When the Hawazin delegation came to Allah's Apostle after they had embraced Islam and requested him to return their properties and war prisoners to them, Allah's Apostle said, "To me the best talk is the truest, so you may choose either of two things; the war prisoners or the wealth, for I have delayed their distribution." Allah's Apostle had waited for them for over ten days when he returned from Ta'if. So, when those people came to know that Allah's Apostle was not going to return to them except one of the two things the said, "We choose our war prisoners." Allah's Apostle stood up amongst the Muslims, and after glorifying Allah as He deserved, he said, "Now then, these brothers of yours have come to us with repentance, and I see it logical that I should return their captives to them, so whoever of you likes to do that as a favor then he can do it, and whoever amongst you likes to stick to his share, let him give up his prisoners and we will compensate him from the very first Fai' (i.e. war booty received without fight) which Allah will give us." On that, all the people said. 'O Allah's Apostle!We have agreed willingly to do so (return the captives)." Then Allah's Apostle said to them "I do not know who amongst you has agreed to this and who has not. You should return and let your leaders inform me of your agreement." The people returned and their leaders spoke to them, and then came to Allah's Apostle and said, "All the people have agreed willingly to do so and have given the permission to return the war prisoners (without compensation)" (Az-Zuhri, the sub-narrator states): This is what has been related to us about the captives of Hawazin.

AbuMas'ud al-Ansari who was shown the call (for prayer in adream)--narrated it on the authority of Mas'ud al-Ansari whosaid: We were sitting in the company of Sa'd ibn Ubadah when theMessenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to us. Bashir ibnSa'd said: Allah has commanded us to bless you, Messenger ofAllah! But how should we bless you? He (the narrator) said: TheMessenger of Allah (peace be upon him) kept quiet (and we were somuch perturbed over his silence) that we wished we had not askedhim. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) then said: (Forblessing me) say: "O Allah, bless Muhammad and the members of hishousehold as Thou didst bless the members of Ibrahim's household.Grant favours to Muhammad and the members of his household asthou didst grant favours to the members of the household ofIbrahim in the world. Thou art indeed Praiseworthy and Glorious";and salutation which you know.

'Abdullah bin 'Amr mentioned 'Abdullah bin Masud and said, "I shall ever love that man, for I heard the Prophet saying, 'Take (learn) the Qur'an from four: 'Abdullah bin Masud, Salim, Mu'adh and Ubai bin Ka'b.' "

We were with 'Abdullah and he said, "When the Prophet saw the refusal of the people to accept Islam he said, "O Allah! Send (famine) years on them for (seven years) like the seven years (of famine during the time) of (Prophet) Joseph." So famine overtook them for one year and destroyed every kind of life to such an extent that the people started eating hides, carcasses and rotten dead animals. Whenever one of them looked towards the sky, he would (imagine himself to) see smoke because of hunger. So Abu Sufyan went to the Prophet and said, "O Muhammad! You order people to obey Allah and to keep good relations with kith and kin. No doubt the people of your tribe are dying, so please pray to Allah for them." So Allah revealed: "Then watch you For the day that The sky will bring forth a kind Of smoke Plainly visible ... Verily! You will return (to disbelief) On the day when We shall seize You with a mighty grasp. (44.10-16)" Ibn Mas'ud added, "Al-Batsha (i.e. grasp) happened in the battle of Badr and no doubt smoke, Al-Batsha, Al-Lizam, and the verse of Surat Ar-Rum have all passed.

One day I went to Ibn Mas'ud who said, "When Quraish delayed in embracing Islam, the Prophet I invoked Allah to curse them, so they were afflicted with a (famine) year because of which many of them died and they ate the carcasses and Abu Sufyan came to the Prophet and said, 'O Muhammad! You came to order people to keep good relation with kith and kin and your nation is being destroyed, so invoke Allah!' So the Prophet recited the Holy verses of Sirat-Ad-Dukhan: 'Then watch you For the day that The sky will Bring forth a kind Of smoke Plainly visible.' (44.10) When the famine was taken off, the people renegade once again as nonbelievers. The statement of Allah, (in Sura "Ad-Dukhan"-44) refers to that: 'On the day when We shall seize You with a mighty grasp.' (44.16) And that was what happened on the day of the battle of Badr." Asbath added on the authority of Mansur, "Allah's Apostle prayed for them and it rained heavily for seven days. So the people complained of the excessive rain. The Prophet said, 'O Allah! (Let it rain) around us and not on us.' So the clouds dispersed over his head and it rained over the surroundings."

