Ibn `Abbas told that the Prophet said when he was in a round tent on the day of Badr, "O God, I ask Thee to fulfil Thy covenant and promise. O God, if Thou willest Thou shalt not be worshipped after to-day." Abu Bakr then took him by the hand and said, "What you have supplicated is enough, messenger of God; you have importuned your Lord." So, he went out hurrying in a coat of mail and saying, "The company will be routed and turn their backs[*]." *Quran; 54:45 Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that the Prophet said on the day of Badr, "This is Gabriel holding his horse's head with the accoutrements of war on him." Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that when one of the Muslims was going quickly after one of the polytheists in front of him, he heard the crack of a whip above him and the voice of a horseman saying, "Go on, Haizum[*]," and saw the polytheist in front of him fall on his back. He looked at him and saw his nose was cut and his face split as with a slash of a whip, and the whole of that turned green. When the Ansari came and told God's messenger he said, "You have spoken the truth; that was one of the troops of the third heaven." That day they killed seventy and took seventy prisoners. *The name of the angel's horse. Muslim transmitted it.

Sa`d b. Abu Waqqas told that at the battle of Uhud he saw two men in white clothing whom he had never seen before or since fighting as violently as possible on the right and left of God's messenger, meaning Gabriel and Michael. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

The Prophet sent a small party of Abu Rafi'[*], and `Abdallah b. `Atik entered his house at night when he was asleep and killed him. `Abdallah b. `Atik said, "I put the sword in his belly till it came out at his back, and I knew that I had killed him I then began to open the doors till I came to a stair, but when I put my foot on it, I fell and broke my leg, and it was a moonlight night. I tied it with a turban and rejoined my companions, and when I came to the Prophet, I told him all that had happened. He told me to stretch out my leg, and when I had done so and he had passed his hand over it, it seemed as though I had never had anything wrong with it." *Different dates are given for the incident. J.M.B. Jones who has made an important study of the dates of the Maghazi prefers the date given by Ibn Ishaq, viz. Dhul Hijja 5 or Muharram 6. See Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 1957, 19/2, pp. 250, 269 f. Bukhari transmitted it.

When we were digging at the battle of the Trench a huge piece of rock appeared as an obstruction, so they went to the Prophet and told him that this piece of rock had appeared as an obstruction in the trench. Saying, "I shall go down," he stood up (and he had a stone tied on his belly[*], for we had been three days without tasting any food). The Prophet then took the pick and struck it and it became a mound of sand pouring down. I then went off to my wife and asked her if she had anything, for I had seen the Prophet was very hungry, and she brought out a bag containing a sa` of barley. We had a tame lamb which I killed and she ground the barley, and we put the meat in the pot. I then went to the Prophet and told him secretly that we had killed a small lamb and my wife had ground a sa' of barley, inviting him to come and bring some people with him. So, the Prophet shouted, "You who are working at the trench, Jabir has prepared a repast, so come on." God's messenger then said, "Do not take off your pot and do not bake your dough till I come." When he came, I brought out dough for him and he spat in it and invoked a blessing. He then went to our pot, spat, invoked a blessing, and then said, "Call a woman to bake along with you, and take ladlefuls from your pot but do not take it off." There were a thousand present, and I swear by God that they ate till they left it and went away, and our pot was boiling as it had been and our dough was being baked as before. *For the purpose of allaying the pangs of hunger. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Qatada told that when `Ammar was digging the trench God's messenger began to wipe his head and say, "How unfortunate Ibn Sumayya is! The wicked party will kill you[*]." *Yasir, 'Ammar's father, is said to have come from the Yemen to Mecca, where he married a slave woman called Sumayya who bore 'Ammar. `Ammar fought on 'Ali's side at the battle of Siffin (37 A.H.) and was killed. The wicked party mentioned in the tradition is Mu'awiya s army. See Ibn `Abd al-Barr, Isti'ab pp. 422 ff. Muslim transmitted it.

