`A'isha said God's messenger was not unseemly or lewd in his language, nor was he loud-voiced in the streets, nor did he return evil for evil, but he would forgive and pardon. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas used to tell of the Prophet that he would visit the sick, attend funerals, accept a slave's invitation, and ride on a donkey. He said he had seen him on a donkey at the battle for Khaibar using a rein of palm-fibres. Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al Iman, transmitted it.

God's messenger used to patch his sandals, sew his garment and conduct himself at home as anyone of you does in his house. He was a human being, searching his garment for lice, milking his sheep, and doing his own chores. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

I was his neighbour, and when the inspiration descended on him, he sent for me and I went to him and wrote it down for him. When we talked about this world, he did so along with us, when we talked about the next world, he did so along with us, and when we talked about food, he did so along with us. All this I tell you about God's messenger. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas told that when God's messenger shook hands with a man, he did not withdraw his hand till the other did so, he did not turn his face away till the other did so, and he was not seen to put forward his knees in front of one with whom he was sitting. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He said that God's messenger did not store up anything for the next day. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Jabir b. Samura said God's messenger was far from talkative[*]. *This is free translation expressing the meaning of the Arabic which is literally `long of silence'. The idea that he spoke only when he had good reason for doing so. Cf. Mirqat, 5:394. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Jabir[*] said God's messenger spoke in a distinct and leisurely manner. *Jabir b. Abdallah. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

God's messenger did not go on talking rapidly as you do, but spaced out his words so that those who sat with him could remember them. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. al-Harith b. Jaz' said he had seen no one more given to smiling than God's messenger. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. Salam said that when God's messenger sat talking he would often raise his eyes to the sky. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

I never saw anyone more kindly towards children than God's messenger. His son Ibrahim was being suckled in the `Awali of Medina[1], and he would go accompanied by us and enter the house which was full of smoke, the boy's foster-father[2] being a blacksmith. He would take him and kiss him and then go back. `Amr told that when Ibrahim died God's messenger said, "Ibrahim is my son who has died while being suckled, but he has two foster-mothers who will complete his suckling in paradise." 1. A village in Madina province. 2. He was Abu Samin al Bara b. Aus Al-Ansari. Muslim transmitted it.

`Muhammad b. 'Abdallah whose birthplace is in Mecca, whose place of emigration is in Taiba, and whose kingdom is in Syria; he is not harsh or rough, or loud-voiced in the streets, and he is not characterised by coarseness or lewd speech.' I testify that there is no god but God, and I testify that you are God's messenger. Give a decision about this property of mine according to what God has shown you." Now the Jew was very rich. Baihaqi transmitted it in Dala'il an-nubuwa.

God's messenger was often given to making mention of God, seldom given to idle talk, he would pray at length, deliver short sermons, not disdain to walk with a widow or a humble person, and he would accomplish for him what he needed. Nasai and Darimi transmitted it.

`Ali told that Abu Jahl said to the Prophet, "We do not call you a liar, but we say that what you have brought is false." God most high then sent down concerning them, "They do not call you a liar, but the evildoers deny God's signs[*]." *Quran; 6:33. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`A'isha reported God's messenger as saying, "If I wished, `A'isha, mountains of gold would go with me. An angel whose waist was as high as the Ka'ba came to me and told me that my Lord sent me a greeting and said that if I wished I could be a prophet and a servant, or if I wished I could be a prophet and a king. I looked at Gabriel and he gave me a sign to humble myself. (In the version by Ibn `Abbas it says that God's messenger turned to Gabriel as one asking his advice and Gabriel made a gesture with his hand indicating that he should be humble.) I then said that I would be a prophet and a servant." `A'isha said that after that God's messenger did not eat reclining, saying he would eat like a slave and sit like a slave. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Ibn `Abbas said God's messenger was commissioned at the age of forty, he remained in Mecca thirteen years receiving revelations, after which he was ordered to emigrate, he was an emigrant for ten years and died at the age of sixty-three. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said God's messenger stayed in Mecca fifteen years hearing the voice and seeing the light for seven years, but seeing nothing along with it, and eight years during which revelations were given to him. He stayed in Medina ten years and died at the age of sixty-five. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said God took him when he was just sixty years old. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said the Prophet was taken at the age of sixty-three, Abu Bakr at the age of sixty-three, and `Umar at the age of sixty-three. Muslim transmitted it.

