There was a disagreement between them (i.e. Ibn `Abbas and Ibn Az-Zubair) so I went to Ibn `Abbas in the morning and said (to him), "Do you want to fight against Ibn Zubair and thus make lawful what Allah has made unlawful (i.e. fighting in Meccas?" Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah forbid! Allah ordained that Ibn Zubair and Bani Umaiya would permit (fighting in Mecca), but by Allah, I will never regard it as permissible." Ibn `Abbas added. "The people asked me to take the oath of allegiance to Ibn AzZubair. I said, 'He is really entitled to assume authority for his father, Az-Zubair was the helper of the Prophet, his (maternal) grandfather, Abu Bakr was (the Prophet's) companion in the cave, his mother, Asma' was 'Dhatun-Nitaq', his aunt, `Aisha was the mother of the Believers, his paternal aunt, Khadija was the wife of the Prophet , and the paternal aunt of the Prophet was his grandmother. He himself is pious and chaste in Islam, well versed in the Knowledge of the Qur'an. By Allah! (Really, I left my relatives, Bani Umaiya for his sake though) they are my close relatives, and if they should be my rulers, they are equally apt to be so and are descended from a noble family.

That he went with Allah's Apostle to the house of Maimuna, who was his and Ibn `Abbas' aunt. He found with her a roasted mastigure which her sister Hufaida bint Al-Harith had brought from Najd. Maimuna presented the mastigure before Allah's Apostle who rarely started eating any (unfamiliar) food before it was described and named for him. (But that time) Allah's Apostle stretched his hand towards the (meat of the) mastigure whereupon a lady from among those who were present, said, "You should inform Allah's Apostle of what you have presented to him. O Allah's Apostle! It is the meat of a mastigure." (On learning that) Allah's Apostle withdrew his hand from the meat of the mastigure. Khalid bin Al-Walid said, "O Allah's Apostle! Is this unlawful to eat?" Allah's Apostle replied, "No, but it is not found in the land of my people, so I do not like it." Khalid said, "Then I pulled the mastigure (meat) towards me and ate it while Allah's Apostle was looking at me.

Magic was worked on Allah's Apostle so that he began to imagine that he had done something although he had not. One day while he was with me, he invoked Allah and invoked for a long period and then said, "O `Aisha! Do you know that Allah has instructed me regarding the matter I asked Him about?" I asked, "What is that, O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "Two men came to me; one of them sat near my head and the other sat near my feet. One of them asked his companion, 'What is the disease of this man?' The other replied, 'He is under the effect of magic.' The first one asked, 'Who has worked magic on him?" The other replied, 'Labid bin A'sam, a Jew from the tribe of Bani Zuraiq.' The (first one asked), 'With what has it been done?' The other replied, 'With a a comb and the hair stuck to it and a skin of the pollen of a male datepalm tree.' The first one asked, 'Where is it?' The other replied, 'In the well of Dharwan.' Then the Prophet went along with some of his companions to that well and looked at that and there were date palms near to it. Then he returned to me and said, 'By Allah the water of that well was (red) like the infusion of Henna leaves and its date-palms were like the heads of devils" I said, O Allah's Apostle! Did you take those materials out of the pollen skin?" He said, 'No! As for me Allah has healed me and cured me and I was afraid that (by Showing that to the people) I would spread evil among them when he ordered that the well be filled up with earth, and it was filled up with earth "

There was a man who fought most bravely of all the Muslims on behalf of the Muslims in a battle (Ghazwa) in the company of the Prophet. The Prophet looked at him and said. "If anyone would like to see a man from the people of the Fire, let him look at this (brave man)." On that, a man from the People (Muslims) followed him, and he was in that state i.e., fighting fiercely against the pagans till he was wounded, and then he hastened to end his life by placing his sword between his breasts (and pressed it with great force) till it came out between his shoulders. Then the man (who was watching that person) went quickly to the Prophet and said, "I testify that you are Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet asked him, "Why do you say that?" He said, "You said about so-and-so, 'If anyone would like to see a man from the people of the Fire, he should look at him.' He fought most bravely of all of us on behalf of the Muslims and I knew that he would not die as a Muslim (Martyr). So when he got wounded, he hastened to die and committed suicide." There-upon the Prophet said, "A man may do the deeds of the people of the Fire while in fact he is one of the people of Paradise, and he may do the deeds of the people of Paradise while in fact he belongs to the people of Fire, and verily, (the rewards of) the deeds are decided by the last actions (deeds)".

