She told that a woman made a sign from behind a curtain to indicate that she had a letter for God's messenger. The Prophet closed his hand saying, “I do not know whether this is a man’s or a woman’s hand," and when she declared that it was a woman’s he said, “If you were a woman you would make a difference to your nails," meaning with henna. Abu Dawud and Nasa'i transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar used to make his beard yellow with a yellow dye so that his clothes were full of it. He was asked why he used the yellow dye and replied, "I saw God's messenger using it as a dye, and he liked nothing better than it. He used to dye all his clothes with it, even his turban.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Qabisa b. Hulb quoted his father as saying that he asked the Prophet about the food of the Christians, (a version saying it was a man who asked him), adding that it was a kind of food from which he kept aloof. He replied, “Let no doubt enter your breast by which you resemble Christianity.”* *The general sense is that such food is allowable. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He said that he went with the Prophet to fight at the battle of Khaibar and the Jews came and complained that the people had hastened to take their green dates, 2 so God’s messenger said, ''The property of those who have been given a covenant is not lawful except for the dues which are levied." 2. The reference is to dates which fall from the tree while still green. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you eats food he should say, ‘O God, bless us in it and give us good nourishment from it', and when he is given a drink of milk he should say, ‘O God, bless us in it and prosper us from it’, for no food or drink satisfies like milk.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Uthman told that when a physician consulted the Prophet about putting frogs in medicine he forbade him to kill them.* Abu Dawud transmitted it. * The flesh of frogs mixed with olive oil was used as an antidote for snake bite, and the fat was considered helpful for extracting teeth. The prohibition of killing frogs most probably applies only to killing them for medicinal purposes.

Ruwaifi' b. Thabit reported the Prophet as saying, “He who believes in God and the last day must not ride a packhorse belonging to the booty of the Muslims and put it back when he has emaciated it; and he who believes in God and the last day must not wear a garment belonging to the booty of the Muslims and put it back when he has made it threadbare.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas told that God’s Messenger sent Khalid b. al-Walid to Ukaidir of Duma,* and when they seized him and brought him he spared his life and made peace with him on condition that he should pay jizya. *Duma was a fortress-near Tabuk. Ukaidir was a Christian. The incident took place in the year 9 A.H during the expedition to Tabuk. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

`Ali reported God's messenger as saying, "A man called al-Harith, a farmer, will come forth from Ma Wara' an-Nahr whose army will be led by a man called Mansur who will establish (or, consolidate) things for Muhammad's family as Quraish consolidated them for God's messenger. Every believer must help him." Or he said, "respond to his summons." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

We were sitting with Messenger of Allah (PBUH) when a man of Banu Salamah came to him and asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Is there any obedience to parents left that I can show to them after their death?" He (PBUH) replied, "Yes, to pray for them, to supplicate for their forgiveness, to fulfill their promises after their death, to maintain the ties of kinship which cannot be maintained except through them, and honour their friends."

[Abu Dawud].

A begger asked 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) for charity and she gave him a piece of bread. Thereafter, one well-dressed person asked her for charity and she invited him to sit down and served him food. When she was asked about the reason for the difference in treatment, she said: "Messenger of Allah (PBUH) instructed us: 'Treat people according to their status".

[Abu Dawud].

Abu Huraira said that a desert Arab presented God’s Messenger with a young she-camel, in return for which he gave him six young she- camels. He was displeased, and when the Prophet heard that, he praised and extolled God and said, “So and so presented me with a she-camel and I gave him six young she-camels in return for it, but he was displeased. I feel inclined to accept a present only from a Qurashi, an Ansari, a Thaqafi, or a Dausi." Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

We observed the prayer after nightfall with God’s Messenger, and he did not come out till about half the night had passed. He then said, “Take your places,” and when we had done so he said, “The people have prayed and gone to bed, but you are still engaged in prayer as long as you wait for the prayer. Were it not for the weakness of the weak and the sickness of the sick, I would delay the prayer till half the night had gone;” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

When the Messenger of Allah(May peace be upon him) lived among us, we use to bring forth zakat, on closing the fast of Ramadan one sa’ of grain or of cheese, or of barley, or of dried dates, or of raisens, payable by every young and old freeman and slave. We continued to pay this till mu-awayah came to perform Haj or Umra and he spoke to the people on the pulpit. What he said to the people was : I think that Mudds of the wheat of syrria is equivalent to one sa’ of dried dates. So the people adopted it. Abu sa’id said : But I continued to pay one sa’ of wheat as long as I lived on.

