A man came to the Prophet and demanded a camel (the Prophet owed him). Allah's Apostle told his companions to give him (a camel). They said, "We do not find except an older camel (than what he demands). (The Prophet ordered them to give him that camel). The man said, "You have paid me in full and may Allah also pay you in full." Allah's Apostle said, "Give him, for the best amongst the people is he who repays his debts in the most handsome manner."

A man came to Allah's Apostle and said, "Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward)." He replied, "I do not find such a deed." Then he added, "Can you, while the Muslim fighter is in the battle-field, enter your mosque to perform prayers without cease and fast and never break your fast?" The man said, "But who can do that?" Abu- Huraira added, "The Mujahid (i.e. Muslim fighter) is rewarded even for the footsteps of his horse while it wanders bout (for grazing) tied in a long rope."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) decided a case of a woman from the Ansar to whom an orchard of date-palms was given by her son. She then died. Her son said: I gave it to her for her life, and she has brothers. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: It belongs to her during her life and after death. He then said: I gave a sadaqah (charity to her. He replied: It is more unexpected from you.

That she said, "O Allah's Apostle! Your companions are returning with the reward of both Hajj and `Umra, while I am returning with (the reward of) Hajj only." He said to her, "Go, and let `Abdur- Rahman (i.e. your brother) make you sit behind him (on the animal)." So, he ordered `AbdurRahman to let her perform `Umra from Al-Tan`im. Then the Prophet waited for her at the higher region of Mecca till she returned.

I heard the Prophet saying, "The person who will have the least punishment from amongst the Hell Fire people on the Day of Resurrection, will be a man under whose arch of the feet a smoldering ember will be placed so that his brain will boil because of it."

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) offered the funeral prayer of a man one night after he was buried, he and his companions stood up (for the Prayer). He had asked them about him before standing, saying, "Who is this?" They said, "He is so and so and was buried last night." So all of them offered the funeral prayer.

The Prophet said, "A woman should not travel for more than three days except with a Dhi-Mahram (i.e. a male with whom she cannot marry at all, e.g. her brother, father, grandfather, etc.) or her own husband.)"

That the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Let one of you not consider any good to be insignificant. If he has nothing, then let him meet his brother with a smiling face. If you buy some meat or cook something in a pot, then increase its broth, and serve some of it to your neighbor."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. Shu'bah reported it from Abu 'Imran Al-Jawni.

A man said, "O Allah's Apostle! Which sin is the greatest in Allah's Sight?" The Prophet said, "To set up a rival unto Allah though He Alone created you . " The man said, "What is next?" The Prophet said, "To kill your son lest he should share your food with you." The man said, "What is next?" The Prophet said, "To commit illegal sexual intercourse with the wife of your neighbor." So Allah revealed in confirmation of this narration:-- 'And those who invoke not with Allah, any other god. Nor kill, such life as Allah has forbidden except for just cause nor commit illegal sexual intercourse. And whoever does this shall receive the punishment.' (25.68)

A man said, "O Allah's Apostle! Which sin is the biggest in Allah's Sight?" The Prophet said, "To set up rivals unto Allah though He Alone created you." That man said, "What is next?" The Prophet said, "To kill your son lest he should share your food with you.'' The man said, "What is next?" The Prophet said, "To commit illegal sexual intercourse with the wife of your neighbor." Then Allah revealed in confirmation of that: "And those who invoke not with Allah any other god, nor kill such life as Allah has made sacred except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse and whoever does this shall receive the punishment..... (25.68)

Malik related to me that he heard Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman and others mention that al-Furafisa ibn Umar al-Hanafi had a mukatab who offered to pay him all of his kitaba that he owed. Al-Furafisa refused to accept it and the mukatab went to Marwan ibn al-Hakam who was the amir of Madina and brought up the matter. Marwan summoned al-Furafisa and told him to accept. He refused. Marwan then ordered that the payment be taken from the mukatab and placed in the treasury. He said to the mukatab "Go, you are free." When al-Furafisa saw that, he took the money.

