Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that A'isha, umm al-muminin said, "When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to Madina, Abu Bakr and Bilal came down with a fever. I visited them and said, 'Father, how are you? Bilal, how are you?'" She continued, "When Abu Bakr's fever worsened he would say, 'Every man is struck down among his people in the morning - death is nearer than the strap of his sandal.'"

When it left Bilal, he raised his voice and said, 'Would that I knew whether I will spend a night at the valley of Makka with the idhkhir herb and jalil herb around me. Will I go one day to the waters of Majinna? Will the mountains of Shama and Tafil appear to me?' " '

A'isha continued, "I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and informed him. He said, 'O Allah! Make us love Madina as much as we love Makka or even more. Make it sound and bless us in our sa and mudd. Remove its fever and put it in al-Juhfa.' "

Yahya related to me from Malik from Wahb ibn Kaysan that Jabir ibn Abdullah said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent a delegation to the coast. Abu Ubayda ibn al- Jarrah was in command of them. There were 300 people and I was among them. We went out until we had gone part of the way and our provisions were finished. Abu Ubayda ordered that the provisions of the army be gathered up and they amounted to two containers of dates. He used to give us a little provision from it each day until it was finished, and we used to have only a single date each. I said, 'What use is one date?' He said, 'We will certainly feel its loss when they are finished.' "

Jabir continued, "Then we reached the sea and there was a fish like a small mountain. The army ate from it for eighteen nights. Then Abu Ubayda ordered two ribs from it to be set up. Then he commanded that a camel be ridden underneath them and it did not touch them."

When the Verse:--'And warn your tribe of near-kindred, was revealed, the Prophet ascended the Safa (mountain) and started calling, "O Bani Fihr! O Bani `Adi!" addressing various tribes of Quraish till they were assembled. Those who could not come themselves, sent their messengers to see what was there. Abu Lahab and other people from Quraish came and the Prophet then said, "Suppose I told you that there is an (enemy) cavalry in the valley intending to attack you, would you believe me?" They said, "Yes, for we have not found you telling anything other than the truth." He then said, "I am a warner to you in face of a terrific punishment." Abu Lahab said (to the Prophet) "May your hands perish all this day. Is it for this purpose you have gathered us?" Then it was revealed: "Perish the hands of Abu Lahab (one of the Prophet's uncles), and perish he! His wealth and his children will not profit him...." (111.1-5)

An uncle of mine called Abu Burda, slaughtered his sacrifice before the `Id prayer. So Allah's Apostle said to him, "Your (slaughtered) sheep was just mutton (not a sacrifice)." Abu Burda said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have got a domestic kid goat." The Prophet said, "Slaughter it (as a sacrifice) but it will not be permissible for anybody other than you" The Prophet added, "Whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before the (`Id) prayer, he only slaughtered for himself, and whoever slaughtered it after the prayer, he offered his sacrifice properly and followed the tradition of the Muslims."

When Allah's Apostle emigrated to Medina, Abu Bakr and Bilal got a fever. I entered upon them and asked, "O my father! How are you? O Bilal! How are you?" Whenever fever attacked Abu Bakr, he would recite the following poetic verses: 'Everybody is staying alive among his people, yet death is nearer to him than his shoe laces." And whenever the fever deserted Bilal, he would recite (two poetic lines): 'Would that I could stay overnight in a valley wherein I would be surrounded by Idhkhir and Jalil (two kinds of good smelling grass). Would that one day I would drink of the water of Majinna and would that Shama and Tafil (two mountains at Mecca) would appear to me.' Then I came and informed Allah's Apostle about that, whereupon he said, "O Allah! Make us love Medina as much or more than we love Mecca. O Allah! Make it healthy and bless its Mudd and Sa for us, and take away its fever and put it in Al Juhfa."