Abu Dawud said : this tradition has also been transmitted by Abu sa’id through a different chain of narrators to the same effect. A man has narrated in this version from Ibn-Ulayyah one sa’ of wheat. But this version is not guarded.

What do you think if a man divorces his wife while she is menstruating? He said: Abdullah ibn Umar divorced his wife while she was menstruating during the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws).So Umar asked the Messenger of Allah (saws) saying: Abdullah ibn Umar divorced his wife while she was menstruating. Abdullah said: He returned her to me and did not count it (the pronouncement) anything. He said: When she is purified, he may divorce her or keep her with him. Ibn Umar said: The Prophet (saws) recited the Qur'anic verse: O Prophet, when you divorce women, divorce them in the beginning of their waiting period."

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Yunus b. Jubair, Anas b. Sirin b. Jubair, Zaid b. Aslam, Abu al-Zubair and Mansur from Abu Wa'il on the authority of Ibn 'Umar. They all agreed on the theme that the Prophet (saws) commanded him to take her back (and keep her) till she was purified. Then if he desired, he might divorce her or keep her with him if he wanted to do so. The version narrated by al-Zuhri from Salim from Nafi' on the authority of Ibn 'Umar has: The Prophet (saws) commanded him to take her back (and keep her) till she is purified, and then has menstrual discharge, and then she is purified. Then if he desires, he may divorce her and if he desires he may keep her.

Abu Dawud said: A version like that of Nafi' and al-Zuhri has also been transmitted by 'Ata al-Khurasani from al-Hasan on the authority of Ibn 'Umar. All the versions of this tradition contradict the one narrated by Abu al-Zubair.

I used to serve the Prophet (saws). Whenever he intended to wash himself, he would say: Turn your back towards me, So I would turn my back and hide him. (Once) Hasan or Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them) was brought to him and he passed water on his chest. I came to wash it. He said: It is only the urine of a female which should be washed; the urine of a male should be sprinkled over.

'Abbas (a narrator) said: Yahya b. al-Walid narrated the tradition to us. Abu Dawud said: He (Yahya) is Abu al-Za'ra'. Harun b. Tamim said on the authority of al-Hasan: All sorts of urine are equal.

If one of you marries a woman or buys a slave, he should say: "O Allah, I ask You for the good in her, and in the disposition You have given her; I take refuge in You from the evil in her, and in the disposition You have given her." When he buys a camel, he should take hold of the top of its hump and say the same kind of thing.

Abu Dawud said: Abu Sa'id added the following words in his version: He should then tale hold of her forelock and pray for blessing in the case of a woman or a slave.

What did you intend? He said: A single utterance of divorce. He said: Do you swear by Allah? He replied: I swear by Allah. He said: It stands as you intended.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition is sounder than that of Ibn Juraij that Rukanah divorced his wife by three pronouncements, for they are the members of his family and they are more aware for him. The tradition of Ibn Juraij has been narrated by some children of Abu Rafi' from 'Ikrimah on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas.

We fought along with AbdurRahman ibn Khalid ibn al-Walid. Four infidels from the enemy were brought to him. He commanded about them and they were killed in confinement.

Abu Dawud said: The narrators other than Sa'id reported from Ibn Wahb in this tradition: "(killed him) with arrows in confinement." When Abu Ayyub al-Ansari was informed about it, he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) prohibiting to kill in confinement. By Him in Whose hands my soul is, if there were a hen, I would not kill it in confinement. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Khalid b. al-Walid was informed about it (the Prophet's prohibition). He set four slaves free.

