I asked: Messenger of Allah, in which part of night the supplication is more likely to be accepted?

He replied: In the last part: Pray as much as you like, for the prayer is attended by the angels and it is recorded till you offer the dawn prayer; then stop praying when the sun is rising till it has reached the height of one or two lances, for it rises between the two horns of the Devil, and the infidels offer prayer for it (at that time). Then pray as much as you like, because the prayer is witnessed and recorded till the shadow of a lance be- comes equal to it. Then cease prayer, for at that time the Hell-fire is heated up and doors of Hell are opened.

When the sun declines, pray as much as you like, for the prayer is witnessed till you pray the afternoon prayer; then cease prayer till the sun sets, for it sets between the horns of the Devil, and (at that time) the infidels offer prayer for it. He narrated a lengthy tradition.

Abbas said: AbuSalam narrated this tradition in a similar manner from AbuUmamah. If I have made a mistake unintentionally, I beg pardon of Allah and repent to Him.

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

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

Anas was asked, "Did the Prophet wear a ring?" Anas said, "Once he delayed the: `Isha' prayer till midnight. Then he came, facing us ..... as if l am now Looking at the glitter of his ring ..... and said, "The people have offered their prayers and slept but you have been in prayer as you have been waiting for it."

Muawiya offered one rak`a witr prayer after the `Isha prayer, and at that time a freed slave of Ibn `Abbas was present. He (i.e. the slave) went to Ibn `Abbas (and told him that Muawiya offered one rak`a witr prayer). Ibn `Abbas said, "Leave him, for he was in the company of Allah's Apostle."

Allah's Apostle used to offer thirteen rak`at in the night prayer and on hearing the Adhan for the morning prayer, he used to offer two light rak`at.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Hazm from Humayd ibn Nafi that Zaynab bint Abi Salama related these three traditions to him. Zaynab said, "I visited Umm Habiba, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when her father Abu Sufyan ibn Harb had died. Umm Habiba called for a yellowy perfume perhaps khaluq or something else. She rubbed the perfume first on a slave-girl and she then wiped it on the sides of her face and said, 'By Allah! I have no need of perfume but I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'It is not halal for a woman who trusts in Allah and the Last Day to abstain from adornment in mourning for someone who has died, for more than three nights, except for four months and ten days for a husband.' "

The night which the Messenger of Allah (saws) passed with me was the one that followed the day of sacrifice. He came to me and Wahb ibn Zam'ah also visited me. A man belonging to the lineage of AbuUmayyah accompanied him. Both of them were wearing shirts.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to Wahb: Did you perform the obligatory circumambulation (Tawaf az-Ziyarah), AbuAbdullah?

He said: No, by Allah Messenger of Allah.

He (the Prophet) said: Take off your shirt. He then took it off over his head, and his companion too took his shirt off over his head.

He then asked: And why (this), Messenger of Allah? He replied: On this day you have been allowed to take off ihram when you have thrown the stones at the jamrahs, that is, everything prohibited during the state of ihram is lawful except intercourse with a woman. If the evening comes before you go round this House (the Ka'bah) you will remain in the sacred state (i.e. ihram), just like the state in which you were before you threw stones at the jamrahs, until you perform the circumambulation of it (i.e. the Ka'bah).

That once he stayed overnight in the house of his aunt, the wife of the Prophet. He added: I lay on the cushion transversely while Allah's Apostle lay along with his wife in the lengthwise direction of cushion. Allah's Apostle slept till the middle of the night, either a bit before or a bit after it, and then woke up rubbing the traces of sleep off his face with his hands, and then recited the last ten Verses of Suratal-`Imran. Then he got up and went to a hanging water skin, performed ablution from it ---- and performed it perfectly. Then he stood up to perform the prayer. I also did the same as he had done and then went to stand beside him. Allah's Apostle put his right hand on my head and held and twisted my right ear. He then offered two rak`at, then two rak`at then two rak`at, then two then two rak`at, then two rak`at, and finally, one rak`a witr. Then lay down again till the Muadhdhin (i.e. the call-maker) came to him, whereupon he got up and offered a light two rak`at prayer and went out (to the Mosque) and offered the (compulsory congregational) Fajr prayer.