When Allah's Apostle emigrated to Medina, Abu Bakr and Bilal had a fever. I entered upon them and said, "O my father! How are you? O Bilal! How are you?" Whenever Abu Bakr got the fever he used to say, "Everybody is staying alive with his people, yet death is nearer to him than his shoe laces." And when fever deserted Bilal, he would recite (two poetic verses): "Would that I could stay overnight in a valley wherein I would be surrounded by Idhkhir and Jalil (two kinds of good smelling grass). Would that one day I could drink of the water of Majinna, and would that Shama and Tafil (two mountains at Mecca) would appear to me!" I went to Allah's Apostle and informed him about that. He said, "O Allah! Make us love Medina as much or more than we love Mecca, and make it healthy, and bless its Sa and its Mudd, and take away its fever and put it in Al-Juhfa." (See Hadith No 558) .

Sahl bin Sa`d said that a woman brought a Burda (sheet) to the Prophet. Sahl asked the people, "Do you know what is a Burda?" The people replied, "It is a 'Shamla', a sheet with a fringe." That woman said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have brought it so that you may wear it." So the Prophet took it because he was in need of it and wore it. A man among his companions, seeing him wearing it, said, "O Allah's Apostle! Please give it to me to wear." The Prophet said, "Yes." (and gave him that sheet). When the Prophet left, the man was blamed by his companions who said, "It was not nice on your part to ask the Prophet for it while you know that he took it because he was in need of it, and you also know that he (the Prophet) never turns down anybody's request that he might be asked for." That man said, "I just wanted to have its blessings as the Prophet had put it on, so l hoped that I might be shrouded in it."

This hadith was mentioned through another chain.

Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) said, "A man said that he would give something in charity. He went out with his object of charity and unknowingly gave it to a thief. Next morning the people said that he had given his object of charity to a thief. (On hearing that) he said, "O Allah! All the praises are for you. I will give alms again." And so he again went out with his alms and (unknowingly) gave it to an adulteress. Next morning the people said that he had given his alms to an adulteress last night. The man said, "O Allah! All the praises are for you. (I gave my alms) to an adulteress. I will give alms again." So he went out with his alms again and (unknowingly) gave it to a rich person. (The people) next morning said that he had given his alms to a wealthy person. He said, "O Allah! All the praises are for you. (I had given alms) to a thief, to an adulteress and to a wealthy man." Then someone came and said to him, "The alms which you gave to the thief, might make him abstain from stealing, and that given to the adulteress might make her abstain from illegal sexual intercourse (adultery), and that given to the wealthy man might make him take a lesson from it and spend his wealth which Allah has given him, in Allah's cause."

The Prophet said, "The example of a miser and an almsgiver is like the example of two persons wearing iron cloaks." Allah's Apostle also said, "The example of an almsgiver and a miser is like the example of two persons who have two iron cloaks on them from their breasts to their collar bones, and when the almsgiver wants to give in charity, the cloak becomes capacious till it covers his whole body to such an extent that it hides his fingertips and covers his footprints (obliterates his tracks). (1) And when the miser wants to spend, it (the iron cloak) sticks and every ring gets stuck to its place and he tries to widen it, but it did not become wide.

Allah's Apostle was informed that I had taken an oath to fast daily and to pray (every night) all the night throughout my life (so Allah's Apostle came to me and asked whether it was correct): I replied, "Let my parents be sacrificed for you! I said so." The Prophet said, "You can not do that. So, fast for few days and give it up for few days, offer Salat (prayer) and sleep. Fast three days a month as the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times and that will be equal to one year of fasting." The Prophet said to me, "Fast one day and give up fasting for two days." I replied, "I can do better than that." The Prophet said to me, "Fast one day and give up fasting for a day and that is the fasting of Prophet David and that is the best fasting." I said, "I have the power to fast better (more) than that." The Prophet said, "There is no better fasting than that."

