Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "There was an eclipse of the sun in the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, led the people in prayer. He stood, and did so for a long time. Then he went into ruku, and made the ruku long. Then he stood again, and did so for a long time, though not as long as the first time. Then he went into ruku, and made the ruku long, though not as long as thefirst time. Then he rose, and went down into sajda. He then did the same in the second raka, and by the time he had finished the sun had appeared. He then gave a khutba to the people, in which he praised Allah and then said, 'The sun and the moon are two of Allah's signs. They do not eclipse for anyone's death nor for anyone's life. When you see an eclipse, call on Allah and say, "Allah is greater" and give sadaqa.' Then he said, 'O community of Muhammad! ByAllah, there is no-one more jealous than Allah of a male or female slave of his who commits adultery. O community of Muhammad! By Allah, if you knew what I knew, you would laugh little and weep much'."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Bukayr ibn Abdullah al-Ashajj informed him that Muawiya ibn Abi Ayyash al- Ansari told him that he was sitting with Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr and Asim ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab when Muhammad ibn Iyas ibn al-Bukayr came up to them and said, "A man from the desert has divorced his wife three times before consummating the marriage, what do you think?" Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr said "This is something about which we have no statement. Go to Abdullah ibn Abbas and Abu Hurayra. I left them with A'isha. Ask them and then come and tell us." He went and asked them. Ibn Abbas said to Abu Hurayra, "Give an opinion, Abu Hurayra! A difficult one has come to you." Abu Hurayra said, "One pronouncement separates her and three makes her haram until she has married another husband." Ibn Abbas said the like of that.

Malik said, "That is what is done among us, and when a man marries a woman who has been married before, and he has not had intercourse with her, she is treated as a virgin - one pronouncement separates her and three make her haram until she has married another husband."

I came to `Aisha the wife of the Prophet during the solar eclipse. The people were standing and offering the prayer and she was also praying. I asked her, "What is wrong with the people?" She beckoned with her hand towards the sky and said, "Subhan Allah." I asked her, "Is there a sign?" She pointed out, "Yes." So I, too, stood for the prayer till I fell unconscious and later on I poured water on my head. After the prayer, Allah's Apostle praised and glorified Allah and said, "Just now I have seen something which I never saw before at this place of mine, including Paradise and Hell. I have been inspired (and have understood) that you will be put to trials in your graves and these trials will be like the trials of Ad-Dajjal, or nearly like it (the sub narrator is not sure of what Asma' said). Angels will come to every one of you and ask, 'What do you know about this man?' A believer will reply, 'He is Muhammad, Allah's Apostle , and he came to us with self-evident truth and guidance. So we accepted his teaching, believed and followed him.' Then the angels will say to him to sleep in peace as they have come to know that he was a believer. On the other hand a hypocrite or a doubtful person will reply, 'I do not know but heard the people saying something and so I said the same.' "

(the wife of the Prophet) We set out with Allah's Apostle on one of his journeys till we reached Al- Baida' or Dhatul-Jaish, a necklace of mine was broken (and lost). Allah's Apostle stayed there to search for it, and so did the people along with him. There was no water at that place, so the people went to Abu- Bakr As-Siddiq and said, "Don't you see what `Aisha has done? She has made Allah's Apostle and the people stay where there is no water and they have no water with them." Abu Bakr came while Allah's Apostle was sleeping with his head on my thigh, He said, to me: "You have detained Allah's Apostle and the people where there is no water and they have no water with them. So he admonished me and said what Allah wished him to say and hit me on my flank with his hand. Nothing prevented me from moving (because of pain) but the position of Allah's Apostle on my thigh. Allah's Apostle got up when dawn broke and there was no water. So Allah revealed the Divine Verses of Tayammum. So they all performed Tayammum. Usaid bin Hudair said, "O the family of Abu Bakr! This is not the first blessing of yours." Then the camel on which I was riding was caused to move from its place and the necklace was found beneath it.

A Jewess came to `Aisha to ask her about something and then she said, "May Allah give you refuge from the punishment of the grave." So `Aisha asked Allah's Apostle, "Would the people be punished in their graves?" Allah's Apostle asked Allah's refuge from the punishment of the grave (indicating an affirmative reply). Then one day Allah's Apostle rode (to leave for some place) but the sun eclipsed. He returned on the forenoon and passed through the rear of the dwellings (of his wives) and stood up and started offering the (eclipse) prayer and the people stood behind him. He stood for a long period and then performed a long bowing and then stood straight for a long period which was shorter than that of the first standing, then he performed a prolonged bowing which was shorter than the first bowing, then he raised his head and prostrated for a long time and then stood up (for the second rak`a) for a long while, but the standing was shorter than the standing of the first rak`a. Then he performed a prolonged bowing which was shorter than that of the first one. He then stood up for a long time but shorter than the first, then again performed a long bowing which was shorter than the first and then prostrated for a shorter while than that of the first prostration. Then he finished the prayer and delivered the sermon and) said what Allah wished; and ordered the people to seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave.

"I saw Allah's Apostle delaying the Maghrib prayer till he offered it along with the `Isha' prayer whenever he was in a hurry during the journey." Salim narrated, "Ibn `Umar used to do the same whenever he was in a hurry during the journey." And Salim added, "Ibn `Umar used to pray the Maghrib and `Isha' prayers together in Al-Muzdalifa." Salim said, "Ibn `Umar delayed the Maghrib prayer because at that time he heard the news of the death of his wife Safiya bint Abi `Ubaid. I said to him, 'The prayer (is due).' He said, 'Go on.' Again I said, 'The prayer (is due).' He said, 'Go on,' till we covered two or three miles. Then he got down, prayed and said, 'I saw the Prophet praying in this way, whenever he was in a hurry during the journey.' `Abdullah (bin `Umar) added, "Whenever the Prophet was in a hurry, he used to delay the Maghrib prayer and then offer three rak`at (of the Maghrib) and perform Taslim, and after waiting for a short while, Iqama used to be pronounced for the `Isha' prayer when he would offer two rak`at and perform Taslim. He would never offer any optional prayer till the middle of the night (when he used to pray the Tahajjud)."

(the wife of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) We set out with the Prophet in his last Hajj and we assumed Ihram for Umra. The Prophet then said, "Whoever has the Hadi with him should assume Ihram for Hajj along with `Umra and should not finish the Ihram till he finishes both." I was menstruating when I reached Mecca, and so I neither did Tawaf round the Ka`ba nor Tawaf between Safa and Marwa. I complained about that to the Prophet on which he replied, "Undo and comb your head hair, and assume Ihram for Hajj (only) and leave the Umra." So, I did so. When we had performed the Hajj, the Prophet sent me with my brother `Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr to Tan`im. So I performed the `Umra. The Prophet said to me, "This `Umra is instead of your missed one." Those who had assumed Ihram for `Umra (Hajj-atTamattu) performed Tawaf round the Ka`ba and between Safa and Marwa and then finished their Ihram. After returning from Mina, they performed another Tawaf (between Safa and Marwa). Those who had assumed Ihram for Hajj and `Umra together (Hajj-al-Qiran) performed only one Tawaf (between Safa and Marwa).

We set out with the Prophet with the intention of performing Hajj only. The Prophet reached Mecca and performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba and between Safa and Marwa and did not finish the Ihram, because he had the Hadi with him. His companions and his wives performed Tawaf (of the Ka`ba and between Safa and Marwa), and those who had no Hadi with them finished their Ihram. I got the menses and performed all the ceremonies of Hajj. So, when the Night of Hasba (night of departure) came, I said, "O Allah's Apostle! All your companions are returning with Hajj and `Umra except me." He asked me, "Didn't you perform Tawaf of the Ka`ba (Umra) when you reached Mecca?" I said, "No." He said, "Go to Tan`im with your brother `Abdur-Rahman, and assume Ihram for `Umra and I will wait for you at such and such a place." So I went with `Abdur-Rahman to Tan`im and assumed Ihram for `Umra. Then Safiya bint Huyay got menses. The Prophet said, " 'Aqra Halqa! You will detain us! Didn't you perform Tawaf-al-Ifada on the Day of Nahr (slaughtering)?" She said, "Yes, I did." He said, "Then there is no harm, depart." So I met the Prophet when he was ascending the heights towards Mecca and I was descending, or vice-versa.

While I was a youngster, I asked `Aisha the wife of the Prophet. "What about the meaning of the Statement of Allah; "Verily! (the mountains) As-Safa and Al Marwa, are among the symbols of Allah. So, it is not harmful if those who perform Hajj or `Umra of the House (Ka`ba at Mecca) to perform the going (Tawaf) between them? (2.158) I understand (from that) that there is no harm if somebody does not perform the Tawaf between them." `Aisha replied, "No, for if it were as you are saying, then the recitation would have been like this: 'It is not harmful not to perform Tawaf between them.' This verse was revealed in connection with the Ansar who used to assume the Ihram for the idol Manat which was put beside a place called Qudaid and those people thought it not right to perform the Tawaf of As- Safa and Al-Marwa. When Islam came, they asked Allah's Apostle about that, and Allah revealed:-- "Verily! (the mountains) As-Safa and Al-Marwa Are among the symbols of Allah. So, it is not harmful of those who perform Hajj or `Umra of the House (Ka`ba at Mecca) to perform the going (Tawaf) between them." (2.158) Sufyan and Abu Muawiya added from Hisham (from `Aisha): "The Hajj or `Umra of the person who does not perform the going (Tawaf) between As-Safa and Al-Marwa is incomplete in Allah's sight.

`Utba bin Abu Waqqas took a firm promise from his brother Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas to take the son of the slave-girl of Zam`a into his custody as he was his (i.e. `Utba's) son. In the year of the Conquest (of Mecca) Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas took him, and said that he was his brother's son, and his brother took a promise from him to that effect. 'Abu bin Zam`a got up and said, "He is my brother and the son of the slave-girl of my father and was born on my father's bed." Then they both went to the Prophet Sa`d said, "O Allah's Apostle! He is the son of my brother and he has taken a promise from me that I will take him." 'Abu bin Zam`a said, "(He is) my brother and the son of my father's slave-girl and was born on my father's bed." Allah's Apostle said, "The boy is for you. O 'Abu bin Zam`a." Then the Prophet said, "The son is for the bed (i.e. the man on whose bed he was born) and stones (disappointment and deprivation) for the one who has done illegal sexual intercourse." The Prophet told his wife Sauda bint Zam`a to screen herself from that boy as he noticed a similarity between the boy and `Utba. So, the boy did not see her till he died.

