The best talk (speech) is Allah's Book 'Qur'an), and the best way is the way of Muhammad, and the worst matters are the heresies (those new things which are introduced into the religion); and whatever you have been promised will surely come to pass, and you cannot escape (it).

That when he went to 'Umar during his Caliphate. 'Umar said to him, "Haven't I been told that you do certain jobs for the people but when you are given payment you refuse to take it?" 'Abdullah added: I said, "Yes." 'Umar said, "Why do you do so?" I said, "I have horses and slaves and I am living in prosperity and I wish that my payment should be kept as a charitable gift for the Muslims." 'Umar said, "Do not do so, for I intended to do the same as you do. Allah's Apostles used to give me gifts and I used to say to him, 'Give it to a more needy one than me.' Once he gave me some money and I said, 'Give it to a more needy person than me,' whereupon the Prophet said, 'Take it and keep it in your possession and then give it in charity. Take what ever comes to you of this money if you are not keen to have it and not asking for it; otherwise (i.e., if it does not come to you) do not seek to have it yourself.' "

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Ibn Ishaq and al-Auza'i from Yahya b. Sa'id in a similar manner, and Malik narrated it from Yahya b. Sa'id, saying: He observed I'tikaf during twenty days of Shawwal.

Today a man came to me and asked me a question which I did not know how to answer. He said, "Tell me, if a wealthy active man, well-equipped with arms, goes out on military expeditions with our chiefs, and orders us to do such things as we cannot do (should we obey him?)" I replied, "By Allah, I do not know what to reply you, except that we, were in the company of the Prophet and he used to order us to do a thing once only till we finished it. And no doubt, everyone among you will remain in a good state as long as he obeys Allah. If one is in doubt as to the legality of something, he should ask somebody who would satisfy him, but soon will come a time when you will not find such a man. By Him, except Whom none has the right to be worshipped. I see that the example of what has passed of this life (to what remains thereof) is like a pond whose fresh water has been used up and nothing remains but muddy water."

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

When the Prophet intended to perform the `Umra he sent a person to the people of Mecca asking their permission to enter Mecca. They stipulated that he would not stay for more than three days and would not enter it except with sheathed arms and would not preach (Islam) to any of them. So `Ali bin Abi- Talib started writing the treaty between them. He wrote, "This is what Muhammad, Apostle of Allah has agreed to." The (Meccans) said, "If we knew that you (Muhammad) are the Apostle of Allah, then we would not have prevented you and would have followed you. But write, 'This is what Muhammad bin `Abdullah has agreed to..' " On that Allah's Apostle said, "By Allah, I am Muhammad bin `Abdullah, and, by Allah, I am Apostle of 'Allah." Allah's Apostle used not to write; so he asked `Ali to erase the expression of Apostle of Allah. On that `Ali said, "By Allah I will never erase it." Allah's Apostle said (to `Ali), "Let me see the paper." When `Ali showed him the paper, the Prophet erased the expression with his own hand. When Allah's Apostle had entered Mecca and three days had elapsed, the Meccans came to `Ali and said, "Let your friend (i.e. the Prophet) quit Mecca." `Ali informed Allah's Apostle about it and Allah's Apostle said, "Yes," and then he departed.

There were fifty prayers (obligatory in the beginning); and (in the beginning of Islam) washing seven times because of sexual defilement (was obligatory); and washing the urine from the cloth seven times (was obligatory).

The Apostle of Allah (saws) kept on praying to Allah until the number of prayers was reduced to five and washing because of sexual defilement was allowed only once and washing the urine from the clothe was also permitted only once.

Allah's Apostle said, "Many amongst men reached (the level of) perfection but none amongst the women reached this level except Asia, Pharaoh's wife, and Mary, the daughter of `Imran. And no doubt, the superiority of `Aisha to other women is like the superiority of Tharid (i.e. a meat and bread dish) to other meals."

Allah's Apostle said, "Many amongst men attained perfection but amongst women none attained the perfection except Mary, the daughter of `Imran and Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh. And the superiority of `Aisha to other women is like the superiority of Tharid (i.e. an Arabic dish) to other meals."

Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad b. Hanbal say: Muhammad b. Thabit reported a rejected tradition.

Ibn Dasah said: Abu Dawud said: No one supported Muhammad b. Thabit in respect of narrating this tradition as to striking the wall twice (for wiping) from the Prophet (saws), but reported it as an action of Ibn 'Umar.

Allah's Apostle said to me, "If the revenue of Al-Bahrain should come, I will give you so much and so much," repeating "so much" thrice. But the revenue of Al-Bahrain did not come till Allah's Apostle had died. When the revenue came during the rule of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr ordered an announcer to announce, "Whoever had any debt or promise due upon the Prophet, should present himself to me (i.e. Abu Bakr). I came to Abu Bakr and informed him that the Prophet had said (to me), "If the revenue of Al-Bahrain should come, I will give you so-much and so much," repeating "so much" thrice. So Abu Bakr gave me (in another narration Jaibir said,). I met Abu Bakr after that and asked him (to give me what the Prophet had promised me) but he did not give me. I again went to him but he did not give me. I again went to him (for the third time) but he did not give me; On that I said to him, "I came to you but you did not give me, then I came to you and you did not give me, and then again I came to you, but you did not give me; so you should either give me or else you are like a miserly to me, on that, Abu Bakr said, "Do you say, 'You are like a miserly to me?' There is no worse disease than miserliness." Abu Bakr said it thrice and added, "Whenever I refused to give you, I had the intention of giving you." (In another narration) Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "I went to Abu Bakr (and he gave me a handful of money) and told me to count it, I counted and found it five-hundred, and then Abu Bakr said (to me), "Take the same amount twice."