The Prophet employed Ibn Al-Utbiyya to collect Zakat from Bani Sulaim, and when he returned (with the money) to Allah's Apostle the Prophet called him to account, and he said, "This (amount) is for you, and this was given to me as a present." Allah's Apostle said, "Why don't you stay at your father's house or your mother's house to see whether you will be given gifts or not, if you are telling the truth?" Then Allah's Apostle stood up and addressed the people, and after glorifying and praising Allah, he said: Amma Ba'du (then after) I employ some men from among you for some job which Allah has placed in my charge, and then one of you comes to me and says, 'This (amount) is for you and this is a gift given to me.' Why doesn't he stay at the house of his father or the house of his mother and see whether he will be given gifts or not if he was telling the truth by Allah, none of you takes anything of it (i.e., Zakat) for himself (Hisham added: unlawfully) but he will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection carrying it on his neck! I do not want to see any of you carrying a grunting camel or a mooing cow or a bleating sheep on meeting Allah." Then the Prophet raised both his hands till I saw the whiteness of his armpits, and said, "(No doubt)! Haven't I conveyed Allah's Message!"

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that he had heard that on the day after the day of sacrifice Umar ibn al-Khattab went out a little after the sun had risen and said the takbir, and everyone repeated it after him. Then he went out a second time the same day when the sun was well up and said the takbir, and everyone repeated it after him. Then he went out a third time after mid-day and said the takbir, and everyone repeated it after him until it resounded from group to group until it reached the House and people knew that Umar had left to throw the stones.

Malik said, "What we do here (in Madina) is to say the takbir during the days of tashriq after each prayer. The first time is when the imam and everyone with him says the takbir after the dhuhr prayer on the day of sacrifice, and the last is when the imam and everyone with him says the takbir after subh on the last of the days of tashriq, after which he stops saying the takbir."

Malik said, "The takbirs during the days of tashriq should be done by both men and women, whether they are in a group or by themselves, at Mina or elsewhere, and all of the takbirs should be done. In this everyone follows the imam of the hajj and the people at Mina, because when everyone returns (to Makka) and comes out of ihram they keep the same people as imams while out of ihram (as they did when they were in ihram). Some one who is not doing hajj does not follow them except for the takbirs during the days of tashriq."

Malik said, "The 'limited number of days' are the days of tashriq."

Yahya related to me from Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Qasim, from his father that A'isha, umm al-muminin, said, "We set out with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the year of the farewell hajj and we went into ihram for umra. Afterwards, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Whoever has a sacrificial animal with him should go into ihram for hajj and umra together, and he should not leave ihram without leaving ihram for both of them at the same time.' "

She continued "I was menstruating when I got to Makka, so I did not do tawaf of the House or say between Safa and Marwa. I complained to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said, 'Undo your hair and comb it and leave the umra and go back into ihram for the hajj.' "

She said, "I did so, and when we had completed the hajj, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent me with Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr as-Siddiq to at-Tanim and I performed an umra and he said, 'This is in place of your umra.' "

"Those who had entered ihram for the umra did tawaf of the House and say between Safa and Marwa, then left ihram. Then they did another tawaf after returning from Mina for their hajj, whereas those who entered ihram for the hajj or combined the hajj and the umra, only did one tawaf."

Yahya related the same as that to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az-Zubayr from A'isha.

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."

From Ibn 'Umar, that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Both the buyer and the seller retain the option as long as they have not separated or they give each other than option."

He (Nafi') said: "So when Ibn 'Umar purchased something while he was sitting, he would stand to complete the sale."