Eleven women sat (at a place) and promised and contracted that they would not conceal anything of the news of their husbands. The first one said, "My husband is like the meat of a slim weak camel which is kept on the top of a mountain which is neither easy to climb, nor is the meat fat, so that one might put up with the trouble of fetching it." The second one said, "I shall not relate my husband's news, for I fear that I may not be able to finish his story, for if I describe him, I will mention all his defects and bad traits." The third one said, "My husband, the "too-tall"! if I describe him (and he hears of that) he will divorce me, and if I keep quiet, he will keep me hanging (neither divorcing me nor treating me as a wife)." The fourth one said, "My husband is (moderate in temper) like the night of Tihama: neither hot nor cold; I am neither afraid of him, nor am I discontented with him." The fifth one said, "My husband, when entering (the house) is a leopard (sleeps a lot), and when going out, is a lion (boasts a lot). He does not ask about whatever is in the house." The sixth one said, "If my husband eats, he eats too much (leaving the dishes empty), and if he drinks he leaves nothing; if he sleeps he sleeps he rolls himself (alone in our blankets); and he does not insert his palm to inquire about my feelings." The seventh one said, "My husband is a wrong-doer or weak and foolish. All the defects are present in him. He may injure your head or your body or may do both." The eighth one said, "My husband is soft to touch like a rabbit and smells like a Zarnab (a kind of good smelling grass)." The ninth one said, "My husband is a tall generous man wearing a long strap for carrying his sword. His ashes are abundant (i.e. generous to his guests) and his house is near to the people (who would easily consult him)." The tenth one said, "My husband is Malik (possessor), and what is Malik? Malik is greater than whatever I say about him. (He is beyond and above all praises which can come to my mind). Most of his camels are kept at home (ready to be slaughtered for the guests) and only a few are taken to the pastures. When the camels hear the sound of the lute (or the tambourine) they realize that they are going to be slaughtered for the guests." The eleventh one said, "My husband is Abu Zar` and what is Abu Zar` (i.e., what should I say about him)? He has given me many ornaments and my ears are heavily loaded with them and my arms have become fat (i.e., I have become fat). And he has pleased me, and I have become so happy that I feel proud of myself. He found me with my family who were mere owners of sheep and living in poverty, and brought me to a respected family having horses and camels and threshing and purifying grain. Whatever I say, he does not rebuke or insult me. When I sleep, I sleep till late in the morning, and when I drink water (or milk), I drink my fill. The mother of Abu Zar and what may one say in praise of the mother of Abu Zar? Her saddle bags were always full of provision and her house was spacious. As for the son of Abu Zar, what may one say of the son of Abu Zar? His bed is as narrow as an unsheathed sword and an arm of a kid (of four months) satisfies his hunger. As for the daughter of Abu Zar, she is obedient to her father and to her mother. She has a fat well-built body and that arouses the jealousy of her husband's other wife. As for the (maid) slave girl of Abu Zar, what may one say of the (maid) slavegirl of Abu Zar? She does not uncover our secrets but keeps them, and does not waste our provisions and does not leave the rubbish scattered everywhere in our house." The eleventh lady added, "One day it so happened that Abu Zar went out at the time when the milk was being milked from the animals, and he saw a woman who had two sons like two leopards playing with her two breasts. (On seeing her) he divorced me and married her. Thereafter I married a noble man who used to ride a fast tireless horse and keep a spear in his hand. He gave me many things, and also a pair of every kind of livestock and said, Eat (of this), O Um Zar, and give provision to your relatives." She added, "Yet, all those things which my second husband gave me could not fill the smallest utensil of Abu Zar's." `Aisha then said: Allah's Apostle said to me, "I am to you as Abu Zar was to his wife Um Zar."

(the wife of the Prophet) "Whenever Allah's Apostle intended to go on a journey, he would draw lots amongst his wives and would take with him the one upon whom the lot fell. During a Ghazwa of his, he drew lots amongst us and the lot fell upon me, and I proceeded with him after Allah had decreed the use of the veil by women. I was carried in a Howdah (on the camel) and dismounted while still in it. When Allah's Apostle was through with his Ghazwa and returned home, and we approached the city of Medina, Allah's Apostle ordered us to proceed at night. When the order of setting off was given, I walked till I was past the army to answer the call of nature. After finishing I returned (to the camp) to depart (with the others) and suddenly realized that my necklace over my chest was missing. So, I returned to look for it and was delayed because of that. The people who used to carry me on the camel, came to my Howdah and put it on the back of the camel, thinking that I was in it, as, at that time, women were light in weight, and thin and lean, and did not use to eat much. So, those people did not feel the difference in the heaviness of the Howdah while lifting it, and they put it over the camel. At that time I was a young lady. They set the camel moving and proceeded on. I found my necklace after the army had gone, and came to their camp to find nobody. So, I went to the place where I used to stay, thinking that they would discover my absence and come back in my search. While in that state, I felt sleepy and slept. Safwan bin Mu'attal As-Sulami Adh-Dhakwani was behind the army and reached my abode in the morning. When he saw a sleeping person, he came to me, and he used to see me before veiling. So, I got up when I heard him saying, "Inna lil-lah-wa inn a ilaihi rajiun (We are for Allah, and we will return to Him)." He made his camel knell down. He got down from his camel, and put his leg on the front legs of the camel and then I rode and sat over it. Safwan set out walking, leading the camel by the rope till we reached the army who had halted to take rest at midday. Then whoever was meant for destruction, fell into destruction, (some people accused me falsely) and the leader of the false accusers was `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul. After that we returned to Medina, and I became ill for one month while the people were spreading the forged statements of the false accusers. I was feeling during my ailment as if I were not receiving the usual kindness from the Prophet which I used to receive from him when I got sick. But he would come, greet and say, 'How is that (girl)?' I did not know anything of what was going on till I recovered from my ailment and went out with Um Mistah to the Manasi where we used to answer the call of nature, and we used not to go to answer the call of nature except from night to night and that was before we had lavatories near to our houses. And this habit of ours was similar to the habit of the old 'Arabs in the open country (or away from houses). So. I and Um Mistah bint Ruhm went out walking. Um Mistah stumbled because of her long dress and on that she said, 'Let Mistah be ruined.' I said, 'You are saying a bad word. Why are you abusing a man who took part in (the battle of) Badr?' She said, 'O Hanata (you there) didn't you hear what they said?' Then she told me the rumors of the false accusers. My sickness was aggravated, and when I returned home, Allah's Apostle came to me, and after greeting he said, 'How is that (girl)?' I requested him to allow me to go to my parents. I wanted then to be sure of the news through them I Allah's Apostle allowed me, and I went to my parents and asked my mother, 'What are the people talking about?' She said, 'O my daughter! Don't worry much about this matter. By Allah, never is there a charming woman loved by her husband who has other wives, but the women would forge false news about her.' I said, 'Glorified be Allah! Are the people really taking of this matter?' That night I kept on weeping and could not sleep till morning. In the morning Allah's Apostle called `Ali bin Abu Talib and Usama bin Zaid when he saw the Divine Inspiration delayed, to consul them about divorcing his wife (i.e. `Aisha). Usama bin Zaid said what he knew of the good reputation of his wives and added, 'O Allah's Apostle! Keep you wife, for, by Allah, we know nothing about her but good.' `Ali bin Abu Talib said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Allah has no imposed restrictions on you, and there are many women other than she, yet you may ask the woman-servant who will tell you the truth.' On that Allah's Apostle called Barirah and said, 'O Barirah. Did you ever see anything which roused your suspicions about her?' Barirah said, 'No, by Allah Who has sent you with the Truth, I have never seen in her anything faulty except that she is a girl of immature age, who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough for the goats to eat.' On that day Allah's Apostle ascended the pulpit and requested that somebody support him in punishing `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul. Allah's Apostle said, 'Who will support me to punish that person (`Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul) who has hurt me by slandering the reputation of my family? By Allah, I know nothing about my family but good, and they have accused a person about whom I know nothing except good, and he never entered my house except in my company.' Sa`d bin Mu`adh got up and said, 'O Allah's Apostle! by Allah, I will relieve you from him. If that man is from the tribe of the Aus, then we will chop his head off, and if he is from our brothers, the Khazraj, then order us, and we will fulfill your order.' On that Sa`d bin 'Ubada, the chief of the Khazraj and before this incident, he had been a pious man, got up, motivated by his zeal for his tribe and said, 'By Allah, you have told a lie; you cannot kill him, and you will never be able to kill him.' On that Usaid bin Al-Hadir got up and said (to Sa`d bin 'Ubada), 'By Allah! you are a liar. By Allah, we will kill him; and you are a hypocrite, defending the hypocrites.' On this the two tribes of Aus and Khazraj got excited and were about to fight each other, while Allah's Apostle was standing on the pulpit. He got down and quieted them till they became silent and he kept quiet. On that day I kept on weeping so much so that neither did my tears stop, nor could I sleep. In the morning my parents were with me and I had wept for two nights and a day, till I thought my liver would burst from weeping. While they were sitting with me and I was weeping, an Ansari woman asked my permission to enter, and I allowed her to come in. She sat down and started weeping with me. While we were in this state, Allah's Apostle came and sat down and he had never sat with me since the day they forged the accusation. No revelation regarding my case came to him for a month. He recited Tashah-hud (i.e. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is His Apostle) and then said, 'O `Aisha! I have been informed such-and-such about you; if you are innocent, then Allah will soon reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin, then repent to Allah and ask Him to forgive you, for when a person confesses his sin and asks Allah for forgiveness, Allah accepts his repentance.' When Allah's Apostle finished his speech my tears ceased completely and there remained not even a single drop of it. I requested my father to reply to Allah's Apostle on my behalf. My father said, By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Apostle.' I said to my mother, 'Talk to Allah's Apostle on my behalf.' She said, 'By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Apostle. I was a young girl and did not have much knowledge of the Qur'an. I said. 'I know, by Allah, that you have listened to what people are saying and that has been planted in your minds and you have taken it as a truth. Now, if I told you that I am innocent and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would not believe me and if I confessed to you falsely that I am guilty, and Allah knows that I am innocent you would believe me. By Allah, I don't compare my situation with you except to the situation of Joseph's father (i.e. Jacob) who said, 'So (for me) patience is most fitting against that which you assert and it is Allah (Alone) whose help can be sought.' Then I turned to the other side of my bed hoping that Allah would prove my innocence. By Allah I never thought that Allah would reveal Divine Inspiration in my case, as I considered myself too inferior to be talked of in the Holy Qur'an. I had hoped that Allah's Apostle might have a dream in which Allah would prove my innocence. By Allah, Allah's Apostle had not got up and nobody had left the house before the Divine Inspiration came to Allah's Apostle. So, there overtook him the same state which used to overtake him, (when he used to have, on being inspired divinely). He was sweating so much so that the drops of the sweat were dropping like pearls though it was a (cold) wintry day. When that state of Allah's Apostle was over, he was smiling and the first word he said, `Aisha! Thank Allah, for Allah has declared your innocence.' My mother told me to go to Allah's Apostle . I replied, 'By Allah I will not go to him and will not thank but Allah.' So Allah revealed: "Verily! They who spread the slander are a gang among you . . ." (24.11) When Allah gave the declaration of my Innocence, Abu Bakr, who used to provide for Mistah bin Uthatha for he was his relative, said, 'By Allah, I will never provide Mistah with anything because of what he said about Aisha.' But Allah later revealed: -- "And let not those who are good and wealthy among you swear not to help their kinsmen, those in need and those who left their homes in Allah's Cause. Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? Verily! Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful." (24.22) After that Abu Bakr said, 'Yes ! By Allah! I like that Allah should forgive me,' and resumed helping Mistah whom he used to help before. Allah's Apostle also asked Zainab bint Jahsh (i.e. the Prophet's wife about me saying, 'What do you know and what did you see?' She replied, 'O Allah's Apostle! I refrain to claim hearing or seeing what I have not heard or seen. By Allah, I know nothing except goodness about Aisha." Aisha further added "Zainab was competing with me (in her beauty and the Prophet's love), yet Allah protected her (from being malicious), for she had piety."

Zaynab said, "I heard my mother, Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say that a woman came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'Messenger of Allah! My daughter's husband died, and her eyes are troubling her, can she put kohl on them?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'No' two or three times. Then he said, 'It is only four months and ten days. In the Jahiliyya, none of you threw away the piece of dung until a year had passed.' "

Humayd ibn Nafi said, "I asked Zaynab to explain what 'throwing away the piece of dung at the end of a year' meant. Zaynab said, 'In the Jahiliyya when a woman's husband died, she went into a small tent and dressed in the worst of clothes. She did not touch perfume or anything until a year had passed. Then she was brought an animal - a donkey, a sheep, or a bird, and she would break her idda with it, by rubbing her body against it (taftaddu). Rarely did she break her idda with anything (by rubbing herself against it) but that it died. Then she would come out and would be given a piece of dung. She would throw it away and then return to whatever she wished of perfumes or whatever.' "

Malik explained, 'Taftaddu' means to wipe her skin with it in the same way as with a healing charm."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Qasim from his father that a man from Yemen who had his hand and foot cut off came and went before Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and complained to him that the governor of the Yemen had wronged him, and the man used to pray part of the night. Abu Bakr said, "By your father, your night is not the night of a thief." Then they missed a necklace of Asma bint Umays, the wife of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. The man came to go around with them looking for it. He said, "O Allah! You are responsible for the one who invaded the people of this good house by night!" They found the jewelry with a goldsmith. He claimed that the maimed man had brought it to him. The maimed man confessed or it was testified against him. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq ordered that his left hand be cut off. Abu Bakr said, "By Allah! His dua against himself is more serious, as far as I am concerned, than his theft."

