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.

A (Jewish) Rabbi came to Allah's Apostle and he said, "O Muhammad! We learn that Allah will put all the heavens on one finger, and the earths on one finger, and the trees on one finger, and the water and the dust on one finger, and all the other created beings on one finger. Then He will say, 'I am the King.' Thereupon the Prophet smiled so that his pre-molar teeth became visible, and that was the confirmation of the Rabbi. Then Allah's Apostle recited: 'They made not a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified is He, and High is He above all that they associate as partners with Him.' (39.67)

On a rainy day Ibn `Abbas said to his Mu'adh-dhin, "After saying, 'Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah' (I testify that Muhammad is Allah's Apostle), do not say 'Haiya 'Alas-Salat' (come for the prayer) but say 'Pray in your houses'." (The man did so). But the people disliked it. Ibn `Abbas said, "It was done by one who was much better than I (i.e. the Prophet (p.b.u.h) ). No doubt, the Jumua prayer is compulsory but I dislike to put you to task by bringing you out walking in mud and slush."

When Khalid al-Qasri was made ruler (of Hijaz and Kufah), he doubled the measure of sa'. The sa' then measured sixteen rotls.

Abu Dawud said: Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Khattab was slain by Negroes in confinement. He said while signing with his hand: "in this way". Abu Dawud extended his hand and turned his palms towards earth and said: I saw him in the dream and asked him: How did Allah deal with you ? He replied: He admitted to Paradise. I said: Your detention did not harm you.

Mansur al-Kalbi said: Dihyah ibn Khalifah once went out from a village of Damascus at as much distance as it measures between Aqabah and al-Fustat during Ramadan; and that is three miles. He then broke his fast and the people broke their fast along with him. But some of them disliked to break their fast. When he came back to his village, he said: I swear by Allah, today I witnessed a thing of which I could not even think to see. The people detested the way of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and his Companions. He said this to those who fasted. At this moment he said: O Allah, make me die.

During the last Hajj (Hajj-al-Wada`) of Allah's Apostle he performed `Umra and Hajj. He drove a Hadi along with him from Dhul-Hulaifa. Allah's Apostle started by assuming Ihram for `Umra and Hajj. And the people, too, performed the `Umra and Hajj along with the Prophet. Some of them brought the Hadi and drove it along with them, while the others did not. So, when the Prophet arrived at Mecca. he said to the people, "Whoever among you has driven the Hadi, should not finish his Ihram till he completes his Hajj. And whoever among you has not (driven) the Hadi with him, should perform Tawaf of the Ka`ba and the Tawaf between Safa and Marwa, then cut short his hair and finish his Ihram, and should later assume Ihram for Hajj; but he must offer a Hadi (sacrifice); and if anyone cannot afford a Hadi, he should fast for three days during the Hajj and seven days when he returns home. The Prophet performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba on his arrival (at Mecca); he touched the (Black Stone) corner first of all and then did Ramal (fast walking with moving of the shoulders) during the first three rounds round the Ka`ba, and during the last four rounds he walked. After finishing Tawaf of the Ka`ba, he offered a two rak`at prayer at Maqam Ibrahim, and after finishing the prayer he went to Safa and Marwa and performed seven rounds of Tawaf between them and did not do any deed forbidden because of Ihram, till he finished all the ceremonies of his Hajj and sacrificed his Hadi on the day of Nahr (10th day of Dhul-Hijja). He then hastened onwards (to Mecca) and performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba and then everything that was forbidden because of Ihram became permissible. Those who took and drove the Hadi with them did the same as Allah's Apostle did.

