I asked the Prophet, "What is the best deed?" He replied, "To believe in Allah and to fight for His Cause." I then asked, "What is the best kind of manumission (of slaves)?" He replied, "The manumission of the most expensive slave and the most beloved by his master." I said, "If I cannot afford to do that?" He said, "Help the weak or do good for a person who cannot work for himself." I said, "If I cannot do that?" He said, "Refrain from harming others for this will be regarded as a charitable deed for your own good."

One day Ibn `Umar, while in the Mosque, looked at a man who was dragging his clothes while walking in one of the corners of the Mosque He said, "See who is that. I wish he was near to me." Somebody then said (to Ibn `Umar), "Don't you know him, O Abu `Abdur-Rahman? He is Muhammad bin Usama." On that Ibn `Umar bowed his head and dug the earth with his hands and then, said, "If Allah's Apostle saw him, he would have loved him."

Whenever Allah's Apostle returned from a Ghazwa, Hajj or `Umra, he used to start (saying), "Allahu- Akbar," thrice and then he would say, "None has the right to be worshipped except Allah alone Who has no partners. To Him belongs the Kingdom, all praises are for Him, and He is able to do all things (i.e. Omnipotent). We are returning with repentance (to Allah) worshipping, prostrating, and praising our Lord. Allah has fulfilled His Promise, made His Slave victorious, and He (Alone) defeated the clans (of infidels) ."

When Allah gave Allah's Apostle what he gave of the properties of the Hawazin tribe as a war booty, the Prophet started giving some men 100 camels each. The Ansar (then) said, "May Allah forgive Allah's Apostles as he gives to Quraish and leaves us although our swords are still dribbling with the blood of Quraish." Allah Apostle was informed of their statement, so he sent for the Ansar and gathered them in a leather tent, and did not call anybody else along with them. When they al I gathered, the Prophet got up and said, "What is this talk being informed to me about you?" The learned men amongst the Ansar said, "O Allah's Apostle! Our chiefs did not say anything, but some people amongst us who are younger in age said. 'May Allah forgive Allah's Apostle as he gives (of the booty) to Quraish and leaves us though our swords are still dribbling with their blood." The Prophet said, "I give to these men who have newly deserted heathenism (and embraced Islam) so as to attract their hearts. Won't you be happy that the people take the wealth while you take the Prophet with you to your homes? By Allah, what you are taking is better than whatever they are taking." They (i.e. the Ansar) said, "O Allah's Apostle! We are satisfied." The Prophet then said to them. "You will find others favored over you greatly, so be patient till you meet Allah and His Apostle and I will be at the Tank then." Anas added: But they did not remain patient.

A man of the Ansar was killed at Khaybar and his relatives went to the Prophet (saws) and mentioned that to him. He asked: Have you two witnesses who can testify to the murderer of your friend? They replied: Messenger of Allah! there was not a single Muslim present, but only Jews who sometimes have the audacity to do even greater crimes than this. He said: Then choose fifty of them and demand that they take an oath; but they refused and the Prophet (saws) paid the blood-wit himself.

Allah's Apostle said, any man who has a slave girl whom he educates properly, teaches good manners, manumits and marries her, will get a double reward And if any man of the people of the Scriptures believes in his own prophet and then believes in me too, he will (also) get a double reward And any slave who fulfills his duty to his master and to his Lord, will (also) get a double reward."

The Prophet was neither conspicuously tall, nor short; neither, very white, nor tawny. His hair was neither much curled, nor very straight. Allah sent him (as an Apostle) at the age of forty (and after that) he stayed for ten years in Mecca, and for ten more years in Medina. Allah took him unto Him at the age of sixty, and he scarcely had ten white hairs on his head and in his beard.

Once while I was with the Prophet and Sa`d, Ubai bin Ka`b and Mu`adh were also sitting with him, there came to him a messenger from one of his daughters, telling him that her child was on the verge of death. The Prophet told the messenger to tell her, "It is for Allah what He takes, and it is for Allah what He gives, and everything has its fixed time (limit). So (she should) be patient and look for Allah's reward."

