God's messenger took me by the hand and said, "God created the earth on Saturday, created the mountains in it on Sunday, created the trees on Monday, created what is objectionable on Tuesday, created the light on Wednesday, sent forth the animals in the earth on Thursday, and created Adam in the late afternoon on Friday, at the end of the creation and at the last hour of the day between the afternoon and the night." Muslim transmitted it.

He told that while God's prophet and his companions were sitting clouds came over them and God's prophet asked, "Do you know what these are?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "These are the clouds (`anan), these are the water-carriers of the earth which God drives to people who do not thank Him or call upon Him." He then asked, "Do you know what is above you?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "It is the firmament, a ceiling which is guarded and waves which are kept back." He then asked, "Do you know what is between you and it?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "Between you and it are five hundred years." He then asked, "Do you knew what is above that?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "Two heavens with a distance of five hundred years between them." He went on speaking like that till he counted seven heavens, the distance between each pair being like that between the heaven and the earth. He then asked, "Do you know what is above that?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "Above that is the Throne, and the distance between it and the [seventh] heaven is the same as that between each pair of heavens." He then asked, "Do you know what is below you?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "It is the earth." He then asked, "Do you know what is under that?" On their replying that God and His messenger knew best, he said, "Under it there is another earth with a journey of five hundred years between them," and so on till he had counted seven earths with a journey of five hundred years between each pair. He then said, "By Him in whose hand Muhammad's soul is, if you were to drop a rope[1] to the lowest earth it would not pass out of God's knowledge[2]." He then recited, "He is the First and the Last, the Outward and the Inward, and He is omniscient[3]." Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying[4] that God's messenger's recitation of the verse indicates that it would go down within God's knowledge, power and authority, for God's knowledge, power and authority are everywhere, while He is on the Throne, as He described Himself in His Book[5]. This is the reading in the text on the margin of Mirqat. In Tirmidhi, in his book on Tafsir al Quran, the tradition occurs in his section on sura 57 (al-hadid), the reading being "if you were to drop a man ...

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "I have been commissioned from among the best of the generations of Adam's descendants, generation after generation, till I came into being in the generation in which I have come." Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be preeminent among the descendants of Adam on the day of resurrection, the first from whom the grave will be cleft open, the first intercessor and the first whose intercession will be accepted." Muslim transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "I am the prophet who will have the greatest number of followers on the day of resurrection, and I shall be the first to knock at the gate of paradise." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall come to the gate of paradise on the day of resurrection and ask that it be opened. The keeper will ask who I am, and when I tell him that I am Muhammad he will reply that he has been given orders regarding me not to open to anyone before me." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall be the first intercessor in paradise, no prophet having been believed to the extent I have. Among the prophets there is one who was believed by only one man out of his people." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The way in which I may be compared with the prophets is by a castle which was beautifully constructed, but in which the place of one brick was left incomplete. Sightseers went round admiring the beauty of its construction with the exception of the place for that brick. Now I have filled up the place of that brick, in me the building is completed and in me the messengers are complete." A version has "I am the brick and I am the seal of the prophets." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, "No prophet has failed to be given a miracle which caused men to believe in him when it was seen What I have been given is simply a revelation which God gave to me and I hope I may be the one of them who will have the largest following on the day of resurrection." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I have been helped by terror [being put in the hearts of enemies] as far as a month's journey away, the earth has been made for me a place of worship and ceremonially pure, so that when the time of prayer comes any man of my people may pray; spoils have been made lawful to me, but were not made lawful to anyone before me; I have been granted the right of intercession; and prophets were formerly sent to their people alone, whereas I have been sent to all mankind." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Rafi‘ b. Khadij said that one of the Ansar was killed at Khaibar and his relatives went to the Prophet and mentioned that to him. He asked, “Have you two witnesses who can testify to the murderer of your friend?" They replied, “Messenger of God, there was not a single Muslim present, but only Jews who sometimes have the audacity to do even greater crimes than this “He said, “Then choose fifty of them and demand that they take an oath;" but they refused and God’s Messenger paid his blood wit himself. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ikrima told that when some heretics were brought to ‘Ali he had them burned, and that when Ibn ‘Abbas heard of it he said that if it had been he, he would not have had them burned because of God’s Messenger's prohibition, “Do not inflict God’s punishment on anyone”, but would have had them killed on account of the statement made by God’s Messenger, “Kill those who change their religion.” Bukhari transmitted it.