Allah's Apostle sat on the pulpit and said, "Allah has given one of His Slaves the choice of receiving the splendor and luxury of the worldly life whatever he likes or to accept the good (of the Hereafter) which is with Allah. So he has chosen that good which is with Allah." On that Abu Bakr wept and said, "Our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you." We became astonished at this. The people said, "Look at this old man! Allah's Apostle talks about a Slave of Allah to whom He has given the option to choose either the splendor of this worldly life or the good which is with Him, while he says. 'our fathers and mothers be sacrifice(i for you." But it was Allah's Apostle who had been given option, and Abu Bakr knew it better than we. Allah's Apostle added, "No doubt, I am indebted to Abu Bakr more than to anybody else regarding both his companionship and his wealth. And if I had to take a Khalil from my followers, I would certainly have taken Abu Bakr, but the fraternity of Islam is. sufficient. Let no door (i.e. Khoukha) of the Mosque remain open, except the door of Abu Bakr."

The wives of Allah's Apostle were in two groups. One group consisted of `Aisha, Hafsa, Safiyya and Sauda; and the other group consisted of Um Salama and the other wives of Allah's Apostle. The Muslims knew that Allah's Apostle loved `Aisha, so if any of them had a gift and wished to give to Allah's Apostle, he would delay it, till Allah's Apostle had come to `Aisha's home and then he would send his gift to Allah's Apostle in her home. The group of Um Salama discussed the matter together and decided that Um Salama should request Allah's Apostle to tell the people to send their gifts to him in whatever wife's house he was. Um Salama told Allah's Apostle of what they had said, but he did not reply. Then they (those wives) asked Um Salama about it. She said, "He did not say anything to me." They asked her to talk to him again. She talked to him again when she met him on her day, but he gave no reply. When they asked her, she replied that he had given no reply. They said to her, "Talk to him till he gives you a reply." When it was her turn, she talked to him again. He then said to her, "Do not hurt me regarding Aisha, as the Divine Inspirations do not come to me on any of the beds except that of Aisha." On that Um Salama said, "I repent to Allah for hurting you." Then the group of Um Salama called Fatima, the daughter of Allah's Apostle and sent her to Allah's Apostle to say to him, "Your wives request to treat them and the daughter of Abu Bakr on equal terms." Then Fatima conveyed the message to him. The Prophet said, "O my daughter! Don't you love whom I love?" She replied in the affirmative and returned and told them of the situation. They requested her to go to him again but she refused. They then sent Zainab bint Jahsh who went to him and used harsh words saying, "Your wives request you to treat them and the daughter of Ibn Abu Quhafa on equal terms." On that she raised her voice and abused `Aisha to her face so much so that Allah's Apostle looked at `Aisha to see whether she would retort. `Aisha started replying to Zainab till she silenced her. The Prophet then looked at `Aisha and said, "She is really the daughter of Abu Bakr."

That Allah's Apostle rode over a donkey covered with a Fadakiya (velvet sheet) and Usama was riding behind him. He was visiting Sa`d bin 'Ubada (who was sick) in the dwelling place of Bani Al-Harith bin Al-Khazraj and this incident happened before the battle of Badr. They proceeded till they passed by a gathering in which `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul was present., and that was before `Abdullah bin Ubat embraced Islam. In that gathering there were Muslims, pagan idolators and Jews, and among the Muslims there was `Abdullah bin Rawaha. When a cloud of dust raised by (the movement of ) the animal covered that gathering, `Abdullah bin Ubai covered his nose with his garment and said, "Do not cover us with dust." Allah's Apostle greeted them, stopped, dismounted and invited them to Allah (i.e. to embrace Islam) and recited to them the Holy Qur'an. On that `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul said to him, "O man! There is nothing better than what you say, if it is the truth. So do not trouble us with it in our gatherings, but if somebody comes to you, you can preach to him." On that `Abdullah bin Rawaha said "Yes, O Allah's Apostle! Call on us in our gathering, for we love that." So the Muslims, the pagans and the Jews started abusing one another till they were about to fight with one another. Allah's Apostle kept on quietening them till all of them became quiet, and then Allah's Apostle rode his animal and proceeded till he entered upon Sa`d bin 'Ubada. Allah's Apostle said, "O Sa`d! Didn't you hear what Abu Habab said?" (meaning `Abdullah bin Unbar). "He said so-and-so." Sa`d bin Ubada said, "O Allah's Apostle! Let my father be sacrificed for you ! Excuse and forgive him for, by Him Who revealed to you the Book, Allah sent the Truth which was revealed to you at the time when the people of this town had decided to crown him (`Abdullah bin Ubai) as their ruler. So when Allah had prevented that with the Truth He had given you, he was choked by that, and that caused him to behave in such an impolite manner which you had noticed." So Allah's Apostle excused him. (It was the custom of) Allah's Apostle and his companions to excuse the pagans and the people of the scripture (Christians and Jews) as Allah ordered them, and they used to be patient when annoyed (by them). Allah said: 'You shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who received the Scripture before you.....and from the pagans (3.186) He also ...

