Allah's Apostle said to me, "O `Abdullah! Have I not been informed that you fast during the day and offer prayers all the night." `Abdullah replied, "Yes, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said, "Don't do that; fast for few days and then give it up for few days, offer prayers and also sleep at night, as your body has a right on you, and your wife has a right on you, and your guest has a right on you. And it is sufficient for you to fast three days in a month, as the reward of a good deed is multiplied ten times, so it will be like fasting throughout the year." I insisted (on fasting) and so I was given a hard instruction. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have power." The Prophet said, "Fast like the fasting of the Prophet David and do not fast more than that." I said, "How was the fasting of the Prophet of Allah, David?" He said, "Half of the year," (i.e. he used to fast on every alternate day). Afterwards when `Abdullah became old, he used to say, "It would have been better for me if I had accepted the permission of the Prophet (which he gave me i.e. to fast only three days a month).

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.

The Prophet said, "O Gabriel, what prevents you. from visiting us more often than you do?" Then this Verse was revealed:--'And we angels descend not but by Command of your Lord. To Him belongs what is before us and what is behind us..' (19.64) So this was the answer to Muhammad.

We faced a famine, and I had nothing from my property which I could feed my family ex except a few asses, and the Prophet (saws) forbade the flesh of domestic asses. So I came to the Prophet (saws) and said: Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon) , we are suffering from famine, and I have no property which I feed my family except some fat asses, and you have forbidden the flesh of domestic asses. He said: Feed your family on the fat asses of yours, for I forbade them on account of the animal which feeds on the filth of the town, that is, the animal which feeds on filth.

Abu Dawud said: This 'Abd al-Rahman is Ibn Ma'qil.

Abu Dawud said: Suh'bah transmitted this tradition from 'Ubaid Abi al-Hasan, from 'Abd al-Rahman bin Maq'il, from'Abd al-Rahman bin Bishr, from some people of Muzainah stating that Abjar, the chief of Muzainah, or Ibn Abjar asked the Prophet (saws).

The Prophet (saws) assigned as a fief to Bilal ibn al-Muzani the mines of al-Qabaliyyah both which lay on the upper side and which lay on the lower side, and (the land) which was suitable for cultivation at Quds. He did not give him (the land which involved) the right of a Muslim. The Prophet (saws) wrote a document for him. It goes: "In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. This is what the Messenger of Allah (saws) assigned to Bilal ibn Harith al-Muzani. He gave him the mines of al-Qabaliyyah, both which lay on the upper side and which lay on the lower side, and (the land) which is suitable for cultivation at Quds. He did not give him the right of any Muslim."

Abu Uwais said: A similar tradition has been narrated to me by Thawr b. Zaid, client of Banu al-Dail b. Bakr b. Kinahah from 'Ikrimah on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas.

Allah's Apostle was informed that I had taken an oath to fast daily and to pray (every night) all the night throughout my life (so Allah's Apostle came to me and asked whether it was correct): I replied, "Let my parents be sacrificed for you! I said so." The Prophet said, "You can not do that. So, fast for few days and give it up for few days, offer Salat (prayer) and sleep. Fast three days a month as the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times and that will be equal to one year of fasting." The Prophet said to me, "Fast one day and give up fasting for two days." I replied, "I can do better than that." The Prophet said to me, "Fast one day and give up fasting for a day and that is the fasting of Prophet David and that is the best fasting." I said, "I have the power to fast better (more) than that." The Prophet said, "There is no better fasting than that."

While I was with Ibn `Abbas a man came and said, "O father of `Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual profession and I make these pictures." Ibn `Abbas said, "I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Apostle . I heard him saying, 'Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it.' " Hearing this, that man heaved a sigh and his face turned pale. Ibn `Abbas said to him, "What a pity! If you insist on making pictures I advise you to make pictures of trees and any other unanimated objects."

Ya`la used to say, "I wish I could see Allah's Apostle at the time he is being inspired Divinely." When the Prophet was at Al-Ja'rana and was shaded by a garment hanging over him and some of his companions were with him, a man perfumed with scent came and said, "O Allah's Apostle! What is your opinion regarding a man who assumes Ihram and puts on a cloak after perfuming his body with scent?" The Prophet waited for a while, and then the Divine Inspiration descended upon him. `Umar pointed out to Ya`la, telling him to come. Ya`la came and pushed his head (underneath the screen which was covering the Prophet ) and behold! The Prophet's face was red and he kept on breathing heavily for a while and then he was relieved. Thereupon he said, "Where is the questioner who asked me about `Umra a while ago?" The man was sought and then was brought before the Prophet who said (to him), "As regards the scent which you perfumed your body with, you must wash it off thrice, and as for your cloak, you must take it off; and then perform in your `Umra all those things which you perform in Hajj."

