I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been helped by terror [in the hearts of enemies] ; spoils have been made lawful to me; the earth has been made for me a place of worship and ceremonially pure; I have been sent to all mankind; and the line of prophets is closed with me." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "I have been commissioned with words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been helped by terror [in the hearts of enemies]; and while I was asleep, I saw myself being brought the keys of the treasures of the earth which were placed in my hand." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Thauban reported God's messenger as saying, "God gathered together the earth for me and I saw its eastern and western parts. My people will attain to rule over it so far as it was gathered together for me. I have also been given the two treasures, viz. gold and silver[*]. I asked my Lord not to destroy my people by a general famine, or to allow an enemy from another people to rule over them and uproot them, and my Lord replied, `When I decree something, Muhammad, it cannot be averted, but I have granted you for your people that I shall not destroy them by a general famine, or allow an enemy from another people to rule over them and uproot them, even though those in all quarters of the earth were to unite against them in order that they might destroy one another and take one another captive'." *Literally, "the red and the white." Muslim transmitted it.

Passing the mosque of the B. Mu'awiya, God's messenger entered and prayed two rak`as in it and we prayed along with him. He made supplication to his Lord for a long time and then went away. He then said, "I asked my Lord for three things two of which He granted me, but one of which He refused me. I asked my Lord not to destroy my people by famine and He granted me that; I asked Him not to destroy my people by drowning and He granted me that; I asked Him not to let war arise among them but He refused me that." Muslim transmitted it.

`Ata' b. Yasar told that he met `Abdallah b. `Amr b. al- `As and asked him to inform him of the description of God's messenger given in the Torah. He agreed, swearing by God that he was certainly described in the Torah by part of the description of him given in the Qur'an when it says, "0 prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good tidings, and a warner[1], and a guard for the common people. You are my servant and my messenger; I have, called you the one who trusts, not harsh or rough, nor loud-voiced in the streets. He will not repulse evil with evil, but will- pardon and forgive, and God will not take him till He uses him to straighten the crooked creed so that people may say there is no god but God, and opens thereby blind eyes, deaf ears and hardened hearts[2]." Quran; 33:45. Reminiscent of Isaiah 42; 1-4. Bukhari transmitted it, and Darimi also gives something to the same effect on the authority of `Ata who gave as his authority Ibn Salam.

God's messenger led us in prayer and prolonged it, and when the people said, "Messenger of God, you have prayed a prayer such as you have not been accustomed to pray," he replied, "Yes, it was a prayer of hope and fear during which I asked God for three things, two of which He granted me but one of which He refused me. I asked Him not to destroy my people by famine and He granted me that, I asked Him not to let an enemy from another people rule over them and He granted me that, and I asked Him not to let them experience one another's violence but He refused me that." Tirmidhi and Nasa'i transmitted it.

that your prophet should not invoke a curse on you and you should all perish, that those who follow what is false should not prevail over those who follow the truth, and that you should not all join in an error." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

'Auf b. Malik reported God's messenger as saying, "God will not cause two swords to smite this people together, one from among itself and one from its enemy." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Al 'Abbas told that he came to the Prophet who seemed to have heard something and so mounted the pulpit and asked, "Who am I?" On being told that he was God's messenger he said, "I am Muhammad son of `Abdallah son of Abd al-Muttalib. God created all creatures and placed me among the best of them, then put them in two sections[*] and placed me in the better section, then made them into tribes and placed me in the best tribe, then made them into families and placed me in the best family, and I am inherently the best of them and come of the best family." *Mirqat; 5:366, explains this as meaning Arabs and foreigners, with which may be compared the contrast between Jews and Gentiles, or Greeks and barbarians. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that when God's messenger was asked when the office of prophet had been established for him, he replied, "When Adam had not yet had his spirit joined to his body." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