Yahya said that Malik said, "What is done among us about the person who steals several times and is then called to reckoning, is that only his hand is cut off for all he stole when the hadd has not been applied againsthim. If the hadd has been applied against him before that, and he steals what obliges cutting off, then the next limb is cut off."

that he asked `Aisha regarding the Verse: 'If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans (4.3) She said, "O my nephew! This Verse refers to the orphan girl who is under the guardianship of her guardian who likes her beauty and wealth and wishes to (marry her and) curtails her Mahr. Such guardians have been forbidden to marry them unless they do justice by giving them their full Mahr, and they have been ordered to marry other than them. The people asked for the verdict of Allah's Apostle after that, so Allah revealed: 'They ask your instruction concerning the women . . . whom you desire to marry.' (4.127) So Allah revealed to them that if the orphan girl had beauty and wealth, they desired to marry her and for her family status. They can only marry them if they give them their full Mahr. And if they had no desire to marry them because of their lack of wealth and beauty, they would leave them and marry other women. So, as they used to leave them, when they had no interest, in them, they were forbidden to marry them when they had such interest, unless they treated them justly and gave them their full Mahr Apostle said, 'If at all there is evil omen, it is in the horse, the woman and the house." a lady is to be warded off. And the Statement of Allah: 'Truly, among your wives and your children, there are enemies for you (i.e may stop you from the obedience of Allah)' (64.14)

The Prophet continued for such-and-such period imagining that he has slept (had sexual relations) with his wives, and in fact he did not. One day he said, to me, "O `Aisha! Allah has instructed me regarding a matter about which I had asked Him. There came to me two men, one of them sat near my feet and the other near my head. The one near my feet, asked the one near my head (pointing at me), 'What is wrong with this man? The latter replied, 'He is under the effect of magic.' The first one asked, 'Who had worked magic on him?' The other replied, 'Lubaid bin Asam.' The first one asked, 'What material (did he use)?' The other replied, 'The skin of the pollen of a male date tree with a comb and the hair stuck to it, kept under a stone in the well of Dharwan."' Then the Prophet went to that well and said, "This is the same well which was shown to me in the dream. The tops of its date-palm trees look like the heads of the devils, and its water looks like the Henna infusion." Then the Prophet ordered that those things be taken out. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Won't you disclose (the magic object)?" The Prophet said, "Allah has cured me and I hate to circulate the evil among the people." `Aisha added, "(The magician) Lubaid bin Asam was a man from Bani Zuraiq, an ally of the Jews."

Whenever Allah's Apostle went to Quba, he used to visit Um Haram bint Milhan who would offer him meals; and she was the wife of 'Ubada bin As-samit. One day he went to her house and she offered him a meal, and after that he slept, and then woke up smiling. She (Um Haram) said, "I asked him, 'What makes you laugh, O Allah's Apostle?' He said, 'Some people of my followers were displayed before me as warriors fighting for Allah's Cause and sailing over this sea, kings on thrones,' or said, 'like kings on thrones.' (The narrator, 'Is-haq is in doubt about it.) I (Um Haram) said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah that He may make me one of them.' He invoked (Allah) for her and then lay his head and slept again and then woke up smiling. I asked, 'What makes you laugh, O Allah's Apostle?' He said, 'Some people of my followers were displayed before me as warriors fighting for Allah's Cause and sailing over this sea, kings on the thrones,' or said, 'like kings on the thrones.' I (Um Haram) said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah that He may make me one of them.' He said, You will be amongst the first ones." It is said that Um Haram sailed over the sea at the time of Muawiya, and on coming out of the sea, she fell down from her riding animal and died.

Allah's Apostle used to visit Um Haram bint Milhan she was the wife of 'Ubada bin As-Samit. One day the Prophet visited her and she provided him with food and started looking for lice in his head. Then Allah's Apostle slept and afterwards woke up smiling. Um Haram asked, "What makes you smile, O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "Some of my followers were presented before me in my dream as fighters in Allah's Cause, sailing in the middle of the seas like kings on the thrones or like kings sitting on their thrones." (The narrator 'Is-haq is not sure as to which expression was correct). Um Haram added, 'I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah, to make me one of them;" So Allah's Apostle invoked Allah for her and then laid his head down (and slept). Then he woke up smiling (again). (Um Haram added): I said, "What makes you smile, O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "Some people of my followers were presented before me (in a dream) as fighters in Allah's Cause." He said the same as he had said before. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah to make me from them." He said, "You are among the first ones." Then Um Haram sailed over the sea during the Caliphate of Muawiya bin Abu Sufyan, and she fell down from her riding animal after coming ashore, and died.

(the wife of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) In the lifetime of the Prophet the sun eclipsed and he went to the Mosque and the people aligned behind him. He said the Takbir (starting the prayer) and prolonged the recitation (from the Qur'an) and then said Takbir and performed a prolonged bowing; then he (lifted his head and) said, "Sami allahu liman hamidah" (Allah heard him who sent his praises to Him). He then did not prostrate but stood up and recited a prolonged recitation which was shorter than the first recitation. He again said Takbir and then bowed a prolonged bowing but shorter than the first one and then said, "Sami`a l-lahu Lyman hamidah Rabbana walak-lhamd, (Allah heard him who sent his praises to Him. O our Sustainer! All the praises are for You)" and then prostrated and did the same in the second rak`a; thus he completed four bowing and four prostrations. The sun (eclipse) had cleared before he finished the prayer. (After the prayer) he stood up, glorified and praised Allah as He deserved and then said, "The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of the death or the life (i.e. birth) of someone. When you see them make haste for the prayer." Narrated Az-Zuhri: I said to 'Urwa, "When the sun eclipsed at Medina your brother (`Abdullah bin Az-Zubair) offered only a two-rak`at prayer like that of the morning (Fajr) prayer." 'Urwa replied, "Yes, for he missed the Prophet's tradition (concerning this matter)."

The Prophet with his companions started from Medina after combing and oiling his hair and putting on two sheets of lhram (upper body cover and waist cover). He did not forbid anyone to wear any kind of sheets except the ones colored with saffron because they may leave the scent on the skin. And so in the early morning, the Prophet mounted his Mount while in Dhul-Hulaifa and set out till they reached Baida', where he and his companions recited Talbiya, and then they did the ceremony of Taqlid (which means to put the colored garlands around the necks of the Budn (camels for sacrifice). And all that happened on the 25th of Dhul-Qa'da. And when he reached Mecca on the 4th of Dhul-Hijja he performed the Tawaf round the Ka`ba and performed the Tawaf between Safa and Marwa. And as he had a Badana and had garlanded it, he did not finish his Ihram. He proceeded towards the highest places of Mecca near Al-Hujun and he was assuming the Ihram for Hajj and did not go near the Ka`ba after he performed Tawaf (round it) till he returned from `Arafat. Then he ordered his companions to perform the Tawaf round the Ka`ba and then the Tawaf of Safa and Marwa, and to cut short the hair of their heads and to finish their Ihram. And that was only for those people who had not garlanded Budn. Those who had their wives with them were permitted to contact them (have sexual intercourse), and similarly perfume and (ordinary) clothes were permissible for them.

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

The Prophet and his companions assumed Ihram for Hajj and none except the Prophet (p.b.u.h) and Talha had the Hadi (sacrifice) with them. `Ali arrived from Yemen and had a Hadi with him. `Ali said, "I have assumed Ihram for what the Prophet has done." The Prophet ordered his companions to perform the `Umra with the lhram which they had assumed, and after finishing Tawaf (of Ka`ba, Safa and Marwa) to cut short their hair, and to finish their lhram except those who had Hadi with them. They (the people) said, "How can we proceed to Mina (for Hajj) after having sexual relations with our wives?" When that news reached the Prophet he said, "If I had formerly known what I came to know lately, I would not have brought the Hadi with me. Had there been no Hadi with me, I would have finished the state of lhram." `Aisha got her menses, so she performed all the ceremonies of Hajj except Tawaf of the Ka`ba, and when she got clean (from her menses), she performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba. She said, "O Allah's Apostle! (All of you) are returning with the Hajj and `Umra, but I am returning after performing Hajj only." So the Prophet ordered `Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr to accompany her to Tan`im and thus she performed the `Umra after the Hajj.

`Abdur Rahman bin `Auf said, "When we came to Medina as emigrants, Allah's Apostle established a bond of brotherhood between me and Sa`d bin Ar-Rabi`. Sa`d bin Ar-Rabi` said (to me), 'I am the richest among the Ansar, so I will give you half of my wealth and you may look at my two wives and whichever of the two you may choose I will divorce her, and when she has completed the prescribed period (before marriage) you may marry her.' `Abdur-Rahman replied, "I am not in need of all that. Is there any marketplace where trade is practiced?' He replied, "The market of Qainuqa." `Abdur- Rahman went to that market the following day and brought some dried buttermilk (yogurt) and butter, and then he continued going there regularly. Few days later, `Abdur-Rahman came having traces of yellow (scent) on his body. Allah's Apostle asked him whether he had got married. He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet said, 'Whom have you married?' He replied, 'A woman from the Ansar.' Then the Prophet asked, 'How much did you pay her?' He replied, '(I gave her) a gold piece equal in weigh to a date stone (or a date stone of gold)! The Prophet said, 'Give a Walima (wedding banquet) even if with one sheep .' "

We proceeded in the company of the Messenger of Allah (saws) for the battle of Dhat ar-Riqa. One of the Muslims killed the wife of one of the unbelievers. He (the husband of the woman killed) took an oath saying: I shall not rest until I kill one of the companions of Muhammad.

He went out following the footsteps of the Prophet (saws). The Prophet (saws) encamped at a certain place. He said: Who will keep a watch on us? A person from the Muhajirun (Emigrants) and another from the Ansar (Helpers) responded. He said: Go to the mouth of the mountain-pass. When they went to the mouth of the mountain-pass the man from the Muhajirun lay down while the man from the Ansar stood praying.

The man (enemy) came to them. When he saw the person he realised that he was the watchman of the Muslims. He shot him with an arrow and hit the target. But he (took the arrow out and) threw it away. He (the enemy) then shot three arrows. Then he (the Muslim) bowed and prostrated and awoke his companion. When he (the enemy) perceived that they (the Muslims) had become aware of his presence, he ran away.

When the man from the Muhajirun saw the (man from the Ansar) bleeding, he asked him: Glory be to Allah! Why did you not wake me up the first time when he shot at you.

He replied: I was busy reciting a chapter of the Qur'an. I did not like to leave it.

Ali said on the pulpit in the mosque of Kufah: When Friday comes, the devils go to the markets with their flags, and involve people in their needs and prevent them from the Friday prayer. The angels come early in the morning, sit at the door of the mosque, and record that so-and-so came at the first hour, and so-and-so came at the second hour until the imam comes out (for preaching).

When a man sits in a place where he can listen (to the sermon) and look (at the imam), where he remains silent and does not interrupt, he will receive a double reward. If he stays away, sits in a place where he cannot listen (to the sermon), silent, and does not interrupt, he will receive the reward only once. If he sits in a place where he can listen (to the sermon) and look (at the imam), and he does not remain silent, he will have the burden of it. If anyone says to his companion sitting besides him to be silent (while the imam is preaching), he is guilty of idle talk. Anyone who interrupts (during the sermon) will receive nothing (no reward) on that Friday.

Then he (the narrator) says in the end of this tradition: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say so.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by al-Walid b. Muslim from Ibn Jabir. This version adds: bi'l-raba'ith (instead of al-raba'ith, needs preventing the people from prayer). Further, this adds: Freed slave of his wife Umm 'Uthman b. 'Ata.

