that he was a boy of ten at the time when the Prophet emigrated to Medina. He added: I served Allah's Apostle for ten years (the last part of his life time) and I know more than the people about the occasion whereupon the order of Al-Hijab was revealed (to the Prophet). Ubai b n Ka`b used to ask me about it. It was revealed (for the first time) during the marriage of Allah's Apostle with Zainab bint Jahsh. In the morning, the Prophet was a bride-groom of her and he Invited the people, who took their meals and went away, but a group of them remained with Allah's Apostle and they prolonged their stay. Allah's Apostle got up and went out, and I too, went out along with him till he came to the lintel of `Aisha's dwelling place. Allah's Apostle thought that those people had left by then, so he returned, and I too, returned with him till he entered upon Zainab and found that they were still sitting there and had not yet gone. The Prophet went out again, and so did I with him till he reached the lintel of `Aisha's dwelling place, and then he thought that those people must have left by then, so he returned, and so did I with him, and found those people had gone. At that time the Divine Verse of Al-Hijab was revealed, and the Prophet set a screen between me and him (his family).

We witnessed along with Allah's Apostle the Khaibar (campaign). Allah's Apostle told his companions about a man who claimed to be a Muslim, "This man is from the people of the Fire." When the battle started, the man fought very bravely and received a great number of wounds and got crippled. On that, a man from among the companions of the Prophet came and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Do you know what the man you described as of the people of the Fire has done? He has fought very bravely for Allah's Cause and he has received many wounds." The Prophet said, "But he is indeed one of the people of the Fire." Some of the Muslims were about to have some doubt about that statement. So while the man was in that state, the pain caused by the wounds troubled him so much that he put his hand into his quiver and took out an arrow and committed suicide with it. Off went some men from among the Muslims to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Allah has made your statement true. So-and-so has committed suicide." Allah's Apostle said, "O Bilal! Get up and announce in public: None will enter Paradise but a believer, and Allah may support this religion (Islam) with a wicked man."

We went out with Allah's Apostle on one of his journeys till we reached Al-Baida or Dhatul-Jaish where my necklace got broken (and lost). Allah's Apostle stopped to search for it and the people too stopped with him. There was no water at that place and they had no water with them. So they went to Abu Bakr and said, "Don't you see what `Aisha has done? She has made Allah's Apostle and the people stop where there is no water and they have no water with them. Abu Bakr came while Allah's Apostle was sleeping with his head on my thigh and said, "You detained Allah Apostle and the people where there is no water and they have no water." He then admonished me and said what Allah wished and pinched me at my flanks with his hands, but I did not move because the head of Allah's Apostle was on my thigh . Allah's Apostle kept on sleeping till be got up in the morning and found no water. Then Allah revealed the Divine Verse of Tayammum, and the people performed Tayammum. Usaid bin AlHudair said. "O family of Abu Bakr! This is not the first blessings of yours." We urged the camel on which I was sitting to get up from its place and the necklace was found under it.

When `Abdullah bin Ubai died, his son `Abdullah bin `Abdullah came to Allah's Apostle who gave his shirt to him and ordered him to shroud his father in it. Then he stood up to offer the funeral prayer for the deceased, but `Umar bin Al-Khattab took hold of his garment and said, "Do you offer the funeral prayer for him though he was a hypocrite and Allah has forbidden you to ask forgiveness for hypocrites?" The Prophet said, "Allah has given me the choice (or Allah has informed me) saying: "Whether you, O Muhammad, ask forgiveness for them, or do not ask forgiveness for them, even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them," (9.80) The he added, "I will (appeal to Allah for his sake) more than seventy times." So Allah's Apostle offered the funeral prayer for him and we too, offered the prayer along with him. Then Allah revealed: "And never, O Muhammad, pray (funeral prayer) for anyone of them that dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly they disbelieved in Allah and His Apostle and died in a state of rebellion." (9.84)