While Allah's Apostle was proceeding at night during one of his journeys and `Umar bin Al-Khattab was traveling beside him, `Umar asked him about something but Allah's Apostle did not reply. He asked again, but he did not reply, and then he asked (for the third time) but he did not reply. On that, `Umar bin Al-Khattab said to himself, "Thakilat Ummu `Umar (May `Umar's mother lose her son)! I asked Allah's Apostle three times but he did not reply." `Umar then said, "I made my camel run faster and went ahead of the people, and I was afraid that some Qur'anic Verses might be revealed about me. But before getting involved in any other matter. I heard somebody calling me. I said to myself, 'I fear that some Qur'anic Verses have been revealed about me,' and so I went to Allah's Apostle and greeted him. He (Allah's Apostle ) said, 'Tonight a Sura has been revealed to me, and it is dearer to me than that on which the sun rises (i.e. the world)' Then he recited: "Verily, We have given you a manifest victory." (48.1)

Allah's Apostle was traveling on one of his journeys, and `Umar bin Al-Khattab was traveling along with him at night. `Umar asked him about something, but Allah's Apostle did not answer him. He asked again, but he did not answer. He asked for the third time, but he did not answer. On that, `Umar said to himself, "May your mother lose you! You have asked Allah's Apostle three times, but he did not answer at all!" `Umar said, "So I made my camel go fast till I was ahead of the people, and I was afraid that something might be revealed about me. After a little while I heard a call maker calling me, I said, 'I was afraid that some Qur'anic Verse might be revealed about me.' So I went to Allah's Apostle and greeted him. He said, 'Tonight there has been revealed to me a Surah which is dearer to me than that on which the sun shines (i.e. the world).' Then he recited: 'Verily! We have given you (O Muhammad), a manifest victory.' " (Surat al-Fath) No. (48.1).

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr from his father that Abdullah ibn Qays ibn Makhrama told him that Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani said one night that he was going to observe the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said, "I rested my head on his threshold. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, got up and prayed two long, long, long rakas. Then he prayed two rakas which were slightly less long than the two before them. Then he prayed two rakas which were slightly less long than the two before them. Then he prayed two rakas which were slightly less long than the two before them. Then he prayed two rakas which were slightly less long than the two before them. Then he prayed two rakas which were slightly less long than the two before them. Then he prayed an odd raka, making thirteen rakas in all."

A man from Najd with unkempt hair came to Allah's Apostle and we heard his loud voice but could not understand what he was saying, till he came near and then we came to know that he was asking about Islam. Allah's Apostle said, "You have to offer prayers perfectly five times in a day and night (24 hours)." The man asked, "Is there any more (praying)?" Allah's Apostle replied, "No, but if you want to offer the Nawafil prayers (you can)." Allah's Apostle further said to him: "You have to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan." The man asked, "Is there any more fasting?" Allah's Apostle replied, "No, but if you want to observe the Nawafil fasts (you can.)" Then Allah's Apostle further said to him, "You have to pay the Zakat (obligatory charity)." The man asked, "Is there any thing other than the Zakat for me to pay?" Allah's Apostle replied, "No, unless you want to give alms of your own." And then that man retreated saying, "By Allah! I will neither do less nor more than this." Allah's Apostle said, "If what he said is true, then he will be successful (i.e. he will be granted Paradise)."

The Prophet said, "The example of Muslims, Jews and Christians is like the example of a man who employed laborers to work for him from morning till night for specific wages. They worked till midday and then said, 'We do not need your money which you have fixed for us and let whatever we have done be annulled.' The man said to them, 'Don't quit the work, but complete the rest of it and take your full wages.' But they refused and went away. The man employed another batch after them and said to them, 'Complete the rest of the day and yours will be the wages I had fixed for the first batch.' So, they worked till the time of `Asr prayer. Then they said, "Let what we have done be annulled and keep the wages you have promised us for yourself.' The man said to them, 'Complete the rest of the work, as only a little of the day remains,' but they refused. Thereafter he employed another batch to work for the rest of the day and they worked for the rest of the day till the sunset, and they received the wages of the two former batches. So, that was the example of those people (Muslims) and the example of this light (guidance) which they have accepted willingly.

