The Prophet never fasted in any month more than in the month of Sha'ban. He used to say, "Do those deeds which you can do easily, as Allah will not get tired (of giving rewards) till you get bored and tired (of performing religious deeds)." The most beloved prayer to the Prophet was the one that was done regularly (throughout the life) even if it were little. And whenever the Prophet offered a prayer he used to offer it regularly .

The Prophet (saws) used to say on the day of the breaking of the fast seven takbirs in the first rak'ah and then recite the Qur'an, and utter the takbir (Allah is most great). Then he would stand, and utter the takbir four times. Thereafter he would recite the Qur'an and bow.

Abu Dawud said: This has been narrated by Waki' and Ibn al-Mubarak. Their version goes: "Seven (in the first rak'ah) and five (in the second)."

"The Prophet (saws) was met by some affair that made him happy, so he prostrated to Allah."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Gharib, we do not know of it except from this route, as a narration of Bakkar bin 'Abdul-'Aziz.

This is acted upon according to most of the people of knowledge, they held the view that one could perform the prostration of gratitude. And Bakkar bin 'Adbul-'Aziz bin Abi Bakrah is Muqarib (average) in Hadith.

Allah's Apostle said, "You see that the people are of different natures. Those who were the best in the pre-lslamic period, are also the best in Islam if they comprehend religious knowledge. You see that the best amongst the people in this respect (i.e. ambition of ruling) are those who hate it most. And you see that the worst among people is the double faced (person) who appears to these with one face and to the others with another face (i.e a hypocrite).

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to al-Abbas ibn AbdulMuttalib: Abbas, my uncle, shall I not give you, shall I not present to you, shall I not donate to you, shall I not produce for you ten things? If you act upon them, Allah will forgive you your sins, first and last, old and new, involuntary and voluntary, small and great, secret and open.

These are the ten things: you should pray four rak'ahs, reciting in each one Fatihat al-Kitab and a surah. When you finish the recitation of the first rak'ah you should say fifteen times while standing: "Glory be to Allah", "Praise be to Allah", "There is no god but Allah", "Allah is most great". Then you should bow and say it ten times while bowing. Then you should raise your head after bowing and say it ten times. Then you should kneel down in prostration and say it ten times while prostrating yourself. Then you should raise your head after prostration and say it ten times. Then you should prostrate yourself and say it ten times. Then you should raise your head after prostrating and say it ten times in every rak'ah. You should do that in four rak'ahs.

If you can observe it once daily, do so; if not, then once weekly; if not, then once a month; if not, then once a year; if not, then once in your lifetime.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Hammam from ibn Juhadah, but he did not mention the raising of hands after he raised his head at the end of the prostration.

The Prophet came out after the sun had declined and offered the Zuhr prayer (in congregation). After finishing it with Taslim, he stood on the pulpit and mentioned the Hour and mentioned there would happen great events before it. Then he said, "Whoever wants to ask me any question, may do so, for by Allah, you will not ask me about anything but I will inform you of its answer as long as I am at this place of mine." On this, the Ansar wept violently, and Allah's Apostle kept on saying, "Ask Me! " Then a man got up and asked, ''Where will my entrance be, O Allah's Apostle?" The Prophet said, "(You will go to) the Fire." Then `Abdullah bin Hudhaifa got up and asked, "Who is my father, O Allah's Apostle?" The Prophet replied, "Your father is Hudhaifa." The Prophet then kept on saying (angrily), "Ask me! Ask me!" `Umar then knelt on his knees and said, "We have accepted Allah as our Lord and Islam as our religion and Muhammad as an Apostle." Allah's Apostle became quiet when `Umar said that. Then Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, Paradise and Hell were displayed before me across this wall while I was praying, and I never saw such good and evil as I have seen today."