it was the petition of Abraham[2], the good tidings by Jesus[3], and the vision my mother saw when she gave birth to me and a light issued to her from which the castles of Syria shone for her." 1. i.e., the substance to which bodily form was to be added and to which the soul was to be joined. The tradition says Muhammad was inscribed in God's presence as the seal (i.e., the last) of the prophets before Adam's creation was complete. 2. Cf. Quran; 2:129. 3. Cf. Quran; 61:6 It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna, and Ahmad transmitted it on the authority of Abu Umama from "I shall inform you . . .'' to the end.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be preeminent among the descendants of Adam on the day of resurrection, and this is no boast; and in my hand will be the banner of praise, and this is no boast. There will be no prophet, Adam or any other, who will not be under my banner. I shall be the first from whom the earth will be cleft open, and this is no boast." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn 'Abbas told that when some of the companions of God's messenger were sitting, he came out, and when he came near them, he heard them discussing. One of them said God had taken Abraham as a friend[1], another said He spoke direct to Moses[2], another said Jesus is God's word and spirit[3], and another said God chose Adam[4]. God's messenger then came out to them and said, "I have heard what you said, and you wonder that Abraham was God's friend, as indeed he was; that Moses was God's, confidant, as indeed he was; that Jesus was His spirit and word, as indeed he was; and that Adam was chosen by God, as indeed he was. I am the one whom God loves, and this is no boast. On the day of resurrection, I shall be the bearer of the banner of praise under which will be-Adam and the others, and this is no boast. I shall be the first intercessor and the first whose intercession is accepted on the day of resurrection, and this, is no boast. I shall be the first to rattle the knocker of paradise, and God will open for me and bring me into it accompanied by the poor ones among the believers, and this is no boast. I shall be the most honourable in God's estimation among those of earliest and latest times, and this is no boast." 1. Cf. Quran; 4:125. 3. Cf. Quran; 4:171. 2. Cf. Quran; 4:164. 4. Cf. Quran; 3:33 Tirmidhi and Dirimi transmitted it.

Abraham was God's friend, Moses was God's chosen one, and I am God's belove done who will have the banner of praise on the day of resurrection. God has given me promises regarding my people and has granted them protection from three things: He will not bring on them a universal famine, an enemy will not extirpate them, and He will not cause them all to unite in an error." Darimi transmitted it.

Jabir reported the Prophet as saying, "I am the leader (qa'id) of the messengers, and this is no boast; I am the seal of the prophets, and this is no boast; and I shall, be the first to make intercession and the first whose intercession is accepted, and this is no boast." Darimi transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be the first to come forth when mankind are resurrected; I shall be their leader when they present themselves before God; I shall be their spokesman when they are speechless; I shall be the one who is. asked to intercede for them when they are restrained; I shall be throne who gives them good tidings when they despair; honour and the keys will on that day be in my hand; the banner of praise will on that day be in my hand; and I shall be the most honourable of the descendants of Adam in my Lord's estimation. A thousand servants like concealed eggs or scattered pearls will go round me." Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, "I shall be clothed with one of the robes of paradise and shall then stand at the right of the Throne, a place where no other creature than I shall stand." Tirmidhi transmitted it. The version on his authority in Jami al-usul has "I shall be the first from whom the earth will be cleft open and I shall be clothed...[*]" *The tradition begins "and I shall be clothed." but I have omitted the conjunction as it would seem awkward in English. The version beginning with the words "I shall be the first..." makes the conjunction quite natural.

He reported the Prophet as saying, "Ask God to grant me the wasila." God's messenger was asked what the wasila meant and replied, "The highest grade in paradise which only one man will attain, and I hope I may be he." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ubayy b. Ka'b reported the Prophet as saying, "On the day of resurrection I shall be the leader (imam) of the prophets, their spokesman, and the one who will intercede for them, and this is no boast." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. Mas`ud reported God's messenger as saying, "Every prophet has friends from among the prophets, and my friend is my father, the friend of my Lord." He then recited, "Those who will be nearest to Abraham are those who followed him, as well' as this prophet and those who believe, and God is the Patron of the believers[*]." *Quran; 3:63 Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Jabir reported the Prophet as saying, "God has sent me to perfect good qualities of character and to complete good deeds." It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Ka'b, quoting the Torah, said we find written, "Muhammad God's messenger, My chosen servant, is not rough, or coarse, or loud-voiced in the streets, he does not require evil with evil, but forgives and pardons. His birthplace will be in Mecca, his place of emigration in Taiba, his kingdom in Syria, and his people will be those who are devoted to praising who praise God in prosperity and adversity, who praise God in every alighting-place, who declare God's greatness on every rising ground, who watch for the sun and observe the prayer when its time comes, who tie their lower garments round their middle, who perform ablution a t their extremities, whose crier summons in the open air, who are the same in fighting as they are in prayer, who make a low sound a t night like the buzzing of bees." This is the wording in al-Masabih. Darimi transmitted it with a slight difference.

