The devil considers the food when Allah’s name is not mentioned over it, and he brought his nomad Arab that it might be lawful by means of him, so I seized his hand: then he brought this girl that it might be lawful by means of her, so I seized her hand. By Him in Whose hand my soul is, His hand is in my hand along with their hands.

After the Prophet had gone to Medina I went there, and I visited him and said, “Tell me about the prayer.” He replied, “Observe the Morning Prayer, then stop praying when the sun is rising till it is fully up, for when it rises it comes up between the horns of the devil, and the infidels prostrate themselves to it at that time. Then pray, for the prayer is witnessed and angels are attendant at it, till the shadow becomes about the breadth of a lance; then cease prayer, for at that time jahannam is heated up. Then when the shadow moves forward pray, for the prayer is witnessed and angels are attendant at it, till you pray the afternoon prayer; then cease prayer till the sun sets, for it sets between the horns of the devil, and at that time the infidels prostrate themselves to it.” I then asked God’s prophet to tell me about ablution, and he said, “None of you will keep his water for ablution handy and rinse his mouth, snuff up water and blow it out without the sins of his face, his mouth and the inner parts of his nose falling out. When he then washes his face as God has commanded him the sins of his face will fall out at the ends of his beard along with the water; when he then washes his arms up to the elbows the sins of his arms will fall out at his finger-tips along with the water; when he then wipes his head the sins of his head will fall out at the ends of his hairs along with the water when he then washes his feet up to the ankles the sins of his feet will fall out at his toes along with the water. Then if he stands praying, and praises, lauds and glorifies God as is fitting and devotes his whole heart to God, his sin will depart leaving him as he was the day his mother bore him.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu ‘Ayyash reported God's messenger as saying that if anyone says in the morning, “There is no god but God alone who has no partner; to Him belongs the dominion, to Him praise is due, and He is omnipotent,” he will have a reward equivalent to that for setting free a slave from among the descendants of Ishmael, will have ten good deeds recorded for him, will have ten evil deeds deducted from him, will be advanced ten degrees, and will be guarded from the devil till the evening. If he says them in the evening he will have a similar recompense till the morning. Hammad b. Salama said that a man saw God’s messenger in a dream and said, “Messenger of God, Abu ‘Ayyash is relating such and such on your authority,” to which he received the reply, “Abu ‘Ayyash has spoken the truth.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

asked ... replied’. Muwatta’, Hajj, 245 has, ‘Except for what he saw on the day of Badr.’ God’s messenger was asked what he saw on the day of Badr and replied ...) “He saw Gabriel keeping the angels in battle-order.” Malik transmitted it in mursal form, and it occurs in Sharh as-sunna with the wording of al-Masabih.

‘Amr b. al-Ahwas said he heard God’s messenger ask at the Farewell Pilgrimage, “What day is this?” and receive the reply that it was the day of the greatest pilgrimage. He then said, “Your lives, property and honour must be regarded by you with a sacredness like that of this day of yours in this town of yours. No wrongdoer must do wrong to himself,( This phrase has given rise to different explanations. Mirqat, 3, 250 prefers the one which says that this is a command not to wrong one another As this is a cause of wrongdoing to oneself the command has been worded in this manner) no wrongdoer must do wrong to his child, nor any child to his parent. The devil has despaired of ever being worshipped in this town of yours, but he will receive obedience in your actions which you consider of little importance and will be satisfied with that.” Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying that it is sahih.

Abu Qatada said God’s Messenger went out one night and found Abu Bakr praying in a low voice, and he passed ‘Umar who was raising his voice while praying. When they both were with the Prophet he said, “I passed you, Abu Bakr, when you were praying in a low voice.” He replied, “I made Him hear with whom I was holding intimate converse, Messenger of God.” He said to ‘Umar, “I passed you when you were raising your voice while praying.” He replied, “Messenger of God, I was wakening the drowsy and driving away the devil.” The Prophet said, “Raise your voice a little, Abu Bakr;” and he said to ‘Umar, “Lower your voice a little.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted something similar.

When God's messenger was seated, we heard confused sounds and boys' voices, so he got up and saw an Abyssinian woman dancing with the boys around her. He said, "Come and look, `A'isha," so I went and placed my chin on God's messenger's shoulder and began to look at her over his shoulder. He then said to me, "Have you not had enough? Have you not had enough?" and I began to say, "No," in order that I might look where I was with him. But `Umar came along, and when the people ran away from her[*] God's messenger said, "I am looking at the devils of jinn and men who have fled from `Umar." I then went back. *i.e., the Abyssinian woman. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

I came to Medina and asked God to grant me a good companion to sit with and He granted me Abu Huraira. I sat with him and told him I had asked God to grant me a good companion to sit with and that he suited me. He asked where I came from and I replied that I belonged to al-kafa and had come desiring and seeking good. He then said, "Do you not have among you Sa'd b. Malik whose prayers are answered, Ibn Mas'ud who looked after God's messenger's water for ablution and his sandals, Hudhaifa who was God's messenger's confidant, `Ammar to whom God gave protection from the devil at the tongue of His Prophet, and Salman who was a believer in the two Books?" meaning the Injil and the Quran. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

U`īthukumā bikalimāti ‘llāhit-tāmmati min kulli shayṭānin wa hāmmah, wa min kulli `aynin lāmmah I seek protection for you in the Perfect Words of Allah from every devil and every beast, and from every envious blameworthy eye. Reference: Al-Bukhari4/119.

