‘no I'tikaf is accepted….) is most probably the saying of ’A’isha (RAA), i.e. Hadith Mauquf (i.e. that which the companion does not connect to the Prophet and it is not the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) himself.

Allah's Messenger (SAW) heard a man supplicating during his prayer. He did not praise Allah, nor did he invoke blessings on the Prophet (SAW). He (SAW) said, "He made haste." He then called him and said, "When any of you prays, he should begin with the glorification of his Rabb (Lord) and praise Him; he should then invoke blessings on the Prophet (SAW); thereafter he should supplicate Allah for anything he wishes." [Ahmad and ath-Thalathah reported it; a-Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibban and al-Hakim graded it Sahih (authentic)].

Subḥānallāh, walḥamdu lillāh, wallāhu 'akbar, (each said thirty-three times) Lā 'ilāha 'illallāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-ḥamd wa huwā`lā kulli shay'in qadīr. Glory is to Allah, and praise is to Allah, and Allah is the Most Great. (each said thirty-three times) None has the right to be worshiped but Allah alone, He has no partner, His is the dominion and His is the praise and He is Able to do all things. Reference: Muslim 1/418, Whoever says this after every prayer will be forgiven his sins even though they be as the foam of the sea.

Lā ilāha illallāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu‘l-mulku wa lahu‘l-ḥamd yuḥyī wa yumīt wa huwa `alā kulli shay'in qadīr. (Recite ten times in Arabic after the Maghrib and Fajr prayers.) None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise. He brings life and He causes death, and He is Able to do all things. Reference: At-Tirmidhi 5/515, Ahmad 4/227. See its checking in Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah's Zddul-Ma'ad 1/300.

Our Lord (glorified and exalted be He) descends each night to the earth's sky when there remains the final third of the night, and He says: Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it? Who is asking something of Me that I may give it him? Who is asking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him? It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud). In a version by Muslim the Hadith ends with the words: And thus He continues till [the light of] dawn shines.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr told of God’s messenger coming upon two groups in his mosque and saying, “They are both engaged in what is good, but one of them is superior to the other. These ones are praying and supplicating God who, if He wills, may answer their prayers but, if He wills, may refuse them. Those ones are learning knowledge* and teaching the ignorant, so they are superior. I was sent only as a teacher.” He then sat down among them. Darimi transmitted it. *The text has al-fiqh au al-'ilm, fiqh and ‘ilm having the same meaning, but the transmitter of the tradition was not sure which word was used by the Prophet on this occasion.

‘A'isha said that when God’s messenger washed because of a seminal emission he first washed his hands, then performed ablution as he did for prayer, then put his fingers into the water and moved them through the roots of his hair, then poured three handfuls on his head with both hands, then poured the water over all his skin. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim he first washed his hands before putting them into the vessel, then poured water over his left hand with his right hand, then washed his private parts, after which he performed ablution.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said the afternoon prayer and gave the salutation. at the end of three rak'ahs and then went into his house. A man called al-Khirbaq, who bad long aims, got up and went to him, and addressed him as Messenger of Allah and mentioned to him what he had done. He came out angrily trailing his mantle, and when he came to the people he said: Is this man telling the truth? They said: Yes. He then said one rak'ah and then gave salutation and then performed two prostrations and then gave salutation.

Mu'awiya wrote to Mughira: Write to me anything which you heard from the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). So he (Mughira) wrote to him (Mu'awiya): I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) uttering (these words) at the completion of prayer:" There is no god but Allah. He is alone and there is no partner with Him. Sovereignty belongs to Him and to Him is praise due and He is Potent over everything. O Allah! no one can withhold what Thou givest, or give what Thou withholdest, and riches cannot avail a wealthy person with Thee."

A man came panting and entered the row of worshippers and said: Praise be to Allah, much praised and blessed. When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) finished the prayer he said: Who amongst you uttered these words? The people remained silent. He (the Holy Prophet again said) -: Who amongst you uttered these words? He said nothing wrong. Then a man said: I came and had a difficulty in breathing, so I uttered them. He replied: I saw twelve angels facing one another as to who will take them up (to Allah).

He who said prayer before the rising of the sun and its setting would not enter the fire (of Hell), and there was a man from Basra (sitting) beside him who said: Did you hear it from the Apostle of Allah (way peace be upon him)? He said: Yes, I bear witness to it. The man from Basra said: I bear witness that I did hear from the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) saying it from the place that you heard from him.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to us: The one who is well grounded in Allah's Book and is distinguished among them in recitation should act as; Imam for the people. and if they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who has most knowledge regarding Sunnah; if they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest one to emigrate; If they emigrated at the same time, then the oldest one in age. No man must lead another in prayer in latter's house or where (the latter) has authority, or sit in his place of honour in his house, except that he gives you permission or with his permission.

I went with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on an expedition and my camel delayed me and I was exhausted. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) thus came earlier than I, whereas I came on the next day and went to the mosque and found him (the Holy Prophet) at the gate of the mosque. He said: It is now that you have come. I said. Yes. He said: Leave your camel and enter (the mosque) and observe two rak'ahs. He (the narrator) said: So I entered and observed (two rak'ahs) of prayer and then went back.

I heard from Ubayy b. Ka'b a statement made by 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud in which he said: He who gets up for prayer (every night) during the year will hit upon Lailat-ul-Qadr. Ubayy said: By Allah I there is no god but He, that (Lailat-ul-Qadr) is in Ramadhan (He swore without reservation: ) By Allah, I know the night; it is the night on which the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) commanded us to pray. It is that which precedes the morning of twenty-seventy and its indication is that the sun rises bright on that day without rays.