I asked 'Aisha which deed was most loved by the Prophet. She said, "A deed done continuously." I further asked, "When did he used to get up (in the night for the prayer)." She said, "He used to get up on hearing the crowing of a cock."

I asked Aisha about the night prayer of Allah's Apostle and she said, "It was seven, nine or eleven Rakat besides the two Rakat of the Fajr prayer (i.e. Sunna)."

'Aisha said that a Jewess came to her and mentioned the punishment in the grave, saying to her, "May Allah protect you from the punishment of the grave." 'Aisha then asked Allah's Apostle about the punishment of the grave. He said, "Yes, (there is) punishment in the grave." 'Aisha added, "After that I never saw Allah's Apostle but seeking refuge with Allah from the punishment in the grave in every prayer he prayed."

I asked 'Aisha "What about His Statement: 'Then he (Gabriel) approached And came closer, And was at a distance Of but two bow-lengths Or (even) nearer,' (53.8-9)?" She replied, "It was Gabriel who used to come to the Prophet in the figure of a man, but on that occasion, he came in his actual and real figure and (he was so huge) that he covered the whole horizon."

I asked Um Ruman, 'Aisha's mother about the accusation forged against 'Aisha. She said, "While I was sitting with 'Aisha, an Ansari woman came to us and said, 'Let Allah condemn such-and-such person.' I asked her, 'Why do you say so?' She replied, 'For he has spread the (slanderous) story.' 'Aisha said, 'What story?' The woman then told her the story. 'Aisha asked, 'Have Abu Bakr and Allah's Apostle heard about it?' She said, 'Yes.' 'Aisha fell down senseless (on hearing that), and when she came to her senses, she got fever and shaking of the body. The Prophet came and asked, 'What is wrong with her?' I said, 'She has got fever because of a story which has been rumored.' 'Aisha got up and said, 'By Allah! Even if I took an oath, you would not believe me, and if I put forward an excuse, you would not excuse me. My example and your example is just like that example of Jacob and his sons. Against that which you assert, it is Allah (Alone) Whose Help can be sought.' (12.18) The Prophet left and then Allah revealed the verses (concerning the matter), and on that 'Aisha said, 'Thanks to Allah (only) and not to anybody else.' "

'Abdullah (bin Mas'ud) was mentioned before 'Abdullah bin 'Amr. The latter said, "That is a man I continue to love beCause I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'Learn the recitation of the Qur'an from (any of these) four persons: 'Abdullah bin Masud, Salim the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa, Ubai bin Kab, and Muadh bin Jabal.' I do not remember whether he mentioned Ubai first or Muadh."

'Abdullah bin Masud was mentioned before Abdullah bin 'Amr who said, "That is a man I still love, as I heard the Prophet saying 'Learn the recitation of Qur'an from four from 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud--he started with him--Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudaifa, Mu'adh bin Jabal and Ubai bin Ka'b."

We went to 'Aisha while Hassan bin Thabit was with her reciting poetry to her from some of his poetic Verses, saying "A chaste wise lady about whom nobody can have suspicion. She gets up with an empty stomach because she never eats the flesh of indiscreet (ladies)." 'Aisha said to him, "But you are not like that." I said to her, "Why do you grant him admittance, though Allah said:-- 'and as for him among them, who had the greater share therein, his will be a severe torment.' " (24.11)

On that, 'Aisha said, "And what punishment is more than blinding?" She, added, "Hassan used to defend or say poetry on behalf of Allah's Apostle (against the infidels)."

