I asked Anas, "Tell me about the name 'Al-Ansar.; Did you call yourselves by it or did Allah call you by it?" He said, "Allah called us by it." We used to visit Anas (at Basra) and he used to narrate to us the virtues and deeds of the Ansar, and he used to address me or a person from the tribe of Al-Azd and say, "Your tribe did so-and-so on such-and-such a day."

The day of Bu'ath (i.e. Day of fighting between the two tribes of the Ansar, the Aus and Khazraj) was brought about by Allah for the good of His Apostle so that when Allah's Apostle reached (Medina), the tribes of Medina had already divided and their chiefs had been killed and wounded. So Allah had brought about the battle for the good of H is Apostle in order that they (i.e. the Ansar) might embrace Islam.

On the day of the Conquest of Mecca, when the Prophet had given (from the booty) the Quraish, the Ansar said, "By Allah, this is indeed very strange: While our swords are still dribbling with the blood of Quraish, our war booty are distributed amongst them." When this news reached the Prophet he called the Ansar and said, "What is this news that has reached me from you?" They used not to tell lies, so they replied, "What has reached you is true." He said, "Doesn't it please you that the people take the booty to their homes and you take Allah's Apostle to your homes? If the Ansar took their way through a valley or a mountain pass, I would take the Ansar's valley or a mountain pass."

The Prophet or Abul-Qasim said, "If the Ansar took their way through a valley or a mountain pass, I would take Ansar's valley. And but for the migration, I would have been one of the Ansar." Abu Huraira used to say, "The Prophet is not unjust (by saying so). May my parents be sacrificed for him, for the Ansar sheltered and helped him," or said a similar sentence.

When the emigrants reached Medina. Allah's Apostle established the bond of fraternity between 'Abdur-Rahman and Sad bin Ar-Rabi. Sad said to 'Abdur-Rahman, "I am the richest of all the Ansar, so I want to divide my property (between us), and I have two wives, so see which of the two you like and tell me, so that I may divorce her, and when she finishes her prescribed period (i.e. 'Idda) of divorce, then marry her." Abdur-Rahman said, "May Allah bless your family and property for you; where is your market?" So they showed him the Qainuqa' market. (He went there and) returned with a profit in the form of dried yogurt and butter. He continued going (to the market) till one day he came, bearing the traces of yellow scent. The Prophet asked, "What is this (scent)?" He replied, "I got married." The Prophet asked, "How much Mahr did you give her?" He replied, "I gave her a date-stone of gold or a gold piece equal to the weight of a date-stone." (The narrator, Ibrahim, is in doubt as to which is correct.)

When 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf came to us, Allah's Apostle made a bond of fraternity between him and Sad bin Ar-Rabi' who was a rich man, Sad said, "The Ansar know that I am the richest of all of them, so I will divide my property into two parts between me and you, and I have two wives; see which of the two you like so that I may divorce her and you can marry her after she becomes lawful to you by her passing the prescribed period (i.e. 'Idda) of divorce. 'Abdur Rahman said, "May Allah bless you your family (i.e. wives) for you." (But 'Abdur-Rahman went to the market) and did not return on that day except with some gain of dried yogurt and butter. He went on trading just a few days till he came to Allah's Apostle bearing the traces of yellow scent over his clothes. Allah's Apostle asked him, "What is this scent?" He replied, "I have married a woman from the Ansar." Allah's Apostle asked, "How much Mahr have you given?" He said, "A date-stone weight of gold or a golden date-stone." The Prophet said, "Arrange a marriage banquet even with a sheep."

The Ansar said (to the Prophet ), "Please divide the date-palm trees between us and them (i.e. emigrants)." The Prophet said, "No." The Ansar said, "Let them (i.e. the emigrants) do the labor for us in the gardens and share the date-fruits with us." The emigrants said, "We accepted this."

I heard the Prophet saying (or the Prophet said), "None loves the Ansar but a believer, and none hates them but a hypocrite. So Allah will love him who loves them, and He will hate him who hates them."

The Prophet said, "The sign of Belief is to love the Ansar, and the sign of hypocrisy is to hate the Ansar."

The Prophet saw the women and children (of the Ansar) coming forward. (The sub-narrator said, "I think that Anas said, 'They were returning from a wedding party.") The Prophet stood up and said thrice, "By Allah! You are from the most beloved people to me."

Once an Ansari woman, accompanied by a son of hers, came to Allah's Apostle. Allah's Apostle spoke to her and said twice, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, you are the most beloved people to me."

The Annwar said, "O Allah's Apostle! Every prophet has his own followers and we have followed you. So will you invoke Allah to let our followers be considered from us (as Ansar too)?" So he invoked Allah accordingly.

(A man from the Ansar) The Ansar said, "Every nation has followers and (O Prophet) we have followed you, so invoke Allah to let our followers be considered from us (as Ansar like ourselves)." So the Prophet said, "O Allah! Let their followers be considered as Ansar like themselves."

The Prophet said, "The best of the Ansar's families (homes) are those of Banu An-Najjar and then (those of) Banu 'Abdul Ash-hal, then (those of) Banu Al-Harith bin Al-Khazraj and then (those of) Banu Sa'ida; nevertheless, there is good in all the families (houses) of the Ansar." On this, Sad (bin Ubada) said, "I see that the Prophet has preferred some people to us." Somebody said (to him), "No, but he has given you superiority to many."

That he heard the Prophet saying, "The best of the Ansar, or the best of the Ansar families (homes) are Banu An-Najjar, Bani 'Abdul Ash-hal, Banu Al-Harith and Banu Sai'da."

The Prophet said, "The best of the Ansar families (homes) are the families (homes) of Banu An-Najjar, and then that of Banu 'Abdul Ash-hal, and then that of Banu Al-Harith, and then that of Banu Saida; and there is good in all the families (homes) of the Ansar." Sad bin 'Ubada followed us and said, "O Abu Usaid ! Don't you see that the Prophet compared the Ansar and made us the last of them in superiority?