The people said to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him): Messenger of Allah, shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection? The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Do you feel any trouble in seeing the moon on the night when it is full? They said: Messenger of Allah, no. He (the Messenger) further said: Do you feel any trouble in seeing the sun, when there is no cloud over it? They said: Messenger of Allah. no. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Verily you would see Him like this (as you see the sun and the moon). God will gather people on the Day of Resurrection and say: Let every people follow what they worshipped. Those who worshipped the sun would follow the sun, and those who worshipped the moon would follow the moon, and those who worshipped the devils would follow the devils. This Ummah (of Islam) alone would be left behind and there would be hypocrites too amongst it. Allah would then come to them in a form other than His own Form, recognisable to them, and would say: I am your Lord. They would say: We take refuge with Allah from thee. We will stay here till our Lord comes to us. and when our Lord would come we would recognise Him. Subsequently Allah would come to them in His own Form, recognisable to them, and say: I am your Lord. They would say: Thou art our Lord. And they would follow Him, and a bridge would be set over the Hell; and I (the Holy Prophet) and my Ummah would be the first to pass over it; and none but the messengers would speak on that day, and the prayer of the messengers on that day would be: O Allah! grant safety, grant safety. In Hell, there would be long spits like the thorns of Sa'dan He (the Holy Prophet) said: Have you seen Sa'dan? They replied: Yes, Messenger of Allah. He said: Verily those (hooks) would be like the thorns of Sa'dan, but no one knows their size except Allah. These would seize people for their misdeeds. Some of them would escape for their (good) deeds, and some would be rewarded for their deeds till they get salvation. When Allah would finish judging His bondsmen and because of His mercy decide to take out of Hell such people as He pleases. He would command the angels to bring out those who had not associated anything with Allah; to whom Allah decided to show mercy. those who would say: There is no god but Allah. They (the angels) would recognise them in the Fire by the marks of prostration, for Hell-fire will devour everything (limb) of the sons of Adam except the marks of prostration. Allah has forbidden the fire to consume the marks of prostration. They will be taken out of the Fire having been burnt, and the water of life would be poured over them, and they will sprout as seed does In the silt carried by flood. Then Allah would finish judging amongst His bondsmen; but a man who will be the last to enter Paradise will remain facing Hell and will say: O my Lord I turn my face away from Hell, for its air has poisoned me ard its blaze has burnt me. He will then call to Allah as long as Allah would wish that he should call to Him. Then Allah, Blessed and Exalted, would say: If I did that, perhaps you would ask for more than that. He would say: I would not ask You more than this, and he would give his Lord covenants and agreements as Allah wished, and so He would turn his face away from the Fire When he turns towards the Paradise and sees it, he will remain silent as long as Allah wishes him to remain so. He will then say: O my Lord I bring me forward to the gate of the Paradise. Allah would say to him: Did you not give covenants and agreements that you would not ask for anything besides what I had given you. Woe to thee! O son of Adam, how treacherous you are! He would say: O my Lord! and would continue calling to Allah till He would say to him: If I grant you that, perhaps you will ask for more. He will reply: No, by Thy greatness, and he will give His Lord promises and covenants as Allah had wished. He would then bring him to the gate of the Paradise, and when he would stand at the gate of the Paradise, it would lay open before him. and he would see the bounty and the joy that there is in it. He would remain quiet as long as Allah would desire him to remain silent. He would then say: O my Lord, admit me to Paradise. Allah. Blessed and Exalted, would say: Did you not give covenants and agreements that you would not ask for anything more than what I had granted you? Woe to you! son of Adam, how treacherous you are! And he would say: O my Lord, I do not wish to be the most miserable of Thy creatures. He would continue calling upon Allah till Allah, Blessed and Exalted, would laugh. When Allah would laugh at him, He would say: Enter the Paradise. When he would enter, Allah would say: State your wish. He would express his wishes till Allah would remind him (the desire of) such and such (things). When his desires would be exhausted Allah would say: That is for thee and, besides it, the like of it also. 'Ata' b. Yazid said: Abu Sa'id al-Khudri was with Abu Huraira and be did not reject anything from the hadith narrated by him, but when Abu Huraira narrated:" Allah said to that man; ind its like along with it," Abu Sa'id said:" Ten like it along with it," O Abu Huraira. Abu Huraira said: I do not remember except the words:" That is for you and a similar one along with it." Abu Sa'id said: I bear witness to the fact that I remembered from the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) his words:" That is for thee and ten like it." Abu Huraira said: That man was the last of those deserving of Paradise to enter Paradise.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone applies collyrium he should do it an odd number of times. If one does so he has done well, but if not, there is no harm. If anyone cleanses himself with stones he should make use of an odd number. If one does so he has done well, but if not, there is no harm. If anyone eats he should throw away what he removes with a toothpick and swallow what he removes with his tongue. If one does so he has done well, but if not, there is no harm. If one goes to relieve himself he should conceal himself, and if all he can do is to collect a heap of sand he should sit with his back to it, for the devil makes sport with the posteriors of the children of Adam. If one does so he has done well, but if not, there is no harm.” Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Zainab the wife of ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud told that ‘Abdallah saw a thread on her neck and asked what it was. When she told him that it was a thread over which a spell had been recited for her he took it, cut it up and said, “You, family of ‘Abdallah, are independent of polytheism. I have heard God’s messenger say that spells, charms and love-spells are polytheism.” She replied, “Why do you speak like this? My eye was discharging and I kept going to so and so, the Jew, and when he applied a spell to it it calmed down.” ‘Abdallah said, “That was just the work of the devil who was pricking it with his hand, and when a spell was uttered he desisted. All you need to do is to say as God’s messenger did, ‘Remove the harm, O Lord of men, and heal. Thou art the Healer. There is no remedy but Thine which leaves no disease behind.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

A`ūdhu bikalimāti ‘llāhit-tāmmāti min ghaḍabihi wa `iqābihi wa sharri `ibādih, wa min hamazātish-shayāṭīni wa an yaḥḍurūn. I seek refuge in the Perfect Words of Allah from His anger and His punishment, from the evil of His slaves, and from the taunts of devils and from their presence. Reference: Abu Dawud 4/12. See also Al-Albani, Sahih At- Tirmidhi 3/171

Spit to your left (three times).¹ Seek refuge in Allah from the Devil and from the evil of what you have seen (three times).² Do not speak about it to anyone.³ Turn over on your other side.⁴ Reference: 1. Muslim 4/1 772. 2. Muslim 4/1 772, 3. 3. Muslim 4/1772. 4. Muslim 4/1773.

The Prophet (saws) said: There are two qualities or characteristics which will not be returned by any Muslim without his entering Paradise. While they are easy, those who act upon them are few. One should say: "Glory be to Allah" ten times after every prayer, "Praise be to Allah" ten times and "Allah is Most Great" ten times. That is a hundred and fifty on the tongue, but one thousand and five hundred on the scale. When he goes to bed, he should say: "Allah is Most Great" thirty-four times, "Praise be to Allah" thirty-three times, and Glory be to Allah thirty-three times, for that is a hundred on the tongue and a thousand on the scale. (He said:) I saw the Messenger of Allah (saws) counting them on his hand.

The people asked: Messenger of Allah! How is it that while they are easy, those who act upon them are few?

He replied: The Devil comes to one of you when he goes to bed and he makes him sleep, before he utters them, and he comes to him while he is engaged in prayer and calls a need to his mind before he utters them.

'Amro bin Shu'aib narrated on the authority of his father, on the authority of his grandfather (RAA) that the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) said, “The Diyah of the quasi-deliberate homicide is as severe as deliberate murder (in its being given in three types of camels), and the offender is not to be killed. This happens when the devil excites enmity between people causing them to shed blood but not due to hatred or carrying weapons in fighting.” Related by Ad-Daraqutni and graded it as weak Hadith.

When God's messenger was in my house, he mentioned the dajjal saying, "Before he comes there will be three years, one in which the heaven will withhold a third of its rain and the earth a third of its vegetation, the second in which the heaven will withhold two-thirds of its rain and the earth two-thirds of its vegetation, and the third in which the heaven will withhold all its rain and the earth all its vegetation, and every animal with hoof or fang will perish. One of the severest of his afflictions will be his coming to a nomadic Arab and saying, `Tell me, if I bring your camels to life for you, will you not know that I am your Lord?' and he will reply, `Certainly. He will then make the devils appear to him like his camels with the finest udders and the highest humps. He will come to a man whose brother and father have died and say, `Tell me, if I bring your father and your brother to life for you, will you not know that I am your Lord?' and he will reply, `Certainly.' He will then make the devils appear to him like his father and his brother." She said that God's messenger then went out to relieve himself and when he found on his return that the people were greatly upset over what he had told them, he put his hands on the sides of the door and said, "What is the matter, Asma'?" When she replied that their hearts were perturbed over them; mention of the dajjal, he said, "If he comes forth when I am alive, I shall dispute with him, otherwise my Lord will take my place on behalf of every believer." She said, "Messenger of God, I swear by God that when we knead our dough, we are hungry before we make it into bread. Now how will believers fare at that time?" He replied, "The glorifying of God and the declaration of His holiness which are enough for the angels will be enough for them." ...Transmitted it. The source of the tradition is omitted in the text. It occurs in Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 6, p. 455 f. A form of the tradition is also given in Tayalisi's Musnad (Haidarabad, 1321), p. 227.