Khabbab said, "During the pre-Islamic period, I was a blacksmith and Al-Asi bin Wail owed me a debt." So Khabbab went to him to demand the debt. He said, "I will not give you (your due) till you disbelieve in Muhammad." Khabbab said, "By Allah, I shall not disbelieve in Muhammad till Allah makes you die and then resurrects you." Al-Asi said, "So leave me till I die and then be resurrected, for I will be given wealth and children whereupon I will pay you your debt." So this Verse was revealed:

"Have you seen him who disbelieved in Our Signs and, (yet) says: I shall certainly be given wealth and children." (19.77)

'Aisha said that Hassan bin Thabit came and asked permission to visit her. I said, "How do you permit such a person?" She said, "Hasn't he received a severe penalty?" (Sufyan, the subnarrator, said: She meant the loss of his sight.) Thereupon Hassan said the following poetic verse:

"A chaste pious woman who arouses no suspicion. She never talks about chaste heedless women behind their backs." On that she said, "But you are not so."

Hassan came to 'Aisha and said the following poetic Verse: "A chaste pious woman who arouses no suspicion. She never talks against chaste heedless women behind their backs." 'Aisha said, "But you are not." I said (to 'Aisha), "Why do you allow such a person to enter upon you after Allah has revealed:

"...and as for him among them who had the greater share therein'?" (24.11)

She said, "What punishment is worse than blindness?" She added, "And he used to defend Allah's Apostle against the pagans (in his poetry)."

While a man was delivering a speech in the tribe of Kinda, he said, "Smoke will prevail on the Day of Resurrection and will deprive the hypocrites their faculties of hearing and seeing. The believers will be afflicted with something like cold only thereof." That news scared us, so I went to (Abdullah) Ibn Mas'ud while he was reclining (and told him the story) whereupon he became angry, sat up and said, "He who knows a thing can say, it, but if he does not know, he should say, 'Allah knows best,' for it is an aspect of knowledge to say, 'I do not know,' if you do not know a certain thing. Allah said to His prophet, 'Say (O Muhammad): No wage do I ask of you for this (Qur'an), nor I am one of the pretenders (a person who pretends things which do not exist.)' " (38.86)

The Qur'aish delayed in embracing Islam for a period, so the Prophet invoked evil on them, saying, 'O Allah! Help me against them by sending seven years of (famine) like those of Joseph.' So they were afflicted with such a severe year of famine that they were destroyed therein and ate dead animals and bones. They started seeing something like smoke between the sky and the earth (because of severe hunger). Abu Sufyan then came (to the Prophet) and said, "O Muhammad! You came to order us for to keep good relations with kith and kin, and your kinsmen have now perished, so please invoke Allah (to relieve them)." Then Ibn Mas'ud recited: "Then watch you for the day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible...but truly you will return (to disbelief)!" (44.10-15)

Ibn Mas'ud added, Then the punishment was stopped, but truly, they reverted to heathenism (their old way). So Allah (threatened them thus): "On the day when we shall seize you with a mighty grasp." (44.16) And that was the day of the Battle of Badr. Allah's saying "Lizama" (the punishment) refers to the day of Badr. Allah's Statement:

"Alif-Lam-Mim, the Romans have been defeated, and they, after their defeat, will be victorious." (30.1-3) (This verse) indicates that the defeat of Byzantine has already passed.

We came upon 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud and he said "O people! If somebody knows something, he can say it, but if he does not know it, he should say, 'Allah knows better,' for it is a sign of having knowledge to say about something which one does not know, 'Allah knows better.' Allah said to His Prophet: 'Say (O Muhammad!) No wage do I ask of You for this (Qur'an) nor am I one of the pretenders (a person who pretends things which do not exist).' " (38.86) Now I will tell you about Ad-Dukhan (the smoke). Allah's Apostle invited the Quraish to embrace Islam, but they delayed their response. So he said, "O Allah! Help me against them by sending on them seven years of famine similar to the seven years of famine of Joseph." So the famine year overtook them and everything was destroyed till they ate dead animals and skins. People started imagining to see smoke between them and the sky because of severe hunger. Allah said:

"Then watch you for the Day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible, covering the people...This is painful torment." (44.10-11) (So they invoked Allah) "Our Lord! Remove the punishment from us really we are believers." How can there be an (effectual) reminder for them when an Apostle, explaining things clearly, has already come to them? Then they had turned away from him and said: "One taught (by a human being), a madman?"