When `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf came to us, Allah's Apostle made a bond of fraternity between him and Sa`d bin Ar-Rabi` who was a rich man, Sa`d said, "The Ansar know that I am the richest of all of them, so I will divide my property into two parts between me and you, and I have two wives; see which of the two you like so that I may divorce her and you can marry her after she becomes lawful to you by her passing the prescribed period (i.e. 'Idda) of divorce. `Abdur Rahman said, "May Allah bless you your family (i.e. wives) for you." (But `Abdur-Rahman went to the market) and did not return on that day except with some gain of dried yogurt and butter. He went on trading just a few days till he came to Allah's Apostle bearing the traces of yellow scent over his clothes. Allah's Apostle asked him, "What is this scent?" He replied, "I have married a woman from the Ansar." Allah's Apostle asked, "How much Mahr have you given?" He said, "A date-stone weight of gold or a golden date-stone." The Prophet said, "Arrange a marriage banquet even with a sheep."

Magic was worked on the Prophet so that he began to fancy that he was doing a thing which he was not actually doing. One day he invoked (Allah) for a long period and then said, "I feel that Allah has inspired me as how to cure myself. Two persons came to me (in my dream) and sat, one by my head and the other by my feet. One of them asked the other, "What is the ailment of this man?" The other replied, 'He has been bewitched" The first asked, 'Who has bewitched him?' The other replied, 'Lubaid bin Al-A'sam.' The first one asked, 'What material has he used?' The other replied, 'A comb, the hair gathered on it, and the outer skin of the pollen of the male date-palm.' The first asked, 'Where is that?' The other replied, 'It is in the well of Dharwan.' " So, the Prophet went out towards the well and then returned and said to me on his return, "Its date-palms (the date-palms near the well) are like the heads of the devils." I asked, "Did you take out those things with which the magic was worked?" He said, "No, for I have been cured by Allah and I am afraid that this action may spread evil amongst the people." Later on the well was filled up with earth.

We went out in the company of Allah's Apostle on the day of (the battle of) Khaibar, and we did not get any gold or silver as war booty, but we got property in the form of things and clothes. Then a man called Rifa`a bin Zaid, from the tribe of Bani Ad-Dubaib, presented a slave named Mid`am to Allah's Apostle. Allah's Apostle headed towards the valley of Al-Qura, and when he was in the valley of Al- Qura an arrow was thrown by an unidentified person, struck and killed Mid`am who was making a she-camel of Allah's Apostle kneel down. The people said, "Congratulations to him (the slave) for gaining Paradise." Allah's Apostle said, "No! By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, for the sheet which he stole from the war booty before its distribution on the day of Khaibar, is now burning over him." When the people heard that, a man brought one or two Shiraks (leather straps of shoes) to the Prophet. The Prophet said, "A Shirak of fire, or two Shiraks of fire."

Allah's Apostle shrouded every two martyrs of Uhud in one piece of cloth and then he would ask, "Which of them knew more Qur'an?" When one of them was pointed out he would put him first in the grave. He said, "I am a witness on these." Then he ordered them to be buried with blood on their bodies. Neither did he offer their funeral prayer nor did he get them washed. (Jabir bin `Abdullah added): Allah's Apostle used to ask about the martyrs of Uhud as to which of them knew more of the Qur'an." And when one of them was pointed out as having more of it he would put him first in the grave and then his companions. (Jabir added): My father and my uncle were shrouded in one sheet.

Here (i.e. in Mecca) there was a man called Nawwas and he had camels suffering from the disease of excessive and unquenchable thirst. Ibn `Umar went to the partner of Nawwas and bought those camels. The man returned to Nawwas and told him that he had sold those camels. Nawwas asked him, "To whom have you sold them?" He replied, "To such and such Sheikh." Nawwas said, "Woe to you; By Allah, that Sheikh was Ibn `Umar." Nawwas then went to Ibn `Umar and said to him, "My partner sold you camels suffering from the disease of excessive thirst and he had not known you." Ibn `Umar told him to take them back. When Nawwas went to take them, Ibn `Umar said to him, "Leave them there as I am happy with the decision of Allah's Apostle that there is no oppression . "