I heard that the people asked the Prophet of Allah (saws): Water is brought for you from the well of Buda'ah. It is a well in which dead dogs, menstrual clothes and excrement of people are thrown. The Messenger of Allah (saws) replied: Verily water is pure and is not defiled by anything.

Abu Dawud said I heard Qutaibah b. Sa'id say: I asked the person in charge of the well of Bud'ah about the depth of the well. He replied: At most the water reaches pubes. Then I asked: Where does it reach when its level goes down ? He replied: Below the private part of the body.

Abu Dawud said: I measured the breadth of the well of Buda'ah with my sheet which I stretched over it. I them measured it with the hand. It measured six cubits in breadth. I then asked the man who opened the door of garden for me and admitted me to it: Has the condition of this well changed from what it had originally been in the past ? He replied: No. I saw the color of water in this well had changed.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Umar ibn al-Khattab was eating bread with ghee. He summoned one of the desert people and he began to eat and follow the grease in the dish with a morsel of bread. Umar said, "It is as if you were poor." He said, "By Allah. I have not eaten ghee nor have I seen food with it since such- and-such a time." Umar declared, "I shall not eat clarified butter until people are given life again like they were first given life," (i.e. on the Day of Rising.)

We were in a Ghazwa and a man from the emigrants kicked an Ansari (on the buttocks with his foot). The Ansari man said, "O the Ansari! (Help!)" The emigrant said, "O the emigrants! (Help)." When Allah's Apostle heard that, he said, "What is that?" They said, "A man from the emigrants kicked a man from the Ansar (on the buttocks his foot). On that the Ansar said, 'O the Ansar!' and the emigrant said, 'O the emigrants!" The Prophet said' "Leave it (that call) for it Is a detestable thing." The number of Ansar was larger (than that of the emigrants) at the time when the Prophet came to Medina, but later the number of emigrants increased. `Abdullah bin Ubai said, "Have they, (the emigrants) done so? By Allah, if we return to Medina, surely, the more honorable will expel therefrom the meaner," `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "O Allah's Apostle! Let me chop off the head of this hypocrite!" The Prophet said, "Leave him, lest the people say Muhammad kills his companions:"

`Abdullah bin Masud said, "Allah's Apostle said, 'Whoever takes an oath when asked to do so, in which he may deprive a Muslim of his property unlawfully, will meet Allah Who will be angry with him.' So Allah revealed in confirmation of this statement:--"Verily! Those who Purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant and oaths, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter..." (3.77) Then entered Al-Ash'ath bin Qais and said, "What is Abu `Abdur-Rahman narrating to you?" We replied, 'So-and-so." Al-Ash'ath said, "This Verse was revealed in my connection. I had a well in the land of my cousin (and he denied my, possessing it). On that the Prophet said to me, 'Either you bring forward a proof or he (i.e. your cousin) takes an oath (to confirm his claim)' I said, 'I am sure he would take a (false) oath, O Allah's Apostle.' He said, 'If somebody takes an oath when asked to do so through which he may deprive a Muslim of his property (unlawfully) and he is a liar in his oath, he will meet Allah Who will be angry with him.' "

I heard Jabir bin `Abdullah saying, "The Prophet said, 'Whoever eats (from) this plant (he meant garlic) should keep away from our mosque." I said, "What does he mean by that?" He replied, "I think he means only raw garlic."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z-Zubayr al-Makki from Abu't-Tufayl Amir ibn Wathila that Muadh ibn Jabal told him that they went out with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the year of Tabuk, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, joined dhuhr with asr and maghrib with isha. Muadh said, "One day he delayed the prayer, and then came out and prayed dhuhr and asr together. Then he said, 'Tomorrow you will come, insha' llah, to the spring of Tabuk. But you will not get there until well into the morning. No one who arrives should touch any of its water until I come.' We came to it and two men had got to it before us and the spring was dripping with a little water. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked them, 'Have you touched any of its water?' They said, 'Yes.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, reviled them and said what Allah wished him to say. Then they took water with their hands from the spring little by little until it had been collected in something. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, washed his face and hands in it. Then he put it back into the spring and the spring flowed with an abundance of water and the people drew water from it. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'If you live long enough, Muadh, you will soon see this place filled with gardens.' "

That the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "When the two parties (in a deal) disagree then the seller's statement is taken as valid, and the purchaser retains the option."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Mursal. 'Awn bin 'Abdullah did not see Ibn Mas'ud. This Hadith has also been reported from Al-Qasim bin 'Abdur-Rahman, from Ibn Mas'ud from the Prophet (saws). But it also Mursal.

