The Prophet (saws) said: Stand close together in your rows, bring them near one another, and stand neck to neck, for by Him in Whose hand my soul is, I see the devil coming in through openings in the row just like a small black sheep.

The boys used to be brought to the Prophet and he used to invoke for Allah's blessing upon them. Once an infant was brought to him and it urinated on his clothes. He asked for water and poured it over the place of the urine and did not wash his clothes.

We were with Allah's Apostle collecting Al-Kabath at Mar-Az-Zahran. The Prophet said, "Collect the black ones, for they are better." Somebody said, (O Allah's Apostle!) Have you ever shepherded sheep?" He said, "There has been no prophet but has shepherded them. "

We used to go to Anas bin Malik and see his baker standing (preparing the bread). Anas said, "Eat. I have not known that the Prophet ever saw a thin well-baked loaf of bread till he died, and he never saw a roasted sheep with his eyes."

Allah's Apostle said, "What a good Maniha (the she-camel which has recently given birth and which gives profuse milk) is, and (what a good Maniha) (the sheep which gives profuse milk, a bowl in the morning and another in the evening) is!"

Narrated Malik:

Maniha is a good deed of charity.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that one of the muhajirun in whom he saw no harm asked Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, "Can I pray in a place where camels are watered?" Abdullah replied, "No, but you can pray in a sheep-pen."

Once we were in the house of Abu Musa who presented a meal containing cooked chicken. A man from the tribe of Bani Taim Allah with red complexion as if he were from the Byzantine war prisoners, was present. Abu Musa invited him to share the meal but he (apologised) saying. "I saw chickens eating dirty things and so I have had a strong aversion to eating them, and have taken an oath that I will not eat chickens." Abu Musa said, "Come along, I will tell you about this matter (i.e. how to cancel one's oath). I went to the Prophet in the company of a group of Al-Ashariyin, asked him to provide us with means of conveyance. He said, 'By Allah, I will not provide you with any means of conveyance and I have nothing to make you ride on.' Then some camels as booty were brought to Allah's Apostle and he asked for us saying. 'Where are the group of Al-Ash`ariyun?' Then he ordered that we should be given five camels with white humps. When we set out we said, 'What have we done? We will never be blessed (with what we have been given).' So, we returned to the Prophet and said, 'We asked you to provide us with means of conveyance, but you took an oath that you would not provide us with any means of conveyance. Did you forget (your oath when you gave us the camels)? He replied. 'I have not provided you with means of conveyance, but Allah has provided you with it, and by Allah, Allah willing, if ever I take an oath to do something, and later on I find that it is more beneficial to do something different, I will do the thing which is better, and give expiation for my oath."

One of the Companions of the Prophet (may peace be upon), came upon us in Egypt. When he was narrating traditions in the Mosque of Egypt, I heard him say: I was the seventh or the sixth person in the company of the Messenger of Allah ( peace be upon him) in the house of a person.

In the meantime Bilal came and called him for prayer. He came out and passed by a person who had his fire-pan on the fire. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to him: Has the food in the fire-pan been cooked? He replied: Yes, my parents be sacrificed upon you. He then took a piece out of it and continued to chew it until he uttered the first takbir (AllahuAkbar) of the prayer. All this time I was looking at him.

Allah's Apostle said, "A woman called her son while he was in his hermitage and said, 'O Juraij' He said, 'O Allah, my mother (is calling me) and (I am offering) my prayer (what shall I do)?' She again said, 'O Juraij!' He said again, 'O Allah ! My mother (is calling me) and (I am offering) my prayer (what shall I do)?' She again said, 'O Juraij' He again said, 'O Allah! My mother (is calling me) and (I am offering) my prayer. (What shall I do?)' She said, 'O Allah! Do not let Juraij die till he sees the faces of prostitutes.' A shepherdess used to come by his hermitage for grazing her sheep and she gave birth to a child. She was asked whose child that was, and she replied that it was from Juraij and that he had come out from his hermitage. Juraij said, 'Where is that woman who claims that her child is from me?' (When she was brought to him along with the child), Juraij asked the child, 'O Babus, who is your father?' The child replied, 'The shepherd.' " (See Hadith No 662. Vol 3).