Then Sad met the Prophet and said, "O Allah's Apostle! In comparing the Ansar's families (homes) as to the degree of superiority, you have made us the last of them." Allah's Apostle replied, "Isn't it sufficient that you are regarded amongst the best?"

A man from the Ansar said, "O Allah's Apostle! Will you appoint me as you have appointed so-and-so?" The Prophet said, "After me you will see others given preference to you; so be patient till you meet me at the Tank (i.e. Lake of Kauthar). (on the Day of Resurrection)."

The Prophet said to the Ansar, "After me you will see others given preference to you; so be patient till you meet me, and your promised place (of meeting) will be the Tank (i.e. Lake of Kauthar)."

That he heard Anas bin Malik when he went with him to Al-Walid, saying, "Once the Prophet called the Ansar in order to give them the territory of Bahrain they said, 'No, unless you give to our emigrant brethren a similar share.' On that he said 'If you do not agree to it, then be patient till you meet me, for after me others will be given preference to you."'

Allah's Apostle said, "There is no life except the life of the Hereafter; so, O Allah! Improve the state of the Ansar and the Muhajirun." And Anas added that the Prophet also said, "O Allah! Forgive the Ansar."

On the day of the battle of the Trench (i.e. Ghazwat-ul-Khandaq) the Ansar used to say, "We are those who have given the pledge of allegiance to Muhammad for Jihad (i.e. holy fighting) as long as we live." The Prophet , replied to them, "O Allah! There is no life except the life of the Hereafter; so please honor the Ansar and the Emigrants."

Allah's Apostle came to us while we were digging the trench and carrying out the earth on our backs. Allah's Apostle then said, "O Allah ! There is no life except the life of the Hereafter, so please forgive the Emigrants and the Ansar."

A man came to the Prophet. The Prophet sent a messenger to his wives (to bring something for that man to eat) but they said that they had nothing except water. Then Allah's Apostle said, "Who will take this (person) or entertain him as a guest?" An Ansar man said, "I." So he took him to his wife and said to her, "Entertain generously the guest of Allah's Apostle " She said, "We have got nothing except the meals of my children." He said, "Prepare your meal, light your lamp and let your children sleep if they ask for supper." So she prepared her meal, lighted her lamp and made her children sleep, and then stood up pretending to mend her lamp, but she put it off. Then both of them pretended to be eating, but they really went to bed hungry. In the morning the Ansari went to Allah's Apostle who said, "Tonight Allah laughed or wondered at your action." Then Allah revealed:

"But give them (emigrants) preference over themselves even though they were in need of that And whosoever is saved from the covetousness Such are they who will be successful." (59.9)

Abu Bakr and Al-'Abbas passed by one of the gatherings of the Ansar who were weeping then. He (i.e. Abu Bakr or Al-'Abbas) asked, "Why are you weeping?" They replied, "We are weeping because we remember the gathering of the Prophet with us." So Abu Bakr went to the Prophet and told him of that. The Prophet came out, tying his head with a piece of the hem of a sheet. He ascended the pulpit which he never ascended after that day. He glorified and praised Allah and then said, "I request you to take care of the Ansar as they are my near companions to whom I confided my private secrets. They have fulfilled their obligations and rights which were enjoined on them but there remains what is for them. So, accept the good of the good-doers amongst them and excuse the wrongdoers amongst them."

Allah's Apostle (in his fatal illness) came out wrapped in a sheet covering his shoulders and his head was tied with an oily tape of cloth till he sat on the pulpit, and after praising and glorifying Allah, he said, "Then-after, O people! The people will go on increasing, but the Ansar will go on decreasing till they become just like salt in a meal. So whoever amongst you will be the ruler and have the power to harm or benefit others, should accept the good of the good-doers amongst them and excuse the wrong-doers amongst them."

The Prophet said, "The Ansar are my near companions to whom I confided my private secrets, People will go on increasing but the Ansar will go on decreasing; so accept the good of the good-doers amongst them and excuse the wrong-doers amongst them. "

A silken cloth was given as a present to the Prophet . His companions started touching it and admiring its softness. The Prophet said, "Are you admiring its softness? The handkerchiefs of Sad bin Muadh (in Paradise) are better and softer than it."

I heard the Prophet saying, "The Throne (of Allah) shook at the death of Sad bin Muadh." Through another group of narrators, Jabir added, "I heard the Prophet : saying, 'The Throne of the Beneficent shook because of the death of Sad bin Muadh."

Some people (i.e. the Jews of Bani bin Quraiza) agreed to accept the verdict of Sad bin Muadh so the Prophet sent for him (i.e. Sad bin Muadh). He came riding a donkey, and when he approached the Mosque, the Prophet said, "Get up for the best amongst you." or said, "Get up for your chief." Then the Prophet said, "O Sad! These people have agreed to accept your verdict." Sad said, "I judge that their warriors should be killed and their children and women should be taken as captives." The Prophet said, "You have given a judgment similar to Allah's Judgment (or the King's judgment)."

Two men left the Prophet on a very dark night. Suddenly a light came in front of them, and when they separated, the light also separated along with them.

I heard the Prophet saying, "Learn the recitation of Qur'an from four persons: Ibn Mas'ud, Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa, Ubai and Muadh bin Jabal."

Aisha said, "Before that, he (i.e. Sad) was a pious man."

Allah's Apostle said, "The best of the Ansar's houses are those of Bani An-Najjar, then those of Bani 'Abdul Ash-hal, then those of Bani Al-Harith bin Al-Khazraj, then those of Bani Saida; but there is goodness in all the houses of the Ansar." Sad bin Ubada who was one of those who embraced Islam early, said, "I see that Allah's Apostle is giving others superiority above us." Some people said to him, "But he has given you superiority above many other people."

