When the Messenger of Allah (saws) awake at night, he said: There is no god but thou, glory be to Thee, O Allah, I ask Thy pardon for my sin and I ask Thee for Thy mercy. O Allah! advance me in knowledge: do not cause my heart to deviate (from guidance) after Thou hast guided me, and grant me mercy from thyself; verily thou art the grantor.

Allah's Apostle said, "While I was sleeping, I was given a bowl full of milk (in the dream) and I drank from it (to my fill) till I noticed its wetness coming out of my limbs. Then I gave the rest of it to `Umar bin Al-Khattab." The persons sitting around him, asked, "What have you interpreted (about the dream) O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "(It is religious) knowledge."

Yahya related to me from Ziyad from Malik that he saw some of the people of knowledge who, when they did itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan, would not go back to their families until they had attended the Id al-Fitr with everybody.

Ziyad said that Malik said, "I heard this from the people of excellence who have passed away, and it is what I like most out of what I have heard about the matter."

Allah's Apostle said, "While I was sleeping, I saw that a cup full of milk was brought to me and I drank my fill till I noticed (the milk) its wetness coming out of my nails. Then I gave the remaining milk to `Umar Ibn Al-Khattab" The companions of the Prophet asked, "What have you interpreted (about this dream)? "O Allah's Apostle ,!" he replied, "(It is religious) knowledge."

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

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

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

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

I will narrate to you a Habith I heard from Allah's Apostle and none other than I will tell you of it. I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "From among the portents of the Hour are the following: Religious knowledge will be taken away; General ignorance (in religious matters) will increase; illegal Sexual intercourse will prevail: Drinking of alcoholic drinks will prevail. Men will decrease in number, and women will increase in number, so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he used to hear the people of knowledge say,"There is no harm in fasting continuously as long as one breaks the fast on the days on which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade fasting, namely, the days of Mina, the day of Adha and the day of Fitr, according to what we have heard."

Malik said, "This is what I like most out of what I have heard about the matter."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard some of the people of knowledge saying, "The pebbles used for stoning the jamras should be like the stones used as slingshot."

Malik said, "I like it better if they are a little larger than that."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar used to say, "Someone who is at Mina when the sun sets in the middle of the days of tashriq must not leave until he has stoned the jamras on the following day."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard the people of knowledge say that martyrs in the way of Allah were not washed, nor were any of them prayed over. They were buried in the garments in which they were slain.

Malik said, "That is the sunna for someone who is killed on the battleground and is not reached until he is already dead. Someone who is carried off and lives for as long as Allah wills after it, is washed and prayed over as was Umar ibn al- Khattab."

I will narrate to you a Hadith and none other than I will tell you about after it. I heard Allah's Apostle saying: From among the portents of the Hour are (the following): -1. Religious knowledge will decrease (by the death of religious learned men). -2. Religious ignorance will prevail. -3. There will be prevalence of open illegal sexual intercourse. -4. Women will increase in number and men will decrease in number so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man.

"The Prophet (saws) prohibited meeting the goods being brought (to the market). If someone were to meet them and buy them, then the owner of the goods retains the option when he reaches the market."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Gharib narration of Ayyub (a narrator). The Hadith if Ibn Mas'ud is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. There are those among the people of knowledge who disliked meeting the owners of the goods, saying that it is a type of deception. This is the view of Ash-Shafi'i, and others among our companions.

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

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

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

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

That the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "None of you is to sell over the sale of others, nor to propose over the proposal of others."

[He said:] There are narration on this topic from Abu Hurairah and Samurah.

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

And it has been reported from the Prophet (saws) that he said: "Do not haggle in competition with your brother's haggling." And the meaning of sale in this Hadith of the Prophet (saws), according to some of the people of knowledge is to haggle.

