Abu Bakr came and asked permission to go in to see the Prophet, but found the people seated at his door, none of them having been given permission. Permission was, however, given to Abu Bakr and he entered. ‘Umar then came forward, and when he had asked and had been granted permission he found the Prophet sitting sad and silent with his wives around him. He told that he decided to say something which would make the Prophet laugh, so he said, “Messenger of God, I wish you had seen the daughter of Kharija when she asked me for extra money and I got up and slapped her on the neck.” God's Messenger laughed and said, “They are around me as you see asking for extra money.” Abu Bakr then got up, went to ‘A’isha and slapped her on the neck, and ‘Umar did the same to Hafsa, both of them saying, “Are you asking God’s Messenger for what he does not possess?” They all replied, “We swear by God that we never ask God’s Messenger for anything he does not possess.” Thereafter he withdrew from them for a month or twenty-nine days. Then this verse came down, “O prophet, say to your wives ... for those who do well among you a great reward” (Al-Qur’an 33:28 f). He then went first to ‘A’isha and said, “I want to propound something to you, ‘A’isha, but wish no hasty reply before you consult your parents.” When she had asked him what it was and he had recited the verse to her she said, “Shall I consult my parents about you, Messenger of God? Nay, I choose God, His Messenger, and the final abode; but I ask you not to tell any of your wives what I have said.” He replied, “Not one of them will ask me without my informing her. God did not send me to be harsh or cause harm, but sent me to teach and make things easy.” Muslim transmitted it.

When God's messenger was in my house, he mentioned the dajjal saying, "Before he comes there will be three years, one in which the heaven will withhold a third of its rain and the earth a third of its vegetation, the second in which the heaven will withhold two-thirds of its rain and the earth two-thirds of its vegetation, and the third in which the heaven will withhold all its rain and the earth all its vegetation, and every animal with hoof or fang will perish. One of the severest of his afflictions will be his coming to a nomadic Arab and saying, `Tell me, if I bring your camels to life for you, will you not know that I am your Lord?' and he will reply, `Certainly. He will then make the devils appear to him like his camels with the finest udders and the highest humps. He will come to a man whose brother and father have died and say, `Tell me, if I bring your father and your brother to life for you, will you not know that I am your Lord?' and he will reply, `Certainly.' He will then make the devils appear to him like his father and his brother." She said that God's messenger then went out to relieve himself and when he found on his return that the people were greatly upset over what he had told them, he put his hands on the sides of the door and said, "What is the matter, Asma'?" When she replied that their hearts were perturbed over them; mention of the dajjal, he said, "If he comes forth when I am alive, I shall dispute with him, otherwise my Lord will take my place on behalf of every believer." She said, "Messenger of God, I swear by God that when we knead our dough, we are hungry before we make it into bread. Now how will believers fare at that time?" He replied, "The glorifying of God and the declaration of His holiness which are enough for the angels will be enough for them." ...Transmitted it. The source of the tradition is omitted in the text. It occurs in Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 6, p. 455 f. A form of the tradition is also given in Tayalisi's Musnad (Haidarabad, 1321), p. 227.

“Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) told me: ‘Recite the Qur’an to me,’ so I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, shall I recite the Qur’an to you when it was to you that it was revealed?’ He said: ‘I like to hear it from someone other than myself,’ so I recited the Sura of the Women [Surat an-Nisa’] until the place that reads: And We bring you as a witness against these [wa ji'na bi-ka 'ala ha'ula'i shahida]' (Al-Qur'an; 4:41). Then I saw the eyes of Allah’s Messenger bathed in tears.”

Allāhumma bā'id baynī wa bayna khatāyāya kamā bāa'adta bayn al-mashriqi wal-maghribi, Allāhumma naqqinī min khatāyāya kamā yunaqqa 'th-thawbu 'l-'abyaḍu min ad-danasi, Allāhumma 'ghsilnī min khatāyāya, bi 'th-thalji wal-mā'i wal-barad. O Allah, separate me from my sins as You have separated the East from the West. O Allah, cleanse me of my transgressions as the white garment is cleansed of stains. O Allah, wash away my sins with ice and water and frost. Reference: Al-Bukhari 1/181, Muslim 1/419.

"O Abdullah bin Qais, should I not point you to one of the treasures of Paradise?" I said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." So he told me to say: Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata 'illā billāh. Allah's Messenger (SAW) said: "O Abdullah bin Qais, should I not point you to one of the treasures of Paradise?" I said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." So he told me to say: There is no power and no might except by Allah. Reference: Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 11/213, Muslim 4/2076.

“I supplicate Allah to bring you and I together in the marketplace of Paradise,” Sa’eed said: “Is there a marketplace there?” He said: “Yes. The Messenger of Allah (saw) told me that when the people of Paradise enter it, they will take their places according to their deeds, and they will be given permission for a length of time equivalent to Friday on earth, when they will visit Allah. His Throne will be shown to them and He will appear to them in one of the gardens of Paradise. Chairs of light and chairs of pearls and chairs of rubies and chairs of chrysolite and chairs of gold and chairs of silver will be placed for them. Those who are of a lower status than them, and none of them will be regarded as insignificant, will sit on sandhills of musk and camphor, and they will not feel that those who are sitting on chairs are seated better than them.” Abu Hurairah said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord?’ He said: ‘Yes. Do you dispute that you see the sun and the moon on the night when it is full?’ We said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘Likewise, you will not dispute that you see your Lord, the Glorified. There will be no one left in that gathering with whom Allah does not speak face to face, until He will say to a man among you: “Do you not remember, O so-and-so, the day you did such and such?” And He will remind him of some of his sins in this world. He will say: “O Lord, have You not forgiven me?” He will say: “Yes, it is by the vastness of My forgiveness that You have reached the position you are in.” While they are like that, a cloud will cover them from above and will rain down on them perfume the like of whose fragrance they have never smelled before. Then He will say: “Get up and go to the honor that has been prepared for you, and take whatever you desire.” So we will go to a marketplace surrounded by the angels, in which there will be such things as eyes have never seen, ears have never heard and it has not entered the heart of man. Whatever we desire will be carried for us. Nothing will be bought or sold therein. In that marketplace the people of Paradise will meet one another. A man of elevated status will meet those who are of lower status than him, but none shall be regarded as insignificant, and he will be dazzled by the clothes that he sees on him. He will not finish the last of his conversation before better clothes appear on him. That is because no one should be sad there.’” “He said: ‘Then we will go back to our homes where we will be met by our wives, and they will say: ‘Welcome. You have come looking more handsome and with a better fragrance than when you left us.’ And we will say: ‘Today we sat with our Lord, the Compeller, the Glorified, and we deserve to come back as we have come back.’”

Yahya related to me from Malik from Sumayy, the mawla of Abu Bakr ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Harith ibn Hisham that he heard Abu Bakr ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Harith ibn Hisham say, "My father and I were with Marwan ibn al Hakam at the time when he was amir of Madina, and someone mentioned to him that Abu Hurayra used to say, 'If someone begins the morning junub, he has broken the fast for that day.' Marwan said, 'I swear to you, Abdar-Rahman, you must go to the two umm al muminin, A'isha and Umm Salama, and ask them about it.'

''Abd ar-Rahman went to visit A'isha and I accompanied him. He greeted her and then said, 'Umm al-muminin, we were with Marwan ibn al Hakam and someone mentioned to him that Abu Hurayra used to say that if some one had begun the morning junub, he had broken the fast for that day.' A'isha said, 'It is not as Abu Hurayra says Abd ar-Rahman. Do you dislike what the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to do?', and Abd ar-Rahman said, 'No, by Allah.' A'isha said, 'I bear witness that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to get up in the morning junub from intercourse, not a dream, and would then fast for that day.' "

He continued, "Then we went and visited Umm Salama, and Abd ar- Rahman asked her about the same matter and she said the same as A'isha had said. Then we went off until we came to Marwan ibn al-Hakam Abd ar-Rahman told him what they had both said and Marwan said, 'I swear to you, Abu Muhammad, you must use the mount which is at the door, and go to Abu Hurayra, who is on his land at al Aqiq, and tell him this.' So Abd ar-Rahman rode off, and I went with him, until we came to Abu Hurayra. Abd ar-Rahman talked with him for a while, and then mentioned the matter to him, and Abu Hurayra said, 'I don't know anything about it. I was just told that by someone.'"

God’s Messenger led us in one of the two evening ('ashiy)¹ prayers. (Ibn Sirin said that Abu Huraira named it, but he had forgotten which, it was.) He led us in two rak'as and when he had given the salutation he got up, and going towards a piece of wood which was placed crosswise in the mosque, he leaned on it looking as if he were angry. He placed his right hand on his left, and intertwining his fingers, he placed his right cheek on the back of his left hand. Those who were first to come out of the doors of the mosque said, “The prayer has been shortened." Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were among the people, but they were too afraid to speak to him; but among them was a man with such long arms that he was called “The possessor of arms" (Dhulyadain) who asked, “Have you forgotten, Messenger of God, or has the prayer been shortened?” He replied, “I have neither forgotten, nor has it been shortened." He then asked whether things were as the possessor of arms had said, and when he was told that that was so he went forward and prayed what he had omitted. He then gave the salutation, then said “God is most great" and made his usual prostration or one a little longer, then raised his head and said “God is most great", then said “God is most great" and made his usual prostration or one a little longer, then raised his head and said “God is most great". He² was often asked whether he then gave the salutation and he would say: I have been informed that ‘Imran b. Husain said he then gave the salutation. 1. ‘Ashiy generally means evening, but it also means the time between the declining of the sun after the meridian and sunset or morning, so the two prayers here mentioned are the noon (zuhr) prayer and the afternoon prayer. 2. i.e. Ibn Sirin (Bukhari and Muslim, the wording being Bukhari’s.) In another version given by both of them, instead of saying “I have neither forgotten nor has it been shortened” God’s Messenger said, “None of that has happened," to which he replied, “Some of it has, Messenger of God."