'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 Quran 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."

The Prophet said to Ubai, "Allah has ordered me to recite to you: 'Those who disbelieve (Surat-al-Bayina 98).' " Ubai said, "Has He mentioned my name?" The Prophet said, "Yes." On hearing this, Ubai started weeping.

Anas said, "The Quran was collected in the lifetime of the Prophet by four (men), all of whom were from the Ansar: Ubai, Muadh bin Jabal, Abu Zaid and Zaid bin Thabit." I asked Anas, "Who is Abu Zaid?" He said, "One of my uncles."

On the day of the battle of Uhud, the people ran away, leaving the Prophet , but Abu- Talha was shielding the Prophet with his shield in front of him. Abu Talha was a strong, experienced archer who used to keep his arrow bow strong and well stretched. On that day he broke two or three arrow bows. If any man passed by carrying a quiver full of arrows, the Prophet would say to him, "Empty it in front of Abu Talha." When the Prophet stated looking at the enemy by raising his head, Abu Talha said, "O Allah's Prophet! Let my parents be sacrificed for your sake! Please don't raise your head and make it visible, lest an arrow of the enemy should hit you. Let my neck and chest be wounded instead of yours." (On that day) I saw 'Aisha, the daughter of Abu Bakr and Um Sulaim both lifting their dresses up so that I was able to see the ornaments of their legs, and they were carrying the water skins of their arms to pour the water into the mouths of the thirsty people and then go back and fill them and come to pour the water into the mouths of the people again. (On that day) Abu Talha's sword fell from his hand twice or thrice.

I have never heard the Prophet saying about anybody walking on the earth that he is from the people of Paradise except 'Abdullah bin Salam. The following Verse was revealed concerning him: "And a witness from the children of Israel testifies that this Qur'an is true" (46.10)

While I was sitting in the Mosque of Medina, there entered a man (Abdullah bin Salam) with signs of solemnity over his face. The people said, "He is one of the people of Paradise." He prayed two light Rakat and then left. I followed him and said, "When you entered the Mosque, the people said, 'He is one of the people of Paradise.' " He said, "By Allah, one ought not say what he does not know; and I will tell you why. In the lifetime of the Prophet I had a dream which I narrated to him. I saw as if I were in a garden." He then described its extension and greenery. He added: In its center there was an iron pillar whose lower end was fixed in the earth and the upper end was in the sky, and at its upper end there was a (ring-shaped) hand-hold. I was told to climb it. I said, "I can't." "Then a servant came to me and lifted my clothes from behind and I climbed till I reached the top (of the pillar). Then I got hold of the hand-hold, and I was told to hold it tightly, then I woke up and (the effect of) the hand-hold was in my hand. I narrated al I that to the Prophet who said, 'The garden is Islam, and the hand-hold is the Most Truth-worthy Hand-Hold. So you will remain as a Muslim till you die." The narrator added: "The man was 'Abdullah bin Salam."

When I came to Medina. I met Abdullah bin Salam. He said, "Will you come to me so that I may serve you with Sawiq (i.e. powdered barley) and dates, and let you enter a (blessed) house that in which the Prophet entered?" Then he added, "You are In a country where the practice of Riba (i.e. usury) is prevalent; so if somebody owe you something and he sends you a present of a load of chopped straw or a load of barley or a load of provender then do not take it, as it is Riba."

Allah's Apostle has never refused to admit me since I embraced Islam, and whenever he saw me, he would smile. (In another narration) Jarir bin 'Abdullah narrated: There was a house called Dhul-Khalasa in the Pre-lslamic Period and it was also called Al-Ka'ba Al-Yamaniya or Al-Ka'ba Ash-Shamiya. Allah's Apostle said to me, "Will you relieve me from Dhul-Khalasa?" So I left for it with 150 cavalrymen from the tribe of Ahmas and then we destroyed it and killed whoever we found there. Then we came to the Prophet and informed him about it. He invoked good upon us and upon the tribe of Ahmas.

On the day of the battle of Uhud the pagans were defeated completely. Then Satan shouted loudly, "O Allah's slaves! Beware the ones behind you!" So the front files attacked the back ones. Then Hudhaifa looked and saw his father, and said loudly, "O Allah's slaves! My father! My father!" By Allah, they did not stop till they killed him (i.e. Hudaifa's father). Hudhaifa said, "May Allah forgive you!" The sub-narrator said, "By Allah, because of what Hudhaifa said, he remained in a good state till he met Allah (i.e. died)."

I heard Allah's Apostle saying (as below).

The Prophet said, "The best of the world's women is Mary (at her lifetime), and the best of the world's women is Khadija (at her lifetime)."

I did not feel jealous of any of the wives of the Prophet as much as I did of Khadija (although) she died before he married me, for I often heard him mentioning her, and Allah had told him to give her the good tidings that she would have a palace of Qasab (i.e. pipes of precious stones and pearls in Paradise), and whenever he slaughtered a sheep, he would send her women-friends a good share of it.

I did not feel jealous of any woman as much as I did of Khadija because Allah's Apostle used to mention her very often. He married me after three years of her death, and his Lord (or Gabriel) ordered him to give her the good news of having a palace of Qasab in Paradise.

I did not feel jealous of any of the wives of the Prophet as much as I did of Khadija though I did not see her, but the Prophet used to mention her very often, and when ever he slaughtered a sheep, he would cut its parts and send them to the women friends of Khadija. When I sometimes said to him, "(You treat Khadija in such a way) as if there is no woman on earth except Khadija," he would say, "Khadija was such-and-such, and from her I had children."

I asked 'Abdullah bin Abi Aufa, "Did the Prophet give glad tidings to Khadija?" He said, "Yes, of a palace of Qasab (in Paradise) where there will be neither any noise nor any fatigue."