Allah's Apostle said, "Tomorrow I will give the flag to a man with whose leadership Allah will grant (the Muslim) victory." So the people kept on thinking the whole night as to who would be given the flag. The next morning the people went to Allah's Apostle and every one of them hoped that he would be given the flag. The Prophet said, "Where is `Ali bin Abi Talib?" The people replied, "He is suffering from eye trouble, O Allah's Apostle." He said, "Send for him and bring him to me." So when `Ali came, the Prophet spat in his eyes and invoked good on him, and be became alright as if he had no ailment. The Prophet then gave him the flag. `Ali said, "O Allah's Apostle! Shall I fight them (i.e. enemy) till they become like us?" The Prophet said, "Proceed to them steadily till you approach near to them and then invite them to Islam and inform them of their duties towards Allah which Islam prescribes for them, for by Allah, if one man is guided on the right path (i.e. converted to Islam) through you, it would be better for you than (a great number of) red camels."

'Alqama went to Sham and when he entered the mosque, he said, "O Allah ! Bless me with a pious companion." So he sat with Abu Ad-Darda. Abu Ad-Darda' asked him, "Where are you from?" 'Alqama replied, "From the people of Kufa." Abu Ad-Darda said, "Isn't there amongst you the Keeper of the secret which nobody else knows i.e. Hudhaifa?" Al-qama said, "Yes." Then Abu Ad-Darda further said, "Isn't there amongst you the person whom Allah gave Refuge from Satan through the invocation of His Prophet namely `Ammar?" Alqama replied in the affirmative Abu Ad-Darda said, "Isn't there amongst you the person who carries the Siwak (or the Secret) (i.e. of the Prophet namely `Abdullah bin Massud)?" Alqama said, "Yes." Then Abu Ad-Darda asked, "How (Abdullah bin Masud) used to recite the Sura starting with: "By the night as it envelopes; By the day as it appears in brightness?" (92.1-2). Alqama said "And by male and female." Abu Ad-Darda then said, "These people (of Sham) tried hard to make me accept something other than what I had heard from the Prophet."

When Allah's Apostle came to Medina, Abu Bakr and Bilal got fever, and I went to both of them and said, "O my father, how do you feel? O Bilal, how do you feel?" Whenever Abu Bakr's fever got worse, he would say, "Every man will meet his death once in one morning while he will be among his family, for death is really nearer to him than his leather shoe laces (to his feet)." And whenever fever deserted Bilal, he would say aloud, "Would that I know whether I shall spend a night in the valley (of Mecca) with Idhkhir and Jalil (i.e. kinds of grass) around me, and whether I shall drink one day the water of Mijannah, and whether I shall see once again the hills of Shamah and Tafil?" Then I went to Allah's Apostle and told him of that. He said, "O Allah, make us love Medina as much as or more than we used to love Mecca, O Allah, make it healthy and bless its Sa' and Mud (i.e. measures), and take away its fever to Al-Juhfa."

(The tribes of) Ril, Dhakwan, 'Usaiya and Bani Lihyan asked Allah's Apostle to provide them with some men to support them against their enemy. He therefore provided them with seventy men from the Ansar whom we used to call Al-Qurra' in their lifetime. They used to collect wood by daytime and pray at night. When they were at the well of Ma'una, the infidels killed them by betraying them. When this news reached the Prophet , he said Al-Qunut for one month In the morning prayer, invoking evil upon some of the 'Arab tribes, upon Ril, Dhakwan, 'Usaiya and Bani Libyan. We used to read a verse of the Qur'an revealed in their connection, but later the verse was cancelled. It was: "convey to our people on our behalf the information that we have met our Lord, and He is pleased with us, and has made us pleased." (Anas bin Malik added:) Allah's Prophet said Qunut for one month in the morning prayer, invoking evil upon some of the 'Arab tribes (namely), Ril, Dhakwan, Usaiya, and Bani Libyan. (Anas added:) Those seventy Ansari men were killed at the well of Mauna.