I was with my uncle and I heard `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul, saying, "Don't spend on those who are with Allah's Apostle that they may disperse and go away from him." He also said, "If we return to Medina, surely, the more honorable will expel the meaner." So I informed my uncle of that and then my uncle informed Allah's Apostle thereof. Allah's Apostle sent for `Abdullah bin Ubai and his companions. They swore that they did not say anything of that sort Allah's Apostle deemed their statement true and rejected mine. Thereof I became as distressed as I have never been before, and stayed at home. Then Allah revealed (Surat Al-Munafiqin): 'When the hypocrites come to you.....(63.1) They are the ones who say: Spend nothing on those who are with Allah's Apostle ..(63.7) Verily the more honorable will expel therefrom the meaner..' (63.7-8) Allah's Apostle sent for me and recited that Sura for me and said, "Allah has confirmed your statement."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Malik from Abu Hazim ibn Dinar from Sahl ibn Sad as-Saidi that a woman came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, "Messenger of Allah! I have given myself to you." She stood for a long time, and then a man got up and said, "Messenger of Allah, marry her to me if you have no need of her." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Do you have anything to give her as a bride-price?" He said, "I possess only this lower garment of mine." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If you give it to her you will not have a garment to wear so look for something else." He said, "I have nothing else." He said, "Look for something else, even if it is only an iron ring." He looked, and found that he had nothing. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Do you know any of the Qur'an?" He said, "Yes. I know such-and-such a sura and such-and-such a sura," which he named. The Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, "I have married her to you for what you know of the Qur'an."

Ibn `Abbas said, "When Allah's Apostle was on his deathbed and there were some men in the house, he said, 'Come near, I will write for you something after which you will not go astray.' Some of them ( i.e. his companions) said, 'Allah's Apostle is seriously ill and you have the (Holy) Qur'an. Allah's Book is sufficient for us.' So the people in the house differed and started disputing. Some of them said, 'Give him writing material so that he may write for you something after which you will not go astray.' while the others said the other way round. So when their talk and differences increased, Allah's Apostle said, "Get up." Ibn `Abbas used to say, "No doubt, it was very unfortunate (a great disaster) that Allah's Apostle was prevented from writing for them that writing because of their differences and noise."

`Umar set out along with the Prophet (p.b.u.h) with a group of people to Ibn Saiyad till they saw him playing with the boys near the hillocks of Bani Mughala. Ibn Saiyad at that time was nearing his puberty and did not notice (us) until the Prophet stroked him with his hand and said to him, "Do you testify that I am Allah's Apostle?" Ibn Saiyad looked at him and said, "I testify that you are the Messenger of illiterates." Then Ibn Saiyad asked the Prophet (p.b.u.h), "Do you testify that I am Allah's Apostle?" The Prophet (p.b.u.h) refuted it and said, "I believe in Allah and His Apostles." Then he said (to Ibn Saiyad), "What do you think?" Ibn Saiyad answered, "True people and liars visit me." The Prophet said, "You have been confused as to this matter." Then the Prophet said to him, "I have kept something (in my mind) for you, (can you tell me that?)" Ibn Saiyad said, "It is Al-Dukh (the smoke)." (2) The Prophet said, "Let you be in ignominy. You cannot cross your limits." On that `Umar, said, "O Allah's Apostle! Allow me to chop his head off." The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "If he is he (i.e. Dajjal), then you cannot overpower him, and if he is not, then there is no use of murdering him." (Ibn `Umar added): Later on Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) once again went along with Ubai bin Ka`b to the date-palm trees (garden) where Ibn Saiyad was staying. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) wanted to hear something from Ibn Saiyad before Ibn Saiyad could see him, and the Prophet (p.b.u.h) saw him lying covered with a sheet and from where his murmurs were heard. Ibn Saiyad's mother saw Allah's Apostle while he was hiding himself behind the trunks of the date-palm trees. She addressed Ibn Saiyad, "O Saf ! (and this was the name of Ibn Saiyad) Here is Muhammad." And with that Ibn Saiyad got up. The Prophet said, "Had this woman left him (Had she not disturbed him), then Ibn Saiyad would have revealed the reality of his case.

A man came to the Prophet (saws) and said: How do you fast, Messenger of Allah? The Messenger of Allah (saws) became angry at what he said.

When Umar observed this (his anger), he said: We are satisfied with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Prophet. We seek refuge in Allah from the anger of Allah, and from the anger of His Apostle. Umar continued to repeat these words till his anger cooled down. He then asked: Messenger of Allah, what is the position of one who observes a perpetual fast?

He replied: May he not fast or break his fast. Musaddad said in his version: He has neither fasted nor broken his fast. The narrator, Ghaylan, doubted the actual wordings.

He asked: What is the position of one who fasts two days and does not fast one day?

He said: Is anyone able to do that? He asked: What is the position of one who fasts every second day (i.e. fasts one day and does not fasts the next day)?

He (the Prophet) said: This is the fast that David observed.