That Zayd ibn Thabit said: May Allah forgive Rafi' ibn Khadij. I swear by Allah, I have more knowledge of Hadith than him. Two persons of the Ansar (according to the version of Musaddad) came to him who were disputing with each other. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: If this is your position, then do not lease the agricultural land. The version of Musaddad has: So he (Rafi' ibn Khadij) heard his statement: Do not lease agricultural lands.

When he was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (saws) and a Jew was also with him, a funeral passed by him. He (the Jew) asked (Him): Muhammad, does this funeral speak? The Prophet (saws) said: Allah has more knowledge. The Jew said: It speaks.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Whatever the people of the Book tell you, do not verify them, nor falsify them, but say: We believe in Allah and His Apostle. If it is false, do not confirm it, and if it is right, do not falsify it.

The Prophet, said, "I entered Paradise and saw a palace and asked whose palace is this? They (the Angels) said, "This palace belongs to `Umar bin Al-Khattab.' I intended to enter it, and nothing stopped me except my knowledge about your sense of Ghira (self-respect (O `Umar)." `Umar said, "O Allah's Apostle! Let my father and mother be sacrificed for you! O Allah's Prophet! How dare I think of my Ghira (self-respect) being offended by you?"

Malik said, "The sunna that we are all agreed upon here (in Madina) and which I have heard from the people of knowledge, is that there is no zakat on any kind of fresh (soft) fruit, whether it be pomegranates, peaches, figs or anything that is like them or not like them as long as it is fruit."

He continued, "No zakat has to be paid on animal fodder or herbs and vegetables of any kind, and there is no zakat to pay on the price realised on their sale until a year has elapsed over it from the day of sale which counts as the time the owner receives the sum."

Yahya related to me from Malik that what he preferred of what he had heard from the people of knowledge about a man or woman who vowed to walk to the House of Allah, was that they fulfilled the oath when performing umra, by walking until they had done say between Safa and Marwa. When they had done say it was finished. If they vowed to walk in the hajj, they walked until they came to Makka, then they walked until they had finished all the rites.

Malik said, "Walking is only for hajj or umra."

The Prophet said, "The tribe of Quraish has precedence over the people in this connection (i.e the right of ruling). The Muslims follow the Muslims amongst them, and the infidels follow the infidels amongst them. People are of different natures: The best amongst them in the pre-lslamic period are the best in Islam provided they comprehend the religious knowledge. You will find that the best amongst the people in this respect (i.e. of ruling) is he who hates it (i.e. the idea of ruling) most, till he is given the pledge of allegiance."

That the Prophet (saws) ransomed two men for the Muslims with a man from the idolaters.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.

The paternal uncle of Abu Al-Muhallab's name is 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Amr, and they also say it was Muhawiyah bin 'Amr. And Abu Qilabah's name is 'Abdullah bin Zaid Al-Jarmi (narrator in the chain)

This is acted upon according to most of the people of knowledge among the Companions of the Prophet(saws) and others. It is for the Imam to decide to be generous with whom he wills among the captives, or to kill whom he wills among them, or to ransom whom he wills among them. Some of the people of knowledge preferred killing over ransoming.

Al-Awzai' said: "It has been conveyed to me. that this Ayah is abrogated: Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (to free them without ranson) or ransom (47:4). It was abrogated by: Kill them wherever you find them (2:191). This was narrated to us by Hannad (who said): "Ibn Al-Mubarak narrated to us, from Al-Awza'i."

Ishaq bin Mansur said: "I said to Ahmad: 'When the captives are captured' is killing or ransoming better to you?' He said: 'If they are able to ransom' then there is no harm in it. And if they kill, then I do not know of any harm in it.'" Ishaq said: "Wiping them out is better to me, unless it is someone well-known, so that it is hoped that a large amount will be obtained for him."

Malik said, "I have heard people of knowledge saying that the kaffara specified by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for a man who has intercourse with his wife during the day in Ramadan is not due from someone who, on a day when he is making up the fast of Ramadan, breaks his fast by having intercourse with his wife, or whatever. He only has to make up for that day."