"The Messenger of Allah sent us on a military expedition, and the people turned to escape. So we arrived in Al-Madinah and concealed ourselves in it and we said: 'We are ruined.' Then we went to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and we said: 'O Messenger of Allah! We are those who fled.' He said: 'Rather you are Al-'Akkarun (those who are regrouping) and I am your reinforcement.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Gharib. We do not know of it except as a narration of Yazid bin Abi Ziyad. And the meaning of his saying: "The people turned to escape" is that they fled from the fighting. As for the meaning of his saying: "Rather you are Al-'Akkarun," the 'Akkar is the one who flees to his Imam in order that he may help him, it does not mean fleeing from the advancing army.

that his father said, "In the year of Hajjatal-Wada`, the Prophet paid me a visit while I was suffering from an ailment that had brought me to the verge of death. I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! My sickness has reduced me to the (bad) state as you see, and I am a rich man, but have no heirs except one daughter. Shall I give 2/3 of my property in charity?' He said, 'No.' I said, 'Then 1/2 of it?' He said, 'Even 1/3 is too much, for, to leave your inheritors wealthy is better than to leave them in poverty, begging from people. And (know that) whatever you spend in Allah's Cause, you will get reward for it, even for the morsel of food which you put in your wife's mouth.' I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Will I be left behind my companions (in Mecca)?' He said, 'If you remain behind, whatever good deed you will do for Allah's Sake, will raise and upgrade you to a higher position (in Allah's Sight). May be you will live longer so that some people may benefit by you, and some e others (pagans) may get harmed by you. O Allah! Complete the migration of my companions and do not turn them on their heels; But (we pity) the poor Sa`d bin Khaula (not the above mentioned Sa`d) (died in Mecca)" Allah's Apostle lamented (or pitied) for him as he died in Mecca. (See Hadith No. 693, Vol. 5)

While I was at Yemen, I met two men from Yemen called Dhu Kala and Dhu `Amr, and I started telling them about Allah's Apostle. Dhu `Amr said to me, "If what you are saying about your friend (i.e. the Prophet) is true, then he has died three days ago." Then both of them accompanied me to Medina, and when we had covered some distance on the way to Medina, we saw some riders coming from Medina. We asked them and they said, "Allah's Apostle has died and Abu Bakr has been appointed as the Caliph and the people are in a good state.' Then they said, "Tell your friend (Abu Bakr) that we have come (to visit him), and if Allah will, we will come again." So they both returned to Yemen. When I told Abu Bakr their statement, he said to me, "I wish you had brought them (to me)." Afterwards I met Dhu `Amr, and he said to me, "O Jarir! You have done a favor to me and I am going to tell you something, i.e. you, the nation of 'Arabs, will remain prosperous as long as you choose and appoint another chief whenever a former one is dead. But if authority is obtained by the power of the sword, then the rulers will become kings who will get angry, as kings get angry, and will be delighted as kings get delighted."

Allah's Prophet said, "When Allah decrees some order in the heaven, the angels flutter their wings indicating complete surrender to His saying which sounds like chains being dragged on rock. And when the state of fear disappears, they ask each other, "What has your Lord ordered? They say that He has said that which is true and just, and He is the Most High, the Most Great." (34.23). Then the stealthy listeners (devils) hear this order, and these stealthy listeners are like this, one over the other." (Sufyan, a sub-narrator demonstrated that by holding his hand upright and separating the fingers.) A stealthy listener hears a word which he will convey to that which is below him and the second will convey it to that which is below him till the last of them will convey it to the wizard or foreteller. Sometimes a flame (fire) may strike the devil before he can convey it, and sometimes he may convey it before the flame (fire) strikes him, whereupon the wizard adds to that word a hundred lies. The people will then say, 'Didn't he (i.e. magician) tell such-and-such a thing on such-and-such date?' So that magician is said to have told the truth because of the Statement which has been heard from the heavens."

Once Sa'd, with the Messenger of Allah (saws), visited a woman in front of whom were some date-stones or pebbles which she was using as a rosary to glorify Allah. He (the Prophet) said: I tell you something which would be easier (or more excellent) for you than that. He said (it consisted of saying): "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created in Heaven; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created on Earth; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created between them; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He is creating; "Allah is most great" a similar number of times; "Praise (be to Allah)" a similar number of times; and "There is no god but Allah" a similar number of times; "There is no might and no power except in Allah" a similar number of times.