(regarding the Verse):-- "Those of you who die and leave wives behind. They - (their wives) -- shall wait (as regards their marriage ) for four months and ten days)." (2.234) The widow, according to this Verse, was to spend this period of waiting with her husband's family, so Allah revealed: "Those of you who die and leave wives (i.e. widows) should bequeath for their wives, a year's maintenance and residences without turning them out, but if they leave (their residence), there is no blame on you for what they do with themselves provided it is honorable.' (i.e. lawful marriage) (2.240). So Allah entitled the widow to be bequeathed extra maintenance for seven months and twenty nights, and that is the completion of one year. If she wished she could stay (in her husband's home) according to the will, and she could leave it if she wished, as Allah says: "..without turning them out, but if they leave (the residence), there is no blame on you." So the 'Idda (i.e. four months and ten days as it) is obligatory for her. 'Ata said: Ibn `Abbas said, "This Verse, i.e. the Statement of Allah: "..without turning them out.." cancelled the obligation of staying for the waiting period in her dead husband's house, and she can complete this period wherever she likes." 'Ata's aid: If she wished, she could complete her 'Idda by staying in her dead husband's residence according to the will or leave it according to Allah's Statement:-- "There is no blame on you for what they do with themselves." `Ata' added: Later the regulations of inheritance came and abrogated the order of the dwelling of the widow (in her dead husband's house), so she could complete the 'Idda wherever she likes. And it was no longer necessary to provide her with a residence. Ibn `Abbas said, "This Verse abrogated her (i.e. widow's) dwelling in her dead husband's house and she could complete the 'Idda (i.e. four months and ten days) wherever she liked, as Allah's Statement says:--"...without turning them out..."

Abu Dawud and others have said: When a she-camel enters fourth year, the female is called hiqqah, and the male is called hiqq, for it deserves that it should be loaded and ridden. When a camel enters its fifth year, the male is called Jadha' and the female is called Jadha'ah. When it enters its sixth year, and sheds its front teeth, it is called thani (male) and thaniyyah (female). When it enters its seventh year, it is called raba' and raba'iyyah. When it enters its ninth year and cuts its canine teeth, it is called bazil. When it enters its tenth year, it is called mukhlif. Then there is no name for it, but is called bazil'am and bazil'amain, and mukhlif'am and mukhlif'amain, upto any year it increases. Nad d. Shumail said: Bint makhad is a she-camel of one year, and bin labun is s she-camel of two years, hiqqah is a she-camel of three years, jadha'ah is a she-camel of four years, thani is a camel of five years, raba' is a camel of six years, sadis is a camel of seven years, and bazil is a camel of eight years.

Abu Dawud said: Abu Hatim and al-Asma'i said: Al-Jadhu'ah is a time when no tooth is growing. Abu Hatim said: Some of them said: When it sheds its teeth between front and canine teeth, it is called raba' and when it sheds its front teeth, it is called thani. Abu 'Ubaid said: When it becomes pregnant, it is called khalifah, and it remains khalifah for ten months; when it reaches ten months, it is called 'ushara', Abu Hatim said: When it shed its front teeth, it is called thani and when it sheds its teeth between front and canine teeth it is called raba'.

