Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from Abu Salih as-Samman from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Horses are a reward for one man, a protection for another, a burden for another. The one who has them as a reward is the one who dedicates them for use in the way of Allah, and tethers them in a meadow or grassland. Whatever the horse enjoys of the grassland or meadow in the length of its tether are good deeds for him. If it breaks its tether and goes over a hillock or two, its tracks and droppings are good deeds for him. If it crosses a river and drinks from it while he did not mean to allow it to drink it, that counts as good deeds for him, and the horse is a reward for him.

Another man uses his horse to gain self reliance and up- standingness and does not forget Allah's right on their necks and backs (i.e. he does not ill treat or over-work them). Horses are a protection for him .

Another man uses them out of pride to show them off and in hostility to the people of Islam. They are a burden on that man."

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked about donkeys, and he said, "Nothing has been revealed to me about them except this single all- inclusive ayat, 'Whoever does an atom of good will see it, and whoever does an atom of evil, will see it.' " (Sura 99 Ayats 7,8) .

"While I was praying, I said: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim "In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficent." My father heard me and said: "O my son this is a newly invented matter, beware of the newly-invented.'" He (Ibn Abdullah) said: "I have not seen any one of the Companions of Allah's Messenger who hated a newly invented matter in Islam more than him. And he said: 'I have performed Salat with the Prophet, and with Abu Bakr, and Umar, and with Uthman. I did not hear any one of them saying it. So do not say it. When you are performing Salat say: Al-Hamdu lilahi Rabbil-Alamin "All praise is due to Allah the Lord of all that exists.'"

That the Prophet said: "Umrah has been entered into Hajj until the Day of Resurrection."

Mu’awiyah came out to the Masjid and said: “What has caused you to gather for this sitting.” They said: “We gathered so that we may remember Allah.” He said, “By Allah, nothing caused you to gather for this sitting except for that?” They said, “By Allah, nothing caused us to gather for this sitting except for that.” He said: “Indeed, I did not ask you out of suspicion, and there was no one in the position I was from the Messenger of Allah who narrates less Ahadith from him than me. Indeed the Messenger of Allah came out upon a circle of his Companions and said: ‘what has caused you to gather for this sitting?’ They said: ‘We have gathered for this sitting to remember Allah, and praise Him for His having guided us to Islam, and having bestowed blessings upon us.’ So he said: ‘By Allah, nothing caused you to gather for this sitting except for that?’ He said: ‘Indeed, I did not ask you out of suspicion, verily Jibra’il came to me and informed me that Allah boasts of you to the angels.’”

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) sat upon the Minbar and said: 'Indeed a worshiper has been given a choice by Allah, between Him giving him from the bounty of this life as much as he wishes, and between what is with Him. So he chose what is with Him.' So Abu Bakr said: 'We will ransom our fathers and mothers for you O Messenger of Allah!'" He said: "So we were amazed. Then the people said: 'Look at this old man. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) informs about a worshiper whom Allah gave the choice, between Him giving him from the bounty of this life as much as he wishes, and between that which is with Allah, and he says: 'We will ransom our fathers and mothers for you?' But the Messenger of Allah (SAW) was the one given the choice, and Abu Bakr was the most knowledgeable of it among them. So the Prophet (SAW) said: 'From those who were most beneficial to me among the people in their companionship and their wealth was Abu Bakr. And if I were to take a Khalil, I would would have taken Abu Bakr as a Khalil. But rather, the brotherhood of Islam. Let there not remain a door in the Masjid except the door of Abu Bakr.'"

that Abu 'Ubaidah bin 'Abdullah narrated from 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud who said: "On the Day of Badr, when the captives were brought, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said 'What do you say about these captives?' So he mentioned the story. And the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said 'Not one of them should be released without a ransom, or a blow to the neck.'" So 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud said: "O Messenger of Allah! With the exception of Suhail bin Baidam for indeed I heard him mentioning Islam." He said: "So the Messenger of Allah (SAW) was silent." He said: "I have not seen a day upon which I was more fearful of stones falling from the heavens upon my head that the day." [He said:] "Until the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'Except for Suhail bin Al-Baida.'" He said: "And the Qur'an was revealed in accordance with the view of 'Umar. 'It is not (fitting) for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he has fought (his enemies thoroughly) in the land...' until the end of the Ayat."

We went out with God’s Messenger in the year of Hunain, and when the armies met, the Muslims suffered a reverse. I saw one of the polytheists getting the better of one of the Muslims, so I struck him with my sword from behind on his shoulder-blade and cut his coat of mail. He came at me and closed with me, so that I felt death was near, but he was overtaken by death and let me go. I then caught up on ‘Umar b. al-Khattab and asked him what was the matter with the people, to which he replied that it was what God had commanded.1 Then they returned and the Prophet sat down and said, "If anyone kills a man and can prove it he will get his spoil.” I said, "Who will testify for me?” and then sat down. The Prophet said the same again and I said, "Who will testify for me?”2 and then sat down. Again the Prophet said the same and I stood up He asked, "What is the matter with you, Qatada?” and when I informed him a man said, "He has spoken the truth. I have his spoil, so make him agreeable to take something in exchange.” Abu Bakr said, “In that case I swear by God that he did not do so. One of God’s heroes3 does not fight for God and His Messenger and then give you his spoil.” The Prophet said he had spoken the truth and told the man to hand it over to me. He did so, and I bought a garden among the B. Salima. This was the first property I acquired in the Islamic period. 1. He wondered why the Muslims had fled from the enemy, and 'Umar replied that it was what God had decreed. 2. There is doubt as to whether Abu Qatada spoke aloud the first two times, or inwardly. In the translation I have kept strictly to the wording in the Arabic. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

When we were with God's messenger at Hunain, he said of one of those who were with him who claimed to be a Muslim, "This will be one of the inhabitants of hell." When the fighting took place, the man fought most valiantly and received many wounds, so a man came and said, "Messenger of God, tell me about the man of whom you were telling that he would be one of the inhabitants of hell. He has fought valiantly in God's path and received many wounds." He replied, "He will indeed be one of the inhabitants of hell." Some people almost doubted, but while things were so the man felt the pain of his wounds, and putting his band into his quiver drew out an arrow and stabbed himself with it. Some Muslims then hastened to God's messenger and said, "Messenger of God, God has verified what you told. So and so has stabbed and killed himself." God's messenger then said, "God is most great. I testify that I am God's servant and messenger. Get up, Bilal, and make an announcement that only a believer will enter paradise, but that God will support this religion with a wicked man[*]." *While hypocrites and others whose character is worthless may fight on the side of the Muslims, only those who have faith will enter paradise. The idea is that taking part in Jihad does not of itself guarantee entrance into paradise. Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Two people do not love each other in Allah Almighty or in Islam if the first wrong action that one of them does creates a split between them."

As-Sa'b ibn Hakim reported that his grandfather said, "I came to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. He began to say, 'Nephew.' Then he questioned me and I told him my lineage and so he knew that my father had not become Muslim. He began to say, 'My son, my son.'"

Abu Dharr said, "I came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he had finished his prayer. I was the first person to be greeted with the greeting of Islam. He said, 'And on you and the mercy of Allah. From where have you come?' I said, 'From Ghifar.'"

"There is no god but Allah”, 'O so-and-so, say: "Allah is my Lord, Islam is my din (religion), and Muhammad is my prophet.” Related by Sa'id bin Mansur.

I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say, "Islam has been built on five [pillars]: testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the salah (prayer), paying the zakat (obligatory charity), making the hajj (pilgrimage) to the House, and fasting in Ramadhan." [Bukhari & Muslim]