"We shall indeed remove punishment for a while, but truly, you will revert (to disbelief)." (44.12-15) Will the punishment be removed on the Day of Resurrection?" 'Abdullah added, "The punishment was removed from them for a while but they reverted to disbelief, so Allah destroyed them on the Day of Badr. Allah said:

'The day We shall seize you with a mighty grasp. We will indeed (then) exact retribution.' " (44.16)

I came upon 'Abdullah and he said, "When Allah's Apostle invited Quraish (to Islam), they disbelieved him and stood against him. So he (the Prophet) said, "O Allah! Help me against them by afflicting them with seven years of famine similar to the seven years of Joseph." So they were stricken with a year of drought that destroyed everything, and they started eating dead animals, and if one of them got up he would see something like smoke between him and the sky from the severe fatigue and hunger. Abdullah then recited:

"Then watch you for the Day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible, covering the people. This is a painful torment...(till he reached)...We shall indeed remove the punishment for a while, but truly you will revert (to heathenism)." (44.10-15) 'Abdullah added: "Will the punishment be removed from them on the Day of Resurrection?" He added, "The 'severe grasp' was the Day of the Battle of Badr."

I said to 'Aisha, "O Mother! Did Prophet Muhammad see his Lord?" 'Aisha said, "What you have said makes my hair stand on end ! Know that if somebody tells you one of the following three things, he is a liar: Whoever tells you that Muhammad saw his Lord, is a liar." Then Aisha recited the Verse:

"No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Courteous Well-Acquainted with all things." (6.103) "It is not fitting for a human being that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration or from behind a veil." (42.51) 'Aisha further said, "And whoever tells you that the Prophet knows what is going to happen tomorrow, is a liar." She then recited:

"No soul can know what it will earn tomorrow." (31.34) She added: "And whoever tells you that he concealed (some of Allah's orders), is a liar." Then she recited: "O Apostle! Proclaim (the Message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord..." (5.67) 'Aisha added, "But the Prophet saw Gabriel in his true form twice."

that he came to 'Aisha and said to her, "O Mother of the Believers! There is a man who sends a Hadi to Ka'ba and stays in his city and requests that his Hadi camel be garlanded while he remains in a state of Ihram from that day till the people finish their Ihram (after completing all the ceremonies of Hajj). (What do you say about it?)" Masruq added, I heard the clapping of her hands behind the curtain. She said, "I used to twist the garlands for the Hadi of Allah's Apostle and he used to send his Hadi to Ka'ba but he never used to regard as unlawful what was lawful for men to do with their wives till the people returned (from the Hajj)."

Whenever a beggar or a person in need came to the Prophet, the Prophet would say "Help and recommend him and you will receive the reward for it, and Allah will bring about what he will through His Prophet's tongue."

Abdullah bin 'Amr mentioned Allah's Apostle saying that he was neither a Fahish nor a Mutafahish. Abdullah bin 'Amr added, "Allah's Apostle said, 'The best among you are those who have the best manners and character.' "

We were sitting with 'Abdullah bin 'Amr who was narrating to us (Hadith). He said, "Allah's Apostle was neither a Fahish nor a Mutafahhish, and he used to say, 'The best among you are the best in character (having good manners).' "

I asked 'Aisha "What deed was the most beloved to the Prophet?" She said, "The regular constant one." I said, "At what time did he use to get up at night (for the Tahajjud night prayer)?" She said, "He used to get up on hearing (the crowing of) the cock (the last third of the night)."