Malik said, "This is what I like most out of what I have heard about the matter."

I will narrate to you a narration which nobody will narrate to you after me. I heard that from the Prophet. I heard the Prophet saying, "The Hour will not be established" or said: "From among the portents of the Hour is that the religious knowledge will betaken away (by the death of religious Scholars) and general ignorance (of religion) will appear; and the drinking of alcoholic drinks will be very common, and (open) illegal sexual intercourse will prevail, and men will decrease in number while women will increase so much so that, for fifty women there will only be one man to look after them."

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

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Ibn 'Umar is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge among the Companions of the Prophet (saws) and others. They dislike selling fruits before their usefulness appears, this is the view of Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad and Ishaq.

That the Prophet (saws) said: "Do not go out to meet the market (caravan), do not leave animals un-milked (to deceive the buyer), nor out-spend one another."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] There are narrations on this topic from Ibn Mas'ud and Abu Hurairah. The Hadith if Ibn 'Abbas is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge, they dislike selling the Muhaffalah, and it is the Musarrah that has not been milked by its owner in days or more than that, so the milk accumulates in its udder to impress the purchaser. This is a type of deceit and misrepresentation.

Another chain with similar meaning.

There are narrations on this topic from Mujammi' bin Jariyah, Ibn 'Abbas, and Ibn Abi 'Amrah from his father. This Hadith of Ibn 'Umar is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. This is acted upon according to most of the people of knowledge among the Companions of the Prophet (saws) and others.

This is the view of Sufyan At-Thawri, Al-Awzai', Malik bin Anas, Ibn Al-Mubarak, Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad and Ishaq. They said that the horsemen gets three shares, one share is for him and two shares for his horse. The foot soldiers get one share.

The Prophet used to stand by a tree or a date-palm on Friday. Then an Ansari woman or man said. "O Allah's Apostle! Shall we make a pulpit for you?" He replied, "If you wish." So they made a pulpit for him and when it was Friday, he proceeded towards the pulpit (for delivering the sermon). The datepalm cried like a child! The Prophet descended (the pulpit) and embraced it while it continued moaning like a child being quietened. The Prophet said, "It was crying for (missing) what it used to hear of religious knowledge given near to it."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz wrote to his governors telling them to relieve any people who payed the jizya from paying the jizya if they became muslims.

Malik said, "The sunna is that there is no jizya due from women or children of people of the Book, and that jizya is only taken from men who have reached puberty. The people of dhimma and the magians do not have to pay any zakat on their palms or their vines or their crops or their livestock. This is because zakat is imposed on the muslims to purify them and to be given back to their poor, whereas jizya is imposed on the people of the Book to humble them. As long as they are in the country they have agreed to live in, they do not have to pay anything on their property except the jizya. If, however, they trade in muslim countries, coming and going in them, a tenth is taken from what they invest in such trade. This is because jizya is only imposed on them on conditions, which they have agreed on, namely that they will remain in their own countries, and that war will be waged for them on any enemy of theirs, and that if they then leave that land to go anywhere else to do business they will haveto pay a tenth. Whoever among them does business with the people of Egypt, and then goes to Syria, and then does business with the people of Syria and then goes to Iraq and does business with them and then goes on to Madina, or Yemen, or other similar places, has to pay a tenth.

People of the Book and magians do not have to pay any zakat on any of their property, livestock, produce or crops. The sunna still continues like that. They remain in the deen they were in, and they continue to do what they used to do. If in any one year they frequently come and go in muslim countries then they have to pay a tenth every time they do so, since that is outside what they have agreed upon, and not one of the conditions stipulated for them. This is what I have seen the people of knowledge of our city doing."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard people of knowledge say, "When a woman dies and there are no women with her to wash her and no man who has the right by blood ties to take charge of that for her and no husband to take charge of it for her, she should be purified by tayammum ,that is, by wiping her face and hands with earth."