When I we were on a journey with God’s Messenger and he had gone to relieve himself we saw a hummara* with two young ones and took the young ones, whereupon the hummara came and began to spread out its wings. Then when the Prophet came he said, “Who has pained this one by the loss of her young? Give her young ones back to her." He also saw an anthill which we had burned, and when he asked who had burned it and we replied that we had, he said, “It is not fitting that anyone but the Lord of the fire should punish with fire” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * A small bird like a sparrow, or a lark.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Only God punishes with fire.” Bukhari transmitted it.

‘Ali told that he heard God’s Messenger say, “In the last time people will come forth, young and foolish, speaking the finest words men speak, but their faith will not pass their throats. They will come out from the religion as an arrow does from the animal it is aimed at. Wherever you meet them kill them, for a reward for killing them will be given on the day of resurrection to those who kill them.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God’s Messenger as saying, “My people will be in two sections from among whom a seceding party will go out, and those who are nearest to the truth will undertake the killing of them.” Muslim transmitted it.

Jarir reported God’s Messenger as saying at the Farewell Pilgrimage, “You must never revert to infidelity after my death and cut off one another’s heads.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Bakra reported the Prophet as saying, “When two Muslims meet and one of them bears arms against his brother, they are both on the brink of hell, and if one of them kills the other they will both enter it.” In a version on Abu Bakra's authority he said, “When two Muslims meet with their swords, the one who kills and the one who is killed will go to hell." When he (i.e. Abu Bakr) remarked that one was the killer and asked what was wrong with the one who was killed, he replied, “He was eager to kill his companion." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that some people of ‘Ukl who had come to the Prophet and accepted Islam found Medina unhealthy, so he ordered them to go to the camels of the sadaqa and drink some of their urine and their milk. They did so and became well, after which they apostatised, killed the herdsmen and drove off the camels. So he sent people in pursuit of them, and when they were brought he had their hands and feet cut off and their eyes put out and left them to die without cauterising them to stop the flow of blood. A version says nails were driven into their eyes. Another says he ordered nails to be heated and after having them blinded with them he had them thrown out on the harra, and although they begged for water they were left to die without being given any. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Imran b. Husain said God's Messenger used to urge them to give sadaqa and forbid them to mutilate anyone. Aba Dawud transmitted it and Nasa’i transmitted it on the authority of Anas.

Jarir reported the Prophet as saying, “When a slave runs away and reverts to polytheism he may lawfully be killed.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali told that a Jewess who was reviling the Prophet and speaking evil of him was strangled to death by a man and the Prophet allowed no payment to be made for her death. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jundub reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The punishment given to a magician is a stroke with the sword.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Usama b. Sharik reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Cut off the head of any man who goes out and causes division among my people.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

I wanted to meet one of the Prophet’s companions to ask him about the Kharijites. Meeting Abu Barza al-Aslami along with some of his companions on a festival day, I asked him whether he had heard God’s Messenger mentioning the Kharijites, and he replied that he had both heard him with his ears and seen him with his eyes. He told that God’s Messenger was brought some property and divided it, giving something to those on his right and those on his left, but giving nothing to those who were behind him. One of those behind him, a black man whose hair was completely cut off and who was wearing two white garments, then said, "You have not divided justly, Muhammad.” God's Messenger became very angry and said, “I swear by God that after my death you will not find a man more just than I am,” adding, “At the end of time people looking like this man will come forth, reciting the Qur'an, but it will not pass their throats. They will swerve from Islam as an arrow passes through the game at which is it shot, and their distinguishing mark will be shaving. They will continue to come forth till the last of them comes forth with the antichrist. When you meet them they will be the worst of men and beasts.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Ghalib told that when Abu Umama saw some heads set up on the road to Damascus he said, “The dogs of hell, the worst people killed under the sky. The best who have been killed are those killed by them.” He then recited, “On the day when some faces will be white and some faces will be black (Al-Qur’an, 3:106). Abu Umama was asked whether he had heard it from God’s Messenger and replied, “If I had heard it only once, twice, or thrice (counting up to seven times) I would not have told you.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan tradition.