We were with the Prophet while we were young and had no wealth. So Allah's Apostle said, "O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty (i.e. his private parts from committing illegal sexual intercourse etc.), and whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that one time Abdullah ibn Umar wanted to sacrifice an animal at Madina. Nafi said, "He told me to buy him an excellent horned ram, then to sacrifice it on the Day of Sacrifice in the place where the people prayed." Nafi continued, "I did so and when the ram was sacrificed, it was carried to Abdullah ibn Umar who shaved his head. He was ill, and did not attend the Id with the people." Nafi added, "Abdullah ibn Umar used to say, 'Shaving the head is not obligatory for someone who sacrifices an animal.' Ibn Umar would do so however."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi', the mawla of Abdullah ibn Umar, that Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote to his governors saying, "The most important of your affairs in my view is the prayer. Whoever protects it and observes it carefully is protecting his deen, while whoever is negligent about it will be even more negligent about other things." Then he added, "Pray dhuhr any time from when the afternoon shade is the length of your forearm until the length of your shadow matches your height. Pray asr when the sun is still pure white, so that a rider can travel two or three farsakhs before the sun sets. Pray maghrib when the sun has set. Pray isha any time from when the redness in the western sky has disappeared until a third of the night has passed - and a person who sleeps, may he have no rest, a person who sleeps, may he have no rest. And pray subh when all the stars are visible and like a haze in the sky."

'Umar b. al-Khattab (ra) addressed us and said: I did not send my collectors (of zakat) so that they strike your bodies and that they take your property. If that is done with someone and he appeals to me, I shall take retaliation on him. Amr ibn al-'As said: If any man (i.e. governor) inflicts disciplinary punishment on his subjects, would you take retaliation on him too? He said: Yes, by Him in Whose hand my soul is, I shall take retaliation on him. I saw that the Messenger of Allah (saws) has given retaliation on himself.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman from Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If a misfortune befalls some one and he says, as Allah has ordered, 'We belong to Allah and to Him we are returning. O Allah, reward me in my misfortune and give me better than it afterwards,' Allah will do that for him" (Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun. Allahumma' jurniy fi musiybatiy, wa a qibhiy khayran minha, illa faala 'llahu dhalika bihi.).

Umm Salama said, "When Abu Salama died I said that, and then I said, 'Who is better than Abu Salama?' " And then Allah left her the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he married her.

A dead man in debt used to be brought to Allah's Apostle who would ask, "Has he left anything to re pay his debts?" If he was informed that he had left something to cover his debts the Prophet would offer the funeral prayer for him; otherwise he would say to the Muslims present there), "Offer the funeral prayer for your friend:"but when Allah helped the Prophet to gain victory (on his expeditions), he said, "I am closer to the Believers than themselves, so. if one of the Believers dies in debt, I will repay it, but if he leaves wealth, it will be for his heirs.

The Prophet (saws) said: Riders who are objects of dislike to you will come to you, but you must welcome them when they come to you, and give them a free hand regarding what they desire. If they are just, they will receive credit for it, but if they are unjust, they will be held responsible. Please them, for the perfection of your zakat consists in their good pleasure, and let them ask a blessing for you .

Abu Dawud said: The name of the narrator Abu al-Ghusn is Thabit bin Qais bin Ghusn.

A black person, a male or a female used to clean the Mosque and then died. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) did not know about it . One day the Prophet remembered him and said, "What happened to that person?" The people replied, "O Allah's Apostle! He died." He said, "Why did you not inform me?" They said, "His story was so and so (i.e. regarded him as insignificant)." He said, "Show me his grave." He then went to his grave and offered the funeral prayer.

I asked Abu Sa`id, and he was a friend of mine, (about the Night of Qadr) and he said, "We practiced I`tikaf (seclusion in the mosque) in the middle third of the month of Ramadan with the Prophet . In the morning of the 20th of Ramadan, the Prophet came and addressed us and said, 'I was informed of (the date of the Night of Qadr) but I was caused to forget it; so search for it in the odd nights of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. (In the dream) I saw myself prostrating in mud and water (as a sign). So, whoever was in I`tikaf with me should return to it with me (for another 10-day's period)', and we returned. At that time there was no sign of clouds in the sky but suddenly a cloud came and it rained till rainwater started leaking through the roof of the mosque which was made of date-palm leaf stalks. Then the prayer was established and I saw Allah's Apostle prostrating in mud and water and I saw the traces of mud on his forehead."

I asked the Prophet about the wall (outside the Ka`ba). "Is it regarded as part of the Ka`ba?" He replied, "Yes." I said, "Then why didn't the people include it in the Ka`ba?" He said, "(Because) your people ran short of money." I asked, "Then why is its gate so high?" He replied, ''Your people did so in order to admit to it whom they would and forbid whom they would. Were your people not still close to the period of ignorance, and were I not afraid that their hearts might deny my action, then surely I would include the wall in the Ka`ba and make its gate touch the ground."