The Prophet (along with his companions) reached Mecca in the morning of the fourth of Dhul-Hijja assuming Ihram for Hajj only. So when we arrived at Mecca, the Prophet ordered us to change our intentions of the Ihram for `Umra and that we could finish our Ihram after performing the `Umra and could go to our wives (for sexual intercourse). The people began talking about that. Jabir said surprisingly, "Shall we go to Mina while semen is dribbling from our male organs?" Jabir moved his hand while saying so. When this news reached the Prophet he delivered a sermon and said, "I have been informed that some peoples were saying so and so; By Allah I fear Allah more than you do, and am more obedient to Him than you. If I had known what I know now, I would not have brought the Hadi (sacrifice) with me and had the Hadi not been with me, I would have finished the Ihram." At that Suraqa bin Malik stood up and asked "O Allah's Apostle! Is this permission for us only or is it forever?" The Prophet replied, "It is forever." In the meantime `Ali bin Abu Talib came from Yemen and was saying Labbaik for what the Prophet has intended. (According to another man, `Ali was saying Labbaik for Hajj similar to Allah's Apostle's). The Prophet told him to keep on the Ihram and let him share the Hadi with him.

Allah's Apostle used to visit Umm Haram bint Milhan, who would offer him meals. Umm Haram was the wife of Ubada bin As-Samit. Allah's Apostle, once visited her and she provided him with food and started looking for lice in his head. Then Allah's Apostle slept, and afterwards woke up smiling. Umm Haram asked, "What causes you to smile, O Allah's Apostle?" He said. "Some of my followers who (in a dream) were presented before me as fighters in Allah's cause (on board a ship) amidst this sea caused me to smile; they were as kings on the thrones (or like kings on the thrones)." (Ishaq, a sub-narrator is not sure as to which expression the Prophet used.) Umm Haram said, "O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah that he makes me one of them. Allah's Apostle invoked Allah for her and slept again and woke up smiling. Once again Umm Haram asked, "What makes you smile, O Allah's Apostle?" He replied, "Some of my followers were presented to me as fighters in Allah's Cause," repeating the same dream. Umm Haram said, "O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah that He makes me one of them." He said, "You are amongst the first ones." It happened that she sailed on the sea during the Caliphate of Mu'awiya bin Abi Sufyan, and after she disembarked, she fell down from her riding animal and died.

In the year of Hajjat-ul-Wada` the Prophet visited me when I fell ill and was about to die because of that illness. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! I am very ill as you see, and I am a rich man and have no heir except my only daughter. Shall I give 2/3 of my property in charity?" He said, "No." I said, "Shall I then give one half of it in charity?" He said, "O Sa`d! Give 1/3 (in charity) and even 1/3 is too much. No doubt, it is better to leave your children rich than to leave them poor, reduced to begging from others. And Allah will reward you for whatever you spend with the intention of gaining Allah's Pleasure even if it were a mouthful of food you put into your wives mouth." I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Am I to be left behind (in Mecca) after my companions have gone?" He said, "If you should be left behind, you will be upgraded and elevated for every deed you will do with a desire to achieve Allah's Pleasure. I hope that you will live long so that some people will benefit by you while others will be harmed. O Allah! Please fulfill the migration of my companions and do not make them turn back on their heels. But (we feel sorry for) the unlucky Sa`d bin Khaulah." Allah's Apostle lamented his death in Mecca.

`Utba bin Abi Waqqas authorized his brother Sa`d to take the son of the slave-girl of Zam`a into his custody. `Utba said (to him). "He is my son." When Allah's Apostle arrived in Mecca during the Conquest (of Mecca), Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas took the son of the slave-girl of Zam`a and took him to the Prophet `Abd bin Zam`a too came along with him. Sa`d said. "This is the son of my brother and the latter has informed me that he is his son." `Abd bin Zam`a said, "O Allah's Apostle! This is my brother who is the son of the slave-girl of Zam`a and was born on his (i.e. Zam'as) bed.' Allah's Apostle looked at the son of the slave-girl of Zam`a and noticed that he, of all the people had the greatest resemblance to `Utba bin Abi Waqqas. Allah's Apostle then said (to `Abd), " He is yours; he is your brother, O `Abd bin Zam`a, he was born on the bed (of your father)." (At the same time) Allah's Apostle said (to his wife Sauda), "Veil yourself before him (i.e. the son of the slave-girl) O Sauda," because of the resemblance he noticed between him and `Utba bin Abi Waqqas. Allah's Apostle added, "The boy is for the bed (i.e. for the owner of the bed where he was born), and stone is for the adulterer." (Ibn Shihab said, "Abu Huraira used to say that (i.e. the last statement of the Prophet in the above Hadith 596, publicly.")

We were informed that Musailima Al-Kadhdhab had arrived in Medina and stayed in the house of the daughter of Al-Harith. The daughter of Al-Harith bin Kuraiz was his wife and she was the mother of `Abdullah bin 'Amir. There came to him Allah's Apostle accompanied by Thabit bin Qais bin Shammas who was called the orator of Allah's Apostle. Allah's Apostle had a stick in his hand then. The Prophet stopped before Musailima and spoke to him. Musailima said to him, "If you wish, we would not interfere between you and the rule, on condition that the rule will be ours after you... The Prophet said, "If you asked me for this stick, I would not give it to you. I think you are the same person who was shown to me in a dream. And this is Thabit bin Al-Qais who will answer you on my behalf." The Prophet then went away. I asked Ibn `Abbas about the dream Allah's Apostle had mentioned. Ibn `Abbas said, "Someone told me that the Prophet said, "When I was sleeping, I saw in a dream that two gold bangles were put in my hands, and that frightened me and made me dislike them. Then I was allowed to blow on them, and when I blew at them, both of them flew. Then I interpreted them as two liars who would appear.' One of them was Al-`Ansi who was killed by Fairuz in Yemen and the other was Musailima Al-Kadhdbab."

Abu Dawud said: It has been narrated by Ibn 'Umar and Anas b. Malik that she should take bath at the time of the Zuhr prayer (being valid) until the next Zuhr prayer. This tradition has also been transmuted by Dawud and 'Asim from al-Sha'bi from his wife from Qumair on the authority of 'Aishah, except that the version of Dawud has the words: "every day," and the version of 'Asim has the words: "at the time of Zuhr prayer". This is the view of Salim b. 'Abd Allah, al-Hassan, and 'Ata.

Abu Dawud said: Malik said: I think that the tradition narrated by Ibn a;-Musayyab must contain the words: "from one purification to another". But it was misunderstood and the people changed it to: "for one Zuhr prayer to another".

It has also been reported by Miswar b. 'Abd al-Malik b. Sa'id b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Yarbu', saying: "from one purification to another," but the people changed it to: "from one zuhr to another."

(The wife of the Prophet) Whenever Allah's Apostle intended to go on a journey, he used to draw lots among his wives and would take with him the one on whom the lot had fallen. Once he drew lots when he wanted to carry out a Ghazwa, and the lot came upon me. So I proceeded with Allah's Apostle after Allah's order of veiling (the women) had been revealed and thus I was carried in my howdah (on a camel) and dismounted while still in it. We carried on our journey, and when Allah's Apostle had finished his Ghazwa and returned and we approached Medina, Allah's Apostle ordered to proceed at night. When the army was ordered to resume the homeward journey, I got up and walked on till I left the army (camp) behind. When I had answered the call of nature, I went towards my howdah, but behold ! A necklace of mine made of Jaz Azfar (a kind of black bead) was broken and I looked for it and my search for it detained me. The group of people who used to carry me, came and carried my howdah on to the back of my camel on which I was riding, considering that I was therein. At that time women were light in weight and were not fleshy for they used to eat little (food), so those people did not feel the lightness of the howdah while raising it up, and I was still a young lady. They drove away the camel and proceeded. Then I found my necklace after the army had gone. I came to their camp but found nobody therein so I went to the place where I used to stay, thinking that they would miss me and come back in my search. While I was sitting at my place, I felt sleepy and slept. Safwan bin Al-Mu'attil As-Sulami Adh- Dhakw-ani was behind the army. He had started in the last part of the night and reached my stationing place in the morning and saw the figure of a sleeping person. He came to me and recognized me on seeing me for he used to see me before veiling. I got up because of his saying: "Inna Li l-lahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun," which he uttered on recognizing me. I covered my face with my garment, and by Allah, he did not say to me a single word except, "Inna Li l-lahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun," till he made his shecamel kneel down whereupon he trod on its forelegs and I mounted it. Then Safwan set out, leading the she-camel that was carrying me, till we met the army while they were resting during the hot midday. Then whoever was meant for destruction, fell in destruction, and the leader of the Ifk (forged statement) was `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul. After this we arrived at Medina and I became ill for one month while the people were spreading the forged statements of the people of the Ifk, and I was not aware of anything thereof. But what aroused my doubt while I was sick, was that I was no longer receiving from Allah's Apostle the same kindness as I used to receive when I fell sick. Allah's Apostle would enter upon me, say a greeting and add, "How is that (lady)?" and then depart. That aroused my suspicion but I was not aware of the propagated evil till I recovered from my ailment. I went out with Um Mistah to answer the call of nature towards Al-Manasi, the place where we used to relieve ourselves, and used not to go out for this purpose except from night to night, and that was before we had lavatories close to our houses. And this habit of ours was similar to the habit of the old 'Arabs (in the deserts or in the tents) concerning the evacuation of the bowels, for we considered it troublesome and harmful to take lavatories in the houses. So I went out with Um Mistah who was the daughter of Abi Ruhm bin `Abd Manaf, and her mother was daughter of Sakhr bin Amir who was the aunt of Abi Bakr As-Siddiq, and her son was Mistah bin Uthatha. When we had finished our affair, Um Mistah and I came back towards my house. Um Mistah stumbled over her robe whereupon she said, "Let Mistah be ruined ! " I said to her, "What a bad word you have said! Do you abuse a man who has taken part in the Battle of Badr?' She said, "O you there! Didn't you hear what he has said?" I said, "And what did he say?" She then told me the statement of the people of the Ifk (forged statement) which added to my ailment. When I returned home, Allah's Apostle came to me, and after greeting, he said, "How is that (lady)?" I said, "Will you allow me to go to my parents?" At that time I intended to be sure of the news through them. Allah's Apostle allowed me and I went to my parents and asked my mother, "O my mother! What are the people talking about?" My mother said, "O my daughter! Take it easy, for by Allah, there is no charming lady who is loved by her husband who has other wives as well, but that those wives would find fault with her." I said, "Subhan Allah! Did the people really talk about that?" That night I kept on weeping the whole night till the morning. My tears never stopped, nor did I sleep, and morning broke while I was still weeping, Allah's Apostle called `Ali bin Abi Talib and Usama bin Zaid when the Divine Inspiration delayed, in order to consult them as to the idea of divorcing his wife. Usama bin Zaid told Allah's Apostle of what he knew about the innocence of his wife and of his affection he kept for her. He said, "O Allah's Apostle! She is your wife, and we do not know anything about her except good." But `Ali bin Abi Talib said, "O Allah's Apostle! Allah does not impose restrictions on you; and there are plenty of women other than her. If you however, ask (her) slave girl, she will tell you the truth." `Aisha added: So Allah's Apostle called for Barira and said, "O Barira! Did you ever see anything which might have aroused your suspicion? (as regards Aisha). Barira said, "By Allah Who has sent you with the truth, I have never seen anything regarding Aisha which I would blame her for except that she is a girl of immature age who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough of her family unprotected so that the domestic goats come and eat it." So Allah's Apostle got up (and addressed) the people an asked for somebody who would take revenge on `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul then. Allah's Apostle, while on the pulpit, said, "O Muslims! Who will help me against a man who has hurt me by slandering my family? By Allah, I know nothing except good about my family, and people have blamed a man of whom I know nothing except good, and he never used to visit my family except with me," Sa`d bin Mu`adh Al-Ansari got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! By Allah, I will relieve you from him. If he be from the tribe of (Bani) Al-Aus, then I will chop his head off; and if he be from our brethren, the Khazraj, then you give us your order and we will obey it." On that, Sa`d bin 'Ubada got up, and he was the chief of the Khazraj, and before this incident he had been a pious man but he was incited by his zeal for his tribe. He said to Sa`d (bin Mu`adh), "By Allah the Eternal, you have told a lie! You shall not kill him and you will never be able to kill him!" On that, Usaid bin Hudair, the cousin of Sa`d (bin Mu`adh) got up and said to Sa`d bin 'Ubada, "You are a liar! By Allah the Eternal, we will surely kill him; and you are a hypocrite defending the hypocrites!" So the two tribes of Al-Aus and Al-Khazraj got excited till they were on the point of fighting with each other while Allah's Apostle was standing on the pulpit. Allah's Apostle continued quietening them till they became silent whereupon he became silent too. On that day I kept on weeping so much that neither did my tears stop, nor could I sleep. In the morning my parents were with me, and I had wept for two nights and a day without sleeping and with incessant tears till they thought that my liver would burst with weeping. While they were with me and I was weeping, an Ansari woman asked permission to see me. I admitted her and she sat and started weeping with me. While I was in that state, Allah's Apostle came to us, greeted, and sat down,. He had never sat with me since the day what was said, was said. He had stayed a month without receiving any Divine Inspiration concerning my case. Allah's Apostle recited the Tashahhud after he had sat down, and then said, "Thereafter, O `Aisha! I have been informed such and-such a thing about you; and if you are innocent, Allah will reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin, then ask for Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him, for when a slave confesses his sin and then repents to Allah, Allah accepts his repentance." When Allah's Apostle had finished his speech, my tears ceased completely so that I no longer felt even a drop thereof. Then I said to my father, "Reply to Allah's Apostle on my behalf as to what he said." He said, "By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Apostle." Then I said to my mother, "Reply to Allah's Apostle." She said, "I do not know what to say to Allah's Apostle." Still a young girl as I was and though I had little knowledge of Qur'an, I said, "By Allah, I know that you heard this story (of the Ifk) so much so that it has been planted in your minds and you have believed it. So now, if I tell you that I am innocent, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you will not believe me; and if I confess something, and Allah knows that I am innocent of it, you will believe me. By Allah, I cannot find of you an example except that of Joseph's father: "So (for me) patience is most fitting against that which you assert and it is Allah (Alone) Whose help can be sought. Then I turned away and lay on my bed, and at that time I knew that I was innocent and that Allah would reveal my innocence. But by Allah, I never thought that Allah would sent down about my affair, Divine Inspiration that would be recited (forever), as I considered myself too unworthy to be talked of by Allah with something that was to be recited: but I hoped that Allah's Apostle might have a vision in which Allah would prove my innocence. By Allah, Allah's Apostle had not left his seat and nobody had left the house when the Divine Inspiration came to Allah's Apostle . So there overtook him the same hard condition which used to overtake him (when he was Divinely Inspired) so that the drops of his sweat were running down, like pearls, though it was a (cold) winter day, and that was because of the heaviness of the Statement which was revealed to him. When that state of Allah's Apostle was over, and he was smiling when he was relieved, the first word he said was, "Aisha, Allah has declared your innocence." My mother said to me, "Get up and go to him." I said, "By Allah, I will not go to him and I will not thank anybody but Allah." So Allah revealed: "Verily! They who spread the Slander are a gang among you. Think it not...." (24.11-20). When Allah revealed this to confirm my innocence, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq who used to provide for Mistah bin Uthatha because of the latter's kinship to him and his poverty, said, "By Allah, I will never provide for Mistah anything after what he has said about Aisha". So Allah revealed: (continued...) (continuing... 1): -6.274:... ... "Let not those among you who are good and are wealthy swear not to give (help) to their kinsmen, those in need, and those who have left their homes for Allah's Cause. Let them Pardon and forgive (i.e. do not punish them). Do you not love that should forgive you? Verily Allah is Oft-forgiving. Most Merciful." (24.22) Abu Bakr said, "Yes, by Allah, I wish that Allah should forgive me." So he resumed giving Mistah the aid he used to give him before and said, "By Allah, I will never withold it from him at all." Aisha further said: Allah's Apostle also asked Zainab bint Jahsh about my case. He said, "O Zainab! What have you seen?" She replied, "O Allah's Apostle! I protect my hearing and my sight (by refraining from telling lies). I know nothing but good (about Aisha)." Of all the wives of Allah's Apostle, it was Zainab who aspired to receive from him the same favor as I used to receive, yet, Allah saved her (from telling lies) because of her piety. But her sister, Hamna, kept on fighting on her behalf so she was destroyed as were those who invented and spread the slander.