'Aisha said, "If anyone tells you that Muhammad has seen his Lord, he is a liar, for Allah says: 'No vision can grasp Him.' (6.103) And if anyone tells you that Muhammad has seen the Unseen, he is a liar, for Allah says: "None has the knowledge of the Unseen but Allah."

Um Ruman, the mother of 'Aisha said that while 'Aisha and she were sitting, an Ansari woman came and said, "May Allah harm such and-such a person!" Um Ruman said to her, -What is the matter?" She replied, "My son was amongst those who talked of the story (of the Slander)." Um Ruman said, "What is that?" She said, "So-and-so...." and narrated the whole story. On that 'Aisha said, "Did Allah's Apostle hear about that?" She replied, "Yes." 'Aisha further said, "And Abu Bakr too?" She replied, "Yes." On that, 'Aisha fell down fainting, and when she came to her senses, she had got fever with rigors. I put her clothes over her and covered her. The Prophet came and asked, "What is wrong with this (lady)?" Um Ruman replied, "O Allah's Apostle! She (i.e. 'Aisha) has got temperature with rigors." He said, "Perhaps it is because of the story that has been talked about?" She said, "Yes." 'Aisha sat up and said, "By Allah, if I took an oath (that I am innocent), you would not believe me, and if I said (that I am not innocent), you would not excuse me. My and your example is like that of Jacob and his sons (as Jacob said ): 'It is Allah (Alone) Whose Help can be sought against that you assert.' " Um Ruman said, "The Prophet then went out saying nothing. Then Allah declared her innocence. On that, 'Aisha said (to the Prophet), 'I thank Allah only; thank neither anybody else nor you.' "

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: When Allah decrees that a person is to die in a certain land, He creates a need for him to go there.

Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Al-Aliyah, daughter of Subay', said: I had some sheep at Uhud,and they began to die. I then entered upon Maymunah, wife of theProphet (peace be upon him), and mentioned it to her. Maymunahsaid to me: If you took their skins and made use of them, (thatwould be better for you). She asked: Is that lawful? She replied,Yes. Some people of the Quraysh passed by the Apostle of Allah(peace be upon him) dragging a sheep of theirs as big as an ass.The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) said to them: Would thatyou took its skin. They said: It died a natural death. TheApostle of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Water and leaves ofthe mimosa flava purify it.

Kurayb, the freed slave of Ibn Abbas, reported: I heard it fromMaymunah, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him)The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to lie with mewhen I menstruated, and there was a cloth between me and him.

Someone amongst the wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace beupon him) had a domestic animal and it died. Upon this theMessenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Why did you not takeoff its skin and make use of that?

When the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) prostrated himself,if a lamb wanted to pass between his arms, it could pass.

When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prostratedhimself, he spread his arms, i.e. he separated them so much thatthe whiteness of his armpits became visible from behind and whenhe sat (for jalsah) he rested on his left thigh.

Ibn Abbas reported that a woman fell ill and she said: In caseAllah curse me I will certainly go and observe prayer in Baital-Maqdis. She recovered, and so she made preparation to go out(to that place). She came to Maymunah, the wife of Allah'sApostle (peace be upon him), and after greeting her she informedher about it, whereupon she said: Stay here, and eat theprovision (which you had made), and observe prayer in the mosqueof the Messenger (peace be upon him), for I heard Allah'sMessenger (peace be upon him) say: Prayer in it is better than athousand prayers observed in other mosques except the mosque ofthe Ka'bah.

One morning Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) was silent withgrief.Maymunah said: Allah's Messenger, I find a change in yourmood today. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: Gabrielhad promised me that he would meet me last night, but he did notmeet me. By Allah, he never broke his promises; and Allah'sMessenger (peace be upon him) spent the day in this sad (mood).Then it occurred to him that there had been a puppy under theircot. He gave an order and it was turned out. He then took somewater in his hand and sprinkled it on the place. When it wasevening Gabriel met him and he said to him: You promised me thatyou would meet me the previous night. He said: Yes, but we do notenter a house in which there is a dog or a picture. So the verynext morning he commanded the dogs to be killed. He announcedthat the dog kept for the orchards should also be killed, but hespared the dog used for the protection of extensive fields (orbig gardens).