The first revelation God's messenger received was the true vision in sleep, and every vision he saw came like the bright gleam of dawn. He then became fond of solitude and would go alone to the cave on Hira where he would engage in tahannuth, which means worship for a number of nights, before feeling a yearning for his family. He would take provisions for that purpose, then he would return to Khadija and get provisions for a like period, till the truth came to him when he was in the cave on Hira. The angel came to him and said, `Recite,'[1] to which he replied, "I am not a reciter." He said, "He then took me and squeezed me till I was distressed, after which he let me go and said, `Recite.' When I replied, `I am not a reciter,' he took me and squeezed me a second time till I was distressed, then letting me go he said, `Recite;' When I replied, "I am not a reciter,' he took me and squeezed me a third time till I was distressed. He then let me go and said, `Recite! In the name of your Lord who created, created man from a clot of blood. Recite! And your most bountiful Lord is He who taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know.' "[2] God's messenger came back with the verses, his heart trembling, and went in to Khadija and, said "Wrap me up, wrap me up." So, they wrapped him up till the terror had left him. He then spoke to Khadija and informed her of what had happened, saying, "I fear for myself." She replied, "By no means! I swear by God that God will never shame you. You join ties of relationship, you speak the truth, you bear people's burdens, you give to the destitute, you entertain guests, and you help against the vicissitudes which affect people's rights." Khadija then took him to Waraqa b. Naufal, her paternal cousin, and said to him, "Listen, cousin, to what your nephew has to say." Waraqa said to him, "Son of my brother, what do you see?'' God's messenger then informed him about what he had seen and Waraqa said, "It is the namus[3] which God sent down to Moses. Would that I were a young man during your prophetic career! Would that I might be alive when your people expel you!" God's messenger asked, "Will they expel me?'' and he replied, "Yes; no man has ever brought anything like what you have brought without meeting hostility. If I see your day, I shall give you strong help."Waraqa died soon afterwards, and there was an intermission ...

"While I was walking I heard a voice from the sky, and raising my eyes I saw the angel who had come to me on Hira sitting on a throne between heaven and earth. I was terror stricken on that account so that I fell to the ground. I then went to my family and said, `Wrap me up, wrap me up.' They wrapped me up, and then God most high sent down, `You who are shrouded, arise and deliver warning, your Lord magnify, your clothes cleanse, and defilement shun. * The inspiration then became hot and followed continuously." *Quran; 74:1-5 (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`A'isha told that al-Harith b. Hisham asked God's messenger, "How does the inspiration come to you, messenger of God?" to which he replied, "It comes to me at times like the clanging of a bell, and that is the type which is most severe for me; it then leaves me, I having retained of it what the angel said. At times the angel appears to me in human form and speaks to me, and I retain what he says." `A'isha said she had seen the inspiration descending on him on a very cold day, and his forehead pouring with sweat when it left him. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`Ubada b. as-Samit said that when the inspiration descended on the Prophet, he was distressed on account of that and his face was altered to a dark hue. A version says, he lowered his head and his companions lowered their heads; then when it was removed from him, he raised his head. Muslim transmitted it.

When "And warn your nearest relations"[1] was sent down the Prophet went out, ascended as-Safa', and began to call, "B. Fihr, B. `Adi," calling clans of Quraish until they gathered; and when a man was unable to go out, he sent a messenger to see what was the matter. When Abu Lahab arid all Quraish had come he said, "Tell me; If I were to inform you that horsemen were coming forth from the side of this mountain (a version having: were coming forth in the wadi) with the intention of making a raid on you, would you believe me?" They replied, "Yes; we have experienced nothing but truth from you." He said, "Well, I am a warner to you before a severe chastisement." Abu Lahab said, "May you perish! Is it for this you have brought us together?" Then came down, "Perish the hands of Abu Lahab and may he perish!"[2] Quran; 26:214 Quran; 111 (Bukhari and Muslim.)