Malik said, "What is done among us when a mukatab pays all the instalments he owes before their term, is that it is permitted to him. The master cannot refuse him that. That is because payment removes every condition from the mukatab as well as service and travel. The setting free of a man is not complete while he has any remaining slavery, and neither would his inviolability as a free man be complete and his testimony permitted and inheritance obliged and such things in that situation. His master must not make any stipulation of service on him after he has been set free."

Malik said that it was permitted for a mukatab who became extremely ill and wanted to pay his master all his instalments because his heirs who were free would then inherit from him and he had no children with him in his kitaba, to do so, because by that he completed his inviolability as a free man, his testimony was permitted, and his admission of what he owed of debts to people was permitted. His bequest was permitted as well. His master could not refuse him that by saying, "He is escaping from me with his property."

The Prophet was asked, "Who are the best people?" He replied: The people of my generation, and then those who will follow (come after) them, and then those who will come after the later; after that there will come some people whose witness will precede their oaths and their oaths will go ahead of their witness." Ibrahim (a sub-narrator) said, "When we were young, our elder friends used to prohibit us from taking oaths by saying, 'I bear witness swearing by Allah, or by Allah's Covenant."'

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Said ibn al- Musayyab that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade muzabana and muhaqala. Muzabana was selling fresh dates for dried dates. Muhaqala was buying unharvested wheat in exchange for threshed wheat and renting land in exchange for wheat.

Ibn Shihab added that he had asked Said ibn al-Musayyab about renting land for gold and silver. He said, "There is no harm in it."

Malik said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade muzabana. The explanation of muzabana is that it is buying something whose number, weight and measure is not known with something whose number, weight or measure is known, for instance, if a man has a stack of food whose measure is not known, either of wheat, dates, or whatever food, or the man has goods of wheat, date kernels, herbs, safflower, cotton, flax, silk, and does not know its measure or weight or number and then a buyer approaches him and proposes that he weigh or measure or count the goods, but, before he does, he specifies a certain weight, or measure, or number and guarantees to pay the price for that amount, agreeing that whatever falls short of that amount is a loss against him and whatever is in excess of that amount is a gain for him. That is not a sale. It is taking risks and it is an uncertain transaction. It falls into the category of gambling because he is not buying something from him for something definite which he pays. Everything which resembles this is also forbidden."

Malik said that another example of that was, for instance, a man proposing to another man, "You have cloth. I will guarantee you from this cloth of yours so many hooded cloaks, the measureof each cloak to be such-and-such, (naming a measurement). Whatever loss there is, is against me and I will fulfill you the specified amount and whatever excess there is, is mine." Or perhaps the man proposed, "I will guarantee you from this cloth of yours so many shirts, the measurement of each shirt to be such-and-such, and whatever loss there is, is against me and I will fulfill the specified amount and whatever excess there is, is mine." Or perhaps a man proposed to a man who had cattle or camel hides, "I will cut up these hides of yours into sandals on a pattern I will show you. Whatever falls short of a hundred pairs, I will make up its loss and whatever is over is mine because I guaranteed you." Another example was that a man say to a man who had ben-nuts, "I will press these nuts of yours. Whatever falls short of such-and-such a weight by the pound, I will make it up, and whatever is more than that is mine."

Malik said that all this and whatever else was like it or resembled it was in the category of muzabana, which was neither good nor permitted. It was also the same case for a man to say to a man, who had fodder leaves, date kernels, cotton, flax, herbs or safflower, "I will buy these leaves from you in exchange for such-and-such a sa, (indicating leaves which are pounded like his leaves) . . or these date kernels for such-and-such a sa of kernels like them, and the like of that in the case of safflower, cotton, flax and herbs."

Malik said, "All this is what we have described of muzabana."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Said ibn Amr ibn Sulaym az- Zuraqi that he asked al-Qasim ibn Muhammad about a man who made divorce conditional on his marrying a woman i.e. if he married her he would automatically divorce her. Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad said, "If a man marries a woman whom he has made as his mother's back, i.e. has made haram for him, Umar ibn al-Khattab ordered him not to go near her if he married her until he had done the kaffara for pronouncing dhihar."