Whoever buys a sheep which has not been milked for a long time, has the option of returning it along with one Sa of dates; and the Prophet forbade going to meet the seller on the way (as he has no knowledge of the market price and he may sell his goods at a low price).

I was the leader of the delegation of Banu al-Muntafiq or (the narrator doubted) I was among the delegation of Banu al-Muntafiq that came to the Messenger of Allah (saws). When we reached the Prophet, we did not find him in his house. We found there Aisha, the Mother of the Believers. She ordered that a dish called Khazirah should be prepared for us. It was then prepared. A tray containing dates was then presented to us. (The narrator Qutaybah did not mention the word qina', tray).

Then the Messenger of Allah (saws) came. He asked: Has anything been served to you or ordered for you? We replied: Yes, Messenger of Allah. While we were sitting in the company of the Messenger of Allah (saws) we suddenly saw that a shepherd was driving a herd of sheep to their fold. He had with him a newly-born lamb that was crying.

He (the Prophet) asked him: What did it bear, O so and so? He replied: A ewe. He then said: Slaughter for us in its place a sheep. Do not think that we are slaughtering it for you. We have one hundred sheep and we do not want their number to increase. Whenever a ewe is born, we slaughter a sheep in its place.

(The narrator says that the Prophet (saws) used the word la tahsabanna, do not think).

I (the narrator Laqit) then said: Messenger of Allah, I have a wife who has something (wrong) in her tongue, i.e. she is insolent. He said: Then divorce her. I said: Messenger of Allah, she had company with me and I have children from her. He said: Then ask her (to obey you). If there is something good in her, she will do so (obey); and do not beat your wife as you beat your slave-girl.

I said: Messenger of Allah, tell me about ablution. He said: Perform ablution in full and make the fingers go through the beard and snuff with water well except when you are fasting.

On his father's authority, said that his grandfather reported that the value of the blood-money at the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was eight hundred dinars or eight thousand dirhams, and the blood-money for the people of the Book was half of that for Muslims.

He said: This applied till Umar (Allah be pleased with him) became caliph and he made a speech in which he said: Take note! Camels have become dear. So Umar fixed the value for those who possessed gold at one thousand dinars, for those who possessed silver at twelve thousand (dirhams), for those who possessed cattle at two hundred cows, for those who possessed sheep at two thousand sheep, and for those who possessed suits of clothing at two hundred suits. He left the blood-money for dhimmis (protected people) as it was, not raising it in proportion to the increase he made in the blood-wit.

Mujahid said that Abdullah ibn Amr slaughtered a sheep and said: Have you presented a gift from it to my neighbour, the Jew, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: Gabriel kept on commending the neighbour to me so that I thought he would make an heir?

¹: These verses were abrogated in recitation but not ruling. Other ahadith establish the number for fosterage to be 5.

We used to visit Anas bin Malik while his baker was standing (and baking). Anas would say, "Eat! I do not know that the Prophet had ever seen well-baked bread till he met Allah, nor had he ever seen a roasted sheep with his own eyes."

The Prophet saw the traces of Sufra (yellow perfume) on `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and said, "What is this?" `Abdur-Rahman, said, "I have married a woman and have paid gold equal to the weight of a datestone (as her Mahr). The Prophet said to him, "May Allah bless you: Offer a wedding banquet even with one sheep."

I said, "O Allah's Apostle! We have slaughtered a young sheep of ours and have ground one Sa of barley. So, I invite you along with some persons." So, the Prophet said in a loud voice, "O the people of the Trench! Jabir had prepared "Sur" so come along."

A Jewess came to ask `Aisha (the wife of the Prophet) about something. She said to her, "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 after seeking refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave (and thus replied in the affirmative). Then one day, Allah's Apostle rode to go to some place but the sun eclipsed. He returned in the forenoon and passed through the rear of the dwellings (of his wives) and stood for the (eclipse) prayer, and the people stood behind him. He stood up for a long period and then performed a prolonged bowing which was shorter than the first bowing. Then he raised his head and prostrated. Then he stood up (for the second rak`a) for a long while but the standing was shorter than that of the first rak`a. Then he performed a prolonged bowing which was shorter than the first one. Then he raised his head and prostrated. Then he stood up for a long time but shorter than the first. Then he performed a prolonged bowing but shorter than the first. Then he raised his head and prostrated and finished the prayer and (then delivered the sermon and) said as much as Allah wished. And then he ordered the people to seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave.