O people, perform such acts as you are capable of doing, for Allah does not grow weary but you will get tired. The acts most pleasing to Allah are those which are done continuously, even if they are small. And it was the habit of the members of Muhammad's (may peace be upon him) household that whenever they did an act they did it continuously.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent a man in charge of an expedition and he would recite for his Companions during their prayer, ending (recitation) with:" Say, He is God, One." When they returned mention was made of it to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He (the Holy Prophet) told them to ask him why he had done like that. So they asked him and he said: Verily, it is an attribute of the Compassionate One, and (for this reason) I love to recite it. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) thereupon said: Inform him that Allah loves him.

"Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari, Jabir bin 'Abdullah, and Anas bin Malik told me that when this Verse: "In it (the mosque) are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure." was revealed, the Messenger of Allah said: 'O Ansar! Allah has praised you for your cleanliness. What is the nature of your cleanliness?' They said: 'We perform ablution for prayer and we take bath to cleanse ourselves of impurity due to sexual activity, and we clean ourselves with water (after urinating). He said: 'This is what it is. So adhere to it.'"

"No person who mistreats his slave will enter Paradise." They said: " O Messenger of Allah, did you not tell us that this nation will have more slaves and orphans than any other nation?" He said: " Yes, so be as kind to them as you are to your own children, and feed them with the same food that you eat." They said: "What will benefit us in this world?" He said: "A horse that is kept ready for fighting in the cause of Allah, and your slave to take care of you, and if he performs prayer, then he is your brother(in Islam)."

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: ‘If anyone of you is uncertain as to whether he has prayed one or two Rak’ah, let him assume it is one. If he is uncertain as to whether he has prayed two or three, let him assume it is two. If he is uncertain as to whether he has prayed three or four, let him assume it is three. Then let him complete what is left of his prayer, so that the doubt will be about what is more. Then let him prostrate twice while he is sitting, before the Taslim (saying the Salam).’”

“The Imam should stand facing the Qiblah, and a group of them should stand with him, and another group should stand in the direction of the enemy, facing towards the row (of worshippers). He should lead them in one Rak’ah, then they should bow and do two prostrations by themselves where they are. Then they should go and take the place of the others, and the others should come and pray one Rak’ah, bowing and prostrating with the leader. Then he will have prayed two Rak’ah and they will have prayed one; then they should perform another Rak’ah, bowing and performing two prostrations.”

“I asked ‘Aishah: ‘With what did the Prophet (saw) start voluntary prayers?’ She said: ‘You have asked me about something which no one has asked before. He used to say Allahu Akbar ten times, and Al-Hamdu Lillah ten times and Subhan Allah ten times, and he would say Allahumma aghfirli wahdini, warzuqni, wa ‘afini (O Allah, forgive me, guide me, grant me provision and give me good health),” and he would seek refuge from the difficulty of the standing on the Day of Resurrection.”

“If I heard a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (saw), Allah benefitted me with it as much as He willed, and if I heard it from anyone else, I would ask him to swear me an oath, then if he swore an oath I would believe him. Abu Bakr told me and Abu Bakr spoke the truth that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ‘There is no man who commits a sin then he performs ablution and does it well, then he prays two Rak’ah,’ (one of the narrators) Mis’ar said: ‘then performs prayer and seeks the forgiveness of Allah, but Allah will forgive him.’

I asked him about how they came to swear allegiance to Abu Bakr and he said - when telling him about what the Ansar said and what Abu Bakr said to them and what `Umar bin al-Khattab said to the Ansar when he reminded them that he had led them in prayer on the instructions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he was sick. They swore allegiance to me because of that and I Accepted it from them, but I was concerned that there would be turmoil that would lead to apostasy,

“I have been commanded to fight the people until they say La ilaha illallah, and if they say it then their blood and wealth are safe from me, except in cases dictated by sharee'ah, and their reckoning is with Allah.” When some people apostatized, ʼUmar said to Abu Bakr: Will you fight them when you heard the Messenger of Allah is say such and such? Abu Bakr said: By Allah, I will not separate prayer and zakah, and I shall certainly fight anyone who separates them. So we fought them alongside him and we realised that that was the right thing to do.

What time is this? He said:O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, I came back from the market and as soon as I heard the call to prayer, I did no more than wudoo,’ and came here. ‘Umar said: Just wudooʻ. when you know that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to enjoin us to do ghusl?

what do you think if a man has intercourse with his wife but does not ejaculate? `Uthman (رضي الله عنه) said: Let him do wudoo’ as for prayer, and wash his private part. And `Uthman (رضي الله عنه) said: I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) I asked ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه), az-Zubair, Talhah and Ubayy bin Ka`b about that and they told him to do the same thing.

The Prophet (PBUH) noticed spittle in the mosque in the direction of the Qiblah. The signs of disgust were perceived on his face. Then, he stood up and scraped it away with his own hand and said, "When you stand in Salat, you hold communion with your Rubb and He is between you and the Qiblah. Let no one therefore cast out his spittle in that direction, but only to his left or under his foot." Then he caught hold a corner of his sheet, spat into it and folded it up and said, "Or he should do like this."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to seek (Allah's) protection after prayers in these words: "Alla-humma inni a'udhu bika minal-jubni wal- bukhl, wa a'udhu bika min an uradda ila ardhalil-'umur, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatid-dunya, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatil-qabr (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from cowardice, miserliness and from being sent back to a feeble age; and, seek refuge with You from the trials of this life and those of the grave)."

[Al- Bukhari].

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "In the morning, charity is due on every joint bone of the body of everyone of you. Every utterance of Allah's Glorification (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of His Praise (i.e., saying Al-hamdu lillah) is an act of charity and every utterance of declaration of His Greatness (i.e., saying La ilaha illAllah) is an act of charity; and enjoining M'aruf (good) is an act of charity, and forbidding Munkar (evil) is an act of charity, and two Rak'ah Duha prayers which one performs in the forenoon is equal to all this (in reward)."

[Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to recite during the two Rak'ah of Fajr prayer: "Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us..." (2:136) which is in Surat Al-Baqarah in the first Rak'ah and the Verse: "We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e., we submit to Allah." (3:52) in the second Rak'ah.