Allah's Apostle had a gold ring made for himself, and he used to wear it with the stone towards the inner part of his hand. Consequently, the people had similar rings made for themselves. Afterwards the Prophet; sat on the pulpit and took it off, saying, "I used to wear this ring and keep its stone towards the palm of my hand." He then threw it away and said, "By Allah, I will never wear it." Therefore all the people threw away their rings as well.

Allah's Apostle said, "While I was sleeping, some people were displayed before me (in a dream). They were wearing shirts, some of which were merely covering their breasts, and some a bit longer. Then there passed before me, `Umar bin Al-Khattab wearing a shirt he was dragging it (on the ground behind him.)" They (the people) asked, "What have you interpreted (about the dream) O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "The Religion."

Once I stayed overnight in the house of my aunt Maimuna bint Al-Harith and Allah's Apostle was with her as it was her turn. Allah's Apostle got up to offer the night prayer. I stood on his left but he took hold of my two locks of hair and made me stand on his right.

Narrated Abu Bishr:

(the above Hadith) but he quoted: Ibn `Abbas said, (took hold of) my two braids on my head."

Anas said, "Whenever Allah's Apostle returned from a journey, he, on seeing the high places of Medina, would make his she-camel proceed faster; and if it were another animal, even then he used to make it proceed faster." Narrated Humaid that the Prophet used to make it proceed faster out of his love for Medina.

Narrated Anas:

As above, but mentioned "the walls of Medina" instead of "the high places of Medina." Al-Harith bin `Umar agrees with Anas.

Some women requested the Prophet to fix a day for them as the men were taking all his time. On that he promised them one day for religious lessons and commandments. Once during such a lesson the Prophet said, "A woman whose three children die will be shielded by them from the Hell fire." On that a woman asked, "If only two die?" He replied, "Even two (will shield her from the Hell-fire).

Abu Qilaba said, "Malik bin Huwairith came to this Mosque of ours and said, 'I pray in front of you and my aim is not to lead the prayer but to show you the way in which the Prophet used to pray.' " I asked Abu Qilaba, "How did he use to pray?' " He replied, "(The Prophet used to pray) like this Sheikh of ours and the Sheikh used to sit for a while after the prostration, before getting up after the first rak`a. "

When the Prophet returned after performing his Hajj, he asked Um Sinan Al-Ansari, "What did forbid you to perform Hajj?" She replied, "Father of so-and-so (i.e. her husband) had two camels and he performed Hajj on one of them, and the second is used for the irrigation of our land." The Prophet said (to her), "Perform `Umra in the month of Ramadan, (as it is equivalent to Hajj or Hajj with me (in reward).

That the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "None of you is to sell over the sale of others, nor to propose over the proposal of others."

[He said:] There are narration on this topic from Abu Hurairah and Samurah.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Ibn 'Umar is a Hasan Sahih Hadith.

And it has been reported from the Prophet (saws) that he said: "Do not haggle in competition with your brother's haggling." And the meaning of sale in this Hadith of the Prophet (saws), according to some of the people of knowledge is to haggle.

The Prophet said, "Beware! Avoid sitting on he roads (ways)." The people said, "There is no way out of it as these are our sitting places where we have talks." The Prophet said, "If you must sit there, then observe the rights of the way." They asked, "What are the rights of the way?" He said, "They are the lowering of your gazes (on seeing what is illegal to look at), refraining from harming people, returning greetings, advocating good and forbidding evil."

A Jew from Hira asked me which one of the two periods Musa (i.e. Prophet Moses) completed. I said, "I don't know, (but wait) till I see the most learned 'Arab and inquire him about it." So, I went to Ibn `Abbas and asked him. He replied, "Moses completed the longer and better period." Ibn `Abbas added, "No doubt, an apostle of Allah always does what he says."