Allāhumma rabba hādhihi 'd-da'wati 't-tāmmah waṣ-ṣalāti 'l-qā'imah, 'āti Muhammadani 'l-wasīlata walfaḍīlata, wab 'ath-hu maqāma 'm-mahmūdani 'l-ladhī wa`adtahu, ['innaka lā tukhliful-mī'ād] O Allah , Lord of this perfect call and established prayer. Grant Muhammad the intercession and favor, and raise him to the honored station You have promised him, [verily You do not neglect promises]. Reference: Al-Bukhari 1/152, and the addition between brackets is from Al-Bayhaqi 1/410 with a good (Hasan) chain of narration. See 'Abdul-Azlz bin Baz's Tuhfatul-'Akhyar, pg. 38.

One of the sons of Abu Talhah (May Allah be pleased with him) was ailing. Abu Talhah went out and the boy died in his absence. When he came back, he inquired, "How is the boy?". Umm Sulaim, the mother of the boy, replied, "Better than before". Then she placed his evening meal before him and he ate it; and thereafter slept with her. At last, she said to him: "Arrange for the burial of the boy". In the morning, Abu Talhah went to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and informed him of the event. He enquired, "Did you sleep together last night?" Abu Talhah replied in the affirmative, on which the Prophet (PBUH) supplicated, "O Allah bless them." Thereafter, she gave birth to a boy. Abu Talhah said to me: "Take up the boy and carry him to the Prophet (PBUH)"; and he sent some dates with him. The Prophet (PBUH) enquired, "Is there anything with him?" He said; "Yes, some dates". The Prophet (PBUH) took a date, chewed it and put it in the mouth of the baby and rubbed the chewed date around the baby's gum and named him 'Abdullah.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The narration in Bukhari adds: Ibn 'Uyainah relates that a man from the Ansar told him that he had seen nine sons of this 'Abdullah, every one of whom had committed the Noble Qur'an to memory.

The narration of Muslim says: The son of Abu Talhah (May Allah be pleased with him) who was born of Umm Sulaim died. She (Umm Sulaim) said to the members of the family: "Do not tell Abu Talhah about his son until I mention it to him myself." Abu Talhah came (home) and she gave him supper. He ate and drank. She then beautified herself the best way she ever did and he slept with her. When she saw that he was satisfied after sexual intercourse with her, she said, "O Abu Talhah! If some people borrow something from another family and then (the members of the family) ask for its return, would they refuse to give it back to them." He said, "No". She said, "Then hope reward for your son". Abu Talhah got angry, and said; "You left me uninformed until I stained myself (with sexual intercourse) and then you told me about my son. "He went to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and informed him about the matter. Thereupon Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "May Allah bless the night you spent together!" He (the narrator) said: She conceived. (One day) Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was in the course of a journey and she was along with him. When Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to come back to Al-Madinah from a journey, he would not enter it (during the night). When the people came near Al- Madinah, she felt labour pains. He (Abu Talhah) remained with her and Messenger of Allah (PBUH) proceeded on. Abu Talhah said: "O Rubb, You know that I love to go along with Messenger of Allah (PBUH) when he goes out and enter along with him when he enters, and I have been detained as You see." Umm Sulaim then said: "O Abu Talhah, I do not feel (so much pain) as I was feeling earlier, so we better proceed on. So we proceeded on and she felt the labour of delivery as they reached (Al-Madinah). She gave birth to a male child. My mother said to me: "O Anas, none should suckle him until you go to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) tomorrow morning." The next morning I carried the baby with me to Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and narrated the rest of the story.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

“I was ever determined to ask Umar about the two women, among the wives of the Prophet, about whom Allah [the Mighty and Sublime] said: If you two turn in repentance, your hearts are indeed so inclined… until once when Umar performed Hajj, and I performed Hajj along with him. I poured water for his Wudu from a water holder, and I said: ‘O Commander of the Believers! Who are the two women among the wives of the Prophet, about whom Allah said: If your two turn in repentance, you hearts are indeed so inclined?’ He said to me: ‘I am astonished at you O Ibn Abbas!’” – Az-Zubair (one of the narrators) said: “By Allah! He disliked what he asked him, but he did not withhold it from him.” – “He said to me: ‘It was Aishah and Hafsah.’” He said: “Then he began narrating the Hadith to me. He said: ‘We, the people of the Quraish, used to have the upper hand over our women. So when we arrived in Al-Madinah, we found a people whose women had the upper hand over them. Our women began acquiring the habits of their women. One day I became angry with my wife when she started talking back to to me, she said: “What bothers you about that? By Allah! The wives of the Prophet talk back to him, and one of them may stay away from him a whole day until the night?’” “He said: ‘I said to myself: “Whoever among them has done that, then she has thwarted herself and lost.’” “He said: ‘My house was in Al-Awali among those of Banu Umayyah, and I had a neighbor among the Ansar, and he and I would take turns visiting the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘One day I would visit him and bring the news of the Revealation, and other than that, and one day he would visit him and bring the same. We heard stories that Ghassan were preparing their horses to attack us. He said: ‘One day he came to me in the evening and knocked on my door, so I went out to him. He said: “A horrible thing has happened.” I said: “Ghassan has come?” He said: “Worse than that. The Messenger of Allah has divorced his wives.’” He said: ‘I said to myself: “Hafsah has thwarted herself and is a loser! I though this would happen some day.’” He said: ‘After we prayed Subh, I put on my clothes, then went to visit Hafsah. There I found her crying. I said: “Has the Messenger of Allah divorced (all of you)?” She said: “I do not know. He has secluded himself in the upper room.’” He said: ‘So I wen, and came upon a black slave, I said: “Seek permission for Umar.’” He said: ‘So he entered then came out to me. He said: “I mentioned you to him, but he did not say anything.’” He said: ‘So I went to the Masjid. There I found a group of people sitting around the Minhar weeping, so I sat down with them. Then it became too much for me, so I went to the slave and said: “Seek permission for Umar.” He went in, then he came out to me and said: “I mentioned you to him, but he did not say anything.’” He said: ‘So I went to the Masjid again, and sat there until I could not take it any more, and I went back to the slave and said: “Seek permission for Umar.” He went in, then he came out to me and said: “I mentioned you to him but he did not say anything.’” He said: ‘So I turned to leave, when the slave called me back. He said: “Enter for he has given you permission.’” He said: ‘So I entered, and found the Prophet reclining upon a woven mat, and I saw the marks it left on his side. I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Have you divorced your women?” He said: “No.” I said: “Allahu Akbar! IF you only saw us O Messenger of Allah! We the people of the Quraish used to have the upper hand over our women, but when we came to Al-Madinah we found a people whose women had the upper hand over them. Our women began acquiring the habits of their women. One day I became angry with my wife, so when she started talking back to me I rebuked her and she said: ‘What bothers you about that? By Allah! The wives of the Prophet talk back to him, and one of them may stay away from him a whole day until the night?’” He said: “I said to Hafsah: ‘Do you talk back to the Messenger of Allah?’ She said: ‘Yes, and one of us may stay away from him all day until the night.’” He said: “I said: ‘Whoever among them has done that, then she has thwarted herself and lost. So any of you feel so secure against Allah becoming angry with you because of the anger of the Messenger of Allah, then she will be ruined?’ He said: ‘So the Prophet smiled.’ He said: ‘So I said to Hafsah: “Do not talk back to the Messenger of Allah, and don’t ask him for anything. Ask me for whatever you want. And do not be tempted by the behavior of your companions, for she is more beautiful than you, and more loved by the Messenger of Allah.’” He said: ‘So he smiled again, I said: “O Messenger of Allah! May I speak candidily?” He said: “Yes.’” He said: ‘I raised my head and did not see in the house except for three hides. So I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Supplicate to Allah to make your followers prosperous. For verily, He has made the Persians and the Romans prosper, and they do not worship Him.” He then sat up and said: “Do you have some doubts O Ibn Al-Khattab? They are a people whose good has been hastened for them in this world’s life.’” He said: ‘He swore that he would not enter upon his women for a month. So Allah censured him for that, and he made the atonement of an oath.’” Az-Zuhri said: “Urwah informed me that Aishah said: “When twenty-nine days passed, the Prophet entered upon me first, and he said: “O Aishah! I am about to mention something to you, but do not be hasty in reply until you consult your parents.’” She said: ‘Then he recited this Ayah: “O Prophet! Say to your wives.” She said: ‘I knew by Allah! That my parents would not tell me to part with him.’ She said: ‘I said: “Is it about this that I should consult with my parents? Indeed I want Allah and His Messenger and the abode of the Hereafter.” Ma’mar (one of the narrators) said: “Ayyub informed me that Aishah said to him: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Do not inform your wives that I chose you.’ So the Prophet said: ‘Allah send me only as one who conveys (Muballigh), He did not send me as one causing hardship.’”

AbuNadrah reported: An old man of Tufawah said to me: I was a guest of AbuHurayrah at Medina. I did not find any one of the companions of the Prophet (saws) more devoted to worship and more hospitable than AbuHurayrah.

One day I was with him when he was sitting on his bed. He had a purse which contained pebbles or kernels. A black slave-girl of his was sitting below. Counting them he was glorifying Allah. When the pebbles or the kernels in the purse were finished, she gathered them and put them again in the purse, and gave it to him. He said: Should I not tell you about me and about the Messenger of Allah (saws)?

I said: Yes. He said: Once when I was laid up with fever in the mosque, the Messenger of Allah (saws) came and entered the mosque, and said: Who saw the youth of ad-Daws. He said this three times.

A man said: Messenger of Allah, there he is, laid up with fever on one side of the mosque. He moved, walking forward till he reached me. He placed his hand on me. He had a kind talk with me, and I rose. He then began to walk till he reached the place where he used to offer his prayer. He paid his attention to the people. There were two rows of men and one row of women, or two rows of women and one row of men (the narrator is doubtful).

He then said: If Satan makes me forget anything during the prayer, the men should glorify Allah, and the women should clap their hands. The Messenger of Allah (saws) then prayed and he did not forget anything during the prayer.

He said: Be seated in your places, be seated in your places. The narrator, Musa, added the word "here". He then praised Allah and exalted Him, and said: Now to our topic.

The agreed version begins: He then said: Is there any man among you who approaches his wife, closes the door, covers himself with a curtain, and he is concealed with the curtain of Allah?

They replied: Yes. He said: later he sits and says: I did so-and-so; I did so-and-so. The people kept silence. He then turned to the women and said (to them): Is there any woman among you who narrates it? They kept silence. Then a girl fell on one of her knees. The narrator, Mu'ammil, said in his version: a buxom girl. She raised her head before the Messenger of Allah (saws) so that he could see her and listen to her.