According to another narration, he (PBUH) recited from Surat Al-'Imran the Verses: "Come to a word which is just between us and you..." (3:64).

[Muslim].

A woman belonging to the Juhainah tribe came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) after having conceived from Zina. She submitted: "O Messenger of Allah! I am liable to Hadd (punishment ordained by Allah), so execute it.'' The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) called her guardian and said, "Treat her well and bring her to me after delivery.'' He acted accordingly. Then the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) commanded to tie her clothes firmly around her and then stoned her to death. He (PBUH) then offered funeral prayer for her.

[Muslim].

"I came to Al-Madinah and said: 'I am going to watch the Messenger of Allah (SAW) pray. He said the takbir and raised his hands until I saw his thumbs near his ears. When he wanted to bow, he said the takbir and raised his hands. Then he raised his head and said: 'Sami Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him).' Then he said the takbir and prostrated, and his hands were in the same position in relation to his ears as when he started the prayer."

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) led us in prayer one day, then he turned to face us and said: 'I am now your imam, so do not hasten to bow or prostrate or stand or leave before I do. I can see you in front of me and behind me.' Then he said: 'By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if you had seen what I have seen, you would laugh little and weep much.' We said: 'What have you seen, O Messenger of Allah (SAW)?' He said: 'Paradise and Hell.'"

"We were with Sa'eed bin Al-'Asi in Tabaristan, and Hudhaifah bin Al-Yaman was with us. He said: 'Which of you offered the fear prayer with the Messenger of Allah (SAW)?' Hudhaifah said: 'I did.' So Hudhaifah stood and the people formed two rows behind him, one row behind him and one row facing the enemy. He led those who were behind him in praying one rak'ah, then they went and took the place of the others, and the others came and he led them in praying one rak'ah, and they did not make it up."

"Two of the old Jewish women of Al-Madinah came to me and said: 'The people of the graves are tormented in their graves.' But I did not believe them, and I did not believe them, and I did not want to believe them. They left and the Messenger of Allah entered upon me, and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, two of the old Jewish women of Al-Madinah said that the people of the graves are tormented in their graves.' He said: 'They spoke the truth. They are tormented in a manner that all the animals can hear.' And I never saw him offer any Salah but he sought refuge with Allah from the torment of the grave."

that Abdur-Rahman bin Awf and some of his companions came to the Prophet in Makkah and said: “O Messenger of Allah! We were respected when we were idolaters and when we believed, we were humiliated.” He said: “I have been commanded to pardon, so do not fight.” Then, when Allah caused us to move to Al-Madinah, He commanded us to fight, but they refrained. Then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed: Have you not seen those who were told to hold back their hands (from fighting) and perform As-Salah”

"The Messenger of Allah said on the Day of Sacrifice:' Whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before the prayer, let him repeat it.' A man stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, this is a day when people want to eat meat.' He mentioned that his neighbors were poor and it was as if the Messenger of Allah believed him. He said: 'I have a Jadh'ah that is dearer to me than tow sheep for meat.; So he granted him a concession (allowing him to sacrifice it) but I do not know whether it applied to anyone else or not. Then he went toward two rams and sacrificed them." (Sahih )

"The Messenger of Allah (saws) cae out from the toilet and some food was brought to him. They said: 'Shall we bring you some water for Wudu'?' He said: 'I have only been ordered to perform Wudu' when standing for Salat.'"

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan [Sahih]. 'Amr bin Dinar has reported it from Sa'eed bin Al-Huwairith, from Ibn 'Abbas. 'Ali bin Al-Madini said: 'Sufyan Ath-Thawri disliked washing the hands before eating food, and he disliked placing the bread under the bowl.'"

“O Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication that I may supplicate with in my Salat.” He (saws) said: “Say: ‘O Allah, I have wronged myself much, and none forgives sins except You. So forgive me with forgiveness from You, and have mercy upon me, indeed, You are the Forgiving, the Merciful (Allāhumma innī ẓalamtu nafsī ẓulman kathīran wa lā yaghfirudh-dhunūba illā anta faghfirlī maghfiratan min `indika warḥamnī innaka antal-Ghafūrur-Raḥīm).’”

"I asked 'Aishah with what the Messenger of Allah [SAW] would start Qiyam Al-Lail. She said: 'You have asked me about something that no one else has asked me about. He used to say Allahu Akbar ten times, and Subhan-Allah ten times, and Istaghfir-Allah ten times, and he would say, Allahummaghfirli, wahdini, warzuqni, wa'afini (O Allah, forgive me, guide me, grant me provision and give me good health,) and he would seek refuge from the difficulty of the standing on the Day of Resurrection.'"

"The Messenger of Allah (saws) had a mat which he would spread in the day and make into a small booth at night to pray in it. The people found out about that and they prayed when he prayed, with the mat in between him and them. He said: 'Do as much of good deeds as you can, for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And the most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are continuous, even if they are few.' Then he stopped that prayer and did not return to it until Allah took him (in death), and if he started to do something he would persist in it."

"The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to gently pat our shoulders (to make sure the row was straight) at the time of prayer, and he-would say:'Keep (the rows) straight; do not differ from one another lest your hearts would be afflicted with discord. Let those who are mature and wise stand closest to me, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them."' Abu Mas'ud said: Today, there is much disharmony among you. ,Abu 'Abdur-Rabin (An-Nasai)said: (One of the narrators) Abu Ma'mar's name is 'Abdullah bin Sakhbarah.

"The Imam is appointed to be followed. If he prays standing then pray standing; when he bows, bow; when he says, Sami' Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him), say 'Rabbana lakalhamd (Our Lord, to You be praise); and if he prays sitting then pray sitting, all of you."

