'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that when the last ten nights began Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) kept awake at night (for prayer and devotion), wakened his family, and prepared himself to observe prayer (with more vigour).

Malik related to me that he heard that Isa ibn Maryam used to say, "Do not speak much without the mention of Allah for you will harden your hearts. A hard heart is far from Allah, but you do not know. Do not look at the wrong actions of people as if you were lords. Look at your wrong actions as if you were slaves. Some people are afflicted by wrong action and some people are protected from it. Be merciful to the people of affliction and praise Allah for His protection."

The Prophet said, "All of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards. The ruler is a guardian and the man is a guardian of his family; the lady is a guardian and is responsible for her husband's house and his offspring; and so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards."

I said to Jabir bin Zaid, "The people claim that Allah's Apostle forbade the eating of donkey's meat." He said, "Al-Hakam bin `Amr Al-Ghifari used to say so when he was with us, but Ibn `Abbas, the great religious learned man, refused to give a final verdict and recited:-- 'Say: I find not in that which has been inspired to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be carrion, blood poured forth or the flesh of swine...' (6.145)

Allah's Apostle was asked about Al-Bit a liquor prepared from honey which the Yemenites used to drink. Allah's Apostle said, "All drinks that intoxicate are unlawful (to drink)."

One night a house in Medina was burnt with its occupants. The Prophet spoke about them, saying, "This fire is indeed your enemy, so whenever you go to bed, put it out to protect yourselves."

Allah's Apostle once delayed the `Isha' prayer and that was during the days when Islam still had not spread. The Prophet did not come out till `Umar informed him that the women and children had slept. Then he came out and said to the people of the mosque: "None amongst the dwellers of the earth has been waiting for it (`Isha prayer) except you."

I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: One of the signs of the Last Hour will be that people in a mosque will refuse to act as imam and will not find an imam to lead them in prayer.

Muhammad b. 'Ali narrated on the authority of his father 'Ali that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) on the Day of Khaibar prohibited for ever the contracting of temporary marriage and eating of the flesh of the domestic asses.

Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported that the people of pre-Islamic days used to sell the meat of the slaughtered camel up to habal al-habala. And habal al-habala implies that a she-camel should give birth and then the (born one should grow young) and become pregnant. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) forbade them that (this transaction).

'A'isha reported that a woman from the tribe of Makhzum used to borrow things (from people) and then denied (having taken them). Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) commanded her hand to be cut off. Her relatives came to Usama b. Zaid and spoke to him (requesting him to intercede on her behalf). He spoke to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) about her. The rest of the hadith is the same.

Anas b. Malik reported this hadith (with a slight variation of wording) Then AlIah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) ate and the people of his house also ate. but (still) there was left a surplus, which they sent to their neighbours.

Anas reported that the people of Mecca demanded from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) that he should show them (some) signs (miracles) and he showed twice the splitting of the moon. This hadlth has been narrated on the authority of Anas through another chain of transmitters.

Abu Bakr b. Abdullah b. Qais reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said that in Paradise there would be a tent made of a single hollowed pearl, the breadth of which would be sixty miles from all sides and there would live a family in each corner and the other would not be able to see the believer who goes around them.

Aisha, (mother of the faithful believers) wanted to buy a slave girl and manumit her, but her masters said that they would sell her only on the condition that her Wala' would be for them. `Aisha told Allah's Apostle of that. He said, "What they stipulate should not hinder you from buying her, as the Wala' is for the manumitted."

We worked on farms more than anybody else in Medina. We used to rent the land at the yield of specific delimited portion of it to be given to the landlord. Sometimes the vegetation of that portion was affected by blights etc., while the rest remained safe and vice versa, so the Prophet forbade this practice. At that time gold or silver were not used (for renting the land). If they provided the seeds, they would get so-and-so much.

The Prophet said, "If anyone of you, when having sexual relation with his wife, say: 'In the name of Allah. O Allah! Protect us from Satan and prevent Satan from approaching our offspring you are going to give us,' and if he begets a child (as a result of that relation) Satan will not harm it."

`Abdullah bin `Umar set out for Umra during the period of afflictions, and he said, "If I should be stopped from visiting the Ka`ba, I will do what we did when we were with Allah's Apostle." He assumed Ihram for `Umra in the year of Al-Hudaibiya.

On the day of Khaiber, Allah's Apostle forbade the eating of garlic and the meat of donkeys.

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

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

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

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

The Prophet and his companions assumed Ihram for Hajj and none except the Prophet and Talha had the Hadi with them. `Ali had come from Yemen and he had the Hadi with him. He (`Ali) said, "I have assumed Ihram with an intention like that of Allah's Apostle has assumed it." The Prophet ordered his companions to intend the Ihram with which they had come for `Umra, to perform the Tawaf of the Ka`ba (and between Safa and Marwa), to get their hair cut short and then to finish their Ihram with the exception of those who had the Hadi with them. They asked, "Shall we go to Mina and the private organs of some of us are dribbling (if we finish Ihram and have sexual relations with our wives)?" The Prophet heard that and said, "Had I known what I know now, I would not have brought the Hadi. If I did not have the Hadi with me I would have finished my Ihram." `Aisha got her menses and performed all the ceremonies (of Hajj) except the Tawaf . So when she became clean from her menses, and she had performed the Tawaf of the Ka`ba, she said, "O Allah's Apostle! You (people) are returning with both Hajj and `Umra and I am returning only with Hajj!" So, he ordered `Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr to go with her to at-Tan`im. Thus she performed `Umra after the Hajj in the month of Dhi-l-Hijja. Suraqa bin Malik bin Ju'sham met the Prophet at Al-`Aqaba (Jamrat-ul 'Aqaba) while the latter was stoning it and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Is this permissible only for you?" The Prophet replied, "No, it is for ever (i.e. it is permissible for all Muslims to perform `Umra before Hajj."