Sulaiman b. Surad reported the Prophet as saying when the Confederates[*] were removed from him, "Now we shall raid them and they will not raid us; we shall go to them." *Those who fought against the Muslims at the battle of the Trench (cf. Quran. 82:9 ff). Bukhari transmitted it.

When God's messenger returned from the battle of the Trench, put off his armour and bathed, Gabriel came to him when he was shaking the dust off his head and said, "You have put off your armour, but I swear by God that I have not done so. Go out to them." The Prophet asked where he was to go and he indicated that it was to the B. Quraiza so the Prophet went out to them. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Bukhari Anas said: I can imagine myself looking at the dust rising in the street of the B. Ghanm, the cavalcade of Gabriel when God's messenger went to the B. Quraiza.

Jabir told that on the day of al-Hudaibiya the people were thirsty and God's messenger had in front of him a water-vessel from which he performed ablution. Then the people came forward to him and told him they had no water for ablution or for drinking except what was in his vessel; so, the Prophet put- his hand into the vessel and the water began to pour forth between his fingers like springs. Jabir said they drank and performed ablution, and when he was asked how many they were he replied that if they had been a hundred thousand it would have been sufficient for them, adding that they numbered fifteen hundred. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

On the day of al-Hudaibiya we were along with God's messenger to the number of fourteen hundred. Now al Hudaibiya was a well which we drained leaving not a drop in it, and when the Prophet heard of that he came to it and sat down beside it. He called for a vessel of water, and when he had performed ablution, rinsed his mouth and made supplication, he poured the water into it, and told them to leave it for a time. Then they drew sufficient water for themselves and their animals until they left. Bukhari transmitted it.

When we were on a journey with the Prophet the people complained to him of thirst, so he dismounted and called for so and so (whose name was mentioned by Abu Raja' but forgotten by `Auf) and for `Ali and told them to go and look for water. They went off and met a woman riding with a leather water-bag, or a water-skin on either side of her, so they brought her to the Prophet and asked her to dismount from her camel. The Prophet called for a vessel and poured water into it from the mouths of the skins, after which proclamation was made among the people to draw water, and they did so. Then we forty thirsty men drank till we had had enough, and we filled every skin and small vessel which we had. I swear by God that water was taken from the skin, but it seemed to us to be fuller than it was when he began. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

We travelled with God's messenger, and when we alighted in a broad wadi God's messenger went to relieve himself, but could find nothing with which to screen himself. There were two trees at the side of the wadi, so God's messenger went to one of them and, taking hold of one of its branches, he said, "Allow yourself to be led by me, with God's permission." Then it was led by him like a camel with a piece of wood in its nose which is amenable to the one who guides it, until he came to the other tree. Then taking hold of one of its branches he said, "Allow yourself to be led by me, with God's permission," and it was led similarly. Then when he was in the middle between them, he said, "Draw close together about me, with God's permission," and they did so. I sat occupied with my thoughts, and when I turned round, I saw God's messenger coming, and noticed that the trees had separated, each standing on its own trunk. Muslim transmitted it.

I saw the mark of a blow on the leg of Salama b. al-Akwa' and asked, "What is this blow, Abu Muslim?" He replied, "It is a blow I received at the battle for Khaibar which made the people say I had been killed. I went to the Prophet who blew spittle on it three times, and up to now I have been having no trouble with it." Bukhari transmitted it.

The Prophet announced the death of Zaid, Ja`far and Ibn Rawaha to the people before news of them had reached them[*], saying, "Zaid took the standard and was smitten, then Ja'far took it and was smitten, then Ibn Rawaha took it and was smitten (the tears mean while dripping from his eyes). Finally, one of God's swords (meaning Khalid b. al-Walid) took the standard till God granted them success." Bukhari transmitted it.