Abu Dawud said: I read in a document possessed by Abdullah ibn Salim at Hims: Abdullah ibn Mu'awiyah al-Ghadiri reported the Prophet (saws) as saying: He who performs three things will have the taste of the faith. (They are:) One who worships Allah alone and one believes that there is no god but Allah; and one who pays the zakat on his property agreeably every year. One should not give an aged animal, nor one suffering from itch or ailing, and one most condemned, but one should give animals of medium quality, for Allah did not demand from you the best of your animals, nor did He command you to give the animals of worst quality.

A man called the Messenger of Allah (saws): We used to sacrifice Atirah in pre-Islamic days during Rajab; so what do you command us? He said: Sacrifice for the sake of Allah in any month whatever; obey Allah, Most High, and feed(the people). He said: We used to sacrifice a Fara' in pre-Islamic days, so what do you command us? He said: On every pasturing animal there is a Fara' which is fed by your cattle till it becomes strong and capable of carrying load.

The narrator Nasr said (in his version): When it becomes capable of carrying load of the pilgrims, you may slaughter it and give its meat as charity (sadaqah).

The narrator Khalid's version says: You (may give it) to the travellers, for it is better. Khalid said: I asked AbuQilabah: How many pasturing animals? He replied: One hundred.

Malik related to me that he had heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab estimated the full blood-money for the people of urban areas. For those who had gold, he made it one thousand dinars. and for those who had silver he made it ten thousand dirhams.

Malik said, "The people of gold are the people of ash-Sham and the people of Egypt. The people of silver are the people of Iraq "

Yahya related to me from Malik that he heard that the blood-money was divided into instalments over three or four years.

Malik said, "Three is the most preferable to me of what I have heard on that."

Malik said, "The generally agreed on way of doing things in our community is that camels are not accepted from the people of cities for blood-money nor is gold or silver accepted from the desert people. Silver is not accepted from the people of gold and gold is not accepted from the people of silver."

Asim ibn Humayd said: I asked Aisha: By what words the Messenger of Allah (saws) would begin his supererogatory prayer at night?

She replied: You ask me about a thing of which no one asked me before you. When he stood up, be uttered the takbir (Allah is most great) ten times, and uttered "Praise be to Allah" ten times, and uttered "Glory be to Allah " ten times, and uttered "There is no god but Allah" ten times, and sought forgiveness ten times, and said: O Allah, forgive me, and guide me, and give me sustenance, and keep me well, and he sought refuge in Allah from the hardship of standing before Allah on the Day of Judgment.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by Khalid b. Ma'dan from Rab'iah al-Jarashi on the authority of 'Aishah.

Similar to the narration of Abu Mu'aqiyah (no. 1604) but he did not mention in it: "from Jarir" in it, and that is more correct.

There is something on this topic from Samurah.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] Most of the companions of Isma'il said: "From Isma'il, from Qais bin Abu Hazim, that the Messenger of Allah (saws) sent a military expedition." and they did not mention: "from Jarir" in it.

Hammad bin Salamah reported similar to the narration of Abu Mu'awiyah, from Al-Hajjaj bin Artah, from Isma'il bin Abi Khalid, from Qais from Jarir

[He said:] I heard Muhammad saying: "What is correct is the narration of Qais from the Prophet (saws) in Mursal form."

Samurah bin Jundab repoted that the Prophet (saws) said: "Do not live among the idolaters, and do not assemble with them, for whoever lives among them or assembles with them then he is similar to them."

"A letter came from the Messenger of Allah (saws) saying: 'Do not use the skins of dead animals, nor tendons.'"

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan. This Hadith has been related to 'Abdullah bin 'Ukaim from some Shuyukh of his, and this is not acted upon according to most of the people of knowledge. And this Hadith has been related from 'Abdullah bin 'Ukaim, that he said: "A letter came to us from the Messenger of Allah (saws) two months before he died."

He said: I heart Ahmad bin Al-Hasan saying: "Ahmad bin Hanbal followed this Hadith due to it mentioning that it was two months before he (saws) died. Then Ahmad left this Hadith because of their Idtirab in its chain, since some of them reported it, saying: 'From 'Abdullah bin 'Ukaim from some Shuyukh of his from Juhainah.'"