From Sa`d bin Mu`adh: Sa`d bin Mu`adh was an intimate friend of Umaiya bin Khalaf and whenever Umaiya passed through Medina, he used to stay with Sa`d, and whenever Sa`d went to Mecca, he used to stay with Umaiya. When Allah's Apostle arrived at Medina, Sa`d went to perform `Umra and stayed at Umaiya's home in Mecca. He said to Umaiya, "Tell me of a time when (the Mosque) is empty so that I may be able to perform Tawaf around the Ka`ba." So Umaiya went with him about midday. Abu Jahl met them and said, "O Abu Safwan! Who is this man accompanying you?" He said, "He is Sa`d." Abu Jahl addressed Sa`d saying, "I see you wandering about safely in Mecca inspite of the fact that you have given shelter to the people who have changed their religion (i.e. became Muslims) and have claimed that you will help them and support them. By Allah, if you were not in the company of Abu Safwan, you would not be able to go your family safely." Sa`d, raising his voice, said to him, "By Allah, if you should stop me from doing this (i.e. performing Tawaf) I would certainly prevent you from something which is more valuable for you, that is, your passage through Medina." On this, Umaiya said to him, "O Sa`d do not raise your voice before Abu-l-Hakam, the chief of the people of the Valley (of Mecca)." Sa`d said, "O Umaiya, stop that! By Allah, I have heard Allah's Apostle predicting that the Muslim will kill you." Umaiya asked, "In Mecca?" Sa`d said, "I do not know." Umaiya was greatly scared by that news. When Umaiya returned to his family, he said to his wife, "O Um Safwan! Don't you know what Sa`d told me? "She said, "What has he told you?" He replied, "He claims that Muhammad has informed them (i.e. companions that they will kill me. I asked him, 'In Mecca?' He replied, 'I do not know." Then Umaiya added, "By Allah, I will never go out of Mecca." But when the day of (the Ghazwa of) Badr came, Abu Jahl called the people to war, saying, "Go and protect your caravan." But Umaiya disliked to go out (of Mecca). Abu Jahl came to him and said, "O Abu Safwan! If the people see you staying behind though you are the chief of the people of the Valley, then they will remain behind with you." Abu Jahl kept on urging him to go until he (i.e. Umaiya) said, "As you have forced me to change my mind, by Allah, I will buy the best camel in Mecca. Then Umaiya said (to his wife). "O Um Safwan, prepare what I need (for the journey)." She said to him, "O Abu Safwan! Have you forgotten what your Yathribi brother told you?" He said, "No, but I do not want to go with them but for a short distance." So when Umaiya went out, he used to tie his camel wherever he camped. He kept on doing that till Allah caused him to be killed at Badr.

I divorced my wife. I then came to Medina to sell my land that was there so that I could buy arms and fight in battle. I met a group of the Companions of the Prophet (saws). They said: Six persons of us intended to do so (i.e. divorce their wives and purchase weapons), but the Prophet (saws) prohibited them. He said: For you in the Messenger of Allah there is an excellent model. I then came to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about the witr observed by the Prophet (saws). He said: I point to you a person who is most familiar with the witr observed by the Messenger of Allah (saws). Go to 'Aishah. While going to her I asked Hakim b. Aflah to accompany me. He refused, but I adjured him. He, therefore, went along with me. We sought permission to enter upon 'Aishah. She said: Who is this ? He said: Hakim b. Aflah. She asked: Who is with you ? He replied: Sa'd b. Hisham. She said: Hisham son of 'Amir who was killed in the Battle of Uhud. I said: Yes. She said: What a good man 'Amir was! I said: Mother of faithful, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah (saws). She asked: Do you not recite the Quran ? The character of Messenger of Allah (saws) was the Qur'an. I asked: Tell me about his vigil and prayer at night. She replied: Do you not recite: "O thou folded in garments" (73:1). I said: Why not ?

When the opening of this Surah was revealed, the Companions stood praying (most of the night) until their fett swelled, and the concluding verses were not revealed for twelve months from heaven. At last the concluding verses were revealed and the prayer at night became voluntary after it was obligatory. I said: Tell me about the witr of the Prophet (saws). She replied: He used to pray eight rak'ahs, sitting only during the eighth of them. Then he would stand up and pray another rak'ahs. He would sit only after the eighth and the ninth rak'ahs. He would utter salutation only after the ninth rak'ah. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting and that made eleven rak'ahs, O my son. But when he grew old and became fleshy he observed a witr of seven, sitting only in sixth and seventh rak'ahs, and would utter salutation only after the seventh rak'ah. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting, and that made nine rak'ahs, O my son. The Messenger of Allah (saws) would not pray through a whole night, or recite the whole Qur'an in a night or fast a complete month except in Ramadan. When he offered prayer, he would do that regularly. When he was overtaken by sleep at night, he would pray twelve rak'ahs.

The narrator said: I came to Ibn 'Abbas and narrated all this to him. By Allah, this is really a tradition. Has I been on speaking terms with her, I would have come to her and heard it from her mouth. I said: If I knew that you were not on speaking terms with her, I would have never narrated it to you.

Yahya said from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az-Zubayr that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ''Utba ibn Abi Waqqas disclosed to his brother, Sad ibn Abi Waqqas, that he was the father of the son of the slave-girl of Zama, and made him promise to look after him (after his death). In the year of the conquest, Sad took him and said, 'He is the son of my brother. He covenanted with me about him.' Abd ibn Zama stood up and said, 'He is my brother and the son of my father's slave-girl. He was born on his bed.' They went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Sad said, 'Messenger of Allah! He is the son of my brother, he made a covenant with me about him.' Abd ibn Zama said, 'He is my brother and the son of my father's slave-girl and was born on my father's bed.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'He is yours, Abd ibn Zama.' Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'A child belongs to the household (where he was born) and the adulterer is stoned.' Then he told Sawda bint Zama, 'Veil yourself from him,' since he saw in him a resemblance to Utba ibn Abi Waqqas." A'isha added, "He did not see her until he met Allah, the Mighty, the Majestic!"