While God's messenger was praying at the Ka'ba and the company of Quraish were in the places where they sat, someone said, "Which of you will go to the sacrificial camel of the family of so and so, make for the contents of its stomach, its blood and the skin over the foetus then wait and put it on his shoulders when he prostrates himself?" The most wretched one among them* then went off, and when he prostrated himself put it on his shoulders; and as the Prophet remained in prostration, they laughed to such an extent that they rolled against one another. Someone went to tell Fatima who came running, and the Prophet remained in prostration till she threw it off him, faced them and reviled them. Then when God's messenger finished the prayer, he said three times, "0 God, deal with Quraish (it being his practice when he made supplication to make it three times and when he made a request to make it three times); 0 God, deal with 'Amr b. Hisham, `Utba b. Rabi'a, Shaiba b. Rabi'a, al Walid b. `Utba, Umayya b. Khalaf, `Uqba b. Abu Mu'ait, and `Umara b. al-Walid." `Abdallah said: I swear by God that I have seen them prostrate at the battle of Badr, after which they were dragged to the well, the well of Badr; and God's messenger said, "Those thrown into the well have been followed with a curse." *Mirqat, 5:409, says this was either Abu Jahl, or `Uqba b. Abu Mu'ait, adding that Nawawi said it was the latter. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`A'isha told that she asked God's messenger whether he had experienced a day more severe than that of Uhud, and that he replied, "I have experienced things from your people, but the most severe thing I experienced from them was on the day of the `Aqaba when I offered myself to Ibn `Abd Yalil b. Kulal and he did not agree to what I wanted.1 I then went off full of care not noticing where I was going, and did not come to my senses till I was at Qarn ath-Tha'alib[2]. Raising my head, I saw a cloud which overshadowed me, and when I looked, I saw Gabriel in it. He called to me, told me God had heard the words of my people and their rejection of me, and said He had sent me the angel of the mountains for me to order him to do to them what I wanted. The angel of the mountains then called to me, saying, after giving me a salutation, `God has heard the words of your people, Muhammad, and I am the angel of the mountains whom your Lord has sent to you to order me if you wish to cover them with al-Akhshaban[3].'" God's messenger replied, "No, I hope God may bring forth from their loins people who will worship God alone, associating nothing with Him." Ibn 'Abd Yalil belonged to at-Ta'if. His father was one of the leading men, but he was 'Abd Ya`lil b. 'Amr b. `Umair (see Isti'ab, p. 410). Yaqut, Mu'jam, 4:72, sats it is a day and a night's journey from Mecca when one comes from Najd. Two hills near Mecca. Cf. Yaqut, Mu'jam, 1:163. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that when one of God's messenger's teeth between the front and the canine teeth was broken at the battle of Uhud and a cut was made in his head, he began to remove the blood from himself and say, "How can a people who have split the head of their prophet and broken his tooth next to his eyetooth prosper?'' Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "God is very angry with people who have done this to their prophet (pointing to the tooth next his eyetooth). God is very angry with a man who is killed by God's messenger in God's path." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I asked Abu Salama b. `Abd ar Rahman about the first portion of the Quran to come down, and he replied that it was, "O you who are shrouded . . ."[1] I told him that people said it was, "Recite! In the name of your Lord," [2] and Abu Salama replied that he had asked Jabir about that, saying to him the. same kind of thing as I had just said, and that Jabir had replied that he would tell me only what God's messenger had told him. He had said, "I stayed in Hira for a month, and when I had finished my stay, I came down. A call was made to me and I looked to my right but saw nothing; I looked to my left but saw nothing; I looked behind me but saw nothing; then when I raised my head and saw something I went to Khadija and said, `Wrap me up.' They did so, and poured cold water over me, and then `You who are shrouded, arise and deliver warning, your Lord magnify, your clothes cleanse, and defilement shun,' came down." He said that was before the prayer was made obligatory. Quran, 74. Quran, 94. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that Gabriel came to God's messenger when he was playing with some other boys, seized him, threw him down, split open his heart and took out of it a clot of blood, saying, "This is the devil's portion in you." He then washed it with Zamzam water in a gold dish, repaired it, and put it back in its place. The boys went running to his mother, i.e., his foster-mother, saying, "Muhammad has been killed," so they went to him and found him looking upset. Anas said he used to see the mark of the sewing in his breast. Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir b. Samura reported God's messenger as saying, "I know a stone in Mecca which used to give me a salutation before I received my commission, and indeed I know it now." Muslim transmitted it.

Anas said that when the people of Mecca asked God's messenger to show them a sign, he showed them the moon in two pieces between which they were able to see Hira. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn Mas'ud said that in the time of God's messenger the moon was split in two portions, one above the mountain and one below it, and God's messenger said, "Testify." [*] *A call to the people to testify to his prophetic office, or to the miracle. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira told that Abu Jahl said, "Does Muhammad rub his face in the dust among you?" and that when he was told that he did he said, "I swear by al-Lat and al-`Uzza that if I see him do that I will tramp on his neck." He then came to God's messenger when he was praying with the purpose of tramping on his neck, but all of a sudden, he was sitting back on his heels and warding off something with his hands. He was asked what was the matter with him and replied, "Between him and me there are a trench of fire, something which causes terror, and wings." God's messenger said, "If he had come near me the angels would have snatched him limb by limb." Muslim transmitted it.