That the Messenger of Allah (saws) sold a saddle blanket and a drinking bowl. He (saws) said: "Who will buy saddle blanket and drinking bowl ?". So a man said: "I will take them for a Dirham." So the Prophet (saws) said: "Who will give more than a Dirham ? Who will give more that a Dirham ?" A man agreed to give him two Dirham, so he sold them to him.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan. We do not know of it except from the narration of Al-Akhdar bin 'Ajlan, and 'Abdullah Al-Hanafi who is reporting from Anas, is Abu Bakr Al-Hanafi.

This is acted upon according to some of the people of knowledge, they did not see any harm in auctioning the spolis of war and inheritance.

Al-Mu'tamir bin Sulaiman and others among the people of Hadith reported from Al-Akhdar bin 'Ajlan.

"The Messenger of Allah (saws) prohibited bartering animals on credit."

He said: There are narration on this topic from Ibn 'Abbas, Jabir, Ibn 'Umar.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Samurah is Hasan Sahih Hadith. It is correct that Al-Hasan heard from Samurah, this is what 'Ali bin Al-Madini and others said.

Regarding (the prohibition of) bartering animals on credit, this is acted upon according to most of the people of knowledge among the Companions of the Prophet (saws) and others. This is the view of Sufyan Ath-Thawri and the people of Al-Kufah, and it is the view of Ahmad.

Some of the people of knowledge, among the Companions of the Prophet (saws) and others, permitted bartering animals for animals on credit. This is the view of Ash-Shafi'i and Ishaq.

That the Prophet (saws) said: "Fulfill the trust for the one who entrusted you, and do not cheat the one who cheated you."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Gharib. Some of the people of knowledge followed this Hadith, they said that when something belonging to a man is with another and he leaves (with it), then he has something that belongs to him, he may not withhold from him an equivalent to what the other took of his.

Some of the people of knowledge among the Tabi'in allowed that. This is the view of Sufyan Ath-Thawri, he said: "If one man has some Dirham that belong to another, and the second has some Dinar belonging to the first, he may not withhold any in place of his Dirham, unless it so happens that he has some Dirham of his, then in that case he can withhold some of his Dirham equal to what he is owed by the first."

From Sa'eed bin Al-Musayyab, from Ma'mar bin 'Abdullah bin Nadlah who said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) saying: 'Hoarding is nothing but sin.' So I (Muhammad) said to Sa'eed: "O Abu Muhammad! You hoard?" He said: "And Ma'mar would hoard."

It is also been reported that Sa'eed bin Musayyab would hoard oil, (camel) fodder, and the like.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] There are narrations on this topic from 'Umar, 'Ali, Abu Umamah, and Ibn 'Umar. The Hadith of Ma'mar is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge, they dislike hoarding food, and some of them make a concession for hoarding things other than food. Ibn Al-Mubarak said: "There is no harm in hoarding cotton, goat pelts and like."

That the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Do not practice An-Najsh."

[He said:] There are narrations on this topic from Ibn 'Umar and Anas.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Abu Hurairah is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. This is acted upon according to the people of knowledge, they disliked An-Najsh.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] An-Najsh is when a man who knows about the goods comes to the owner of the goods to offer him more than what it is worth, doing so in the presence of the buyer. He intends to seduce the buyer while he himself does not want to buy it, rather he only wants to deceive the buyer with his offer. And this is type of deceit.

Ash-Shafi'i said: "If a man commits An-Najsh the he has sinned due to what he has done, but the sale is permissible, because the buyer did not commit An-Najsh."

The Prophet (saws) offered the noon prayer in time of danger. Some of the people formed a row behind him and others arrayed themselves against the enemy. He led them in two rak'ahs and then he uttered the salutation. Then those who were with him went away and took the position of their companions before the enemy. Then they came and prayed behind him. He led them in two rak'ahs and uttered the salutation. Thus the Messenger of Allah (saws) offered four rak'ahs and his companions offered two rak'ahs.

Al-Hasan used to give legal verdict on the authority of this tradition.

Abu Dawud said: This will be so in the sunset prayer. The imam will offer six rak'ahs and the people three rak'ahs.