“I was a guest one night together with Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), so he was brought a grilled flank. Then he took the blade and set about carving, and he carved some for me. Bilal arrived calling him to prayer, so he threw the blade away, and he said: ‘Why have his hands been soiled?’ His mustache hung down close to his mouth, so he said to him: ‘I shall clip it for you over a tooth-stick,’ or: ‘Clip it over a tooth-stick'!”

Bahiyyah said: I heard a woman asking Aisha about the woman whose menses became abnormal and she had an issue of blood. The Messenger of Allah (saws) asked me to advise her that she should consider the period during which she used to menstruate every month, when her menstruation was normal. Then she should count the days equal to the length of time (of her normal menses); then she should abandon prayer during those days or equal to that period. She should then take a bath, tie a cloth on her private parts a pray.

When the adhan for the dawn prayer was initially introduced, the Prophet (saws) commanded me to call the adhan and I did so. Then I began to ask: Should I utter iqamah, Messenger of Allah? But he began to look at the direction of the east, (waiting) for the break of dawn, and said: No.

When the dawn broke, he came down and performed ablution and he then turned to me. In the meantime his Companions joined him. Then Bilal wanted to utter the iqamah, but the Prophet (saws) said to him: The man of Suda' has called the adhan, and he who calls the adhan utters the iqamah.

Samurah ibn Jundub and Imran ibn Husayn had a discussion (about the periods of silence in prayer). Samurah then said that he remembered two periods of silence from the Messenger of Allah (saws); one when he uttered the takbir and the other when he finished reciting: "Not of those with whom Thou art angry, nor of those who go astray" (i.7).

Samurah remembered that, but Imran ibn Husayn rejected it.

Then they wrote about it to Ubayy ibn Ka'b. He wrote a letter to them and gave a reply to them that Samurah remembered correctly.

The Prophet (saws) said: If anyone omits the Friday prayer without excuse, he must give one dirham or half a dirham, or one sa' or half a sa' of wheat, in alms.

Abu Dawud said: Sa'id b. Bashir reported this tradition in a like manner, except that he narrated "one mudd or half mudd" (instead of sa'). He narrated it from Samurah.

Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad bin Hanbal being asked about the differences over the narration of this Hadith. He said: "Hammam has a stronger memory - in my opinion - than Ayyub."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: What is the harm if any of you has two garments, if he can provide them, for Friday (prayer) in addition to the two garments for his daily work? Amr reported from Ibn Habib from Musa ibn Sa'd from Ibn Habban from Ibn Salam who heard this (tradition) from the Messenger of Allah (saws) on the pulpit.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been reported by Yusuf b. 'Abd Allah b. Salam from the Prophet (saws) through a different chain of narrators.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) led us in prayer in the time of danger. They (the people) stood in two rows. One row was behind the Messenger of Allah (saws) and the other faced the enemy. The Messenger of Allah (saws) led them in one rak'ah,and then the other section came and took their place; they went and faced the enemy. The Prophet (saws) led them in one rak'ah and uttered the salutation. They stood up and prayed the second rak'ah by themselves and uttered the salutation and went away; they took the place of the other section facing the enemy. They came back and took their place. They prayed one rak'ah by themselves and then uttered the salutation.

Of the men he lives the best life who holds the reins of his horse (ever ready to march) in the way of Allah, flies on its back whenever he hears a fearful shriek, or a call for help, flies to it seeking death at places where it can be expected. (Next to him) is a man who lives with his sheep at a hill-top or in a valley, says his prayers regularly, gives Zakat and worships his Lord until death comes to him. There is no better person among men except these two.

the Messenger of Allah sent Mu'adh to Yemen and said to him: "You are going to a people from the People of the Book, so invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they comply with that, then inform them that Allah has made five prayers obligatory upon them in a day and a night. If they comply with that, then inform then that Allah has ordained a charity upon their wealth, which is to be taken from the rich among them and given to the poor among them. If they comply with that, then beware of their most precious wealth, and protect yourself from the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah."

I said to Jabir b. Samura: Did you have the privilege of sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)? He said: Yes, very frequently, and added: He did not stand up (and go) from the place where he offered the dawn prayer until the sun rose, and after the rising of the sun he stood up, and they (his Companions) entered into conversation with one another and they talked of the things (that they did during the Days of Ignorance), and they laughed (on their unreasonable and ridiculous acts). Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) smiled only.

Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and I were coming out of the mosque that we met a person on the threshold of the mosque and he said to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him): When would be the Last Hour? Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: What preparation have you made for that? The man became silent and then said: Allah's Messenger, I have made no significant preparation with prayer and fasting and charity but I, however, love Allah and His Messenger. Thereupon (the Holy Prophet) said: You would be along with one whom you love.

Allah's Messenger, there is happiness for this child who is a bird from the birds of Paradise for it committed no sin nor has he reached the age when one can commit sin. He said: 'A'isha, per adventure, it may be otherwise, because God created for Paradise those who are fit for it while they were yet in their father's loins and created for Hell those who are to go to Hell. He created them for Hell while they were yet in their father's loins.

The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) got some prisoners of war (slaves). I my sister and Fatimah, daughter of the prophet (May peace be upon him), went to the prophet (May peace be upon him). We complained to him about our condition, and asked him to command for giving us some prisoners (slaves). The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said; The orphans of Badr came before you (and took the slaves). The transmitter then mentioned the story of glorifying Allah after every prayer. He did not mention sleeping.

During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) I was shooting some arrows when an eclipse of the sun tok place. I, therefore , threw them (the arrows) away and said: I must see how the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) acts in a solar eclipse today. So I came to him; he was standing (in prayer) raising his hands, glorifying Allah, praising Him, acknowledging that He is the only Deity, and making supplication till the sun was clear. He then recited two surahs and prayed two rak'ahs.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to commend prayer at night during Ramadan, but did not command it as duty. He would say: If anyone prays during the night in Ramadan because of faith and seeking his reward from Allah, his previous sins will be forgiven for him. When the Messenger of Allah (saws) died, this was the practice, and it continued thus during Abu Bakr's caliphate and early part of 'Umar's.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by 'Uqail, Yunus, and Abu Uwais in like manner. The version of 'Uqail goes: He who fasts during Ramadan and prays during the night.