Malik said, "When a man dies and there are only women with him, they also should purify him with earth ."

Malik said, "There is no particular way with us for washing the dead nor any recognised way to do it. They are just washed and purified."

Ziyad related to me from Malik that he had heard a man he trusted of the people of knowledge say, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was shown the lifespans of the people (who had gone) before him, or what Allah willed of that, and it was as if the lives of the people of his community had become too short for them to be able to do as many good actions as others before them had been able to do with their long lives, so Allah gave him Laylat al- Qadr, which is better than a thousand months."

That the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "The dweller of the town is not to sell for the Bedouin, leave the people ; Allah provides for some of them through others."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Abu Hurairah is a Hasan Sahih Hadith, and this Hadith of Jabir is a Hasan Sahih Hadith as well.

This Hadith is acted upon according to some of the people of knowledge among the Companions of the Prophet (saws) and others. They dislike the dweller of the town to sell for the Bedouin, while some of them permitted the town dweller to purchase for the Bedouin. Ash-Shafi'i said: "It is disliked for the dweller of the town to sell for the Bedouin, and if he does sell, then the sale is permissible.

"The Messenger of Allah (saws) was cupped. Abu Talhah did the cupping. So he ordered that he be given two Sa' of food, and he spoke to his masters to reduce his taxes. He said: 'The most virtuous of what you treat with is cupping.' Or, he said: 'The best of your treatments is cupping.'"

[He said:] There are narrations on this topic from 'Ali, Ibn 'Abbas, and Ibn 'Umar.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Anas is a Hasan Sahih. Some of the people of knowledge among the Companions of the Prophet (saws), and others permitted paying the cupper. This is the view of Ash-Shafi'i.

"The Messenger of Allah (saws) took a camel of a particular age on loan. He gave back to him a camel of a better age than the one he was given. He said: 'The best among you is the best in repaying.'"

He said: There is something on this topic from Abu Rafi'.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Abu Hurairah is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. Shu'bah and Sufyan reported it from Salamah.

This is acted upon according to some of the people of knowledge, they saw no harm is taking a camel of a particular age as a loan. This is the view of Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad, and Ishaq. But some of them disliked that.

The people said, "O Allah's Apostle! Who is the most honorable amongst the people (in Allah's Sight)?" He said, "The most righteous amongst them." They said, "We do not ask you, about this. " He said, "Then Joseph, Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, The son of Allah's Prophet the son of Allah's Khalil (i.e. Abraham)." They said, "We do not want to ask about this," He said' "Then you want to ask about the descent of the Arabs. Those who were the best in the pre-lslamic period of ignorance will be the best in Islam provided they comprehend the religious knowledge."

Allah's Apostle was asked, "Who is the most honorable amongst the people?" He replied, "The most Allah fearing." The people said, "We do not want to ask you about this." He said, "The most honorable person is Joseph, Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Khalil" The people said, 'We do not want to ask you about this." He said," Then you want to ask me about the origins of the Arabs? People are of various origins. The best in the prelslamic period are the best in Islam, provided they comprehend (the religious knowledge).

One day while the Prophet was sitting in the company of some people, (The angel) Gabriel came and asked, "What is faith?" Allah's Apostle replied, 'Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, (the) meeting with Him, His Apostles, and to believe in Resurrection." Then he further asked, "What is Islam?" Allah's Apostle replied, "To worship Allah Alone and none else, to offer prayers perfectly to pay the compulsory charity (Zakat) and to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan." Then he further asked, "What is Ihsan (perfection)?" Allah's Apostle replied, "To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is looking at you." Then he further asked, "When will the Hour be established?" Allah's Apostle replied, "The answerer has no better knowledge than the questioner. But I will inform you about its portents.

1. When a slave (lady) gives birth to her master.

2. When the shepherds of black camels start boasting and competing with others in the construction of higher buildings. And the Hour is one of five things which nobody knows except Allah.

