In the lifetime of Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) the sun eclipsed, so he led the people in prayer, and stood up and performed a long Qiyam, then bowed for a long while. He stood up again and performed a long Qiyam but this time the period of standing was shorter than the first. He bowed again for a long time but shorter than the first one, then he prostrated and prolonged the prostration. He did the same in the second rak`a as he did in the first and then finished the prayer; by then the sun (eclipse) had cleared. He delivered the Khutba (sermon) and after praising and glorifying Allah he said, "The sun and the moon are two signs against the signs of Allah; they do not eclipse on the death or life of anyone. So when you see the eclipse, remember Allah and say Takbir, pray and give Sadaqa." The Prophet then said, "O followers of Muhammad! By Allah! There is none who has more ghaira (selfrespect) than Allah as He has forbidden that His slaves, male or female commit adultery (illegal sexual intercourse). O followers of Muhammad! By Allah! If you knew that which I know you would laugh little and weep much.

Mujja'ah went to the Prophet (saws) asking him for the blood-money of his brother whom Banu Sadus from Banu Dhuhl had killed.

The Prophet (saws) said: Had I appointed blood-money for a polytheist, I should have appointed it for your brother. But I shall give you compensation for him. So the Prophet (saws) wrote (a document) for him that he should be given a hundred camels which were to be acquired from the fifth taken from the polytheists of Banu Dhuhl. So he took a part of them, for Banu Dhuhl embraced Islam.

He then asked AbuBakr for them later on, and brought to him the document of the Prophet (saws). So AbuBakr wrote for him that he should be given one thousand two hundred sa's from the sadaqah of al-Yamamah; four thousand (sa's) of wheat, four thousand (sa's) of barley, and four thousand (sa's) of dates.

The text of the document written by the Prophet (saws) for Mujja'ah was as follows: "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This document is from Muhammad, the Prophet, to Mujja'ah ibn Mirarah of Banu Sulma. I have given him one hundred camels from the first fifth acquired from the polytheist of Banu Dhuhl as a compensation for his brother."

The collector used to visit the water-hole when the sheep went there and say: Pay the sadaqah (zakat) on your property. The narrator said: A man wanted to give him his high-humped camel (kawma'). The narrator (Hilal) asked: What is kawma', AbuSalih? He said: A camel a high hump.

The narrator continued: He (the collector) refused to accept it. He said: I wish you could take the best of my camels. He refused to accept it. He then brought another camel lower in quality than the previous one. He refused to accept it too. He then brought another camel lower in quality than the previous one. He accepted it, saying: I shall take it, but I am afraid the Messenger of Allah (saws) might be angry with me, saying to me: You have purposely taken from a man a camel of your choice.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by Hushaim from Hilal bin Khabbab to the same effect. But he said: Those which are in one flock are not to be separated.

The Prophet (saws) sent AbuJahm ibn Hudhayfah as a collector of zakat. A man quarrelled with him about his sadaqah (i.e. zakat), and AbuJahm struck him and wounded his head. His people came to the Prophet (saws) and said: Revenge, Messenger of Allah!

The Prophet (saws) said: You may have so much and so much. But they did not agree. He again said: You may have so much and so much. But they did not agree. He again said: You may have so much and so much. So they agreed.

The Prophet (saws) said: I am going to address the people in the afternoon and tell them about your consent.

They said: Yes. Addressing (the people), the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: These people of faith came to me asking for revenge. I presented them with so much and so much and they agreed. Do you agree?

They said: No. The immigrants (muhajirun) intended (to take revenge) on them. But the Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded them to refrain and they refrained.

He then called them and increased (the amount), and asked: Do you agree? They replied: Yes. He said: I am going to address the people and tell them about your consent. They said: Yes. The Prophet (saws) addressed and said: Do you agree? They said: Yes.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ata ibn Abdullah al-Khurasani that Said ibn al-Musayyab said, "A bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, beating his breast and tearing out his hair and saying, 'I am destroyed.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Why is that?', and he said, 'I had intercourse with my wife while fasting in Ramadan.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked him, 'Are you able to free a slave?', and the man said, 'No.' Then he asked him, 'Are you able to give away a camel?', and the man replied, 'No.' He said, 'Sit own,' and someone brought a large basket of dates to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said to the man, 'Take this and give it away as sadaqa.' The man said, 'There is no one more needy than me,' and (the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace), said, 'Eat them, and fast one day for the day when you had intercourse.' "

Malik said that Ata said that he had asked Said ibn al-Musayyab how many dates there were in that basket, and he said, "Between fifteen and twenty sas.''