Gabriel came to the Prophet and said, "O Allah's Apostle! This is Khadija coming to you with a dish having meat soup (or some food or drink). When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord (i.e. Allah) and on my behalf, and give her the glad tidings of having a Qasab palace in Paradise wherein there will be neither any noise nor any fatigue (trouble) . "

Narrated 'Aisha: Once Hala bint Khuwailid, Khadija's sister, asked the permission of the Prophet to enter. On that, the Prophet remembered the way Khadija used to ask permission, and that upset him. He said, "O Allah! Hala!" So I became jealous and said, "What makes you remember an old woman amongst the old women of Quraish an old woman (with a teethless mouth) of red gums who died long ago, and in whose place Allah has given you somebody better than her?"

The Prophet met Zaid bin 'Amr bin Nufail in the bottom of (the valley of) Baldah before any Divine Inspiration came to the Prophet. A meal was presented to the Prophet but he refused to eat from it. (Then it was presented to Zaid) who said, "I do not eat anything which you slaughter in the name of your stone idols. I eat none but those things on which Allah's Name has been mentioned at the time of slaughtering." Zaid bin 'Amr used to criticize the way Quraish used to slaughter their animals, and used to say, "Allah has created the sheep and He has sent the water for it from the sky, and He has grown the grass for it from the earth; yet you slaughter it in other than the Name of Allah. He used to say so, for he rejected that practice and considered it as something abominable.

Narrated Ibn 'Umar: Zaid bin 'Amr bin Nufail went to Sham, inquiring about a true religion to follow. He met a Jewish religious scholar and asked him about their religion. He said, "I intend to embrace your religion, so tell me some thing about it." The Jew said, "You will not embrace our religion unless you receive your share of Allah's Anger." Zaid said, "'I do not run except from Allah's Anger, and I will never bear a bit of it if I have the power to avoid it. Can you tell me of some other religion?" He said, "I do not know any other religion except the Hanif." Zaid enquired, "What is Hanif?" He said, "Hanif is the religion of (the prophet) Abraham who was neither a Jew nor a Christian, and he used to worship None but Allah (Alone)" Then Zaid went out and met a Christian religious scholar and told him the same as before. The Christian said, "You will not embrace our religion unless you get a share of Allah's Curse." Zaid replied, "I do not run except from Allah's Curse, and I will never bear any of Allah's Curse and His Anger if I have the power to avoid them. Will you tell me of some other religion?" He replied, "I do not know any other religion except Hanif." Zaid enquired, "What is Hanif?" He replied, Hanif is the religion of (the prophet) Abraham who was neither a Jew nor a Christian and he used to worship None but Allah (Alone)" When Zaid heard their Statement about (the religion of) Abraham, he left that place, and when he came out, he raised both his hands and said, "O Allah! I make You my Witness that I am on the religion of Abraham."

Narrated Asma bint Abi Bakr: I saw Zaid bin Amr bin Nufail standing with his back against the Ka'ba and saying, "O people of Quraish! By Allah, none amongst you is on the religion of Abraham except me." He used to preserve the lives of little girls: If somebody wanted to kill his daughter he would say to him, "Do not kill her for I will feed her on your behalf." So he would take her, and when she grew up nicely, he would say to her father, "Now if you want her, I will give her to you, and if you wish, I will feed her on your behalf."

When the Ka'ba was rebuilt, the Prophet and 'Abbas went to carry stones. 'Abbas said to the Prophet "(Take off and) put your waist sheet over your neck so that the stones may not hurt you." (But as soon as he took off his waist sheet) he fell unconscious on the ground with both his eyes towards the sky. When he came to his senses, he said, "My waist sheet! My waist sheet!" Then he tied his waist sheet (round his waist).

In the lifetime of the Prophet there was no wall around the Ka'ba and the people used to pray around the Ka'ba till 'Umar became the Caliph and he built the wall around it. 'Ubaidullah further said, "Its wall was low, so Ibn Az-Zubair built it."

'Ashura' (i.e. the tenth of Muharram) was a day on which the tribe of Quraish used to fast in the pre-lslamic period of ignorance. The Prophet also used to fast on this day. So when he migrated to Medina, he fasted on it and ordered (the Muslims) to fast on it. When the fasting of Ramadan was enjoined, it became optional for the people to fast or not to fast on the day of Ashura.

The people used to consider the performance of 'Umra in the months of Hajj an evil deed on the earth, and they used to call the month of Muharram as Safar and used to say, "When (the wounds over) the backs (of the camels) have healed and the foot-marks (of the camels) have vanished (after coming from Hajj), then 'Umra becomes legal for the one who wants to perform 'Umra." Allah's Apostle and his companions reached Mecca assuming Ihram for Hajj on the fourth of Dhul-Hijja. The Prophet ordered his companions to perform 'Umra (with that lhram instead of Hajj). They asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What kind of finishing of Ihram?" The Prophet said, "Finish the Ihram completely.'

In the pre-lslamic period of ignorance a flood of rain came and filled the valley in between the two mountains (around the Ka'ba)......

Abu Bakr went to a lady from the Ahmas tribe called Zainab bint Al-Muhajir and found that she refused to speak. He asked, "Why does she not speak." The people said, "She has intended to perform Hajj without speaking." He said to her, "Speak, for it is illegal not to speak, as it is an action of the pre-islamic period of ignorance. So she spoke and said, "Who are you?" He said, "A man from the Emigrants." She asked, "Which Emigrants?" He replied, "From Quraish." She asked, "From what branch of Quraish are you?" He said, "You ask too many questions; I am Abu Bakr." She said, "How long shall we enjoy this good order (i.e. Islamic religion) which Allah has brought after the period of ignorance?" He said, "You will enjoy it as long as your Imams keep on abiding by its rules and regulations." She asked, "What are the Imams?" He said, "Were there not heads and chiefs of your nation who used to order the people and they used to obey them?" She said, "Yes." He said, "So they (i.e. the Imams) are those whom I meant."