Malik related to me from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Barira came to me and said, 'I have written myself as mukatab for my people for nine uqiyas, one uqiya per year, so help me.' A'isha said, 'If your people agree that I pay it all to them for you, and that if I pay it, your wala' is mine, then I will do it.' Barira went to her masters and told them that and they didn't agree. She came back from her masters while the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sitting. She said to A'isha, 'I offered that to them and they refused me unless they had the wala'.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, heard that and asked her about it A'isha told him and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Take her and stipulate that the wala' is yours, for the wala' is for the one who sets free.' So A'isha did that and then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stood up in front of the people, and praised Allah and gave thanks to Him. Then he said, 'What is wrong with the people who make conditions which are not in the Book of Allah? Any condition which is not in the Book of Allah is invalid even if it is a hundred conditions. The decree of Allah is truer and the conditions of Allah are firmer, and the wala' only belongs to the one who sets free.' "

Magic was worked on Allah's Apostle so that he used to think that he had sexual relations with his wives while he actually had not (Sufyan said: That is the hardest kind of magic as it has such an effect). Then one day he said, "O `Aisha do you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I asked Him about? Two men came to me and one of them sat near my head and the other sat near my feet. The one near my head asked the other. What is wrong with this man?' The latter replied the is under the effect of magic The first one asked, Who has worked magic on him?' The other replied Labid bin Al-A'sam, a man from Bani Zuraiq who was an ally of the Jews and was a hypocrite.' The first one asked, What material did he use)?' The other replied, 'A comb and the hair stuck to it.' The first one asked, 'Where (is that)?' The other replied. 'In a skin of pollen of a male date palm tree kept under a stone in the well of Dharwan' '' So the Prophet went to that well and took out those things and said "That was the well which was shown to me (in a dream) Its water looked like the infusion of Henna leaves and its date-palm trees looked like the heads of devils." The Prophet added, "Then that thing was taken out' I said (to the Prophet ) "Why do you not treat yourself with Nashra?" He said, "Allah has cured me; I dislike to let evil spread among my people."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from 'Amra bint Abd ar-Rahman from A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that a jewish woman came to beg from her and said, "May Allah give you refuge from the punishment of the grave." So A'isha asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Are people punished in their graves?", and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took refuge in Allah from that. Then one morning the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out on a journey and there was an eclipse of the sun, and he returned in the late morning and passed through his apartments. Then he stood and prayed, and the people stood behind him. He stood for a long time, and then went into ruku for a long time. Then he rose and stood for a long time, though less than the first time, and then went into ruku for a long time, though less than the first time. Then he rose, and went down into sajda. Then he stood for a long time, though less than the time before, and then went into ruku for a long time, though less than the time before. Then he rose and stood for a long time, though less than the time before, and then went into ruku for a long time, though less than the time before. Then he rose, and went down into sajda. When he had finished he said what Allah willed him to say, and then he told them to seek protection for themselves from the punishment of the grave."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr that Abdullah ibn Waqid said, "The Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade eating the meat from sacrificial animals after three days."

Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr said, "I mentioned that to Amra bint Abd ar-Rahman, and she affirmed that he had spoken the truth as she had heard A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Some people from the desert came at the time of the sacrifice in the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, so the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Store up for three days, and give what is left over as sadaqa.' "

She said that afterwards some one said to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that people had been accustomed to make use of their sacrificial animals, melting the fat and curing the skins. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "What about that?" They said, "You have forbidden the meat of sacrificial animals after three days." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I only forbade you for the sake of the people who were coming to you. Eat, give sadaqa and store up."

By these people, he meant the poor people who were coming to Madina.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from Said ibn al-Musayyab that Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "The woman who loses her husband and does not know where he is, waits for four years, then she does idda for four months, and then she is free to marry."

Malik said, "If she marries after her idda is over, regardless of whether the new husband has consummated the marriage or not, her first husband has no means of access to her."

Malik said, "That is what is done among us and if her husband reaches her before she has remarried, he is more entitled to her."

Malik said that he had seen people disapproving of someone who said that one of the people (of knowledge) attributed to Umar ibn al-Khattab that he said, "Her first husband chooses when he comes either her bride-price or his wife."

Malik said, "I have heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab, speaking about a woman whose husband divorced her while he was absent from her, and then he took her back and the news of his taking her back had not reached her, while the news of his divorcing her had, and so she had married again, said, 'Her first husband who divorced her has no means of access to her whether or not the new husband has consummated the marriage.' "

Malik said, "This is what I like the best of what I heard about the missing man."

Asma' bint Al Bakr said, "I came to `Aisha the wife of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) during the solar eclipse. The people were standing and offering the prayer and she was also praying too. I asked her, 'What has happened to the people?' She pointed out with her hand towards the sky and said, 'Subhan-Allah'. I said, 'Is there a sign?' She pointed out in the affirmative." Asma' further said, "I too then stood up for the prayer till I fainted and then poured water on my head. When Allah's Apostle had finished his prayer, he thanked and praised Allah and said, 'I have seen at this place of mine what I have never seen even Paradise and Hell. No doubt, it has been inspired to me that you will be put to trial in the graves like or nearly like the trial of (Masih) Ad-Dajjal. (I do not know which one of the two Asma' said.) (The angels) will come to everyone of you and will ask what do you know about this man (i.e. Muhammad). The believer or a firm believer (I do not know which word Asma' said) will reply, 'He is Muhammad, Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) who came to us with clear evidences and guidance, so we accepted his teachings, believed and followed him.' The angels will then say to him, 'Sleep peacefully as we knew surely that you were a firm believer.' The hypocrite or doubtful person (I do not know which word Asma' said) will say, 'I do not know. I heard the people saying something so I said it (the same).' "

When it was the day (of the battle) of Hunain, the tributes of Hawazin and Ghatafan and others, along with their animals and offspring (and wives) came to fight against the Prophet The Prophet had with him, ten thousand men and some of the Tulaqa. The companions fled, leaving the Prophet alone. The Prophet then made two calls which were clearly distinguished from each other. He turned right and said, "O the group of Ansar!" They said, "Labbaik, O Allah's Apostle! Rejoice, for we are with you!" Then he turned left and said, "O the group of Ansar!" They said, "Labbaik! O Allah's Apostle! Rejoice, for we are with you!" The Prophet at that time, was riding on a white mule; then he dismounted and said, "I am Allah's Slave and His Apostle." The infidels then were defeated, and on that day the Prophet gained a large amount of booty which he distributed amongst the Muhajirin and the Tulaqa and did not give anything to the Ansar. The Ansar said, "When there is a difficulty, we are called, but the booty is given to other than us." The news reached the Prophet and he gathered them in a leather tent and said, "What is this news reaching me from you, O the group of Ansar?" They kept silent, He added," O the group of Ansar! Won't you be happy that the people take the worldly things and you take Allah's Apostle to your homes reserving him for yourself?" They said, "Yes." Then the Prophet said, "If the people took their way through a valley, and the Ansar took their way through a mountain pass, surely, I would take the Ansar's mountain pass." Hisham said, "O Abu Hamza (i.e. Anas)! Did you witness that? " He replied, "And how could I be absent from him?"

The Prophet visited me during Hajjat ul-Wada` while I was suffering from a disease which brought me to the verge of death. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! My ailment has reached such a (bad) state as you see, and I have much wealth, but I have no-one to inherit from me except my only daughter. Shall I give 2/3 of my property as alms (in charity)?" The Prophet said, "No," I said, "Shall I give half of my property as alms?" He said, "No." I said, "(Shall I give) 1/3 of it? " He replied, " 1/3, and even 1/3 is too much. It is better for you to leave your inheritors wealthy rather than to leave them poor, begging people (for their sustenance); and whatever you spend for Allah's Sake, you will get reward for it even for the morsel of food which you put in your wives mouth." I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Should I remain (in Mecca) behind my companions (who are going with you to Medina)?" The Prophet said, "If you remain behind, any good deed which you will do for Allah's Sake, will upgrade and elevate you. May be you will live longer so that some people may benefit by you and some other (i.e. infidels) may get harmed by you." The Prophet then added, "O Allah! Complete the Migration of my companions and do not turn them on their heels. But the poor Sa`d bin Khaula (not the above mentioned Sa`d) (died in Mecca) ." Allah's Apostle pitied Sa`d for he died in Mecca.

Abu Dawud said “The opinion of Ibn ‘Abbas has been mentioned in the following tradition. “Ahmad bin Salih and Muhammad bin Yahya narrated this is the version of Ahmad (bin Salih)” from ‘Abd Ar Razzaq from Ma’mar from Al Zuhri from Abu Salamah din Abd Al Rahman bin ‘Awf and Muhammad bin ‘Abd Al Rahman bin Thawban from Muhammad bin Iyas that Ibn ‘Abbas, Abu Hurairah and ‘Abd Alah bin ‘Amr bin Al ‘As were asked about a virgin who is divorced three times by her husband. They all said “She is not lawful for him until she marries a man other than her former husband.” Abu Dawud said “Malik narrated from Yahya bin Sa’id from Bukair bin Al Ashajj from Mu’awiyah bin Abi ‘Ayyash who was present on this occasion when Muhammad bin Iyas bin Al Bukair came to Ibn Al Zubair and Asim in ‘Umar. He asked them about this matter. They replied “Go to Ibn ‘Abbas and Abu Hurairah, I have left them with A’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her). He then narrated the rest of the tradition.”

Abu Dawud said “The statement of Ibn ‘Abbas goes “The divorce by three pronouncements separates the wife from husband whether the marriage has been consummated or not, the previous husband is not lawful for her until she marries a man other than her husband”. This statement is like the tradition which deals with the exchange of money. In this tradition the narrator said “Ibn ‘Abbas withdrew his opinion.”"

Ibn ‘Abbas said “Hilal bin Umayyah was one of the three persons whose repentance was accepted by Allaah. One night he returned from his land and found a man along with his wife. He witnessed with his eyes and heard with his ears. He did not threaten him till the morning.” Next day he went to the Apostle of Allaah(saws) in the morning and said Apostle of Allaah(saws) “I came to my wife in the night and found a man along with her. I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears. The Apostle of Allaah(saws) disliked what he described and he took it seriously. There upon the following Qur’anic verse came down “And those who make charges against their spouses but have no witnesses except themselves, let the testimony of one of them ....” When the Apostle of Allaah(saws) came to himself (after the revelation ended) he said “Glad tidings to you Hilal, Allaah the exalted has made ease and a way out for you.” Hilal said “I expected that from my Lord. The Apostle of Allaah(saws) said “Send for her. She then came.” The Apostle of Allaah(saws) recited the verses to them and he reminded them and told them that the punishment in the next world was more severe than that in n this world. Hilal said “I swear by Allah I spoke the truth against her.” She said “He told a lie.” The Apostle of Allaah(saws) said “Apply the method of invoking curses on one another. Hilal was told “Bear witness. So he bore witness before Allaah four times that he spoke the truth.” When he was about to utter the fifth time he was told “Hilal fear Allah, for the punishment in this world is easier than that in the next world and this is the deciding one, that will surely cause punishment to you.” He said “I swear by Allaah. Allah will not punish me for this (act), as He did not cause me to be flogged for this (act).” So he bore witness a fifth time invoking the curse of Allah on him if he was of those who tell a lie. Then the people said to her, Testify. So she gave testimony before Allaah that he was a liar. When she was going to testify the fifth time she was told “Fear Allah, for the punishment in this world is easier than that in the next world. This is the deciding one that will surely cause punishment to you.” She hesitated for a moment. And then said “By Allah, I will not disgrace my people.” So she testified a fifth time invoking the curse of Allah on her if he spoke the truth. Apostle of Allaah(saws) separated them from each other and decided that the child will not be attributed to its father. Neither she nor her child will be accused of adultery. He who accuses her or her child will be liable to punishment. He also decided that there will be no dwelling and maintenance for her (from the husband) as they were separated without divorce and death. He then said “If she gives birth to a child with reddish hair, light buttocks, wide belly and light shins he will be the child of Hilal. If she bears a dusky child with curly hair, fat limbs, fat shins and fat buttocks he will be the child of the one who was accused of adultery. She gave birth to a child with curly hair, fat limbs, fat shins and fat buttocks. The Apostle of Allaah(saws) said “Had there been no oaths, I would have dealt with her severely.”

‘Ikrimah said “Later on he became the chief of the tribe of Mudar. He was not attributed to his father.”

A man of the tribe of Aslam came to the Prophet (saws) and testified four times against himself that he had had illicit intercourse with a woman, while all the time the Prophet (saws) was turning away from him.

Then when he confessed a fifth time, he turned round and asked: Did you have intercourse with her? He replied: Yes. He asked: Have you done it so that your sexual organ penetrated hers? He replied: Yes. He asked: Have you done it like a collyrium stick when enclosed in its case and a rope in a well? He replied: Yes. He asked: Do you know what fornication is? He replied: Yes. I have done with her unlawfully what a man may lawfully do with his wife.

