for drinking should be taken from that well where the she-camel (of Hadrat Salih) used to come.

A man came to the Prophet and demanded a camel (the Prophet owed him). Allah's Apostle told his companions to give him (a camel). They said, "We do not find except an older camel (than what he demands). (The Prophet ordered them to give him that camel). The man said, "You have paid me in full and may Allah also pay you in full." Allah's Apostle said, "Give him, for the best amongst the people is he who repays his debts in the most handsome manner."

The people asked Sahl bin Sa`d As-Sa' idi "With what thing (medicine) was the wound of Allah's Apostle treated?" He replied, "There is none left (living) amongst the people who knows it better than. `Ali used to bring water in his shield and Fatima (i.e. the Prophet's daughter) used to wash the blood off his face. Then a mat (of palm leaves) was burnt and its ash was inserted in the wound of Allah's Apostle."

Allah's Apostle said, "My similitude in comparison with the other prophets before me, is that of a man who has built a house nicely and beautifully, except for a place of one brick in a corner. The people go about it and wonder at its beauty, but say: 'Would that this brick be put in its place!' So I am that brick, and I am the last of the Prophets."

The Prophet was the most generous of all the people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night during Ramadan to revise the Qur'an with him. Allah's Apostle then used to be more generous than the fast wind.

When Allah's Apostle became seriously ill, Bilal came to him for the prayer. He said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer." I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Abu Bakr is a softhearted man and if he stands in your place, he would not be able to make the people hear him. Will you order `Umar (to lead the prayer)?" The Prophet said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer." Then I said to Hafsa, "Tell him, Abu i Bakr is a softhearted man and if he stands in his place, he would not be able to make the people hear him. Would you order `Umar to lead the prayer?' " Hafsa did so. The Prophet said, "Verily you are the companions of Joseph. Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer." So Abu- Bakr stood for the prayer. In the meantime Allah's Apostle felt better and came out with the help of two persons and both of his legs were dragging on the ground till he entered the mosque. When Abu Bakr heard him coming, he tried to retreat but Allah's Apostle beckoned him to carry on. The Prophet sat on his left side. Abu Bakr was praying while standing and Allah's Apostle was leading the prayer while sitting. Abu Bakr was following the Prophet and the people were following Abu Bakr (in the prayer).

The Messenger of Allah (saws) raised his voice in talbiyah; he then mentioned the wordings of talbiyah like the tradition narrated by Ibn Umar. The people used to add the words dhal-ma'arij (the Possessor of ladders) and similar other words (to talbiyah) while the Prophet (saws) heard them utter these words, but he did not say anything to them.

I put on ihram for umrah at at-Tan'im and I entered (Mecca) and performed my umrah as an atonement. The Messenger of Allah (saws) waited for me at al-Abtah till I finished it. He commanded the people to depart. The Messenger of Allah (saws) came to the House (the Ka'bah), went round it and went out (i.e. left for Medina).

Allah's Apostle said, "The hour will not be established till the sun rises from the West; and when it rises (from the West) and the people see it, they all will believe. And that is (the time) when no good will it do to a soul to believe then." Then he recited the whole Verse (6.158)

Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Said said, "A Bedouin came into the mosque and uncovered his private parts to urinate. The people called out to him and began to raise their voices but the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said ,'Let him be. 'So they let him be and he urinated. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered a bucketful of water to be brought and it was poured on the place."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Muhammad ibn Yusuf that as- Sa'ib ibn Yazid said, "Umar ibn al-Khattab ordered Ubayy ibn Kab and Tamim ad-Dari to watch the night in prayer with the people for eleven rakas.The reciterof the Qur'an would recite the Mi'in (a group of medium-sized suras) until we would be leaning on our staffs from having stood so long in prayer. And we would not leave until the approach of dawn."

The Prophet said, "The people who get tremendous reward for the prayer are those who are farthest away (from the mosque) and then those who are next farthest and so on. Similarly one who waits to pray with the Imam has greater reward than one who prays and goes to bed. "

Anas b. Malik (Allah be pleased wish him) reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to Mina; he went to the Jamra and threw pebbles at it, after which he went to his lodging in Mina, and sacrificed the animal. He then called for a barber and, turning his right side to him, let him shave him; after which he tiimed his left side. He then gave (these hair) to the people.