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "There was an eclipse of the sun in the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, led the people in prayer. He stood, and did so for a long time. Then he went into ruku, and made the ruku long. Then he stood again, and did so for a long time, though not as long as the first time. Then he went into ruku, and made the ruku long, though not as long as thefirst time. Then he rose, and went down into sajda. He then did the same in the second raka, and by the time he had finished the sun had appeared. He then gave a khutba to the people, in which he praised Allah and then said, 'The sun and the moon are two of Allah's signs. They do not eclipse for anyone's death nor for anyone's life. When you see an eclipse, call on Allah and say, "Allah is greater" and give sadaqa.' Then he said, 'O community of Muhammad! ByAllah, there is no-one more jealous than Allah of a male or female slave of his who commits adultery. O community of Muhammad! By Allah, if you knew what I knew, you would laugh little and weep much'."

Malik related to me that Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Talha heard Anas ibn Malik say, "Abu Talha had the greatest amount of property in palm-trees among the Ansar in Madina. The dearest of his properties to him was Bayruha which was in front of the mosque. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to go into it and drink from the pleasant water which was in it."

Anas continued, "When this ayat was sent down 'You will not obtain rightness of action until you expend of what you love,' (Sura 2 ayat l76), Abu Talha went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'Messenger of Allah! Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, has said, "You will not obtain until you expend of what you love." The property which I love the best is Bayruha. It is sadaqa for Allah. I hope for its good and for it to be stored up with Allah. Place it wherever you wish, Messengerof Allah. ' "

"The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Well done! That is property which profits! That is property which profits. I have heard what you have said about it and I think that you should give it to your relatives.' Abu Talha said, 'I will do it, Messenger of Allah!' Abu Talha therefore divided it among his relatives and the children of his paternal uncle."

"Banu Murrah bin 'Ubaid sent me to bring the Sadaqah from their wealth of the Messenger of Allah (saws). I arrived with him in Al-Madinah and found him sitting between the Muhajirin and the Ansar." He said: "Then he took my hand and brought me to the home of Umm Salamah and he said: 'Do you have any food?' So a bowl containing a lot of Tharid with pieces of meat was brought to us, and presented for us to eat from it. So I began wandering my around it while the Messenger of Allah (saws) ate from what was in front of him. He grabbed my right hand with his left hand, then he said: 'O 'Ikrash! Eat from one spot, for indeed the food is one.' Then a plate containing various dried dates" - or fresh dates - 'Ubaidullah (a narrator) was not sure. He said: "I began eating what was in front of me, while the hand of the Messenger of Allah (saws) roamed about the plate. He said: 'O 'Ikrash! Eat from wherever you like, for indeed it is not all from the same variety.' Then water was brought, so the Messenger of Allah (saws) washed his hands, and with the wetness of his hands he wiped his face, his forearms, and his head, and he said: 'O Ikrash! This is the Wudu' for that which has been altered by fire.'"

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Gharib, we do not know of it except through the narration of Al-'Ala' bin Al-Fadl, and Al-Ala'was alone with this narration, and there is more in the story in the Hadith. And we do not know a Hadith from the Prophet (saws) by 'Ikrash except this.

Fatima the daughter of the Prophet sent someone to Abu Bakr (when he was a caliph), asking for her inheritance of what Allah's Apostle had left of the property bestowed on him by Allah from the Fai (i.e. booty gained without fighting) in Medina, and Fadak, and what remained of the Khumus of the Khaibar booty. On that, Abu Bakr said, "Allah's Apostle said, "Our property is not inherited. Whatever we leave, is Sadaqa, but the family of (the Prophet) Muhammad can eat of this property.' By Allah, I will not make any change in the state of the Sadaqa of Allah's Apostle and will leave it as it was during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle, and will dispose of it as Allah's Apostle used to do." So Abu Bakr refused to give anything of that to Fatima. So she became angry with Abu Bakr and kept away from him, and did not task to him till she died. She remained alive for six months after the death of the Prophet. When she died, her husband `Ali, buried her at night without informing Abu Bakr and he said the funeral prayer by himself. When Fatima was alive, the people used to respect `Ali much, but after her death, `Ali noticed a change in the people's attitude towards him. So `Ali sought reconciliation with Abu Bakr and gave him an oath of allegiance. `Ali had not given the oath of allegiance during those months (i.e. the period between the Prophet's death and Fatima's death). `Ali sent someone to Abu Bakr saying, "Come to us, but let nobody come with you," as he disliked that `Umar should come, `Umar said (to Abu Bakr), "No, by Allah, you shall not enter upon them alone " Abu Bakr said, "What do you think they will do to me? By Allah, I will go to them' So Abu Bakr entered upon them, and then `Ali uttered Tashah-hud and said (to Abu Bakr), "We know well your superiority and what Allah has given you, and we are not jealous of the good what Allah has bestowed upon you, but you did not consult us in the question of the rule and we thought that we have got a right in it because of our near relationship to Allah's Apostle ." Thereupon Abu Bakr's eyes flowed with tears. And when Abu Bakr spoke, he said, "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is to keep good relations with the relatives of Allah's Apostle is dearer to me than to keep good relations with my own relatives. But as for the trouble which arose between me and you about his property, I will do my best to spend it according to what is good, and will not leave any rule or regulation which I saw Allah's Apostle following, in disposing of it, but I will follow." On that `Ali said to Abu Bakr, "I promise to give you the oath of allegiance in this after noon." So when Abu Bakr had offered the Zuhr prayer, he ascended the pulpit and uttered the Tashah-hud and then mentioned the story of `Ali and his failure to give the oath of allegiance, and excused him, accepting what excuses he had offered; Then `Ali (got up) and praying (to Allah) for forgiveness, he uttered Tashah-hud, praised Abu Bakr's right, and said, that he had not done what he had done because of jealousy of Abu Bakr or as a protest of that Allah had favored him with. `Ali added, "But we used to consider that we too had some right in this affair (of rulership) and that he (i.e. Abu Bakr) did not consult us in this matter, and therefore caused us to feel sorry." On that all the Muslims became happy and said, "You have done the right thing." The Muslims then became friendly with `Ali as he returned to what the people had done (i.e. giving the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr).