Abu Dawud said: Yahya b. Abi Kathir narrated from Abu Salamah from Jabir from the Prophet (saws) something similar. Sulaiman al-Yashkuri reported it from the Prophet (saws) in like manner.

Note: The majority of scholars interpret this to mean that these things in and of themselves do not transmit or cause harm through supernatural or hidden means but that Allah is ultimately in control and any fearful superstition around these is false.

When Allah revealed the Verse: "Warn your nearest kinsmen," Allah's Apostle got up and said, "O people of Quraish (or said similar words)! Buy (i.e. save) yourselves (from the Hellfire) as I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment; O Bani `Abd Manaf! I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment, O Safiya, the Aunt of Allah's Apostle! I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment; O Fatima bint Muhammad! Ask me anything from my wealth, but I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment."

I went to Allah's Apostle while he was at Khaibar after it had fallen in the Muslims' hands. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Give me a share (from the land of Khaibar)."

One of the sons of Sa'id bin Al-'As said, "O Allah's Apostle! Do not give him a share." I said, "This is the murderer of Ibn Qauqal." The son of Said bin Al-As said, "Strange! A Wabr (i.e. guinea pig) who has come down to us from the mountain of Qaduim (i.e. grazing place of sheep) blames me for killing a Muslim who was given superiority by Allah because of me, and Allah did not disgrace me at his hands (i.e. was not killed as an infidel)." (The sub-narrator said "I do not know whether the Prophet gave him a share or not.")

Allah's Apostle came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Bu'ath (a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansar, i.e. Khazraj and Aus, before Islam.) The Prophet reclined on the bed and turned his face to the other side. Abu Bakr came and scolded me and said protestingly, "Instrument of Satan in the presence of Allah's Apostle?" Allah's Apostle turned his face towards him and said, "Leave them." When Abu Bakr became inattentive, I waved the two girls to go away and they left. It was the day of `Id when negroes used to play with leather shields and spears. Either I requested Allah's Apostle or he himself asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then he let me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, "Carry on, O Bani Arfida (i.e. negroes)!" When I got tired, he asked me if that was enough. I replied in the affirmative and he told me to leave.

That he proceeded in the company of Allah's Apostle towards Najd to participate in a Ghazwa. (Holybattle) When Allah's Apostle returned, he too returned with him. Midday came upon them while they were in a valley having many thorny trees. Allah's Apostle and the people dismounted and dispersed to rest in the shade of the trees. Allah's Apostle rested under a tree and hung his sword on it. We all took a nap and suddenly we heard Allah's Apostle calling us. (We woke up) to see a bedouin with him. The Prophet said, "This bedouin took out my sword while I was sleeping and when I woke up, I found the unsheathed sword in his hand and he challenged me saying, 'Who will save you from me?' I said thrice, 'Allah.' The Prophet did not punish him but sat down.

Once the Prophet was offering the prayer in the shade of the Ka`ba. Abu Jahl and some Quraishi men sent somebody to bring the Abdominal contents of a shecamel which had been slaughtered somewhere in Mecca, and when he brought them, they put them over the Prophet Then Fatima (i.e. the Prophet's daughter) came and threw them away from him, and he said, "O Allah! Destroy (the pagans of) Quraish; O Allah! Destroy Quraish; O Allah Destroy Quraish," naming especially Abu Jahl bin Hisham, `Utba bin Rabi`a, Shaiba bin Rabi`a, Al Walid bin `Utba, Ubai bin Khalaf and `Uqba bin Abi Mitt. (The narrator, `Abdullah added, "I saw them all killed and thrown in the Badr well).

The Prophet got up amongst us and mentioned Al Ghulul, emphasized its magnitude and declared that it was a great sin saying, "Don't commit Ghulul for I should not like to see anyone amongst you on the Day of Ressurection, carrying over his neck a sheep that will be bleating, or carrying over his neck a horse that will be neighing. Such a man will be saying: 'O Allah's Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me,' and I will reply, 'I can't help you, for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you Nor should I like to see a man carrying over his neck, a camel that will be grunting. Such a man will say, 'O Allah's Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me, and I will say, 'I can't help you for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you,' or one carrying over his neck gold and silver and saying, 'O Allah's Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me,' and I will say, 'I can't help you for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you,' or one carrying clothes that will be fluttering, and the man will say, 'O Allah's Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me.' And I will say, 'I can't help you, for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you."