On the day of Khaibar, Allah's Apostle said, "Tomorrow I will give this flag to a man through whose hands Allah will give us victory. He loves Allah and His Apostle, and he is loved by Allah and His Apostle." The people remained that night, wondering as to who would be given it. In the morning the people went to Allah's Apostle and everyone of them was hopeful to receive it (i.e. the flag). The Prophet said, "Where is `Ali bin Abi Talib?" It was said, "He is suffering from eye trouble O Allah's Apostle." He said, "Send for him." `Ali was brought and Allah's Apostle spat in his eye and invoked good upon him. So `Ali was cured as if he never had any trouble. Then the Prophet gave him the flag. `Ali said "O Allah's Apostle! I will fight with them till they become like us." Allah's Apostle said, "Proceed and do not hurry. When you enter their territory, call them to embrace Islam and inform them of Allah's Rights which they should observe, for by Allah, even if a single man is led on the right path (of Islam) by Allah through you, then that will be better for you than the nice red camels.

Anas was asked, "Did Allah's Apostle wear a ring?" He said, "Yes. Once he delayed the `Isha' prayer till midnight and after the prayer, he faced us and said, 'The people prayed and have slept and you remained in prayer as long as you waited for it.' " Anas added, "As if I were just now observing the glitter of his ring."

Zurarah ibn Awfa said that Aisha was asked about the midnight prayer of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

She said: He used to offer his night prayer in congregation and then return to his family (in his house) and pray four rak'ahs. Then he would go to his bed and sleep, but the water for his ablution was placed covered near his head and his tooth-stick was also kept there until Allah awakened him at night.

He then used the tooth-stick, performed ablution perfectly then came to the place of prayer and would pray eight rak'ahs, in which he would recite Surah al-Fatihah, and a surah from the Qur'an as Allah willed. He would not sit during any of them but sit after the eighth rak'ah, and would not utter the salutation, but recite (the Qur'an) during the ninth rak'ah. Then he would sit and supplicate as long as Allah willed, and beg Him and devote his attention to Him; He would utter the salutation once in such a loud voice that the inmates of the house were almost awakened by his loud salutation. He would then recite Surah al-Fatihah while sitting, bow while sitting, and then recite the Qur'an during the second rak'ah, and would bow and prostrate while sitting. He would supplicate Allah as long as He willed, then utter the salutation and turn away.

This amount of prayer of the Messenger of Allah (saws) continued till he put a weight. During that period he retrenched two rak'ahs from nine and began to pray six and seven rak'ahs standing and two rak'ahs sitting. This continued till he died.

We came upon the Messenger of Allah (saws) in a deputation of Thaqif. The signatories of the pact came to al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah as his guests. The Messenger of Allah (saws) made Banu-Malik stay in a tent of his.

Musaddad's version says: He was in the deputation of Thaqif which came to the Messenger of Allah (saws). He used to visit and have a talk with us every day after the night prayer.

The version of AbuSa'id says: He remained standing for such a long time (talking to us) that he put his weight sometimes on one leg and sometimes on the other due to his long stay. He mostly told us how his people, the Quraysh, behaved with him.

He would say: We were not equal; we were weak and degraded at Mecca (according to Musaddad's version). When we came over to Medina the fighting began between us; sometimes we overcome them and at other times they overcome us. One night he came late and did not come at the time he used to come.

We asked him: You came late tonight? He said: I could not recite the fixed part of the Qur'an that I used to recite every day. I disliked to come till I had completed it.

Aws said: I asked the companions of the Messenger of Allah (saws): How do you divide the Qur'an for daily recitation? They said: Three surahs, five surahs, eleven surahs, thirteen surahs' mufassal surahs.

