I came to Medina when an epidemic had broken out. While I was sitting with `Umar bin Al-Khattab a funeral procession passed by and the people praised the deceased. `Umar said, "It has been affirmed to him." And another funeral procession passed by and the people praised the deceased. `Umar said, "It has been affirmed to him." A third (funeral procession) passed by and the people spoke badly of the deceased. He said, "It has been affirmed to him." I (Abu Al-Aswad) asked, "O chief of the believers! What has been affirmed?" He replied, "I said the same as the Prophet had said, that is: if four persons testify the piety of a Muslim, Allah will grant him Paradise." We asked, "If three persons testify his piety?" He (the Prophet) replied, "Even three." Then we asked, "If two?" He replied, "Even two." We did not ask him regarding one witness.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Said ibn al-Musayyab was asked, "What do you say about someone who is afflicted by a nose-bleed which does not stop? "Malik said that Yahya ibn Said said that Said ibn al Musayyab said, "I say that he should signal with his head." (i.e. instead of doing sajda or ruku.)

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

Yahya related to me from Malik from Damra ibn Said al-Mazini from Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah ibn Utba ibn Masud that Umar ibn al-Khattab asked Abu Waqid al-Laythi what the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to recite in the prayers of Adha and Fitr. He said, "He used to recite Qaf (Sura 50) and al-lnshiqaq (Sura84)."

Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab from Salim ibn Abdullah from his father that Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "Whoever revives dead land, it belongs to him."

Malik said, "That is what is done in our community."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "There is no hoarding in our market, and men who have excess gold in their hands should not buy up one of Allah's provisions which he has sent to our courtyard and then hoard it up against us. Someone who brings imported goods through great fatigue to himself in the summer and winter, that person is the guest of Umar. Let him sell what Allah wills and keep what Allah wills."

Yahya related to me from Malik from as-Salt ibn Zubayd from more than one of his family that Umar ibn al-Khattab discovered the smell of perfume while he was at ash-Shajara. Kathir ibn as-Salt was at his side, and Umar asked, "Who is this smell of perfume coming from?", and Kathir said, "From me, amir al-muminin. I matted my hair with perfume and I intended not to shave it.'' Umar said, "Go to a sharaba and rub your head until it is clean," and Kathir did so.

Malik explained, "A sharaba is the ditch at the base of a date-palm."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Dinar that Abdullah ibn Umar said, ''Umar ibn al-Khattab was asked about locusts. He said, 'I would like to have a basket of them, from which we could eat.' "

I heard Hisham bin Hakim reciting Surat-al-Furqan during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle, I listened to his recitation and noticed that he was reciting in a way that Allah's Apostle had not taught me. I was about to jump over him while He was still in prayer, but I waited patiently and when he finished his prayer, I put my sheet round his neck (and pulled him) and said, "Who has taught you this Sura which I have heard you reciting?" Hisham said, "Allah's Apostle taught it to me." I said, "You are telling a lie, for he taught it to me in a way different from the way you have recited it!" Then I started leading (dragged) him to Allah's Apostle and said (to the Prophet), " I have heard this man reciting Surat-al- Furqan in a way that you have not taught me." The Prophet said: "(O `Umar) release him! Recite, O Hisham." Hisham recited in the way I heard him reciting. Allah's Apostle said, "It was revealed like this." Then Allah's Apostle said, "Recite, O `Umar!" I recited in the way he had taught me, whereupon he said, "It was revealed like this," and added, "The Qur'an has been revealed to be recited in seven different ways, so recite of it whichever is easy for you ." (See Hadith No. 514, Vol. 6)

`Abdul-Malik bin Marwan wrote to Al-Hajjaj that he should follow `Abdullah bin `Umar in all the ceremonies of Hajj. So when it was the Day of `Arafat (9th of Dhul-Hijja), and after the sun has deviated or has declined from the middle of the sky, I and Ibn `Umar came and he shouted near the cotton (cloth) tent of Al-Hajjaj, "Where is he?" Al-Hajjaj came out. Ibn `Umar said, "Let us proceed (to `Arafat)." Al-Hajjaj asked, "Just now?" Ibn `Umar replied, "Yes." Al-Hajjaj said, "Wait for me till I pour water on me (i.e. take a bath)." So, Ibn `Umar dismounted (and waited) till Al-Hajjaj came out. He was walking between me and my father. I informed Al-Hajjaj, "If you want to follow the Sunna today, then you should shorten the sermon and then hurry up for the stay (at `Arafat)." Ibn `Umar said, "He (Salim) has spoken the truth."