He then asked: What do you want from what you have said? He said: I want you to purify me. So he gave orders regarding him and he was stoned to death. Then the Prophet (saws) heard one of his companions saying to another: Look at this man whose fault was concealed by Allah but who would not leave the matter alone, so that he was stoned like a dog. He said nothing to them but walked on for a time till he came to the corpse of an ass with its legs in the air.

He asked: Where are so and so? They said: Here we are, Messenger of Allah (saws)! He said: Go down and eat some of this ass's corpse. They replied: Messenger of Allah! Who can eat any of this? He said: The dishonour you have just shown to your brother is more serious than eating some of it. By Him in Whose hand my soul is, he is now among the rivers of Paradise and plunging into them.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Talha that Anas ibn Malik had said that when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went to Quba, he visited Umm Haram bint Milhan and she fed him. Umm Haram was the wife of Ubada ibn as-Samit. One day the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had called on her and she had fed him, and sat down to delouse his hair. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had dozed and woke up smiling. Umm Haram said, "What is making you smile, Messenger of Allah?" He said, "Some of my community were presented to me, raiding in the way of Allah. They were riding in the middle of the sea, kings on thrones, or like kings on thrones." (Ishaq wasn't sure). She said, "O Messenger of Allah! Ask Allah to put me among them!" So he had made a dua for her, and put his head down and slept. Then he had woken up smiling, and she said to him, "Messenger of Allah, why are you smiling?" He said, "Some of my community were presented to me, raiding in the way of Allah. They were kings on thrones or like kings on thrones," as he had said in the first one. She said, "O Messenger of Allah! Ask Allah to put me among them!" He said, "You are among the first."

Ishaq added, "She travelled on the sea in the time of Muawiya, and when she landed, she was thrown from her mount and killed."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Suhayl ibn Abi Salih from his father from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever makes an oath and then sees that something else would be better than it, should do kaffara for his oath and do what is better."

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "Anyone who says that he has a vow but does not mention the name of Allah, is still obliged to make the kaffara for an oath (if he breaks it)".

Malik said, "Emphasis is when a man swears one thing several times, repeating the oath in his speech time after time. For instance, the statement, 'By Allah, I will not decrease it from such-and-such,' sworn three times or more. The kaffara of that is like the kaffara of one oath. If a man swears, 'I will not eat this food or wear these clothes or enter this house,' that is all in one oath, and he is only obliged to do one kaffara. It is the same for a man who says to his wife, 'You are divorced if I clothe you in this garment or let you go to the mosque,' and it is one entire statement in the normal pattern of speech. If he breaks any of that oath, divorce is necessary, and there is no breaking of oath after that in whatever he does. There is only one oath to be broken in that."

Malik said, "What we do about a woman who makes a vow without her husband's permission is that she is allowed to do so and she must fulfill it, if it only concerns her own person and will not harm her husband. If, however, it will harm her husband, he may forbid her to fulfill it, but it remains an obligation against her until she has the opportunity to complete it."

The Prophet and his companions assumed Ihram for Hajj and none except the Prophet and Talha had the Hadi with them. `Ali had come from Yemen and he had the Hadi with him. He (`Ali) said, "I have assumed Ihram with an intention like that of Allah's Apostle has assumed it." The Prophet ordered his companions to intend the Ihram with which they had come for `Umra, to perform the Tawaf of the Ka`ba (and between Safa and Marwa), to get their hair cut short and then to finish their Ihram with the exception of those who had the Hadi with them. They asked, "Shall we go to Mina and the private organs of some of us are dribbling (if we finish Ihram and have sexual relations with our wives)?" The Prophet heard that and said, "Had I known what I know now, I would not have brought the Hadi. If I did not have the Hadi with me I would have finished my Ihram." `Aisha got her menses and performed all the ceremonies (of Hajj) except the Tawaf . So when she became clean from her menses, and she had performed the Tawaf of the Ka`ba, she said, "O Allah's Apostle! You (people) are returning with both Hajj and `Umra and I am returning only with Hajj!" So, he ordered `Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr to go with her to at-Tan`im. Thus she performed `Umra after the Hajj in the month of Dhi-l-Hijja. Suraqa bin Malik bin Ju'sham met the Prophet at Al-`Aqaba (Jamrat-ul 'Aqaba) while the latter was stoning it and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Is this permissible only for you?" The Prophet replied, "No, it is for ever (i.e. it is permissible for all Muslims to perform `Umra before Hajj."

I was sent to Aisha by Ibn `Abbas, Al-Miswar bin Makhrama and `Abdur-Rahman bin Azhar . They told me to greet her on their behalf and to ask her about the offering of the two rak`at after the `Asr prayer and to say to her, "We were informed that you offer those two rak`at and we were told that the Prophet had forbidden offering them." Ibn `Abbas said, "I along with `Umar bin Al-Khattab used to beat the people whenever they offered them." I went to Aisha and told her that message. `Aisha said, "Go and ask Um Salama about them." So I returned and informed them about her statement. They then told me to go to Um Salama with the same question with which t sent me to `Aisha. Um Salama replied, "I heard the Prophet forbidding them. Later I saw him offering them immediately after he prayed the `Asr prayer. He then entered my house at a time when some of the Ansari women from the tribe of Bani Haram were sitting with me, so I sent my slave girl to him having said to her, 'Stand beside him and tell him that Um Salama says to you, "O Allah's Apostle! I have heard you forbidding the offering of these (two rak`at after the `Asr prayer) but I have seen you offering them." If he waves his hand then wait for him.' The slave girl did that. The Prophet beckoned her with his hand and she waited for him. When he had finished the prayer he said, "O daughter of Bani Umaiya! You have asked me about the two rak`at after the `Asr prayer. The people of the tribe of `Abdul-Qais came to me and made me busy and I could not offer the two rak`at after the Zuhr prayer. These (two rak`at that I have just prayed) are for those (missed) ones.

That Kuraib, the freed slave of Ibn `Abbas told him that Ibn `Abbas, `Abdur-Rahman bin Azhar and Al-Miswar bin Makhrama sent him to `Aisha saying, "Pay her our greetings and ask her about our offering of the two-rak`at after `Asr Prayer, and tell her that we have been informed that you offer these two rak`at while we have heard that the Prophet had forbidden their offering." Ibn `Abbas said, "I and `Umar used to beat the people for their offering them." Kuraib added, "I entered upon her and delivered their message to her.' She said, 'Ask Um Salama.' So, I informed them (of `Aisha's answer) and they sent me to Um Salama for the same purpose as they sent me to `Aisha. Um Salama replied, 'I heard the Prophet forbidding the offering of these two rak`at. Once the Prophet offered the `Asr prayer, and then came to me. And at that time some Ansari women from the Tribe of Banu Haram were with me. Then (the Prophet ) offered those two rak`at, and I sent my (lady) servant to him, saying, 'Stand beside him and say (to him): Um Salama says, 'O Allah's Apostle! Didn't I hear you forbidding the offering of these two rak`at (after the `Asr prayer yet I see you offering them?' And if he beckons to you with his hand, then wait behind.' So the lady slave did that and the Prophet beckoned her with his hand, and she stayed behind, and when the Prophet finished his prayer, he said, 'O the daughter of Abu Umaiya (i.e. Um Salama), You were asking me about these two rak`at after the `Asr prayer. In fact, some people from the tribe of `Abdul Qais came to me to embrace Islam and busied me so much that I did not offer the two rak`at which were offered after Zuhr compulsory prayer, and these two rak`at (you have seen me offering) make up for those."

That once `Umar bin Al-Khattab called him and while he was sitting with him, his gatekeeper, Yarfa came and said, "Will you admit `Uthman, `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf, AzZubair and Sa`d (bin Abi Waqqas) who are waiting for your permission?" `Umar said, "Yes, let them come in." After a while, Yarfa- came again and said, "Will you admit `Ali and `Abbas who are asking your permission?" `Umar said, "Yes." So, when the two entered, `Abbas said, "O chief of the believers! Judge between me and this (i.e. `Ali). "Both of them had a dispute regarding the property of Bani An-Nadir which Allah had given to His Apostle as Fai (i.e. booty gained without fighting), `Ali and `Abbas started reproaching each other. The (present) people (i.e. `Uthman and his companions) said, "O chief of the believers! Give your verdict in their case and relieve each from) the other." `Umar said, "Wait I beseech you, by Allah, by Whose Permission both the heaven and the earth stand fast! Do you know that Allah's Apostle said, 'We (Prophets) our properties are not to be inherited, and whatever we leave, is to be spent in charity,' and he said it about himself?" They (i.e. `Uthman and his company) said, "He did say it. "`Umar then turned towards `Ali and `Abbas and said, "I beseech you both, by Allah! Do you know that Allah's Apostle said this?" They replied in the affirmative. He said, "Now I am talking to you about this matter. Allah the Glorified favored His Apostle with something of this Fai (i.e. booty won without fighting) which He did not give to anybody else. Allah said:-- "And what Allah gave to His Apostle ("Fai"" Booty) from them--For which you made no expedition With either Calvary or camelry. But Allah gives power to His Apostles Over whomsoever He will And Allah is able to do all things." (59.6) So this property was especially granted to Allah's Apostle . But by Allah, the Prophet neither took it all for himself only, nor deprived you of it, but he gave it to all of you and distributed it amongst you till only this remained out of it. And from this Allah's Apostle used to spend the yearly maintenance for his family, and whatever used to remain, he used to spend it where Allah's Property is spent (i.e. in charity), Allah's Apostle kept on acting like that during all his life, Then he died, and Abu Bakr said, 'I am the successor of Allah's Apostle.' So he (i.e. Abu Bakr) took charge of this property and disposed of it in the same manner as Allah's Apostle used to do, and all of you (at that time) knew all about it." Then `Umar turned towards `Ali and `Abbas and said, "You both remember that Abu Bakr disposed of it in the way you have described and Allah knows that, in that matter, he was sincere, pious, rightly guided and the follower of the right. Then Allah caused Abu Bakr to die and I said, 'I am the successor of Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr.' So I kept this property in my possession for the first two years of my rule (i.e. Caliphate and I used to dispose of it in the same wa as Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr used to do; and Allah knows that I have been sincere, pious, rightly guided an the follower of the right (in this matte Later on both of you (i.e. `Ali and `Abbas) came to me, and the claim of you both was one and the same, O `Abbas! You also came to me. So I told you both that Allah's Apostle said, "Our property is not inherited, but whatever we leave is to be given in charity.' Then when I thought that I should better hand over this property to you both or the condition that you will promise and pledge before Allah that you will dispose it off in the same way as Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr did and as I have done since the beginning of my caliphate or else you should not speak to me (about it).' So, both of you said to me, 'Hand it over to us on this condition.' And on this condition I handed it over to you. Do you want me now to give a decision other than that (decision)? By Allah, with Whose Permission both the sky and the earth stand fast, I will never give any decision other than that (decision) till the Last Hour is established. But if you are unable to manage it (i.e. that property), then return it to me, and I will manage on your behalf." The sub-narrator said, "I told `Urwa bin Az-Zubair of this Hadith and he said, 'Malik bin Aus has told the truth" I heard `Aisha, the wife of the Prophet saying, 'The wives of the Prophet sent `Uthman to Abu Bakr demanding from him their 1/8 of the Fai which Allah had granted to his Apostle. But I used to oppose them and say to them: Will you not fear Allah? Don't you know that the Prophet used to say: Our property is not inherited, but whatever we leave is to be given in charity? The Prophet mentioned that regarding himself. He added: 'The family of Muhammad can take their sustenance from this property. So the wives of the Prophet stopped demanding it when I told them of that.' So, this property (of Sadaqa) was in the hands of `Ali who withheld it from `Abbas and overpowered him. Then it came in the hands of Hasan bin `Ali, then in the hands of Husain bin `Ali, and then in the hands of `Ali bin Husain and Hasan bin Hasan, and each of the last two used to manage it in turn, then it came in the hands of Zaid bin Hasan, and it was truly the Sadaqa of Allah's Apostle ."

