[Al-Bukhari].

Hakim bin Hizam said, "I asked Allah's Apostle for something, and he gave me, and I asked him again and he gave me and said, 'O Hakim! This wealth is green and sweet (i.e. as tempting as fruits), and whoever takes it without greed then he is blessed in it, and whoever takes it with greediness, he is not blessed in it and he is like one who eats and never gets satisfied. The upper (i.e. giving) hand is better than the lower (i.e. taking) hand." Hakim added, "I said, O Allah's Apostle! By Him Who has sent you with the Truth I will never demand anything from anybody after you till I die." Afterwards Abu Bakr used to call Hakim to give him something but he refused to accept anything from him. Then `Umar called him to give him (something) but he refused. Then `Umar said, "O Muslims! I offered to him (i.e. Hakim) his share which Allah has ordained for him from this booty and he refuses to take it." Thus Hakim did not ask anybody for anything after the Prophet, till he died--may Allah bestow His mercy upon him.

Hakim bin Hizam said, "I asked Allah's Apostle for something, and he gave me. I asked him again, and he gave me, and said to me. 'O Hakim! This wealth is like green sweet (i.e. fruit), and if one takes it without greed, then one is blessed in it, and if one takes it with greediness, then one is not blessed in it, and will be like the one who eats without satisfaction. And an upper (i.e. giving) hand is better than a lower (i.e. taking) hand,' I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! By Him Who has sent you with the Truth. I will not ask anyone for anything after you till I leave this world." So, when Abu Bakr during his Caliphate, called Hakim to give him (some money), Hakim refused to accept anything from him. Once `Umar called him (during his Caliphate) in order to give him something, but Hakim refused to accept it, whereupon `Umar said, "O Muslims! I give him (i.e. Hakim) his right which Allah has assigned to him) from this Fai '(booty), but he refuses to take it." So Hakim never took anything from anybody after the Prophet till he died.

Allah's Apostle said, "The thing I am afraid of most for your sake, is the worldly blessings which Allah will bring forth to you." It was said, "What are the blessings of this world?" The Prophet said, "The pleasures of the world." A man said, "Can the good bring forth evil?" The Prophet kept quiet for a while till we thought that he was being inspired divinely. Then he started removing the sweat from his forehead and said," Where is the questioner?" That man said, "I (am present)." Abu Sa`id added: We thanked the man when the result (of his question) was such. The Prophet said, "Good never brings forth but good. This wealth (of the world) is (like) green and sweet (fruit), and all the vegetation which grows on the bank of a stream either kills or nearly kills the animal that eats too much of it, except the animal that eats the Khadira (a kind of vegetation). Such an animal eats till its stomach is full and then it faces the sun and starts ruminating and then it passes out dung and urine and goes to eat again. This worldly wealth is (like) sweet (fruit), and if a person earns it (the wealth) in a legal way and spends it properly, then it is an excellent helper, and whoever earns it in an illegal way, he will be like the one who eats but is never satisfied."

A group of Jews came to Allah's Apostle and said, "As-samu 'Alaika " (Death be on you), and I understood it and said to them, "Alaikum AsSamu wa-l-la'na (Death and curse be on you)." Allah's Apostle said, "Be calm! O `Aisha, for Allah loves that one should be kind and lenient in all matters." I said. "O Allah's Apostle! Haven't you heard what they have said?" Allah's Apostle said, "I have (already) said (to them), 'Alaikum (upon you).' "

A man entered the mosque while Allah's Apostle was sitting in one side of the mosque. The man prayed, came, and greeted the Prophet. Allah's Apostle said to him, "Wa 'Alaikas Salam (returned his greeting). Go back and pray as you have not prayed (properly)." The man returned, repeated his prayer, came back and greeted the Prophet. The Prophet said, "Wa alaika-s-Salam (returned his greeting). Go back and pray again as you have not prayed (properly)." The man said at the second or third time, "O Allah's Apostle! Kindly teach me how to pray". The Prophet said, "When you stand for prayer, perform ablution properly and then face the Qibla and say Takbir (Allahu-Akbar), and then recite what you know from the Qur'an, and then bow with calmness till you feel at ease then rise from bowing, till you stand straight, and then prostrate calmly (and remain in prostration) till you feel at ease, and then raise (your head) and sit with calmness till you feel at ease and then prostrate with calmness (and remain in prostration) till you feel at ease, and then raise (your head) and sit with calmness till you feel at ease in the sitting position, and do likewise in whole of your prayer." And Abu Usama added, "Till you stand straight." (See Hadith No. 759, Vol.1)