She said: Messenger of Allah, they (the men) describe the secrets (of intercourse) and they (the women) also describe the secrets (of intercourse) to the people.

He said: Do you know what the similitude is? He said: The likeness of this act is the likeness of a female Satan who meets the male Satan on the roadside; he fulfils his desire with her while the people are looking at him. Beware! The perfume of men is that whose smell becomes visible and its colour does not appear. Beware! The perfume of women is that whose colour becomes visible and whose smell is not obvious.

AbuDawud said: From here I remembered this tradition from Mu'ammil and Musa: Beware! No man should lie with another man, no woman should lie with another woman except with one's child or father. He also mentioned a third which I have forgotten. This has been mentioned in the version of Musaddad, but I do not remember it as precisely as I like.

The narrator, Musa, said: Hammad narrated this tradition from al-Jarir from AbuNadrah from at-Tufawi.

Jubayr ibn Nufayr said, "One day we were sitting when al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad when a man passed us. The man said, 'Blessing be to those two eyes which saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. By Allah, I wish that I had seen what you have seen and witnessed what you have witnessed!' This angered al-Miqdad and that surprised me as the man had said nothing but good things. Then he turned to them and said, 'What made the man desire to summon back what Allah has taken away? Does he not realise what his situation would be if he had seen him? By Allah, if certain people had been with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, Allah would have thrown them on their faces into Hellfire since they would neither have answered nor confirmed him? Do you not praise Allah Almighty since He brought you forth and you only know your Lord and confirm what your Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought? You see enough affliction in other people. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sent in the harshest state in which any Prophet was ever sent - in a gap (in the line of prophethood) and the time of Ignorance. They did not believe that the deen was better than worshipping idols. He brought the Discrimination by which it is possible to discriminate between the true and false, and which can part a father from his child. Then a man will think of his father, child or brother as an unbeliever. Allah has loosened the locks of his heart by faith and he knows that the other person will be destroyed in the Fire. Therefore his eye is not cool since he knows that the one he loves will be in the Fire. It is what Allah says, "Those who say, 'Our Lord, give us joy in our wives and children." (25:74)'"

Lā ilāha illallāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu ‘l-mulku walahu ‘l-ḥamd, wa huwa `alā kulli shay'in qadīr. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise and He is Able to do all things. (Recite 100 times in Arabic upon rising in the morning). Reference: Whoever recites this one hundred times a day will have the reward of freeing ten slaves. One hundred Hasanaat (rewards) will be written for him and one hundred misdeeds will be washed away. He will be shielded from Satan until the evening. No one will be able to present anything better than this except for someone who has recited more than this. Al-Bukhari 4/95, Muslim 4/2071.

Whoever says: Astaghfirullāha ‘l-'Aẓīm alladhi lā ilāha illā huwa ‘l-ḥayyul-Qayyūm wa atūbu ilayh. Allah's Messenger (SAW) said: Whoever says: I seek the forgiveness of Allah the Mighty, Whom there is none worthy of worship except Him, the Living, the Eternal, and I repent to Him, Allah will forgive him even if he has deserted the army's ranks. Reference: Abu Dawud 2/85, At-Tirmidhi 5/569, and Al-Hakim who declared it authentic and Ath-Thahabi agreed with him 1/511. Al-Albani graded it authentic in Sahih At-Tirmidhi 3/182. See also Jami'ul-'Usool li-'Ahdaith Ar-Rasool 4/ 389-90 checked by Al-Arna'ut.

When Allah's Messenger (SAW) got up to pray, he would say the Takbir when standing up, then would say the Takbir when bowing, then he would say Sami'Allahu liman hamidah (Allah listens to him who praises Him) when rising up from the bowing position, then he would say while standing Rabbana wa lakal-hamd (our Rabb, the praise is Yours), then he would say the Takbir when going down for prostration, then when raising his head up, then when he prostrated again, then when raising his head up. He would then do that throughout the whole Salat (prayer) and he would say the Takbir when he got up - at the end of two Rak'a - from the sitting position." [Agreed upon].

"Allah said: 'I have divided the prayer between Myself and My slave into two halves, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.'When the slave says: 'Al-hamdulillah i rabbil Alameen (All the praise is to Allah, the Lord of all that exists),' Allah says:'My slave has praised Me, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.' And when he says: 'Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim (The Mos Gracious, the Most Merciful),' Allah says: 'My slave has extolled Me, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.' And when he says: 'Maliki yawmiddin [The Only Owner (and he Ruling Judge] if the Day of Recompense],' Allahs says: 'My slave has Glorified Me. This is for Me, and this Verse is between me and My slave in two halves.' And when he says: ' Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nastain [You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help],' He says: 'This is between Me an My slave, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.' And the end of the Surah is for My slave.' And when he says: 'Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqeema, siratal-alldhina an'amta alayhim a lad-dallin [Guide us to the Straight Way, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not(the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray],' He says: 'THis is for My slave, and My slave shall have what he has asked for."

Allāhumma mā aṣbaha bī min ni`matin aw bi aḥadin min khalqik, fa minka waḥdaka lā sharīka lak, falaka ‘l-ḥamdu wa lakash-shukr. O Allah, whatever blessing has been received by me or anyone of Your creation 1 is from You alone, You have no partner. All praise is for you and thanks is to You. 2 Reference: 1 When you say this in the evening, you should say: Allāhumma mā 'amsā bī...: "O Allah, as I... enter this evening..." 2 Whoever recites this in the morning, has completed his obligation to thank Allah for that day; and whoever says it in the evening, has completed his obligation for that night. Abu Dawud 4/318, An-Nasa'i 'Amalul-Yawm wal-Laylah (no. 7), Ibn As-Sunni (no. 41), Ibn Hibban (no. 2361). Its chain of transmission is good (Hasan), Ibn Baz, p. 24.

Jabir ibn 'Abdullah said, "I purchased a camel and rode it hard for a month until I reached Syria. 'Abdullah ibn Unays was there, and I sent word to him, saying, 'Jabir is at the door.' The messenger returned and said, 'Jabir ibn 'Abdullah?' 'Yes,' I replied. So 'Abdullah came out and embraced me. I said, 'A hadith reached me which I had not heard before and I feared that one of us might die.'" He went on, "I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Allah will gather His slaves ? or people ? naked, uncircumcised, without anything.' We asked, 'What is meant by "without anything"?' The Prophet said, 'They will have nothing with them.' (The Prophet went on,) 'They will be called by a voice that is heard from afar (and I think that he said, 'as if it was from close at hand'), saying, "I am the King. None of the people of the Garden will enter the Garden while any of the people of the Fire are seeking him for some injustice he did to him. None of the people of the Fire will enter the Fire while any of the people of the Garden are seeking him for an injustice he did to him."' I asked, 'How is this? We come to Allah naked and without any worldly goods?' He said, 'This applies to good actions and evil actions.'"

"I came to Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), while he was among a group of his Companions, so I circled like this behind him. He understood what I wanted, so he threw the cloak off his back. I thus saw the place of the Seal on his shoulders, like a clenched fist surrounded by moles, as if they were warts. I came around to face him, and I said: 'May Allah forgive you, O Messenger of Allah!' He said: ‘And you,' so the people exclaimed: 'Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) has asked forgiveness for you!' He said: 'Yes, and also for you!' Then he recited this Quranic verse: 'And ask forgiveness for your sin, and for the believing men and the believing women [was'tagh'fir li-dhanbika wa li’l mu'minina wal-mu’minat].”(Q.47:19).”’

“When the Messenger of Allah had performed Asr, Hamasa (he began mumbling)” – and Al—Hams according to some of them, is moving the lips as if he is speaking – “It was said to him: ‘O Messenger of Allah! After you performed Asr, you were mumbling?’ He said: ‘There was a Prophet among the Prophets, he was amazed with his people, so he said: “Who can stand against these people?” Then Allah revealed to him, that they must choose between some of them suffering from wrath, and between enemies of theirs assaulting them. They chose the wrath. So death was inflicted upon them such that seventy-thousand of them died in one day.’”He said: And when he would narrated this Hadith, he would also narrated another: “There was a king among the kings, and that king had a fortune-teller (Kahin) who would see for him. The fortune teller said: ‘Search for a boy for me, he must be understanding” or he said: “clever and quick, so that I can teach him this knowledge of mine. For verily, I fear that I shall die, and this knowledge will be removed from you, and there will be no one among you who knows it.” He said: “They looked for a boy fitting his description. (After finding one) they ordered him to tend to that fortune teller, and to continue visiting him. So he began his frequent visits, and on the boy’s route, there was a monk at his hermitage.” – Ma’mar said: “I think that during that time, the people at the hermitage were Muslims.” – He said: “They boy began asking that monk questions each time he passed him, and he would not leave him until he informed him, so he said: ‘I only worship Allah.’” He said: “So the boy began spending more time with the monk and arriving late to the fortune-teller. The fortune-teller sent a message to the boy’s family saying: ‘He hardly ever attends me.’ The boy told that to the monk, so the monk said to him: ‘When the fortune-teller asks you where you’ve been, tell him: “I was with my family.” And when your family asks you where you’ve been, then tell them that you were with the fortune-teller.’” He said: “One day, the boy passed by a large group of people being held back by a beast.” Some of them said, it was a lion. He said: “So the boy took a rock and said: ‘O Allah, if what the monk says is true, then I ask you to kill it.’” [He said:] “Then he threw the rock, killing the beast. The people began asking who killed it and some of them replied: ‘It was the boy.’ They were terrified and said: ‘This boy has learned a knowledge that no one else has learned.’” He said: “A blind man heard about him so he said to him: ‘If you can return my sight, I shall give you this and that.’ He said to him: ‘I do not want this from you. However, if your sight is returned to you, would you believe in the One who gave it back to you?’ He said: ‘Yes.’” He said: “So he supplicated to Allah, and He returned his sight to him, and the blind man believed. His case was conveyed to the king, so he sent for him to be brought before him. He said: ‘I shall kill each of you in a manner different than his comrade was killed.’ He called for the monk and the man who used to be blind. He placed a saw upon the forehead of one of them and killed him. Then he killed the other one by a different means. Then he gave orders for the boy, he said: ‘Take him to this or that mountain, and throw him from its peak.’ They brought him to that mountain, and when they reached the place from where they intended to cast him off, they began tumbling off of that mountain, and all of them fell down until none of them remained except for the boy.” He said: “Then he returned and the king ordered that he be brought out to sea and cast into it. So he was brought out to sea, but Allah drowned those who were with him, and He saved him. Then the boy said to the king: ‘You will not kill me until you tie me to the trunk of a tree and shoot me, and when you shoot me, you said: “In the Name of Allah, the Lord of this boy.’” He said: “So he ordered that he be tied, then when he shot him, he said: ‘In the Name of Allah, the Lord of this boy.’ The boy placed his hand upon his temple where he was shot, then he died. The people said: “This boy had knowledge that no one else had! Verily we believe in the Lord of this boy!” He said: It was conveyed to the king “Your efforts have been thwarted by the opposition of these three, now all of these people have opposed you.” He said: “So he had ditches dug, then fire wood was filled into it and a fire was lit. Then he (the king) had all of the people gathered and he said: ‘Whoever leaves his religion, then we shall leave him. And whoever does not leave, we shall cast him into this fire.’ So he began casting them into that ditch.” He said: “Allah, Blessed is He and Most High, said about that: ‘Cursed were the People of the Ditch. Of fire fed with fuel…’ until he reached: ‘…The Almighty, Worthy of all praise!’” He said: “As for the boy, he was buried.” He said: “It has been mentioned, that he was excavated during the time of Umar bin Al-Khattab, and his finger was at his temple, just as he had placed it when he was killed.”