Abu Dawud said: The version of Abu Sa'id is complete.

The night Allah's Apostle was taken for a journey from the sacred mosque (of Mecca) Al-Ka`ba: Three persons came to him (in a dreamy while he was sleeping in the Sacred Mosque before the Divine Inspiration was revealed to Him. One of them said, "Which of them is he?" The middle (second) angel said, "He is the best of them." The last (third) angle said, "Take the best of them." Only that much happened on that night and he did not see them till they came on another night, i.e. after The Divine Inspiration was revealed to him. (Fath-ul-Bari Page 258, Vol. 17) and he saw them, his eyes were asleep but his heart was not----and so is the case with the prophets: their eyes sleep while their hearts do not sleep. So those angels did not talk to him till they carried him and placed him beside the well of Zamzam. From among them Gabriel took charge of him. Gabriel cut open (the part of his body) between his throat and the middle of his chest (heart) and took all the material out of his chest and `Abdomen and then washed it with Zamzam water with his own hands till he cleansed the inside of his body, and then a gold tray containing a gold bowl full of belief and wisdom was brought and then Gabriel stuffed his chest and throat blood vessels with it and then closed it (the chest). He then ascended with him to the heaven of the world and knocked on one of its doors. The dwellers of the Heaven asked, 'Who is it?' He said, "Gabriel." They said, "Who is accompanying you?" He said, "Muhammad." They said, "Has he been called?" He said, "Yes" They said, "He is welcomed." So the dwellers of the Heaven became pleased with his arrival, and they did not know what Allah would do to the Prophet on earth unless Allah informed them. The Prophet met Adam over the nearest Heaven. Gabriel said to the Prophet, "He is your father; greet him." The Prophet greeted him and Adam returned his greeting and said, "Welcome, O my Son! O what a good son you are!" Behold, he saw two flowing rivers, while he was in the nearest sky. He asked, "What are these two rivers, O Gabriel?" Gabriel said, "These are the sources of the Nile and the Euphrates." Then Gabriel took him around that Heaven and behold, he saw another river at the bank of which there was a palace built of pearls and emerald. He put his hand into the river and found its mud like musk Adhfar. He asked, "What is this, O Gabriel?" Gabriel said, "This is the Kauthar which your Lord has kept for you." Then Gabriel ascended (with him) to the second Heaven and the angels asked the same questions as those on the first Heaven, i.e., "Who is it?" Gabriel replied, "Gabriel". They asked, "Who is accompanying you?" He said, "Muhammad." They asked, "Has he been sent for?" He said, "Yes." Then they said, "He is welcomed.'' Then he (Gabriel) ascended with the Prophet to the third Heaven, and the angels said the same as the angels of the first and the second Heavens had said. Then he ascended with him to the fourth Heaven and they said the same; and then he ascended with him to the fifth Heaven and they said the same; and then he ascended with him to the sixth Heaven and they said the same; then he ascended with him to the seventh Heaven and they said the same. On each Heaven there were prophets whose names he had mentioned and of whom I remember Idris on the second Heaven, Aaron on the fourth Heavens another prophet whose name I don't remember, on the fifth Heaven, Abraham on the sixth Heaven, and Moses on the seventh Heaven because of his privilege of talking to Allah directly. Moses said (to Allah), "O Lord! I thought that none would be raised up above me." But Gabriel ascended with him (the Prophet) for a distance above that, the distance of which only Allah knows, till he reached the Lote Tree (beyond which none may pass) and then the Irresistible, the Lord of Honor and Majesty approached and came closer till he (Gabriel) was about two bow lengths or (even) nearer. (It is said that it was Gabriel who approached and came closer to the Prophet. (Fate Al-Bari Page 263, 264, Vol. 17). Among the things which Allah revealed to him then, was: "Fifty prayers were enjoined on his followers in a day and a night." Then the Prophet descended till he met Moses, and then Moses stopped him and asked, "O Muhammad ! What did your Lord en join upon you?" The Prophet replied," He enjoined upon me to perform fifty prayers in a day and a night." Moses said, "Your followers cannot do that; Go back so that your Lord may reduce it for you and for them." So the Prophet turned to Gabriel as if he wanted to consult him about that issue. Gabriel told him of his opinion, saying, "Yes, if you wish." So Gabriel ascended with him to the Irresistible and said while he was in his place, "O Lord, please lighten our burden as my followers cannot do that." So Allah deducted for him ten prayers where upon he returned to Moses who stopped him again and kept on sending him back to his Lord till the enjoined prayers were reduced to only five prayers. Then Moses stopped him when the prayers had been reduced to five and said, "O Muhammad! By Allah, I tried to persuade my nation, Bani Israel to do less than this, but they could not do it and gave it up. However, your followers are weaker in body, heart, sight and hearing, so return to your Lord so that He may lighten your burden." The Prophet turned towards Gabriel for advice and Gabriel did not disapprove of that. So he ascended with him for the fifth time. The Prophet said, "O Lord, my followers are weak in their bodies, hearts, hearing and constitution, so lighten our burden." On that the Irresistible said, "O Muhammad!" the Prophet replied, "Labbaik and Sa`daik." Allah said, "The Word that comes from Me does not change, so it will be as I enjoined on you in the Mother of the Book." Allah added, "Every good deed will be rewarded as ten times so it is fifty (prayers) in the Mother of the Book (in reward) but you are to perform only five (in practice)." The Prophet returned to Moses who asked, "What have you done?" He said, "He has lightened our burden: He has given us for every good deed a tenfold reward." Moses said, "By Allah! I tried to make Bani Israel observe less than that, but they gave it up. So go back to your Lord that He may lighten your burden further." Allah's Apostle said, "O Moses! By Allah, I feel shy of returning too many times to my Lord." On that Gabriel said, "Descend in Allah's Name." The Prophet then woke while he was in the Sacred Mosque (at Mecca).

