‘Ikrima said that some people from al-‘Iraq came and asked Ibn ‘Abbas whether he considered bathing on Friday obligatory. He replied that, while not obligatory, it had a more cleansing effect and was better for the one who observed it; but if anyone did not bathe there was no obligation for him to do so. He then said that he would tell them how the practice of bathing on Friday began. The people were in difficult circumstances, their clothing being of wool and their work being the carrying of loads on their backs. Their mosques was rather small and had a low roof which was only made of trellis work. God’s messenger came out one hot day when the people were sweating in their woollen garments to such an extent that they annoyed one another by the odours which were spread around. When God’s messenger noticed those odours he said, “When this day comes, you people must wash, and each of you should apply the best grease and perfume you can find.” Ibn ‘Abbas added that when God afterwards brought prosperity, they wore clothes not made of wool, they did not need to do manual labour, their mosque was extended, and some of the annoyance caused to one another by the sweat came to an end. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

AbuNadrah reported: An old man of Tufawah said to me: I was a guest of AbuHurayrah at Medina. I did not find any one of the companions of the Prophet (saws) more devoted to worship and more hospitable than AbuHurayrah.

One day I was with him when he was sitting on his bed. He had a purse which contained pebbles or kernels. A black slave-girl of his was sitting below. Counting them he was glorifying Allah. When the pebbles or the kernels in the purse were finished, she gathered them and put them again in the purse, and gave it to him. He said: Should I not tell you about me and about the Messenger of Allah (saws)?

I said: Yes. He said: Once when I was laid up with fever in the mosque, the Messenger of Allah (saws) came and entered the mosque, and said: Who saw the youth of ad-Daws. He said this three times.

A man said: Messenger of Allah, there he is, laid up with fever on one side of the mosque. He moved, walking forward till he reached me. He placed his hand on me. He had a kind talk with me, and I rose. He then began to walk till he reached the place where he used to offer his prayer. He paid his attention to the people. There were two rows of men and one row of women, or two rows of women and one row of men (the narrator is doubtful).

He then said: If Satan makes me forget anything during the prayer, the men should glorify Allah, and the women should clap their hands. The Messenger of Allah (saws) then prayed and he did not forget anything during the prayer.

He said: Be seated in your places, be seated in your places. The narrator, Musa, added the word "here". He then praised Allah and exalted Him, and said: Now to our topic.

The agreed version begins: He then said: Is there any man among you who approaches his wife, closes the door, covers himself with a curtain, and he is concealed with the curtain of Allah?

They replied: Yes. He said: later he sits and says: I did so-and-so; I did so-and-so. The people kept silence. He then turned to the women and said (to them): Is there any woman among you who narrates it? They kept silence. Then a girl fell on one of her knees. The narrator, Mu'ammil, said in his version: a buxom girl. She raised her head before the Messenger of Allah (saws) so that he could see her and listen to her.

She said: Messenger of Allah, they (the men) describe the secrets (of intercourse) and they (the women) also describe the secrets (of intercourse) to the people.

He said: Do you know what the similitude is? He said: The likeness of this act is the likeness of a female Satan who meets the male Satan on the roadside; he fulfils his desire with her while the people are looking at him. Beware! The perfume of men is that whose smell becomes visible and its colour does not appear. Beware! The perfume of women is that whose colour becomes visible and whose smell is not obvious.

AbuDawud said: From here I remembered this tradition from Mu'ammil and Musa: Beware! No man should lie with another man, no woman should lie with another woman except with one's child or father. He also mentioned a third which I have forgotten. This has been mentioned in the version of Musaddad, but I do not remember it as precisely as I like.

The narrator, Musa, said: Hammad narrated this tradition from al-Jarir from AbuNadrah from at-Tufawi.

Asma asked the Messenger of Allah about bathing after ones's period. He said: "One of you should take her water and lote leaves, and purify herself well, or thoroughly. Then she should pour water over her head and rub it vigorously so that the water reaches the roots of her hair. Then she should take a piece of cotton perfumed with musk and purify herself with it." Asma said: "How should I purify myself with it?" He said: "Subhan Allah! Purify yourself with it!" 'Aishah said, as if whispering to her: "Wipe away the traces of blood with it." Then she (Asma) asked him about bathing to cleanse oneself from sexual impurity. He said: "One of you should take her water, and purify herself, and purify herself well, or thoroughly. She should pour water over her head and rub it so that the water reaches the roots of her hair, then she should pour water over her body." 'Aishah said: "How good were the women of the Ansar! For they did not let shyness keep them from understanding their religion properly."

Anas said, "At the time that wine was made unlawful, there was no drink that the people of Madina liked better than that made from dried dates and unripe dates. I used to give the drink to the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They were in the home of Abu Talha when a man passed by and announced, 'Wine has been forbidden.' They did not say, 'When?' or 'Wait until we see.' They said, 'Anas, break them!' Then they said in the presence of Umm Sulaym, 'Wait until it becomes cool and we have washed ourselves.' Then Umm Sulaym put perfume on them. Then they went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the news was as the man had said."

Jabir said “We went out along with the Messenger of Allah(saws) raising our voices in talbiyah for Hakk alone(Ifrad) while A’ishah raised her voice in talbiyah for an ‘Umrah. When she reached Sarif, she menstruated. When we came to (Makkah) we circumambulated the Ka’bah and ran between al Safa’ and al Marwah. The Messenger of Allah(saws) then commanded us that those who had not brought sacrificial animals withthem should put off their ihram (after ‘Umrah). We asked “Which acts are lawful(and which not)? He replied All acts are lawful (that are permissible usually). We had therefore intercourse with our wives, used perfumes, put on our clothes. There remained only four days to perform Hajj at ‘Arafah. We then raised our voice in talbiyah (wearing Ihram for Hajj) on the eighth of Dhu al Hijjah. The Messenger of Allah(saws) entered upon A’ishah and found her weeping. He said What is the matter with you? My problem is that I have menstruated, while the people have put on their ihram but I have not done so, nor did I go round the House(the Ka’bah). Now the people are proceeding for Hajj. He said This is a thing destined by Allah to the daughters of Adam. Take a bath, then raise your voice in talbiyah for Hajj(i.e, wear ihram for Hajj). She took a abtah and performed all the rites of the Hajj(lit. she stayed at all those places where the pilgrims stay). When she was purified, she circumambulated the House (the Ka’bah), and ran between al Safa’ and al Marwah. He (the Prophet) said “Now you have performed both your Hajj and your ‘Umrah. She said Messenger of Allah, I have some misgiving in my mind that I did not go round the Ka’bah when I performed Hajj (in the beginning). He said ‘Abd al Rahman (her brother), take her and have her perform ‘Umrah from Al Tan’im. This happened on the night of Al Hasbah(i.e., the fourteenth of Dhu Al Hijjah).

"I served Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) for ten years, and he never said “Uff!” to me. He never asked me about something I had done, saying: “Why did you do it?” nor about something I had left undone, saying: “Why did you leave it undone?” Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) was the finest of human beings in character. I never felt any silk, or anything at all. that was softer than the palm of the hand of Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace). I never smelled any musk, nor any perfume, more fragrant than the sweat of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)!”

Al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib reported God’s messenger as saying, “Two angels will come to him, make him sit up, and ask him who his Lord is, to which he will reply that his Lord is God. They will ask him what his religion is, and he will reply that his religion is Islam. They will ask him about this man who was sent on a mission among his people, and he will reply that he is God’s messenger. They will ask him what made him aware of this, and he will reply that he read God’s Book, believed in it, and considered it true, which is verified by God’s words, ‘God establishes those who believe with the word that stands firm¹...’ Then a crier will call from heaven, ‘My servant has spoken the truth, so spread a bed for him from paradise, clothe him from paradise, and open a door for him into paradise.’ A door will then be opened for him towards paradise, some of its air and perfume will come to him, and a space will be made for him in it as far as the eye can see.” He also mentioned the death of the infidel, saying, “His spirit will be restored to his body, two angels will come, make him sit up and ask him who his Lord is, to which he will reply, ‘Alas, alas, I do not know.’ They will ask him what his religion is, and he will reply, ‘Alas, alas, I do not know.’ They will ask him about this man who was sent on a mission among his people, and he will reply, ‘Alas, alas, I do not know.' Then a crier will call from heaven, ‘He has lied, so spread a bed for him from hell, clothe him from hell, and open a door for him into hell.' Then some of its heat and pestilential wind will come to him, and his grave will become restricted so that his ribs will be pressed together. One who is blind and dumb will then be placed in charge of him, having a sledgehammer such that if a mountain were struck with it it would become dust. He will give him a blow with it and he will utter a shout which will be heard by everything between the east and the west except by men and jinn, and he will become dust. Then his spirit will be restored to him." Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it. ¹ Quran, xiv, 27.

We went out with the Messenger of Allah (saws) accompanying the bier of a man of the Ansar. When we reached his grave, it was not yet dug. So the Messenger of Allah (saws) sat down and we also sat down around him as if birds were over our heads. He had in his hand a stick with which he was scratching the ground.

He then raised his head and said: Seek refuge with Allah from the punishment in the grave. He said it twice or thrice.

The version of Jabir adds here: He hears the beat of their sandals when they go back, and at that moment he is asked: O so and so! Who is your Lord, what is your religion, and who is your Prophet?

Hannad's version says: Two angels will come to him, make him sit up and ask him: Who is your Lord?

He will reply: My Lord is Allah. They will ask him: What is your religion? He will reply: My religion is Islam. They will ask him: What is your opinion about the man who was sent on a mission among you? He will reply: He is the Messenger of Allah (saws). They will ask: Who made you aware of this? He will reply: I read Allah's Book, believed in it, and considered it true; which is verified by Allah's words: "Allah's Book, believed in it, and considered it true, which is verified by Allah's words: "Allah establishes those who believe with the word that stands firm in this world and the next."

The agreed version reads: Then a crier will call from Heaven: My servant has spoken the truth, so spread a bed for him from Paradise, clothe him from Paradise, and open a door for him into Paradise. So some of its air and perfume will come to him, and a space will be made for him as far as the eye can see.

He also mentioned the death of the infidel, saying: His spirit will be restored to his body, two angels will come to him, make him sit up and ask him: Who is your Lord?

He will reply: Alas, alas! I do not know. They will ask him: What is your religion? He will reply: Alas, alas! I do not know. They will ask: Who was the man who was sent on a mission among you? He will reply: Alas, alas! I do not know. Then a crier will call from Heaven: He has lied, so spread a bed for him from Hell, clothe him from Hell, and open for him a door into Hell. Then some of its heat and pestilential wind will come to him, and his grave will be compressed, so that his ribs will be crushed together.

Jabir's version adds: One who is blind and dumb will then be placed in charge of him, having a sledge-hammer such that if a mountain were struck with it, it would become dust. He will give him a blow with it which will be heard by everything between the east and the west except by men and jinn, and he will become dust. Then his spirit will be restored to him.

Sa'id b. al-Musayyib told that he met Abu Huraira who said, "I ask God to bring us together in the market of paradise." Sa'id asked if it contained a market and he replied that it did, for God's messenger had informed him that when the inhabitants of paradise enter it they will alight in it by virtue of their deeds. They will then be granted permission for the period of a Friday in this world and will visit their Lord whose throne will be shown to them, and He will appear to them in one of the gardens of paradise. Pulpits of light, pulpits of pearls, pulpits of rubies, pulpits of chrysoprase, pulpits of gold and pulpits of silver will be placed for them, and the humblest of them, for there is no one worthless among them, will sit on mounds of musk and camphor, not considering that those who are on the chairs are in a more excellent position than they. Abu Huraira told that he asked, "Messenger of God, shall we see our Lord?" to which he replied, "Yes, are you in doubt about seeing the sun and the moon on the night when it is full?" On receiving the reply that they were not, he said, "Similarly you will have no doubts about the vision of your Lord, and no man will remain in that assembly without God conversing with him, till he says to one of them, `So and so son of so and so, do you remember the day you said such and such?' and He will remind him of one of the dishonest things he did in the world. He will say, `0 my Lord, hast Thou not forgiven me?' and He will reply, `Yes; by the wideness of my forgiveness, you have reached this station of yours.' While that is taking place a cloud will overshadow them from above and rain on them perfume whose fragrance will be such as they have never experienced my thing to compare with, and our Lord will say, `Get up and go to the honour I have prepared for you, and take what you desire.' We shall then come to a market surrounded by angels containing such things as eyes have never seen, ears have never heard, and hearts have never thought of. What we desire will be conveyed to us, there being no buying or selling in it, and in that market the inhabitants of paradise will meet one another. A man of exalted station will come forward and meet one who is humbler than he, though there is no one worthless among them, who will be charmed by the clothing he sees him wearing, but before their talk comes to an end, he will imagine that he has something more beautiful than the other. That is because it is not fitting for anyone to grieve in it. We shall then go to our dwellings and our wives will meet us and say, `Welcome; you have come with more excellent beauty than you had when you left us.' We shall reply, To-day we have had a meeting with our Lord, the Overpowering One, and it is fitting that we should come away as we have done'." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah trans - mitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition

"I supplicate Allah to bring you and I together in the market of Paradise." So Sa'eed said: "Is there a market in it?" He said: "Yes, the messenger of Allah (s.a.w) informed me that: 'When the people of Paradise enter it, they shall take their places according to the virtue of their deeds. Then permission shall be granted to them to visit their Lord, for the length of a Friday from the days of the world. He shall present for them His Throne and He shall manifest the gardens of Paradise. Then lofty seats of light shall be erected for them, and lofty saets of pearl, and lofty seats or corundum, and lofty seats of peridots, and lofty seats of gold, and lofty seats of silver. And the lowest of them- and there is none of them that is low- shall sit upon a dune of musk and camphor, and they shall not regard those upon the chairs as having a better sitting place than them.' Abu Hurairah said: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, and will we see our Lord?' He (S.a.w) said: 'Yes.[He said: ] Do you doubt [concerning] seeing the sun, or the moon on a night when it is full?' We said: 'No.' He said: 'Likewise, you will not doubt concerning seeing your Lord. And they shall not remain in that meeting any man except Allah shall give him a lecture until he says to a man from among them: "O so-and – so son of so - and – so, do you remember the day when you said such-and-such.” And He will remind him of some of his betrayals in the world, so he will say: “O my Lord, did you not forgive me?” So He will say: “Indeed! It is by the vastness of My Forgiveness that you reached this station of yours.” So while they are engaged in this they shall be covered by a cloud that shall rain upon them a perfume, the like of whose smell they have not smelled, ever. And our Lord [Blessed and Exalted is He] shall say: “Arise to what I have prepared for you of generosity, and take whatever you desire.” Then, we will come to a market which the angels will have already surrounded. [In it] shall be what no eyes have seen the like of, nor ears have heard of, nor ever has it occurred in the hearts (of men). And there shall be carried to us whatever we desire. There shall be not be anything sold or bought in this market, and, in that market, the people of Paradise shall meet one another.' He said: 'So the person of high rank shall come and meet the one below him in rank- and there is none among them that is low- so he shall be impressed by the clothes he sees on him, their discussion shall not come to an end until he shall imagine upon himself what is more beautiful than it, and that is because it is not fitting for anyone to feel regret therein. Then we will return to our places and our wives shall meet us saying: “Welcome and greetings, you have come, and you have beauty greater than what you parted us with.” So we will say: “Indeed we sat today with our Lord, the Powerful, and it is fitting that we should return with what we have returned with.'” (Da'if)

We went out with the Prophet to the funeral of a man of the Ansar and came to the grave. It had not yet been dug, so God’s messenger sat down and we sat down around him quietly. He had in his hand a stick with which he was making marks on the ground. Then he raised his head and said, “Seek refuge in God from the punishment of the grave saying it twice or thrice. He then said, “When a believer is about to leave the world and go forward to the next world, angels with faces white as the sun come down to him from heaven with one of the shrouds of paradise and some of the perfume of paradise and sit away from him as far as the eye can see. Then the angel of death comes and sits at his head and says, 'Good soul, come out to forgiveness and acceptance from God.' It then comes out as a drop flows from a water-skin and he seizes it; and when he does so, they do not leave it in his hand for an instant, but take it and place it in that shroud and that perfume, and from it there comes forth a fragrance like that of the sweetest musk found on the face of the earth. They then take it up and do not bring it past a company of angels without their asking, “Who is this good soul?' to which they reply, ‘So and so, the son of so and so,’ using the best of his names by which people called him on the earth. They then bring him to the lowest heaven and ask that the gate should be opened for him. This is done, and from every heaven its archangels escort him to the next heaven till he is brought to the seventh heaven, and God who is great and glorious says, ‘Record the book of my servant in ‘Illiyun (Cf. Qur’an, lxxxiii, 18) and take him back to earth, for I created mankind from it, I shall return them into it, and from it I shall bring them forth another time.' His soul is then restored to his body, two angels come to him, and making him sit up say to him, ‘Who is your Lord?’ He replies, ‘My Lord is God.’ They ask, ‘What is your religion?’ and he replies, ‘My religion is Islam.’ They ask, ‘Who is this man who was sent among you?’ and he replies, ‘He is God’s messenger.’ They ask, ‘What is your [source of] knowledge?’ and he replies, ‘I have read God’s Book, believed in it and declared it to be true.’ Then one cries from heaven, ‘My servant has spoken the truth, so spread out carpets from paradise for him, clothe him from paradise, and open a gate for him into paradise.’ Then some of its joy and fragrance comes to him, his grave is made spacious for him as far as the eye can see, and a man with a beautiful face, beautiful garments and a sweet odour comes to him and says, ‘Rejoice in what pleases you for this is your day which you have been promised.' He asks, ‘Who are you, for your face is perfectly beautiful and brings good?” He replies, ‘I am your good deeds.’ He then says, ‘My Lord, bring the last hour; my Lord, bring the last hour, so that I may return to my people and my property.’ But when an infidel is about to leave the world and proceed to the next world, angels with black faces come down to him from heaven with hair-cloth and sit away from him as far as the eye can see. Then the angel of death comes and sits at his head and says, ‘Wicked soul, come out to displeasure from God.’ Then it becomes dissipated in his body, and he draws it out as a spit is drawn out from moistened wool. He then seizes it, and when he does so they do not leave it in his hand for an instant, but put it in that hair-cloth and from it there comes forth a stench like the most offensive stench of a corpse found on the face of the earth. They then take it up and do not bring it past a company of angels without their asking, ‘Who is this wicked soul?’ to which they reply, ‘So and so, the son of so and so,’ using the worst names he was called in the world. When he is brought to the lowest heaven request is made that the gate be opened for him, but it is not opened for him. (God’s messenger then recited, ‘The gates of heaven will not be opened for them and they will not enter paradise until a camel can pass through the eye of a needle.)(Qur'an, vii, 40) God who is great and glorious then says, ‘Record his book in Sijjin (Cf. Qur’an, Ixxxiii, 7 ff) in the lowest earth,’ and his soul is thrown down. (He then recited, ‘He who assigns partners to God is as if he had fallen down from heaven and been snatched up by birds, or made to fall by the wind in a place far distant.')(Qur’an, xxii, 31). His soul is then restored to his body, two angels come to him, and making him sit up say to him, ‘Who is your Lord?’. He replies, ‘Alas, alas, I do not know.’ They ask, ‘What is your religion?' and he replies, ‘Alas, alas, I do not know.’ They ask, ‘Who is this man who was sent among you?' and he replies, ‘Alas, alas, I do not know.’ Then one cries from heaven, ‘He has lied, so spread out carpets from hell for him, and open a gate for him into hell.’ Then some of its heat and hot air comes to him, his grave is made narrow for him so that his ribs are pressed together in it, and a man with an ugly, face, ugly garments and an offensive odour come to him and says, ‘Be grieved with what displeases you, for this is your day which you have been promised.’ He asks, ‘Who are you, for your face is most ugly and brings evil?' He replies, ‘I am your wicked deeds.’ He then says, ‘My Lord, do not bring the last hour.’ ” In a version there is something similar containing an addition: “When his soul comes out every angel between heaven and earth and every angel in heaven invoke blessings on him, and the gates of heaven are opened for him, no guardians of a gate failing to supplicate God that his soul may be taken up beyond them. But his soul, i.e., the infidel’s, is pulled out along with the veins and every angel between heaven and earth and every angel in heaven curse him, and the gates of heaven are locked, no guardians of a gate failing to supplicate God that his soul may not be taken up beyond them. Ahmad transmitted it.

“I supplicate Allah to bring you and I together in the marketplace of Paradise,” Sa’eed said: “Is there a marketplace there?” He said: “Yes. The Messenger of Allah (saw) told me that when the people of Paradise enter it, they will take their places according to their deeds, and they will be given permission for a length of time equivalent to Friday on earth, when they will visit Allah. His Throne will be shown to them and He will appear to them in one of the gardens of Paradise. Chairs of light and chairs of pearls and chairs of rubies and chairs of chrysolite and chairs of gold and chairs of silver will be placed for them. Those who are of a lower status than them, and none of them will be regarded as insignificant, will sit on sandhills of musk and camphor, and they will not feel that those who are sitting on chairs are seated better than them.” Abu Hurairah said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord?’ He said: ‘Yes. Do you dispute that you see the sun and the moon on the night when it is full?’ We said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘Likewise, you will not dispute that you see your Lord, the Glorified. There will be no one left in that gathering with whom Allah does not speak face to face, until He will say to a man among you: “Do you not remember, O so-and-so, the day you did such and such?” And He will remind him of some of his sins in this world. He will say: “O Lord, have You not forgiven me?” He will say: “Yes, it is by the vastness of My forgiveness that You have reached the position you are in.” While they are like that, a cloud will cover them from above and will rain down on them perfume the like of whose fragrance they have never smelled before. Then He will say: “Get up and go to the honor that has been prepared for you, and take whatever you desire.” So we will go to a marketplace surrounded by the angels, in which there will be such things as eyes have never seen, ears have never heard and it has not entered the heart of man. Whatever we desire will be carried for us. Nothing will be bought or sold therein. In that marketplace the people of Paradise will meet one another. A man of elevated status will meet those who are of lower status than him, but none shall be regarded as insignificant, and he will be dazzled by the clothes that he sees on him. He will not finish the last of his conversation before better clothes appear on him. That is because no one should be sad there.’” “He said: ‘Then we will go back to our homes where we will be met by our wives, and they will say: ‘Welcome. You have come looking more handsome and with a better fragrance than when you left us.’ And we will say: ‘Today we sat with our Lord, the Compeller, the Glorified, and we deserve to come back as we have come back.’”

"Eleven women sat together and agreed that they would not conceal anything pertaining to their husbands. [Each of them spoke in rhyming Arabic]. ‘The first said: “My husband is the flesh of a scrawny camel [jamal] on top of a mountain [jabal] that is rugged, not smooth, so he climbs it, emaciated, and is carried away [yuntaqal].” ‘The second said: “I do not broadcast my husbands story [khabara-hu], for I am afraid that I may not let him alone [la adhara-hu]. If I mention him, I shall mention his apparent faults ['ujara-hu] and his hidden defects [bujara-hu]” ‘The third said: “My husband is extremely tall and ill- natured ['ashannaq]. If I speak, I will be divorced [utallaq], and if keep silent, I will be left in suspense [u'allaq]” ‘The fourth said: “My husband is like the night of Tihama [the province in which Mecca is situated]: neither heat nor cold, and neither fear nor disgust [sa’ama].” ‘The fifth said: “If my husband comes in, he is relaxed like the lynx [fahida], and if he goes out, he is bold like the lion [asida] and does not ask about what he has undertaken ['ahida]. ‘The sixth said: “If my husband eats, he gorges and mixes all sorts of food [laffa], and if he drinks, he swigs all the contents of the bowl [ishtaffa]. If he lies down to sleep, he wraps himself up [iltaffa], and he does not feel with the palm of his hand to detect [his wife’s] sorrow [al-baththa].” ‘The seventh said: “My husband is incompetent ['ayaya’]— or dispirited [ghayaya’]—, impotent [tabaqa], sick with every sickness [da’]. He would fracture your skull [shajja-ki] or jag you [falla-ki], or do both to you [la-ki]” ‘The eighth said: “My husband is softness, the softness of a rabbit [arnab], and scent, the scent of saffron [zarnab]” ‘The ninth said: “My husband is of lofty status [imad], of tall stature [najad], of splendid hospitality [ramad], the neighbor of the clubhouse [bait an-nad].” ‘The tenth said: “My husband is Malik, and what is Malik? Malik is better than that. [In order to provide food for the guest], he has camels with many stalls [mabarik] and few pastures. If they hear the sound of the lute, they know for certain that they are about to be slaughtered [hawalik]” ‘The eleventh said: “My husband is Abu Zar", and what about Abu Zar'? He has made my ears dangle with jewelry. He has filled my upper arms with fat. He has made me happy, so my soul has become happy with me. He found me among the owners of little sheep and goats, in dire straits, so he put me among the owners of neighing [horses], braying [camels], crop-treading [cows] and fattening [sheep]. I therefore speak in his presence, for I shall not be rebuked. I sleep soundly until the morning arrives, and I shall drink until I satisfy my thirst. “The mother of Abu Zar so what about the mother of Abu Zar? Her bundles [of clothes and suchlike] are heavy, and her house is spacious. “The son of Abu Zar so what about the son of Abu Zar? His couch is like a palm-stick stripped of its leaves [because he is very slender], and the foreleg of the lamb fills his stomach. “The daughter of Abu Zar, so what about the daughter of Abu Zar? She is obedient to her father and obedient to her mother. She fits perfectly into her clothes, and she is the rage of her female neighbor. “The maidservant of Abu Zar so what about the maidservant of Abu Zar? She does not broadcast our speech, nor does she scatter our provisions, nor does she fill our home with treachery and slander.” ‘She said: “Abu Zar" went out while the milkskins were being churned, and so he encountered a woman accompanied by two children of hers. Like a pair of lynxes, they were playing below her waist with a couple of lumps shaped like pomegranates. He therefore divorced me and married her, so I married a nobly generous man. He rode a sturdy horse and held a spear. He endowed me with rich benefits, and gave me a couple of every perfume. He said: ‘Eat, Umm Zar, and feed your relatives!’ Yet even if I collected everything that he gave me, it would not amount to the smallest of the vessels of Abu Zar'!” 'A'isha said (may Allah be well pleased with her): “Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to me: ‘I have been to you as Abu Zar was to Umm Zar'.”