Yazid ibn al-Asamm reported: Maymunah daughter of al-Harithnarrated to me that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) marriedher and he was not in the state of Ihram. And she (Maymunah) wasmy mother's sister and that of Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased withthem).

I said: Apostle of Allah, tell us the legal injunction about(visiting) Bayt al-Muqaddas (the dome of the Rock at Jerusalem).The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) said: go and pray there.All the cities at that time were effected by war. If you cannotvisit it and pray there, then send some oil to be used in thelamps.

I went out along with my father during the hajj performed by theApostle of Allah (peace be upon him). I saw the Apostle of Allah(peace be upon him). My father came near him; he was riding hisshe-camel. He stopped there and listened to him. He had a whiplike the whip of the teachers. I heard the Bedouin and the peoplesaying: Keep away from the whip. My father came up to him. Hecaught hold of his foot and acknowledged him (his Prophethood).He stopped and listened to him. He then said: I participated inthe army of Athran (in the pre-Islamic days). The narrator, Ibnal-Muthanna, said: Army of Gathran. Tariq ibn al-Muraqqa' said:Who will give me a lance and get a reward? I asked: What is itsreward? He replied: I shall marry him to my first daughter bornto me. So I gave him my lance and then disappeared from him tillI knew that a daughter was born to him and she came of age. Ithen came to him and said: Send my wife to me. He swore that hewould not do that until I fixed a dower afresh other than thatagreed between me and him, and I swore that I should not give himthe dower other than that I had given him before. The Apostle ofAllah (peace be upon him) said: How old is she now? He said: Shehas grown old.He said: I think you should leave her. He said:This put awe and fear into me, and I looked at the Apostle ofAllah (peace be upon him). When he felt this in me, he said: Youwill not be sinful, nor will your companion be sinful.

I went out with my father to see the hajj performed by theApostle of Allah (peace be upon him). I saw the Apostle of Allah(peace be upon him). I fixed my eyes on him. My father came nearhim while he was riding his she-camel. He had a whip like thewhip of scribes. I heard the bedouin and the people say: Thewhip, the whip. My father came near him and held his foot. Shesaid: He admitted his Prophethood and stood and listened to him. He said: Apostle of Allah, I have made a vow that if a son isborn to me, I shall slaughter a number of sheep at the end ofBuwanah in the dale of hill. The narrator said: I do not know(for certain) that she said: Fifty (sheep). The Apostle of Allah(peace be upon him) said: Does it contain any idol? He said: No.Then he said: Fulfil your vow that you have taken for Allah. Hethen gathered them (i.e. the sheep) and began to slaughter them.A sheep ran away from them. He searched for it saying: O Allah,fulfil my vow on my behalf. So he succeeded (in finding it) andslaughtered it.

On the day of the Conquest of Makkah Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) entered with gold and silver on his sword.

Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) entered the mosque andsaw a man who had finished his prayer, and was reciting thetashahhud saying: O Allah, I ask you, O Allah, the One, theeternally besought of all, He begetteth not, nor was He begotten,and there is none comparable unto Him, that you may forgive me mysins, you are Most Forgiving, Merciful. He (the Prophet) said: Hewas forgiven (repeating three times.)

We were staying with the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) atArafat; he said: O people, every family must offer a sacrificeand an atirah. Do you know what the atirah is? It is what youcall the Rajab sacrifice.