Abdullah b. Ja'far reported that one day Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) mounted me behind him and narrated to me something in secret which I would narrate to none amongst people.

The Prophet said, "Whoever takes the money of the people with the intention of repaying it, Allah will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it in order to spoil it, then Allah will spoil him."

I then asked: Messenger of Allah, (what should we do), if the people are assembled together?

He replied: If it is within your power that no one looks at it, then no one should look at it.

I then asked: Messenger of Allah if one of us is alone, (what should he do)?

He replied: Allah is more entitled than people that bashfulness should be shown to him.

Yahya related to me from Malik that Muhammad ibn Uqba, the mawla of az Zubayr, asked al-Qasim ibn Muhammad whether he had to pay any zakat on a large sum given to him by his slave to buy his freedom. Al- Qasim said, "Abu Bakr as-Siddiq did not take zakat from anyone's property until it had been in his possession for a year."

Al- Qasim ibn Muhammad continued, "When Abu Bakr gave men their allowances he would ask them, 'Do you have any property on which zakat is due?' If they said, 'Yes,' he would take the zakat on that property out of their allowances. If they said, 'No,' he would hand over their allowances to them without deducting anything from them."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z-Zinad from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The very poor are not the people who constantly walk from person to person and are given one or two morsels, and one or two dates." They said, "Who are the very poor, Messenger of Allah?" He said, "People who do not find enough for themselves and other people are not aware of them to give sadaqa to them, and they do not start begging from other people."

Abdullah ibn Utbah ibn Mas'ud said: Abdullah ibn Mas'ud was informed of this story of a man. The people continued to visit him for a month or visited him many times (the narrator was not sure).

He said: In this matter I hold the opinion that she should receive the type of dower given to women of her class with no diminution or excess, observe the waiting period ('iddah) and have her share of inheritance. If it is erroneous, that is from me and from Satan. Allah and His Apostle are free from its responsibility. Some people from Ashja' got up; among them were al-Jarrah and AbuSinan.

They said: Ibn Mas'ud, we bear witness that the Messenger of Allah (saws) gave a decision for us regarding Birwa', daughter of Washiq, to the same effect as the decision you have given. Her husband was Hilal ibn Murrah al-Ashja'i. Thereupon Abdullah ibn Mas'ud was very pleased when his decision agreed with the decision of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

Ya`la used to say, "I wish I could see Allah's Apostle at the time when he is being inspired divinely." Ya`la added "While the Prophet was at Al-Ja'rana, shaded with a cloth sheet (in the form of a tent) and there were staying with him, some of his companions under it, suddenly there came to him a bedouin wearing a cloak and perfumed extravagantly. He said, "O Allah's Apostle ! What is your opinion regarding a man who assumes the state of Ihram for `Umra wearing a cloak after applying perfume to his body?" `Umar signalled with his hand to Ya`la to come (near). Ya`la came and put his head (underneath that cloth sheet) and saw the Prophet red-faced and when that state (of the Prophet ) was over, he said, "Where is he who as already asked me about the `Umra?" The man was looked for and brought to the Prophet The Prophet said (to him), "As for the perfume you have applied to your body, wash it off your body) thrice, and take off your cloak, and then do in your `Umra the rites you do in your Hajj."

When the Messenger of Allah (saws) entered upon Abu Salamah, his eyes were fixedly open. So he closed them. The members of his family cried. He said: Do not pray for yourself anything but good, for the angels utter Amin to what you say. He then said: O Allah, forgive Abu Salamah, raise his rank among those who are guided, and grant him a succession in his descendants who remain. Forgive both us and him, Lord of the universe. O Allah,make his grave spacious for him, and grant him light in it.