While I was with the Prophet a man came to him and complained to him of poverty; then another came to him and complained to him of highway robbery. He then said, "Have you seen al-Hira, `Adi? If you live long enough you will certainly see a woman travelling from al-Hira to go round the Ka'ba, fearing no one but God; if you live long enough the treasures of Kisra will certainly be conquered; if you live long enough you will certainly see a man coming out with a handful of gold or silver looking for someone to accept it but finding no one to accept it from him.[1] One of you will certainly meet God on the day he meets Him with no one between them to interpret for him. He will then certainly say, `Did I not send you a messenger who was conveying the message to you?' He will reply, `Certainly.' He will then say, `Did I not give you property and show favour to you?' He will reply, `Certainly;' then he will look to his right and see only Jahannam, and he will look to his left and see only Jahannam. Guard against hell, even though it be with half a date;[2] and if anyone cannot get so much, he should do it with a good word." `Adi said: I have seen a woman travelling from al-Hira to go round the Ka'ba, fearing no one but God; I was among those who conquered the treasures of Kisra, son of Hurmuz; and if you live long enough you will see what the Prophet Abul Qasim said, one coming out with his hand full. Because there will be no poor at that time. As alms. Bukhari transmitted it.

We made complaint to the Prophet when he was using a striped cloak as a cushion in the shade of the Ka'ba, for we had experienced persecution from the polytheists, asking him if he would not make supplication to God. His face became red, and he sat and said, "Before your time a man would have a pit dug for him in the earth and be put in it, then a saw would be brought and placed above his head which would be split in two, but that would not turn him away from his religion. He would be combed with iron combs below his flesh in bone and sinew, but that would not turn him away from his religion. I swear by God that this matter will reach perfection, so that a rider will go from San'a' to Hadramaut fearing nothing but God, or a wolf which may attack his sheep; but you are in a hurry." [*] *An assurance is here given that the polytheists will receive their punishment, but the people who complained to the Prophet are exhorted to exert patience till the time for that comes. Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas told that God's messenger used to visit Umm Haram, daughter of Milhan who was married to `Ubada b. as-Samit. One day when he visited her, she gave him food and sat clearing his head of lice. God's messenger went to sleep, and then awoke laughing. She asked what was making him laugh and he replied, "Some of my people were shown to me who, while on an expedition in God's path, were sailing in the midst of this sea as kings on thrones (or, like kings on thrones)." She said, "Messenger of God, beseech God that He may put me among them." He made supplication for her, then laid down his head and went to sleep, and after a time awoke laughing. She asked what was making him laugh and he replied, "Some of my people were shown to me who, while on an expedition in God's path ..." (and so on as in the first reply). She said, "Messenger of God, beseech God that He may put me among them." He replied, "You will be among the first." Umm Haram sailed on the sea in Mu'awiya's time, and was thrown from her beast when she came ashore, and died. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn `Abbas told that Dimad, a man of Azd Shanu'a who applied spells to avert the jinn[*], came to Mecca, and heard the foolish ones among the inhabitants of Mecca saying Muhammad was jinn-possessed. So, he said, "If I could only see this man, perhaps God might heal him at my hand." He met him and said, "I apply spells to avert the jinn, Muhammad. Would you like me do so?" God's messenger replied, "Praise is due to God whom we praise and from whom we seek help. No one can lead astray one whom God guides, and no one can guide one whom God leads astray. I testify that there is no god but God alone who has no partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. To proceed." Here he interrupted by saying, "Repeat these words to me," so God's messenger repeated them three times. He then said, "I have heard what the kahinssay, what the sorcerers say and what the poets say, but I have never heard anything like these words of yours which have reached a depth like that of the sea (balaghna qamus al-bahr). If you give me your hand, I will swear allegiance to you by accepting Islam." He said that he swore allegiance to him. *Literally, "applied spells against this wind." The word rih(wind) is sometimes used of the jinn, the reason given being that they are invisible like the wind. Muslim transmitted it. Some text of al-Masabih have balaghna na'us al-bahr, but it is a corruption.

