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

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

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

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

Malik related to me that he heard that Urwa ibn az-Zubayr and Sulayman ibn Yasar when asked whether the sons of a man, who had a kitaba written for himself and his children and then died, worked for the kitaba of their father or were slaves, said, "They work for the kitaba of their father and they have no reduction at all for the death of their father."

Malik said, "If they are small and unable to work, one does not wait for them to grow up and they are slaves of their father's master unless the mukatab has left what will pay their instalments for them until they can work. If there is enough to pay for them in what he has left, that is paid for on their behalf and they are left in their condition until they can work, and then if they pay, they are free. If they cannot do it, they are slaves."

Malik spoke about a mukatab who died and left property which was not enough to pay his kitaba, and he also left a child with him in his kitaba and an umm walad, and the umm walad wanted to work for them. He said, "The money is paid to her if she is trustworthy with it and strong enough to work. If she is not strong enough to work and not trustworthy with property, she is not given any of it and she and the children of the mukatab revert to being slaves of the master of the mukatab."

Malik said, "If people are written together in one kitaba and there is no kinship between them, and some of them are incapable and others work until they are all set free, those who worked can claim from those who were unable, the portion of what they paid for them because some of them assumed the responsibility for others."

that he was asked about the wages of the one who cups others. He said, 'Allah's Apostle was cupped by `Abd Taiba, to whom he gave two Sa of food and interceded for him with his masters who consequently reduced what they used to charge him daily. Then the Prophet s said, "The best medicines you may treat yourselves with are cupping and sea incense.' He added, "You should not torture your children by treating tonsillitis by pressing the tonsils or the palate with the finger, but use incense."

The Prophet did not screen himself from me (had never prevented me from entering upon him) since I embraced Islam, and whenever he saw me, he would receive me with a smile. Once I told him that I could not sit firm on horses. He stroked me on the chest with his hand, and said, "O Allah! Make him firm and make him a guiding and a rightly guided man.

I called on Jabir bin `Abdullah Al-Ansari and said to him, "Relate to me what you have heard from Allah's Apostle ." He said, "I accompanied him on one of the journeys." (Abu `Aqil said, "I do not know whether that journey was for the purpose of Jihad or `Umra.") "When we were returning," Jabir continued, "the Prophet said, 'Whoever wants to return earlier to his family, should hurry up.' We set off and I was on a black red tainted camel having no defect, and the people were behind me. While I was in that state the camel stopped suddenly (because of exhaustion). On that the Prophet said to me, 'O Jabir, wait!' Then he hit it once with his lash and it started moving on a fast pace. He then said, 'Will you sell the camel?' I replied in the affirmative when we reached Medina, and the Prophet went to the Mosque along with his companions. I, too, went to him after tying the camel on the pavement at the Mosque gate. Then I said to him, 'This is your camel.' He came out and started examining the camel and saying, 'The camel is ours.' Then the Prophet sent some Awaq (i.e. an amount) of gold saying, 'Give it to Jabir.' Then he asked, 'Have you taken the full price (of the camel)?' I replied in the affirmative. He said, 'Both the price and the camel are for you.' ''

Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab that Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan gave a judgment that the rapist had to pay the raped woman her bride- price.

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "What is done in our community about the man who rapes a woman, virgin or non-virgin, if she is free, is that he must pay the bride-price of the like of her. If she is a slave, he must pay what he has diminished of her worth. The hadd-punishment in such cases is applied to the rapist, and there is no punishment applied to the raped woman. If the rapist is a slave, that is against his master unless he wishes to surrender him."

Yahya related to me from Malik, from Ibn Shihab, that Salim ibn Abdullah heard Abu Hurayra relating to Abdullah ibn Umar how a group of three people in ihram had passed him at ar-Rabadha and had asked him for a fatwa about eating game which people who were not in ihram were eating, and he told them that they could eat it. He said, "Then I went to Umar ibn al-Khattab in Madina and asked him about it, and he said, 'What did you say to them?' and I said, 'I told them that they could eat it.' Umar said, 'If you had told them anything else I would have done you an injury.' "

Allah's Apostle said, "O `Aisha! This is Gabriel sending his greetings to you." I said, "Peace, and Allah's Mercy be on him (Gabriel). You see what we do not see." (She was addressing Allah's Apostle).