He asked: Messenger of Allah, what is the position of one who fasts one day and breaks it for two days? He replied: I wish I were given the power to observe that. Then the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: The observance of three days' fast every month and of one Ramadan to the other (i.e. the fast of Ramadan every year) is (equivalent to) a perpetual fast. I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Arafah may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming year, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Ashura' may atone for the sins of the preceding year.

The wife of the Prophet : We set out with Allah's Apostle on one of his journeys, and when we were at Baida' or at Dhat-al-Jaish, a necklace of mine was broken (and lost). Allah's Apostle stayed there to look for it, and so did the people along with him. Neither were they at a place of water, nor did they have any water with them. So the people went to Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and said, "Don't you see what `Aisha has done? She has made Allah's Apostle and the people, stay where there is no water and they have no water with them." Abu Bakr came while Allah's Apostle was sleeping with his head on my thigh. He said (to me), "You have detained Allah's Apostle and the people where there is no water, and they have no water with them." So he admonished me and said what Allah wished him to say, and he hit me on my flanks with his hand. Nothing prevented me from moving (because of pain! but the position of Allah's Apostle on my thigh. So Allah's Apostle got up when dawn broke and there was no water, so Allah revealed the Verse of Tayammum. Usaid bin Hudair said, "It is not the first blessing of yours, O the family of Abu Bakr." Then we made the camel on which I was riding, got up, and found the necklace under it.

Yahya related to me from Malik that Zayd ibn Aslam said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stopped for a rest one night on the way to Makka and appointed Bilal to wake them up for the prayer. Bilal slept and everyone else slept and none of them woke up until the sun had risen. When they did wake up they were all alarmed. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered them to ride out of the valley, saying that there was a shaytan in it. So they rode out of the valley and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered them to dismount and do wudu and he told Bilal either to call the prayer or to give the iqama. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then led them in the prayer. Noticing their uneasiness, he went to them and said, 'O people! Allah seized our spirits (arwah) and if He had wished He would have returned them to us at a time other than this. So if you sleep through the time for a prayer or forget it and then are anxious about it, pray it as if you were praying it in its time.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, turned to Abu Bakr and said, 'Shaytan came to Bilal when he was standing in prayer and made him lie down and lulled him to sleep like a small boy.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then called Bilal and told him the same as he had told Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr declared, 'I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah.' "

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

That he heard is father, narating a Hadith, which he heard from the Messenger of Allah (saws) in which he stood among them, mentioning to them that Jihad in the cause of Allah and faith in Allah were the most virtuous of deeds. Then a man stood and said: "O Messenger of Allah! If I were killed in the cause of Allah, would my sins forgiven ?" So the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Yes, If you are killed in Allah's cause, and you are patient, seeking the reward, advancing, not fleeing." Then the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "What was it that you said?" So he replied: "If I were killed in the cause of Allah, would my sins be removed (forgiven)?" So the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Yes, If you are patient, seeking the reward, advancing, not fleeing - except debt. For Jibril said that to me."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] There are narrations on this topic from Anas, Muhammad bin Jahsh, And Abu Hurairah. This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.

Some of them reported this Hadith from Sa'eed Al-Maqburi, from Abu Hurairah, from the Prophet (saws) similar to this. Yahya bin Sa'eed Al-Ansari and more than one narrator reported this from Sa'eed Al-Maqburi from 'Abdullah bin Abi Qatadah, from his fahter, from the Prophet (saws). This is more correct than the narration of Sa'eed Al-Maqburi from Abu Hurairah.

Abu Dawud said: This is operative in the obligatory prayer.

Malik related to me from al-Walid ibn Abdullah ibn Sayyad that al-Muttalib ibn Abdullah ibn Hantab al-Makhzumi informed him that a man asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "What is backbiting?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "It is to mention about a man what he does not want to hear." He said, "Messenger of Allah! Even if it is true?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If you utter something false, then it is slander."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah ibn Utba ibn Masud that Abdullah ibn Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by a dead sheep which had been given to a mawla of his wife, Maimuna. He said, ' Aren't you going to use its skin?' They said, 'Messenger of Allah, but it is carrion. 'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Only eating it is haram.' "

on his father's authority said his grandfather reported: He was a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: When Allah has previously decreed for a servant a rank which he has not attained by his action, He afflicts him in his body, or his property or his children.

Abu Dawud said: Ibn Nufail added in his version: "He then enables him to endure that." The agreed version goes: "So that He may bring him to the rank previously decreed from him by Allah."