Abu Dawud said: The eyes of the deceased should be closed after his expiry. I heard Muhammad b. al-Nu'man al-Muqri say: I heard a man who was devoted to Allah say: I closed the eyes of Ja'far al-Mu'allim when he was dying. He was a man devoted to Allah. I saw him in a dream on the night he died. He said: The biggest thing for me was closing the eyes by you before I died.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa that his father, Urwa ibn az-Zubayr made an aqiqa for his male and female children of a sheep each.

Malik said, "What we do about the aqiqa is that if someone makes an aqiqa for his children, he gives a sheep for both male and female. The aqiqa is not obligatory but it is desirable to do it, and people continue to come to us about it. If someone makes an aqiqa for his children, the same rules apply as with all sacrificial animals - one-eyed, emaciated, injured, or sick animals must not be used, and neither the meat or the skin is to be sold. The bones are broken and the family eat the meat and give some of it away as sadaqa. The child is not smeared with any of the blood .''

Yahya related to me from Malik that Zayd ibn Aslam said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stopped for a rest one night on the way to Makka and appointed Bilal to wake them up for the prayer. Bilal slept and everyone else slept and none of them woke up until the sun had risen. When they did wake up they were all alarmed. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered them to ride out of the valley, saying that there was a shaytan in it. So they rode out of the valley and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered them to dismount and do wudu and he told Bilal either to call the prayer or to give the iqama. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then led them in the prayer. Noticing their uneasiness, he went to them and said, 'O people! Allah seized our spirits (arwah) and if He had wished He would have returned them to us at a time other than this. So if you sleep through the time for a prayer or forget it and then are anxious about it, pray it as if you were praying it in its time.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, turned to Abu Bakr and said, 'Shaytan came to Bilal when he was standing in prayer and made him lie down and lulled him to sleep like a small boy.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then called Bilal and told him the same as he had told Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr declared, 'I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah.' "

Allah's Apostle said, "You see that the people are of different natures. Those who were the best in the pre-lslamic period, are also the best in Islam if they comprehend religious knowledge. You see that the best amongst the people in this respect (i.e. ambition of ruling) are those who hate it most. And you see that the worst among people is the double faced (person) who appears to these with one face and to the others with another face (i.e a hypocrite).

The Prophet said, "Whoever slaughtered the sacrifice before the `Id prayer, should repeat it (slaughter another one)." A man said "This is the day on which meat is desired." Then he mentioned the need of his neighbors (for meat) and the Prophet seemed to accept his excuse. The man said, "I have a Jadha'a which is to me better than two sheep." The Prophet allowed him (to slaughter it as a sacrifice). But I do not know whether this permission was general for all Muslims or not. The Prophet then went towards two rams and slaughtered them, and the people went towards their sheep and slaughtered them.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that when he brought an animal to be sacrificed from Madina he would garland it and brand it at Dhu'l-Hulayfa, doing the garlanding before the branding, but doing both in the same place, while facing the qibla. He would garland the animal with two sandals and brand it on its left side. It would then be driven with him until he observed the standing together with everybody at Arafa. Then he would drive it on with him when everybody else moved on, and then when he arrived at Mina on the morning of the sacrifice, he would sacrifice the animal, before he shaved his head. He would sacrifice the animals with his own hands ,lining them up standing and facing the qibla. He would then eat some of the meat, and give some of it away.

Once Allah's Apostle went to Al-Batha' at noon, performed the ablution and offered' a two rak`at Zuhr prayer and a two-rak`at `Asr prayer while a spearheaded stick was planted before him and the passersby were passing in front of it. (After the prayer), the people got up and held the hands of the Prophet and passed them on their faces. I also took his hand and kept it on my face and noticed that it was colder than ice, and its smell was nicer than musk.

I prayed along with the Messenger of Allah (saws) at Mina and the people gathered there in large numbers. He led us two rak'ahs in prayer in the Farewell Pilgrimage.

Abu Dawud said: Harithah belonged to the tribe of Khuza'ah, and they had their houses in Mecca.

Umar said while he was (sitting) on the pulpit: O people, the opinion from the Messenger of Allah (saws) was right, because Allah showed (i.e. inspired) him; but from us it is sheer conjecture and artifice.