the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one, for He is One and loves the odd (numbered). Whoever learns them will enter Paradise. They are: Allah, Al-Wahid (the One), As-Samad (the Self-Sufficient Master who all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks), Al-Awwal (the First), Al-Akhir (the Last), Az-Zahir (the Most High), Al-Batin (the Most Near), Al-Khaliq (the Creator), Al-Bari (the Inventor of all things), Al-Musawwir (the Bestower of forms), Al-Malik (the King), Al-Haqq (the Truth), As-Salam (the One free from all defects), Al-Mu'min (the Giver of security), Al-Muhaymin (the Watcher over His creatures), Al-'Aziz (the All-Mighty), Al-Jabbar (the Compeller), Al-Mutakabbir (the Supreme), Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful), Al-Latif (the Most Subtle and Courteous), Al-Khabir (the Aware), As-Sami' (the Hearing), Al-Basir (the Seeing), Al-'Alim (the All-Knowing), Al-'Azim (the Most Great), Al-Barr (the Source of goodness), Al-Muta'al (the Most Exalted), Al-Jalil (the Sublime One), Al-Jamil (the Beautiful), Al-Hayy (the Ever-Living), Al-Qayyum (the One Who sustains and protects all that exists), Al-Qadir (the Able), Al-Qahir (the Irrestible), Al-'Ali (the Exalted), Al-Hakim (the Most Wise), Al-Qarib (the Ever-Near), Al-Mujib (the Responsive), Al-Ghani (the Self-Sufficient), Al-Wahhab (the Bestower), Al-Wadud (the Loving), Ash-Shakur (the Appreciative), Al-Majid (the Most Gentle), Al-Wajid (the Patron), Al-Wali (the Governor), Al-Rashid (the Guide), Al-'Afuw (the Pardoner), Al-Ghafur (the Forgiver), Al-Halim (the Forbearing One), Al-Karim (the Most Generous), At-Tawwab (the Acceptor of Repentance), Ar-Rabb (the Lord and Cherisher), Al-Majid (the Most Glorious), Al-Wali (the Helper), Ash-Shahid (the Witness), Al-Mubin (the Manifest), Al-Burhan (the Proof), Ar-Ra'uf (the Compassionate), Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful), Al-Mubdi' (the Originator), Al-Mu'id (the Restorer), Al-Ba'ith (the Resurrector), Al-Warith (the Supreme Inheritor), Al-Qawi (the All-Strong), Ash-Shadid (the Severe), Ad-Darr (the One Who harms), An-Nafi' (the One Who benefits), Al-Baqi' (the Everlasting), Al-Waqi (the Protector), Al-Khafid (the Humble), Ar-Rafi' (the Exalter), Al-Qabid (the Retainer), Al-Basit (the Expander), Al-Mu'izz (the Honorer), Al-Mudhill (the Humiliator), Al-Muqsit (the Equitable), Ar-Razzaq (the Providor), Dhul-Quwwah (the Powerful), Al-Matin (the Most Strong), Al-Qa'im (the Firm), Ad-Da'im (the Eternal), Al-Hafiz (the Guardian), Al-Wakil (the Trustee), Al-Fatir (the Originator of creation), As-Sami' (the Hearer), Al-Mu'ti (the Giver), Al-Muhyi (the Giver of life), Al-Mumit (the Giver of death), Al-Mani' (the Withholder), Al-Jami' (the Gatherer), Al-Hadi (the Guide), Al-Kafi (the Sufficient), Al-Abad (the Eternal), Al-'Alim (the Knower), As-Sadiq (the Truthful), An-Nur (the Light), Al-Munir (the Giver of light), At-Tamm (the Perfect), Al-Qadim (the Earlier), Al-Witr (the One), Al-Ahad (the Lone), As-Samad [(the Self-sufficient Master, Who all creatures need, (He neither eats no drinks)]. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none co-equal or comparable unto him."(One of the narrators) Zuhair said: We heard from more than one of the scholars that the first of these (names) should begin after saying: La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, bi yadihil-khair wa Huwa 'ala kulli shay-in Qadir, la ilaha illallahu lahul-asma'ul-husna [None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, with no partner or associate. His is the dominion and all praise is His. In His Hand is (all) goodness, and He is Able to do all things, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and His are the (Most) Beautiful Names].

A prayer performed by someone who has not recited the Essence of the Quran (1) during it is deficient (and he repeated the word three times), incomplete. Someone said to Abu Hurayrah: [Even though] we are behind the imam? (2) He said: Recite it to yourself, for I have heard the Prophet (may the blessings and peace of Allah be up on him) say: Allah (mighty and sublime be He), had said: I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. When the servant says: Al-hamdu lillahi rabbi l-alamin (3), Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has praised Me. And when he says: Ar-rahmani r-rahim (4), Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has extolled Me, and when he says: Maliki yawmi d-din (5), Allah says: My servant has glorified Me - and on one occasion He said: My servant has submitted to My power. And when he says: Iyyaka na budu wa iyyaka nasta in (6), He says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. And when he says: Ihdina s-sirata l- mustaqim, siratal ladhina an amta alayhim ghayril-maghdubi alayhim wa la d-dallin (7), He says: This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. (1) Surat al-Fatihah, the first surah (chapter) of the Qur'an. (2) i.e. standing behind the imam (leader) listening to him reciting al-Fatihah. (3) "Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds." (4) "The Merciful, the Compassionate". (5) "Master of the Day of Judgement". (6) "It is You we worship and it is You we ask for help". (7) "Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favors, not of those against whom You are angry, nor of those who are astray". It was related by Muslim (also by Malik, at-Tirmidhi, Abu-Dawud, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah).

our friends among you are those who have taqwa of Allah. If you are one of them, then that is good. If that is not the case, then look out. People will bring their actions on the Day of Rising and you will come with burdens and you will be shunned." Then he called out, "O people!" He raised his hands and put them on the heads of Quraysh. "O people! Quraysh are the people of trustworthiness. If anyone who oppresses them (and one of the transmitters thought that he said, 'faults them'), Allah will overturn him." He repeated that three times.

'I have grown old, so send me a young boy in order to teach him magic.' The king sent him a young boy to serve the purpose. And on his way (to the magician) the young boy met a monk to whom he listened to and liked it. It became his habit that on his way to the magician, he would meet the monk and sit there and would come to the magician (late). The magician used to beat him because of this delay. He complained about this to the monk who said to him: 'When you feel afraid of the magician, say: Members of my family detained me. And when you fear your family, say: The magician detained me.' It so happened that there came a huge beast and it blocked the way of the people, and the young boy said: 'I will know today whether the magician or the monk is better.' He picked up a stone and said: 'O Allah, if the way of the monk is dearer to You than the way of the magician, bring about death to the animal so that the people be able to move about freely.' He threw that stone at it and killed it and the people began to move about freely. He then came to the monk and told him the story. The monk said: 'Son, today you are superior to me. You have come to a stage where I feel that you would be soon put to a trial, and in case you are put to a trial, do not reveal me.' That young boy began to heal those born blind and the lepers and he, in fact, began to cure people from all kinds of illnesses. When a courtier of the king who had gone blind heard about him, he came to him with numerous gifts and said, 'If you cure me, all these things will be yours.' He said, 'I myself do not cure anyone. It is Allah, the Exalted, Alone Who cures; and if you affirm faith in Allah, I shall also supplicate to Allah to cure you.' This courtier affirmed his faith in Allah and Allah cured him. He came to the king and sat by his side as he used to sit before. The king said to him, 'Who restored your eyesight?' He said, 'My Rubb.' Thereupon he said, 'Do you have another lord besides me?' He said, 'My Rubb and your Rubb is Allah.' So the king kept torturing him untill he revealed the young boy. The young boy was thus summoned and the king said to him, 'O boy, it has been conveyed to me that you have become so much proficient in your magic that you cure the blind and the lepers and you do such and such.' Thereupon he said, 'I do not cure anyone; it is Allah Alone Who cures,' and the king took hold of him and began to torture him until he revealed of the monk. The monk was summoned and it was said to him: 'You should turn back from your religion.' But he refused. The king sent for a saw, placed it in the middle of his head and cut him into two parts that fell down. Then the courtier of the king was brought forward and it was said to him: 'Turn back from your religion.' He, too, refused, and the saw was placed in the midst of his head and he was torn into two parts. Then the boy was sent for and it was said to him: 'Turn back from your religion.' He refused. The king then handed him over to a group of his courtiers, and said to them: 'Take him to such and such mountain; make him climb up that mountain and when you reach its peak ask him to renounce his Faith. If he refuses to do so, push him to his death.' So they took him and made him climb up the mountain and he said: 'O Allah, save me from them in any way you like,' and the mountain began to shake and they all fell down (dead) and that young boy came walking to the king. The king said to him, 'What happened to your companions?' He said, 'Allah has saved me from them.' He again handed him to some of his courtiers and said: 'Take him and carry him in a boat and when you reach the middle of the sea, ask him to renounce his religion. If he does not renounce his religion throw him (into the water).' So they took him and he said: 'O Allah, save me from them.' The boat turned upside down and they all drowned except the young boy who came walking to the king. The king said to him, 'What happened to your companions?' He said, 'Allah has saved me from them,' and he said to the king: 'You cannot kill me until you do what I command you to do.' The king asked, 'What is that?' He said, 'Gather all people in one place and tie me up to the trunk of a tree, then take an arrow from my quiver and say: With the Name of Allah, the Rubb of the boy; then shoot me. If you do that you will be able to kill me.' 'The king called the people in an open field and tied the young boy to the trunk of a tree. He took out an arrow from his quiver, fixed in the bow and said, 'With the Name of Allah, the Rubb of the young boy,' he then shot the arrow and it hit the boy's temple. The young boy placed his hand upon the temple where the arrow had hit him and died. The people then said: 'We believe in the Rubb of this young boy.' The king was told: 'Do you see what you were afraid of, by Allah it has taken place; all people have believed.' The king then commanded that trenches be dug and fire lit in them, and said: 'He who would not turn back from his (the young boy's) religion, throw him in the fire' or 'he would be ordered to jump into it.' They did so till a woman came with her child. She felt hesitant in jumping into the fire. The child said to her: 'O mother! Endure (this ordeal) for you are on the Right Path".