While I was sitting in the Mosque of Medina, there entered a man (Abdullah bin Salam) with signs of solemnity over his face. The people said, "He is one of the people of Paradise." He prayed two light rak`at and then left. I followed him and said, "When you entered the Mosque, the people said, 'He is one of the people of Paradise.' " He said, "By Allah, one ought not say what he does not know; and I will tell you why. In the lifetime of the Prophet I had a dream which I narrated to him. I saw as if I were in a garden." He then described its extension and greenery. He added: In its center there was an iron pillar whose lower end was fixed in the earth and the upper end was in the sky, and at its upper end there was a (ring-shaped) hand-hold. I was told to climb it. I said, "I can't." "Then a servant came to me and lifted my clothes from behind and I climbed till I reached the top (of the pillar). Then I got hold of the hand-hold, and I was told to hold it tightly, then I woke up and (the effect of) the handhold was in my hand. I narrated al I that to the Prophet who said, 'The garden is Islam, and the handhold is the Most Truth-worthy Hand-Hold. So you will remain as a Muslim till you die." The narrator added: "The man was `Abdullah bin Salam."

The Prophet (saws) said: If any Muslim dies and three rows of Muslims pray over him, it will assure him (of Paradise). When Malik considered those who accompanied a bier to be a few, he divided them into three rows in accordance with this tradition.

(I think that the people of Ziyad informed me that he reported on the authority of the Prophet (saws): A rider should go behind the bier, and those on foot should walk behind it, in front of it, on its right and on its left keeping near it. Prayer should be offered over an abortion and forgiveness and mercy supplicated for its parents.

The Prophet (saws) forbade selling fruits years ahead, and commanded that unforeseen loss be remitted in respect of what is affected by blight.

Abu Dawud said: The attribution of the tradition regarding the effect of blight is one-third of the produce to the Prophet (saws) is not correct. This is the opinion of the people of Medina.

The Prophet said, "Everyone of you is a guardian and everyone of you is responsible (for his wards). A ruler is a guardian and is responsible(for his subjects); a man is a guardian of his family and responsible (for them); a wife is a guardian of her husband's house and she is responsible (for it), a slave is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible (for that). Beware! All of you are guardians and are responsible (for your wards).

Allah's Apostle visited a household among the Ansars, and he took a meal with them. When he intended to leave, he asked for a place in that house for him, to pray so a mat sprinkled with water was put and he offered prayer over it, and invoked for Allah's Blessing upon them (his hosts).

Allah's Apostle said, "When honesty is lost, then wait for the Hour." It was asked, "How will honesty be lost, O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "When authority is given to those who do not deserve it, then wait for the Hour."

We gave the oath of allegiance to Allah's Apostle that we would listen to and obey him both at the time when we were active and at the time when we were tired and that we would not fight against the ruler or disobey him, and would stand firm for the truth or say the truth wherever we might be, and in the Way of Allah we would not be afraid of the blame of the blamers. (See Hadith No. 178 and 320)

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab and AIi ibn Abi Talib and Abu Hurayra were asked about a man who had intercourse with his wife while he was in ihram on hajj. They said, "The two of them should carry on and complete their hajj. Then they must do hajj again in another year, and sacrifice an animal."

Malik added that AIi ibn Abi Talib said, "When they then go into ihram for hajj in a future year they should keep apart until they have completed their hajj."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Umar ibn al-Khattab in one year gave 40,000 camels as mounts. Sometimes he would give one man a camel to himself. Sometimes he would give one camel between two men to take them to Iraq. A man from Iraq came to him and said, "Give Suhaym and I a mount.''Umar ibn al-Khattab said to him,"l demand from you, by Allah!, is Suhaym a water skin?" He said, "Yes."

Ibn `Abbas mentioned the statement of the Prophet regarding the taking of a bath on Friday and then I asked him whether the Prophet (p.b.u.h) had ordered perfume or (hair) oil to be used if they could be found in one's house. He (Ibn `Abbas) replied that he did not know about it.

The Prophet looked at the people of the well (the well in which the bodies of the pagans killed in the Battle of Badr were thrown) and said, "Have you found true what your Lord promised you?" Somebody said to him, "You are addressing dead people." He replied, "You do not hear better than they but they cannot reply."

The people of Yemen used to come for Hajj and used not to bring enough provisions with them and used to say that they depend on Allah. On their arrival in Medina they used to beg the people, and so Allah revealed, "And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is the fear of Allah." (2.197).