The Prophet then recited: "Verily, with Allah (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour--." (31. 34) Then that man (Gabriel) left and the Prophet asked his companions to call him back, but they could not see him. Then the Prophet said, "That was Gabriel who came to teach the people their religion." Abu 'Abdullah said: He (the Prophet) considered all that as a part of faith.

When the Prophet died and Abu Bakr became his successor and some of the Arabs reverted to disbelief, `Umar said, "O Abu Bakr! How can you fight these people although Allah's Apostle said, 'I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, 'and whoever said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah', Allah will save his property and his life from me, unless (he does something for which he receives legal punishment) justly, and his account will be with Allah?' "Abu Bakr said, "By Allah! I will fight whoever differentiates between prayers and Zakat as Zakat is the right to be taken from property (according to Allah's Orders). By Allah! If they refused to pay me even a kid they used to pay to Allah's Apostle, I would fight with them for withholding it." `Umar said, "By Allah: It was nothing, but I noticed that Allah opened Abu Bakr's chest towards the decision to fight, therefore I realized that his decision was right."

Yahya related to me from Malik from al Ala ibn Abd ar-Rahman that his father said, "I asked Abu Said al-Khudri about the lower garment. He said that he would inform me with knowledge and that he had heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'The lower garment of the mumin should reach to the middle of his calves. There is no harm in what is between that and the ankles. What is lower than that is in the Fire. What is lower than that is in the Fire. On the Day of Rising, Allah will not look at a person who trails his lower garment in arrogance.' "

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard the people of knowledge say that when a man hit game and something else might have contributed to death, like water or an untrained dog, that game was not to be eaten unless it was beyond doubt that it was the arrow of the hunter that had killed it by reaching a vital organ, so that it did not have any life after that.

Yahya said that he heard Malik say that there was no harm in eating game when you did not see it die if you found the mark of your dog on it or your arrow in it as long as it had not remained overnight. If it had remained overnight, then it was disapproved of to eat it.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that Umar ibn al-Khattab said to the corner of the Black Stone while he was doing tawaf of the House, "You are only a stone, and if I had not seen the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, kiss you, I would not do so." Then he kissed it.

Malik said, "I have heard some of the people of knowledge recommending someone doing tawaf of the House to put his hand to his mouth when he takes it from the Yamani corner."

'Abdur-Rahman bin Mahdi said: "Salm bin Zarin" but that is an error, "Zarir" is more correct, and Abu Sa'd As-San'ani's (a narrator in this chain) name is Muhammad bin Muyassir.

"My father had me married so he invited people, and Safwan bin Umayyah was among them. So he said: 'Indeed the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: 'Bite the meat (with your teeth) for indeed it is more enjoyable and more wholesome.

He said: There are narration on this topic from 'Aishah and Abu Hurairah.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] We do not know of this Hadith except through the narration of 'Abdul-Karim. Some of the people of knowledge have criticized 'Abdul-Karim Al-Mu'allim because of his memory, Ayyub As-Sakhtiyani was among them.

"A slave came to give the pledge to the Prophet (saws) for Hijrah, but the Prophet (saws) did not realize that he was a slave. So his master came to get him and the Prophet (saws) said: 'Sell him to me.' So he purchased him for two black slaves. Then he would not pledge from anyone until he asked him if he was a slave."

[He said:] There is something on this topic from Anas.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Jabir is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge. There is no harm in a slave for two slaves in hand to hand exchange, but they differ when it is on credit.

"Makhrafah Al-'Abdi and I brought linens from Hajar. The Prophet (saws) came to us in bargain with us with some pants. There was someone with me who weighed (the goods) to determine the value. So the the Prophet (saws) said to the one weighing: 'Weigh and add more.'"

[He said:] There are narrations on this topic from Jabir and Abu Hurairah.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Suwaid is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. The people of knowledge consider it recommended to add more when weighing.

Shu'bah reported this Hadith from Simak, so he said: "From Abu Safwan" and he mentioned the narration.