Malik related to me from Yahya ibn Said that Abu'd-Darda wrote to Salman al-Farsi, "Come immediately to the holy land." Salman wrote back to him, "Land does not make anyone holy. Man's deeds make him holy. I have heard that you were put up as a doctor to treat and cure people. If you are innocent, then may you have delight! If you are a quack, then beware lest you kill a man and enter the Fire!" When Abu'd-Darda judged between two men, and they turned from him to go, he would look at them and say, "Come back to me, and tell me your story again. A quack! By Allah!"

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "If someone makes use of a slave, without permission of its master, in anything important to him, whose like has a fee, he is liable for what befalls the slave if anything befalls him. If the slave is safe and his master asks for his wage for what he has done, that is the master's right. This is what is done in our community."

Yahya said that he heard Malik say about a slave who is part free and part enslaved, "His property is suspended in his hand and he cannot begin anything with it. He eats from it and clothes himself in an approved fashion. If he dies, his property belongs to the one to whom he is in slavery."

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "The way of doing things in our community is that a parent can take his child to account for what he spends on him from the day the child has property, cash or goods, if the parent wants that."

Allah's Apostle addressed the people saying, "Don't you know what is the day today?" They replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." We thought that he might give that day another name. The Prophet said, "Isn't it the day of An-Nahr?" We replied, "Yes. O Allah's Apostle." He then said, "What town is this? Isn't it the forbidden (Sacred) Town (Mecca)?" We replied, "Yes, O Allah's Apostle." He then said, "Your blood, your properties, your honors and your skins (i.e., bodies) are as sacred to one another like the sanctity of this day of yours in this month of yours in this town of yours. (Listen) Haven't I conveyed Allah's message to you?" We replied, "Yes" He said, "O Allah! Be witness (for it). So it is incumbent upon those who are present to convey it (this message of mine) to those who are absent because the informed one might comprehend what I have said better than the present audience who will convey it to him.)" The narrator added: In fact, it was like that. The Prophet added, "Beware! Do not renegade as disbelievers after me by striking (cutting) the necks of one another."

The Prophet and his companions assumed Ihram for Hajj and none except the Prophet and Talha had the Hadi with them. `Ali had come from Yemen and he had the Hadi with him. He (`Ali) said, "I have assumed Ihram with an intention like that of Allah's Apostle has assumed it." The Prophet ordered his companions to intend the Ihram with which they had come for `Umra, to perform the Tawaf of the Ka`ba (and between Safa and Marwa), to get their hair cut short and then to finish their Ihram with the exception of those who had the Hadi with them. They asked, "Shall we go to Mina and the private organs of some of us are dribbling (if we finish Ihram and have sexual relations with our wives)?" The Prophet heard that and said, "Had I known what I know now, I would not have brought the Hadi. If I did not have the Hadi with me I would have finished my Ihram." `Aisha got her menses and performed all the ceremonies (of Hajj) except the Tawaf . So when she became clean from her menses, and she had performed the Tawaf of the Ka`ba, she said, "O Allah's Apostle! You (people) are returning with both Hajj and `Umra and I am returning only with Hajj!" So, he ordered `Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr to go with her to at-Tan`im. Thus she performed `Umra after the Hajj in the month of Dhi-l-Hijja. Suraqa bin Malik bin Ju'sham met the Prophet at Al-`Aqaba (Jamrat-ul 'Aqaba) while the latter was stoning it and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Is this permissible only for you?" The Prophet replied, "No, it is for ever (i.e. it is permissible for all Muslims to perform `Umra before Hajj."

`Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "When (my daughter) Hafsa bint `Umar lost her husband Khunais bin Hudhaifa As-Sahrni who was one of the companions of Allah's Apostle and had fought in the battle of Badr and had died in Medina, I met `Uthman bin `Affan and suggested that he should marry Hafsa saying, "If you wish, I will marry Hafsa bint `Umar to you,' on that, he said, 'I will think it over.' I waited for a few days and then he said to me. 'I am of the opinion that I shall not marry at present.' Then I met Abu Bakr and said, 'if you wish, I will marry you, Hafsa bint `Umar.' He kept quiet and did not give me any reply and I became more angry with him than I was with `Uthman . Some days later, Allah's Apostle demanded her hand in marriage and I married her to him. Later on Abu Bakr met me and said, "Perhaps you were angry with me when you offered me Hafsa for marriage and I gave no reply to you?' I said, 'Yes.' Abu Bakr said, 'Nothing prevented me from accepting your offer except that I learnt that Allah's Apostle had referred to the issue of Hafsa and I did not want to disclose the secret of Allah's Apostle , but had he (i.e. the Prophet) given her up I would surely have accepted her."