Allah's Apostle said, "Who is willing to kill Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, "O Allah's Apostle! Would you like that I kill him?" The Prophet said, "Yes," Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Ka`b). "The Prophet said, "You may say it." Then Muhammad bin Maslama went to Ka`b and said, "That man (i.e. Muhammad demands Sadaqa (i.e. Zakat) from us, and he has troubled us, and I have come to borrow something from you." On that, Ka`b said, "By Allah, you will get tired of him!" Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Now as we have followed him, we do not want to leave him unless and until we see how his end is going to be. Now we want you to lend us a camel load or two of food." (Some difference between narrators about a camel load or two.) Ka`b said, "Yes, (I will lend you), but you should mortgage something to me." Muhammad bin Mas-lama and his companion said, "What do you want?" Ka`b replied, "Mortgage your women to me." They said, "How can we mortgage our women to you and you are the most handsome of the 'Arabs?" Ka`b said, "Then mortgage your sons to me." They said, "How can we mortgage our sons to you? Later they would be abused by the people's saying that so-and-so has been mortgaged for a camel load of food. That would cause us great disgrace, but we will mortgage our arms to you." Muhammad bin Maslama and his companion promised Ka`b that Muhammad would return to him. He came to Ka`b at night along with Ka`b's foster brother, Abu Na'ila. Ka`b invited them to come into his fort, and then he went down to them. His wife asked him, "Where are you going at this time?" Ka`b replied, "None but Muhammad bin Maslama and my (foster) brother Abu Na'ila have come." His wife said, "I hear a voice as if dropping blood is from him, Ka`b said. "They are none but my brother Muhammad bin Maslama and my foster brother Abu Naila. A generous man should respond to a call at night even if invited to be killed." Muhammad bin Maslama went with two men. (Some narrators mention the men as 'Abu bin Jabr. Al Harith bin Aus and `Abbad bin Bishr). So Muhammad bin Maslama went in together with two men, and sail to them, "When Ka`b comes, I will touch his hair and smell it, and when you see that I have got hold of his head, strip him. I will let you smell his head." Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf came down to them wrapped in his clothes, and diffusing perfume. Muhammad bin Maslama said. " have never smelt a better scent than this. Ka`b replied. "I have got the best 'Arab women who know how to use the high class of perfume." Muhammad bin Maslama requested Ka`b "Will you allow me to smell your head?" Ka`b said, "Yes." Muhammad smelt it and made his companions smell it as well. Then he requested Ka`b again, "Will you let me (smell your head)?" Ka`b said, "Yes." When Muhammad got a strong hold of him, he said (to his companions), "Get at him!" So they killed him and went to the Prophet and informed him. (Abu Rafi`) was killed after Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf."

The first lady to use a girdle was the mother of Ishmael. She used a girdle so that she might hide her tracks from Sarah. Abraham brought her and her son Ishmael while she was suckling him, to a place near the Ka`ba under a tree on the spot of Zamzam, at the highest place in the mosque. During those days there was nobody in Mecca, nor was there any water So he made them sit over there and placed near them a leather bag containing some dates, and a small water-skin containing some water, and set out homeward. Ishmael's mother followed him saying, "O Abraham! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there anything (to enjoy)?" She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her Then she asked him, "Has Allah ordered you to do so?" He said, "Yes." She said, "Then He will not neglect us," and returned while Abraham proceeded onwards, and on reaching the Thaniya where they could not see him, he faced the Ka`ba, and raising both hands, invoked Allah saying the following prayers: 'O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House (Ka`ba at Mecca) in order, O our Lord, that they may offer prayer perfectly. So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits, so that they may give thanks.' (14.37) Ishmael's mother went on suckling Ishmael and drinking from the water (she had). When the water in the water-skin had all been used up, she became thirsty and her child also became thirsty. She started looking at him (i.e. Ishmael) tossing in agony; She left him, for she could not endure looking at him, and found that the mountain of Safa was the nearest mountain to her on that land. She stood on it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see somebody, but she could not see anybody. Then she descended from Safa and when she reached the valley, she tucked up her robe and ran in the valley like a person in distress and trouble, till she crossed the valley and reached the Marwa mountain where she stood and started looking, expecting to see somebody, but she could not see anybody. She repeated that (running between Safa and Marwa) seven times." The Prophet said, "This is the source of the tradition of the walking of people between them (i.e. Safa and Marwa). When she reached the Marwa (for the last time) she heard a voice and she asked herself to be quiet and listened attentively. She heard the voice again and said, 'O, (whoever you may be)! You have made me hear your voice; have you got something to help me?" And behold! She saw an angel at the place of Zamzam, digging the earth with his heel (or his wing), till water flowed from that place. She started to make something like a basin around it, using her hand in this way, and started filling her water-skin with water with her hands, and the water was flowing out after she had scooped some of it." The Prophet added, "May Allah bestow Mercy on Ishmael's mother! Had she let the Zamzam (flow without trying to control it) (or had she not scooped from that water) (to fill her water-skin), Zamzam would have been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth." The Prophet further added, "Then she drank (water) and suckled her child. The angel said to her, 'Don't be afraid of being neglected, for this is the House of Allah which will be built by this boy and his father, and Allah never neglects His people.' The House (i.e. Ka`ba) at that time was on a high place resembling a hillock, and when torrents came, they flowed to its right and left. She lived in that way till some people from the tribe of Jurhum or a family from Jurhum passed by her and her child, as they (i.e. the Jurhum people) were coming through the way of Kada'. They landed in the lower part of Mecca where they saw a bird that had the habit of flying around water and not leaving it. They said, 'This bird must be flying around water, though we know that there is no water in this valley.' They sent one or two messengers who discovered the source of water, and returned to inform them of the water. So, they all came (towards the water)." The Prophet added, "Ishmael's mother was sitting near the water. They asked her, 'Do you allow us to stay with you?" She replied, 'Yes, but you will have no right to possess the water.' They agreed to that." The Prophet further said, "Ishmael's mother was pleased with the whole situation as she used to love to enjoy the company of the people. So, they settled there, and later on they sent for their families who came and settled with them so that some families became permanent residents there. The child (i.e. Ishmael) grew up and learnt Arabic from them and (his virtues) caused them to love and admire him as he grew up, and when he reached the age of puberty they made him marry a woman from amongst them. After Ishmael's mother had died, Abraham came after Ishmael's marriage in order to see his family that he had left before, but he did not find Ishmael there. When he asked Ishmael's wife about him, she replied, 'He has gone in search of our livelihood.' Then he asked her about their way of living and their condition, and she replied, 'We are living in misery; we are living in hardship and destitution,' complaining to him. He said, 'When your husband returns, convey my salutation to him and tell him to change the threshold of the gate (of his house).' When Ishmael came, he seemed to have felt something unusual, so he asked his wife, 'Has anyone visited you?' She replied, 'Yes, an old man of so-and-so description came and asked me about you and I informed him, and he asked about our state of living, and I told him that we were living in a hardship and poverty.' On that Ishmael said, 'Did he advise you anything?' She replied, 'Yes, he told me to convey his salutation to you and to tell you to change the threshold of your gate.' Ishmael said, 'It was my father, and he has ordered me to divorce you. Go back to your family.' So, Ishmael divorced her and married another woman from amongst them (i.e. Jurhum). Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as long as Allah wished and called on them again but did not find Ishmael. So he came to Ishmael's wife and asked her about Ishmael. She said, 'He has gone in search of our livelihood.' Abraham asked her, 'How are you getting on?' asking her about their sustenance and living. She replied, 'We are prosperous and well-off (i.e. we have everything in abundance).' Then she thanked Allah' Abraham said, 'What kind of food do you eat?' She said. 'Meat.' He said, 'What do you drink?' She said, 'Water." He said, "O Allah! Bless their meat and water." The Prophet added, "At that time they did not have grain, and if they had grain, he would have also invoked Allah to bless it." The Prophet added, "If somebody has only these two things as his sustenance, his health and disposition will be badly affected, unless he lives in Mecca." The Prophet added," Then Abraham said Ishmael's wife, "When your husband comes, give my regards to him and tell him that he should keep firm the threshold of his gate.' When Ishmael came back, he asked his wife, 'Did anyone call on you?' She replied, 'Yes, a good-looking old man came to me,' so she praised him and added. 'He asked about you, and I informed him, and he asked about our livelihood and I told him that we were in a good condition.' Ishmael asked her, 'Did he give you any piece of advice?' She said, 'Yes, he told me to give his regards to you and ordered that you should keep firm the threshold of your gate.' On that Ishmael said, 'It was my father, and you are the threshold (of the gate). He has ordered me to keep you with me.' Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as long as Allah wished, and called on them afterwards. He saw Ishmael under a tree near Zamzam, sharpening his arrows. When he saw Abraham, he rose up to welcome him (and they greeted each other as a father does with his son or a son does with his father). Abraham said, 'O Ishmael! Allah has given me an order.' Ishmael said, 'Do what your Lord has ordered you to do.' Abraham asked, 'Will you help me?' Ishmael said, 'I will help you.' Abraham said, Allah has ordered me to build a house here,' pointing to a hillock higher than the land surrounding it." The Prophet added, "Then they raised the foundations of the House (i.e. the Ka`ba). Ishmael brought the stones and Abraham was building, and when the walls became high, Ishmael brought this stone and put it for Abraham who stood over it and carried on building, while Ishmael was handing him the stones, and both of them were saying, 'O our Lord! Accept (this service) from us, Verily, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.' The Prophet added, "Then both of them went on building and going round the Ka`ba saying: O our Lord ! Accept (this service) from us, Verily, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing." (2.127)

I went out along with my father during the hajj performed by the Messenger of Allah (saws). I saw the Messenger of Allah (saws). My father came near him; he was riding his she-camel. He stopped there and listened to him. He had a whip like the whip of the teachers. I heard the Bedouin and the people saying: Keep away from the whip. My father came up to him. He caught hold of his foot and acknowledged him (his Prophethood). He stopped and listened to him.

He then said: I participated in the army of Athran (in the pre-Islamic days).

The narrator, Ibn al-Muthanna, said: Army of Gathran. Tariq ibn al-Muraqqa' said: Who will give me a lance and get a reward?

I asked: What is its reward? He replied: I shall marry him to my first daughter born to me. So I gave him my lance and then disappeared from him till I knew that a daughter was born to him and she came of age.

I then came to him and said: Send my wife to me. He swore that he would not do that until I fixed a dower afresh other than that agreed between me and him, and I swore that I should not give him the dower other than that I had given him before.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: How old is she now?

He said: She has grown old. He said: I think you should leave her. He said: This put awe and fear into me, and I looked at the Messenger of Allah (saws).

When he felt this in me, he said: You will not be sinful, nor will your companion be sinful.

Abu Dawud said: Qatir means old age.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that Said ibn al- Musayyab said, "The idda of the woman who bleeds constantly is a year."

Malik said, "What is done among us about a divorced woman whose periods stop when her husband divorces her is that she waits nine months. If she has not had a period in them, she has an idda of three months. If she has a period before the end of the three months, she accepts the period. If another nine months pass without her having a period, she does an idda of three months. If she has a second period before the end of those three months, she accepts the period. If nine months then pass without a period, she does an idda of three months. If she has a third period, the idda of the period is complete. If she does not have a period, she waits three months, and then she is free to marry. Her husband can return to her before she becomes free to marry unless he made her divorce irrevocable."

Malik said, "The sunna with us is that when a man divorces his wife and has the option to return to her, and she does part of her idda and then he returns to her and then parts from her before he has had intercourse with her, she does not add to what has passed of her idda. Her husband has wronged himself and erred if he returned to her and had no need of her."

Malik said, "What is done among us is that if a woman becomes a muslim while her husband is a kafir and then he becomes muslim, he is entitled to her as long as she is in her idda. If her idda is finished, he has no access to her. If he remarries her after the end of her idda, however, that is not counted as divorce. Islam removed her from him without divorce."