I was present with God's messenger at the battle of Hunain. When the Muslims and the infidels met the Muslims turned in retreat, but God's messenger began to spur his she-mule in the direction of the infidels, while I was holding the bridle of his she-mule to restrain it, desiring that it should not go quickly, and Abu Sufyan b. al-Harith was holding God's messenger's stirrup. God's messenger then said, "Call those who were present at the gum-acacia tree[1]." `Abbas, who had a loud voice, told that he called at the top of his voice, "Where are those who were present at the gum-acacia tree?" adding, ``I swear by God that I made them turn back when they heard my voice as cows turn back to their young." They said, "At your service, at your service." They and the-infidels then fought, and the call among the Ansar was, "O company of the Ansar, O company of the Ansar." Then the call was confined to the B. al-Harith b. al Khazraj[2]. God's messenger watched their fighting while sitting on his she-mule like one stretching out his neck, and said, "This is when the oven has become hot[3]." Then taking some pebbles and throwing them in the faces of the infidels he said, "Be routed, by the Lord of Muhammad." I swear by God that no sooner had he thrown the pebbles at them than I began to see their power becoming weak and their ranks, turning in retreat. 1. The reference is to the battle of Mu'ta. 2. Those who swore allegiance to the Prophet at al-Hudaibiya. Cf. Quran, 48:18. 3. A tribal group which formed a section of the Ansar. 4. A figure of speech meaning that the fighting has become violent. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Ishaq told that a man said to al-Bara'[1], "Abu `Umara, did you[2] fly at the battle of Hunain?" He replied, 'No, I swear by God. God's messenger did not turn back, but some of his young companions who did not have many weapons went out against the enemy and met some archers whose arrows rarely fell on the ground[3], and they shot at them and rarely missed. So, they then went towards God's messenger who was on his white she-mule with Abu Sufyan b. al-Harith in front of him. He dismounted and prayed for victory saying. "I am the Prophet without falsehood; I am the descendant of Abd al-Muttalib." He then drew them up in line. 1. Al-Bara' b. 'Azib, whose kunya was Abu 'Umara. 2. The pronoun is plural, referring to the army. 3. i.e., failed to bit someone. 4. A line in the rajaz metre. Muslim transmitted it, and Bukhari has something to the same effect. In a version by both of them al Bara.' said, "I swear by God that when the battle became fierce, we sought refuge with him, and the bravest of us was the one who kept shoulder to shoulder with him," meaning the Prophet.

We went to the battle of Hunain with God's messenger and his companions turned back. Then when God's messenger was surrounded, he dismounted from his she-mule, took a handful of earth from the ground, and turning towards them threw it in their faces saying, "May the faces be made ugly!" Then there was not a man among them whom God had created whose eyes were not filled with earth by reason of that handful. They turned in retreat, God routed them, and God's messenger divided the spoils among the Muslims. Muslim transmitted it.

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.

God's messenger was bewitched so that he would imagine he had done something he had not done. One day when he was staying with me, he made supplication after supplication to God, then said, "Do you know, `A'isha, that God has given me a decision about what I asked? Two men came to me and one of them sat at my head and the other at my feet. One of them asked the other, `What is the man suffering from?' and he replied, `He is under a spell.' He asked, `Who has put a spell on him?' and he replied, `Labid b. al-A`sam the Jew .' He asked, `What did he use?' and he replied, `A comb and combings and the spathe of a male palm-tree He asked, `Where is it?' and he replied, `In the well of Dharwan'[*]." The Prophet then went with some of his companions to the well and said, "This is the well I was shown." Its water looked like diluted henna and its palm-trees like the heads of devils. He then took it out. *Bukhari, Adab, 56, has Dharwan, but Tibb, 50, has Dhu Arwan, which is the form given by Muslim in Salam, 43. Nawawi in his commentary on Muslim (Cairo, 1349, vol. 14, p. 177) says both forms are correct, but Dhu Arwan is better and sounder. He says it was a well in the garden in Madina belonging to the B. Zuraiq. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

