Allah's Apostle said, "Your period (i.e. the Muslims' period) in comparison to the periods of the previous nations, is like the period between the `Asr prayer and sunset. And your example in comparison to the Jews and the Christians is like the example of a person who employed some laborers and asked them, 'Who will work for me till midday for one Qirat each?' The Jews worked for half a day for one Qirat each. The person asked, 'Who will do the work for me from midday to the time of the `Asr (prayer) for one Qirat each?' The Christians worked from midday till the `Asr prayer for one Qirat. Then the person asked, 'Who will do the work for me from the `Asr till sunset for two Qirats each?' " The Prophet added, "It is you (i.e. Muslims) who are doing the work from the `Asr till sunset, so you will have a double reward. The Jews and the Christians got angry and said, 'We have done more work but got less wages.' Allah said, 'Have I been unjust to you as regards your rights?' They said, 'No.' So Allah said, 'Then it is My Blessing which I bestow on whomever I like. "

I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: If I drink an antidote, or tie an amulet, or compose poetry, I am the type who does not care what he does.

Abu Dawud said: THis was peculiar to the Prophet (saws), but some people have allowed to use it, i.e. antidote.

AbuSallam told that he was in the mosque of Hims. A man passed him and the people said about him that he served the Prophet (saws).

He (AbuSallam) went to him and said: Tell me any tradition which you heard from the Messenger of Allah (saws) and there were no man between him and you. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: If anyone says in the morning and in the evening: "I am pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, with Muhammad as Prophet," Allah will certainly please him.

I asked Hisham ibn Urwah about the cutting of a lote-tree when he was leaning against the house of Urwah. He said: Do you not see these doors and leaves? These were made of the lote-tree of Urwah which Urwah used to cut from his hand? He said: There is no harm in it.

Humayd's version adds: You have brought an innovation, O Iraqi! He said: The innovation is from you. I heard someone say at Mecca: The Messenger of Allah (saws) cursed him who cuts a lote-tree. He then mentioned the rest of the tradition to the same effect.

Allah's Apostle said, "(O `Abdur-Rahman!) Do not seek to be a ruler, for, if you are given the authority of ruling without your asking for it, then Allah will help you; but if you are given it by your asking, then you will be held responsible for it (i.e. Allah will not help you ) . And if you take an oath to do something and later on find another thing, better than that, then do what is better and make expiation for (the dissolution of) your oath."

Marthad ibn Abdullah said: When AbuAyyub came upon us to fight the infidels and in those days Uqbah ibn Amir was the Governor of Egypt, he (Uqbah) delayed the sunset prayer. Hence AbuAyyub stood and said: What kind of prayer is this, Uqbah? He said: We were busy. He said: Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: My community will remain well, or he said: will remain on its natural condition, so long as it would not delay the evening prayer until the stars shine brightly just like a network.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said something similar as mentioned in the preceding tradition. This version adds: But the poor man (miskin) who abstains from begging from the people is one (according to the version of Musaddad who does not get enough so that he may not beg from the people, nor is his need known to the people, so that alms be given to him. This is the one who has been deprived. Musaddad did not mention the words "one who avoids begging from the people."

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Muhammad bin Thawr and 'Abd al-Razzaq on the authority of Ma'mar. They mentioned that the word "deprived" is the statement of al-Zuhri, and this is more sound.

I was present with the Messenger of Allah (saws) at the Farewell Pilgrimage. When the sacrificial camels were brought to him, he said: Call AbulHasan (Ali) to me. Ali was then called for and he (the Prophet) said to him: Catch hold of the lower end of the lance, and the Messenger of Allah (saws) himself caught hold of the upper end. He then pierced the camels with it. When he finished slaughtering, he rode on his mule and mounted Ali behind him.

Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad b. Hanbal say: 'Abd al-Razzaq said that Ibn al-Mubarak said to Ma'mar: Who is this Abu al-Hasan ? He bore a big rock.

Abu Dawud said: Al-Zuhri has narrated (traditions) on the authority of this Abu al-Hasan. Al-Zuhri said: He was lawyer, and al-Zuhri narrated many traditions from Abu al-Hasan.

Abu Dawud said: Abu al-Hasan is well known narrator. This tradition is not practiced.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Muslims are equal in respect of blood. The lowest of them is entitled to give protection on behalf of them, and the one residing far away may give protection on behalf of them. They are like one hand over against all those who are outside the community. Those who have quick mounts should return to those who have slow mounts, and those who got out along with a detachment (should return) to those who are stationed. A believer shall not be killed for an unbeliever, nor a confederate within the term of confederation with him.

Ibn Ishaq did not mention retaliation and equality in respect of blood.

Malik related to me that Yahya ibn Said said that he heard al- Qasim ibn Muhammad say, "A woman of the Ansar was married to Umar ibn al-Khattab. She bore Asim ibn Umar to him, and then he separated from her. Umar came to Quba and found his son Asim playing in the courtyard of the mosque. He took him by the arm and placed him before him on his mount. The grandmother of the child saw him and argued with Umar about the child so they went to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. Umar said, 'My son.' The woman said, 'My son.' Abu Bakr said, 'Do not interfere between a child and its mother.' Umar did not repeat his words."