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from Adi ibn Thabit al-Ansari that Abdullah ibn Yazid al-Khatmi told him that Abu Ayyub al-Ansari told him that he prayed maghrib and isha together at Muzdalifa during the farewell hajj, with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

We asked Jabir bin `Abdullah about the prayers of the Prophet . He said, "He used to pray Zuhr prayer at midday, the `Asr when the sun was still hot, and the Maghrib after sunset (at its stated time). The `Isha was offered early if the people gathered, and used to be delayed if their number was less; and the morning prayer was offered when it was still dark. "

Allah's Apostle said, "Once three persons (from the previous nations) were traveling, and suddenly it started raining and they took shelter in a cave. The entrance of the cave got closed while they were inside. They said to each other, 'O you! Nothing can save you except the truth, so each of you should ask Allah's Help by referring to such a deed as he thinks he did sincerely (i.e. just for gaining Allah's Pleasure).' So one of them said, 'O Allah! You know that I had a laborer who worked for me for one Faraq (i.e. three Sas) of rice, but he departed, leaving it (i.e. his wages). I sowed that Faraq of rice and with its yield I bought cows (for him). Later on when he came to me asking for his wages, I said (to him), 'Go to those cows and drive them away.' He said to me, 'But you have to pay me only a Faraq of rice,' I said to him, 'Go to those cows and take them, for they are the product of that Faraq (of rice).' So he drove them. O Allah! If you consider that I did that for fear of You, then please remove the rock.' The rock shifted a bit from the mouth of the cave. The second one said, 'O Allah, You know that I had old parents whom I used to provide with the milk of my sheep every night. One night I was delayed and when I came, they had slept, while my wife and children were crying with hunger. I used not to let them (i.e. my family) drink unless my parents had drunk first. So I disliked to wake them up and also disliked that they should sleep without drinking it, I kept on waiting (for them to wake) till it dawned. O Allah! If You consider that I did that for fear of you, then please remove the rock.' So the rock shifted and they could see the sky through it. The (third) one said, 'O Allah! You know that I had a cousin (i.e. my paternal uncle's daughter) who was most beloved to me and I sought to seduce her, but she refused, unless I paid her one-hundred Dinars (i.e. gold pieces). So I collected the amount and brought it to her, and she allowed me to sleep with her. But when I sat between her legs, she said, 'Be afraid of Allah, and do not deflower me but legally. 'I got up and left the hundred Dinars (for her). O Allah! If You consider that I did that for fear of you than please remove the rock. So Allah saved them and they came out (of the cave)."