While we were with God's messenger when he was dividing portions, Dhul Khuwaisira, a man of the B. Tamim, came to him and said, "Act equitably, messenger of God." He replied, "Out upon you! Who will act equitably if I do not? You will be disappointed and losing if I do not act equitably." `Umar asked permission to cut off his head, but he replied, "Leave him alone, for he has companions[1] in comparison with whose prayers any of you would despise his, and in comparison, with whose fasting any of you would despise his. They recite the Quran but it does not pass their collarbones. They swerve from the religion as an arrow goes through the animal aimed at. Their look is directed to its head, on to the sinew on its socket, on to its nadi, which is its rod, on to its feathers, but there is no sign of excrement or blood on it[2]. They will be recognised by the presence of a black man one of whose upper arms quivers like a woman's breast, or like a piece of meat, and they will revolt against the best section of mankind[3]. Abu Sa'id said: I testify that I heard this tradition from God's messenger, and I testify that `Ali b. Abu Talib fought with them and that I was with him. He gave orders about that man who was sought for, and when he was brought in and I looked at him, he was exactly as the Prophet had described him. A version has: A man with deep-set eyes, a projecting brow, a thick beard, high cheekbones and a shaven head came forward and said, "Fear God, Muhammad." He replied, "Who will obey God if I disobey Him? God entrusts me with power over the inhabitants of the earth but you[4] do not." A man asked to be allowed to kill him but he prevented him. Then when the man turned away, he said, "From this one's stock there will be people who recite the Quran, yet it will not pass their throats. They will swerve from Islam as an arrow goes through the animal shot at. They will kill the followers of Islam and leave the worshippers of idols alone; but if I live to their time, I shall certainly kill them as `Ad were killed." 1. People like him, or people at a later period who will acquire a reputation for piety. The reference is to the Kharijites. 2. Just as an arrow can go through an animal without traces of excrement or blood, they will abandon Islam so quickly that no trace of it will be left in them. 3. `Ali and his party. 4. The pronoun is plural, indicating the man and his people. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I used to invite my mother who was a polytheist to accept Islam, and one day when I had invited her and she caused me to hear something about God's messenger which I do not care to repeat[*] I went to him weeping and said, "Messenger of God, supplicate God to guide Abu Huraira's mother." He said, "O God, guide Abu Huraira's mother," so I came out cheered by the Prophet's supplication. When I came to the door, I found it shut, and when she heard the sound of my feet she said, "Stay where you are, Abu Huraira." I heard the splashing of water, and when she had bathed and put on her chemise, but was in too big a hurry to put on her head-covering, she opened the door and said, "I testify, Abu Huraira, that there is no god but God, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger." I then returned to God's messenger weeping for joy, and he praised God and said some good words. *Or, 'of which I disapproved' Muslim transmitted it.

You say that Abu Huraira transmits much from the Prophet, but God is the One to whom account will have to be given. My brethren among the Emigrants were occupied by business in the markets and my brethren among the Helpers were occupied by looking after their property, but I was a poor man who kept near God's messenger and was satisfied with what would fill my stomach. One day the Prophet said, "No one among you who spreads out his garment till I finish this address of mine and then gathers it to his breast will ever forget anything I say." I therefore spread out a woollen garment which was all I was wearing till the Prophet finished his address and afterwards gathered it to my breast, and I swear by Him who sent him with the truth that up to this day I have not forgotten any of that address of his. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

God's messenger said to me, "Why do you not give me rest from Dhul Khalasa?" I told him that I certainly would, but as I was not able to keep from falling off a horse's back, I mentioned the fact to the Prophet. He gave me such a blow with his hand on my breast that I could see the mark of his hand on it and said, "O God, make him sit firm, and make him a guide who is led aright." After that I never fell off my horse. He went with a hundred and fifty resolute horsemen of Ahmas[*] and burned it and broke it up. *Ahmas (brave) is said to have been applied to Quraish, Kinana and Jadila of Qais because of the hardships they imposed on themselves in their religious observances in pre-Islamic times. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

A man, who had acted as secretary to the Prophet apostatised from Islam and attached himself to the polytheists, so the Prophet said, "The earth will not accept him." Abu Talha told me he came to the land in which the man died and found him cast on the surface of the ground. He asked the reason and was told by the people that they had buried him several times, but that the earth would not accept him. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Ayyub told that the Prophet went out when the sun had set, and on hearing a sound said, "The Jews are being punished in their graves." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir told that when the Prophet was near Medina on his return from a journey a wind arose which stirred up the sand to such an extent that it could almost bury a horseman.' God's messenger said, "This wind has been sent on account of the death of a hypocrite." When he came to Medina, he found that one of the leading hypocrites had died. Muslim transmitted it.