Abdallah b. Salam said the description of Moses is written in the Torah and also that Jesus, son of Mary will be buried along; with him. Abu Maudud[1] said that a place for a grave has remained in the house[2]." One of the transmitters of the tradition. He was `Abd al-`Aziz b. Abu Sulaiman al Madani (d. 62) i.e., `Aisha's house. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

God most high gave Muhammad superiority over the prophets and the inhabitants of heaven. On being asked, "In what respect, Abu 'Abbas[1], has God given him superiority over the inhabitants of heaven?'' he replied that God most high said to the inhabitants of heaven, "If any of them says, `I am a god apart from Him,' We shall recompense that one with jahannam. Thus we recompense the evildoers."[2] And God most high said to Muhammad, "We have certainly given you a clear victory, that God may forgive you your former and latter sins[3]." He was asked the nature of his superiority over the prophets and replied that God most high said, "We have sent no messenger who, did not use the tongue of his people to make matters clear to them; then God leads astray those whom He will...[4]" And God most high said to Muhammad, "We have sent you only to all mankind[5]." Then He sent him to jinn and men. This is the kunya of 'Abdallah b. al-'Abbas. Quran; 21:29 Quran; 48:1 f. Quran; 14:4 Quran; 34:28 (Darimi).

Abu Dharr al-Ghifari told that he asked God's messenger how he knew he was a prophet so that he was quite sure of it, and that he replied, "Two angels came to me, Abu Dharr, when I was at a place in the valley of Mecca, one alighting on the earth and the other remaining between heaven and earth. One of them asked the other if this was the man, and when he replied that I was, he told him to weigh me against a man. This was done and I was the heavier. He told him to weigh me against ten men, and when this was done, I outweighed them. He then told him to weigh me against a hundred men, and when this was done, I outweighed them. He then told him to weigh me against a thousand men, and when this was done, I outweighed them; and it seemed to me as if I were looking at them being scattered over me because of the lightness of the scale. Then one said to the other that if he were to weigh me against my people, I would outweigh them." Darimi transmitted the two traditions.

Ibn `Abbas reported God s messenger as saying, "Sacrifice was prescribed for me but not for you, and I was ordered to observe prayer in the forenoon but you were not." Daraqutni transmitted it.

Jubair b. Mut'im told that he heard the Prophet say, "I have names. I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am al-Mahi (the obliterator) by whom God obliterates infidelity, I am al-Hashir (the gatherer) who will gather mankind at my feet, I am al-'Aqib (the last in succession), al- `Aqib being the one after whom there will be no prophet." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Musa al-Ash`ari told that God's messenger used to name himself to them in various ways, saying, "I am Muhammad, Ahmad, al-Muqaffi (the follower)[*], al-Hashir, the prophet of repentance and the prophet of mercy." *This title indicates that he follows other prophets, being the last. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, `Are you not astonished at the manner in which God turns away from me the reviling and cursing of Quraish? They revile one who is blameworthy (mudhammam) and curse one who is blameworthy, whereas I am Muhammad (praiseworthy)." Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir b. Samura told that the front of God's messenger's head and his beard had become grey, and that while this was not visible when he had had his head oiled it was visible when his head was dishevelled. He had a thick beard. When a man remarked that his face was like a sword[*] Jabir replied that that was no so, for it was like the sun and the moon, as it was round. He told that he had seen the seal on his shoulder like a pigeon's egg with the same colour as his body. *It has been suggested that this means it was bright, but does not agree with what follows. The context suggests the man meant he had a long face. Muslim transmitted it.

`Abdullah b. Sarjis told that he had seen the Prophet and had eaten bread and meat along with him (or he said tharid). He had then gone round behind him and looked at the seal of prophecy between his shoulders at the end of his left shoulder-blade, a collection of moles on him like warts. Muslim transmitted it.

Umm Khalid daughter of Sa'id. told that once when the Prophet was brought some garments among which was a small black cloak with a border he said, "Bring me Umm Khalid.'' Then when she was carried to him1 he took the cloak in his hand and put it on her, saying, "Wear it out and make it ragged, then wear it out and make it clear[2].'' It had a green, or a yellow, mark on it, and he said, "This is sanah, which means `beautiful' in the language of the Abyssinians." She said that she began to play with the seal of prophecy and that when her father rebuked her God's messenger said, "Leave her alone." Indicating that she was an infant at the time. Mirqat, 5:378, says this represents a prayer that she might live long. Bukhari transmitted it.

Simak b. Harb quoted the authority of Jabir b. Samura for the statement that God's messenger had a dali mouth, ashkal eyes and manhush ankles. Simak was asked the meaning of a dali mouth and said it meant a large mouth. He was asked the meaning of ashkal eyes and said they were oval[*]. He was asked the meaning of manhush ankles and said there was little flesh on the ankle. *Ashkal normally means `reddish white,' here referring to redness in the white of the eye. Cf. Mirqat, 5:380. Muslim transmitted it.

Abut Tufail said he had seen God's messenger, and he was white, good-looking and of moderate size. Muslim transmitted it.