The Messenger of Allah (saws) commissioned me as a collector of zakat. I visited a man. When he had collected his property of camels, I found that a she-camel in her second year was due from him.

I said to him: Pay a she-camel in her second year, for she is to be paid as sadaqah (zakat) by you.

He said: That one is not worthy of milking and riding. Here is another she-camel which is young, grand and fat. So take it.

I said to him: I shall not take an animal for which I have not been commanded. The Messenger of Allah (saws) is here near to you. If you like, go to him, and present to him what you presented to me. Do that; if he accepts it from you, I shall accept it; if he rejects it, I shall reject it.

He said: I shall do it. He accompanied me and took with him the she-camel which he had presented to me. We came to the Messenger of Allah (saws). He said to him: Prophet of Allah, your messenger came to me to collect zakat on my property. By Allah, neither the Messenger of Allah nor his messenger has ever seen my property before. I gathered my property (camels), and he estimated that a she-camel in her second year would be payable by me. But that has neither milk nor is it worth riding. So I presented to him a grand young she-camel for acceptance as zakat. But he has refused to take her. Look, she is here; I have brought her to you, Messenger of Allah. Take her.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: That is what is due from you. If you give voluntarily a better (animal) Allah will give a reward to you for it. We accept her from you.

She is here, Messenger of Allah; I have brought her to you. So take her. The Messenger of Allah (saws) then ordered me to take possession of it, and he prayed for a blessing on his property.

I was a man who was more given than others to sexual intercourse with women. When the month of Ramadan came, I feared lest I should have intercourse with my wife, and this evil should remain with me till the morning. So I made my wife like my mother's back to me till the end of Ramadan. But one night when she was waiting upon me, something of her was revealed. Suddenly I jumped upon her. When the morning came I went to my people and informed them about this matter.

I said: Go along with me to the Messenger of Allah (saws).

They said: No, by Allah. So I went to the Prophet (peace be upon him and informed him of the matter.

He said: Have you really committed it, Salamah? I said: I committed it twice, Messenger of Allah. I am content with the Commandment of Allah, the Exalted; so take a decision about me according to what Allah has shown you.

He said: Free a slave. I said: By Him Who sent you with truth, I do not possess a neck other than this: and I struck the surface of my neck.

He said: Then fast two consecutive months. I said: Whatever I suffered is due to fasting.

He said: Feed sixty poor people with a wasq of dates.

I said: By Him Who sent you with truth, we passed the night hungry; there was no food in our house.

He said: Then go to the collector of sadaqah of Banu Zurayq; he must give it to you. Then feed sixty poor people with a wasq of dates; and you and your family eat the remaining dates. Then I came back to my people, and said (to them): I found with you poverty and bad opinion; and I found with the Prophet (saws) prosperity and good opinion. He has commanded me to give alms to you.

Ibn al-Ala' added: Ibn Idris said: Bayadah is a sub-clan of Banu Zurayq.

Yahya related to me from Malik that Ata ibn Abdullah al-Khurasani said that an old man from Suq al-Buram in Kufa had related to him that Kab ibn Ujra said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to me while I was blowing under a cooking pot belonging to my companions and my head and beard were full of lice. He took my forehead and said, 'Shave your hair and fast three days or feed six poor people.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was aware that I did not have anything with me to sacrifice.'"

Malik said, concerning paying compensation (fidya) for the relief of physical discomfort, "The custom concerning it is that no one pays compensation until he has done something which makes it obligatory to pay compensation just as making amends (kaffara) is only done when it has become obligatory for the one who owes it. The person can pay the compensation wherever he wishes, regardless of whether he has to sacrifice an animal or fast or give sadaqa -- in Makka or in any other town."