We went out with the Prophet, and when we came to `Usfan he stayed there some nights. The people said, "We are serving no purpose here, our children have been left and we are not sure of their safety," and when the Prophet heard of that he said, "I swear by Him in whose hand my soul is that there is no ravine or mountain road in Medina which does not have two angels guarding it till you return." He then gave the order to set out, and we did so and came to Medina. Then, by Him in whose name oaths are sworn, we had not unloaded our beasts after entering Medina before the B. 'Abdallah b. Ghatafan raided us, but nothing had roused them to do so before that. Muslim transmitted it.

The people were afflicted by famine in the time of God's messenger, and while the Prophet was preaching on a Friday a nomadic Arab got up and said, "The animals are perishing and the children are hungry, so make supplication to God for us." He then raised his hands, and we could not see a speck of cloud in the sky, but I swear by Him in whose hand my soul is that he had not lowered his hand before the clouds were appearing like mountains and before he descended from his pulpit, I saw the rain coming down on his beard. We had rain that day, the next, the following day, and on till the next Friday. Then that nomadic Arab or someone else got up and said, "Messenger of God, the buildings are being broken down and the animals are being drowned, so make supplication to God for us." He then raised his hands and said, "O God, round about us, but not on us." Then he did not point to any region in the clouds without their breaking up, and Medina became like a gap[*]. The wadi had a channel flowing in it for a month, and no one came from any region without speaking of plenty. In a version he said, "O God, round about us, but not on us; O God, on the mounds and knolls, in the basins of the wadis and in the plantations." He said: Then it stopped and we went out walking in the sun. *Meaning that Madina, unlike surrounding districts, had no clouds immediately above it or that it was like a wide, round hollow with the clouds round its edges. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

When the Prophet preached, he leaned on the trunk of a palm-tree which was one of the pillars of the mosque, then when the pulpit was made for him and he went up on it the palm-tree beside which he had preached shouted till it almost split. The Prophet therefore descended, took it, and embraced it, and it began to moan like a boy who is being calmed down till it became quiet. 'He then said, "It wept for the mention of God which it had been accustomed to hear." Bukhari transmitted it.

Salama b. al-Akwa` told that when a man ate with his left hand in the presence of God's messenger he said, " Eat with your right hand." On his replying, "I am not able," he said, "May you not be able!" for it was simply pride which prevented him. He told that he did not raise it[*] to his mouth [after that]. *i.e., his right hand. Muslim transmitted it.

Anas told that, once when the people of Medina had an alarm the Prophet mounted a slow horse belonging to Abu Talha which took short steps. When he returned, he said, "I found this horse of yours could run like a great river." After that it had none to compete with it. A version says it was never outstripped after that day. Bukhari transmitted it.