A black lady slave of some of the 'Arabs embraced Islam and she had a hut in the mosque. She used to visit us and talk to us, and when she finished her talk, she used to say: "The day of the scarf was one of our Lord's wonders: Verily! He has delivered me from the land of Kufr." When she said the above verse many times, I (i.e. 'Aisha) asked her, "What was the day of the scarf?" She replied, "Once the daughter of some of my masters went out and she was wearing a leather scarf (round her neck) and the leather scarf fell from her and a kite descended and picked it up, mistaking it for a piece of meat. They (i.e. my masters) accused me of stealing it and they tortured me to such an extent that they even looked for it in my private parts. So, while they all were around me, and I was in my great distress, suddenly the kite came over our heads and threw the scarf, and they took it. I said to them 'This is what you accused me of stealing, though I was innocent."

The Prophet said, "If anybody has to take an oath, he should swear only by Allah." The people of Quraish used to swear by their fathers, but the Prophet said, "Do not swear by your fathers. "

Al-Qasim used to walk in front of the funeral procession. He used not to get up for the funeral procession (in case it passed by him). And he narrated from 'Aisha that she said, "The people of the pre-lslamic period of ignorance used to stand up for the funeral procession. When they saw it they used to say twice: 'You were noble in your family. What are you now?"

The pagans used not to leave Jam' (i.e. Muzdalifa) till the sun had risen on Thabir mountain. The Prophet contradicted them by leaving (Muzdalifa) before the sun rose.

That Ikrima said, "Kasan Dihaqa means glass full (of something) followed successively with other full glasses." Ibn 'Abbas said, "In the pre-lslamic period of ignorance I heard my father saying, "Provide us with Kasan Dihaqa."

The Prophet said, "The most true words said by a poet was the words of Labid." He said, Verily, Everything except Allah is perishable and Umaiya bin As-Salt was about to be a Muslim (but he did not embrace Islam).

Abu Bakr had a slave who used to give him some of his earnings. Abu Bakr used to eat from it. One day he brought something and Abu Bakr ate from it. The slave said to him, "Do you know what this is?" Abu Bakr then enquired, "What is it?" The slave said, "Once, in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance I foretold somebody's future though I did not know this knowledge of foretelling but I, cheated him, and when he met me, he gave me something for that service, and that is what you have eaten from." Then Abu Bakr put his hand in his mouth and vomited whatever was present in his stomach.

In the pre-lslamic period of ignorance the people used to bargain with the meat of camels on the principle of Habal-al-Habala which meant the sale of a she-camel that would be born by a she-camel that had not yet been born. The Prophet forbade them such a transaction.

We used to visit Anas bin Malik and he used to talk to us about the Ansar, and used to say to me: "Your people did so-and-so on such-and-such a day, and your people did so-and-so on such-and-such a day."

The first event of Qasama in the pre-lslamic period of ignorance was practiced by us (i.e. Banu Hashim). A man from Banu Hashim was employed by a Quraishi man from another branch-family. The (Hashimi) laborer set out with the Quraishi driving his camels. There passed by him another man from Banu Hashim. The leather rope of the latter's bag had broken so he said to the laborer, "Will you help me by giving me a rope in order to tie the handle of my bag lest the camels should run away from me?" The laborer gave him a rope and the latter tied his bag with it. When the caravan halted, all the camels' legs were tied with their fetters except one camel. The employer asked the laborer, "Why, from among all the camels has this camel not been fettered?" He replied, "There is no fetter for it." The Quraishi asked, "Where is its fetter?" and hit the laborer with a stick that caused his death (later on Just before his death) a man from Yemen passed by him. The laborer asked (him), "Will you go for the pilgrimage?" He replied, "I do not think I will attend it, but perhaps I will attend it." The (Hashimi) laborer said, "Will you please convey a message for me once in your life?" The other man said, "yes." The laborer wrote: 'When you attend the pilgrimage, call the family of Quraish, and if they respond to you, call the family of Banu Hashim, and if they respond to you, ask about Abu Talib and tell him that so-and-so has killed me for a fetter." Then the laborer expired. When the employer reached (Mecca), Abu Talib visited him and asked, "What has happened to our companion?" He said, "He became ill and I looked after him nicely (but he died) and I buried him." Then Abu Talib said, "The deceased deserved this from you." After some time, the messenger whom the laborer has asked to convey the message, reached during the pilgrimage season. He called, "O the family of Quraish!" The people replied, "This is Quraish." Then he called, "O the family of Banu Hashim!" Again the people replied, "This is Banu Hashim." He asked, "Who is Abu Talib?" The people replied, "This is Abu Talib." He said, "'So-and-so has asked me to convey a message to you that so-and-so has killed him for a fetter (of a camel)." Then Abu Talib went to the (Quraishi) killer and said to him, "Choose one of three alternatives: (i) If you wish, give us one-hundred camels because you have murdered our companion, (ii) or if you wish, fifty of your men should take an oath that you have not murdered our companion, and if you do not accept this, (iii) we will kill you in Qisas." The killer went to his people and they said, "We will take an oath." Then a woman from Banu Hashim who was married to one of them (i.e.the Quraishis) and had given birth to a child from him, came to Abu Talib and said, "O Abu Talib! I wish that my son from among the fifty men, should be excused from this oath, and that he should not take the oath where the oath-taking is carried on." Abu Talib excused him. Then another man from them came (to Abu Talib) and said, "O Abu Talib! You want fifty persons to take an oath instead of giving a hundred camels, and that means each man has to give two camels (in case he does not take an oath). So there are two camels I would like you to accept from me and excuse me from taking an oath where the oaths are taken. Abu Talib accepted them from him. Then 48 men came and took the oath. Ibn 'Abbas further said:) By Him in Whose Hand my life is, before the end of that year, none of those 48 persons remained alive.