Malik said, "It is not correct for a person in ihram to pluck out any of his hair or to shave it or cut it until he has left ihram, unless he is suffering from an ailment of the head, in which case he owes the compensation Allah the Exalted has ordered. It is not correct for a person in ihram to cut his nails, or to kill his lice, or to remove them from his head or from his skin or his garment to the ground. If a person in ihram removes lice from his skin or his garment, he must give away the quantity of food that he can scoop up with both hands. "

Malik said,"Anyone who, while in ihram, plucks out hairs from his nose or armpit or rubs his body with a depilatory agent or shaves the hair from around a head wound out of necessity or shaves his neck for the place of the cupping glasses, regardless of whether it is in forgetfulness or in ignorance, owes compensation in all these instances, and he must not shave the place of the cupping glasses. Someone, who, out of ignorance, shaves his head before he stones the jamra. must also pay compensation."

While I was at home, the sun rose high and it got hot. Suddenly the messenger of `Umar bin Al- Khattab came to me and said, "The chief of the believers has sent for you." So, I went along with him till I entered the place where `Umar was sitting on a bedstead made of date-palm leaves and covered with no mattress, and he was leaning over a leather pillow. I greeted him and sat down. He said, "O Mali! Some persons of your people who have families came to me and I have ordered that a gift should be given to them, so take it and distribute it among them." I said, "O chief of the believers! I wish that you order someone else to do it." He said, "O man! Take it." While I was sitting there with him, his doorman Yarfa' came saying, "`Uthman, `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf, Az-Zubair and Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas are asking your permission (to see you); may I admit them?" `Umar said, "Yes", So they were admitted and they came in, greeted him, and sat down. After a while Yarfa' came again and said, "May I admit `Ali and `Abbas?" `Umar said, "yes." So, they were admitted and they came in and greeted (him) and sat down. Then `Abbas said, "O chief of the believers! Judge between me and this (i.e. `Ali)." They had a dispute regarding the property of Bani An-Nadir which Allah had given to His Apostle as Fai. The group (i.e. `Uthman and his companions) said, "O chief of the believers! Judge between them and relieve both of them front each other." `Umar said, "Be patient! I beseech you by Allah by Whose Permission the Heaven and the Earth exist, do you know that Allah's Apostle said, 'Our (i.e. prophets') property will not be inherited, and whatever we leave, is Sadaqa (to be used for charity),' and Allah's Apostle meant himself (by saying "we'')?" The group said, "He said so." `Umar then turned to `Ali and `Abbas and said, "I beseech you by Allah, do you know that Allah's Apostle said so?" They replied, " He said so." `Umar then said, "So, I will talk to you about this matter. Allah bestowed on His Apostle with a special favor of something of this Fai (booty) which he gave to nobody else." `Umar then recited the Holy Verses: "What Allah bestowed as (Fai) Booty on his Apostle (Muhammad) from them --- for this you made no expedition with either cavalry or camelry: But Allah gives power to His Apostles over whomever He will 'And Allah is able to do all things." 9:6) `Umar added "So this property was especially given to Allah's Apostle, but, by Allah, neither did he take possession of it and leave your, nor did he favor himself with it to your exclusion, but he gave it to all of you and distributed it amongst you till this property remained out of it. Allah's Apostle used to spend the yearly expenses of his family out of this property and used to keep the rest of its revenue to be spent on Allah 's Cause. Allah 's Apostle kept on doing this during all his lifetime. I ask you by Allah do you know this?" They replies in the affirmative. `Umar then said to `Ali and `Abbas. "I ask you by Allah, do you know this?" `Umar added, "When Allah had taken His Prophet unto Him, 'Abu Bakr said, 'I am the successor of Allah's Apostle so, Abu Bakr took over that property and managed it in the same way as Allah's Apostle used to do, and Allah knows that he was true, pious and rightlyguided, and he was a follower of what was right. Then Allah took Abu Bakr unto Him and I became Abu Bakr's successor, and I kept that property in my possession for the first two years of my Caliphate, managing it in the same way as Allah's Apostle used to do and as Abu Bakr used to do, and Allah knows that I have been true, pious, rightly guided, and a follower of what is right. Now you both (i.e. 'Ah and `Abbas) came to talk to me, bearing the same claim and presenting the same case; you, `Abbas, came to me asking for your share from your nephew's property, and this man, i.e. `Ali, came to me asking for his wife's share from her father's property. I told you both that Allah's Apostle said, 'Our (prophets') properties are not to be inherited, but what we leave is Sadaqa (to be used for charity).' When I thought it right that I should hand over this property to you, I said to you, 'I am ready to hand over this property to you if you wish, on the condition that you would take Allah's Pledge and Convention that you would manage it in the same way as Allah's Apostle used to, and as Abu Bakr used to do, and as I have done since I was in charge of it.' So, both of you said (to me), 'Hand it over to us,' and on that condition I handed it over to you. So, I ask you by Allah, did I hand it over to them on this condition?" The group aid, "Yes." Then `Umar faced `Ali and `Abbas saying, "I ask you by Allah, did I hand it over to you on this condition?" They said, "Yes. " He said, " Do you want now to give a different decision? By Allah, by Whose Leave both the Heaven and the Earth exist, I will never give any decision other than that (I have already given). And if you are unable to manage it, then return it to me, and I will do the job on your behalf."