'Umar consulted the people about the compensation of abortion of woman. Al-Mughirah b. Shu'bah said: I was present with the Messenger of Allah (saws) when he gave judgement that a male or female slave should testify you. So he brought Muhammad b. Maslamah to him. Harun added: He then testified him.

Imlas means a man striking the belly of his wife.

Abu Dawud said: I have been informed that Abu 'Ubaid said: It (abortion) is called imlas because the woman causes it to slip before the time of delivery. Similarly, anything which slips from the hand or from some other thing is called malasa (slipped).

It would have been enough for you to strike the ground with you hands and then wipe them your face and your hands (up to the wrists). He then narrated the rest of the tradition.

Abu Dawud said: This is also transmitted by Shu'bah from Husain on the authority of Abu Malik. He said: I heard 'Ammar saying so him his speech, except that in this version he added the words: "He blew." And Husain b. Muhammad narrated from Shu'bah on the authority of al-Hakam and in this version added the words:"He (the Prophet) struck the earth with his plans and blew."

The mosque (of the Prophet) during his lifetime was built with bricks, its roof with branches of the palm-tree, and its pillars with palm-wood, as Mujahid said: Abu Bakr did not add anything to it. But 'Umar added to it; he built as it was built during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (saws) with bricks and branches, and he changed its pillars. Mujahid said: Its pillars were made of wood. 'Uthman changed it altogether with increasing addition. He built its walls with decorated stone and lime. And he built the pillars with decorated stone and its roof with teak. Mujahid said: Its roof was made of teak.

Abu Dawud said: Al-Qassah means lime used as mortar.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) led one section in one rak'ah of prayer and the other section was facing the enemy. Then they turned away and took the position of the other section. They (the other section) came and he (the Prophet) led them in the second rak'ah. He then uttered the salutation. Thereafter they stood up and completed the remaining rak'ah, they went away and the other section completed their remaining rak'ah.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Nafi' and Khalid b. Ma'dan from Ibn 'Umar in like manner from the Prophet (saws). This has also been transmitted similarly by Masruq ad Yusuf b. Mihran on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas. This has been narrated by Yunus from al-Hasan from Abu Musa something similarly, saying that Abu Musa has done so.

(A man broke his fast intentionally) during Ramadan. The Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded him to emancipate a slave, or fast for two months, or feed sixty poor men. He said: I cannot provide. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Sit down. Thereafter a huge basket of dates ('araq) was brought to the Messenger of Allah (saws). He said: Take this and give it as sadaqah (alms). He said: Messenger of Allah, there is no poorer than I. The Messenger of Allah (saws) thereupon laughed so that his canine teeth became visible and said: Eat it yourself.

Abu Dawud said: Ibn Juraij narrated it from al-Zuhri in the wordings of the narrator Malik that a man broke his fast. This version says: You should either free a slave, or fast for two months, or provide food for sixty poor men.

"nor be dyed (with Henna and the like)."

Abu Dawud reported in al-Marasil as a saying of 'Ikrimah, and that is the strongest opinion.

The narration of Abu Dawud from 'Aishah (RA) has the same meaning.

Abu Dawud has a similar report from Ibn 'Umar (RA).

Abu Rafi' said God’s messenger sent a man of the B. Makhzum to collect sadaqa and he asked him to accompany him so that he might get some of it; but he refused to do so till he went to God's messenger and asked him. He went to the Prophet and asked him, and he said, “The sadaqa is not lawful for us, and the clients of a people are treated as being of their number.” * Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. * Abu Rafi’ had been a slave of the Prophet by whom he was set free. The point of the tradition is that the rules which apply to any people apply to their freedmen as well, and so Abu Rafi' was not entitled to receive sadaqa.

Hamnah said my menstruation was great in quantity and severe. So I came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) for a decision and told him. I found him in the house of my sister, Zaynab, daughter of Jahsh.

I said: Messenger of Allah, I am a woman who menstruates in great quantity and it is severe, so what do you think about it? It has prevented me from praying and fasting.