The Prophet (saws) prayed in time of danger and divided them (the people) behind him in two rows. He then led those who were near him in one rak'ah. Then he stood and remained standing till those who were in second row offered one rak'ah. Thereafter they came forward and those who were in front of them (in the first row) stepped backward. The Prophet (saws) led them in one rak'ah of prayer. He sat down till those who were in the second row completed on rak'ah. He then uttered the salutation.

Abu Dharr said (and not the Prophet): If there is not anything like the back of a saddle in front of a man who is praying, then a donkey, a black dog, and a woman cut off his prayer. I asked him: Why has the black dog been specified, distinguishing it from a red, a yellow and a white dog? He replied: My nephew, I also asked the Messenger of Allah(may peace be upon him) the same question as you asked me. He said: The black dog is a devil.

A man asked Ibb 'Abbas: Have you been present along with the Messenger of Allah (saws) ? He replied: Yes. Had there been no dignity for me in his eyes, I would not have been present with him due to my minority. Then the Messenger of Allah (saws) came to the point that was near the house of Kathir b. al-Salt. He prayed and afterwards preached. He (Ibn 'Abbas) did not mention the adhan (call to prayer) and the iqamah. He then commanded to give alms. The women began to point to their ears and throats (to give their jewelry in alms).

I heard Ka'b bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) narrating the story of his remaining behind instead of joining Messenger of Allah (PBUH) when he left for the battle of Tabuk. Ka'b said: "I accompanied Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in every expedition which he undertook excepting the battle of Tabuk and the battle of Badr. As for the battle of Badr, nobody was blamed for remaining behind as Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and the Muslims, when they set out, had in mind only to intercept the caravan of the Quraish. Allah made them confront their enemies unexpectedly. I had the honour of being with Messenger of Allah (PBUH) on the night of 'Aqabah when we pledged our allegiance to Islam and it was dearer to me than participating in the battle of Badr, although Badr was more well-known among the people than that. And this is the account of my staying behind from the battle of Tabuk. I never had better means and more favourable circumstances than at the time of this expedition. And by Allah, I had never before possessed two riding-camels as I did during the time of this expedition. Whenever Messenger of Allah (PBUH) decided to go on a campaign, he would not disclose his real destination till the last moment (of departure). But on this expedition, he set out in extremely hot weather; the journey was long and the terrain was waterless desert; and he had to face a strong army, so he informed the Muslims about the actual position so that they should make full preparation for the campaign. And the Muslims who accompanied Messenger of Allah (PBUH) at that time were in large number but no proper record of them was maintained." Ka'b (further) said: "Few were the persons who chose to remain absent believing that they could easily hide themselves (and thus remain undetected) unless Revelation from Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious (revealed relating to them). And Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out on this expedition when the fruit were ripe and their shade was sought. I had a weakness for them and it was during this season that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and the Muslims made preparations. I also would set out in the morning to make preparations along with them but would come back having done nothing and said to myself: 'I have means enough (to make preparations) as soon as I like'. And I went on doing this (postponing my preparations) till the time of departure came and it was in the morning that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out along with the Muslims, but I had made no preparations. I would go early in the morning and come back, but with no decision. I went on doing so until they (the Muslims) hastened and covered a good deal of distance. Then I wished to march on and join them. Would that I had done that! But perhaps it was not destined for me. After the departure of Messenger of Allah (PBUH) whenever I went out, I was grieved to find no good example to follow but confirmed hypocrites or weak people whom Allah had exempted (from marching forth for Jihad). Messenger of Allah (PBUH) made no mention of me until he reached Tabuk. While he was sitting with the people in Tabuk, he said, 'What happened to Ka'b bin Malik?' A person from Banu Salimah said: "O Messenger of Allah, the (beauty) of his cloak and an appreciation of his finery have detained him.' Upon this Mu'adh bin Jabal (MatAllah be pleased with him) admonished him and said to Messenger of Allah (PBUH): "By Allah, we know nothing about him but good.' Messenger of Allah (PBUH), however, kept quiet. At that time he (the Prophet (PBUH)) saw a person dressed in white and said, 'Be Abu Khaithamah.' And was Abu Khaithamah Al- Ansari was the person who had contributed a Sa' of dates and was ridiculed by the hypocrites." Ka'b bin Malik further said: "When the news reached me that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was on his way back from Tabuk, I was greatly distressed. I thought of fabricating an excuse and asked myself how I would save myself from his anger the next day. In this connection, I sought the counsels of every prudent member of my family. When I was told that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was about to arrive, all the wicked ideas vanished (from my mind) and I came to the conclusion that nothing but the truth could save me. So I decided to tell him the truth. It was in the morning that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) arrived in Al-Madinah. It was his habit that whenever he came back from a journey, he would first go to the mosque and perform two Rak'ah (of optional prayer) and would then sit with the people. When he sat, those who had remained behind him began to put forward their excuses and take an oath before him. They were more than eighty in number. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) accepted their excuses on the very face of them and accepted their allegiance and sought forgiveness for them and left their insights to Allah, until I appeared before him. I greeted him and he smiled and there was a tinge of anger in that. He then said to me, 'Come forward'. I went forward and I sat in front of him. He said to me, 'What kept you back? Could you not afford to go in for a ride?' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, if I were to sit before anybody else, a man of the world, I would have definitely saved myself from his anger on one pretext or the other and I have a gifted skill in argumentation, but, by Allah, I am fully aware that if I were to put forward before you a lame excuse to please you, Allah would definitely provoke your wrath upon me. In case, I speak the truth, you may be angry with me, but I hope that Allah would be pleased with me (and accept my repentance). By Allah, there is no valid excuse for me. By Allah, I never possessed so good means, and I never had such favourable conditions for me as I had when I stayed behind.' Thereupon, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, 'This man spoke the truth, so get up (and wait) until Allah gives a decision about you.' I left and some people of Banu Salimah followed me. They said to me, 'By Allah, we do not know that you committed a sin before. You, however, showed inability to put forward an excuse before Messenger of Allah (PBUH) like those who stayed behind him. It would have been enough for the forgiveness of your sin that Messenger of Allah (PBUH) would have sought forgiveness for you.' By Allah, they kept on reproaching me until I thought of going back to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and retract my confession. Then I said to them, 'Has anyone else met the same fate?' They said, 'Yes, two persons have met the same fate. They made the same statement as you did and the same verdict was delivered in their case.' I asked, 'Who are they?' They said, 'Murarah bin Ar-Rabi' Al-'Amri and Hilal bin Umaiyyah Al- Waqifi.' They mentioned these two pious men who had taken part in the battle of Badr and there was an example for me in them. I was confirmed in my original resolve. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) prohibited the Muslims to talk to the three of us from amongst those who had stayed behind. The people began to avoid us and their attitude towards us changed and it seemed as if the whole atmosphere had turned against us, and it was in fact the same atmosphere of which I was fully aware and in which I had lived (for a fairly long time). We spent fifty nights in this very state and my two friends confined themselves within their houses and spent (most of their) time weeping. As I was the youngest and the strongest, I would leave my house, attend the congregational Salat, move about in the bazaars, but none would speak to me. I would come to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) as he sat amongst (people) after the Salat, greet him and would ask myself whether or not his lips moved in response to my greetings. Then I would perform Salat near him and look at him stealthily. When I finish my Salat, he would look at me and when I would cast a glance at him he would turn away his eyes from me. When the harsh treatment of the Muslims to me continued for a (considerable) length of time, I walked and I climbed upon the wall of the garden of Abu Qatadah, who was my cousin, and I had a great love for him. I greeted him but, by Allah, he did not answer to my greeting. I said to him, 'O Abu Qatadah, I adjure you in the Name of Allah, are you not aware that I love Allah and His Messenger (PBUH)?' I asked him the same question again but he remained silent. I again adjured him, whereupon he said, 'Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) know better.' My eyes were filled with tears, and I came back climbing down the wall.