During the period of peace between God's messenger and me I went off, and while I was in Syria a letter was brought from the Prophet to Hiraql. Dihya al-Kalbi brought it and handed it to the governor of Busra who handed it to Hiraql. Hiraql asked whether there was anyone there belonging to the people of that man who asserted `that he was a prophet, and when he was told that there was, I was summoned along with some members of Quraish. We entered the presence of Hiraql who made us sit in front of him and then asked, "Which of you is most closely related to this man who asserts that he is a prophet?" When I said that I was, they made me sit in front of him and made my companions sit behind me. He then called for his interpreter and said, "Tell them I am asking this man about this one who asserts he is a prophet, and that if he lies to me, they must accuse him of falsehood." (Abd Sufyan swore by God that if he had not been afraid of his falsehood being reported, he would have lied to him.) He said to his interpreter, "Ask him about the-nature of his lineage among them," and I replied, "He is a man of high lineage among us." He asked, "Has there been any king among his ancestors?" and I replied that there had not been any. He asked whether we had suspected him of falsehood before he said what he had said, and I replied that we had not. He asked whether he was followed by the nobles among the people or by the weak ones, and I replied that he was followed by the weak ones. He asked whether their numbers were increasing or diminishing, and I replied that they were increasing. He asked whether any apostatised from his religion after accepting it through displeasure with him, and I replied that they did not. He asked if we had fought with him, and I replied that we had. He asked the nature of our fighting with him, and I replied that it had its ups and downs, he neither getting the better of us nor we getting the better of him. He asked if he employed treachery, and I replied that he did not, but added that during that period we did not know what he was doing. I swear by God that he did not give me an opportunity of inserting a word except on this occasion. He asked if anyone had said what he was saying before him, and I replied that no one had. He then told his interpreter to say to me, "I asked you about his lineage among you and you asserted that he had a high lineage among you; and messengers ...

Qatada quoted the authority of Anas b. Malik who quoted the authority of Malik b. Sa'sa'a to the effect that God's prophet told them about the night when he was taken up to heaven, saying, "While I was lying down at al-Hatim[2] (but perhaps he said al-Hijr), someone came to me and made a split from here to here (meaning from the pit of his chest to the hair below his navel), then took out my heart. I was next brought a gold dish full of faith, and my heart was washed, then filled up and put back. (A version says the inside was washed with Zamzam water, after which it was filled with faith and wisdom.) I was then brought a beast smaller than a mule and larger than a donkey, which was white, was called al-Buraq, and stepped a distance equal to the range of its vision. I was mounted on it, and Gabriel went with me till he came to the lowest heaven. He asked that the gate be opened, and when he was asked who he was he replied that he was Gabriel. He was asked who was with him and replied that it was Muhammad. He was asked whether he had been sent for, and when he replied that that was so, the words were uttered, `Welcome; his coming is good,' and the gate was opened. When I entered Adam was there, and Gabriel said, `This is your father Adam, so give him a salutation. I did so, and when he had returned my salutation he said, `Welcome to the good son and the good prophet.' Gabriel then took me up till he came to the second heaven. He asked that the gate be opened, and when he was asked who he was he replied that he was Gabriel. He was asked who was with him and replied that it was Muhammad. He was asked whether he had been sent for, and when he replied that that was so, the words were uttered, `Welcome; his coming is good' and the gate was opened. When I entered John[3] and Jesus, who were cousins on the mother's side, were there, and Gabriel said, `These are John and Jesus, so give them a salutation I did so, and when they had returned my salutation they said, `Welcome to the good brother and the good prophet.' Gabriel then took me up to the third heaven. He asked that the gate be opened, and when he was asked who he was he replied that he was Gabriel. He was asked who was with him, and replied that it was Muhammad. He was asked whether he had been sent for, and when he replied that that was so, the words were uttered, `Welcome, his coming is good and the gate was opened. When I entered Joseph was there, and. Gabriel said, this is Joseph, so give him a salutation.' ...