My foster uncle came and asked permission (to enter) but I refused to admit him till I asked Allah's Apostle about that. He said, "He is your uncle, so allow him to come in." I said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have been suckled by a woman and not by a man." Allah's Apostle said, "He is your uncle, so let him enter upon you." And that happened after the order of Al-Hijab (compulsory veiling) was revealed. All things which become unlawful because of blood relations are unlawful because of the corresponding foster suckling relations.

We were coming from Khaibar along with Allah's Apostle while l was riding behind Abu Talha and he was proceeding. While one of the wives of Allah's Apostle was riding behind Allah's Apostle, suddenly the foot of the camel Slipped and I said, "The woman!" and alighted (hurriedly). Allah's Apostle said, "She is your mother." Sol resaddled the she-camel and Allah's Apostle mounted it. When he approached or saw Medina, he said, "Ayibun, ta'ibun, 'abidun, li-Rabbina hami-dun."

The Prophet narrating about his Lord I'm and said, "Allah ordered (the appointed angels over you) that the good and the bad deeds be written, and He then showed (the way) how (to write). If somebody intends to do a good deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write for him a full good deed (in his account with Him); and if he intends to do a good deed and actually did it, then Allah will write for him (in his account) with Him (its reward equal) from ten to seven hundred times to many more times: and if somebody intended to do a bad deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write a full good deed (in his account) with Him, and if he intended to do it (a bad deed) and actually did it, then Allah will write one bad deed (in his account) ."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ubaydullah ibn Abd ar-Rahman that Ubayd ibn Hunayn, the mawla of the family of Zayd ibn al Khattab, said that he had heard Abu Hurayra say, "I was going along with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he heard a man reciting Surat al-Ikhlas (Sura 112). The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'It is obligatory,' and I asked him, 'What is, Messenger of Allah?' and he said, 'The Garden.' I wanted to tell the man the good news but I was afraid that I would miss the midday meal with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I preferred to eat with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. When I went to the man afterwards I found that he had gone."

Malik related to me from Nuaym ibn Abdullah ibn al-Mujmir from AIi ibn Yahya az-Zuraqi from his father that Rifaa ibn Rafi said, "One day we were praying behind the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, raised his head from ruku and said, 'Allah hears the one who praises Him' (Sami Allahu liman hamidah). A man behind him said, 'Our Lord, praise belongs to you - blessed, pure and abundant praise' (Rabbana wa laka'l hamd, hamdan kathiran tayiban mubarakan fihi). When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had finished, he said, 'Who was it who spoke just now?' The man said, 'I did, Messenger of Allah,' and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'I saw more than thirty angels rushing to it to see which one of them would record it first.' "

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn Mamar al-Ansari from Abu Yunus, the mawla of A'isha, from A'isha that she overheard a man standing at the door saying to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Messenger of Allah, I get up in the morning junub, in a state of major ritual impurity, and want to fast," and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I too get up in the morning junub and want to fast, so I do ghusl and fast." The man said to him, "You are not the same as us. Allah has forgiven you all your wrong actions that have gone before and those that have come after." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, got angry and said, "By Allah, I hope that I am the most fearful of you with respect to Allah and the most knowledgeable of you in how I have taqwa."

A man led the people in prayer. He spat towards qiblah while the Messenger of Allah (saws) was looking at him. The Messenger of Allah said to the people when he finished his prayer: He should not lead you in prayer (henceforth).

Thenceforth he intended to lead them in prayer, but they forbade him and informed him of the prohibition of the Messenger of Allah (saws). He mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah (saws) who said to him: Yes.

The narrator said: I think he (the Prophet) said: You did harm to Allah and His Apostle.

Abdullah (bin Mas'ud) said, "Whoever took a false oath in order to grab somebody's property will meet Allah while Allah will be angry with him." Allah revealed the following verse to confirm that:--"Verily! Those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's covenant And their oaths...a painful torment." (3.77)

Al-Ash'ath bin Qais came to us and asked as to what Abu Abdur-Rehman (i.e. Ibn Mas'ud) was telling you." We related the story to him. On that he said, "He has told the truth. This verse was revealed about me. I had some dispute with another man regarding a well and we took the case before Allah's Apostle. Allah's Apostle said (to me), "Produce two witnesses (to support your claim); otherwise the defendant has the right to take an oath (to refute your claim).' I said, 'The defendant would not mind to take a false oath." Allah's Apostle then said, 'Whoever took a false oath in order to grab someone else's property will meet Allah, Allah will be angry with him.' Allah then revealed what Confirmed it." Al-Ash'ath then recited the following Verse:--"Verily! Those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's covenant, And their oaths . . . (to) . . . they shall have a painful torment!' (3.77) (See Hadith No. 546)