I went along with the Prophet to Khaibar so as to serve him. (Later on) when the Prophet returned he, on seeing the Uhud mountain, said, "This is a mountain that loves us and is loved by us." Then he pointed to Medina with his hand saying, "O Allah! I make the area which is in between Medina's two mountains a sanctuary, as Abraham made Mecca a sanctuary. O Allah! Bless us in our Sa` and Mudd (i.e. units of measuring)."

That she said, "O Allah's Apostle! Your companions are returning with the reward of both Hajj and `Umra, while I am returning with (the reward of) Hajj only." He said to her, "Go, and let `Abdur- Rahman (i.e. your brother) make you sit behind him (on the animal)." So, he ordered `AbdurRahman to let her perform `Umra from Al-Tan`im. Then the Prophet waited for her at the higher region of Mecca till she returned.

That he heard Allah's Apostle saying, "(The prophet) Moses said to his attendant, "Bring us our early meal' (18.62). The latter said, 'Did you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock? I indeed forgot the fish and none but Satan made me forget to remember it." (18.63) Moses did not feel tired till he had crossed the place which Allah ordered him to go to."

Ibn `Abbas said, Allah's Apostle fought the Ghazwa (i.e. battles of Al-Fath during Ramadan." Narrated Az-Zuhri: Ibn Al-Musaiyab (also) said the same. Ibn `Abbas added, "The Prophet fasted and when he reached Al-Kadid, a place where there is water between Kudaid and 'Usfan, he broke his fast and did not fast afterwards till the whole month had passed away.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition is known as mursal (the successor reports directly from the Prophet, omitting then name of the Companion). The people narrated it from the Prophet (saws) on the authority of 'Ata'. Makhlad is his teacher.

If he was a child of a slave-woman whom the father did not possess or of a free woman with whom he had illicit intercourse, he was not joined to the heirs and did not inherit even if the one to whom he was attributed is the one who claimed paternity, since he was a child of fornication whether his mother was free or a slave.

Ibn Awn said: I asked about the meaning of intisar (revenge) in the Qur'anic verse: "But indeed if any do help and defend themselves (intasara) after a wrong (done) to them, against them there is no cause of blame." Then Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jad'an told me on the authority of Umm Muhammad, the wife of his father.

Ibn Awn said: It was believed that she used to go to the Mother of the Faithful (i.e. Aisha). She said: The Mother of the Faithful said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) came upon me while Zaynab, daughter of Jahsh, was with us. He began to do something with his hand. I signalled to him until I made him understand about her. So he stopped. Zaynab came on and began to abuse Aisha. She tried to prevent her but she did not stop.

So he (the Prophet) said to Aisha: Abuse her.

So she abused her and dominated her. Zaynab then went to Ali and said: Aisha abused you and did (such and such). Then Fatimah came (to the Prophet) and he said to her: She is the favourite of your father, by the Lord of the Ka'bah!

She then returned and said to them: I said to him such and such, and he said to me such and such. Then Ali came to the Prophet (saws) and spoke to him about that.

A man came to the Prophet asking his permission to take part in Jihad. The Prophet asked him, "Are your parents alive?" He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet said to him, "Then exert yourself in their service."

When the delegates of the tribe of Hawazin came to the Prophet they requested him to return their property and their captives. He said to them, "This concerns also other people along with me as you see, and the best statement to me is the true one, so you may choose one of two alternatives; either the captives or the property and (I have not distributed the booty for) I have been waiting for you." When the Prophet had returned from Ta'if, he waited for them for more than ten nights. When they came to know that the Prophet would not return except one of the two, they chose their captives. The Prophet then stood up amongst the Muslims, Glorified and Praised Allah as He deserved, and then said, "Then after: These brothers of yours have come to you with repentance and I see it proper to return their captives, so whoever amongst you likes to do that as a favor, then he can do it, and whoever of you wants to stick to his share till we pay him from the very first Fai (i.e. war booty) which Allah will give us, then he can do so." The people said, "We return (the captives) to them willingly as a favor, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said, "I do not know who of you has given his consent and who has not; so go back and your leaders may present your decision to me." The people went away, and their leaders discussed the matter with them, and then came to the Prophet to tell him that all of them had given their consent (to return the captives) willingly. (Az-Zuhn, the sub-narrator said, "This is what we know about the captives, of Hawazin.")