I saw the Messenger of Allah (saws) on the morning of the conquest of Mecca when I was a young boy. He was walking among the people, seeking the camp of Khalid ibn al-Walid. A man who had drunk wine was brought (before him) and he ordered them (to beat him). So they beat him with what they had in their hands. Some struck him with whips, some with sticks and some with sandals. The Messenger of Allah (saws) threw some dust on his face.

When a man who had drunk wine was brought before AbuBakr, he asked them (i.e. the people) about the number of beatings which they gave him. They numbered it forty. So AbuBakr gave him forty lashes.

When Umar came to power, Khalid ibn al-Walid wrote to him: The people have become addicted to drinking wine and they look down upon the prescribed punishment and its penalty.

He said: They are with you, ask them. The immigrants who embraced Islam in the beginning were with him. He asked them and they agreed on the fact that (a drunkard) should be given eighty lashes.

Ali said: When a man drinks wine, he tells lies. I, therefore, think that he should be prescribed punishment that is prescribed for telling lies..

Abu Dawud said: 'Uqail b. Khalid included in the chain of this tradition: "Abd Allah b. Abd al-Rahman b. al-Azhar from his father" between al-Zuhri and Ibn al-Azhar.

A man was crushed to death by his she-camel and was brought to Allah's Apostle who said, "Give him a bath and shroud him, but do not cover his head, and do not bring any perfume near to him, as he will be resurrected reciting Talbiya."

When Az-Zubair got up during the battle of Al-Jamal, he called me and I stood up beside him, and he said to me, "O my son! Today one will be killed either as an oppressor or as an oppressed one. I see that I will be killed as an oppressed one. My biggest worry is my debts. Do you think, if we pay the debts, there will be something left for us from our money?" Az-Zubair added, "O my son! Sell our property and pay my debts." Az-Zubair then willed one-third of his property and willed one-third of that portion to his sons; namely, `Abdullah's sons. He said, "One-third of the one third. If any property is left after the payment of the debts, one-third (of the one-third of what is left) is to be given to your sons." (Hisham, a sub-narrator added, "Some of the sons of `Abdullah were equal in age to the sons of Az-Zubair e.g. Khubaib and `Abbas. `Abdullah had nine sons and nine daughters at that time." (The narrator `Abdullah added:) My father (Az-Zubair) went on drawing my attention to his debts saying, "If you should fail to pay part of the debts, appeal to my Master to help you." By Allah! I could not understand what he meant till I asked, "O father! Who is your Master?" He replied, "Allah (is my Master)." By Allah, whenever I had any difficulty regarding his debts, I would say, "Master of Az-Zubair! Pay his debts on his behalf ." and Allah would (help me to) pay it. Az-Zubair was martyred leaving no Dinar or Dirham but two pieces of land, one of which was (called) Al-Ghaba, and eleven houses in Medina, two in Basra, one in Kufa and one in Egypt. In fact, the source of the debt which he owed was, that if somebody brought some money to deposit with him. Az-Zubair would say, "No, (i won't keep it as a trust), but I take it as a debt, for I am afraid it might be lost." Az-Zubair was never appointed governor or collector of the tax of Kharaj or any other similar thing, but he collected his wealth (from the war booty he gained) during the holy battles he took part in, in the company of the Prophet, Abu Bakr, `Umar, and `Uthman. (`Abdullah bin Az-Zubair added:) When I counted his debt, it turned to be two million and two hundred thousand. (The sub-narrator added:) Hakim bin Hizam met `Abdullah bin Zubair and asked, "O my nephew! How much is the debt of my brother?" `Abdullah kept it as a secret and said, "One hundred thousand," Hakim said, "By Allah! I don't think your property will cover it." On that `Abdullah said to him, "What if it is two million and two hundred thousand?" Hakim said, "I don't think you can pay it; so if you are unable to pay all of it, I will help you." Az- Zubair had already bought Al-Ghaba for one hundred and seventy thousand. `Abdullah sold it for one million and six hundred thousand. Then he called the people saying, "Any person who has any money claim on Az-Zubair should come to us in Al-Ghaba." There came to him `Abdullah bin Ja`far whom Az-Zubair owed four hundred thousand. He said to `Abdullah bin Az-Zubair, "If you wish I will forgive you the debt." `Abdullah (bin Az-Zubair) said, "No." Then Ibn Ja`far said, "If you wish you can defer the payment if you should defer the payment of any debt." Ibn Az-Zubair said, "No." `Abdullah bin Ja`far said, "Give me a piece of the land." `Abdullah bin AzZubair said (to him), "Yours is the land extending from this place to this place." So, `Abdullah bin Az-Zubair sold some of the property (including the houses) and paid his debt perfectly, retaining four and a half shares from the land (i.e. Al-Ghaba). He then went to Mu'awlya while `Amr bin `Uthman, Al-Mundhir bin Az- Zubair and Ibn Zam`a were sitting with him. Mu'awiya asked, "At what price have you appraised Al- Ghaba?" He said, "One hundred thousand for each share," Muawiya asked, "How many shares have been left?" `Abdullah replied, "Four and a half shares." Al-Mundhir bin Az-Zubair said, "I would like to buy one share for one hundred thousand." `Amr bin `Uthman said, "I would like to buy one share for one hundred thousand." Ibn Zam`a said, "I would like to buy one share for one hundred thousand." Muawiya said, "How much is left now?" `Abdullah replied, "One share and a half." Muawiya said, "I would like to buy it for one hundred and fifty thousand." `Abdullah also sold his part to Muawiya six hundred thousand. When Ibn AzZubair had paid all the debts. Az-Zubair's sons said to him, "Distribute our inheritance among us." He said, "No, by Allah, I will not distribute it among you till I announce in four successive Hajj seasons, 'Would those who have money claims on Az-Zubair come so that we may pay them their debt." So, he started to announce that in public in every Hajj season, and when four years had elapsed, he distributed the inheritance among the inheritors. Az-Zubair had four wives, and after the one-third of his property was excluded (according to the will), each of his wives received one million and two hundred thousand. So the total amount of his property was fifty million and two hundred thousand.