`Umar bin Al-Khattab expelled all the Jews and Christians from the land of Hijaz. Allah's Apostle after conquering Khaibar, thought of expelling the Jews from the land which, after he conquered it belonged to Allah, Allah's Apostle and the Muslims. But the Jews requested Allah's Apostle to leave them there on the condition that they would do the labor and get half of the fruits (the land would yield). Allah's Apostle said, "We shall keep you on these terms as long as we wish." Thus they stayed till the time of `Umar's Caliphate when he expelled them to Taima and Ariha.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been transmitted by al-Ansari, from Ibn-Juraij. He said: Ja'far b. 'Umar and 'Amr b. Hayyah. He said: They transmitted from 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf and from the Companions of the Prophet (saws).

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "No-one should leave the hajj until he has done tawaf of the House, and tawaf of the House is the final rite."

Malik said, commenting about Umar ibn al-Khattab's saying 'tawaf of the House is the final rite,' "In our opinion, and Allah knows best, that is because Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says, 'Whoever exalts the rituals of Allah - that is from the taqwa of the hearts' (Sura 22 ayat 32), and He says, 'Then their halal place (of sacrifice) is at the Ancient House,' and the place of all the rituals and where they end is therefore at the Ancient House."

Malik related to me from Yazid ibn Abdullah ibn al-Hadi from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Harith at-Taymi from Sulayman ibn Yasar from Abdullah ibn Abi Umayya that a woman's husband died, and she did the idda of four months and ten days. Then she married when she was free to marry. She stayed with her husband for four and a half months, then gave birth to a fully developed child. Her husband went to Umar ibn al-Khattab and mentioned that to him, so Umar called some of the old women of the Jahiliyya and asked them about that. One of the women said, "I will tell you what happened with this woman. When her husband died, she was pregnant by him, but then the blood flowed from her because of his death and the child became dry in her womb. When her new husband had intercourse with her and the water reached the child, the child moved in the womb and grew." Umar ibn al-Khattab believed her and separated them (until she had completed her idda). Umar said, "Only good has reached me about you two," and he connected the child to the first husband.

Malik related to me from Amr ibn Yahya al-Mazini from his father that ad-Dahhak ibn Khalifa watered his irrigation ditch from a large source of water. He wanted to have it pass through the land of Muhammad ibn Maslama, and Muhammad refused. Ad-Dahhak said to him, "Why do you prevent me? It will benefit you. You can drink from it first and last and it will not harm you." Muhammed refused so ad- Dahhak spoke about it to Umar ibn al-Khattab, and Umar ibn al-Khattab summoned Muhammad ibn Maslama and ordered him to clear the way. Muhammad said, "No." Umar said, "Why do you prevent your brother from what will benefit him and is also useful for you? You will take water from it first and last and it will not harm you."

Muhammad said, "No, by Allah!" Umar said, "By Allah, he will pass it through, even if it is over your belly!" Umar ordered him to allow its passage and ad-Dahhak did so.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that as-Sa'ib ibn Yazid informed him that Umar ibn al-Khattab came out to them. He said, "I have found the smell of wine on so-and-so, and he claimed that it was the drink of boiled fruit juice, and I am inquiring about what he has drunk. If it intoxicates, I will flog him." Umar then flogged him with the complete hadd.

Yahya related to me from Malik from his paternal uncle Abu Suhayl ibn Malik that his father said, "We heard the recitation of Umar ibn al-Khattab when we were at the home of Abu Jahmin al-Balat." (Al-Balat was a place in Madina between the mosque and the market.)