As I was walking in the bazaars of Al-Madinah, a man from the Syrian peasants, who had come to sell food grains in Al-Madinah, asked people to direct him to Ka'b bin Malik. People pointed towards me. He came to me and delivered a letter from the King of Ghassan, and as I was a scribe, I read that letter whose purport was: 'It has been conveyed to us that your friend (the Prophet (PBUH)) was treating you harshly. Allah has not created you for a place where you are to be degraded and where you cannot find your right place; so come to us and we shall receive you graciously.' As I read that letter I said: 'This is too a trial,' so I put it to fire in an oven. When forty days had elapsed and Messenger of Allah (PBUH) received no Revelation, there came to me a messenger of the Messenger of Allah and said, 'Verily, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has commanded you to keep away from your wife.' I said, 'Should I divorce her or what else should I do?' He said, 'No, but only keep away from her and don't have sexual contact with her.' The same message was sent to my companions. So, I said to my wife: 'You better go to your parents and stay there with them until Allah gives the decision in my case.' The wife of Hilal bin Umaiyyah came to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, Hilal bin Umaiyyah is a senile person and has no servant. Do you disapprove if I serve him?' He said, 'No, but don't let him have any sexual contact with you.' She said, 'By Allah, he has no such desire left in him. By Allah, he has been in tears since (this calamity) struck him.' Members of my family said to me, 'You should have sought permission from Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in regard to your wife. He has allowed the wife of Hilal bin Umaiyyah to serve him.' I said, 'I would not seek permission from Messenger of Allah (PBUH) for I do not know what Messenger of Allah might say in response to that, as I am a young man'. It was in this state that I spent ten more nights and thus fifty days had passed since people boycotted us and gave up talking to us. After I had offered my Fajr prayer on the early morning of the fiftieth day of this boycott on the roof of one of our houses, and had sat in the very state which Allah described as: 'The earth seemed constrained for me despite its vastness', I heard the voice of a proclaimer from the peak of the hill Sal' shouting at the top of his voice: 'O Ka'b bin Malik, rejoice.' I fell down in prostration and came to know that there was (a message of) relief for me. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had informed the people about the acceptance of our repentance by Allah after he had offered the Fajr prayer. So the people went on to give us glad tidings and some of them went to my companions in order to give them the glad tidings. A man spurred his horse towards me (to give the good news), and another one from the tribe of Aslam came running for the same purpose and, as he approached the mount, I received the good news which reached me before the rider did. When the one whose voice I had heard came to me to congratulate me, I took off my garments and gave them to him for the good news he brought to me. By Allah, I possessed nothing else (in the form of clothes) except these garments, at that time. Then I borrowed two garments, dressed myself and came to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) On my way, I met groups of people who greeted me for (the acceptance of) repentance and they said: 'Congratulations for acceptance of your repentance.' I reached the mosque where Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was sitting amidst people. Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah got up and rushed towards me, shook hands with me and greeted me. By Allah, no person stood up (to greet me) from amongst the Muhajirun besides him." Ka'b said that he never forgot (this good gesture of) Talhah. Ka'b further said: "I greeted Messenger of Allah (PBUH) with 'As-salamu 'alaikum' and his face was beaming with pleasure. He (PBUH) said, 'Rejoice with the best day you have ever seen since your mother gave you birth. 'I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Is this (good news) from you or from Allah?' He said, 'No, it is from Allah.' And it was common with Messenger of Allah (PBUH) that when ever he was happy, his face would glow as if it were a part of the moon and it was from this that we recognized it (his delight). As I sat before him, I said, I have placed a condition upon myself that if Allah accepts my Taubah, I would give up all of my property in charity for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (PBUH)!' Thereupon Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, 'Keep some property with you, as it is better for you.' I said, 'I shall keep with me that portion which is in Khaibar'. I added: 'O Messenger of Allah! Verily, Allah has granted me salvation because of my truthfulness, and therefore, repentance obliges me to speak nothing but the truth as long as I am alive." Ka'b added: "By Allah, I do not know anyone among the Muslims who has been granted truthfulness better than me since I said this to the Prophet (PBUH). By Allah! Since the time I made a pledge of this to Messenger of Allah (PBUH), I have never intended to tell a lie, and I hope that Allah would protect me (against telling lies) for the rest of my life. Allah, the Exalted, the Glorious, revealed these Verses:

'Allah has forgiven the Prophet (PBUH), the Muhajirun (Muslim Emigrants who left their homes and came to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (Muslims of Al- Madinah) who followed him (Muhammad (PBUH)) in the time of distress (Tabuk expedition), after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated (from the Right Path), but He accepted their repentance. Certainly, He is unto them full of kindness, Most Merciful. And (He did forgive also) the three who did not join [the Tabuk expedition and whose case was deferred (by the Prophet (PBUH)) for Allah's Decision] till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their ownselves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but with Him. Then, He forgave them (accepted their repentance), that they might beg for His Pardon [repent (unto Him)]. Verily, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful. O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in word and deeds)." (9:117,118).

Ka'b said: "By Allah, since Allah guided me to Islam, there has been no blessing more significant for me than this truth of mine which I spoke to Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and if I were to tell a lie I would have been ruined as were ruined those who had told lies, for Allah described those who told lies with the worst description He ever attributed to anybody else, as He sent down the Revelation:

They will swear by Allah to you (Muslims) when you return to them, that you may turn away from them. So turn away from them. Surely, they are Rijsun [i.e., Najasun (impure) because of their evil deeds], and Hell is their dwelling place - a recompense for that which they used to earn. They (the hypocrites) swear to you (Muslims) that you may be pleased with them, but if you are pleased with them, certainly Allah is not pleased with the people who are Al- Fa'siqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah)". (9:95,96)

Ka'b further added: "The matter of the three of us remained pending for decision apart from the case of those who had made excuses on oath before Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and he accepted those, took fresh oaths of allegiance from them and supplicated for their forgiveness. The Prophet (PBUH) kept our matter pending till Allah decided it. The three whose matter was deferred have been shown mercy. The reference here is not to our staying back from the expedition but to his delaying our matter and keeping it pending beyond the matter of those who made their excuses on oath which he accepted".

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim]

Another version adds: "Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out for Tabuk on Thursday. He used to prefer to set out on journey on Thursday." Another version says: "Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to come back from a journey in the early forenoon and went straight to the mosque where he would perform two Rak'ah prayer. Afterwards he would seat himself there".

The Messenger of Allah (saws) passed Hamzah who was killed and disfigured. He said: If Safiyyah were not grieved, I would have left him until the birds and beasts of prey would have eaten him, and he would have been resurrected from their bellies. The garments were scanty and the slain were in great number. So one, two and three persons were shrouded in one garment. The narrator Qutaybah added: They were then buried in one grave. The Messenger of Allah (saws) asked: Which of the two learnt the Qur'an more? He then advanced him toward the qiblah (direction of prayer).

A Muslim was about to die at Daquqa', but he did not find any Muslim to call him for witness to his will. So he called two men of the people of the Book for witness. Then they came to Kufah, and approaching AbuMusa al-Ash'ari they informed him (about his) will. They brought his inheritance and will. Al-Ash'ari said: This is an incident (like) which happened in the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and never occurred after him. So he made them to swear by Allah after the afternoon prayer to the effect that they had not misappropriated, nor told a lie, nor changed, nor concealed, nor altered, and that it was the will of the man and his inheritance. He then executed their witness.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) led us in the night prayer one night towards the end of his life. When he uttered the salutation, he got up and said : Have you seen this night of yours ? No one of those who are on the surface of the earth will survive at the ends of one hundred years. Ibn ‘Umar said: The people fell into fallacy by this statement of the Messenger of Allah (saws) about the traditions they used to narrate concerning one hundred years. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: No one of those who are present today on the surface of the earth will survive, meaning when that century comes to and end.

She said that God’s messenger hastened to Mecca at the ending of the day when he prayed the noon prayer. He then returned to Mina and remained there over the nights of the. tashriq days. (The 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul Hijja. The name tashriq is explained as a reference to pieces the flesh of the sacrifices which pilgrims dry in the sun) He would throw pebbles at the jamra when the sun passed the meridian, throwing seven at each jamra and saying “God is most Great” with each pebble. He would stand a long time at the first and second and make supplication, but while he threw pebbles at the third, he did not stand beside it. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas said that a man came panting and entered the row of worshippers and said, “God is most great. Praise be to God, much, good and blessed.” When God’s Messenger finished his prayer he asked, “Which of you is the one who spoke the words?” but the people remained silent. He asked again, and when they still kept silence, he said, “Which of you said them? He said nothing wrong.” Then a man said, “I came and had difficulty in breathing, so I said them.” He replied, “I saw twelve angels racing one another to be the one to take them up to God.” Muslim transmitted it.