We set out assuming the Ihram for Hajj in the months of Hajj towards the sacred precincts of Hajj. We dismounted at Sarif and the Prophet said to his companions, "Whoever has not got the Hadi with him and likes to make it as `Umra, he should do it, but he who has got the Hadi with him should not do it." The Prophet and some of his wealthy companions had the Hadi with them, so they did not finish Ihram after performing the `Umra. The Prophet came to me while I was weeping. He asked me the reason for it. I replied, "I have heard of what you have said to your companions and I cannot do the `Umra." He asked me, "What is the matter with you?" I replied, "I am not praying." He said, "There is no harm in it as you are one of the daughters of Adam and the same is written for you as for others. So, you should perform Hajj and I hope that Allah will enable you to perform the `Umra as well." So, I carried on till we departed from Mina and halted at Al-Mahassab. The Prophet called `Abdur- Rahman and said, "Go out of the sanctuary with your sister and let her assume Ihram for `Umra, and after both of you have finished the Tawaf I will be waiting for you at this place." We came back at midnight and the Prophet asked us, "Have you finished?" I replied in the affirmative. He announced the departure and the people set out for the journey and some of them had performed the Tawaf of the Ka`ba before the morning prayer, and after that the Prophet set out for Medina.

A time is certainly coming to mankind when people will bite each other and a rich man will hold fast, what he has in his possession (i.e. his property), though he was not commanded for that. Allah, Most High, said: "And do not forget liberality between yourselves." The men who are forced will contract sale while the Prophet (saws) forbade forced contract, one which involves some uncertainty, and the sale of fruit before it is ripe.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) prohibited Muhaqalah and Muzabanah.

[He said:] There are narrations on this topic from Ibn 'Umar, Ibn 'Abbas, Zaid bin Thabit, Sa'd, Jabir, Rafi' bin Khadij, and Abu Sa'eed.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Abu Hurairah is a Hasan Sahih Hadith.

Muhaqalah is selling corps for wheat, and Muzabanah is selling dates that are on the date-palm for dried dates. This is acted upon according to the most of the people of knowledge, they disliked sales of Muhaqalah and Muzabanah.

The above (No 868) tradition has also been reported through a different chain of narrators by Uqbah ibn Amir to the same effect. This version adds: When the Messenger of Allah (saws) bowed, he said: "Glory and praise be to my mighty Lord" three times, and when he prostrated himself, he said: "Glory and praise be to my most high Lord" three times.

Abu Dawud said: We are afraid the addition of the word "praise" is not guarded.

The Prophet (saws) said: Among the most excellent of your days is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he died, on it the last trumpet will be blown, and on it the shout will be made, so invoke more blessings on me that day, for your blessings will be submitted to me. The people asked: Messenger of Allah, how can it be that our blessings will be submitted to you while your body is decayed? He replied: Allah, the Exalted, has prohibited the earth from consuming the bodies of Prophets.

The Prophet said, "Don't keep camels and sheep unmilked for a long time, for whoever buys such an animal has the option to milk it and then either to keep it or return it to the owner along with one Sa of dates." Some narrated from Ibn Seereen (that the Prophet had said), "One Sa of wheat, and he has the option for three days." And some narrated from Ibn Seereen, " ... a Sa of dates," not mentioning the option for three days. But a Sa of dates is mentioned in most narrations.

The Prophet owed a camel of a certain age to a man who came to demand it back. The Prophet ordered his companions to give him. They looked for a camel of the same age but found nothing but a camel one year older. The Prophet told them to give it to him. The man said, "You have paid me in full, and may Allah pay you in full." The Prophet said, "The best amongst you is he who pays his debts in the most handsome manner."

Allah's Apostle said, "The first group of people who will enter Paradise, will be glittering like the full moon and those who will follow them, will glitter like the most brilliant star in the sky. They will not urinate, relieve nature, spit, or have any nasal secretions. Their combs will be of gold, and their sweat will smell like musk. The aloes-wood will be used in their centers. Their wives will be houris. All of them will look alike and will resemble their father Adam (in stature), sixty cubits tall."