A man from Banu Sahm went out with Tamim ad-Dari and Adi ibn Badda'. The man of Banu Sahm died in the land where no Muslim was present. When they returned with his inheritance, they (the heirs) did not find a silver cup with lines of gold (in his property). The Messenger of Allah (saws) administered on oath to them. The cup was then found (with someone) at Mecca. They said: We have bought it from Tamim and Adi.

Then two men from the heirs of the man of Banu Sahm got up and swore saying: Our witness is more reliable than their witness. They said that the cup belonged to their man.

He (Ibn Abbas) said: The following verse was revealed about them: "O ye who believe! when death approaches any of you....."

One day the Messenger of Allah (saws) entered the mosque. He saw there a man from the Ansar called AbuUmamah.

He said: What is the matter that I am seeing you sitting in the mosque when there is no time of prayer?

He said: I am entangled in cares and debts, Messenger of Allah.

He replied: Shall I not teach you words by which, when you say them, Allah will remove your care, and settle your debt?

He said: Why not, Messenger of Allah?

He said: Say in the morning and evening: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from care and grief, I seek refuge in Thee from incapacity and slackness, I seek refuge in Thee from cowardice and niggardliness, and I seek in Thee from being overcome by debt and being put in subjection by men."

He said: When I did that Allah removed my care and settled my debt.

Allah's Apostle said (to me), "You were shown to me twice in (my) dream. Behold, a man was carrying you in a silken piece of cloth and said to me, "She is your wife, so uncover her,' and behold, it was you. I would then say (to myself), 'If this is from Allah, then it must happen.' "

Abu Huraira reported that a man came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) so that he should entertain him as a guest, but he had nothing with which he could entertain him. He, therefore, asked if there was any person who would entertain him (assuring the audience) that Allah would show mercy to him. A person from the Ansar who was called Abu Talha stood up and he took him to his house. The rest of the hadith is the same and mention is (also) made in that about the revelation of the verse as narrated by Waki'.

Yahya related to me from Malik that he asked Abd ar-Rahman ibn Qasim, "From where did Qasim stonethe jamrat al-Aqaba?"and he replied, "From wherever it was possible."