[Muslim].

I used to recite to ‘AbdurRahman bin ‘Awf, and he found me waiting for him. That was in Mina during the last Hajj performed by `Umar bin al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) Abdur-Rahman bin `Awf said: A man came to `Umar bin al-Khattab and said: So and so is saying: If `Umar (رضي الله عنه) dies, I will swear allegiance to So and so. ʼUmar (رضي الله عنه) said: I will stand before the people today and warn them against these people who want to deprive them of their rights, `Abdur-Rahman said: I said: O Ameer al-Mu`mineen, do not do that, for the Hajj season brings together the riffraff and rabble among the people, and most of the people who gather around and listen to you will be of that type. Is you stand before the people, I am afraid that you will say something that they will spread and not understand it properly or interpret it properly. Rather wait until you come to Madinah, for it is the land of Hijrah and the Sunnah, and you will meet the most knowledgeable and noble people there, and you can say what you want to say with confidence; they wilt understand what you say and will interpret it correctly, `Umar (رضي الله عنه) said: If I reach Madinah safe and sound, I shall certainly talk to the people there in the first speech I deliver. When we came to Madinah at the end of Dhul-I-Iijah, it was a Friday. I set out early, ‘Umar did not care at what time he went out, because he did not pay attention to heat and cold and so on. I found Sa`eed bin Zaid at the right-hand corner of the minbar, he had got there before me. I sat down next to him, with my knee touching his knee, and it was not long before `Umar (رضي الله عنه)came. When I saw him, I said: He will certainly speak today on this minbar and say something that no one ever heard before. Sa`eed bin Zaid objected to that and said: What do you think he will say that no one said before? `Umar (رضي الله عنه)sat on the minbar, and when the mu`dhdhin fell silent, he stood up and praised and glorified Allah as He deserves, then he said: To proceed o people, I am going to tell you something that it has been decreed I should say. I do not know, perhaps it may signal my death. So whoever understands it and remembers it, let him narrate it to others wherever his mount takes him; whoever does not understand il, it is not permissible for him to tell lies about me. Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, sent Muhammad (ﷺ) with the truth and revealed the Book to him; among the things that were revealed to him was the verse of stoning [adulterers). We read it and understood it; the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stoned [adulterers] and we stoned adulterers] after him. But I fear that with the passage of time, some people will say: We do not find the verse of stoning in the Book of Allah, thus they will go astray by forsaking an obligation that Allah revealed. Stoning is the due punishment in the Book of Allah for those who commit zina, both men and women, if they have been married and if proof is established, or there is a pregnancy or a confession, And we used to recite: Do not claim to be the offspring of anyone other than your fathers, as it is disbelief (or ingratitude) on your part to claim to be the offspring of anyone other than your fathers, Verily the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: `Do not praise me excessively as `Eesa, the son of Maryam, was praised; rather I am the slave of Allah, so say, the slave of Allah and His Messenger.` I have heard that some among you are saying. If `Umar (رضي الله عنه) dies, I shall swear allegiance to So and so. No man should deceive himself by saying that the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr was given suddenly and it was is successful. There is no doubt that this is the case, but Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, saved the to 2 people from its bad consequences and there is no one among you today who has the qualities of Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) What happened to us when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) died was that ‘Ali, az-Zubair and those who were with them stayed behind in the house of Fatimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and all the Ansar stayed behind and gathered in Saqeefat Banu Sa`idah, whilst the Muhajireen gathered around Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) I said to him; O Abu Bakr, let us go to our brothers, the Ansar. So we set out, looking for them, then we were met by two righteous men who told us what the people had done, and said: where are you going, O Muhajireen? I said: We are looking for these brothers of ours, the Ansar, They said. You should not go near them; do whatever you have already decided, O Muhajireen. I said: By Allah, we will go to them. So we carried on until we came to them in Saqeefat Banu Sa`idah, where we found them gathered and among them was a man wrapped up [in a garment. I said: Who is this? They said: Sa`d bin `Ubadah. ! said: What is the matter with him? They said: He is sick. After we sat down, their spokesman stood up and praised and glorified Allah, may He glorified and exalted, as He deserves, then he said: To proceed. We are the supporters (Ansar) of Allah and the majority of the Muslim army. You, O Muhajireen, are a small group among us. Some of you came to us, wanting to deny who we are and prevent us from attaining a position of authority. When he fell silent, I wanted to present a speech that I had prepared and that I liked in front of Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) I used to avoid provoking him and he was more forbearing and more dignified than me. But Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) said: Wait a while. I did not like to make him angry, and he was more knowledgeable and more dignified than me. By Allah, he did not omit any word that I liked in the speech I had prepared but he said something like it or better, speaking spontaneously, until he finished speaking. Then he said: To proceed. Whatever you have mentioned about your achievements and virtues, is correct. The Arabs would not acknowledge the leadership of anyone except someone from this tribe of Quraish, for they are the best of the Arabs in lineage and location. I am pleased to suggest to you one of these two men, whichever of them you want. Then he took hold of my hand and the hand of Abu `Ubaidah bin al-Jarrah, and I disliked nothing of what he had said apart from this, for by Allah, I would rather have my neck struck for no sin on my part than to become the leader of people among whom was Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) unless my own self suggested something at the time of death. One of the Ansar said: I am the post on which the camel with a skin disease scratches itself and I am like a high class palm tree [i.e., a noble]. [I suggest] a ruler from among us and a ruler from among you, O Quraish. - I the narrator said to Malik; What does ‘I am the post on which the cainc! with a skin disease scratches itself and I am like a high class palm tree` mean? He said:It is as if he is saying, I am the smart one who has the answer. - Then there was a great deal of clamour and raised voices, to such an extent that I feared there would be a conflict, so I said: Hold out your hand, O Abu Bakr. So he held out his hand and I swore allegiance to him, and the Muhajireen swore allegiance to him, then the Ansar swore allegiance to him. Thus we surrounded Sa`d bin ‘Ubadah. One of them said: You have killed Sa`d i said: May Allah kill Sa’d! And `Umar (رضي الله عنه) said: By Allah, we never encountered any problem greater than the swearing of allegiance to Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) . We were afraid that if we left the people without having sworn allegiance to anyone, they might swear allegiance after we were gone, so we would either follow in their footsteps and swear allegiance to someone we were not pleased with, or we would disagree with them and that would cause trouble. If anyone swears allegiance to a leader without consulting the Muslims, there is no allegiance for him and no allegiance to the one who swore allegiance to him, lest both of them be killed. Malik said: Ibn Shihab told me, from `Urwah bin az-Zubair, that the men whom they met were `Uwaim bin Sa`idah and Ma`n bin `Adiyy. Ibn Shihab said. Sa`eed bin al-Musayyab told me that the one who said, I am the post on which the camel with a skin disease scratches itself and I am like a high class palm tree, was al-lubab bin al-Mundhir.

"By Allah I will not ever accept the intercession of anyone for him, and I will not ever break my vow that I have vowed." When it went on long for Ibn Az-Zubair, he spoke to Al-Miswar bin Makhramah and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Aswad bin Yaghut and they were from Bani Zuhrah. So he said to them: "I beseech you in the Name of Allah that you enter me upon (the place of) 'Aishah because it is unlawful for her to vow to sever relations with me." So Al-Miswar and 'Abdur-Rahman approached with him under their upper garments until they sought her permission, saying: "As-salamu 'alaiki wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu! Shall we come in?" 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: "Come in," They asked: "All of us, o mother of the believers?" She said: "Yes all of you," and she did know that Ibn Az-Zubair was with them. So, when they entered, Ibn Az-Zubair entered the screened place and hugged 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) and began beseeching her and wept. And Al-Miswar and 'Abdur-Rahman began to plead her to but speak to him and to accept from him, also saying to her: "You know that the Messenger Allah ﷺ forbade what you know of abandonment and that it is not permissible for a man to abandon his brother over three nights." He said: So when they did a great deal of reminding and urging, she began remind them and weep, saying: "I have made a vow which is a matter of very serious nature." They persisted in their appeal till she spoke with 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair. Then she freed forty slaves as an expiation for breaking her vow. Later on she would remember, after freeing forty slaves, then she would weep so much that her veil would become wet with tears.