That once `Umar bin Al-Khattab called him and while he was sitting with him, his gatekeeper, Yarfa came and said, "Will you admit `Uthman, `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf, AzZubair and Sa`d (bin Abi Waqqas) who are waiting for your permission?" `Umar said, "Yes, let them come in." After a while, Yarfa- came again and said, "Will you admit `Ali and `Abbas who are asking your permission?" `Umar said, "Yes." So, when the two entered, `Abbas said, "O chief of the believers! Judge between me and this (i.e. `Ali). "Both of them had a dispute regarding the property of Bani An-Nadir which Allah had given to His Apostle as Fai (i.e. booty gained without fighting), `Ali and `Abbas started reproaching each other. The (present) people (i.e. `Uthman and his companions) said, "O chief of the believers! Give your verdict in their case and relieve each from) the other." `Umar said, "Wait I beseech you, by Allah, by Whose Permission both the heaven and the earth stand fast! Do you know that Allah's Apostle said, 'We (Prophets) our properties are not to be inherited, and whatever we leave, is to be spent in charity,' and he said it about himself?" They (i.e. `Uthman and his company) said, "He did say it. "`Umar then turned towards `Ali and `Abbas and said, "I beseech you both, by Allah! Do you know that Allah's Apostle said this?" They replied in the affirmative. He said, "Now I am talking to you about this matter. Allah the Glorified favored His Apostle with something of this Fai (i.e. booty won without fighting) which He did not give to anybody else. Allah said:-- "And what Allah gave to His Apostle ("Fai"" Booty) from them--For which you made no expedition With either Calvary or camelry. But Allah gives power to His Apostles Over whomsoever He will And Allah is able to do all things." (59.6) So this property was especially granted to Allah's Apostle . But by Allah, the Prophet neither took it all for himself only, nor deprived you of it, but he gave it to all of you and distributed it amongst you till only this remained out of it. And from this Allah's Apostle used to spend the yearly maintenance for his family, and whatever used to remain, he used to spend it where Allah's Property is spent (i.e. in charity), Allah's Apostle kept on acting like that during all his life, Then he died, and Abu Bakr said, 'I am the successor of Allah's Apostle.' So he (i.e. Abu Bakr) took charge of this property and disposed of it in the same manner as Allah's Apostle used to do, and all of you (at that time) knew all about it." Then `Umar turned towards `Ali and `Abbas and said, "You both remember that Abu Bakr disposed of it in the way you have described and Allah knows that, in that matter, he was sincere, pious, rightly guided and the follower of the right. Then Allah caused Abu Bakr to die and I said, 'I am the successor of Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr.' So I kept this property in my possession for the first two years of my rule (i.e. Caliphate and I used to dispose of it in the same wa as Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr used to do; and Allah knows that I have been sincere, pious, rightly guided an the follower of the right (in this matte Later on both of you (i.e. `Ali and `Abbas) came to me, and the claim of you both was one and the same, O `Abbas! You also came to me. So I told you both that Allah's Apostle said, "Our property is not inherited, but whatever we leave is to be given in charity.' Then when I thought that I should better hand over this property to you both or the condition that you will promise and pledge before Allah that you will dispose it off in the same way as Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr did and as I have done since the beginning of my caliphate or else you should not speak to me (about it).' So, both of you said to me, 'Hand it over to us on this condition.' And on this condition I handed it over to you. Do you want me now to give a decision other than that (decision)? By Allah, with Whose Permission both the sky and the earth stand fast, I will never give any decision other than that (decision) till the Last Hour is established. But if you are unable to manage it (i.e. that property), then return it to me, and I will manage on your behalf." The sub-narrator said, "I told `Urwa bin Az-Zubair of this Hadith and he said, 'Malik bin Aus has told the truth" I heard `Aisha, the wife of the Prophet saying, 'The wives of the Prophet sent `Uthman to Abu Bakr demanding from him their 1/8 of the Fai which Allah had granted to his Apostle. But I used to oppose them and say to them: Will you not fear Allah? Don't you know that the Prophet used to say: Our property is not inherited, but whatever we leave is to be given in charity? The Prophet mentioned that regarding himself. He added: 'The family of Muhammad can take their sustenance from this property. So the wives of the Prophet stopped demanding it when I told them of that.' So, this property (of Sadaqa) was in the hands of `Ali who withheld it from `Abbas and overpowered him. Then it came in the hands of Hasan bin `Ali, then in the hands of Husain bin `Ali, and then in the hands of `Ali bin Husain and Hasan bin Hasan, and each of the last two used to manage it in turn, then it came in the hands of Zaid bin Hasan, and it was truly the Sadaqa of Allah's Apostle ."