Allah's Apostle neither talked in an insulting manner nor did he ever speak evil intentionally. He used to say, "The most beloved to me amongst you is the one who has the best character and manners." He added, " Learn the Qur'an from (any of these) four persons. `Abdullah bin Mas`ud, Salim the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa, Ubai bin Ka`b, and Mu`adh bin Jabal."

From 'Aishah that she wanted to purchase Barirah, but they (he owners) made the condition that they would retain the Wala'. So the Prophet (saws) said: "Buy her, the Wala' is only for the one who gives the price, or for the one who grants the favor."

[He said:] There is something on this topic from Ibn 'Umar.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of 'Aishah is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge. And Mansur bin Al-Mu'tamir's Kunyah is Abu 'Attab.

Abu Bakr Al-'Attar Al-Basri narrated to us from 'Ali bin Al-Madini who said: "I heard Yahya bin Sa'eed saying: 'When you get a narration from Mansur, then your hand has been filled with goodness without needing others.' Then Yahya said: 'I did not find anyone more reliable in (narrating from) Ibrahim An-Nakha'i and Mujahid than Mansur."

[He said:] Muhammad informed me from 'Abdullah bin Abi Al-Aswad who said: " 'Abdur-Rahman bin Mahdi said: 'Mansur is the most reliable of the people of Al-Kufah.'"

I purposely looked at the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (saws), how he offered it. The Messenger of Allah (saws) stood up, faced the direction of the qiblah and uttered the takbir (Allah is most great) and then raised his hands in front of his ears, then placed his right hand on his left (catching each other).

When he was about to bow, he raised them in the same manner. He then placed his hands on his knees. When he raised his head after bowing, he raised them in the like manner. When he prostrated himself he placed his forehead between his hands.

He then sat down and spread his left foot and placed his left hand on his left thigh, and kept his right elbow aloof from his right thigh. He closed his two fingers and made a circle (with the fingers).

I (Asim ibn Kulayb) saw him (Bishr ibn al-Mufaddal) say in this manner. Bishr made the circle with the thumb and the middle finger and pointed with the forefinger.

The Prophet prayed facing Bait-ulMaqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months but he wished that his Qibla would be the Ka`ba (at Mecca). (So Allah Revealed (2.144) and he offered `Asr prayers(in his Mosque facing Ka`ba at Mecca) and some people prayed with him. A man from among those who had prayed with him, went out and passed by some people offering prayer in another mosque, and they were in the state of bowing. He said, "I, (swearing by Allah,) testify that I have prayed with the Prophet facing Mecca." Hearing that, they turned their faces to the Ka`ba while they were still bowing. Some men had died before the Qibla was changed towards the Ka`ba. They had been killed and we did not know what to say about them (i.e. whether their prayers towards Jerusalem were accepted or not). So Allah revealed:-- "And Allah would never make your faith (i.e. prayer) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered (towards Jerusalem). Truly Allah is Full of Pity, Most Merciful towards mankind." (2.143)

When Allah's Apostle reached Medina, Abu Bakr and Bilal became ill. When Abu Bakr's fever got worse, he would recite (this poetic verse): "Everybody is staying alive with his People, yet Death is nearer to him than His shoe laces." And Bilal, when his fever deserted him, would recite: "Would that I could stay overnight in A valley wherein I would be Surrounded by Idhkhir and Jalil (kinds of goodsmelling grass). Would that one day I could Drink the water of the Majanna, and Would that (The two mountains) Shama and Tafil would appear to me!" The Prophet said, "O Allah! Curse Shaiba bin Rabi`a and `Utba bin Rabi`a and Umaiya bin Khalaf as they turned us out of our land to the land of epidemics." Allah's Apostle then said, "O Allah! Make us love Medina as we love Mecca or even more than that. O Allah! Give blessings in our Sa and our Mudd (measures symbolizing food) and make the climate of Medina suitable for us, and divert its fever towards Aljuhfa." Aisha added: When we reached Medina, it was the most unhealthy of Allah's lands, and the valley of Bathan (the valley of Medina) used to flow with impure colored water.