He said: I suggest that you should use cotton, for it absorbs the blood. She replied: It is too copious for that. He said: Then take a cloth. She replied: It is too copious for that, for my blood keeps flowing. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: I shall give you two commands; whichever of them you follow, that will be sufficient for you without the other, but you know best whether you are strong enough to follow both of them.

He added: This is a stroke of the Devil, so observe your menses for six or seven days, Allah alone knows which it should be; then wash. And when you see that you are purified and quite clean, pray during twenty-three or twenty-four days and nights and fast, for that will be enough for you, and do so every month, just as women menstruate and are purified at the time of their menstruation and their purification.

But if you are strong enough to delay the noon (Zuhr) prayer and advance the afternoon ('Asr) prayer, to wash, and then combine the noon and the afternoon prayer; to delay the sunset prayer and advance the night prayer, to wash, and then combine the two prayers, do so: and to wash at dawn, do so: and fast if you are able to do so if possible.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Of the two commands this is more to my liking.¹

Abu Dawud said: 'Amr b. Thabit narrated from Ibn 'Aqil: Hamnah said: Of the two commands this is the one which is more to my liking.² In this version these words were not quoted as the statement of the Prophet (saws); it gives it as a statement of Hamnah.

Abu Dawud said: 'Amr b. Thabit was a Rafidi. This has been said by Yahya b. Ma'in.

Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad (b. Hanbal) say: I am doubtful about the tradition transmitted by Ibn 'Aqil.

Khaibar was divided among those who had been at al-Hudaibiya, and God’s Messenger divided it into eighteen portions. The army was one thousand five hundred of which three hundred were cavalry, and he gave two shares to a horseman and one to a footman. Abu Dawud transmitted it, saying Ibn ‘Umar’s tradition¹ is sounder, and it is the one which is followed. The error in the tradition of Mujammi’ was because he said three hundred horsemen when there were only two hundred. Habib b. Maslama al-Fihri said he saw the Prophet give a quarter of the spoil on the outward journey and a third on the return journey.² 1. I have available two editions of Abu Dawud’s Sunan (Cairo, 1280 and 1348 A .H.). Both give Ibn Mu'awiya in place of Ibn 'Umar. See Jihad, 144. 2. This tradition and the following one are explained as referring to a section of the army which comes in contact with the enemy. The greater amount granted them when this happens on the return journey is because there is more difficulty and danger in fighting after having gone through the campaign. The second tradition is more explicit by making it clear that the fifth was deducted. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jabir said that on the day of sacrifice the Prophet sacrificed two horned rams which were white with black markings and had been castrated. Then when he made them face the qibla he said, “I have turned my face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, following Abraham’s religion as a hanif, and I am not one of the polytheists. My prayer, my religious rites, my life and my death belong to God, the Lord of the universe, who has no partner. That is what I was commanded to do, and I am one of the Muslims (Al-Qur’an; 6:161-163). O God, it comes from Thee and is given to Thee from Muhammad and his people. In the name of God, and God is most great.” Then he made sacrifice. Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. A version by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi says that he sacrificed with his own hand and said, “In the name of God, and God is most great. O God, this is from me and from those of my people who have not sacrificed.”

Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) said, “Every believer is the mirror of his brother.” Related by Abu Dawud with a good chain of narrators.

I sought permission of the Prophet (PBUH) to perform 'Umrah, and he granted me leave and said, "Brother, do not forget us in your supplications." I would not exchange these words of his for the whole world.

Another narration is: He (PBUH) said, "Include us, my brother, in your supplications."

[Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi].

When Malik bin Hubairah (May Allah be pleased with him) offered a funeral prayer and found a small number of participants, he would divide them into three rows and would say that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "If three rows of men offer funeral prayer over anyone, his entry into Jannah will become certain."

[Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi].

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Jannah becomes incumbent for a Muslim who fights for the Cause of Allah for a period as long as the time between two consecutive turns of milking a she-camel. He who receives a wound or a bruise in the Cause of Allah will appear on the Day of Resurrection as fresh as possible, its colour will be the colour of saffron and its fragrance will be that of musk."