Abu Huraira and Zaid b. Khalid told that two men brought a dispute before God’s Messenger, one of them saying, "Pronounce judgment between us in accordance with God’s Book," and the other saying, "Yes Messenger of God, pronounce judgment between us in accordance with God’s Book, and allow me to speak." He told him to speak and he said, "My son who was a hired servant with this man committed fornication with his wife, and when I was told that my son must be stoned to death I ransomed him with a hundred sheep and a slave girl of mine; but when I asked the learned they told me that my son should receive a hundred lashes and be banished for a year, and that stoning to death applied only to the man’s wife." God’s Messenger replied, "By Him in whose hand my soul is, I shall certainly pronounce judgment between you in accordance with God's Book. Your sheep and your slave girl must be returned to you, and your son shall receive a hundred lashes and be banished for a year. As for you, Unais, go to this man's wife, and if she confesses stone her to death." She confessed and he stoned her. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Zaid b. Khalid told that he heard God’s Messenger giving command that an unmarried man who committed fornication should receive a hundred lashes and be banished for a year. Bukhari transmitted it.

God sent Muhammad with the truth and sent down the Book to him, and the verse of stoning was included in what God most high sent down. God's Messenger had people stoned to death and we have done it also since his death. Stoning is a duty laid down in God’s Book for married men and women who commit fornication when proof is established, or if there is pregnancy, or a confession. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Ubada b. as-Samit reported the Prophet as saying, “Receive my teaching, receive my teaching God has appointed a way for those women (Cf. Al-Qur'an, 4:15). When the parties are unmarried they shall receive a hundred lashes and be banished for a year when they commit fornication and when they have been married they shall receive a hundred lashes and be stoned to death.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar told that the Jews came to God’s Messenger and mentioned to him that a man and a woman of their number had committed fornication. He asked them what they found in the Torah about stoning and they replied that they should disgrace them and that they should be beaten. ‘Abdallah b. Salam then said, “You lie; it contains instruction that they should be stoned to death, so bring the Torah.” They spread it out, and one of them put his hand over the verse of stoning and read what preceded it and what followed it. 'Abdallah b. Salam told him to lift his hand and when he did so the verse of stoning was seen to be in it. They then said, “He has spoken the truth, Muhammad; the verse of stoning is in it.” The Prophet then gave command regarding them and they were stoned to death. In a version it says that he told him to lift his hand and that when he did so the verse of stoning was clearly in it. The man then said, “It contains the verse of stoning, Muhammad, but we have been concealing it from one another.” He then gave command regarding them and they were stoned to death. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I was informed by one who heard Jabir b. ‘Abdallah say, “Then we stoned him in Medina, but when the stones hurt him he ran away, and we caught up on him in the harra and stoned him to death.” In aversion by Bukhari on Jabir’s authority, after “he replied that he was” it says that he gave command regarding him and he was stoned in the place of prayer. Then when the stones hurt him he fled, but was overtaken and stoned to death. The Prophet then spoke well of him and prayed over him. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira told that when Ma'iz al-Aslami came to God’s Messenger and said he had committed fornication he turned away from him. He then came round to the other side and said he had committed fornication, but he turned away from him. He came round again saying he had committed fornication, and when he said it a fourth time God’s Messenger gave command regarding him and he was taken out to the harra and stoned. When he felt the effect of the stones he ran away vigorously till he passed a man who had the jawbone of a camel with which he struck him, and the people struck him till he died. They then mentioned to God’s Messenger that he had fled when he felt the effect of the stones and the touch of death, and he said, “Why did you not leave him alone?” A version has, “Why did you not leave him alone? Perhaps he might have repented and been forgiven by God.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas told that the Prophet asked Ma'iz b. Malik, “Is what I have heard about you true?” He asked what he had heard about him, and he replied that he had heard he had had intercourse with a girl belonging to the family of so and so. When he admitted it, and had acknowledged it four times, he ordered him to be stoned to death. Muslim transmitted it. (Here a tradition by Muslim has been placed in Section II.)