Allah caused the day of Buath to take place before Allah's Apostle was sent (as an Apostle) so that when Allah's Apostle reached Medina, those people had already divided (in different groups) and their chiefs had been killed or wounded. So Allah made that day precede Allah's Apostle so that they (i.e. the Ansar) might embrace Islam.

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: To run along the valley between two green pillars of Safa and Marwa (mountains) was not Sunna, but the people in the pre-islamic period of ignorance used to run along it, and used to say: "We do not cross this rain stream except running strongly. "

I heard Ibn 'Abbas saying, "O people! Listen to what I say to you, and let me hear whatever you say, and don't go (without understanding), and start saying, 'Ibn 'Abbas said so-and-so, Ibn 'Abbas said so-and-so, Ibn 'Abbas said so-and-so.' He who wants to perform the Tawaf around the Ka'ba should go behind Al-Hijr (i.e. a portion of the Ka'ba left out unroofed) and do not call it Al-Hatim, for in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance if any man took an oath, he used to throw his whip, shoes or bow in it.

During the pre-lslamic period of ignorance I saw a she-monkey surrounded by a number of monkeys. They were all stoning it, because it had committed illegal sexual intercourse. I too, stoned it along with them.

'Ubaidullah said: "I heard Ibn 'Abbas saying, "Following are some traits of the people of the pre-Islamic period of ignorance (i) to defame the ancestry of other families, (ii) and to wail over the dead." 'Ubaidullah forgot the third trait. Sufyan said, "They say it (i.e. the third trait) was to believe that rain was caused by the influence of stars (i.e. if a special star appears it will rain)."

Allah's Apostle was inspired Divinely at the age of forty. Then he stayed in Mecca for thirteen years, and then was ordered to migrate, and he migrated to Medina and stayed there for ten years and then died.

I came to the Prophet while he was leaning against his sheet cloak in the shade of the Ka'ba. We were suffering greatly from the pagans in those days. i said (to him). "Will you invoke Allah (to help us)?" He sat down with a red face and said, "(A believer among) those who were before you used to be combed with iron combs so that nothing of his flesh or nerves would remain on his bones; yet that would never make him desert his religion. A saw might be put over the parting of his head which would be split into two parts, yet all that would never make him abandon his religion. Allah will surely complete this religion (i.e. Islam) so that a traveler from Sana to Hadra-maut will not be afraid of anybody except Allah." (The sub-narrator, Baiyan added, "Or the wolf, lest it should harm his sheep.")

The Prophet recited Surat An-Najam and prostrated, and there was nobody who did not prostrate then except a man whom I saw taking a handful of pebbles, lifting it, and prostrating on it. He then said, "This is sufficient for me." No doubt I saw him killed as a disbeliever afterwards.

While the Prophet was prostrating, surrounded by some of Quraish, 'Uqba bin Abi Mu'ait brought the intestines (i.e. abdominal contents) of a camel and put them over the back of the Prophet. The Prophet did not raise his head, (till) Fatima, came and took it off his back and cursed the one who had done the harm. The Prophet said, "O Allah! Destroy the chiefs of Quraish, Abu Jahl bin Hisham, 'Utba bin Rabi'al, Shaba bin Rabi'a, Umaiya bin Khalaf or Ubai bin Khalaf." (The sub-narrator Shu'ba, is not sure of the last name.) I saw these people killed on the day of Badr battle and thrown in the well except Umaiya or Ubai whose body parts were mutilated but he was not thrown in the well.

'AbdurRahman bin Abza said, "Ask Ibn 'Abbas about these two Qur'anic Verses: 'Nor kill such life as Allah has made sacred, Except for just cause.' (25.168) "And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell. (4.93)

So I asked Ibn 'Abbas who said, "When the Verse that is in Sura-al-Furqan was revealed, the pagans of Mecca said, 'But we have slain such life as Allah has made sacred, and we have invoked other gods along with Allah, and we have also committed fornication.' So Allah revealed:-- 'Except those who repent, believe, and do good-- (25.70)

So this Verse was concerned with those people. As for the Verse in Surat-an-Nisa (4-93), it means that if a man, after understanding Islam and its laws and obligations, murders somebody, then his punishment is to dwell in the (Hell) Fire forever." Then I mentioned this to Mujahid who said, "Except the one who regrets (one's crime) . "

I asked Ibn Amr bin Al-As, "Tell me of the worst thing which the pagans did to the Prophet." He said, "While the Prophet was praying in the Hijr of the Ka'ba; 'Uqba bin Abi Mu'ait came and put his garment around the Prophet's neck and throttled him violently. Abu Bakr came and caught him by his shoulder and pushed him away from the Prophet and said, "Do you want to kill a man just because he says, 'My Lord is Allah?' "

As above (Hadith 195).

I saw Allah's Apostle , and the only converts (to Islam) with him, were five slaves, two women and Abu Bakr.

None embraced Islam, except on the day I embraced it. And for seven days I was one of the three persons who were Muslims (one-third of Islam).

"I asked Masruq, 'Who informed the Prophet about the Jinns at the night when they heard the Qur'an?' He said, 'Your father 'Abdullah informed me that a tree informed the Prophet about them.' "

That once he was in the, company of the Prophet carrying a water pot for his ablution and for cleaning his private parts. While he was following him carrying it(i.e. the pot), the Prophet said, "Who is this?" He said, "I am Abu Huraira." The Prophet said, "Bring me stones in order to clean my private parts, and do not bring any bones or animal dung." Abu Huraira went on narrating: So I brought some stones, carrying them in the corner of my robe till I put them by his side and went away. When he finished, I walked with him and asked, "What about the bone and the animal dung?" He said, "They are of the food of Jinns. The delegate of Jinns of (the city of) Nasibin came to me--and how nice those Jinns were--and asked me for the remains of the human food. I invoked Allah for them that they would never pass by a bone or animal dung but find food on them."