'A'isha reported that when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) missed the night prayer due to pain or any other reason, he observed twelve rak'ahs during the daytime.

I asked Aisha about the night prayer of Allah's Apostle and she said, "It was seven, nine or eleven rak`at besides the two rak`at of the Fajr prayer (i.e. Sunna). "

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that A'isha, umm al-muminin said, "When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to Madina, Abu Bakr and Bilal came down with a fever. I visited them and said, 'Father, how are you? Bilal, how are you?'" She continued, "When Abu Bakr's fever worsened he would say, 'Every man is struck down among his people in the morning - death is nearer than the strap of his sandal.'"

When it left Bilal, he raised his voice and said, 'Would that I knew whether I will spend a night at the valley of Makka with the idhkhir herb and jalil herb around me. Will I go one day to the waters of Majinna? Will the mountains of Shama and Tafil appear to me?' " '

A'isha continued, "I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and informed him. He said, 'O Allah! Make us love Madina as much as we love Makka or even more. Make it sound and bless us in our sa and mudd. Remove its fever and put it in al-Juhfa.' "

That once he stayed overnight (in the house) of his aunt Maimuna. the wife of the Prophet. He added: I lay on the cushion transversely and Allah's Apostle lay along with his wife in the lengthwise direction of the pillow. Allah's Apostle slept till the middle of the night, either a bit before or a bit after it, and then woke up rubbing the traces of sleep off his face with his hands and then he recited the last ten Verses of Surat-al-`Imran, got up and went to a hanging water skin. He then performed the ablution from it, and it was perfect ablution, and then stood up to offer the prayer. I too did the same as he had done, and then went to stand beside him. Allah's Apostle put his right hand on my head and held and twisted my right ear. He then offered two rak`at, then two rak`at, then two rak`at, then two rak`at, then two rak`at. then two rak`at, and finally one rak`a, the witr. Then he lay down again till the Muadhdhin (i.e. the call-maker) came to him, whereupon he got up and offered a light two-rak`at prayer, and went out (to the Mosque) and offered the (compulsory congregational) Fajr prayer.

Abu Bakr came with a guest or some guests, but he stayed late at night with the Prophet and when he came, my mother said (to him), "Have you been detained from your guest or guests tonight?" He said, "Haven't you served the supper to them?" She replied, "We presented the meal to him (or to them), but he (or they) refused to eat." Abu Bakr became angry, rebuked me and invoked Allah to cause (my) ears to be cut and swore not to eat of it!" I hid myself, and he called me, "O ignorant (boy)!" Abu Bakr's wife swore that she would not eat of it and so the guests or the guest swore that they would not eat of it till he ate of it. Abu Bakr said, "All that happened was from Satan." So he asked for the meals and ate of it, and so did they. Whenever they took a handful of the meal, the meal grew (increased) from underneath more than that mouthful. He said (to his wife), "O, sister of Bani Firas! What is this?" She said, "O, pleasure of my eyes! The meal is now more than it had been before we started eating'' So they ate of it and sent the rest of that meal to the Prophet. It is said that the Prophet also ate of it.