“Yazīd bin Ziyād narrated to me, from Muḥammad bin Ka‘b Al-Quraẓiyy who said: ‘When they gathered together (at his house to lay siege to it and murder him), and amongst them was Abū Jahl bin Hishām, he said when they were at his door: ‘Muḥammad claims that if you follow him regarding his matter that you will be the kings of the Arabs and the non-Arabs, and then you all will be resurrected after your deaths and you will be granted gardens like the gardens of Jordan. And if you don’t, amongst you will be those who are slaughtered (referring to those who insisted on attacking Islam and the Muslims), and then you all will be resurrected after your deaths, and a fire will be placed for you in which you will be burnt.’ He (the narrator) said: ‘And the Messenger came out to them and took a handful of dirt and then said, ‘I do say that, and you are one of them (those who would be killed and enter the fire).’ Allah veiled their sight so they were unable to see him, and he began to sprinkle that dirt on their heads while reciting the verses from Yāsīn: “(1) Yā Sīn (2) By the wise Quran, (3) you [Muḥammad] are truly one of the messengers sent (4) on a straight path” until (he reached) “blocking their vision: they cannot see.” By the time he finished reciting those verses there was no one except that he had put dirt on his head. Then he left in the direction he wanted to go…” Reference: Ibn Mundhir and Ibn Abi Hatim in Ad-Durr 5/258; al-Bayhaqi in Ad-Dala'il 2/470.

see Book 17).

Malik said, "Everyone leading an animal by the halter, driving it, and riding it is responsible for what the animal strikes unless the animal kicks out without anything being done to it to make it kick out. Umar ibn al-Khattab imposed the blood-money on a person who was exercising his horse."

Malik said, "It is more fitting that a person leading an animal by the halter, driving it, or riding it incur a loss than a person who is exercising his horse." (See hadith 4 of this book).

Malik said, "What is done in our community about a person who digs a well on a road or ties up an animal or does the like of that on a road used by muslims, is that since what he has done is included in that which he is not permitted to do in such a place, he is liable for whatever injury or other thing arises from that action. The blood-money of that which is less than a third of the full blood- money is owed from his own personal property. Whatever reaches a third or more, is owed by his tribe. Any such things that he does which he is permitted to do on the muslims' road are something for which he has no liability or loss. Part of that is a hole which a man digs to collect rain, and the beast from which the man alights for some need and leaves standing on the road. There is no penalty against anyone for this."

Malik spoke about a man who went down a well, and another man followed behind him, and the lower one pulled the higher one and they fell into the well and both died He said, "The tribe of the one who pulled him in is responsible for the blood-money."

Malik spoke about a child whom a man ordered to go down into a well or to climb a palm tree and he died as a result. He said, "The one who ordered him is liable for whatever befalls him, be it death or something else."

Malik said, "The way of doing things in our community about which there is no dispute is that women and children are not obliged to pay blood-money together with the tribe in the blood-moneys which the tribe must pay. The blood-money is only obligatory for a man who has reached puberty."

Malik said that the tribe could bind themselves to the blood-money of mawali if they wished. If they refused, they were people of the diwan or were cut off from their people. In the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, people paid the blood-money to each other as well as in the time of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq before there was a diwan. The diwan was in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab. No one other than one's people and the ones holding the wala' paid blood- money for one because the wala' was not transferable and because the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The wala' belongs to the one who sets free."

Malik said, "The wala' is an established relationship."

Malik said, "What is done in our community about animals that are injured is that the person who causes the injury pays whatever of their value has been diminished."

Malik said about a man condemned to death and one of the other hudud befell him, "He is not punished for it. That is because the killing overrides all of that, except for slander. The slander remains hanging over the one to whom it was said because it will be said to him, 'Why do you not flog the one who slandered you?' I think that the condemned man is flogged with the hadd before he is killed, and then he is killed. I do not think that any retaliation is inflicted on him for any injury except killing because killing overrides all of that."

Malik said, "What is done in our community is that when a murdered person is found among the main body of a people in a village or other place, the house or place of the nearest people to him is not responsible. That is because the murdered person can be slain and then cast at the door of some people to shame them by it. No one is responsible for the like of that."

Malik said about a group of people who fight with each other and when the fight is broken up, a man is found dead or wounded, and it is not known who did it, "The best of what is heard about that is that there is blood-money for him, and the blood-money is against the people who argued with him. If the injured or slain person is not from either of the two parties, his blood-money is against both of the two parties together."

Lā ilāha illallāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, Allāhu Akbaru kabīra, walḥamdu lillāhi kathīra, Subḥānallāhi Rabbil-`ālamīn, Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāhi ‘l-`Azīzil-Hakīm. He said, "That is for my Lord, but what about me?" The Prophet (SAW) told him to say: Allāhummaghfir lī, warḥamnī, waḥdinī warzuqnī. A desert Arab came to Allah's Messenger (SAW) and said, "Teach me a word that I can say. " The Prophet told him to say: There is none worthy of worship but Allah, Who has no partner, Allah is the Great, the Most Great, and praise is to Allah in abundance, glory is to Allah, Lord of the worlds. There is no power and no might but by Allah the Mighty, the Wise. He said, "That is for my Lord, but what about me?" The Prophet (SAW) told him to say: O Allah forgive me, and have mercy on me and guide me, and provide for me. Reference: Muslim 4/2072, Abu Dawud reports the same Hadith with the addition: and when the Arab left, the Prophet (SAW) said: "He has filled his hands with goodness." 1/220.

"The Messenger of Allah (saw) mentioned Dajjal, one morning, as something despised but also alarming, until we thought that he was in the stand of date-palm trees. When we came to the Messenger of Allah (saw) in the evening, he saw that (fear) in us, and said: 'What is the matter with you?' We said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you mentioned Dajjal this morning, and you spoke of him as something despised but also alarming, until we thought that he was in the stand of date-palm trees.' He said: 'There are things that I fear more for you than the Dajjal. If he appears while I am among you, I will contend with him on your behalf, and if he appears when I am not among you, then each man must fend for himself, and Allah will take care of every Muslim on my behalf. He (Dajjal) will be a young man with curly hair and a protuberant eye; I liken him to 'Abdul-'Uzza bin Qatan. Whoever among you sees him, let him recite the first Verses of Surat Al-Kahf over him. He will emerge from Khallah, between Sham and Iraq, and will wreak havoc right and left. O slaves of Allah, remain steadfast.' We said: 'O Messenger of Allah, how long will he stay on earth?' He said: 'Forty days, one day like a year, one day like a month, one day like a week, and the rest of his days like your days.' We said: 'O Messenger of Allah, on that day which is like a year, will the prayers of one day suffice us?' He said: 'Make an estimate of time (and then observe prayer).' We said: 'How fast will he move through the earth?' He said: 'Like a rain cloud driving by the wind.' He said: 'He will come to some people and call them, and they will respond and believe in him. Then he will command the sky to rain and it will rain, and he will command the earth to produce vegetation and it will do so, and their flocks will come back in the evening with their humps taller, their udders fuller and their flanks fatter than they have ever been. Then he will come to some (other) people and call them, and they will reject him, so he will turn away from them and they will suffer drought and be left with nothing. Then he will pass through the wasteland and will say: "Bring forth your treasures," then go away, and its treasures will follow him like a swarm of bees. Then he will call a man brimming with youth and will strike him with a sword and cut him in two. He will put the two pieces as far apart as the distance between an archer and his target. Then he will call him and he will come with his face shining, laughing. While they are like that, Allah will send 'Eisa bin Maryam, who will come down at the white minaret in the east of Damascus, wearing two Mahrud[garment dyed with Wars and then Saffron], resting his hands on the wings of two angels. When he lowers his head, beads of perspiration will fall from it. Every disbeliever who smells the fragrance of his breath will die, and his breath will reach as far as his eye can see. Then he will set out and catch up with him (the Dajjal) at the gate of Ludd, and will kill him. Then the Prophet of Allah 'Eisa will come to some people whom Allah has protected, and he will wipe their faces and tell them of their status in Paradise. While they are like that, Allah will reveal to him: "O 'Eisa, I have brought forth some of My slaves whom no one will be able to kill, so take My slaves to Tur in safety." Then Gog and Magog will emerge and they will, as Allah describes, "swoop down from every mound."[21:96] The first of them will pass by lake Tiberias and drink from it, then the last of them will pass by it and will say: "There was water here once." The Prophet of Allah, 'Eisa and his companions will be besieged there until the head of an ox would be dearer to any one of them than one hundred Dinar are to any one of you today. Then, the Prophet of Allah, 'Eisa and his companions will supplicate Allah. Then Allah will send a worm in their necks and the next morning they will all die as one. The Prophet of Allah 'Eisa and his companions will come down and they will not find even the space of a hand span that is free of their stink, stench and blood. They will pray to Allah, and He will send birds with necks like the necks of Bactrian camels, which will pick them up and throw them wherever Allah wills. Then Allah will send rain which will not leave any house of clay or hair, and it will wash the earth until it leaves it like a mirror (or a smooth rock). Then it will be said to the earth: "Bring forth your fruits and bring back your blessing." On that day a group of people will eat from a (single) pomegranate and it will suffice them, and they will seek shelter beneath its skin. Allah will bless a milch- camel so that it will be sufficient for a large number of people, and a milch-cow will be sufficient for a whole tribe and a milch-ewe will be sufficient for a whole clan. While they are like that, Allah will send a pleasant wind which will seize them beneath their armpits and will take the soul of every Muslim, leaving the rest of the people fornicating like donkeys, and upon them will come the Hour.'"