[Abu 'Eisa said:] Ishaq bin Mansur said: "I said to Ahmad: what if when the two parties disagree and there is no proof (what is done)?' He said: 'The saying of the owner of the merchandise is taken as valid or they both refuse.' And Ishaq said as he did, and that in every case where his saying is taken, he must swear.'"

[Abu 'Eisa said:] Similar to this has been reported from some of the people of knowledge among the Tabi'in, Shuraih is among those.

Ibn `Abbas said, "Thursday! What (great thing) took place on Thursday!" Then he started weeping till his tears wetted the gravels of the ground . Then he said, "On Thursday the illness of Allah's Apostle was aggravated and he said, "Fetch me writing materials so that I may have something written to you after which you will never go astray." The people (present there) differed in this matter and people should not differ before a prophet. They said, "Allah's Apostle is seriously sick.' The Prophet said, "Let me alone, as the state in which I am now, is better than what you are calling me for." The Prophet on his death-bed, gave three orders saying, "Expel the pagans from the Arabian Peninsula, respect and give gifts to the foreign delegates as you have seen me dealing with them." I forgot the third (order)" (Ya'qub bin Muhammad said, "I asked Al-Mughira bin `Abdur-Rahman about the Arabian Peninsula and he said, 'It comprises Mecca, Medina, Al-Yama-ma and Yemen." Ya'qub added, "And Al-Arj, the beginning of Tihama.")

On the day (of the battle) of Hunain, Allah's Apostle favored some people in the distribution of the booty (to the exclusion of others); he gave Al-Aqra' bin H`Abis one-hundred camels and he gave 'Uyaina the same amount, and also gave to some of the eminent Arabs, giving them preference in this regard. Then a person came and said, "By Allah, in this distribution justice has not been observed, nor has Allah's Pleasure been aimed at." I said (to him), "By Allah, I will inform the Prophet (of what you have said), "I went and informed him, and he said, "If Allah and His Apostle did not act justly, who else would act justly. May Allah be merciful to Moses, for he was harmed with more than this, yet he kept patient."

Abu Hurairah said: O Allah, Thou art its Lord. Thou didst create it, Thou didst guide it to Islam, Thou hast taken its spirit, and Thou knowest best its inner nature and outer aspect. We have come as intercessors, so forgive him.

Abu Dawud said: Shu'bah made a mistake in mentioning the name of 'Ali b. Shammakh. He said in his version: 'Uthman b. Shammas.

Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad b. Ibrahim al-Mawsili say that Ahmad b. Hanbal said: In every meeting which I attended with Hammad b. Zaid he forbade to narrate this traditions from 'Abd al-Warith and Ja'far b. Sulaiman.

I spent a night with the Prophet (saws) to see how he prayed. He got up, performed ablution and prayed two rak'ahs. His standing was like his bowing (i.e. equal in duration), and his bowing was like his prostration (equal in length). Then he slept. Afterwards he awoke, performed ablution, and used tooth-stick. He then recited five verses from Surah Al-'Imran : "In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day". He went on doing so till he prayed ten rak'ahs. He then stood up and prayed one rak'ah observing witr with it. In the meantime the mu'adhdhin called to prayer. The Messenger of Allah (saws) stood up after the mu'adhdhin had kept silent. He prayed two light rak'ahs and remained sitting till he offered the dawn prayer.

Abu Dawud said: A part of the tradition transmitted by Ibn Bashshar remained hidden from me.

My father died and was in debt. I suggested that his creditors take the fruits (i.e. dates) of my garden in lieu of the debt of my father, but they refused the offer, as they thought that it would not cover the full debt. So, I went to the Prophet and told him about it. He said (to me), "When you pluck the dates and collect them in the Mirbad (i.e. a place where dates are dried), call me (Allah's Apostle)." Finally he came accompanied by Abu Bakr and `Umar and sat on the dates and invoked Allah to bless them. Then he said, "Call your creditors and give them their full rights." So, I paid all my father's creditors in full and yet thirteen extra Wasqs of dates remained, seven of which were 'Ajwa and six were Laun or six of which were Ajwa and seven were Laun. I met Allah's Apostle at sunset and informed him about it. On that he smiled and said, "Go to Abu Bakr and `Umar and tell them about it." They said, "We perceived that was going to happen, as Allah's Apostle did what he did."

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!"