Malik related to me from Nafi from Sulayman ibn Yasar that Habbar ibn al-Aswad arrived on the day of sacrifice while Umar ibn al-Khattab was sacrificing his animal and said, "Amir al-muminin, we made a mistake in our reckoning and we thought that today was the day of Arafa." Umar said, "Go to Makka, you and whoever else is with you, and do tawaf and sacrifice your animal if you have one with you. Then shave or cut your hair and return home. Then, in another year, do hajj and sacrifice an animal, and if you cannot find one, fast three days on hajj and seven when you return home."

Malik said, "Someone who intends to do hajj and umra together and then misses the hajj must do hajj again in another year, doing hajj with umra, and offer two sacrificial animals, one for doing the hajj with umra, and one for the hajj that he has missed."

Allah's Apostle forbade Al-Wisal. The people said (to him), "But you fast Al-`Wisal," He said, "Who among you is like me? When I sleep (at night), my Lord makes me eat and drink. But when the people refused to give up Al-Wisal, he fasted Al-Wisal along with them for two days and then they saw the crescent whereupon the Prophet said, "If the crescent had not appeared I would have fasted for a longer period," as if he intended to punish them herewith.

Once `Umar was informed that a certain man sold alcohol. `Umar said, "May Allah curse him! Doesn't he know that Allah's Apostle said, 'May Allah curse the Jews, for Allah had forbidden them to eat the fat of animals but they melted it and sold it."

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.

Once Allah's Apostle went to Al-Batha' at noon, performed the ablution and offered' a two rak`at Zuhr prayer and a two-rak`at `Asr prayer while a spearheaded stick was planted before him and the passersby were passing in front of it. (After the prayer), the people got up and held the hands of the Prophet and passed them on their faces. I also took his hand and kept it on my face and noticed that it was colder than ice, and its smell was nicer than musk.

`Ali came to the Prophet (p.b.u.h) from Yemen (to Mecca). The Prophet asked `Ali, "With what intention have you assumed Ihram?" `Ali replied, "I have assumed Ihram with the same intention as that of the Prophet." The Prophet said, "If I had not the Hadi with me I would have finished the Ihram." Muhammad bin Bakr narrated extra from Ibn Juraij, "The Prophet said to `Ali, "With what intention have you assumed the Ihram, O `Ali?" He replied, "With the same (intention) as that of the Prophet." The Prophet said, "Have a Hadi and keep your Ihram as it is."

Jarir bin `Abdullah said to me, "Allah's Apostle said to me, 'Won't you relieve me from Dhul- Khalasa?' Dhul-Khalasa was a house where the tribe of Khatham used to stay, and it used to be called Ka`bat-ul Yamaniya. So I proceeded with one hundred-and-fifty (men) from the tribe of Ahmas who were good cavalry. I informed the Prophet that I could not sit firm on horses, so he stroke me on the chest with his hand and I noticed his finger marks on my chest. He invoked, 'O Allah! Make him firm and a guiding and rightly-guided man." Jarir set out towards that place, dismantled and burnt it, and then sent the good news to Allah's Apostle . The messenger of Jarir said to Allah's Apostle. "O Allah's Apostle! By Him Who has sent you with the Truth, I did not come to you till it (i.e. the house) had been turned (black) like a scabby camel (covered with tar)." So the Prophet invokes Allah to Bless the horses of the men of Ahmas five times.

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab gave his son a slave-girl and said, "Do not touch her, for I have uncovered her."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar would leave and do wudu if he had a nose-bleed and then return and complete his prayer without saying anything.