My father told me that he was a companion of Abu Darda'. There was in Damascus a man from the companions of the Prophet (saws), called Ibn al-Hanzaliyyah. He was a recluse and rarely met the people. He remained engaged in prayer. When he was not praying he was occupied in glorifying Allah and exalting Him until he went to his family. Once he passed us when we were with AbudDarda'.

AbudDarda' said to him: Tell us a word which benefits us and does not harm you.

He said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) sent out a contingent and it came back. One of the men came and sat in the place where the Messenger of Allah (saws) used to sit, and he said to a man beside him: Would that you saw us when we met the enemy and so-and-so attacked and cut through a lance.

He said: Take it from me and I am a boy of the tribe Ghifar. What do you think about his statement?

He replied: I think his reward was lost. Another man heard it and said: I do not think that there is any harm in it. They quarrelled until the Messenger of Allah (saws) heard it, and he said: Glory be to Allah! There is no harm if he is rewarded and praised. I saw that AbudDarda' was pleased with it and began to raise his hand to him and say: Did you hear it from the Messenger of Allah (saws)?

He said: Yes. He continued to repeat it to him so often that I thought he was going to kneel down. He said: On another day he again passed us.

AbudDarda' said to him: (Tell us) a word which benefits us and does not harm you.

He said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to us: One who spends on (the maintenance of) horses (for jihad) is like the one who spreads his hand to give alms (sadaqah) and does not withhold it. He then passed us on another day.

AbudDarda' said to him: (Tell us) a word which benefits us and does no harm to you.

He said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Khuraym al-Asadi would be a fine man were it not for the length of his hair, which reaches the shoulders, and the way he lets his lower garment hang down. When Khuraym heard that, he hurriedly, took a knife, cut his hair in line with his ears and raised his lower garment half way up his legs. He then passed us on another day.

AbudDarda' said to him: (tell us) a word which benefits us and does not harm you.

He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: You are coming to your brethren; so tidy your mounts and tidy your dress, until you are like a mole among the people. Allah does not like obscene words or deeds, or do intentional committing of obscenity.

Abu Dawud said: Similarly, Abu Nu'aim narrated from Hisham. He said: Until you will be like a mole among the people.

Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab from Amir ibn Sad ibn Abi Waqqas that his father said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to me to treat me for a pain which became hard to bear in the year of the farewell hajj. I said, 'Messenger of Allah, you can see how far the pain has reached me. I have property and only my daughter inherits from me. Shall I give two thirds of my property as sadaqa?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'No.' I said, 'Half?' He said, 'No.' Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'A third, and a third is a lot. Leaving your heirs rich is better than leaving them poor to beg from people. You never spend anything on maintenance desiring the Face of Allah by it, but that you are rewarded for it, even what you appoint for your wife.' Sad said, 'Messenger of Allah, will I be left here in Makka after my companions have departed for Madina?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'If you are left behind, and do sound deeds you will increase your degree and elevation by them. Perhaps you will be left behind so that some people may benefit by you and others may be harmed by you. O Allah! complete their hijra for my companions, and do not turn them back on their heels. The unfortunate one is Said ibn Khawla.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was distressed on his account for he had died at Makka."

Yahya said that he heard Malik speak about a man who willed a third of his property to a man and said as well, "My slave will serve so-and-so (another man) for as long as he lives, then he is free," then that was looked into, and the slave was found to be a third of the property of the deceased. Malik said, "The service of the slave is evaluated. Then the two of them divide it between them. The one who was willed a third takes his third, as a share, and the one who was willed the service of the slave takes what was evaluated for him of the slave's service. Each of them takes, from the service of the slave or from his wage if he has a wage, according to his share. If the one who was given the service of the slave for as long as he lived dies, then the slave is freed."

Yahya said that he heard Malik speak about someone who willed his third and said "So-and-so has such- and-such, and so-and-so has such-and-such," naming some of his property, and his heirs protested that it was more than a third." Malik said, "The heirs then have an option between giving the beneficiaries their full bequests and taking the rest of the property of the deceased, or between dividing among the beneficiaries the third of the property of the deceased and surrendering to them their third. If they wish, their rights in it reach as far as they reach."

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "This ayat is abrogated. It is the word of Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, 'If he leaves goods, the testament is for parents and kinsmen.' What came down about the division of the fixed shares of inheritance in the Book of Allah, the Mighty, the Exalted, abrogated it."