My father was martyred on the day (of the Ghazwa) of Uhud and left six daughters and some debts to be paid. When the time of plucking the date-fruits came, I went to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! you know that my father was martyred on Uhud's day and owed much debt, and I wish that the creditors would see you." The Prophet said, "Go and collect the various kinds of dates and place them separately in heaps"' I did accordingly and called him. On seeing him, the creditors started claiming their rights pressingly at that time. When the Prophet saw how they behaved, he went round the biggest heap for three times and sat over it and said, "Call your companions (i.e. the creditors)." Then he kept on measuring and giving them, till Allah cleared all my father's debts. By Allah, it would have pleased me that Allah would clear the debts of my father even though I had not taken a single date to my sisters. But by Allah, all the heaps were complete, (as they were) and I looked at the heap where Allah's Apostle was sitting and noticed as if not a single date had been taken thereof.

(the wife of the Prophet) when Allah's Apostle was ordered to give option to his wives, he started with me, saying, "I am going to mention to you something, but you shall not hasten (to give your reply) unless you consult your parents." The Prophet knew that my parents would not order me to leave him. Then he said, "Allah says: 'O Prophet (Muhammad)! Say to your wives: If you desire the life of this world and its glitter........a great reward." (33.28-29) I said, "Then why I consult my parents? Verily, I seek Allah, His Apostle and the Home of the Hereafter." Then all the other wives of the Prophet did the same as I did.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from 'Amra bint Abd ar-Rahman from A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that a jewish woman came to beg from her and said, "May Allah give you refuge from the punishment of the grave." So A'isha asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Are people punished in their graves?", and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took refuge in Allah from that. Then one morning the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out on a journey and there was an eclipse of the sun, and he returned in the late morning and passed through his apartments. Then he stood and prayed, and the people stood behind him. He stood for a long time, and then went into ruku for a long time. Then he rose and stood for a long time, though less than the first time, and then went into ruku for a long time, though less than the first time. Then he rose, and went down into sajda. Then he stood for a long time, though less than the time before, and then went into ruku for a long time, though less than the time before. Then he rose and stood for a long time, though less than the time before, and then went into ruku for a long time, though less than the time before. Then he rose, and went down into sajda. When he had finished he said what Allah willed him to say, and then he told them to seek protection for themselves from the punishment of the grave."

I never felt so jealous of any woman as I did of Khadija, though she had died three years before the Prophet married me, and that was because I heard him mentioning her too often, and because his Lord had ordered him to give her the glad tidings that she would have a palace in Paradise, made of Qasab and because he used to slaughter a sheep and distribute its meat among her friends.

The Prophet said, "Allah will say to that person of the (Hell) Fire who will receive the least punishment, 'If you had everything on the earth, would you give it as a ransom to free yourself (i.e. save yourself from this Fire)?' He will say, 'Yes.' Then Allah will say, 'While you were in the backbone of Adam, I asked you much less than this, i.e. not to worship others besides Me, but you insisted on worshipping others besides me.' "

Abu Dawud said: Ibn Sirin narrated from Abu Hurairah the words: "he should complete it afterwards." Similarly, Abu Rafi' narrated from Abu Hurairah and Abu Dharr narrated from him the words "then complete it, and complete it afterwards." There is a variation of words in the narration from him.

Al Harith bin Hisham asked the Prophet, "How does the divine inspiration come to you?" He replied, "In all these ways: The Angel sometimes comes to me with a voice which resembles the sound of a ringing bell, and when this state abandons me, I remember what the Angel has said, and this type of Divine Inspiration is the hardest on me; and sometimes the Angel comes to me in the shape of a man and talks to me, and I understand and remember what he says."

The Prophet came to me the night my marriage was consummated and sat down on my bed as you (the sub-narrator) are sitting now, and small girls were beating the tambourine and singing in lamentation of my father who had been killed on the day of the battle of Badr. Then one of the girls said, "There is a Prophet amongst us who knows what will happen tomorrow." The Prophet said (to her)," Do not say this, but go on saying what you have spoken before."

That his father said, "In the year of the last Hajj of the Prophet I became seriously ill and the Prophet used to visit me inquiring about my health. I told him, 'I am reduced to this state because of illness and I am wealthy and have no inheritors except a daughter, (In this narration the name of 'Amir bin Sa`d is mentioned and in fact it is a mistake; the narrator is `Aisha bint Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas). Should I give two-thirds of my property in charity?' He said, 'No.' I asked, 'Half?' He said, 'No.' then he added, 'Onethird, and even one-third is much. You'd better leave your inheritors wealthy rather than leaving them poor, begging others. You will get a reward for whatever you spend for Allah's sake, even for what you put in your wife's mouth.' I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Will I be left alone after my companions have gone?' He said, 'If you are left behind, whatever good deeds you will do will upgrade you and raise you high. And perhaps you will have a long life so that some people will be benefited by you while others will be harmed by you. O Allah! Complete the emigration of my companions and do not turn them renegades.' But Allah's Apostle felt sorry for poor Sa`d bin Khaula as he died in Mecca." (but Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas lived long after the Prophet (p.b.u.h).)