Yazid b. Nu'aim, on his father’s authority, told that Ma‘iz came to the Prophet and confirmed the matter four times in his presence, so he ordered him to be stoned to death, but said to Hazzal, “If you had covered him with your garment it would have been better for you.” Ibn al-Munkadir said Hazzal had ordered Ma'iz to go to the Prophet and tell him. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, told that his grandfather, ‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As, reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Forgive the infliction of prescribed penalties among yourselves, for any prescribed penalty of which I hear must be carried out.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

‘A’isha reported the Prophet as saying, “Forgive the people of good qualities their slips, but not faults to which prescribed penalties apply.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

She reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Avert the infliction of prescribed penalties on Muslims as much as you can, and if there is any way out let a man go, for it is better for a leader to make a mistake in forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying it has been transmitted from her without tracing it to the Prophet, and that is sounder.

Wa’il b. Hujr said that when a woman was forced against her will in the time of God’s Messenger he averted the punishment from her but inflicted it on the one who had molested her. The transmitter did not mention that he appointed a dower to be paid her. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He said that a woman went out in the time of the Prophet to go to prayer, and a man who met her attacked her and got his desire of her. She shouted and he went off, and when a company of the Emigrants came by she said, “That man did such and such to me.” They seized the man and brought him to God’s Messenger who said to the woman, “Go away, for God has forgiven you,” but of the man who had had intercourse with her he said, “Stone him to death.” He also said, “He has repented to such an extent that if the people of Medina had repented similarly it would have been accepted from them.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jabir said that a man committed fornication with a woman and the Prophet gave command that he be given the appropriate beating, but on being told afterwards that the man was married he gave command that he should be stoned to death. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Sa'id b. Sa'd b. ‘Ubada told that Sa'd b. ‘Ubada brought the Prophet a man deficient in build and sick, a member of the clan, who had been found in the act of having illicit intercourse with a slave woman of theirs. The Prophet said, “Get for him a stalk of the raceme of a palm-tree with a hundred twigs and strike him once.” It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna; and there is something similar in Ibn Majah’s version.

‘Ikrima reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that God’s Messenger said, “If you find anyone doing as Lot’s people did, kill the one who does it and the one to whom it is done.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone has sexual intercourse with an animal, kill him and kill it along with him.” Ibn ‘Abbas was asked what offence could be attributed to the animal and replied, “I did not hear anything about that from God’s Messenger, but I think he disapproved of its flesh being eaten or of any use being made of it when such a thing had been done to it.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The thing I fear most for my people is what Lot’s people did.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas told that a man of B. Bakr b. Laith came to the Prophet and made a statement four times that he had committed fornication with a woman, so he had a hundred lashes administered to him. The man had not been married. He then asked him to produce proof again the woman, and she said, “I swear by God, Messenger of God, that he has lied.” Then he was given the prescribed number of lashes for falsehood. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

When my vindication came down (Al-Qur’an, 24:11 ff) the Prophet mounted the pulpit and mentioned that. Then when he came down from the pulpit he ordered that the two men and the woman* should be given the prescribed beating. Abu Dawud transmitted it. *The men are said to have been Mistah b. Uthatha and Hassan b. Thabit, and the woman Hamna daughter of Jahsh. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, Istiab. p. 285, says Mistah was beaten, but he does not commit himself on p. 127 about Hassan, or on p. 714 about Hamna.

Nafi' said he was informed by Safiya daughter of Abu ‘Ubaid that one of the Caliph’s slaves had intercourse with a girl who was among the fifth of the booty, forcing her to it against her will, and deflowered her. ‘Umar had him beaten but did not have her beaten because he had forced her against her will. Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas and Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Accursed is he who does what Lot's people did." In a version by him on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas it says that ‘Ali had the two people concerned burned and that Abu Bakr had a wall thrown down on them. Razin transmitted it.

[Ibn ‘Abbas] reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God who is great and glorious will not look at a man who has intercourse with a man or a woman through the anus." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying; this is a hasan gharib tradition.