(the wife of the Prophet) A group of Jews entered upon the Prophet and said, "As-Samu-Alaikum." (i.e. death be upon you). I understood it and said, "Wa-Alaikum As-Samu wal-la'n. (death and the curse of Allah be Upon you)." Allah's Apostle said "Be calm, O `Aisha! Allah loves that on, should be kind and lenient in all matters." I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Haven't you heard what they (the Jews) have said?" Allah's Apostle said "I have (already) said (to them) "And upon you ! "

Once the Prophet sat on a pulpit and we sat around him. Then he said, "The things I am afraid of most for your sake (concerning what will befall you after me) is the pleasures and splendors of the world and its beauties which will be disclosed to you." Somebody said, "O Allah's Apostle! Can the good bring forth evil?" The Prophet remained silent for a while. It was said to that person, "What is wrong with you? You are talking to the Prophet (p.b.u.h) while he is not talking to you." Then we noticed that he was being inspired divinely. Then the Prophet wiped off his sweat and said, "Where is the questioner?" It seemed as if the Prophet liked his question. Then he said, "Good never brings forth evil. Indeed it is like what grows on the banks of a water-stream which either kill or make the animals sick, except if an animal eats its fill the Khadira (a kind of vegetable) and then faces the sun, and then defecates and urinates and grazes again. No doubt this wealth is sweet and green. Blessed is the wealth of a Muslim from which he gives to the poor, the orphans and to needy travelers. (Or the Prophet said something similar to it) No doubt, whoever takes it illegally will be like the one who eats but is never satisfied, and his wealth will be a witness against him on the Day of Resurrection."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Summayy, the mawla of Abu Bakr from al-Qa'qa ibn Hakim that Kab al-Ahbar said, "Had it not been for some words which I said, the jews would have made me into a donkey." Someone asked him what they were. He said, "I seek refuge with the immense Face of Allah - there is nothing greater than it - and with the complete words of Allah which neither the good person nor the corrupt can exceed and with all the most beautiful names of Allah, what I know of them and what I do not know, from the evil of what He has created and originated and multiplied."

Audhu bi wajhi'llahi l-adheem aladhee laysa shay'un adham minh, wa bi kalimati'llahi't-tammati, alatee la yujawizu hunna barra wa la fajir, wa bi asma'illahi'l-husna kulliha ma alamtu minha wa ma lam alam, min sharri ma khalaqa wa bara'a wa dhara'a.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Hazim from his father that Amr ibn Sulaym az-Zuraqi said, "Abu Humayd as-Saidi told me that they asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, how they were to ask for blessings upon him and he replied that they should say, 'O Allah, bless Muhammad and his wives and his descendants asYou blessed the family of Ibrahim, and give baraka to Muhammad and his wives and his descendants as You gave baraka to the family of Ibrahim. You are worthy of Praise and Glorious.'"

Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa azwajihi wa alihi kama sallaita ala ali Ibrahim, wa barakaala Muhammad wa azwajihi wa alihi kama baraktaalaali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidu'm - Majid.

I can still picture myself looking at the Messenger of Allah (saws) who was among the camps of the Companions seeking the camp of Khalid ibn al-Walid, when a man who had drunk wine was brought before him. He asked the people: Beat him. Some struck him with sandals, some with sticks and some with fresh branches of the palm-tree (mitakhah). Ibn Wahb said: This (mitakhah) means green palm fronds. Then the apostle of Allah (saws) took some dust from the ground and threw it on his face.