[At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to pass between the rows from one end to the other, touching our chest and shoulders (i.e., arranging the rows) in line and saying, "Do not be out of line; otherwise your hearts will be in disagreement". He would add, "Allah and His angels invoke blessings upon the first rows."

[Abu Dawud].

‘Ubada b. as-Samit said that when God’s messenger followed a bier he did not sit down till the corpse was placed in the side of the grave. On being accosted by a learned Jew and told that that was how they did, God’s messenger sat down and said, “Act differently from them.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying that this is a gharib tradition and that Bishr b. Rafi' the transmitter was not strong.

He told of a woman who came to God's Messenger and said, “My husband wants to take away my son, and he has provided drink and other benefits for me.” The Prophet said, “This is your father and this is your mother, so take whichever of them you wish by the hand.” He took his mother’s hand and she went off with him. Abu Dawud, Nasa'i and Darimi transmitted.it.

Hakim b. Hizam said God's Messenger forbade him to sell anything which was not in his possession. Tirmidhi transmitted it. In a version by Abu Dawud and Nasa’i, he had said, “Messenger of God, a man comes to me and wants me to sell him something, but I do not have it and so I buy it for him from the market.” He replied, “Do not sell what you do not possess.”

I was a slave of Umm Salama, and she said, “I shall emancipate you, but I stipulate that you must serve God’s Messenger as long as you live” I replied, “Even if you do not make a stipulation with me I shall not leave God’s Messenger as long as I live”. She then emancipated me and made the stipulation with me. Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas told that a man who had drunk and become intoxicated was found staggering in the road, so he was taken to God’s Messenger, but when he was opposite al-‘Abbas’s house he escaped, and going in to al-‘Abbas he grasped hold of him. When the Prophet was told that he laughed and said, “Did he do that?” and he gave no command regarding him. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Salih, a client of Sa'd, said that Sa'd found some of the slaves of Medina cutting down some of the trees of Medina and took away their equipment. He then said, i.e. to their owners, that he had heard God's messenger prohibiting the cutting of any of the trees of Medina and saying, “If anyone cuts any of them, what is taken from him goes to the one who seizes him." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Riders would pass us when we were performing the rites of pilgrimage along with God’s messenger, and when they came by us one of us would let down her outer garment from her head over her face, and when they had passed on we would uncover our faces. Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Ibn Majah has something to the same effect.

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The rewards of my people were placed before me, even [for] a speck of dust a man takes out of the mosque] and the sins of my people were placed before me, and I saw no sin greater than that a man should memorise a sura or verse of the Qur’an, then forget it."* * Cf. Al-Qur’an, 20:126. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

and if anyone makes proper use of a thousand verses he will be recorded among those who receive huge rewards.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who begs from people when he has a sufficiency will come on the day of resurrection with his begging showing itself as scrapes, scratching or lacerations on his face.” On being asked what constituted a sufficiency, God’s messenger replied that it was fifty dirhams or their value in gold. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Tarafa told that his grandfather ‘Arfaja b. As'ad who had had his nose cut off at the battle of al-Kulab (This was a battle about ten years before the Hijra in which the tribe of Tamim was engaged) got a silver nose, but it developed a stench, so the Prophet ordered him to get a gold nose. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Sakhr b. Wada'a al-Ghamidi reported God’s Messenger as saying, "O God, bless my people in their early morning.” When he sent out a detachment or an army he sent them at the beginning of the day. Sakhr was a merchant, and he would send off his merchandise at the beginning of the day; and he became rich and had much wealth. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

Anas reported God's Messenger as saying, “Go in God’s name, trusting in God, and adhering to the religion of God’s Messenger. Do not kill a decrepit old man, or a young infant, or a woman; do not be dishonest about booty, but collect your spoils, do right and act well, for God loves those who do well.”* * Cf. Al-Qur’an; 2: 195; 5:13. Abu Dawud transmitted it.