Once `Umar bin `Abdul `Aziz delayed the prayer and `Urwa bin Az-Zubair went to him and said, "Once in 'Iraq, Al-Mughira bin Shu`ba delayed his prayers and Abi Mas`ud Al-Ansari went to him and said, 'O Mughira! What is this? Don't you know that once Gabriel came and offered the prayer (Fajr prayer) and Allah's Apostle prayed too, then he prayed again (Zuhr prayer) and so did Allah's Apostle and again he prayed (`Asr prayers and Allah's Apostle did the same; again he prayed (Maghrib-prayer) and so did Allah's Apostle and again prayed (`Isha prayer) and so did Allah's Apostle and (Gabriel) said, 'I was ordered to do so (to demonstrate the prayers prescribed to you)?'" `Umar (bin `Abdul `Aziz) said to `Urwa, "Be sure of what you Say. Did Gabriel lead Allah's Apostle at the stated times of the prayers?" `Urwa replied, "Bashir bin Abi Mas`ud narrated like this on the authority of his father." `Urwa added, "Aisha told me that Allah's Apostle used to pray `Asr prayer when the sunshine was still inside her residence (during the early time of `Asr).

Az-Zubair told me that he quarreled with an Ansari man who had participated in (the battle of) Badr in front of Allah's Apostle about a water stream which both of them used for irrigation. Allah's Apostle said to Az-Zubair, "O Zubair! Irrigate (your garden) first, and then let the water flow to your neighbor." The Ansari became angry and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Is it because he is your cousin?" On that the complexion of Allah's Apostle changed (because of anger) and said (to Az-Zubair), "I irrigate (your garden) and then withhold the water till it reaches the walls (surrounding the palms)." So, Allah's Apostle gave Az-Zubair his full right. Before that Allah's Apostle had given a generous judgment beneficial for Az-Zubair and the Ansari, but when the Ansan irritated Allah's Apostle he gave Az-Zubair his full right according to the evident law. Az-Zubair said, "By Allah ! I think the following Verse was revealed concerning that case: "But no by your Lord They can have No faith Until they make you judge In all disputes between them." (4.65)

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.

When we conquered Khaibar, we gained neither gold nor silver as booty, but we gained cows, camels, goods and gardens. Then we departed with Allah's Apostle to the valley of Al-Qira, and at that time Allah's Apostle had a slave called Mid`am who had been presented to him by one of Banu Ad-Dibbab. While the slave was dismounting the saddle of Allah's Apostle an arrow the thrower of which was unknown, came and hit him. The people said, "Congratulations to him for the martyrdom." Allah's Apostle said, "No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, the sheet (of cloth) which he had taken (illegally) on the day of Khaibar from the booty before the distribution of the booty, has become a flame of Fire burning him." On hearing that, a man brought one or two leather straps of shoes to the Prophet and said, "These are things I took (illegally)." On that Allah's Apostle said, "This is a strap, or these are two straps of Fire."

A woman came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have come to give you myself in marriage (without Mahr)." Allah's Apostle looked at her. He looked at her carefully and fixed his glance on her and then lowered his head. When the lady saw that he did not say anything, she sat down. A man from his companions got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! If you are not in need of her, then marry her to me." The Prophet said, "Have you got anything to offer?" The man said, "No, by Allah, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said (to him), "Go to your family and see if you have something." The man went and returned, saying, "No, by Allah, I have not found anything." Allah's Apostle said, "(Go again) and look for something, even if it is an iron ring." He went again and returned, saying, "No, by Allah, O Allah's Apostle! I could not find even an iron ring, but this is my Izar (waist sheet)." He had no rida. He added, "I give half of it to her." Allah's Apostle said, "What will she do with your Izar? If you wear it, she will be naked, and if she wears it, you will be naked." So that man sat down for a long while and then got up (to depart). When Allah's Apostle saw him going, he ordered that he be called back. When he came, the Prophet said, "How much of the Qur'an do you know?" He said, "I know such Sura and such Sura," counting them. The Prophet said, "Do you know them by heart?" He replied, "Yes." The Prophet said, "Go, I marry her to you for that much of the Qur'an which you have."