(the wife of the Prophet) Allah's Apostle said, "No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even though it were the prick he receives from a thorn."

Allah's Apostle said, "For every prophet there is one (special invocation (that will not be rejected) with which he appeals (to Allah), and I want to keep such an invocation for interceding for my followers in the Hereafter."

The Prophet saw a Bedouin making water in the mosque and told the people not to disturb him. When he finished, the Prophet asked for some water and poured it over (the urine).

When the reciters of Qur'an were martyred, Allah's Apostle recited Qunut for one month and I never saw him (i.e. Allah's Apostle) so sad as he was on that day.

(the wife of the Prophet) The Prophet used to practice I`tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan till he died and then his wives used to practice I`tikaf after him.

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "No prophet gets sick but he is given the choice to select either this world or the Hereafter." `Aisha added: During his fatal illness, his voice became very husky and I heard him saying: "In the company of those whom is the Grace of Allah, of the prophets, the Siddiqin (those followers of the prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them), the martyrs and the pious.' (4.69) And from this I came to know that he has been given the option.

Abu Bakr kissed (the forehead of) the Prophet when he was dead. `Aisha added: We put medicine in one side of his mouth but he started waving us not to insert the medicine into his mouth. We said, "He dislikes the medicine as a patient usually does." But when he came to his senses he said, "Did I not forbid you to put medicine (by force) in the side of my mouth?" We said, "We thought it was just because a patient usually dislikes medicine." He said, "None of those who are in the house but will be forced to take medicine in the side of his mouth while I am watching, except Al-`Abbas, for he had not witnessed your deed."

The Prophet said, "Allah says: 'I am just as My slave thinks I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him) and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.' "

Salim told me, "`Abdullah bin `Umar said, 'I saw Allah's Apostle delaying the Maghrib prayer till he offered it along with the `Isha prayer whenever he was in a hurry during the journey.' " Salim said, "Abdullah bin `Umar used to do the same whenever he was in a hurry during the journey. After making the call for Iqama, for the Maghrib prayer he used to offer three rak`at and then perform Taslim. After waiting for a short while, he would pronounce the Iqama for the `Isha' prayer and offer two rak`at and perform Taslim. He never prayed any Nawafil in between the two prayers or after the `Isha' prayers till he got up in the middle of the night (for Tahajjud prayer)."

Abu Dawud said: Similarly, this tradition has been narrated by Ibn Wahb from Malik, Hafs b. Maisarah, Dawud b. Qais and Hisham b. Sa'd. But Hisham projected it to Abu Sa'id al-Khudri.

A man came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I am suffering from fatigue and hunger." The Prophet sent (somebody) to his wives (to get something), but the messenger found nothing with them. Then Allah's Apostle said (to his companions). "Isn't there anybody who can entertain this man tonight so that Allah may be merciful to him?" An Ansari man got up and said, "I (will, entertain him), O Allah's Apostle!" So he went to his wife and said to her, "This is the guest of Allah's Apostle, so do not keep anything away from him." She said. "By Allah, I have nothing but the children's food." He said, "When the children ask for their dinner, put them to bed and put out the light; we shall not take our meals tonight," She did so. In the morning the Ansari man went to Allah's Apostle who said, "Allah was pleased with (or He bestowed His Mercy) on so-and-so and his wife (because of their good deed)." Then Allah revealed: 'But give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that.' (59.9)