I was eager to ask 'Umar about the two wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) concerning whom Allah said, “If you two (wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) turn in repentance to Allah, (it will be better for you), your hearts are indeed so inclined (to oppose what the Prophet (ﷺ) likes)” [at-Tahreem 66:4], until 'Umar went for Hajj and I went with him. When we were partway there, 'Umar turned aside and I turned aside with him, bringing the jug. He relieved himself, then he came to me and I poured water onto his hands, and he did wudoo’. I said: “O Ameer al -Mu'mineen, who are the two wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) of whom Allah said: ‘If you two (wives of the Prophet (ﷺ)) turn in repentance to Allah, (it will be better for you), your hearts are indeed so inclined (to oppose what the Prophet (ﷺ) likes)’?” [at-Tahreem 66:4] 'Umar said, “How strange of you, O Ibn 'Abbas”, (az-Zuhri said: By Allah, he did not like the question, but he did not conceal anything.) He said, “They were Hafsah and 'A'ishah.” Then he started to narrate the hadeeth and said: We people of Quraish were a people who dominated women, but when we came to Madinah we found a people who were dominated by their women, and our women started to learn from their women. My house was among Banu Umayyah bin Zaid in al-'Awali. One day I got angry with my wife, and she argued with me. I did not like her to argue with me, but she said: Do you not like me to argue with you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) argue with him, and one of them will forsake him all day until night comes, I went and entered upon Hafsah, and I said: Do you argue with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? She said: Yes. I said: Does one of you forsake him all day until night comes? She said: Yes. I said: Any one of you who does that is doomed and lost. Does any one of you feel assured that Allah will not be angry with her because of the anger of His Messenger (ﷺ), for then she will be doomed? Do not argue with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and do not ask him for anything. Ask me for whatever you want. And do not be misled by the fact that your neighbour is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) than you – referring to 'A'ishah. And ‘Umar said: I had a neighbour among the Ansar. We used to take turns to go down to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He would go down one day and I would go down the next. He would bring me the news of the Revelation and other things, and I would do likewise. We were saying that Ghassan were shoeing their horses to attack us. My friend went down, then he came to me at night and knocked on my door, then he called out to me. I went out to him and he said: Something terrible has happened! I said: What? Have Ghassan come? He said: No, it is more terrible than that and worse. The Prophet (ﷺ) has divorced his wives! I said: Hafsah is doomed and lost! I thought that this would happen. Then when I had prayed Fajr, I got dressed, then I went down and entered upon Hafsah, who was weeping. I said: Has the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)divorced you? She said: I do not know. He has secluded himself in this loft. I went to a black slave of his and said: Ask for permission for ‘Umar to enter. He went in, then he came out to me and said: I mentioned you to him but he did not say anything, I went away and came to the minbar, where I sat down. By it was a group of people, some of whom were weeping. I sat for a little while, then I could not bear it any longer, so I went to the slave and said: Ask for permission for ‘Umar to enter. He went in, then he came out to me and said: I mentioned you to him but he did not say anything. I turned to leave, then the slave called me and said: Go in, he has given you permission. So I went in and greeted the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with salam. He was resting on a reed mat that had left marks on his side. I said: O Messenger of Allah, have you divorced your wives? He looked up at me and said, “No.” I said: Allah Akbar! if you had seen us, O Messenger of Allah, we Quraish were a people who dominated women, but when we came to Madinah we found a people who were dominated by their women, and our women started to learn from their women. I got angry with my wife one day, and she started to argue with me. I did not like her to argue with me, but she said: Do you not like me to argue with you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) argue with him, and one of them will forsake him all day until night comes. I said: Any one of them who does that is doomed and lost. Does one of them feel assured that Allah will not be angry with her because of the anger of His Messenger (ﷺ),then she will be doomed? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled. I said: O Messenger of Allah, I entered upon Hafsah and I said: Do not be misled by the fact that your neighbour (i.e. ‘Aa'ishah) is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) than you. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled again. I said: O Messenger of Allah, may I speak to you freely? He said: “Yes.” So I sat down and looked around the room, and by Allah, I did not see anything in it to please the eye except three hides. I said: Pray to Allah, O Messenger of Allah, to make life prosperous for your ummah, for He has made life prosperous for the Persians and Romans, but they do not worship Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. He sat up straight and said: “Are you doubting. O son of al-Khattab? They are people whose good things have been hastened for them in this world.” I said: Pray for forgiveness for me, O Messenger of Allah. He had sworn that he would not enter upon them for a month, because he was so annoyed with them until Allah rebuked him.

"Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) spent one whole night reciting a verse from the Qur’an.” Commentary: The aayah is the last aayah of Surah Maa-idah:

In tu-adh-dhib-hum fa-innahum 'ibaaduk. Wa in tagh-fir lahum fa-innaka antal azizul hakim.
Translation: "If Thou punish them, lo! they are Thy slaves, and if Thou forgive them, (lo! the are Thy slaves).Lo! Thou, only Thou, art Mighty, the wise".Surah Maa-idah, 118.

The Being that possesses great power, if He wills, He may forgive the criminal. The One that is all Wise, there is Wisdom and benefit in every act of His. The reason for Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam reciting this aayah while standing and also in the ruku and sajdah, and repeating it many times, is to bring to mind the two attributes of Allah, namely the attributes of justice and forgiveness. The whole scene on the day of qiyaamah will be of these two things. It is stated that Imaam Aa'zam Abu Hanifah RA. also recited the following aayah the whole night:

Wamtaazul yauma ayyuhal mujrimun.
Translation: "But avaunt ye, O ye guilty, this day!" Surah Yaseen, 58.

In this aayah too the scene of qiyaamah is portrayed. That today the sinners should separate and distinguish themselves. What a severe and nerve-chilling command this is. Today they are together with the pious and holy people and benefiting from the barakaat (blessings) they receive, but at this moment the sinners will be separated from them. May the Most Merciful Allah with His Grace keep those pious souls under His shadow, otherwise it is really a time for great trials.

'Ubayd ibn Hunayn related to him that Abu Musa said, "I asked permission three times to come in to 'Umar, but he did not give me permission and so I went away. He said, ''Abdullah, is it hard on you to be kept waiting at your door.' I said, 'I asked permission from you three times and you did not give me permission, so I went away (and we were commanded to do that).' 'Umar said, 'From whom did you hear this?' I replied, 'I heard it from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.' 'Umar said, 'Did you hear something from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, which I did not hear? If you do not bring me a clear proof, I will make an example of you!' Therefore I went to a group of Ansar who were sitting in the mosque. I asked them and they said, 'Does anyone doubt this?' I told them what 'Umar had said. They said, 'Only the youngest of us will go with you.' So Abu Sa'id al-Khudri - or Abu Mas'ud - went with me to 'Umar. He said, 'We went out with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he was going to Sa'd ibn 'Ubada. He gave the greeting, but Sa'd did not give permission. Then he greeted him a second time and then a third time, but Sa'd did not give him permission. So the Prophet said, 'We have done what we must.' Then he went back and Sa'd caught up to him and said, 'Messenger of Allah! By the One who sent you with the Truth, every time you greeted me, I heard and answered you, but I wanted to have a lot of greeting (peace) from you for me and the people of my house.'" Abu Musa said, "By Allah, I am a guardian of the hadith of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace." 'Umar said, "Yes, but I wanted to make sure."

Lā ilāha illallāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu ‘l-mulku walahu ‘l-ḥamd, wa huwa `alā kulli shay'in qadīr. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise and He is Able to do all things. (Recite ten times 1 in Arabic or one time to ward off laziness.) 2 Reference: 1Allah will write ten Hasanaat (rewards) for whoever recites this ten times in the morning, and forgive him ten misdeeds and give him the reward of freeing ten slaves and protect him from Satan. Whoever recites this ten times in the evening will get this same reward. An-Nasa'i, 'Amalul-Yawm wal-Laylah (no. 24). Its chain of transmission is sound (Sahih). Albani 1/272. Abu Hurayrah «fe narrated that the Prophet j§ said: "Allah will write one hundred Hasanat for whoever says There is no God but Allah alone, He has no partner. To Allah is possession of everything, and to Him all praise is. He is Capable of all things' ten times in the morning, and forgive him one hundred misdeeds. He will have the reward of freeing a slave and will be protected from Satan throughout the day unto dusk. Whoever says it in the evening will have the same reward." Ahmad 8/704, 16/293. Its chain of transmission is good (Hasan), Ibn Baz, p. 44. 2 Whoever recites this in the morning, will have the reward of freeing a slave from the Children of Isma'il. Ten Hasanaat (rewards) will be written for him, and he will be forgiven ten misdeeds, raised up ten degrees, and be protected from Satan until evening. Whoever says it in the evening will have the same reward until morning. Abu Dawud 4/319, 3/957, Ahmad 4/ 60, Ibn Majah 2/331, Ibn Al-Qayyim Zadul-Ma'ad 2/388. Its chain of transmission is sound (Sahih). Al-Albani 1/270.