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.

A thief was brought to the Prophet (saws). He said: Kill him. The people said: He has committed theft, Messenger of Allah! Then he said: Cut off his hand. So his (right) hand was cut off. He was brought a second time and he said: Kill him. The people said: He has committed theft, Messenger of Allah! Then he said: Cut off his foot.

So his (left) foot was cut off.

He was brought a third time and he said: Kill him.

The people said: He has committed theft, Messenger of Allah!

So he said: Cut off his hand. (So his (left) hand was cut off.)

He was brought a fourth time and he said: Kill him.

The people said: He has committed theft, Messenger of Allah!

So he said: Cut off his foot. So his (right) foot was cut off.

He was brought a fifth time and he said: Kill him.

So we took him away and killed him. We then dragged him and cast him into a well and threw stones over him.

An animal was brought to the Messenger of Allah (saws) while he was going with a funeral. He refused to ride on it. When the funeral was away, the animal was brought to him and he rode on it. He was asked about it. He said: The angels were on their feet. I was not to ride while they were walking. When they went away, I rode.

When we came to Medina, the women came to me when I was playing on the swing, and my hair were up to my ears. They brought me, prepared me, and decorated me. Then they brought me to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and he took up cohabitation with me, when I was nine.

Malik related to me from Hilal ibn Usama from Ata ibn Yasar that Umar ibn al-Hakam said, "I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'Messenger of Allah, a slave girl of mine was tending my sheep. I came to her and one of the sheep was lost. I asked her about it and she said that a wolf had eaten it, so I became angry and I am one of the children of Adam, so I struck her on the face. As it happens, I have to set a slave free, shall I free her?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, questioned her, 'Where is Allah?' She said, 'In heaven.' He said, 'Who am I?' She said, 'You are the Messenger of Allah.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Free her.' "

Malik related to me from Abu'z-Zinad from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The head of kufr is towards the east. Boasting and price is among people who have horses and camels. The loud-voiced people are the people of tents (the Bedouins). Tranquillity is with the people who have sheep."

The Prophet seeing a yellow mark (of perfume) on the clothes of `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf, said, "What about you?" `Abdur-Rahman replied, "I have married a woman with a Mahr of gold equal to a date-stone." The Prophet said, "May Allah bestow His Blessing on you (in your marriage). Give a wedding banquet, (Walima) even with one sheep."

Whenever somebody brought alms to the Prophet the used to say, "Allahumma Salli 'Alaihi (O Allah! Send Your Salat (Grace and Honor) on him)." Once when my father brought his alms to him, he said, "O Allah! Send Your Salat (Grace and Honor) on the family of Abi `Aufa."

`Aisha brought out to us a patched wool Len garment, and she said, "(It chanced that) the soul of Allah's Apostle was taken away while he was wearing this." Abu-Burda added, "Aisha brought out to us a thick waist sheet like the ones made by the Yemenites, and also a garment of the type called Al- Mulabbada."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was invited to eat, and some bread and meat was brought to him. He ate some of it, and then did wudu and prayed. Then more of the same food was brought and he ate some more and then prayed without doing wudu.

I saw Allah's Apostle drinking milk. He came to my house and I milked a sheep and then mixed the milk with water from the well for Allah's Apostle. He took the bowl and drank while on his left there was sitting Abu Bakr, and on his right there was a bedouin. He then gave the remaining milk to the bedouin and said, "The right! The right (first).