When we were at food with the Prophet we did not put in our hands till he had put his in first. Once when we were at food with him a girl came in as though she were being impelled and was about to put her hand in the food when God’s messenger seized her by the hand. Then a nomadic Arab came in as though he were being impelled and he seized his hand. God’s messenger then said, “The devil considers food lawful when God’s name is not mentioned over it, and he brought this girl th at it might be lawful by means of her, so I seized her hand; then he brought this nomadic Arab that it might be lawful by means of him, so I seized his hand. By Him in whose hand my soul is, the devil’s hand is in mine along with hers.” He added in a version, ‘Then he mentioned God’s name and ate.’ Muslim transmitted it.

Buraida told that God's messenger went out on one of his expeditions, and when he came back a black slave-girl came and said, "Messenger of God, I have vowed that if God brings you back safe, I shall play the tambourine in front of you and sing.'' He replied, "If you have made a vow, play; otherwise, do not.'' She began to play and-Abu Bakr entered while she was playing; then `Ali entered while she was playing; then `Uthman entered while she was playing; then `Umar entered and she threw the tambourine under her and sat on it. God's messenger then said, "The devil is afraid of you, `Umar. I was sitting while she was playing, then Abu Bakr entered while she was playing, then `Ali entered while she was playing, then `Uthman entered while she was playing, but when you entered, `Umar, she threw down the tambourine." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

Bismillāhi walajnā, wa bismillāhi kharajnā, wa `ala Rabbinā tawakkalnā In the Name of Allah we enter , in the Name of Allah we leave , and upon our Lord we depend [then say As-Salāmu `Alaykum to those present]. Reference: Abu Dawud 4/325. Muslim {Hadith no. 2018) says that one should mention the Name of Allah when entering the home and when beginning to eat; and that the devil, hearing this, says: "There is no shelter for us here tonight and no food."

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who utters a hundred times in a day these words: 'La ilaha illallahu, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa 'ala kulli sha'in Qadir (there is no true god except Allah. He is One and He has no partner with Him; His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is Omnipotent),' he will have a reward equivalent to that for emancipating ten slaves, a hundred good deeds will be recorded to his credit, hundred of his sins will be blotted out from his scroll, and he will be safeguarded against the devil on that day till the evening; and no one will exceed him in doing more excellent good deeds except someone who has recited these words more often than him. And he who utters: 'Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection and His is the praise)' one hundred times a day, his sins will be obliterated even if they are equal to the extent of the foam of the ocean."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Whenever the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) set out on a journey, he would say by nightfall: "Ya ardu, Rabbi wa Rabbuk-illahu, a'udhu billahi min sharriki wa sharri ma fiki, wa sharri ma khuliqa fiki, wa sharri ma yadibbu 'alaiki; a'udhu billahi min sharri asadin wa aswadin, wa minal-hayyati wal-'aqrabi, wa min sakinil-baladi, wa min walidin wa ma walad [O land, my Rubb and your Rubb is Allah, I seek refuge in Him from your evils, the evils of what you contain, the evils of what has been created in you, and the evils of what walks upon you. I seek refuge in Allah from lions, black serpents, scorpions and from the inhabitants of the place, and from the parent (i.e., Satan) and his offspring who inhabit a settlement (i.e., helpers from amongst the devils)]."

[Abu Dawud].

On Friday, the devils emerge to try to push the people to the markets, and they have banners with them. The angels sit at the doors of the mosques, writing down people`s names according to their status: the one who comes early, the one who prays, and the one who comes after him, until the imam comes out. Whoever is close to the imam and is silent or listens, and does not engage in idle talk, will have a twofold reward. The one who is further away from the imam but is silent or listens, and does not engage in idle talk will have one reward. The one who is close to the imam but engages in idle talk and does not keep silent or listen will have a twofold burden of sin. The one who is further away from the imam and engages in idle talk and does not keep silent and listen will have one burden of sin. And the one who says, Be quiet, has spoken, and the one who speaks has no Jumu’ah. Then he said: This is what I heard from your Prophet (ﷺ) say.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Ghanm reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone says ten times before he departs and turns away his feet after the senset and the morning prayers, ‘There is no god but God alone who has no partner, to whom belongs the kingdom, to whom praise is due, in whose hand is good, who gives life, causes death, and is omnipotent,’ ten blessings will be recorded for him for every time he says it, ten evil deeds will be obliterated, he will be raised ten degrees, it will act as a charm for him from every unpleasantness and from the accursed devil, he will not be taken to account for any sin but polytheism, and he will be among those whose deeds are most excellent, except for one who may excel him by saying something more excellent than he did.” Ahmad transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted something to the same effect from Abu Dharr up to “but polytheism”. He did not mention the sunset prayer, or “In whose hand is good", and he said this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

Narrate to me a hadith which you had heard directly from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and there is no extra link in between them. She said: Very well, if you like, I am prepared to do that, and he said to her: Well, do It and narrate that to me. She said: I married the son of Mughira and he was a chosen young man of Quraish at that time, but he fell as a martyr in the first Jihad (fighting) on the side of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). When I became a widow, 'Abd al-Rahman b. Auf, one amongst the group of the Companions of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), sent me the proposal of marriage. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) also sent me such a message for his freed slave Usama b. Zaid. And it had been conveyed to me that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) had said (about Usama): He who loves me should also love Usama. When Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) talked to me (about this matter), I said: My affairs are in your hand. You may marry me to anyone whom you like. He said: You better shift now to the house of Umm Sharik, and Umm Sharik was a rich lady from amongst the Ansar. She spent generously for the cause of Allah and entertained guests very hospitably. I said: Well, I will do as you like. He said: Do not do that for Umm Sharik is a woman who is very frequently visited by guests and I do not like that your head may be uncovered or the cloth may be removed from your shank and the strangers may catch sight of them which you abhor. You better shift to the house of your cousin 'Abdullah b. 'Amr b. Umm Maktum and he is a person of the Bani Fihr branch of the Quraish, and he belonged to that tribe (to which Fatima) belonged. So I shifted to that house, and when my period of waiting was over, I heard the voice of an announcer making an announcement that the prayer would be observed in the mosque (where) congregational prayer (is observed). So I set out towards that mosque and observed prayer along with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and I was in the row of the women which was near the row of men. When Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) had finished his prayer, he sat on the pulpit smiling and said: Every worshipper should keep sitting at his place. He then said: Do you know why I had asked you to assemble? They said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: By Allah. I have not made you assemble for exhortation or for a warning, but I have detained you here, for Tamim Dari, a Christian, who came and accepted Islam, told me something, which agrees with what I was telling, you about the Dajjal. He narrated to me that he had sailed in a ship along with thirty men of Bani Lakhm and Bani Judham and had been tossed by waves in the ocean for a month. Then these (waves) took them (near) the land within the ocean (island) at the time of sunset. They sat in a small side-boat and entered that island. There was a beast with long thick hair (and because of these) they could not distinguish his face from his back. They said: Woe to you, who can you be? Thereupon it said: I am al-Jassasa. They said: What is al-Jassasa? And it said: O people, go to this person in the monastery as he is very much eager to know about you. He (the narrator) said: When it named a person for us we were afraid of it lest it should be a devil. Then we hurriedly went on till we came to that monastery and found a well-built person there with his hands tied to his neck and having iron shackles between his two legs up to the ankles. We said: Woe be upon thee, who are you? And he said: You would soon come to know about me. but tell me who are you. We said: We are people from Arabia and we embarked upon a boat but the sea-waves had been driving us for one month and they brought as near this island. We got Into the side-boats and entered this island and here a beast met us with profusely thick hair and because of the thickness of his hair his face could not be distinguished from his back. We said: Woe be to thee, who are you? It said: I am al- Jassasa. We said: What is al-Jassasa? And it said: You go to this very person in the monastery for he is eagerly waiting for you to know about you. So we came to you in hot haste fearing that that might be the Devil. He (that chained person) said: Tell me about the date-palm trees of Baisan. We said: About what aspect of theirs do you seek information? He said: I ask you whether these trees bear fruit or not. We said: yes. Thereupon he said: I think these would not bear fruits. He said: Inform me about the lake of Tabariyya? We said: Which aspect of it do you want to know? He said: Is there water in it? They said: There is abundance of water in it. Thereupon he said: I think it would soon become dry. He again said: Inform me about the spring of Zughar. They said: Which aspect of it you want to know? He (the chained person) said: Is there water in it and does it irrigate (the land)? We said to him: Yes, there is abundance of water in it and the inhabitants (of Medina) irrigate (land) with the help of it, He said: Inform me about the unlettered Prophet; what has he done? We said: He has come out from Mecca and has settled In Yathrib (Medina). He said: Do the Arabs fight against him? We said: Yes. He said: How did he deal with them? We informed him that he had overcome those in his neighbourhood and they had submitted themselves before him. Thereupon he said to us: Has it actually happened? We said: Yes. Thereupon he said: If it is so that is better for them that they should show obedience to him. I am going to tell you about myself and I am Dajjal and would be soon permitted to get out and so I shall get out and travel in the land, and will not spare any town where I would not stay for forty nights except Mecca and Medina as these two (places) are prohibited (areas) for me and I would not make an attempt to enter any one of these two. An angel with a sword in his hand would confront me and would bar my way and there would be angels to guard every passage leading to it; then Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) striking the pulpit with the help of the end of his staff said: This implies Taiba meaning Medina. Have I not, told you an account (of the Dajjal) like this? 'The people said: Yes, and this account narrated by Tamim Dari was liked by me for it corroborates the account which I gave to you in regard to him (Dajjal) at Medina and Mecca. Behold he (Dajjal) is in the Syrian sea (Mediterranean) or the Yemen sea (Arabian sea). Nay, on the contrary, he is in the east, he is in the east, he is in the east, and he pointed with his hand towards the east. I (Fatima bint Qais) said: I preserved it in my mind (this narration from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him).

Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) said, “A believer who is strong (and healthy) is better and dearer to Allah than the weak believer, but there is goodness in both of them. Be keen on what benefits you and seek help from Allah, and do not give up. If anything afflicts you do not say, ‘If I had done such and such things, such and such would have happened.’ But say, ‘Allah decrees and what He wills He does,’ for (the utterance) ‘If I had’ provides an opening for the deeds of the devil.” Related by Muslim.

Ali said on the pulpit in the mosque of Kufah: When Friday comes, the devils go to the markets with their flags, and involve people in their needs and prevent them from the Friday prayer. The angels come early in the morning, sit at the door of the mosque, and record that so-and-so came at the first hour, and so-and-so came at the second hour until the imam comes out (for preaching).

When a man sits in a place where he can listen (to the sermon) and look (at the imam), where he remains silent and does not interrupt, he will receive a double reward. If he stays away, sits in a place where he cannot listen (to the sermon), silent, and does not interrupt, he will receive the reward only once. If he sits in a place where he can listen (to the sermon) and look (at the imam), and he does not remain silent, he will have the burden of it. If anyone says to his companion sitting besides him to be silent (while the imam is preaching), he is guilty of idle talk. Anyone who interrupts (during the sermon) will receive nothing (no reward) on that Friday.

Then he (the narrator) says in the end of this tradition: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say so.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by al-Walid b. Muslim from Ibn Jabir. This version adds: bi'l-raba'ith (instead of al-raba'ith, needs preventing the people from prayer). Further, this adds: Freed slave of his wife Umm 'Uthman b. 'Ata.

Qaddarallāhu wa mā shā'a fa`al. It is the Decree of Allah and He does whatever He wills. Reference: "The strong believer is better and more dear to Allah than the weak believer, and in each of them there is good. Be vigilant for what is to your benefit and seek the help of Allah and do not falter. But when you are striken by some setback, do not say: 'If only I had done such and such,' rather say: 'It is the Decree of Allah and He does whatever He wills.' For verily the saying 'if (i.e. if only I had) begins the work of the Devil." Muslim 4/2052.

Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas told that `Umar b. al-Khattab asked permission from God's messenger to enter when there were with him some women of Quraish who were talking volubly to him with loud voices. They got up when `Umar asked permission and hastened to veil themselves, and when `Umar entered God's messenger was laughing, so he said, "God keep you smiling, messenger of God!" The Prophet replied, "I was astonished at these women who are with me, for when they heard your voice, they hastened to veil themselves." `Umar then said, "Enemies of yourselves, do you stand in awe of me and do not stand in awe of God's messenger?" They replied, ``Yes, you are more churlish and harsher." God's messenger then said, "Never mind, son of al-Khattab; I swear by Him in whose hand my soul is that the devil has never met you walking on a mountain-road without going to another one than yours." Al-Humaidi said that after "messenger of God" al-Barqani added ``What makes you laugh[*]?" *i.e., after `Umar's remark, "God keep you smiling, messenger of God." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I had been placed in charge of the zakāt of Ramadān by God’s messenger, and when someone came to me and began to take up handfuls of the food, I seized him and told him I was certainly going to take him before God’s messenger. But when he said, “I am needy, have children dependent on me, and my need is great,” I let him go. In the morning the Prophet asked, “What happened to your prisoner last night, Abū Huraira?” and I replied, “Messenger of God, he complained of great need and of having children dependent on him, so I had pity on him and let him go.” He said, “He lied to you, and he will come back.” I realised that he would return because God’s messenger had told me so, and therefore I lay in wait for him. When he came and began to take up handfuls of the food, I seized him and told him I was certainly going to take him before God's messenger; but when he said, “Let me go, for I am needy with children dependent on me, and I shall not return” I had pity on him and let him go. In the morning God’s messenger asked me, “What has happened to your prisoner, Abū Huraira?” and I replied, “Messenger of God, he complained of great need and of having children dependent on him, so I had pity on him and let him go.” He said, “He has certainly lied to you, and he will come back,” so I lay in wait for him, and when he came and took up handfuls of food I seized him and said, “I am certainly going to take you before God’s messenger, for this is the third time you assert you will not return, and then you do.” He said, “If you let me go I will teach you some words by which God will benefit you. When you go to your bed recite the Throne Verse (Qur’ān 2:255), ‘God, there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal’ to the end of the verse, for a guardian from God will then remain over you and no devil will come near you till the morning.” I therefore let him go, and in the morning God’s messenger asked me, “What has happened to your prisoner?” I replied, “He asserted that he would teach me some words by which God would benefit me.” He said, “He has certainly told you the truth though he is a great liar. Do you know to whom you have been talking for, three nights?” When I replied that I did not, he said, “That was a devil.” Bukhārī transmit­ted it.