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "This is what I would have done in that situation."

The Prophet said, "I will be standing at the Lake-Fount so that I will see whom among you will come to me; and some people will be taken away from me, and I will say, 'O Lord, (they are) from me and from my followers.' Then it will be said, 'Did you notice what they did after you? By Allah, they kept on turning on their heels (turned as renegades).' " The sub-narrator, Ibn Abi Mulaika said, "O Allah, we seek refuge with You from turning on our heels, or being put to trial in our religion."

In the mosque l asked Ibn Abi Hadrad to pay the debts which he owed to me and our voices grew louder. Allah's Apostle heard that while he was in his house. So he came to us raising the curtain of his room and said, "O Ka`b!" I replied, "Labaik, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "O Ka`b! reduce your debt to one half," gesturing with his hand. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have done so." Then Allah's Apostle said (to Ibn Abi Hadrad), "Get up and pay the debt to him."

Jarir transmitted this hadith from his father through several other chains of narrators.

Ka`b demanded his debt back from Ibn Abi Hadrad in the Mosque and their voices grew louder till Allah's Apostle heard them while he was in his house. He came out to them raising the curtain of his room and addressed Ka`b, "O Ka`b!" Ka`b replied, "Labaik, O Allah's Apostle." (He said to him), "Reduce your debt to one half," gesturing with his hand. Ka`b said, "I have done so, O Allah's Apostle!" On that the Prophet said to Ibn Abi Hadrad, "Get up and repay the debt, to him."

I heard An-Nu`man bin Bashir on the pulpit saying, "My father gave me a gift but `Amra bint Rawaha (my mother) said that she would not agree to it unless he made Allah's Apostle as a witness to it. So, my father went to Allah's Apostle and said, 'I have given a gift to my son from `Amra bint Rawaha, but she ordered me to make you as a witness to it, O Allah's Apostle!' Allah's Apostle asked, 'Have you given (the like of it) to everyone of your sons?' He replied in the negative. Allah's Apostle said, 'Be afraid of Allah, and be just to your children.' My father then returned and took back his gift."

Abu Dawud said: Salim did not hear (traditions) from Shurahbil. Shurahbil died at Siffin.

Mu'adh willed this supplication to the narrator al-Sunabihi and al-Sunabihi to 'Abu Abd al-Rahman.

Ibn Umar misunderstood (the Qur'anic verse, "So come to your tilth however you will")--may Allah forgive him. The fact is that this clan of the Ansar, who were idolaters, lived in the company of the Jews who were the people of the Book. They (the Ansar) accepted their superiority over themselves in respect of knowledge, and they followed most of their actions. The people of the Book (i.e. the Jews) used to have intercourse with their women on one side alone (i.e. lying on their backs). This was the most concealing position for (the vagina of) the women. This clan of the Ansar adopted this practice from them. But this tribe of the Quraysh used to uncover their women completely, and seek pleasure with them from in front and behind and laying them on their backs.

When the muhajirun (the immigrants) came to Medina, a man married a woman of the Ansar. He began to do the same kind of action with her, but she disliked it, and said to him: We were approached on one side (i.e. lying on the back); do it so, otherwise keep away from me. This matter of theirs spread widely, and it reached the Messenger of Allah (saws).

So Allah, the Exalted, sent down the Qur'anic verse: "Your wives are a tilth to you, so come to your tilth however you will," i.e. from in front, from behind or lying on the back. But this verse meant the place of the delivery of the child, i.e. the vagina.

Yahya related to me from Malik, from Muhammad ibn Abd ar-Rahman, from Sulayman ibn Yasar, that when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, set out for hajj in the year of the farewell hajj, some of his companions went into ihram to do hajj on its own, some of them combined hajj and umra, and some went into ihram to do umra on its own. Those who had gone into ihram to do hajj, or hajj and umra together, did not come out of ihram, whils tthose who had gone into ihram to doumra (on its own) came out of ihram.

This hadith has been narrated through another chain of transmitters with a slight variation of words.

I asked al-Bara' ibn Azib: What should be avoided in sacrificial animals? He said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) stood among us, and my fingers are smaller than his fingers, and my fingertips are smaller than his fingertips. He said (pointing with his fingers): Four (types of animals) should be avoided in sacrifice: A One-eyed animal which has obviously lost the sight of one eye, a sick animal which is obviously sick, a lame animal which obviously limps and an animal with a broken leg with no marrow. I also detest an animal which has defective teeth. He said: Leave what you detest, but do not make it illegal for anyone.

Abu Dawud said: (By a lean animal mean) and animal which has no marrow.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Every intoxicant is khamr (wine) and every intoxicant is forbidden. If anyone drinks wine, Allah will not accept prayer from him for forty days, but if he repents, Allah will accept his repentance. If he repeats it a fourth time, it is binding on Allah that He will give him tinat al-khabal to drink.