My father died in debt and I suggested, to his creditors that they should accept the dates we had in payment of his debt. When they refused, I went to the Prophet and said, "You know that my father died a martyr at the battle of Uhud leaving a large debt, and I would like the creditors to see you." He told me to go and collect all the dates in separate groups, and when I had done so I called him. When they looked at him it seemed as though they were more persistent with me at that time, and when he saw what they were doing he went round the largest group three times, then sitting down beside it he said, "Call your creditors to me." He then kept measuring out to them till God paid on my father's behalf what he owed. I should have been pleased that God should pay my father's debt leaving me not a date to take back to my brothers; but God kept all the groups intact, and when I looked at the group beside which the Prophet was, it seemed as if it had not been diminished by a single date. Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that Umm Malik used to present clarified butter to the Prophet in a skin of hers. Her sons would come to her and ask for seasoning when they had nothing, and she would go to the skin from which she made presents to the Prophet and find clarified butter in it. It kept providing her with seasoning for her household till she squeezed it, so she went to the Prophet who asked whether she had squeezed it, and when she replied that she had, he said, "If you had left it alone it would have kept on as it was." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Talha told Umm Sulaim[*] he had noticed God's messenger's voice was weak and realised that he was suffering from hunger, so he suggested she might have something. Replying that she had, she brought out some barley loaves, then took out a head-covering of hers in part of which she wrapped the bread, and when she had put it under my arm, she wound part of it round my head and sent me to God's messenger. When I went with it, I found God's messenger in the mosque accompanied by some people. I gave them a salutation and God's messenger asked me if Abu Talha had sent me. I replied that he had, and he asked if he had sent me with food. When I replied that that was so he told the people who were with him to get up. He set off and I went in front of them, and when I came to Abu Talha, I informed him. He said, "God's messenger has come with some people, Umm Sulaim, and we have nothing to give them to eat." When she replied that God and His messenger knew best, he went off till he met God's messenger, who then came accompanied by Abu Talha and said, "Bring what you have, Umm Sulaim." She brought that bread, and he then ordered that the bread be broken into small pieces, and when Umm Sulaim had squeezed a skin and put seasoning on its God's messenger said regarding it what God willed him to say. He then asked permission for ten to enter, and when that was granted, they ate till they had had enough'. When they had gone out, he asked permission for one group of ten after another to enter, and all the people ate and had enough. They numbered seventy or eighty men. *She had married Malik b. an-Nadr to whom she bore Anas. Miltk had gone to Syria, where he died, and she married Abu Talha. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim he said, "Permit ten to enter," and when they entered, he said, "Eat, mentioning God's name." They ate until he had done that with eighty men, after which the Prophet and the members of the household ate, and he left something over. In a version by Bukhari he said, "Enter by tens," until he had counted forty. Then the Prophet ate, and I began to look whether it had diminished at all. A version by Muslim says he then took what remained and collected it, then invoked a blessing on it, and when it returned to its original state he said, "Take this."

He told that the Prophet was brought a vessel when he was in az-Zaura', and when he put his hand in the vessel the water began to spout between his fingers, and the people performed ablution. Qatada said he asked Anas how many were present, and he replied that there were three hundred, or, about three hundred. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

We used to reckon the signs[*] as a blessing, but you reckon them as something to cause fear. Once when we were on a journey with God's messenger and there was little water he said, "Look if there is any water left." They brought him a vessel containing a little water, and when he had put his hand into it, he said, "Come to the blessed cleansing medium and the blessing from God." I have seen the water spouting between God's messenger's fingers, and we have been hearing the glorifying of God over food when it was being eaten. *i.e., the miracles. Bukhari transmitted it.

God's messenger addressed us saying, "You will travel all evening and all night and come to water to-morrow, if God wills.' The people then set off not turning round to one another. Abu Qatada said: While God's messenger was travelling, when the middle of the night came, he turned aside from the road, laid down his head and said, "Keep watch for us for our time of prayer." Now the first to awake was God's messenger when he felt the sun on his back, and he said "Mount." We did so and travelled till the sun had risen in the sky, when he dismounted, called for an ablution vessel. I had containing some water and performed ablution from it to a less extent than usual. Some water remained in it, and he said, `Keep your ablution vessel for us, for it will be something to talk about. Bilal then gave the call to prayer, and God's messenger prayed two rak`as, after which he prayed the morning prayer. He then mounted and we mounted along with him and reached the people when the day had advanced and everything was hot. They were saying, "Messenger of God, we are perishing from thirst," to which he replied, "You will not perish." He called for the ablution vessel, began to pour out water, and Abu Qatada[*] was supplying them with water. No sooner did the people see that there was water in the ablution vessel then they crowded around it, so God's messenger said, "Behave in an orderly manner, for every one of you will get a supply of water." They did so, and God's messenger began to pour and I to supply them with water till only he and I were left. He then poured and told me to drink, but I replied, "I shall not drink till you do so, messenger of God." He said, "The one who supplies water for people comes last," so I drank and then he drank. Then the people came to the watering-place in comfort, having had a supply of water. *I have retained the Arabic construction here. Abu Qatada is telling the story and elsewhere uses the first-person pronoun when making reference to himself, Muslim transmitted it thus in his Sahih, and it is told similarly in al-Humaidi's book and in Jami' al-usul. In al-Masabih the words "in drinking" are added after "comes last."