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "The established sunna with us, in which there is no dispute, is that it is not permitted for a testator to make a bequest (in addition to the fixed share) in favour of an heir, unless the other heirs permit him. If some of them permit him and others refuse, he is allowed to diminish the share of those who have given their permission. Those who refuse take their full share from the inheritance.

Yahya said that he heard Malik speak about an invalid who made a bequest and asked his heirs to give him permission to make a bequest when he was so ill that he only had command of a third of his property, and they gave him permission to leave some of his heirs more than his third. Malik said, "They cannot revoke that. Had they been permitted to do so, every heir would have done that, and then, when the testator died, they would take that for themselves and prevent him from bequeathing his third and what was permitted to him with respect to his property."

Malik said, "If he asks permission of his heirs to grant a bequest to an heir while he is well and they give him permission, that is not binding on them. The heirs can rescind that if they wish. That is because when a man is well, he is entitled to all his property and can do what he wishes with it. If he wishes, he can spend all of it. He can spend it and give sadaqa with it or give it to whomever he likes. His asking permission of his heirs is permitted for the heirs, when they give him permission when authority over all his property is closed off from him and nothing outside of the third is permitted to him, and when they are more entitled to the two-thirds of his property than he is himself. That is when their permission becomes relevant. If he asks one of the heirs to give his inheritance to him when he is dying, and the heir agrees and then the dying man does not dispose of it at all, it is returned to the one who gave it unless the deceased said to him, 'So-and-so - (one of his heirs) - is weak, and I would like you to give him your inheritance.' So he gives it to him. That is permitted when the deceased specified it for him."

Malik said, "When a man gives the dying man free use of his share of the inheritance, and the dying man distributes some of it and some remains, it is returned to the giver, after the man has died."

Yahya said that he heard Malik speak about someone who made a bequest and mentioned that he had given one of his heirs something which he had not taken possession of, so the heirs refused to permit that. Malik said, "That gift returns to the heirs as inheritance according to the Book of Allah because the deceased did not mean that to be taken out of the third and the heirs do not have a portion in the third (which the dying man is allowed to bequeath)."

AbdurRahman ibn Ka'b ibn Malik reported on the authority of a man from among the companions of the Prophet (saws): The infidels of the Quraysh wrote (a letter) to Ibn Ubayy and to those who worshipped idols from al-Aws and al-Khazraj, while the Messenger of Allah (saws) was at that time at Medina before the battle of Badr.

(They wrote): You gave protection to our companion. We swear by Allah, you should fight him or expel him, or we shall come to you in full force, until we kill your fighters and appropriate your women.

When this (news) reached Abdullah ibn Ubayy and those who were worshippers of idols, with him they gathered together to fight the Messenger of Allah (saws).

When this news reached the Messenger of Allah (saws), he visited them and said: The threat of the Quraysh to you has reached its end. They cannot contrive a plot against you, greater than what you yourselves intended to harm you. Are you willing to fight your sons and brethren? When they heard this from the Prophet (saws), they scattered. This reached the infidels of the Quraysh.

The infidels of the Quraysh again wrote (a letter) to the Jews after the battle of Badr: You are men of weapons and fortresses. You should fight our companion or we shall deal with you in a certain way. And nothing will come between us and the anklets of your women. When their letter reached the Prophet (saws), they gathered Banu an-Nadir to violate the treaty.

They sent a message to the Prophet (saws): Come out to us with thirty men from your companions, and thirty rabbis will come out from us till we meet at a central place where they will hear you. If they testify to you and believe in you, we shall believe in you. The narrator then narrated the whole story.

When the next day came, the Messenger of Allah (saws) went out in the morning with an army, and surrounded them.

He told them: I swear by Allah, you will have no peace from me until you conclude a treaty with me. But they refused to conclude a treaty with him. He therefore fought them the same day.

Next he attacked Banu Quraysh with an army in the morning, and left Banu an-Nadir. He asked them to sign a treaty and they signed it.

He turned away from them and attacked Banu an-Nadir with an army. He fought with them until they agreed to expulsion. Banu an-Nadir were deported, and they took with them whatever their camels could carry, that is, their property, the doors of their houses, and their wood. Palm-trees were exclusively reserved for the Messenger of Allah (saws). Allah bestowed them upon him and gave them him as a special portion.

He (Allah), the Exalted, said: What Allah has bestowed on His Apostle (and taken away) from them, for this ye made no expedition with either camel corps or cavalry." He said: "Without fighting." So the Prophet (saws) gave most of it to the emigrants and divided it among them; and he divided some of it between two men from the helpers, who were needy, and he did not divide it among any of the helpers except those two. The rest of it survived as the sadaqah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) which is in the hands of the descendants of Fatimah (Allah be pleased with her).