In the state of the Ignorance (before embracing Islam), I used to think that the people were in error and they were not on anything (which may be called the right path) and worshipped the idols. Meanwhile, I heard of a man in Mecca who was giving news (on the basis of his prophetic knowledge) ; so I sat on my ride and went to him. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was at that time hiding as his people had made life hard for him. I adopted a friendly attitude (towards the Meccans and thus managed) to enter Mecca and go to him (the Holy Prophet) and I said to him: Who are you? He said: I am a Prophet (of Allah). I again said: Who is a Prophet? He said: (I am a Prophet in the sense that) I have been sent by Allah. I said: What is that which you have been sent with? He said: I have been sent to join ties of relationship (with kindness and affection), to break the Idols, and to proclaim the oneness of Allah (in a manner that) nothing is to be associated with Him. I said: Who is with you in this (in these beliefs and practices)? He said: A free man and a slave. He (the narrator) said: Abu Bakr and Bilal were there with him among those who had embraced Islam by that time. I said: I intend to follow you. He said: During these days you would not be able to do so. Don't you see the (hard) condition under which I and (my) people are living? You better go back to your people and when you hear that I have been granted victory, you come to me. So I went to my family. I was in my home when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) came to Medina. I was among my people and used to seek news and ask people when he arrived in Medina. Then a group of people belonging to Yathrib (Medina) came. I said (to them): How is that person getting on who has come to Medina? They said: The people are hastening to him, while his people (the polytheists of Mecca) planned to kill him, but they could not do so. I (on hearing it) came to Medina and went to him and said: Messenger of Allah, do you recognise me? He said: Yes, you are the same man who met me at Mecca. I said: It is so. I again said: Prophet of Allah, tell me that which Allah has taught you and which I do not know, tell me about the prayer. He said: Observe the dawn prayer, then stop praying when the sun is rising till it is fully up, for when it rises it comes up between the horns of Satan, and the unbelievers prostrate themselves to it at that time. Then pray, for the prayer is witnessed and attended (by angels) till the shadow becomes about the length of a lance; then cease prayer, for at that time Hell is heated up. Then when the shadow moves forward, pray, for the prayer is witnessed and attended by angels, till you pray the afternoon prayer, then cease prayer till the sun sets, for it sets between the horns of devil, and at that time the unbelievers prostrate themselves before it. I said: Apostle of Allah, tell me about ablution also. He said: None of you who uses water for ablution and rinses his mouth, snuffs up water and blows it, but the sins of his face, and his mouth and his nostrils fall out. When he washes his face, as Allah has commanded him, the sins of his face fall out from the end of his beard with water. Then (when) he washes his forearms up to the elbows, the sins of his arms fall out along with water from his finger-tips. And when he wipes his head, the sins of his head fall out from the points of his hair along with water. And (when) he washes his feet up to the ankles, the sins of his feet fall out from his toes along with water. And if he stands to pray and praises Allah, lauds Him and glorifies Him with what becomes Him and shows wholehearted devotion to Allah, his sins would depart leaving him (as innocent) as he was on the day his mother bore him. 'Amr b. 'Abasa narrated this hadith to Abu Umama, a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and Abu Umama said to him: 'Amr b. 'Abasa, think what you are saying that such (a great reward) is given to a man at one place (only in the act of ablution and prayer). Upon this 'Amr said: Abu Umama, I have grown old and my bones have become weak and I am at the door of death; what impetus is there for me to attribute a lie to Allah and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)? Had I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) once, twice, or three times (even seven times), I would have never narrated it, but I have heard it from him on occasions more than these.

Allah's Messenger (SAW) said, "When anyone of you is in doubt about his Salat (prayer) and does not know how many he has prayed, three or four (Rak'at) he should cast aside his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of. Then, he should perform two prostrations before Taslim (salutation). If he has prayed five Rak'at, they will make his Salat (prayer) an even number for him and if he has prayed exactly four, they (i.e. two prostrations) will be humiliation for the devil." [Reported by Muslim].

‘‘When the time draws near* a believer’s vision can hardly be false. A believer’s vision is a forty-sixth part of prophecy, and what pertains to prophecy cannot be false." Muhammad b. Sirin said he held that visions were of three types: ideas which come from within, terrifying caused by the devil, and good news from God; so when one sees anything he dislikes he should not tell it to anyone, but should get up and pray. He said he disliked seeing a shackle on the neck in sleep, but that people were pleased by a fetter, as it is said that a fetter indicates being firmly established in the religion. (Bukhari and Muslim.) Bukhari said that Qatada, Yunus, Hushaim** and Abu Hilal transmitted it on the authority of Ibn Sirin who quoted Abu Huraira's authority. Yunus said he thought that what was said about the fetter comes from the Prophet, but Muslim said he did not know whether it was in the tradition, or whether Ibn Sirin said it. In a version there is something to the same effect, and the words “he disliked seeing a shackle on the neck ..." to the end have been inserted in the tradition. * The suggestions made are that this means when the last hour draws near, at the equinox, or when the Mahdi comes. ** Bukhari, Ta'bir, 26, has Hisham.

God's messenger was bewitched so that he would imagine he had done something he had not done. One day when he was staying with me, he made supplication after supplication to God, then said, "Do you know, `A'isha, that God has given me a decision about what I asked? Two men came to me and one of them sat at my head and the other at my feet. One of them asked the other, `What is the man suffering from?' and he replied, `He is under a spell.' He asked, `Who has put a spell on him?' and he replied, `Labid b. al-A`sam the Jew .' He asked, `What did he use?' and he replied, `A comb and combings and the spathe of a male palm-tree He asked, `Where is it?' and he replied, `In the well of Dharwan'[*]." The Prophet then went with some of his companions to the well and said, "This is the well I was shown." Its water looked like diluted henna and its palm-trees like the heads of devils. He then took it out. *Bukhari, Adab, 56, has Dharwan, but Tibb, 50, has Dhu Arwan, which is the form given by Muslim in Salam, 43. Nawawi in his commentary on Muslim (Cairo, 1349, vol. 14, p. 177) says both forms are correct, but Dhu Arwan is better and sounder. He says it was a well in the garden in Madina belonging to the B. Zuraiq. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

“Whoever reads the last two verses from Sūrat al-Baqarah at night, they will be sufficient for him.” Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 5009

Regarding the word ‘sufficient’ in the hadith, Imam al-Nawawi (RA) says: It was said (by scholars) that it means it will suffice him from the night prayer, and others said it means as a protection against the devils, and yet others said it means protection against harmful animals, and it is likely encompassing of all these things (and more).”

Ibn Ḥajar states: “[It] was explicitly reported by ʿĀsim from ʿAlqamah from Ibn Masʿūd, “Whoever recites (the two verses at) the end of Sūrat al-Baqarah, it will be sufficient for him instead of standing in prayer for one night.”

I heard the crier of the Messenger of Allah (saws) calling : Assemble for the prayer. I Then came out and prayed along with the Messenger of Allah (saws): When the Messenger of Allah (saws) finished his prayer, he sat on the pulpit laughing, and he said : Everyone should remain where he had said his prayer. He then asked : Do you know why I have assembled you? They said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He (saws) said: I did not call you together fors some alarming news or for something good. Rather, I called you all because Tamim al-Dari, a Christian, who came and accepted Islam, told me something which agrees with what I was telling you about the Dajjal. He told me that he sailed with thirty men of Lakhm and Judham and that they were storm-tossed for a month. They drew near to an island when the sun was setting. They sat in a boat nearest to them and entered the island where they were met by a very hairy beast. They said: Woe to you! What can you be ? It replied : I am the Jassasah. Go to this man in the monastery, for he is anxious to get news of you. He said : When it named a man to us we were afraid of it lest it should be a she-devil. So we went off quickly and entered the monastery, where we found a man with the hugest and strongest frame we had ever seen with his hands chained to his neck. He then narrated the rest of the tradition. He asked them about the palm-trees of Baisan and the spring of Zughar and about the unlettered prophet. He said: I am the messiah (the Antichrist) and will be soon given permission to emerge. And the Prophet (saws) said: He is in the Syrian sea or the Yemeni sea: No, on the contrary, it is towards the east that he is. He said it twice and pointed his hand to the east. She said: I memorized this (tradition) from the Messenger of Allah (saws), and she narrated the tradition.

Hamna daughter of Jahsh said that her menstruation was great in quantity and severe, so she went to the Prophet for a decision and told him. She found him in the house of her sister Zainab daughter of Jahsh and said, “Messenger of God, I menstruate to a great extent, and it is severe, so what command do you give me about it? It has prevented me from praying and fasting.” He said, “I suggest that you use cotton, for it removes the blood.” She replied, “It is too copious for that.” He said, “Then stop it with a tight rag.” She replied, “It is too copious for that.” He said, “Then take a cloth.” She replied, “It is too copious for that, for my blood keeps flowing.” So the Prophet said, “I shall give you two commands; whichever of them you follow, it will make the other unnecessary, but you will know best whether you are strong enough to follow both of them This is a stroke of the devil, so observe your menses for six or seven days, God alone knowing which it should be, then wash, and when you see that you are purified and quite clean pray during twenty-three or twenty-four days and nights and fast, for that will be enough for you, and do so every month, just as women menstruate and are purified at the time of their menstruation and their purification. But if you are strong enough to delay the noon prayer and advance the afternoon prayer, then wash and combine the noon and the afternoon prayer; to delay the sunset prayer and advance the night prayer, then wash and combine the two prayers, do so; and to wash at drawn, do so; and fast if you are able.” God’s messenger said, “This is the one which is more attractive to me.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The last hour will not come before the Byzantines alight in al-A`maq or in Dabiq[1], and an army consisting of the best people in the earth at that time will come forth from Medina against them. When the lines are drawn up the Byzantines will say, `Let us get at those who took captives from us and fight them,' but the Muslims will reply, `We swear by God that we will not let you get at our brethren.' They will then fight and a third whom God will never forgive will be routed, a third who will be the most excellent martyrs in God's sight will be killed, and a third who will never be subjected to trials will be victorious. They will then conquer Constantinople, but while they are dividing the spoils, having hung their swords on olive-trees, the devil will cry among them, `The dajjal has taken your place among your families;' so they will go out, but that will prove to be false. Then when they come to Syria he will come forth, and while they are preparing for battle and arranging the ranks the time for prayer will come and Jesus, son of Mary will descend and lead them in prayer. When God's enemy sees him, he will dissolve like salt in water, and if he[2] were to leave him he would dissolve completely; but God will kill him by his hand and he will show them his blood on his spear." Mirqat, 5:159. quotes the view that al-A'maq is on the outskirts of Medina and that L'abiq (or Dabaq) is a market-place in Medina. Yaqut, iii, 513. says Dabiq is a village near Aleppo, and (1:316) al-A'maq is a district near Dabiq between Aleppo and Antioch. i.e., Jesus. Muslim transmitted it.

Hamnah said my menstruation was great in quantity and severe. So I came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) for a decision and told him. I found him in the house of my sister, Zaynab, daughter of Jahsh.

I said: Messenger of Allah, I am a woman who menstruates in great quantity and it is severe, so what do you think about it? It has prevented me from praying and fasting.

He said: I suggest that you should use cotton, for it absorbs the blood. She replied: It is too copious for that. He said: Then take a cloth. She replied: It is too copious for that, for my blood keeps flowing. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: I shall give you two commands; whichever of them you follow, that will be sufficient for you without the other, but you know best whether you are strong enough to follow both of them.

He added: This is a stroke of the Devil, so observe your menses for six or seven days, Allah alone knows which it should be; then wash. And when you see that you are purified and quite clean, pray during twenty-three or twenty-four days and nights and fast, for that will be enough for you, and do so every month, just as women menstruate and are purified at the time of their menstruation and their purification.

But if you are strong enough to delay the noon (Zuhr) prayer and advance the afternoon ('Asr) prayer, to wash, and then combine the noon and the afternoon prayer; to delay the sunset prayer and advance the night prayer, to wash, and then combine the two prayers, do so: and to wash at dawn, do so: and fast if you are able to do so if possible.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Of the two commands this is more to my liking.¹

Abu Dawud said: 'Amr b. Thabit narrated from Ibn 'Aqil: Hamnah said: Of the two commands this is the one which is more to my liking.² In this version these words were not quoted as the statement of the Prophet (saws); it gives it as a statement of Hamnah.

Abu Dawud said: 'Amr b. Thabit was a Rafidi. This has been said by Yahya b. Ma'in.

Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad (b. Hanbal) say: I am doubtful about the tradition transmitted by Ibn 'Aqil.

The people in the Suffa were poor men, and the Prophet said, "Let him who has food for two take a third, and let him who has food for four take a fifth, or a sixth*." Abu Bakr brought three men and the Prophet went off with ten. Abu Bakr had supper with the Prophet, then remained till the evening prayer was said, after which he went back and stayed till the Prophet had had his supper. Then when so much of the night as God willed had passed, he came home and his wife asked what had kept him away from his guests. He asked if she had not given them their supper, and when she told him they had refused to take it till he came he was angry and said, "I swear by God that I will never taste it." His wife swore that she would not taste it, and the guests swore that they would not taste it; so Abu Bakr, saying this came from the devil, called for the food and ate, and they ate also. Whenever they raised a morsel to their mouths the place from which it was taken increased in quantity, so Abu Bakr said to his wife, "You who come from the B. Firas, what does this mean?" She replied, "I swear by my wellbeing that it is three times as great as it was." They ate and he sent it to the Prophet, and it is mentioned that he ate some of it. *It is not clear whether there is doubt about whether a fifth or a sixth is correct, or whether the words "or a sixth" indicate that two extra people may be invited when there is enough for four. The construction of the sentence rather suggests this latter meaning. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

“A Jew from among the Jews of Bani Zuraiq, whose name was Labid bin A’sam, cast a spell on the Prophet (saw), and the Prophet (saw) began to imagine that he had done something when he had not. One day, or one night, the Messenger of Allah (saw) supplicated, and then supplicated again. Then he said: ‘O ‘Aishah, do you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I asked Him about? Two men came to me, and one of them sat at my head and the other at my feet. The one at my head said to the one at my feet, or the one at my feet said to the one at my head "what is ailing this man ?" He said: “He has been affected by a spell.” He said: “Who cast the spell on him?” He said: “Labid bin A’sam.” He said: “With what?” He said: “With a comb and the hairs stuck to it, and the spathe of a male date palm.” He said: “Where is that?” He said: “In the well of Dhu Arwan.” She said: “So the Prophet (saw) went to it, with a group of his Companions, then he came and said: ‘By Allah. O ‘Aishah. It was as if its water was infused with henna and its date palms were like the heads of devils.’” She said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you burn them?’ He said: ‘As for me, Allah has healed me, and I do not like to let evil spread among the people.’ Then he issued orders that the well be filled up with earth.”

Allah’s Messenger ﷺ ordered me to guard the Zakat revenue of Ramaḍān. Then somebody came to me and started stealing from the provisions. I caught him and said, "I will take you to Allah’s Messenger!" Then Abu Hurayrah described the whole incident and said: That person said (to me), "Please don’t take me to Allah’s Messenger and I will tell you a few words by which Allah will benefit you. When you go to your bed, recite Āyat al-Kursī, for then there will be (with you) a guardian from Allah who will protect you all night long, and Satan will not be able to come near you till dawn." When the Prophet ﷺ heard about the incident he said (to me), "He (who came to you at night) told you the truth although he is a liar; it was a devil." Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 5010

People used to ask God's messenger about good, but I used to ask him about evil from fear that it might overtake me. I said, "Messenger of God, we were in a state of ignorance and evil, then God brought us this good. After this good will any evil come?" On his replying that there would, I asked whether after that evil any good would come, and he replied that there would but that it would contain some duskiness. I asked what that would consist of and he replied, "People will follow a sunnah other than mine and give guidance other than mine, so you will find in them both something to acknowledge and something to reject." I asked whether there would be any evil after that good and he replied, `Yes, there will be people who summon others at the gates of Jahannam into which they will cast those who respond to them." I asked God's messenger to describe them to us and he said, "They will be of our stock and speak like us." I asked, what command he had to give me if that happened in my time and he replied, "You must adhere to the community and the leader of the Muslims." I asked what I should do if they had neither community nor leader and he replied, "Withdraw from all those factions even though you should have to cleave to the root of a tree till death overtakes you in that state." (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim he said, "After my death there will be leaders who follow neither my guidance nor my sunnah, among whom will arise men whose hearts will be the hearts of devils in human bodies." Hudhaifa said he asked God's messenger how he should act if he reached that time and he replied, "You must hear and obey the ruler, and if he beats your back and takes your property you must still hear and obey." Muslim transmitted it.

“There was an old woman who used to enter upon us and perform Ruqyah from erysipelas: Contagious disease which causes fever and leaves a red coloration of the skin. We had a bed with long legs, and when ‘Abdullah entered he would clear his throat and make noise. He entered one day and when she heard his voice she veiled herself from him. He came and sat beside me, and touched me, and he found a sting. He said: ‘What is this?’ I said: ‘An amulet against erysipelas.’ He pulled it, broke it and threw it away, and said: ‘The family of ‘Abdullah has no need of polytheism.’ I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: “Ruqyah (i.e., which consist of the names of idols and devils etc.), amulets and Tiwalah (charms) are polytheism.’” “I said: ‘I went out one day and so-and-so looked at me, and my eye began to water on the side nearest him. When I recited Ruqyah for it, it stopped, but if I did not recite Ruqyah it watered again.’ He said: ‘That is Satan, if you obey him he leaves you alone but if you disobey him he pokes you with his finger in your eye. But if you do what the Messenger of Allah (saw) used to do, that will be better for you and more effective in healing. Sprinkle water in your eye and say: Adhhibil-bas Rabban-nas, washfi Antash-Shafi, la shifa’a illa shafi’uka, shafi’an la yughadiru saqaman (Take away the pain, O Lord of mankind, and grant healing, for You are the Healer, and there is no healing but Your healing that leaves no trace of sickness).’”

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As reported God’s messenger as saying there are two characteristics which will not be retained by any Muslim without his entering paradise. While they are easy, those who act upon them are few. One should say ‘Glory be to God’ ten times after every prayer, ‘Praise be to God’ ten times and ‘God is most great’ ten times. (He said he had seen God’s messenger counting them on his hand, and saying, “That is a hundred and fifty on the tongue, but one thousand five hundred in the scale”).[The three phrases each said ten times after the five times of prayer makes a hundred and fifty, and as a good deed gets a ten-fold reward the total is treated as one thousand five hundred.] When he goes to his bed he should say ‘Glory be to God,’ ‘God is most Great’ and ‘Praise be to God’ a hundred times, for that is a hundred on the tongue, but a thousand in the scale. He asked them which of them could commit two thousand five hundred sins in a day and a night.* He was asked how they could not retain these characteristics, and told them that the devil comes to a man while he is engaged in prayer, calling such and such and such and such to his memory until he turns away and perhaps may not do it. He also comes to him on his bed and keeps on making him sleep till he falls asleep. *The thousand plus the preceding fifteen hundred make two thousand five hundred good deeds with which the man who observes the two characteristics mentioned is credited, and as one could hardly commit as many sins in a day and a night there is a balance in his favour. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. In Abu Dawud's version he said, “Two qualities or two characteristics will not be adhered to by a Muslim ...” And also in his version after saying “One thousand five hundred in the scale” he said, “When he goes to his bed he should say ‘God is most great’ thirty-four times, ‘Praise be to God’ thirty-three times and ‘Glory be to God’ thirty-three times.” In most texts of al-Masabih it is given on the authority of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar.

In the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance, I used to think that people who used to worship idols, were deviated and did not adhere to the true religion. Then I heard of a man in Makkah who was preaching a message. So I mounted my camel and went to him. I found that (this man who was) Messenger of Allah (PBUH) remained hidden because of the persecution by his people. I had entered Makkah stealthily and when I met him I asked him, "Who are you?" He (PBUH) said, "I am a Prophet." I asked; "What is a Prophet?" He said, "Allah has sent me (with a message)". I asked, "With what has He sent you?" He said, "He sent me to strengthen the ties of kinship, to destroy idols so that Allah alone should be worshipped and nothing should be associated with Him". I asked, "Who has followed you in this?" He said, "A freeman and a slave". (At that time only Abu Bakr and Bilal (May Allah be pleased with her) were with him). I said, "I shall follow you". He said, "You can not do that now. Do you not see my situation and that of the people? Go to your people, and when you hear that my cause has prevailed, come to me". So I went back to my people, and while I was with my people, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) emigrated to Al-Madinah. I continued to ask people about him till some of my people visited Al- Madinah. On their return, I asked them, "How is that man who has arrived in Al-Madinah faring?" They said, "People are hastening to him. His own people had planned to kill him but did not succeed." Then I went to Al-Madinah and came to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah, do you recognize me?" He (PBUH) said, "Yes, you are the one who met me in Makkah." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, tell me of that which Allah has taught you and of which I am unaware. Tell me about Salat first." He (PBUH) replied, "Perform the Fajr (morning) Salat, then stop Salat until the sun has risen up to the height of a lance, for when it rises, it rises up between the horns of the devil, and the infidels prostrate themselves before it at that time. Then perform Salat, for Salat is witnessed and angels attend it, until the shadow becomes equal to the length of its object; then stop Salat, for at that time Jahannam (Hell) is heated up. Then pray when the shadow becomes longer, for the prayer is witnessed and angels attend it, until you perform 'Asr prayer; then stop Salat till sun sets, for it sets between the horns of a devil. At that time the infidels prostrate themselves before it." I then asked the Messenger of Allah to tell me about Wudu', and he (PBUH) said, "When a person begins the Wudu' and washes his mouth and nose, the sins committed by his face, mouth and nostrils are washed out. Then when he washes his face as commanded by Allah, the sins of his face are washed out with the water from the sides of his beard. Then when he washes his hands up to elbows, the sins of his hands are washed out through his fingers with water. Then he passes his wet hands over his head and the sins of the head are washed out through the ends of his hair with water. Then he washes his feet up to the ankles, the sins of his feet are washed out through his toes with water. Then, if he stands up for Salat and praises Allah, glorifies Him, proclaims His Greatness as He deserves and devotes his heart wholly to Allah, he emerges sin free as the day he was born".