On the day of the expedition of Tabuk the people were afflicted by hunger, and `Umar said, "Messenger of God, tell them to bring what is left over of their provisions and pray God for a blessing for them on them." He agreed, then called for a leather cloth and it was spread out. He then called for the provisions which were left, and one brought a handful of millet, another a handful of dates, another crumbs until a small quantity was collected on the leather cloth. God's messenger then prayed for a blessing, after which he said, "Take a supply in your receptacles." They did so until they did not leave a receptacle in the army which they did not fill. They then ate till they were satisfied, and there was something over. God's messenger then said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that I am God's messenger. No one who meets God and affirms the two testimonies without harbouring any doubts will not be kept away from paradise." Muslim transmitted it.

When the Prophet was newly married to Zainab, my mother Umm Sulaim took some dates, clarified butter and curd, and made hais[1]. When she had prepared it in a cooking-pot she said, "Take this to God's messenger, Anas, say your mother has sent this to him along with her good wishes, and tell him this is a small gift to him from us." When I had gone and repeated this, he told me to put it down, then said, "Go and invite so and so, so and so, and so and so (naming some men) to come to me, and invite those whom you meet to come to me." I invited those he named and those I met, and when I returned the house was crowded with people[2]. (Anas was asked how many there were and replied that there were about three hundred.) I saw the Prophet put his hand on that bit of hais and say such words as God wished. He then began to invite them to eat in groups of ten, and he was saying to them, "Mention God's name, and let each man eat from the place nearest him." When they had eaten to their satisfaction one party went out and another entered till they had all eaten. He told me to remove the food and I did so, and I do not know whether there was more of it when I set it down or when I removed it. Hais (special dish prepared from dried yoghourt, butter and dates). This is what the Arabic says, but in view of what follows about the people being admitted in tens, it probably means that the house was surrounded by a great throng. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I went on an expedition with God's messenger on a camel used for drawing water which had grown weary and could scarcely go on. The Prophet came up beside me and asked what was the matter with my camel, and when I told him it had grown weary, he went behind it and urged it on. He then made supplication for it and it kept going in front of the other camels. He asked me how I found my camel and I replied that it was fine, having received the benefit of his blessing. He asked if I would sell it to him for a wuqiya, and I agreed on condition that I might ride it till we came to Medina. When God's messenger came to Medina I took the camel to him in the morning, and he gave me its price, then returned the animal to me. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

We went out with God's messenger on the expedition to Tabuk, and in the wadi al-Qura we came to a garden belonging to a woman. God's messenger told us to estimate its amount and we did so, and God's messenger estimated it at ten camel loads. He told the woman to calculate the amount and have it ready for our return should God will, and then we set off. When we came to Tabuk God's messenger said, "You will have a violent wind to-night, so no one must get up while it is blowing and those who have camels must hobble them firmly." A violent wind blew, and a man got up and was carried by the wind and thrown on the two mountains of Tayy[*]. We then went on till we came to the wadi al-Qura., and when God's messenger asked the woman how much the fruit in her garden had amounted to, she replied that it was ten camel loads. *Aia' and Salma. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Dharr reported God's messenger as saying, "You will conquer Egypt, which is a land in which the qirat is mentioned. When you conquer it treat its inhabitants well, for protection and blood-relationship apply to them (or he said, protection and marriage relationship)[1]. But when you see two men quarrelling in a brickwork leave[2] it." Abu Dharr said he saw `Abd ar-Rahman b. Shurahbil b. Hasana and his brother Rabi'a quarrelling in a brickwork, and so left it. 1. The reference is to Abraham's son Ishmael having Hagar as mother, and to Mariya the Copt who was sent to the Prophet. 2. 'You' in this sentence and the preceding one is plural, but `leave' is singular, addressed particularly to Abu Dharr. Muslim transmitted it.