When Abu Dhar received the news of the Advent of the Prophet he said to his brother, "Ride to this valley (of Mecca) and try to find out the truth of the person who claims to be a prophet who is informed of the news of Heaven. Listen to what he says and come back to me." So his brother set out and came to the Prophet and listened to some of his talks, and returned to Abu Dhar and said to him. "I have seen him enjoining virtuous behavior and saying something that is not poetry." Abu Dhar said, "You have not satisfied me as to what I wanted." He then took his journey-food and carried a water-skin of his, containing some water till be reached Mecca. He went to the Mosque and searched for the Prophet and though he did not know him, he hated to ask anybody about him. When a part of the night had passed away, 'Ali saw him and knew that he was a stranger. So when Abu Dhar saw 'Ali, he followed him, and none of them asked his companion about anything, and when it was dawn, Abu Dhar took his journey food and his water-skin to the Mosque and stayed there all the day long without being perceived by the Prophet, and when it was evening, he came back to his retiring place. 'Ali passed by him and said, "Has the man not known his dwelling place yet?" So 'Ali awakened him and took him with him and none of them spoke to the other about anything. When it was the third day. 'Ali did the same and Abu Dhar stayed with him. Then 'Ali said "Will you tell me what has brought you here?" Abu Dhar said, "If you give me a firm promise that you will guide me, then I will tell you." 'Ali promised him, and he informed 'Ali about the matter. 'Ali said, "It is true, and he is the Apostle of Allah. Next morning when you get up, accompany me, and if I see any danger for you, I will stop as if to pass water, but if I go on, follow me and enter the place which I will enter." Abu Dhar did so, and followed 'Ali till he entered the place of the Prophet, and Abu Dhar went in with him, Abu Dhar listened to some of the Prophet's talks and embraced Islam on the spot. The Prophet said to him, "Go back to your people and inform them (about it) till you receive my order." Abu Dhar said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, I will proclaim my conversion loudly amongst them (i.e. the pagans)." So he went out, and when he reached the Mosque, he said as loudly as possible, "I bear witness that None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah." The People got up and beat him painfully. Then Al-Abbas came and knelt over him ((to protect him) and said (to the people), "Woe to you! Don't you know that this man belongs to the tribe of Ghifar and your trade to Sha'm is through their way?" So he rescued him from them. Abu Dhar again did the same the next day. They beat him and took vengeance on him and again Al-Abbas knelt over him (to protect him).

I heard Said bin Zaid bin 'Amr bin Nufail saying in the mosque of Al-Kufa. "By Allah, I have seen myself tied and forced by 'Umar to leave Islam before 'Umar himself embraced Islam. And if the mountain of Uhud could move from its place for the evil which you people have done to 'Uthman, then it would have the right to move from its place."

We have been powerful since 'Umar embraced Islam.

While 'Umar was at home in a state of fear, there came Al-'As bin Wail As-Sahmi Abu 'Amr, wearing an embroidered cloak and a shirt having silk hems. He was from the tribe of Bani Sahm who were our allies during the pre-Islamic period of ignorance. Al-'As said to 'Umar "What is wrong with you?" He said, "Your people claim that they would kill me if I become a Muslim." Al-'As said, "Nobody will harm you after I have given protection to you." So Al-'As went out and met the people streaming in the whole valley. He said, "Where are you going?" They said, "We want Ibn Al-Khattab who has embraced Islam." Al-'As said, "There is no way for anybody to touch him." So the people retreated.

When 'Umar embraced Islam, all The (disbelieving) people gathered around his home and said, "'Umar has embraced Islam." At that time I was still a boy and was on the roof of my house. There came a man wearing a cloak of Dibaj (i.e. a kind of silk), and said, "Umar has embraced Islam. Nobody can harm him for I am his protector." I then saw the people going away from 'Umar and asked who the man was, and they said, "Al-'As bin Wail."

I never heard 'Umar saying about something that he thought it would be so-and-so, but he was quite right. Once, while 'Umar was sitting, a handsome man passed by him, 'Umar said, "If I am not wrong, this person is still on his religion of the pre-lslamic period of ignorance or he was their foreteller. Call the man to me." When the man was called to him, he told him of his thought. The man said, "I have never seen such a day on which a Muslim is faced with such an accusation." 'Umar said, "I am determined that you should tell me the truth." He said, "I was a foreteller in the pre-lslamic period of ignorance." Then 'Umar said, "Tell me the most astonishing thing your female Jinn has told you of." He said, "One-day while I was in the market, she came to me scared and said, 'Haven't you seen the Jinns and their despair and they were overthrown after their defeat (and prevented from listening to the news of the heaven) so that they (stopped going to the sky and) kept following camel-riders (i.e. 'Arabs)?" 'Umar said, "He is right." and added, "One day while I was near their idols, there came a man with a calf and slaughtered it as a sacrifice (for the idols). An (unseen) creature shouted at him, and I have never heard harsher than his voice. He was crying, 'O you bold evil-doer! A matter of success! An eloquent man is saying: None has the right to be worshipped except you (O Allah).' On that the people fled, but I said, 'I shall not go away till I know what is behind this.' Then the cry came again: 'O you bold evil-doer! A matter of success! An eloquent man is saying: None has the right to be worshipped except Allah.' I then went away and a few days later it was said, "A prophet has appeared."

I heard Said bin Zaid saying to the people, "If you but saw me and 'Umar's sister tied and forced by 'Umar to leave Islam while he was not yet a Muslim. And if the mountain of Uhud could move from its place for the evil which you people have done to Uthman, it would have the right to do that."

The people of Mecca asked Allah's Apostle to show them a miracle. So he showed them the moon split in two halves between which they saw the Hiram' mountain.

The moon was split ( into two pieces ) while we were with the Prophet in Mina. He said, "Be witnesses." Then a Piece of the moon went towards the mountain.

During the lifetime of Allah's Apostle the moon was split (into two places).