"A man came to the Prophet while he was at Ji'rana. The man was wearing a cloak which had traces of Khaluq or Sufra (a kind of perfume). The man asked (the Prophet ), 'What do you order me to perform in my `Umra?' So, Allah inspired the Prophet divinely and he was screened by a place of cloth. I wished to see the Prophet being divinely inspired. `Umar said to me, 'Come! Will you be pleased to look at the Prophet while Allah is inspiring him?' I replied in the affirmative. `Umar lifted one corner of the cloth and I looked at the Prophet who was snoring. (The sub-narrator thought that he said: The snoring was like that of a camel). When that state was over, the Prophet asked, "Where is the questioner who asked about `Umra? Put off your cloak and wash away the traces of Khaluq from your body and clean the Sufra (yellow color) and perform in your Umra what you perform in your Hajj (i.e. the Tawaf round the Ka`ba and the Sa`i between Safa and Marwa). "

Magic was worked on the Prophet so that he began to fancy that he was doing a thing which he was not actually doing. One day he invoked (Allah) for a long period and then said, "I feel that Allah has inspired me as how to cure myself. Two persons came to me (in my dream) and sat, one by my head and the other by my feet. One of them asked the other, "What is the ailment of this man?" The other replied, 'He has been bewitched" The first asked, 'Who has bewitched him?' The other replied, 'Lubaid bin Al-A'sam.' The first one asked, 'What material has he used?' The other replied, 'A comb, the hair gathered on it, and the outer skin of the pollen of the male date-palm.' The first asked, 'Where is that?' The other replied, 'It is in the well of Dharwan.' " So, the Prophet went out towards the well and then returned and said to me on his return, "Its date-palms (the date-palms near the well) are like the heads of the devils." I asked, "Did you take out those things with which the magic was worked?" He said, "No, for I have been cured by Allah and I am afraid that this action may spread evil amongst the people." Later on the well was filled up with earth.

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) took a vow in the pre-Islamic days to spend a night or a day in devotion near the Ka'bah (in the sacred mosque). He asked the Prophet (saws) about it. He said: Observe i'tikaf (i.e. spend a night or a day near the Ka'bah) and fast.

The garlic and onions were mentioned before the Messenger of Allah (saws). He was told: The most severe of them is garlic. Would you make it unlawful? The Prophet (saws) said: Eat it, and he who eats it should not come near this mosque until its odour goes away.

We used to go to Anas bin Malik and see his baker standing (preparing the bread). Anas said, "Eat. I have not known that the Prophet ever saw a thin well-baked loaf of bread till he died, and he never saw a roasted sheep with his eyes."

The Prophet said, "My Lord says, 'If My slave comes nearer to me for a span, I go nearer to him for a cubit; and if he comes nearer to Me for a cubit, I go nearer to him for the span of outstretched arms; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.' "

Allah's Apostle said, "A person is considered in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer in the mosque as long as he does not do Hadath." A non-Arab man asked, "O Abu Huraira! What is Hadath?" I replied, "It is the passing of wind (from the anus) (that is one of the types of Hadath).

The people came to the Prophet (saws) weeping (due to drought). He said (making supplication): O Allah! give us rain which will replenish us, abundant, fertilising and profitable, not injurious, granting it now without delay. He (the narrator) said: Thereupon the sky became overcast.

Ibn `Abbas said, "The Prophet forbade the meeting of caravans (on the way) and ordained that no townsman is permitted to sell things on behalf of a bedouin." I asked Ibn `Abbas, "What is the meaning of his saying, 'No townsman is permitted to sell things on behalf of a bedouin.' " He replied, "He should not work as a broker for him."

The Prophet said, "As long as any-one of you is waiting for the prayer, he is considered to be praying actually, and the angels say, 'O Allah! Be merciful to him and forgive him', (and go on saying so) unless he leaves his place of praying or passes wind (i.e. breaks his ablution).