Allah's Apostle said, "Your example and the example of Jews and Christians is like the example of a man who employed some laborers to whom he said, 'Who will work for me up to midday for one Qirat each?' The Jews carried out the work for one Qirat each; and then the Christians carried out the work up to the `Asr prayer for one Qirat each; and now you Muslims are working from the `Asr prayer up to sunset for two Qirats each. The Jews and Christians got angry and said, 'We work more and are paid less.' The employer (Allah) asked them, 'Have I usurped some of your right?' They replied in the negative. He said, 'That is My Blessing, I bestow upon whomever I wish.' "

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Talha that Anas ibn Malik said, "I saw Umar ibn al-Khattab when he was amir al-muminin being given a sa of dates, and he ate all of them, even the inferior ones."

'Uyaina bin Hisn bin Hudhaifa came and stayed with his nephew Al-Hurr bin Qais who was one of those whom `Umar used to keep near him, as the Qurra' (learned men knowing Qur'an by heart) were the people of `Umar's meetings and his advisors whether they were old or young. 'Uyaina said to his nephew, "O son of my brother! You have an approach to this chief, so get for me the permission to see him." Al-Hurr said, "I will get the permission for you to see him." So Al-Hurr asked the permission for 'Uyaina and `Umar admitted him. When 'Uyaina entered upon him, he said, "Beware! O the son of Al-Khattab! By Allah, you neither give us sufficient provision nor judge among us with justice." Thereupon `Umar became so furious that he intended to harm him, but Al-Hurr said, "O chief of the Believers! Allah said to His Prophet: "Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; and leave (don't punish) the foolish." (7.199) and this (i.e. 'Uyaina) is one of the foolish." By Allah, `Umar did not overlook that Verse when Al-Hurr recited it before him; he observed (the orders of) Allah's Book strictly.

I heard Hisham bin Hakim reciting Surat Al-Furqan during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle and I listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited in several different ways which Allah's Apostle had not taught me. I was about to jump over him during his prayer, but I controlled my temper, and when he had completed his prayer, I put his upper garment around his neck and seized him by it and said, "Who taught you this Sura which I heard you reciting?" He replied, "Allah's Apostle taught it to me." I said, "You have told a lie, for Allah's Apostle has taught it to me in a different way from yours." So I dragged him to Allah's Apostle and said (to Allah's Apostle), "I heard this person reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a way which you haven't taught me!" On that Allah's Apostle said, "Release him, (O `Umar!) Recite, O Hisham!" Then he recited in the same way as I heard him reciting. Then Allah's Apostle said, "It was revealed in this way," and added, "Recite, O `Umar!" I recited it as he had taught me. Allah's Apostle then said, "It was revealed in this way. This Qur'an has been revealed to be recited in seven different ways, so recite of it whichever (way) is easier for you (or read as much of it as may be easy for you).

The Prophet burnt the date-palm trees of Bani An-Nadir. Hassan bin Thabit said the following poetic Verses about this event:-- "the terrible burning of Al-Buwaira Has been received indifferently By the nobles of Bani Luai (The masters and nobles of Quraish)." Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith (i.e. the Prophet's cousin who was still a disbeliever then) replied to Hassan, saying in poetic verses:-- "May Allah bless that burning And set all its (i.e. Medina's) Parts on burning fire. You will see who is far from it (i.e. Al-Buwaira) And which of our lands will be Harmed by it (i.e. the burning of Al- Buwaira).

When `Umar embraced Islam, all The (disbelieving) people gathered around his home and said, "`Umar has embraced Islam." At that time I was still a boy and was on the roof of my house. There came a man wearing a cloak of Dibaj (i.e. a kind of silk), and said, "`Umar has embraced Islam. Nobody can harm him for I am his protector." I then saw the people going away from `Umar and asked who the man was, and they said, "Al-`As bin Wail."

Once a Jew said to me, "O the chief of believers! There is a verse in your Holy Book Which is read by all of you (Muslims), and had it been revealed to us, we would have taken that day (on which it was revealed as a day of celebration." 'Umar bin Al-Khattab asked, "Which is that verse?" The Jew replied, "This day I have perfected your religion For you, completed My favor upon you, And have chosen for you Islam as your religion." (5:3) 'Umar replied,"No doubt, we know when and where this verse was revealed to the Prophet. It was Friday and the Prophet was standing at 'Arafat (i.e. the Day of Hajj)"

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by al-Muharibi, from al-'Ala bin al-Musayyab, from 'Abd Allah bin 'Amr bin Murrah, from Salim al-Aftas, from Abu Ubaidah, from 'Abd Allah; and it is been transmitted by Khalid al-Tahhan, from al-'Ala, from 'Amr bin Murrah from Abu 'Ubaidah.