We went out with Allah's Apostle to Khaibar and we travelled during the night. A man amongst the people said to 'Amir bin Al-Aqwa', "Won't you let us hear your poetry?" 'Amir was a poet, and so he got down and started (chanting Huda) reciting for the people, poetry that keep pace with the camel's foot steps, saying, "O Allah! Without You we would not have been guided on the right path, neither would we have given in charity, nor would we have prayed. So please forgive us what we have committed. Let all of us be sacrificed for Your cause and when we meet our enemy, make our feet firm and bestow peace and calmness on us and if they (our enemy) will call us towards an unjust thing we will refuse. The infidels have made a hue and cry to ask others help against us. Allah's Apostle said, "Who is that driver (of the camels)?" They said, "He is 'Amir bin Al-Aqwa."' He said, "May Allah bestow His mercy on him." A man among the people said, Has Martyrdom been granted to him, O Allah's Prophet! Would that you let us enjoy his company longer." We reached (the people of) Khaibar and besieged them till we were stricken with severe hunger but Allah helped the Muslims conquer Khaibar. In the evening of its conquest the people made many fires. Allah's Apostle asked, "What are those fires? For what are you making fires?" They said, "For cooking meat." He asked, "What kind of meat?" They said, "Donkeys' meat." Allah's Apostle said, "Throw away the meat and break the cooking pots." A man said, O Allah's Apostle! Shall we throw away the meat and wash the cooking pots?" He said, "You can do that too." When the army files aligned in rows (for the battle), 'Amir's sword was a short one, and while attacking a Jew with it in order to hit him, the sharp edge of the sword turned back and hit 'Amir's knee and caused him to die. When the Muslims returned (from the battle), Salama said, Allah's Apostle saw me pale and said, 'What is wrong with you?"' I said, "Let my parents be sacrificed for you! The people claim that all the deeds of Amir have been annulled." The Prophet asked, "Who said so?" I replied, "So-and-so and soand- so and Usaid bin Al-Hudair Al-Ansari said, 'Whoever says so is telling a lie. Verily, 'Amir will have double reward."' (While speaking) the Prophet put two of his fingers together to indicate that, and added, "He was really a hard-working man and a Mujahid (devout fighter in Allah's Cause) and rarely have there lived in it (i.e., Medina or the battle-field) an "Arab like him."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from his father that Umar ibn al-Khattab gave a mawla of his called Hunayy charge over the hima. He said, "Hunayy! Do not harm the people. Fear the supplication of the wronged, for the supplication of the wronged is answered. Let the one with a small herd of camels and the one with a small herd of sheep enter, but be wary of the livestock of Ibn Awf and the livestock of Ibn Affan. If their livestock are destroyed, they will return to palm-trees and agriculture. If the livestock of the one with a small herd of camels and the one with a small herd of sheep are destroyed, he will bring his children to me crying, 'Amir al-muminin! Amir al-Muminin!' Shall I neglect them? Water and pasturage are of less value to me than gold and silver. By Allah, they think that I have wronged them. This is their land and their water. They fought for it in the jahiliyya and became muslims on it in Islam. By He in whose hand my self is! Were it not for the mounts which I give to be ridden in the way of Allah, I would not have turned a span of their land into hima."

A bedouin came and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Judge between us according to Allah's Laws." His opponent got up and said, "He is right. Judge between us according to Allah's Laws." The bedouin said, "My son was a laborer working for this man, and he committed illegal sexual intercourse with his wife. The people told me that my son should be stoned to death; so, in lieu of that, I paid a ransom of one hundred sheep and a slave girl to save my son. Then I asked the learned scholars who said, "Your son has to be lashed one-hundred lashes and has to be exiled for one year." The Prophet said, "No doubt I will judge between you according to Allah's Laws. The slave-girl and the sheep are to go back to you, and your son will get a hundred lashes and one year exile." He then addressed somebody, "O Unais! go to the wife of this (man) and stone her to death" So, Unais went and stoned her to death.

Once Allah's Apostle; offered the morning prayer and then faced the people and said, "While a man was driving a cow, he suddenly rode over it and beat it. The cow said, "We have not been created for this, but we have been created for sloughing." On that the people said astonishingly, "Glorified be Allah! A cow speaks!" The Prophet said, "I believe this, and Abu Bakr and `Umar too, believe it, although neither of them was present there. While a person was amongst his sheep, a wolf attacked and took one of the sheep. The man chased the wolf till he saved it from the wolf, where upon the wolf said, 'You have saved it from me; but who will guard it on the day of the wild beasts when there will be no shepherd to guard them except me (because of riots and afflictions)? ' " The people said surprisingly, "Glorified be Allah! A wolf speaks!" The Prophet said, "But I believe this, and Abu Bakr and `Umar too, believe this, although neither of them was present there." (See the Foot-note of page No. 10 Vol.5)

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."