Allah's Apostle deputed me to keep Sadaqat (al-Fitr) of Ramadan. A comer came and started taking handfuls of the foodstuff (of the Sadaqa) (stealthily). I took hold of him and said, "By Allah, I will take you to Allah's Apostle ." He said, "I am needy and have many dependents, and I am in great need." I released him, and in the morning Allah's Apostle asked me, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I said, "O Allah's Apostle! The person complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so, I pitied him and let him go." Allah's Apostle said, "Indeed, he told you a lie and he will be coming again." I believed that he would show up again as Allah's Apostle had told me that he would return. So, I waited for him watchfully. When he (showed up and) started stealing handfuls of foodstuff, I caught hold of him again and said, "I will definitely take you to Allah's Apostle. He said, "Leave me, for I am very needy and have many dependents. I promise I will not come back again." I pitied him and let him go.

In the morning Allah's Apostle asked me, "What did your prisoner do." I replied, "O Allah's Apostle! He complained of his great need and of too many dependents, so I took pity on him and set him free." Allah's Apostle said, "Verily, he told you a lie and he will return." I waited for him attentively for the third time, and when he (came and) started stealing handfuls of the foodstuff, I caught hold of him and said, "I will surely take you to Allah's Apostle as it is the third time you promise not to return, yet you break your promise and come." He said, "(Forgive me and) I will teach you some words with which Allah will benefit you." I asked, "What are they?" He replied, "Whenever you go to bed, recite "Ayat-al-Kursi"-- 'Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-l-Haiy-ul Qaiyum' till you finish the whole verse. (If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you and no satan will come near you till morning. " So, I released him. In the morning, Allah's Apostle asked, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I replied, "He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah will benefit me, so I let him go." Allah's Apostle asked, "What are they?" I replied, "He said to me, 'Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi from the beginning to the end ---- Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-lHaiy-ul-Qaiyum----.' He further said to me, '(If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you, and no satan will come near you till morning.' (Abu Huraira or another sub-narrator) added that they (the companions) were very keen to do good deeds. The Prophet said, "He really spoke the truth, although he is an absolute liar. Do you know whom you were talking to, these three nights, O Abu Huraira?" Abu Huraira said, "No." He said, "It was Satan."

Allah's Apostle said, "Who is willing to kill Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, "O Allah's Apostle! Would you like that I kill him?" The Prophet said, "Yes," Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Ka`b). "The Prophet said, "You may say it." Then Muhammad bin Maslama went to Ka`b and said, "That man (i.e. Muhammad demands Sadaqa (i.e. Zakat) from us, and he has troubled us, and I have come to borrow something from you." On that, Ka`b said, "By Allah, you will get tired of him!" Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Now as we have followed him, we do not want to leave him unless and until we see how his end is going to be. Now we want you to lend us a camel load or two of food." (Some difference between narrators about a camel load or two.) Ka`b said, "Yes, (I will lend you), but you should mortgage something to me." Muhammad bin Mas-lama and his companion said, "What do you want?" Ka`b replied, "Mortgage your women to me." They said, "How can we mortgage our women to you and you are the most handsome of the 'Arabs?" Ka`b said, "Then mortgage your sons to me." They said, "How can we mortgage our sons to you? Later they would be abused by the people's saying that so-and-so has been mortgaged for a camel load of food. That would cause us great disgrace, but we will mortgage our arms to you." Muhammad bin Maslama and his companion promised Ka`b that Muhammad would return to him. He came to Ka`b at night along with Ka`b's foster brother, Abu Na'ila. Ka`b invited them to come into his fort, and then he went down to them. His wife asked him, "Where are you going at this time?" Ka`b replied, "None but Muhammad bin Maslama and my (foster) brother Abu Na'ila have come." His wife said, "I hear a voice as if dropping blood is from him, Ka`b said. "They are none but my brother Muhammad bin Maslama and my foster brother Abu Naila. A generous man should respond to a call at night even if invited to be killed." Muhammad bin Maslama went with two men. (Some narrators mention the men as 'Abu bin Jabr. Al Harith bin Aus and `Abbad bin Bishr). So Muhammad bin Maslama went in together with two men, and sail to them, "When Ka`b comes, I will touch his hair and smell it, and when you see that I have got hold of his head, strip him. I will let you smell his head." Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf came down to them wrapped in his clothes, and diffusing perfume. Muhammad bin Maslama said. " have never smelt a better scent than this. Ka`b replied. "I have got the best 'Arab women who know how to use the high class of perfume." Muhammad bin Maslama requested Ka`b "Will you allow me to smell your head?" Ka`b said, "Yes." Muhammad smelt it and made his companions smell it as well. Then he requested Ka`b again, "Will you let me (smell your head)?" Ka`b said, "Yes." When Muhammad got a strong hold of him, he said (to his companions), "Get at him!" So they killed him and went to the Prophet and informed him. (Abu Rafi`) was killed after Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf."