Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from Abd ar- Rahman ibn al-Qasim that Aslam, the mawla of Umar ibn al-Khattab informed him that he had visited Abdullah ibn Ayyash al-Makhzumi. He saw that he had some nabidh with him and he was at that moment on the way to Makka. Aslam said to him, ''Umar ibn al-Khattab loves this drink." Abdullah ibn Ayyash therefore carried a great drinking bowl and brought it to Umar ibn al-Khattab and placed it before him. Umar brought it near to him and then raised his head. Umar said, "This drink is good," so he drank some of it and then passed it to a man on his right. When Abdullah turned to go, Umar ibn al-Khattab called him and asked, "Are you the person who says that Makka is better than Madina?" Abdullah said, "I said that it was the Haram of Allah, and His place of security, and His House was in it." Umar said, "I am not saying anything about the House of Allah or His Haram." Then Umar repeated "Are you the person who says that Makka is better than Madina?" He replied, "I said that it was the Haram of Allah and His place of security, and His House was in it." Umar said, "I am not saying anything about the House of Allah and His Haram." Then Abdullah left.

I heard Ash-Shu`bi saying, "A person who was accompanying the Prophet passed by a grave that was separated from the other graves told me that the Prophet once led the people in the (funeral) prayer and the people had aligned behind him. I said, "O Aba `Amr! Who told you about it?" He said, "Ibn `Abbas."

Yahya related to me from Malik that Ibn Shihab used to say, "When a man catches the raka he says, 'Allah is greater' once, and that takbir is enough for him."

Malik added, "That is if he intended to begin the prayer by that takbir "

Malik was asked about a man who began with the imam but forgot the opening takbir and the takbir of the ruku until he had done one raka. Then he remembered that he had not said the takbir at the opening nor in the ruku,so he said the takbir in the second raka. He said, "I prefer that he start his prayer again, but if he forgets the opening takbir with the imam and says the takbir in the first ruku, I consider that enough for him if he intends by it the opening takbir."

Malik said, about some one who prayed by himself and forgot the opening takbir, "He begins his prayer afresh ."

Malik said, about an imam who forgot the opening takbir until he had finished his prayer, "I think that he should do the prayer again, and those behind him, even if they have said the takbir."

Allah's Apostle said to me, "Recite the whole Qur'an in one month's time." I said, "But I have power (to do more than that)." Allah's Apostle said, "Then finish the recitation of the Qur'an in seven days, and do not finish it in less than this period."

I heard `Umar saying, "Whoever braids his hair should shave it (on finishing lhram). You'd better not do, something like Talbid." Ibn `Umar used to say: "I saw Allah's Apostle with his hair stuck together with gum."

I went up to the roof of Hafsa's house for some job and I saw Allah's Apostle answering the call of nature facing Sham (Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon regarded as one country) with his back towards the Qibla. (See Hadith No. 147).

I passed when AbuJahl had fallen as his foot was struck (with the swords). I said: O enemy of Allah, AbuJahl, Allah has disgraced a man who was far away from His mercy. I did not fear him at that moment. He replied: It is most strange that a man has been killed by his people. I struck him with a blunt sword. But it did not work, and then his sword fell down from his hand, I struck him with it until he became dead.

Allah's Apostle said to me, "Recite (of the Qur'an) for me," I said, "Shall I recite it to you although it had been revealed to you?" He said, "I like to hear (the Qur'an) from others." So I recited Surat-an- Nisa' till I reached: "How (will it be) then when We bring from each nation a witness, and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people?" (4.41) Then he said, "Stop!" And behold, his eyes were overflowing with tears."

A man came to the Prophet and said "I keep away from the morning prayer only because such and such person prolongs the prayer when he leads us in it. The narrator added: I had never seen Allah's Apostle more furious in giving advice than he was on that day. He said, "O people! There are some among you who make others dislike good deeds) cause the others to have aversion (to congregational prayers). Beware! Whoever among you leads the people in prayer should not prolong it, because among them there are the sick, the old, and the needy." (See Hadith No. 670, Vol 1)

At the battle of Badr the Messenger of Allah gave me AbuJahl's sword, as I had killed him.

The Prophet (saws) said: I will not forgive anyone who kills after accepting blood-wit

I saw the Messenger of Allah (saws) praying both barefooted and wearing sandals.

The Prophet said, "If somebody on the demand of a judge takes an oath to grab (a Muslim's) property and he is liar in it, he will meet Allah Who will be angry with him". So Allah revealed,:-- 'Verily! those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant and their oaths..' (3.77) 'Al- Ashath came while `Abdullah was narrating (this) to the people. Al-Ashath said, "This verse was revealed regarding me and another man with whom I had a quarrel about a well. The Prophet said (to me), "Do you have any evidence?' I replied, 'No.' He said, 'Let your opponent take an oath.' I said: I am sure he would take a (false) oath." Thereupon it was revealed: 'Verily! those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant....' (3.77) (See Hadith No. 72, Vol 6).

The Prophet was the best of all the people in character. I had a brother called Abu `Umar, who, I think, had been newly weaned. Whenever he (that child) was brought to the Prophet the Prophet used to say, "O Abu `Umar! What did Al-Nughair (nightingale) (do)?" It was a nightingale with which he used to play. Sometimes the time of the Prayer became due while he (the Prophet) was in our house. He would order that the carpet underneath him be swept and sprayed with water, and then he would stand up (for the prayer) and we would line up behind him, and he would lead us in prayer.

Shariq al-Hawzani and I came to Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) and asked her: By which (prayer) the Messenger of Allah (saws) began when he woke up at night? She replied: You asked me about a thing which no one asked me before. When he woke up at night, he uttered: "Allah is Most Great" ten times, and uttered "Praise be to Allah" ten times, and said "Glory be to Allah and I begin with His praise" ten times, and said: "Glory be to the King, the Most Holy" ten times, and asked Allah's pardon ten times, and said: "There is no god but Allah" ten times, and then said: "O Allah! I seek refuge in Thee from the strait of the Day of resurrection," ten times. He then began the prayer.

The Prophet said one statement and I said another. The Prophet said "Whoever dies while still invoking anything other than Allah as a rival to Allah, will enter Hell (Fire)." And I said, "Whoever dies without invoking anything as a rival to Allah, will enter Paradise."

I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way different to that of mine. Allah's Apostle had taught it to me (in a different way). So, I was about to quarrel with him (during the prayer) but I waited till he finished, then I tied his garment round his neck and seized him by it and brought him to Allah's Apostle and said, "I have heard him reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way different to the way you taught it to me." The Prophet ordered me to release him and asked Hisham to recite it. When he recited it, Allah s Apostle said, "It was revealed in this way." He then asked me to recite it. When I recited it, he said, "It was revealed in this way. The Qur'an has been revealed in seven different ways, so recite it in the way that is easier for you."

Yahya related to me from Malik, from Ibn Shihab, that Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn al-Harith ibn Nawfal ibn Abd al-Muttalib told him that he had heard Sad ibn Abi Waqqas and ad-Dahhak ibn Qays discussing tamattu in between umra and hajj. Ad-Dahhak ibn Qays said, "Only someone who is ignorant of what Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, says would do that." Whereupon Sad said, "How wrong is what you have just said, son of my brother!" Ad-Dahhak said, ''Umar ibn al-Khattab forbade that," and Sad said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did it, and we did it with him."

I saw the Messenger of Allah (saws) uttering the call to prayer (Adhan) in the ear of al-Hasan ibn Ali when Fatimah gave birth to him.

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) used to make the two rak`at before the Fajr prayer so light that I would wonder whether he recited Al-Fatiha (or not).

that he saw a man throwing stones with two fingers (at something) and said to him, "Do not throw stones, for Allah's Apostle has forbidden throwing stones, or he used to dislike it." `Abdullah added: Throwing stones will neither hunt the game, nor kill (or hurt) an enemy, but it may break a tooth or gouge out an eye." Afterwards `Abdullah once again saw the man throwing stones. He said to him, "I tell you that Allah's Apostle has forbidden or disliked the throwing the stones (in such a way), yet you are throwing stones! I shall not talk to you for such-and-such a period."

The Prophet said, "While I was at the House in a state midway between sleep and wakefulness, (an angel recognized me) as the man lying between two men. A golden tray full of wisdom and belief was brought to me and my body was cut open from the throat to the lower part of the `Abdomen and then my `Abdomen was washed with Zamzam water and (my heart was) filled with wisdom and belief. Al- Buraq, a white animal, smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me and I set out with Gabriel. When I reached the nearest heaven. Gabriel said to the heaven gate-keeper, 'Open the gate.' The gatekeeper asked, 'Who is it?' He said, 'Gabriel.' The gate-keeper,' Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel said, 'Muhammad.' The gate-keeper said, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel said, 'Yes.' Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What a wonderful visit his is!' Then I met Adam and greeted him and he said, 'You are welcomed O son and a Prophet.' Then we ascended to the second heaven. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel said, 'Gabriel.' It was said, 'Who is with you?' He said, 'Muhammad' It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?' He said, 'Yes.' It was said, 'He is welcomed. What a wonderful visit his is!" Then I met Jesus and Yahya (John) who said, 'You are welcomed, O brother and a Prophet.' Then we ascended to the third heaven. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel said, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is with you? Gabriel said, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?' 'Yes,' said Gabriel. 'He is welcomed. What a wonderful visit his is!' (The Prophet added:). There I met Joseph and greeted him, and he replied, 'You are welcomed, O brother and a Prophet!' Then we ascended to the 4th heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met Idris and greeted him. He said, 'You are welcomed O brother and Prophet.' Then we ascended to the 5th heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in previous heavens. there I met and greeted Aaron who said, 'You are welcomed O brother and a Prophet". Then we ascended to the 6th heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greeted Moses who said, 'You are welcomed O brother and. a Prophet.' When I proceeded on, he started weeping and on being asked why he was weeping, he said, 'O Lord! Followers of this youth who was sent after me will enter Paradise in greater number than my followers.' Then we ascended to the seventh heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greeted Abraham who said, 'You are welcomed o son and a Prophet.' Then I was shown Al-Bait-al-Ma'mur (i.e. Allah's House). I asked Gabriel about it and he said, This is Al Bait-ul-Ma'mur where 70,000 angels perform prayers daily and when they leave they never return to it (but always a fresh batch comes into it daily).' Then I was shown Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. a tree in the seventh heaven) and I saw its Nabk fruits which resembled the clay jugs of Hajr (i.e. a town in Arabia), and its leaves were like the ears of elephants, and four rivers originated at its root, two of them were apparent and two were hidden. I asked Gabriel about those rivers and he said, 'The two hidden rivers are in Paradise, and the apparent ones are the Nile and the Euphrates.' Then fifty prayers were enjoined on me. I descended till I met Moses who asked me, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Fifty prayers have been enjoined on me.' He said, 'I know the people better than you, because I had the hardest experience to bring Bani Israel to obedience. Your followers cannot put up with such obligation. So, return to your Lord and request Him (to reduce the number of prayers.' I returned and requested Allah (for reduction) and He made it forty. I returned and (met Moses) and had a similar discussion, and then returned again to Allah for reduction and He made it thirty, then twenty, then ten, and then I came to Moses who repeated the same advice. Ultimately Allah reduced it to five. When I came to Moses again, he said, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Allah has made it five only.' He repeated the same advice but I said that I surrendered (to Allah's Final Order)'" Allah's Apostle was addressed by Allah, "I have decreed My Obligation and have reduced the burden on My slaves, and I shall reward a single good deed as if it were ten good deeds."

`Abdullah bin Mas`ud related to us two narrations: One from the Prophet and the other from himself, saying: A believer sees his sins as if he were sitting under a mountain which, he is afraid, may fall on him; whereas the wicked person considers his sins as flies passing over his nose and he just drives them away like this." Abu Shihab (the sub-narrator) moved his hand over his nose in illustration. (Ibn Mas`ud added): Allah's Apostle said, "Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His slave than a man who encamps at a place where his life is jeopardized, but he has his riding beast carrying his food and water. He then rests his head and sleeps for a short while and wakes to find his riding beast gone. (He starts looking for it) and suffers from severe heat and thirst or what Allah wished (him to suffer from). He then says, 'I will go back to my place.' He returns and sleeps again, and then (getting up), he raises his head to find his riding beast standing beside him."

I saw Allah's Apostle eating fresh dates with snake cucumber.

I asked `Aisha what did the Prophet use to do at home. She replied. "He used to keep himself busy serving his family and when it was time for the prayer, he would get up for prayer."

I saw that the Messenger of Allah (saws) raised his hands when he began prayer, but he did not raise them until he finished (prayer).

Abu Dawud said: This tradition is not sound.