Thabit told that when Anas was asked about God's messenger's hair dye, he replied that [his hair] did not reach the stage of needing to be dyed, adding that if he (i.e., Anas) wanted he could count the number of grey hairs in his beard. A version says that if he wanted to count the grey hairs which were in his head he could do so. In a version he said the white hairs above his chin, on his temples and on his head were few. (Bukhari and Muslim,)

Anas said God's messenger had a clear complexion, his sweat was like pearls and when he walked, he bent forwards. He said he had not touched brocade or silk which was softer than the palm of God's messenger's hand, or smelt musk or ambergris sweeter than the Prophet's odour. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Umm Sulaim told that the Prophet used to visit her and have a siesta in her house, and she would spread out a leather cloth on which he had his siesta. He sweated profusely, and she would collect his sweat and put it in perfume. The Prophet asked, "What is this, Umm Sulaim?" and she replied, "It is your sweat which we put in our perfume, and it is a perfume of the sweetest type." In a version she said, "Messenger of God, we hope for your blessing on our children," and he replied, "You are right." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I prayed the first prayer along with God's messenger, then he went out to his family and I went out with him. Some children met him and he began to stroke the cheeks of one of them one after the other. He stroked my cheeks, and I experienced a coolness, or a fragrance, in his hand as though he had-brought it out of a scent-bag. Muslim transmitted it.

Usama b. Zaid reported God's messenger as saying, "Let him who falsely attributes to me things I have not said come to his seat in hell." That was because a man he had sent on an errand had told lies about him. God's messenger therefore invoked a curse on him and he was found dead with his belly split, and the earth would not accept him. Baihaqi transmitted the two traditions in Dala'il an-Nubuwa.

God's messenger was neither tall nor short, he had a large head and beard, the palms of his hands and his feet were calloused, he had a reddish tinge, he had large joints, the hair on his breast was long, and when he walked, he bent forward as though he were descending a slope. I have never seen anyone like him before or since. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahih tradition.

He was neither very tall nor excessively short, but was a man of medium size, he had neither very curly nor flowing hair but a mixture of two, he was not obese, he did not have a very round face, but it was so to some extent, he was reddish-white, he had wide black eyes and long eyelashes, he had protruding joints and shoulder-blades, he was not hairy but had some hair on his chest, the palms of his hands and his feet were calloused, when he walked he raised his feet as though he were walking on a slope, when he turned round he turned completely, between his shoulders was the seal of prophecy and he was the seal of the prophets, he had a finer chest than anyone else, was truer in utterance than anyone else, had the gentlest nature and the noblest tribe. Those who saw him suddenly stood in awe of him and those who shared his acquaintanceship loved him. Those who described him said they had never seen anyone like him before or since. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Jabir said the Prophet never walked along a road without one who came along afterwards knowing he had walked along it because of his sweet odour. Or he said, "because of the fragrance of his sweat." Darimi transmitted it.

Abu `Ubaida b. Muhammad b. `Ammar b. Yasir told that he asked ar-Rubaiyi`, daughter of Mu'awwidh b. `Afra' to describe God's messenger to him, and she replied, "If you had seen him, sonny, you would have seen the sun rising." Darimi transmitted it.

I saw the Prophet on a cloudless[*] night and began to look at God's messenger and at the moon. He was wearing a red robe, and he appeared more beautiful than the moon to me. *Lisan al-'arab, 19, 115, gives this meaning adding that some say it means `moonlit' and that some say it is a night when the moon shines all night. The word is idhiyan. Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

I have seen nothing more beautiful than God's messenger who looked as if the sun were pursuing its course in his face. And I have seen no one who walked more quickly than God's messenger, for it seemed as if the earth were being contracted for him. We would exert ourselves, but he was unruffled. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

God's messenger's legs were slender, his laughter was no more than a smile, and when I looked at him, I thought that there was collyrium in his eyes, but there was not. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

God's messenger had spaces between his front teeth, and when he talked something like light seemed to come out between his front teeth. Darimi transmitted it.

When God's messenger was pleased his face lit up so that it looked like a bit of a moon, and we were familiar with that. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that when a young Jew who was a servant of the Prophet became ill, he went to visit him and found his father sitting by his head reciting the Torah. God's messenger said to him, "I adjure you, Jew, by God who sent down the Torah to Moses, do you find in the Torah any account or description of me, or anything about my coming forth?" On his replying that he did not, the young man said, "Certainly, messenger of God, I swear by God. that we do find in the Torah an account and description of you and a statement about your coming forth, and I testify that there is no god but God and that you are God's messenger." The Prophet then said to his companions, "Remove this man from beside his head and look after your brother." Baihaqi transmitted it in Dala'il an-nubuwwa.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, "I am just a mercy which has been bestowed." Darimi and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al-iman, transmitted it.