Shaddad b. Aus said that God's Messenger used to say in his prayer, “O God, I ask Thee for steadfastness in carrying out what I am commanded and resolution in following right guidance. I ask Thee to make me grateful for Thy favour and to enable me to worship Thee acceptably. I ask Thee for a sound heart and a truthful tongue. I ask Thee for some of the good of what Thou knowest, I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of what Thou knowest, and I ask Thy forgiveness for what Thou knowest.” Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted something similar.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Three types attend Friday prayer; one is present in a frivolous way and that is all he gets from it; another comes with a supplication, he being a man who makes supplication to God who may grant or refuse his request as He wishes; another is present silently and quietly without stepping over a Muslim or annoying anyone, and that is an atonement for his sins till the next Friday and three days more, the reason being that God says, ‘He who does a good deed will have ten times as much’”(Al-Qur’an; 6:160). Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Salman al-Fairisi told that he heard God’s Messenger say, “Being stationed for a day and a night on the frontier in God’s path is better than fasting a month and spending its nights in prayer. If one dies he will be rewarded for the deeds he was doing, he will be given his provision, and will be safe from him who tests him.”* * Al-fattan. There is some doubt as to the reference here. It may be the devil, this name being used because he tempts people to sin; or it may mean the one who examines men in the grave. Munkar and Nakir are called fattana'l-qabr, the two who test men in the grave. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that when one of God’s Messenger’s companion came upon a mountain path containing a small spring of fresh water and was delighted by it, he expressed a desire to withdraw from the people and stay in that path. He mentioned that to God’s Messenger, and he replied, “Do not do it, for when any of you remains in God’s path it is more excellent than prayer in his house during seventy years. Do you not want* God to forgive you and bring you into paradise? Fight* in God's path. He who fights in God's path as long as the time between two milkings of a she-camel will be assured of paradise." *These verbs are in plural. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas told that the Prophet sent ‘Abdallah b. Rawaha with a detachment and that happened to be on a Friday. His companions set off in the morning, but he decided to stay behind and catch up on them after saying the prayer along with God’s Messenger. When he did so he saw him and asked him what had prevented him from going out in the morning with his companions. He replied, “I wanted to pray along with you and then catch up with them,” whereupon he said, “If you were to contribute all the earth contains you would not attain to the excellence of their going out in the morning.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Sulayman Malik ibn al-Huwayrith said, "We came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, being young men of a similar age. We spent twenty nights with him. He thought that we desired our own people and he asked us about those of our family we had left behind, and we told him. He was merciful and kind, and said, 'Go back to your family. Instruct and command them. Pray as you have seen me praying. When it is time for the prayer, then let one of you give the adhan and let the oldest of you lead the payer.;:

"It is the believers who are successful: those who are humble in their prayer; those who turn away from worthless talk; those who actively pay zakat; those who guard their private parts." (23:1-5)' She said, 'That was the character of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.'"

Thabit reported that he was with Anas in a corner above one of his rooms. He said, "We heard the adhan and he came down and I came down as well. He took short stops and said, 'I was with Zayd ibn Thabit and I walked with him in this fashion. He said, "Do you know why I did it to you? The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, walked in this manner and he said, 'Do you know why I walked with you?' I replied, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said, 'So that there would be a greater number of steps in search of the prayer.'"'"

Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated, ‘When the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) prayed a funeral prayer, he would say, "O Allah! Forgive those of us who are alive, and those who are dead, those present and those absent, those who are young and those who are male and those who are female. O Allah! Let those of us to whom You have given life, live in Islam, and let those of us You take back die in a state of faith. O Allah! Do not deprive us of our reward for (supplicating for) him, and cause us not to go astray after him." Related by Muslim and the four Imams.

“You are going to a people who are People of the Scripture. Invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that l am His Messenger. If they obey you in this, then teach them that Allah, the Glorious One, has enjoined five prayers upon them in every day and night (in twenty-four hours), and if they obey you in this, then tell them that Allah has made it obligatory for them to pay Zakah upon their assets and it is to be taken from the wealthy among them and given to the poor among them.” Related by Al-Bukhari

He who makes additions to God’s Book, he who declares God’s decree to be false, he who rules proudly to exalt him whom God has humbled and humble him whom God has exalted, he who profanes God’s sacred area, he who considers he may do to my family what God has declared forbidden, and he who abandons my sunna.” Baihaqi transmitted it in the introduction and Razin in his book.

Shu'ba said that when Ibn ‘Abbas washed because of seminal defilement he emptied water seven times from his right hand over his left hand, then washed his private parts. Once he forgot how often he had emptied it, so he asked Shu'ba, but he replied that he did not know, so he said, “You should be ashamed of yourself. What prevents you from knowing?” Then he would perform his ablution for prayer, then pour water over his body and say, “Thus was God’s messenger accustomed to purify himself.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

While we were in the mosque with God’s messenger a desert Arab came and began to pass water in the mosque. The companions of God's messenger said, “Stop! Stop!” but God’s messenger said, “Don’t interrupt him; leave him alone.” They left him alone, and when he had finished God’s messenger called him and said to him, “These mosques are not suitable places for urine and filth, but are only for remembrance of God, prayer and recitation of the Qur’an,” or however God’s messenger expressed it.* Anas said that he then grave orders to one of the people who brought a bucket and poured water over it. *Indicating that the transmitter is not sure of the exact words. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He told that the Prophet entered a grave during the night, and when a lamp was lit for him he faced the qibla and said, “God have mercy on you if you were devoted to supplication with tears (The Arabic is awwah which cannot easily be translated by one word. It is variously explained as meaning one much given to sighing through fear of God, one much given to supplication from love of God, one much given to weeping from fefir, or one much given to prayer asking for God’s mercy. Cf. Mirqat, ii, 376) and to the recitation of the Qur’an.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, but in Sharh as- sunna its isnad is said to be weak.

When God’s Messenger once asked Ubayy b. Ka'b how he recited in the course of the prayer and he recited Umm al- Qur’ān (Al-Qur’ān 1) , he said, “By Him in whose hand my soul is, nothing like it has been sent down in the Torah, the Injīl, the Zabūr, or the Qur’ān, and it is seven of the oft-repeated verses and the mighty Qur’ān (Qur’ān, 15:87) which I have been given.” Tirmidhī transmitted it, and Dārimī transmitted from “nothing like it has been sent down,” but he did not mention Ubayy b. Ka‘b. Tirmidhī said this is a hasan sahīh tradition.