That he stayed overnight in the house of Maimuna the wife of the Prophet, his aunt. He added : I lay on the bed (cushion transversally) while Allah's Apostle and his wife lay in the lengthwise direction of the cushion. Allah's Apostle slept till the middle of the night, either a bit before or a bit after it and then woke up, rubbing the traces of sleep off his face with his hands. He then, recited the last ten verses of Sura Al-`Imran, got up and went to a hanging water-skin. He then Performed the ablution from it and it was a perfect ablution, and then stood up to offer the prayer. I, too, got up and did as the Prophet had done. Then I went and stood by his side. He placed his right hand on my head and caught my right ear and twisted it. He prayed two rak`at then two rak`at and two rak`at and then two rak`at and then two rak`at and then two rak`at (separately six times), and finally one rak`a (the witr). Then he lay down again in the bed till the Mu'adh-dhin came to him where upon the Prophet got up, offered a two light rak`at prayer and went out and led the Fajr prayer.

`Abdullah bin `Abbas said that he had passed a night in the house of Maimuna the mother of the faithful believers , who was his aunt. He said, "I slept across the bed, and Allah's Apostle along with his wife slept lengthwise. Allah's Apostle slept till midnight or slightly before or after it. Then Allah's Apostle woke up, sat, and removed the traces of sleep by rubbing his hands over his face. Then he recited the last ten verses of Surat-Al `Imran (2). Then he went towards a hanging leather watercontainer and performed a perfect ablution and then stood up for prayer." `Abdullah bin `Abbas added, "I got up and did the same as Allah's Apostle had done and then went and stood by his side. Allah's Apostle then put his right hand over my head and caught my right ear and twisted it. He offered two rak`at, then two rak`at, then two rak`at, then two rak`at, then two rak`at, then two rak`at and then offered one rak`a witr. Then he lay down till the Mu'adh-dhin came and then he prayed two light rak`at and went out and offered the early morning (Fajr) prayer."

Hudhaifa said, "`Umar said, 'Who amongst you remembers the statement of Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) about afflictions'?' I said, 'I know it as the Prophet had said it.' `Umar said, 'No doubt, you are bold. How did he say it?' I said, 'A man's afflictions (wrong deeds) concerning his wife, children and neighbors are expiated by (his) prayers, charity, and enjoining good.' (The sub-narrator Sulaiman added that he said, 'The prayer, charity, enjoining good and forbidding evil.') `Umar said, 'I did not mean that, but I ask about that affliction which will spread like the waves of the sea.' I said, 'O chief of the believers! You need not be afraid of it as there is a closed door between you and it.' He asked, 'Will the door be broken or opened?' I replied, 'No, it will be broken.' He said, 'Then, if it is broken, it will never be closed again?' I replied, 'Yes.' " Then we were afraid to ask what that door was, so we asked Masruq to inquire, and he asked Hudhaifa regarding it. Hudhaifa said, "The door was `Umar. "We further asked Hudhaifa whether `Umar knew what that door meant. Hudhaifa replied in the affirmative and added, "He knew it as one knows that there will be a night before the tomorrow morning."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Wahb ibn Kaysan that Jabir ibn Abdullah said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent a delegation to the coast. Abu Ubayda ibn al- Jarrah was in command of them. There were 300 people and I was among them. We went out until we had gone part of the way and our provisions were finished. Abu Ubayda ordered that the provisions of the army be gathered up and they amounted to two containers of dates. He used to give us a little provision from it each day until it was finished, and we used to have only a single date each. I said, 'What use is one date?' He said, 'We will certainly feel its loss when they are finished.' "

Jabir continued, "Then we reached the sea and there was a fish like a small mountain. The army ate from it for eighteen nights. Then Abu Ubayda ordered two ribs from it to be set up. Then he commanded that a camel be ridden underneath them and it did not touch them."

Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Said said that Amra bint Abd ar-Rahman told him that she had heard A'isha, umm al-muminin, saying, "We set out with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when there were five nights left in Dhu'l-Qada and we assumed that we must be setting out for hajj. When we got near to Makka, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, told everyone that did not have a sacrificial animal with them to leave ihram after they had done tawaf of the House and say between Safa and Marwa."

A'isha added, "We were sent some beef on the day of sacrifice. I asked what it was and they said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had sacrificed for his wives."

Yahya ibn Said said, "I mentioned this hadith to Qasim ibn Muhammad and he said, 'She has given you the complete hadith, by Allah.' "