While I was walking with the Prophet at the Hurra of Medina in the evening, the mountain of Uhud appeared before us. The Prophet said, "O Abu Dhar! I would not like to have gold equal to Uhud (mountain) for me, unless nothing of it, not even a single Dinar remains of it with me, for more than one day or three days, except that single Dinar which I will keep for repaying debts. I will spend all of it (the whole amount) among Allah's slaves like this and like this and like this." The Prophet pointed out with his hand to illustrate it and then said, "O Abu Dhar!" I replied, "Labbaik wa Sa`daik, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "Those who have much wealth (in this world) will be the least rewarded (in the Hereafter) except those who do like this and like this (i.e., spend their money in charity)." Then he ordered me, "Remain at your place and do not leave it, O Abu Dhar, till I come back." He went away till he disappeared from me. Then I heard a voice and feared that something might have happened to Allah's Apostle, and I intended to go (to find out) but I remembered the statement of Allah's Apostle that I should not leave, my place, so I kept on waiting (and after a while the Prophet came), and I said to him, "O Allah's Apostle, I heard a voice and I was afraid that something might have happened to you, but then I remembered your statement and stayed (there). The Prophet said, "That was Gabriel who came to me and informed me that whoever among my followers died without joining others in worship with Allah, would enter Paradise." I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Even if he had committed illegal sexual intercourse and theft?" He said, "Even if he had committed illegal sexual intercourse and theft."

The Prophet (saws) said: Both hands prostrate as the face prostrates. When one of you puts his face (on the ground) he should put his hands too (on the ground). And when he raises it, he should raise them too.

Malik ibn Aws ibn al-Hadthan said: One day Umar ibn al-Khattab mentioned the spoils of war and said: I am not more entitled to this spoil of war than you; and none of us is more entitled to it than another, except that we occupy our positions fixed by the Book of Allah, Who is Great and Glorious, and the division made by the Messenger of Allah (saws), people being arranged according to their precedence in accepting Islam, the hardship they have endured their having children and their need.

The Prophet sent some cavalry towards Najd and they brought a man from the tribe of Banu Hanifa who was called Thumama bin Uthal. They fastened him to one of the pillars of the Mosque. The Prophet went to him and said, "What have you got, O Thumama?" He replied," I have got a good thought, O Muhammad! If you should kill me, you would kill a person who has already killed somebody, and if you should set me free, you would do a favor to one who is grateful, and if you want property, then ask me whatever wealth you want." He was left till the next day when the Prophet said to him, "What have you got, Thumama? He said, "What I told you, i.e. if you set me free, you would do a favor to one who is grateful." The Prophet left him till the day after, when he said, "What have you got, O Thumama?" He said, "I have got what I told you. "On that the Prophet said, "Release Thumama." So he (i.e. Thumama) went to a garden of date-palm trees near to the Mosque, took a bath and then entered the Mosque and said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and also testify that Muhammad is His Apostle! By Allah, O Muhammad! There was no face on the surface of the earth most disliked by me than yours, but now your face has become the most beloved face to me. By Allah, there was no religion most disliked by me than yours, but now it is the most beloved religion to me. By Allah, there was no town most disliked by me than your town, but now it is the most beloved town to me. Your cavalry arrested me (at the time) when I was intending to perform the `Umra. And now what do you think?" The Prophet gave him good tidings (congratulated him) and ordered him to perform the `Umra. So when he came to Mecca, someone said to him, "You have become a Sabian?" Thumama replied, "No! By Allah, I have embraced Islam with Muhammad, Apostle of Allah. No, by Allah! Not a single grain of wheat will come to you from Yamamah unless the Prophet gives his permission."

My grandmother Mulaika invited Allah's Apostle for a meal which she had prepared specially for him. He ate some of it and said, "Get up. I shall lead you in the prayer." I brought a mat that had become black owing to excessive use and I sprinkled water on it. Allah's Apostle stood on it and prayed two rak`at; and the orphan was with me (in the first row), and the old lady stood behind us.