When 'Amr bin 'Abasah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated this Hadith to Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) a Companion of the Prophet (PBUH), the latter said to him, "Watch what you are saying. O 'Amr bin 'Abasah, a man will be getting all of this in one shot?" 'Amr (May Allah be pleased with him) replied, "O Abu Umamah, I have attained old age, my bones have become dry, my death is approaching and there is no need for me to tell lies concerning Allah and His Messenger (PBUH). Had I not heard this from the Messenger of Allah only once, twice, thrice (and he counted up to seven) I would never have reported it. Indeed I have heard this frequently".

[Muslim].

`Abdallah b. `Amr reported God's messenger as saying, "The dajjal will come forth and remain forty (`Abdallah explaining that he did not know whether he meant forty days, months, or years), then God will send Jesus son of Mary looking like `Urwa b. Mas'ud who will search for him and destroy him. He will remain among mankind for seven years, during which period no two people will be at enmity with one another. God will then send a cold wind from the direction of Syria, and no one who has in his heart as much as a grain of good (or faith) will remain on the earth without being taken, and even if one of you had entered the interior of a mountain it would come in where he was and take him. The wicked will remain as unstable as birds and with the intelligence of beasts of prey,[1] neither acknowledging what is reputable nor rejecting what is disreputable. The devil will then appear to them and ask them if they are not ashamed, and when they ask him what he commands them to do he will order them to worship idols. While they are doing so and enjoying abundant provision and a pleasant life the trumpet will be blown and everyone who hears it will bend one side of his neck and raise the other. The first to hear it will be a man who is plastering the tank used for his camels, and he and mankind will fall dead. God will then send a rain-like dew by which He will make the bodies of men to sprout from the ground. Then a second blast will be blown and they will be standing and looking.[2] Mankind will then be summoned to come to their Lord and the angels will be told to restrain them for they are to be questioned. Command will then be given to bring forth those who are to go to hell, and when they ask what proportion is to be brought forth they will be told it is nine hundred and ninety-nine out of every thousand. That will be a day which will make children grey-haired,[3] and that will be a day when the leg will be bared."[4] 1. They are like birds in being easily startled, showing lack of stability and inclination to wickedness; they have as little intelligence as wild beasts, showing anger and violence. 2. Cf. Quran, 39:68. Here the imperfect of the verb is used instead of the perfect used in the Quran. Otherwise, the wording is the same. 3. Cf. Quran, 73:17. 4. Cf. Quran, 68:42. A figure of speech for great affliction. Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you awakes from sleep and performs ablution he must clear his nose three times, for the devil spends the night in the interior of his nose.” (Bukhari and Muslim) ‘Abdallah b. Zaid b. ‘Asim, on being asked how God’s messenger used to perform ablution, called for ablution water and poured it over his hands, washing each hand twice. He then rinsed his mouth and cleared his nose with water three times. He then washed his face three times, then washed each arm twice up to the elbows, then wiped his head both front and back with his hands, beginning with the front of the head and moving them to the nape of the neck, then bringing them back to the place from which he began. He then washed his feet. Malik and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Abu Dawud has something similar. The author of the Jami‘ mentioned it. In the version of Bukhari and Muslim ‘Abdallah b. Zaid b. ‘Asim was asked to perform ablution for them as God's messenger had done, so he called for a vessel and, pouring water from it on his hands, he washed them three times, then inserted his hand and brought it out, rinsed his mouth and snuffed up water from the palm of one hand, doing that three times. He then inserted his hand and brought it out and washed his face three times, then inserted his hand and brought it out and washed each arm up to the elbows twice, then inserted his hand and brought it out and wiped his head both front and back with his hands. He then washed his feet up to the ankles and said, “This is how God’s messenger performed ablution.” A version says that he moved them to the front and the back beginning with the front of his head, then moving them to the nape of his neck, then bringing them back till he reached the place from which he had begun, after which he washed his feet. Another version says that he rinsed his mouth, snuffed up water and cleared his nose three times with three handfuls of water. Another version says that he rinsed his mouth and snuffed up water from one palm, doing that three times. In a version by Bukhari he wiped his head front and back with both hands once, then washed his feet up to the ankles. In another by him he rinsed his mouth and cleared his nose with water three times from one handful.

We went in to visit Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, and while we were sitting we heard a movement under his couch. When we had looked and found a snake in it I jumped up to kill it, but Abu Sa'id who was engaged in prayer made a gesture to me indicating that I should sit down, so I sat down. When he finished he pointed to a room in the house and asked if I saw it, and when I said I did he told me that a servant of theirs who had recently been married had occupied it. They went out with God’s messenger to the Trench, and that young man was asking permission from God’s messenger to leave after staying half the day and would return to his wife. One day when he asked God's messenger’s permission he told him to carry his weapons with him as he feared Quraiza might do him harm. The man took his weapons and returned, and finding his wife standing between the two doors he was smitten with jealousy and made to pierce her with his lance, but she told him to put away his lance and enter the house to see what had made her come out. He entered and found a huge snake coiled on the bedding, so he made for it with the lance and pierced it with it and then went out and fixed it in the ground in the house, but the snake quivered and attacked him, and no one knew which of them died first, the snake or the young man. They went to God's messenger and mentioned that incident to him, asking him to supplicate God to restore him to life for them, but he replied, "Ask forgiveness for your friend." Then he said, "These houses have resident jinn, so when you see one of them give it a warning three times. 1 If it goes away, well and good; otherwise kill it, for it is an infidel.'' He then told them to go and bury their friend. A version reports him as saying, ''In Medina there are jinn who have accepted Islam, so when you see one of them pronounce a warning to it for three days and if it appears to you after that kill it, for it is only a devil." 1. Hiarrijiu ‘alaiha thalithan. The verb means to make things difficult. This phrase is explained as meaning that one should tell the snake three times that it will be in difficulties if it returns, and that it must not blame one if, after this warning, it is driven away and killed. Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "Abraham told only, three lies two of which were for God's sake, his words, `I am indeed sick[1],' and `Nay, this largest one of them did it[2].' One day when he and Sarah came by a tyrant who was told that there was a man present accompanied by a most beautiful woman, he sent for him and asked him who she was, to which he replied that she was his sister. He then went to Sarah and told her that if this tyrant knew she was his wife he would take her away from him, so if he asked her, she must inform him she was his sister[3], she being his sister in Islam, for he and she were the only believers on the face of the earth. She was sent for arid brought to him and Abraham stood up and prayed. When she entered his presence, he was about to touch her with his hand, but he had a seizure (a variant saying that he choked) and kicked the ground with his feet. He asked her to supplicate God for him, saying he would do her no harm, and she did so; but when he was set free, he stretched out to touch her a second time and suffered a similar or a more severe seizure. He asked her to supplicate God for him, saying he would do her no harm, and she did so. He then called one of his chamberlains, and saying that it was not a human being but a devil he had brought him, he told him to give her Hagar as a servant. She came to Abraham while he was standing in prayer, and he made a sign with his hand indicating that he was asking what had happened. She told him that God had thrown back the infidel's scheme in his throat and given Hagar as a servant." Abu Huraira said, "That was your mother, B. Ma' as-Sama'.'?[4] Quran, 37: 89. Quran, 21: 63. Cf. Genesis, 12:11 ff. This is said to be a general term for the Arabs because they sought out places where rain fell. Ma' as-sama' means literally "the water of the sky." Ma' as-sama' was a laqab of Mawiya, mother of al-Mundhir III, king of al-Hira, but it is difficult to see how that has any connection here. Ma' as sama' is also said to be applied to Zamzam, which is traditionally said to be the well which the angel revealed to Hagar and her son Ishmael. That might justify the suggestion that Abu Huraira is here referring to the northern Arabs in particular. (Bukhari and Muslim.)