I heard Ka'b bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) narrating the story of his remaining behind instead of joining Messenger of Allah (PBUH) when he left for the battle of Tabuk. Ka'b said: "I accompanied Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in every expedition which he undertook excepting the battle of Tabuk and the battle of Badr. As for the battle of Badr, nobody was blamed for remaining behind as Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and the Muslims, when they set out, had in mind only to intercept the caravan of the Quraish. Allah made them confront their enemies unexpectedly. I had the honour of being with Messenger of Allah (PBUH) on the night of 'Aqabah when we pledged our allegiance to Islam and it was dearer to me than participating in the battle of Badr, although Badr was more well-known among the people than that. And this is the account of my staying behind from the battle of Tabuk. I never had better means and more favourable circumstances than at the time of this expedition. And by Allah, I had never before possessed two riding-camels as I did during the time of this expedition. Whenever Messenger of Allah (PBUH) decided to go on a campaign, he would not disclose his real destination till the last moment (of departure). But on this expedition, he set out in extremely hot weather; the journey was long and the terrain was waterless desert; and he had to face a strong army, so he informed the Muslims about the actual position so that they should make full preparation for the campaign. And the Muslims who accompanied Messenger of Allah (PBUH) at that time were in large number but no proper record of them was maintained." Ka'b (further) said: "Few were the persons who chose to remain absent believing that they could easily hide themselves (and thus remain undetected) unless Revelation from Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious (revealed relating to them). And Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out on this expedition when the fruit were ripe and their shade was sought. I had a weakness for them and it was during this season that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and the Muslims made preparations. I also would set out in the morning to make preparations along with them but would come back having done nothing and said to myself: 'I have means enough (to make preparations) as soon as I like'. And I went on doing this (postponing my preparations) till the time of departure came and it was in the morning that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out along with the Muslims, but I had made no preparations. I would go early in the morning and come back, but with no decision. I went on doing so until they (the Muslims) hastened and covered a good deal of distance. Then I wished to march on and join them. Would that I had done that! But perhaps it was not destined for me. After the departure of Messenger of Allah (PBUH) whenever I went out, I was grieved to find no good example to follow but confirmed hypocrites or weak people whom Allah had exempted (from marching forth for Jihad). Messenger of Allah (PBUH) made no mention of me until he reached Tabuk. While he was sitting with the people in Tabuk, he said, 'What happened to Ka'b bin Malik?' A person from Banu Salimah said: "O Messenger of Allah, the (beauty) of his cloak and an appreciation of his finery have detained him.' Upon this Mu'adh bin Jabal (MatAllah be pleased with him) admonished him and said to Messenger of Allah (PBUH): "By Allah, we know nothing about him but good.' Messenger of Allah (PBUH), however, kept quiet. At that time he (the Prophet (PBUH)) saw a person dressed in white and said, 'Be Abu Khaithamah.' And was Abu Khaithamah Al- Ansari was the person who had contributed a Sa' of dates and was ridiculed by the hypocrites." Ka'b bin Malik further said: "When the news reached me that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was on his way back from Tabuk, I was greatly distressed. I thought of fabricating an excuse and asked myself how I would save myself from his anger the next day. In this connection, I sought the counsels of every prudent member of my family. When I was told that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was about to arrive, all the wicked ideas vanished (from my mind) and I came to the conclusion that nothing but the truth could save me. So I decided to tell him the truth. It was in the morning that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) arrived in Al-Madinah. It was his habit that whenever he came back from a journey, he would first go to the mosque and perform two Rak'ah (of optional prayer) and would then sit with the people. When he sat, those who had remained behind him began to put forward their excuses and take an oath before him. They were more than eighty in number. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) accepted their excuses on the very face of them and accepted their allegiance and sought forgiveness for them and left their insights to Allah, until I appeared before him. I greeted him and he smiled and there was a tinge of anger in that. He then said to me, 'Come forward'. I went forward and I sat in front of him. He said to me, 'What kept you back? Could you not afford to go in for a ride?' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, if I were to sit before anybody else, a man of the world, I would have definitely saved myself from his anger on one pretext or the other and I have a gifted skill in argumentation, but, by Allah, I am fully aware that if I were to put forward before you a lame excuse to please you, Allah would definitely provoke your wrath upon me. In case, I speak the truth, you may be angry with me, but I hope that Allah would be pleased with me (and accept my repentance). By Allah, there is no valid excuse for me. By Allah, I never possessed so good means, and I never had such favourable conditions for me as I had when I stayed behind.' Thereupon, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, 'This man spoke the truth, so get up (and wait) until Allah gives a decision about you.' I left and some people of Banu Salimah followed me. They said to me, 'By Allah, we do not know that you committed a sin before. You, however, showed inability to put forward an excuse before Messenger of Allah (PBUH) like those who stayed behind him. It would have been enough for the forgiveness of your sin that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) would have sought forgiveness for you.' By Allah, they kept on reproaching me until I thought of going back to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and retract my confession. Then I said to them, 'Has anyone else met the same fate?' They said, 'Yes, two persons have met the same fate. They made the same statement as you did and the same verdict was delivered in their case.' I asked, 'Who are they?' They said, 'Murarah bin Ar-Rabi' Al-'Amri and Hilal bin Umaiyyah Al- Waqifi.' They mentioned these two pious men who had taken part in the battle of Badr and there was an example for me in them. I was confirmed in my original resolve. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) prohibited the Muslims to talk to the three of us from amongst those who had stayed behind. The people began to avoid us and their attitude towards us changed and it seemed as if the whole atmosphere had turned against us, and it was in fact the same atmosphere of which I was fully aware and in which I had lived (for a fairly long time). We spent fifty nights in this very state and my two friends confined themselves within their houses and spent (most of their) time weeping. As I was the youngest and the strongest, I would leave my house, attend the congregational Salat, move about in the bazaars, but none would speak to me. I would come to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) as he sat amongst (people) after the Salat, greet him and would ask myself whether or not his lips moved in response to my greetings. Then I would perform Salat near him and look at him stealthily. When I finish my Salat, he would look at me and when I would cast a glance at him he would turn away his eyes from me. When the harsh treatment of the Muslims to me continued for a (considerable) length of time, I walked and I climbed upon the wall of the garden of Abu Qatadah, who was my cousin, and I had a great love for him. I greeted him but, by Allah, he did not answer to my greeting. I said to him, 'O Abu Qatadah, I adjure you in the Name of Allah, are you not aware that I love Allah and His Messenger (PBUH)?' I asked him the same question again but he remained silent. I again adjured him, whereupon he said, 'Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) know better.' My eyes were filled with tears, and I came back climbing down the wall.

As I was walking in the bazaars of Al-Madinah, a man from the Syrian peasants, who had come to sell food grains in Al-Madinah, asked people to direct him to Ka'b bin Malik. People pointed towards me. He came to me and delivered a letter from the King of Ghassan, and as I was a scribe, I read that letter whose purport was: 'It has been conveyed to us that your friend (the Prophet (PBUH)) was treating you harshly. Allah has not created you for a place where you are to be degraded and where you cannot find your right place; so come to us and we shall receive you graciously.' As I read that letter I said: 'This is too a trial,' so I put it to fire in an oven. When forty days had elapsed and Messenger of Allah (PBUH) received no Revelation, there came to me a messenger of the Messenger of Allah and said, 'Verily, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has commanded you to keep away from your wife.' I said, 'Should I divorce her or what else should I do?' He said, 'No, but only keep away from her and don't have sexual contact with her.' The same message was sent to my companions. So, I said to my wife: 'You better go to your parents and stay there with them until Allah gives the decision in my case.' The wife of Hilal bin Umaiyyah came to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, Hilal bin Umaiyyah is a senile person and has no servant. Do you disapprove if I serve him?' He said, 'No, but don't let him have any sexual contact with you.' She said, 'By Allah, he has no such desire left in him. By Allah, he has been in tears since (this calamity) struck him.' Members of my family said to me, 'You should have sought permission from Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in regard to your wife. He has allowed the wife of Hilal bin Umaiyyah to serve him.' I said, 'I would not seek permission from Messenger of Allah (PBUH) for I do not know what Messenger of Allah might say in response to that, as I am a young man'. It was in this state that I spent ten more nights and thus fifty days had passed since people boycotted us and gave up talking to us. After I had offered my Fajr prayer on the early morning of the fiftieth day of this boycott on the roof of one of our houses, and had sat in the very state which Allah described as: 'The earth seemed constrained for me despite its vastness', I heard the voice of a proclaimer from the peak of the hill Sal' shouting at the top of his voice: 'O Ka'b bin Malik, rejoice.' I fell down in prostration and came to know that there was (a message of) relief for me. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had informed the people about the acceptance of our repentance by Allah after he had offered the Fajr prayer. So the people went on to give us glad tidings and some of them went to my companions in order to give them the glad tidings. A man spurred his horse towards me (to give the good news), and another one from the tribe of Aslam came running for the same purpose and, as he approached the mount, I received the good news which reached me before the rider did. When the one whose voice I had heard came to me to congratulate me, I took off my garments and gave them to him for the good news he brought to me. By Allah, I possessed nothing else (in the form of clothes) except these garments, at that time. Then I borrowed two garments, dressed myself and came to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) On my way, I met groups of people who greeted me for (the acceptance of) repentance and they said: 'Congratulations for acceptance of your repentance.' I reached the mosque where Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was sitting amidst people. Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah got up and rushed towards me, shook hands with me and greeted me. By Allah, no person stood up (to greet me) from amongst the Muhajirun besides him." Ka'b said that he never forgot (this good gesture of) Talhah. Ka'b further said: "I greeted Messenger of Allah (PBUH) with 'As-salamu 'alaikum' and his face was beaming with pleasure. He (PBUH) said, 'Rejoice with the best day you have ever seen since your mother gave you birth. 'I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Is this (good news) from you or from Allah?' He said, 'No, it is from Allah.' And it was common with Messenger of Allah (PBUH) that when ever he was happy, his face would glow as if it were a part of the moon and it was from this that we recognized it (his delight). As I sat before him, I said, I have placed a condition upon myself that if Allah accepts my Taubah, I would give up all of my property in charity for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (PBUH)!' Thereupon Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, 'Keep some property with you, as it is better for you.' I said, 'I shall keep with me that portion which is in Khaibar'. I added: 'O Messenger of Allah! Verily, Allah has granted me salvation because of my truthfulness, and therefore, repentance obliges me to speak nothing but the truth as long as I am alive." Ka'b added: "By Allah, I do not know anyone among the Muslims who has been granted truthfulness better than me since I said this to the Prophet (PBUH). By Allah! Since the time I made a pledge of this to Messenger of Allah (PBUH), I have never intended to tell a lie, and I hope that Allah would protect me (against telling lies) for the rest of my life. Allah, the Exalted, the Glorious, revealed these Verses:

'Allah has forgiven the Prophet (PBUH), the Muhajirun (Muslim Emigrants who left their homes and came to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (Muslims of Al- Madinah) who followed him (Muhammad (PBUH)) in the time of distress (Tabuk expedition), after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated (from the Right Path), but He accepted their repentance. Certainly, He is unto them full of kindness, Most Merciful. And (He did forgive also) the three who did not join [the Tabuk expedition and whose case was deferred (by the Prophet (PBUH)) for Allah's Decision] till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their ownselves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but with Him. Then, He forgave them (accepted their repentance), that they might beg for His Pardon [repent (unto Him)]. Verily, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful. O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in word and deeds)." (9:117,118).

Ka'b said: "By Allah, since Allah guided me to Islam, there has been no blessing more significant for me than this truth of mine which I spoke to Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and if I were to tell a lie I would have been ruined as were ruined those who had told lies, for Allah described those who told lies with the worst description He ever attributed to anybody else, as He sent down the Revelation:

They will swear by Allah to you (Muslims) when you return to them, that you may turn away from them. So turn away from them. Surely, they are Rijsun [i.e., Najasun (impure) because of their evil deeds], and Hell is their dwelling place - a recompense for that which they used to earn. They (the hypocrites) swear to you (Muslims) that you may be pleased with them, but if you are pleased with them, certainly Allah is not pleased with the people who are Al- Fa'siqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah)". (9:95,96)

Ka'b further added: "The matter of the three of us remained pending for decision apart from the case of those who had made excuses on oath before Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and he accepted those, took fresh oaths of allegiance from them and supplicated for their forgiveness. The Prophet (PBUH) kept our matter pending till Allah decided it. The three whose matter was deferred have been shown mercy. The reference here is not to our staying back from the expedition but to his delaying our matter and keeping it pending beyond the matter of those who made their excuses on oath which he accepted".

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim]

Another version adds: "Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out for Tabuk on Thursday. He used to prefer to set out on journey on Thursday." Another version says: "Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to come back from a journey in the early forenoon and went straight to the mosque where he would perform two Rak'ah prayer. Afterwards he would seat himself there".