The Angel of Death was sent to Moses when he came to Moses, Moses slapped him on the eye. The angel returned to his Lord and said, "You have sent me to a Slave who does not want to die." Allah said, "Return to him and tell him to put his hand on the back of an ox and for every hair that will come under it, he will be granted one year of life." Moses said, "O Lord! What will happen after that?" Allah replied, "Then death." Moses said, "Let it come now." Moses then requested Allah to let him die close to the Sacred Land so much so that he would be at a distance of a stone's throw from it." Abu Huraira added, "Allah's Apostle said, 'If I were there, I would show you his grave below the red sand hill on the side of the road."

When Abu Talib was in his death bed, the Prophet went to him while Abu Jahl was sitting beside him. The Prophet said, "O my uncle! Say: None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, an expression I will defend your case with, before Allah." Abu Jahl and `Abdullah bin Umaiya said, "O Abu Talib! Will you leave the religion of `Abdul Muttalib?" So they kept on saying this to him so that the last statement he said to them (before he died) was: "I am on the religion of `Abdul Muttalib." Then the Prophet said, " I will keep on asking for Allah's Forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden to do so." Then the following Verse was revealed:-- "It is not fitting for the Prophet and the believers to ask Allah's Forgiveness for the pagans, even if they were their near relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the (Hell) Fire." (9.113) The other Verse was also revealed:-- "(O Prophet!) Verily, you guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He will ......." (28.56)

Allah's Apostle got up on the day of the Conquest of Mecca and said, "Allah has made Mecca a sanctuary since the day He created the Heavens and the Earth, and it will remain a sanctuary by virtue of the sanctity Allah has bestowed on it till the Day of Resurrection. It (i.e. fighting in it) was not made lawful to anyone before me!, nor will it be made lawful to anyone after me, and it was not made lawful for me except for a short period of time. Its game should not be chased, nor should its trees be cut, nor its vegetation or grass uprooted, not its Luqata (i.e. Most things) picked up except by one who makes a public announcement about it." Al-Abbas bin `Abdul Muttalib said, "Except the Idhkhir, O Allah's Apostle, as it is indispensable for blacksmiths and houses." On that, the Prophet kept quiet and then said, "Except the Idhkhir as it is lawful to cut."

While the Muslims were offering the Fajr prayer on Monday and Abu Bakr was leading them in prayer, suddenly Allah's Apostle lifted the curtain of `Aisha's dwelling and looked at them while they were in the rows of the prayers and smiled. Abu Bakr retreated to join the row, thinking that Allah's Apostle wanted to come out for the prayer. The Muslims were about to be put to trial in their prayer (i.e. were about to give up praying) because of being overjoyed at seeing Allah's Apostle. But Allah's Apostle beckoned them with his hand to complete their prayer and then entered the dwelling and let fall the curtain.

I spent a night with the Prophet (saws) to see how he prayed. He got up, performed ablution and prayed two rak'ahs. His standing was like his bowing (i.e. equal in duration), and his bowing was like his prostration (equal in length). Then he slept. Afterwards he awoke, performed ablution, and used tooth-stick. He then recited five verses from Surah Al-'Imran : "In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day". He went on doing so till he prayed ten rak'ahs. He then stood up and prayed one rak'ah observing witr with it. In the meantime the mu'adhdhin called to prayer. The Messenger of Allah (saws) stood up after the mu'adhdhin had kept silent. He prayed two light rak'ahs and remained sitting till he offered the dawn prayer.

Abu Dawud said: A part of the tradition transmitted by Ibn Bashshar remained hidden from me.