Allah's Apostle deputed me to keep Sadaqat (al-Fitr) of Ramadan. A comer came and started taking handfuls of the foodstuff (of the Sadaqa) (stealthily). I took hold of him and said, "By Allah, I will take you to Allah's Apostle ." He said, "I am needy and have many dependents, and I am in great need." I released him, and in the morning Allah's Apostle asked me, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I said, "O Allah's Apostle! The person complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so, I pitied him and let him go." Allah's Apostle said, "Indeed, he told you a lie and he will be coming again." I believed that he would show up again as Allah's Apostle had told me that he would return. So, I waited for him watchfully. When he (showed up and) started stealing handfuls of foodstuff, I caught hold of him again and said, "I will definitely take you to Allah's Apostle. He said, "Leave me, for I am very needy and have many dependents. I promise I will not come back again." I pitied him and let him go.

In the morning Allah's Apostle asked me, "What did your prisoner do." I replied, "O Allah's Apostle! He complained of his great need and of too many dependents, so I took pity on him and set him free." Allah's Apostle said, "Verily, he told you a lie and he will return." I waited for him attentively for the third time, and when he (came and) started stealing handfuls of the foodstuff, I caught hold of him and said, "I will surely take you to Allah's Apostle as it is the third time you promise not to return, yet you break your promise and come." He said, "(Forgive me and) I will teach you some words with which Allah will benefit you." I asked, "What are they?" He replied, "Whenever you go to bed, recite "Ayat-al-Kursi"-- 'Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-l-Haiy-ul Qaiyum' till you finish the whole verse. (If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you and no satan will come near you till morning. " So, I released him. In the morning, Allah's Apostle asked, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I replied, "He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah will benefit me, so I let him go." Allah's Apostle asked, "What are they?" I replied, "He said to me, 'Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi ...

Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab from Abu Umama ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf from Abdullah ibn Abbas that Khalid ibn al-Walid ibn al-Mughira entered the house of Maimuna, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he was brought a roasted lizard. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stretched his hand toward it. One of the women who was in Maimuna's house said, "Tell the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, what he means to eat." Someone said, "It is a lizard, Messenger of Allah." He withdrew his hand. Khalid said, "Is it haram, Messenger of Allah?" He said, "No, but there were none in my people's land, and I find that I dislike them."

Khalid added, "I chewed and ate it while the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was looking."

The Prophet said, "Who-ever loves to meet Allah, Allah (too) loves to meet him and who-ever hates to meet Allah, Allah (too) hates to meet him". `Aisha, or some of the wives of the Prophet said, "But we dislike death." He said: It is not like this, but it is meant that when the time of the death of a believer approaches, he receives the good news of Allah's pleasure with him and His blessings upon him, and so at that time nothing is dearer to him than what is in front of him. He therefore loves the meeting with Allah, and Allah (too) loves the meeting with him. But when the time of the death of a disbeliever approaches, he receives the evil news of Allah's torment and His Requital, whereupon nothing is more hateful to him than what is before him. Therefore, he hates the meeting with Allah, and Allah too, hates the meeting with him."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Salim ibn Abdullah that Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakras-Siddiq told Abdullah ibn Umar from A'isha, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Don't you see that when your people built the Kaba they fell short of the foundations of Ibrahim?" A'isha said, "Messenger of Allah, won't you return it to the foundations of Ibrahim?" and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If it were not that your people have only recently left kufr, I would have done so."

Salim ibn Abdullah said that Abdullah ibn Umar said, "If A'isha heard this from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then I consider that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, only refrained from greeting the two corners which are adjacent to the Hijr because the House had not been completed on the foundations of Ibrahim." (i.e. the corners he did not touch were not the original corners of the Kaba) .

A bedouin with unkempt hair came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Inform me what Allah has made compulsory for me as regards the prayers." He replied: "You have to offer perfectly the five compulsory prayers in a day and night (24 hours), unless you want to pray Nawafil." The bedouin further asked, "Inform me what Allah has made compulsory for me as regards fasting." He replied, "You have to fast during the whole month of Ramadan, unless you want to fast more as Nawafil." The bedouin further asked, "Tell me how much Zakat Allah has enjoined on me." Thus, Allah's Apostle informed him about all the rules (i.e. fundamentals) of Islam. The bedouin then said, "By Him Who has honored you, I will neither perform any Nawafil nor will I decrease what Allah has enjoined on me. Allah's Apostle said, "If he is saying the truth, he will succeed (or he will be granted Paradise).