Malik related to me from Yahya ibn Said from Sulayman ibn Yasar from Abu Waqid al-Laythi that a man came to Umar ibn al-Khattab while he was in ash-Sham . He mentioned to him that he had found a man with his wife Umar sent Abu Waqid al-Laythi to the wife to question her about that. He came to her while there were women around her and mentioned to her what her husband had mentioned to Umar ibn al- Khattab, and informed her that she would not be punished on his word and began to suggest to her by that, that she should retract. She refused to retract and held firm to confession. Umar gave the order and she was stoned.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ata al-Khurasani that he heard Said ibn al Musayyab say, "A traveller who has decided to remain somewhere for four nights does the prayer in full."

Malik said, "That is what I prefer most out of what I have heard."

Malik when asked about the prayer of a prisoner, said, "It is the same as the prayer of a person who remains in one place, except if he is travelling."

I was sitting with Jabir bin Zaid and `Amr bin Aus, and Bjalla was narrating to them in 70 A.H. the year when Mus`ab bin Az-Zubair was the leader of the pilgrims of Basra. We were sitting at the steps of Zamzam well and Bajala said, "I was the clerk of Juz bin Muawiya, Al-Ahnaf's paternal uncle. A letter came from `Umar bin Al-Khattab one year before his death; and it was read:-- "Cancel every marriage contracted among the Magians between relatives of close kinship (marriages that are regarded illegal in Islam: a relative of this sort being called Dhu-Mahram.)" `Umar did not take the Jizya from the Magian infidels till `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf testified that Allah's Apostle had taken the Jizya from the Magians of Hajar.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam that Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "If you fall asleep Iying down you must do wudu ( before you pray) . "

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "While I was sleeping, I saw that a cup full of milk was brought to me and I drank of it and gave the remaining of it to `Umar bin Al-Khattab." They asked. What have you interpreted (about the dream)? O Allah's Apostle?" The Prophet said. "(It is Religious) knowledge."

`Umar bin Al-Khattab asked the permission of Allah's Apostle to see him while some Quraishi women were sitting with him, talking to him and asking him for more expenses, raising their voices above the voice of Allah's Apostle. When `Umar asked for the permission to enter, the women quickly put on their veils. Allah'sf Apostle allowed him to enter and `Umar came in while Allah's Apostle was smiling, `Umar said "O Allah's Apostle! May Allah always keep you smiling." The Prophet said, "These women who have been here, roused my wonder, for as soon as they heard your voice, they quickly put on their veils. "`Umar said, "O Allah's Apostle! You have more right to be feared by them than I." Then `Umar addressed the women saying, "O enemies of yourselves! You fear me more than you do Allah's Apostle ?" They said, "Yes, for you are harsher and sterner than Allah's Apostle." Then Allah's Apostle said, "O Ibn Al-Khattab! By Him in Whose Hands my life is! Never does Satan find you going on a way, but he takes another way other than yours."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "Trade with the property of orphans and then it will not be eaten away by zakat."

Yahya related to me from Malik that he heard that Umar ibn al- Khattab said, "I love to look at a Qur'an reader in white garments."

Malik related to me from Abd ar-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abd al-Qari that his father said, "A man came to Umar ibn al- Khattab from Abu Musa al-Ashari. Umar asked after various people, and he informed him. Then Umar inquired, 'Do you have any recent news?' He said, 'Yes. A man has become a kafir after his Islam.' Umar asked, 'What have you done with him?' He said, 'We let him approach and struck off his head.' Umar said, 'Didn't you imprison him for three days and feed him a loaf of bread every day and call on him to tawba that he might turn in tawba and return to the command of Allah?' Then Umar said, 'O Allah! I was not present and I did not order it and I am not pleased since it has come to me!' "

The Prophet said, "In a dream I saw myself drawing water from a well with a bucket. Abu Bakr came and drew a bucket or two weakly. May Allah forgive him. Then `Umar bin Al-Khattab came and the bucket turned into a very large one in his hands. I had never seen such a mighty person as he in doing such hard work till all the people drank to their satisfaction and watered their camels that knelt down there.