AbdurRahman ibn Ka'b ibn Malik reported on the authority of a man from among the companions of the Prophet (saws): The infidels of the Quraysh wrote (a letter) to Ibn Ubayy and to those who worshipped idols from al-Aws and al-Khazraj, while the Messenger of Allah (saws) was at that time at Medina before the battle of Badr.

(They wrote): You gave protection to our companion. We swear by Allah, you should fight him or expel him, or we shall come to you in full force, until we kill your fighters and appropriate your women.

When this (news) reached Abdullah ibn Ubayy and those who were worshippers of idols, with him they gathered together to fight the Messenger of Allah (saws).

When this news reached the Messenger of Allah (saws), he visited them and said: The threat of the Quraysh to you has reached its end. They cannot contrive a plot against you, greater than what you yourselves intended to harm you. Are you willing to fight your sons and brethren? When they heard this from the Prophet (saws), they scattered. This reached the infidels of the Quraysh.

The infidels of the Quraysh again wrote (a letter) to the Jews after the battle of Badr: You are men of weapons and fortresses. You should fight our companion or we shall deal with you in a certain way. And nothing will come between us and the anklets of your women. When their letter reached the Prophet (saws), they gathered Banu an-Nadir to violate the treaty.

They sent a message to the Prophet (saws): Come out to us with thirty men from your companions, and thirty rabbis will come out from us till we meet at a central place where they will hear you. If they testify to you and believe in you, we shall believe in you. The narrator then narrated the whole story.

When the next day came, the Messenger of Allah (saws) went out in the morning with an army, and surrounded them.

He told them: I swear by Allah, you will have no peace from me until you conclude a treaty with me. But they refused to conclude a treaty with him. He therefore fought them the same day.

Next he attacked Banu Quraysh with an army in the morning, and left Banu an-Nadir. He asked them to sign a treaty and they signed it.

He turned away from them and attacked Banu an-Nadir with an army. He fought with them until they agreed to expulsion. Banu an-Nadir were ...

It was narrated that ‘Abul-`Ajfa` as-Sulami said: I heard ‘Umar say: Do not make women`s dowries expensive,... and he mentioned the same hadeeth.

It was narrated that Ibn Ya’mar said: I asked Ibn `Umar-or a man asked him: We travel in this land and we meet people who say, There is no qadar (divine decree), Ibn `Umar said: If you meet those people, tell them that ‘Abdullah bin `Umar has nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with him - he said it three times. Then he told ...

My father got me married to a lady of a noble family, and often used to ask my wife about me, and she used to reply, "What a wonderful man he is! He never comes to my bed, nor has he approached me since he married me." When this state continued for a long period, my father told the story to the Prophet who said to my father, "Let me meet him." Then I met him and he asked me, "How do you fast?" I replied, "I fast daily," He asked, "How long does it take you to finish the recitation of the whole Qur'an?" I replied, "I finish it every night." On that he said, "Fast for three days every month and recite the Qur'an (and finish it) in one month." I said, "But I have power to do more than that." He said, "Then fast for three days per week." I said, "i have the power to do more than that." He said, "Therefore, fast the most superior type of fasting, (that is, the fasting of (prophet) David who used to fast every alternate day; and finish the recitation of the whole Qur'an In seven days." I wish I had accepted the permission of Allah's Apostle as I have become a weak old man. It is said that `Abdullah used to recite one-seventh of the Qur'an during the day-time to some of his family members, for he used to check his memorization of what he would recite at night during the daytime so that it would be easier for him to read at night. And whenever he wanted to gain some strength, he used to give up fasting for some days and count those days to fast for a similar period, for he disliked to leave those things which he used to do during the lifetime of the Prophet.