The companions of (the Prophet) Muhammad who took part in Badr, told me that their number was that of Saul's (i.e. Talut's) companions who crossed the river (of Jordan) with him and they were over three-hundred-and-ten men. By Allah, none crossed the river with him but a believer. (See Qur'an 2:249)

AbdulMuttalib ibn Rabi'ah ibn al-Harith said that his father, Rabi'ah ibn al-Harith, and Abbas ibn al-Muttalib said to AbdulMuttalib ibn Rabi'ah and al-Fadl ibn Abbas: Go to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and tell him: Messenger of Allah, we are now of age as you see, and we wish to marry. Messenger of Allah, you are the kindest of the people and the most skilled in matchmaking. Our fathers have nothing with which to pay our dower. So appoint us collector of sadaqah (zakat), Messenger of Allah, and we shall give you what the other collectors give you, and we shall have the benefit accruing from it. Ali came to us while we were in this condition.

He said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: No, I swear by Allah, he will not appoint any of you collector of sadaqah (zakat).

Rabi'ah said to him: This is your condition; you have gained your relationship with the Messenger of Allah (saws) by marriage, but we did not grudge you that. Ali then put his cloak on the earth and lay on it.

He then said: I am the father of Hasan, the chief. I swear by Allah, I shall not leave this place until your sons come with a reply (to the question) for which you have sent them to the Prophet (saws).

AbdulMuttalib said: So I and al-Fadl went towards the door of the apartment of the Prophet (saws). We found that the noon prayer in congregation had already started. So we prayed along with the people. I and al-Fadl then hastened towards the door of the apartment of the Prophet (saws). He was (staying) with Zaynab, daughter of Jahsh, that day. We stood until the Messenger of Allah (saws) came. He caught my ear and the ear of al-Fadl.

He then said: Reveal what you conceal in your hearts. He then entered and permitted me and al-Fadl (to enter). So we entered and for a little while we asked each other to talk. I then talked to him, or al-Fadl talked to him (the narrator, Abdullah was not sure).

He said: He spoke to him concerning the matter about which our fathers ordered us to ask him. The Messenger of Allah (saws) remained silent for a moment and raised his eyes towards the ceiling of the room. He took so long that we thought he would not give any reply to us. Meanwhile we saw that Zaynab was signalling to us with her hand from behind the veil, asking us not to be in a hurry, and that the Messenger of Allah (saws) was (thinking) about our matter.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) then lowered his head and said to us: This sadaqah (zakat) is a dirt of the people. It is legal neither for Muhammad nor for the family of Muhammad. Call Nawfal ibn al-Harith to me. So Nawfal ibn al-Harith was called to him.

He said: Nawfal, marry AbdulMuttalib (to your daughter). So Nawfal married me (to his daughter).

The Prophet (saws) then said: Call Mahmiyyah ibn Jaz'i to me. He was a man of Banu Zubayd, whom the Messenger of Allah (saws) had appointed collector of the fifths.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to Mahmiyyah: Marry al-Fadl (to your daughter). So he married him to her. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Stand up and pay the dower from the fifth so-and-so on their behalf. Abdullah ibn al-Harith did not name it (i.e. the amount of the dower).

Allah's Apostle was neither a Fahish (one who had a bad tongue) nor a Sabbaba (one who abuses others) and he used to say while admonishing somebody, "What is wrong with him? May dust be on his forehead!"

Allah's Apostle said, "(A group of) angels stay with you at night and (another group of) angels by daytime, and both groups gather at the time of the 'Asr and Fajr prayers. Then those angels who have stayed with you overnight, ascend (to Heaven) and Allah asks them (about you) ---- and He knows everything about you. "In what state did you leave My slaves?' The angels reply, 'When we left them, they were praying, and when we reached them they were praying.' "

Allah's Apostle said, "Angels come to you in succession by night and day and all of them get together at the time of the Fajr and `Asr prayers. Those who have passed the night with you (or stayed with you) ascend (to the Heaven) and Allah asks them, though He knows everything about you, well, "In what state did you leave my slaves?" The angels reply: "When we left them they were praying and when we reached them, they were praying."