Two of my companions and I were so much afflicted by hunger thatwe had lost our sight and hearing. We presented ourselves (asguests) to the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be uponhim), but none amongst them would entertain us. So we came toAllah's Apostle (peace be upon him), and he took us to hisresidence and there were three goats. Allah's Apostle (peace beupon him) said: Milk these for us. So we milked them and each oneof us drank his share and we set aside the share of Allah'sApostle (peace be upon him). (It was his habit) to come duringthe night and greet (the people present there) in a manner thatwould not wake up one who was asleep but make one who was awakehear it. He would then go to the mosque and say prayers, then goto the milk and drink it. Miqdad added: One night Satan came tome when I had taken my share, and he said: Muhammad has gone tothe Ansar who will offer him hospitality and he will share whatthey have them, he has no need this draught (of milk).So I took(that milk) and drank it, and when it had penetrated my stomachand I was certain that there was no way out (but to digest it),Satan aroused (my sense of) remorse and said: Woe be to thee!What have you done? You have taken the drink reserved forMuhammad! When he comes and back not find it, he will curse you.You will be ruined, and thus This world and the hereafter will belost you. There was a sheet over me; as I pulled it my feet, myhead was uncovered, and as I pulled it over my head, my feet wereuncovered. I could not sleep, but my two companions had gone tosleep for they had not done what I had done. There came Allah'sApostle (peace be upon him) and he greeted us in his usual way(by saying As-salamu Alaykum). He came to the mosque and observedprayer, and then came to his drink (milk) and uncovered it butdid not find anything in it. He raised his head towards the sky,and I said (to myself) that he (the Holy Prophet) was going toinvoke curses upon me and I should be thus ruined. He (the HolyProphet) said: Allah, feed him who fed me and give drink to himwho provided me with drink. I held tight the sheet upon myself(and when he had supplicated), I took hold of the knife and wentto the goats (possessed by the Holy Prophet) so that I mayslaughter the fattest among them for Allah's Messenger (peace beupon him). In fact all of them were milking goats. So I took holdof the vessel which belonged to the family of Allah's Messenger(peace be upon him), in which they used to milk and drinktherefrom, and milked them in that until it was full of frothymilk. I came to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and hesaid: Have you taken your share of the milk during the night? Isaid: Drink it, and he drank it. He then handed over (the vessel)to me and I said: Allah's Messenger, drink it. He drank it andhanded over (the vessel) to me again. I then perceived thatAllah's Apostle (peace be upon him) was satisfied and I hadreceived his blessings. I burst out laughing so hard that I fellupon the ground, whereupon Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him)said: Miqdad, it must be one of your mischiefs. I said: Allah'sMessenger, this affair of mine is like this and this, and I havedone so. Thereupon, Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said:This is nothing but a mercy from Allah. Why did you not give mean opportunity to awaken our two friends and they would havereceived their share (of the milk)? I said: By Him Who has sentyou with Truth, I do not mind whatever you give (to them), andwhatever the (other) people happen to receive, when I havereceived it with you from among the people.

Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) commanded us that we shouldthrow dust upon the faces of those who shower too much praise.

I heard Allah's apostle (peace be upon him) as saying: On the Dayof Resurrection, the sun would draw so close to the people thatthere would be left only a distance of one mile. Sulayman ibnAmir said: By Allah, I do not know whether he meant by "mile" themile of the (material) earth or an instrument used for applyingcollyrium to the eye. (The Prophet is, however, reported to havesaid): The people would be submerged in perspiration according totheir deeds, some up to their knees, some up to the waist andsome would have the bridle of perspiration and, while sayingthis, Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) pointed his handtowards his mouth.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: When a ruler seeks to makeimputations against the people, he corrupts them.

Who was among those (who had given the Pledge of allegiance) under the Tree: Pious people will die in succession, and there will remain the dregs of society who will be like the useless residues of dates and barley and Allah will pay no attention to them.

The Prophet said, "The righteous (pious) people will depart (die) in succession one after the other, and there will remain (on the earth) useless people like the useless husk of barley seeds or bad dates."

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If anyone recites theQur'an and acts according to its contents, on the Day of Judgmenthis parents will be given to wear a crown whose light is betterthan the light of the sun in the dwellings of this world if itwere among you. So what do you think of him who acts according tohis.

A man of Juhaynah told him that he had heard the Prophet (peacebe upon him) reciting "When the earth is shaken" (Surah 99) inboth rak'ahs of the morning prayer. But I do not know whether hehad forgotten, or whether he recited it on purpose.