He was asked: What is tinat al-khabal, Messenger of Allah? He replied: Discharge of wounds, flowing from the inhabitants of Hell. If anyone serves it to a minor who does not distinguish between the lawful and the unlawful, it is binding on Allah that He will give him to drink the discharge of wounds, flowing from the inhabitants of Hell.

I never saw anyone more like the Messenger of Allah (saws) in respect of gravity, calm deportment, pleasant disposition - according to al-Hasan's version: in respect of talk and speech. Al-Hasan did not mention gravity, calm deportment, pleasant disposition - than Fatimah, may Allah honour her face. When she came to visit him (the Prophet) he got up to (welcome) her, took her by the hand, kissed her and made her sit where he was sitting; and when he went to visit her, she got up to (welcome) him, took him by the hand, kissed him, and made him sit where she was sitting.

Another chain reports a similar hadith.

Abu Huraira said, "The Prophet saw a man driving a Badana (sacrificial camel). The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said (to him), 'Ride on it.' He replied, 'It is a Badana.' The Prophet again said, 'Ride on it!' Abu Huraira added, 'Then I saw that man riding it, showing obedience to the Prophet (p.b.u.h), and a shoe was (hanging) from its neck.' "

Narrated Abu Huraira:

From the Prophet: (as above).

Muhammad or `Abdullah bin Abu Al-Mujalid said, "Abdullah bin Shaddad and Abu Burda differed regarding As-Salam, so they sent me to Ibn Abi `Aufa and I asked him about it. He replied, 'In the lifetime of Allah's Apostle, Abu Bakr and `Umar, we used to pay in advance the prices of wheat, barley, dried grapes and dates to be delivered later. I also asked Ibn Abza and he, too, replied as above.' "

(At the battle of Badr) Utbah ibn Rabi'ah came forward followed by his son and his brother and cried out: Who will be engaged in single combat? Some young men of the Helpers responded to his call. He asked: Who are you? They told him. He said: We do not want you; we, in fact, want only our cousins. The Prophet (saws) said: Get up Hamzah get up Ali; get up Ubaydah ibn al-Harith. Hamzah went forward to Utbah, I went forward to Shaybah; and after two blows had been exchanged between Ubaydah and al-Walid, they wounded one another severely; so we turned against al-Walid and killed him, and we carried Ubaydah away.

Sulaym ibn Amir, a man of Himyar, said: There was a covenant between Mu'awiyah and the Byzantines, and he was going towards their country, and when the covenant came to an end, he attacked them. A man came on a horse, or a packhorse saying, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great; let there be faithfulness and not treachery. And when they looked they found that he was Amr ibn Abasah. Mu'awiyah sent for him and questioned him (about that). He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: When one has covenant with people he must not strengthen or loosen it till its term comes to an end or he brings it to an end in agreement with them (to make both the parties equal). So Mu'awiyah returned.

The Prophet said, "Seven (people) will be shaded by Allah by His Shade on the Day of Resurrection when there will be no shade except His Shade. (They will be), a just ruler, a young man who has been brought up in the worship of Allah, a man who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears, a man whose heart is attached to mosques (offers his compulsory congregational prayers in the mosque), two men who love each other for Allah's Sake, a man who is called by a charming lady of noble birth to commit illegal sexual intercourse with her, and he says, 'I am afraid of Allah,' and (finally), a man who gives in charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given."

From his father, who said that the Prophet (saws) said: "When one of you buys meat, then let him increase its broth. For, if he does not find any meat you'll have broth; and it is one of the two meats."

And there are narrations on this topic from Abu Dharr.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Gharib, we do not know of it except through this route, as a narration of Muhammad bin Fada', who is Muhammad bin Fada' Al-Mu'abbar, and he has been criticized by Sulaiman bin Harb. 'Alqamah bin 'Abdullah is the brother of Bakr bin 'Abdullah Al-Muzani.

Abdullah ibn Salamah said: I, accompanied by other two persons, one from us and the other from Banu Asad, called upon Ali. He sent them to a certain territory (on some mission) saying: You are sturdy and vigorous people; hence display your power for religion. He then stood and entered the toilet. He then came out and called for water and took a handful of it. Then he wiped (his hands) with it and began to recite the Qur'an. They were surprised at this (action).

Thereupon he said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) came out from the privy and taught us the Qur'an and took meat with us. Nothing prevented him; or the narrator said: Nothing prevented him from (reciting) the Qur'an except sexual defilement.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) led us in the dawn prayer one day. And he said: Is so and so present? They said: No. He (again) asked: Is so and so present? They replied: No. He then said: These two prayers are the ones which are most burdensome to hypocrites. If you knew what they contain (i.e. blessings), you would come to them, even though you had to crawl on your knees. The first row is like that of the angels, and if you knew the nature of its excellence, you would race to join it.

A man's prayer said along with another is purer than his prayer said alone, and his prayer with two men is purer than his prayer with one, but if there are more it is more pleasing to Allah, the Almighty, the Majestic.