Thabit al-Bunani told on the authority of Anas that God's messenger said, "I was brought al-Buraq which was an animal white and long, larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, whose hoof touched the ground at a distance equal to the range of its vision. I mounted it and came to Jerusalem, then tied It to the ring used by the prophets. Then after entering the mosque and praying two rak'as in it I came out and Gabriel brought me a vessel of wine and a vessel of milk. I chose the milk, and Gabriel said, `You have chosen the true religion.' We were then taken up to heaven ..." and he went on with something to the same effect as has been mentioned already. He said, "I found Adam who welcomed me and prayed for my wellbeing." Regarding the third heaven he said, "I found Joseph who had been given half of beauty[*], and he welcomed me and prayed for my wellbeing." But he did not mention the weeping of Moses. Regarding the seventh heaven he said, "I found Abraham supporting his back against the frequented house which is entered daily by seventy thousand angels who do not return to it. He then took me to the lote-tree of the boundary whose leaves are like elephants' ears and whose fruits are like earthenware vessels. When what God commands overshadows it, it changes, and none of God's creatures can describe it because of its beauty. God revealed to me what He revealed and made obligatory for-me fifty prayers every day and night. I came down to Moses who asked what my Lord had made obligatory for my people, and when I told him He had prescribed fifty prayers every day and night he said, `Go back to your Lord and ask Him to make things lighter, for your people are not capable of that. I have tested and had experience of the B. Isra'il.' I went back to my Lord and said, `0 my Lord, make things lighter for my people,' so He relieved me of five. When I returned to Moses and told him He had relieved me of five he said, `Your people are not capable of that, so go back to your Lord and ask Him to make things lighter.' I then kept going back and forth between my Lord and Moses till He said, `They are five prayers every day and night, Muhammad, each being credited as ten, so that makes fifty times of prayer. He who intends to do a good deed and does not do it will have a good deed recorded for him, and if he does it, it will be recorded for him as ten; whereas he who intends to do an evil deed and does not do it will have nothing recorded for him, and if he does it one ...

Ibn Shihab told on the authority of Anas that Abu Dharr used to tell that God's messenger said, "The roof of my house was cleft when I was in Mecca and Gabriel descended and opened my breast, after which he washed it with Zamzam water. He then brought a gold dish full of wisdom and faith, and after emptying it into my breast he closed it up. Then taking me by the hand he ascended with me to heaven, and when I came to the lowest heaven Gabriel said to the guardian of heaven, `Open.' He asked who was there, and when he replied that it was Gabriel, he asked whether anyone was with him. When he replied that he had Muhammad with him he was asked whether he had been sent for and replied that he had. When the gate was opened, we went up into the lowest heaven and I saw a man sitting with people on his right and people on his left. When he looked to his right he laughed, and when he looked to his left he wept. He said, `Welcome to the good prophet and the good son.' I asked Gabriel who this was and he replied, `This is Adam, and these people on his right and his left are the souls of his descendants. Those of them on his right are the inhabitants of paradise and those on his left are the inhabitants of hell, so when he looks to his right he laughs and when he looks to his left he weeps.' He then took me up to the second heaven and said to its guardian, `Open,' and its guardian said to him the same as the first one had said." Anas said he mentioned that he had found in the heavens Adam, Idris, Moses, Jesus and Abraham, hut did not specify the nature of their abodes, except th a t he mentioned he had found Adam in the lowest heaven and Abraham in the sixth. Ibn Shihab said he was told by Ibn Hazm that Ibn `Abbas and Abu Habba al-Ansar! used to say that the Prophet said, "I was then taken up till I mounted a height in which I heard the scraping of the pens." Ibn Hazm and Anas told that the Prophet said, ``God then made fifty prayers obligatory for my people and I returned with that. When I passed Moses, he asked what God had made it obligatory for me to impose on my people, and when I told him He had made fifty I prayers obligatory he said, `Go back to your Lord, for your people are | not capable.' So, he sent me back and half of them were remitted, and i! when I returned to Moses and told him that half of them had been i remitted, he said, `Go back to your Lord, for your people are not capable.' I went back and repeated what I had said, and half of them were remitted. ...