Hudhaifa reported the Prophet as saying, "Among my companions (a version has, my people) there will be twelve hypocrites who will neither enter paradise nor experience its odour till a camel goes through a needle's eye. Eight of them will be repelled by an internal ulcer (a burning, fiery wick) which will appear on their shoulders and extend into their breasts." Muslim transmitted it.

Unaisa, daughter of Zaid b. Arqam told on her father's authority that the Prophet went in to visit Zaid when he was ill and said, "No harm will come to you from your illness, but how will you do if your life is prolonged after I am gone and you become blind?" He replied, "I shall seek my reward from God and show endurance," whereupon he said, "In that case you will enter paradise without being taken to account." She said he became blind after the Prophet died, and that God restored his sight to him before he died.

this is the messenger of the Lord of the universe whom God is commissioning as a mercy to the universe." Some shaikhs of Quraish asked him how he knew, and he replied, "When you came over the hill not a tree or a stone failed to bow in prostration, and they prostrate themselves only before a prophet. I recognise him by the seal of prophecy, like an apple, below the end of his shoulder-blade." He then went and prepared food for them, and when he brought it to them the Prophet was looking after the camels, so he told them to send for him. He came with a cloud above him shading him, and when he approached the people, he found they had gone before him into the shade of a tree. Then when he sat down the shade of the tree inclined over him, and the monk said, "Look how the shade of the tree has inclined over him. I adjure you by God to tell me which of you is his guardian." On being told that it was Abu Talib he kept adjuring him to send him back until he did so. Abu Bakr sent Bilal along with him and the monk gave him provision of coarse bread and olive-oil. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Once when I was with the Prophet in Mecca and we went out into one of its districts in the neighbourhood, not a mountain or tree which confronted him failed to say, "Peace be upon you, messenger of God." Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

Anas told that on the night when the Prophet was taken up to heaven al-Buraq was brought to him bridled and saddled, but it proved refractory, so Gabriel said to it, "Is it to Muhammad you are doing this? No one more honourable in God's sight than he has mounted you." It then poured with sweat. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Buraida reported God's messenger as saying, "When I came to Jerusalem Gabriel made a sign with his finger, making with it a hole in the stone, and tied al-Buraq to it." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

There are three things I saw relating to God's messenger. While we were travelling with him, we passed a camel being used for irrigation, and when the camel saw him, it rumbled and bent down its neck. The Prophet stopped beside it and asked where the owner of that camel was, and when he came, he asked him to sell it to him. He replied, "No, I shall not give it to you, messenger of God, it belongs to a family which has no other means of livelihood." He said, "Since you have mentioned this about it, note that it has complained to me of a great amount of work and a small amount of fodder; so, treat it well[*]." We then travelled on, and when we came to a stage and the Prophet had lain down to sleep a tree came cleaving the earth till it overshadowed him and then returned to its place. When God's messenger awoke, I mentioned the m atter to him and he said, "It is a tree which asked its Lord's permission to give a salutation to God's messenger, and He allowed it." We then travelled on, and when we passed a watering-place a woman brought a son of hers who was possessed, and the Prophet seized his nostril and said, "Come out, for I am Muhammad, God's messenger." We then travelled on, and when we passed that watering-place on the way back he asked the woman about the boy and she said, "I swear by Him who commissioned you with the truth that we have seen nothing in him to disturb us since you left." *The Prophet evidently had no desire to take the camel either by payment or as a gift, since it was the man's only means of earning a livelihood. He therefore left him with an exhortation to treat the camel properly. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.