Yahya said that Malik was asked whether some one else could throw the stones for a child or a sick man and he said, "Yes, and a sick man should inquire as to when the stones will be thrown for him and then say the takbir while he is in the place where he is staying, bleeding. If a sick man regains his health during the days of tashriq, he should stone whatever stoning has been done for him and he must offer a sacrificial animal."

Malik said, "I do not consider that someone who stones the jamras or does say between Safa and Marwa without being in wudu has to repeat anything, but he should not make a general practice of it."

The people of Najran came to the Prophet and said, "Send an honest man to us." The Prophet said, "I will send to you an honest man who is really trustworthy." Everyone of the (Muslim) people hoped to be that one. The Prophet then sent Abu Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah.

A man of the Ansar was killed at Khaybar and his relatives went to the Prophet (saws) and mentioned that to him. He asked: Have you two witnesses who can testify to the murderer of your friend? They replied: Messenger of Allah! there was not a single Muslim present, but only Jews who sometimes have the audacity to do even greater crimes than this. He said: Then choose fifty of them and demand that they take an oath; but they refused and the Prophet (saws) paid the blood-wit himself.

I said: My father has sent me to you to collect zakat from you. He asked: What kind of animals will you take, my nephew? I replied: We shall select the sheep and examine their udders. He said: My nephew, I shall narrate a tradition to you. I lived on one of these steppes during the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws) along with my sheep. Two people riding a camel came to me.

They said to me: We are messengers of the Messenger of Allah (saws), sent to you so that you may pay the sadaqah (zakat) on your sheep.

I asked: What is due from me for them?

They said: One goat. I went to a goat which I knew was full of milk and fat, and I brought it to them.

They said: This is a pregnant goat. The Messenger of Allah (saws) prohibited us to accept a pregnant goat.

I asked: What will you take then? They said: A goat in its second year or a goat in its third year. I then went to a goat which had not given birth to any kid, but it was going to do so. I brought it to them.

They said: Give it to us. They took it on the camel and went away.

Abu Dawud said: Abu 'Asim transmitted this tradition from Zakariyya. He said: Muslim bin Shu'bah is a narrator in the chain of this tradition as reported by the narrator Rawh.

We were with Abu Huraira while he was wearing two linen garments dyed with red clay. He cleaned his nose with his garment, saying, "Bravo! Bravo! Abu Huraira is cleaning his nose with linen! There came a time when I would fall senseless between the pulpit of Allah's Apostle and `Aisha's dwelling whereupon a passerby would come and put his foot on my neck, considering me a mad man, but in fact, I had no madness, I suffered nothing but hunger."

I asked Ibn `Amr bin Al-As, "Tell me of the worst thing which the pagans did to the Prophet." He said, "While the Prophet was praying in the Hijr of the Ka`ba; `Uqba bin Abi Mu'ait came and put his garment around the Prophet's neck and throttled him violently. Abu Bakr came and caught him by his shoulder and pushed him away from the Prophet and said, "Do you want to kill a man just because he says, 'My Lord is Allah?' "

My father set out (for Mecca) in the year of Al-Hudaibiya, and his companions assumed Ihram, but he did not. At that time the Prophet was informed that an enemy wanted to attack him, so the Prophet proceeded onwards. While my father was among his companions, some of them laughed among themselves. (My father said), "I looked up and saw an onager. I attacked, stabbed and caught it. I then sought my companions' help but they refused to help me. (Later) we all ate its meat. We were afraid that we might be left behind (separated) from the Prophet so I went in search of the Prophet and made my horse to run at a galloping speed at times and let it go slow at an ordinary speed at other times till I met a man from the tribe of Bani Ghifar at midnight. I asked him, "Where did you leave the Prophet ?" He replied, "I left him at Ta'hun and he had the intention of having the midday rest at As-Suqya. I followed the trace and joined the Prophet and said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Your people (companions) send you their compliments, and (ask for) Allah's Blessings upon you. They are afraid lest they may be left behind; so please wait for them.' I added, 'O Allah's Apostle! I hunted an onager and some of its meat is with me. The Prophet told the people to eat it though all of them were in the state of Ihram."