When God's messenger was taken up to heaven, he was brought to the lote-tree of the boundary which is in the sixth heaven, to which what is taken up from the earth reaches and of which something is grasped, and to which what is sent down from above reaches and of which something is grasped. He said that "Behold, there overshadows the lote-tree what overshadows''[2] means a covering of gold. He said God's messenger was then given three things: he was given the five times of prayer, he was given the last verses of sura-al-Baqara, and forgiveness of serious sins was granted to those of his people who did not associate anything with God. 1, i.e., Ibn Mas'ud. 2 Quran, 53:16 Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "I have seen myself in al-Hijr when Quraish were questioning me about my night journey and asked me about matters connected with Jerusalem regarding which I was not sure. I was worried to an extent I had never experienced before, so God raised it up before me and they did not ask about anything without my informing them. I have seen myself in a company of the prophets, and there was Moses standing in prayer, a spare, strong-limbed man looking like one of the men of Shanu'a. Jesus was there standing in prayer, `Urwa b. Mas'ud ath-Thaqaf being the one who resembles him most closely. Abraham also was there standing in prayer, your companion (meaning himself) being the one who resembles him most closely. When the time for prayer came, I acted as their imam, and when I had finished the prayer, someone said to me, `This, Muhammad, is Malik, the guardian of hell, "so give him a salutation.' I turned round to him, and he gave me a salutation before I had time to salute him." Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir told that he heard God's messenger say, "When Quraish accused me of falsehood I stood up in al-Hijr, then God made Jerusalem clear to me, and I informed them of its distinguishing marks while I was looking at it." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I looked at the feet of the polytheists above our heads when we were in the cave and said, "Messenger of God, if one of them were to look at his foot he would see us." He replied, "Abd Bakr, what do you think of two people along with whom God makes a third?" (Bukhari and Muslim.)

We travelled all night and the following day till the midday sun offered little shade, the road being empty with no one passing on it. Seeing a tall, shady rock protected from the sun's rays we alighted beside it, and when I had smoothed a place with my hands for him to sleep and spread a skin garment over him, I said, "Sleep, messenger of God, and I shall keep watch around you." He went to sleep, and when I went out to keep watch around him, I saw a shepherd approaching. I asked if his sheep had any milk and he replied that they had, so I asked if he would draw some milk and he agreed, and drew a cupful into a wooden cup. I had a small skin vessel I carried for the Prophet from which he took water both for drinking and for performing ablution, so I went to the Prophet, but as I did not like to waken him, I waited for him till he awoke. I then poured some water on the milk till the bottom of it was cooled, and said, "Drink, messenger of God." When he had drunk an amount which made me feel pleased, he said, "Is it not time to be moving?" and I agreed that it was; so, we moved on after the sun had passed the meridian. Suraqa b. Malik had followed us up and I said, "We have been overtaken, messenger of God." He replied, "Do not grieve; God is with us." The Prophet then prayed that he might be hindered and his horse sank with him up to its belly in hard ground. He said, "I see that you two have prayed that I might be hindered; now pray for me, for God is on your side, that I may turn away the search from you." The Prophet prayed for him, and when he got free, he began to say whenever he met anyone, "You have been saved trouble, for there is no one here; and he met no one without turning him back. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that 'Abdallah b. Salam heard of the arrival of God's messenger when he was in an orchard gathering dates, so he went to the Prophet and said, "I shall ask you about three things which only a prophet knows What is the first sign of the last hour? What is the first thing the inhabitants of paradise will eat? And what makes a boy look like his father or his mother?" He replied, "Gabriel has just informed me about them. The first sign of the last hour will be a fire which will collect mankind from the east to the west; the first thing the inhabitants of paradise will eat will be the ligament of a fish's liver; and when the man's liquid comes before the woman's he attracts the child to his likeness, but when the woman's liquid comes first, she attracts it to her likeness." He said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that you are God's messenger. The Jews, messenger of God, are slanderous people, and if they know of my acceptance of Islam before you ask them, they will slander me." When the Jews came, he asked, "What kind of a man is `Abdallah among you?" They replied, "Our best one and the son of our best one, our chief and the son of our chief." He said, "Tell me what you will do supposing he accepts Islam," to which they replied, "God preserve him from that!" `Abdallah then came out and said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God's messenger." They said, "He is the worst of us and the son of the worst of us," and belittled him, whereupon he said, "This is what I feared, messenger of God." Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that God's messenger asked advice when they heard of the approach of Abu Sufyan, and Sa`d b. `Ubada got up and said, "Messenger of God, by Him in whose hand my soul is, if you were to command us to plunge our animals[1] into the sea we would do so, and if you were to command us to drive them as vigorously as possible to Bark al-Ghimad[2] we would do so." God's messenger then invited the people, and they went off till they alighted at Badr. God's messenger then said, "This is where so and so will be killed," putting his hand on the ground here and there. Anas said that none of them[3] left the place indicated by God's messenger's hand. 1. 'Literally, "to plunge them ". The context makes it clear that the reference is to animals. 2. A place in the Yemen. 3. This is explained as referring to the infidels the place of whose death the Prophet had foretold. Muslim transmitted it.