The moon was split (into two pieces).

That Al-Miswar bin Makhrama and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Aswad bin 'Abu Yaghuth had said to him, "What prevents you from speaking to your uncle 'Uthman regarding his brother Al-Walid bin 'Uqba?" The people were speaking against the latter for what he had done. 'Ubaidullah said, "So I kept waiting for 'Uthman, and when he went out for the prayer, I said to him, 'I have got something to say to you as a piece of advice.' 'Uthman said, 'O man! I seek Refuge with Allah from you. So I went away. When I finished my prayer, I sat with Al-Miswar and Ibn 'Abu Yaghuth and talked to both of them of what I had said to 'Uthman and what he had said to me. They said, 'You have done your duty.' So while I was sitting with them. 'Uthman's Messenger came to me. They said, 'Allah has put you to trial." I set out and when I reached 'Uthman, he said, 'What is your advice which you mentioned a while ago?' I recited Tashahhud and added, 'Allah has sent Muhammad and has revealed the Holy Book (i.e. Quran) to him. You (O Uthman!) were amongst those who responded to the call of Allah and His Apostle and had faith in him. And you took part in the first two migrations (to Ethiopia and to Medina), and you enjoyed the company of Allah's Apostle and learned his traditions and advice. Now the people are talking much about Al-Walid bin 'Uqba and so it is your duty to impose on him the legal punishment.' 'Uthman then said to me, 'O my nephew! Did you ever meet Allah's Apostle ?' I said, 'No, but his knowledge has reached me as it has reached the virgin in her seclusion.' 'Uthman then recited Tashahhud and said, 'No doubt, Allah has sent Muhammad with the Truth and has revealed to him His Holy Book (i.e. Quran) and I was amongst those who responded to the call of Allah and His Apostle and I had faith in Muhammad's Mission, and I had performed the first two migrations as you have said, and I enjoyed the company of Allah's Apostle and gave the pledge of allegiance to him. By Allah, I never disobeyed him and never cheated him till Allah caused him to die. Then Allah made Abu Bakr Caliph, and by Allah, I was never disobedient to him, nor did I cheat him. Then 'Umar became Caliph, and by Allah, I was never disobedient to him, nor did I cheat him. Then I became Caliph. Have I not then the same rights over you as they had over me?' I replied in the affirmative. 'Uthman further said, 'The what are these talks which are reaching me from you? As for what you ha mentioned about Al-Walid bin 'Uqb; Allah willing, I shall give him the leg; punishment justly. Then Uthman ordered that Al-Walid be flogged fort lashes. He ordered 'Ali to flog him an he himself flogged him as well."

Um Habiba and Um Salama mentioned a church they had seen in Ethiopia and in the church there were pictures. When they told the Prophet of this, he said, "Those people are such that if a pious man amongst them died, they build a place of worship over his grave and paint these pictures in it. Those people will be Allah's worst creatures on the Day of Resurrection . "

When I came from Ethiopia (to Medina), I was a young girl. Allah's Apostle made me wear a sheet having marks on it. Allah's Apostle was rubbing those marks with his hands saying, "Sanah! Sanah!" (i.e. good, good).

We used to greet the Prophet while he used to be in prayers, and he used to reply to our greetings. But when we came back from Najashi (the King of Ethiopia) we greeted him (while he was praying) and he did not reply to us. We said, "O Allah's Apostle! We used to greet you in the past and you used to reply to us." He said, "Verily The Mind is occupied and busy with more important matter during the prayer." (So one cannot return One's greetings.)

We received the news of the departure of the Prophet (to Medina) while we were in Yemen. So we went on board a ship but our ship took us away to An-Najashi (the Negus) in Ethiopia. There we met Ja'far bin Abi Talib and stayed with him till we came (to Medina) by the time when the Prophet had conquered Khaibar. The Prophet said, "O you people of the ship! You will have (the reward of) two migrations."

When Negus died, the Prophet said, "Today a pious man has died. So get up and offer the funeral prayer for your brother Ashama

Allah's Apostle led the funeral prayer for the Negus and made us stand in rows behind him and I was in the second or third row.

The Prophet offered the funeral prayer for Ashama, the Negus, with four Takbir.

that Allah's Apostle informed them (i.e. his companions) of the death of Negus, the king of Ethiopia, on the very day on which the latter died, and said, "Ask Allah's Forgiveness for your brother" Abu Huraira further said, "Allah's Apostle made them (i.e. the Muslims) stand in rows at the Musalla (i.e. praying place) and led the funeral prayer for the Negus and said four Takbir."

Allah's Apostle, while going out for the battle of Hunain, said, "Tomorrow Allah willing, we will encamp at Khaif Bani Kinana where the pagans(of Quraish) took the oath of Kufr (against the Prophet i.e. to be loyal to heathenism, by boycotting Banu Hashim, the Prophet's folk, See Hadith No. 659 Vol. 2) .

That he said to the Prophet "You have not been of any avail to your uncle (Abu Talib) (though) by Allah, he used to protect you and used to become angry on your behalf." The Prophet said, "He is in a shallow fire, and had It not been for me, he would have been in the bottom of the (Hell) Fire."

When Abu Talib was in his death bed, the Prophet went to him while Abu Jahl was sitting beside him. The Prophet said, "O my uncle! Say: None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, an expression I will defend your case with, before Allah." Abu Jahl and 'Abdullah bin Umaya said, "O Abu Talib! Will you leave the religion of 'Abdul Muttalib?" So they kept on saying this to him so that the last statement he said to them (before he died) was: "I am on the religion of 'Abdul Muttalib." Then the Prophet said, " I will keep on asking for Allah's Forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden to do so." Then the following Verse was revealed:--

"It is not fitting for the Prophet and the believers to ask Allah's Forgiveness for the pagans, even if they were their near relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the (Hell) Fire." (9.113)

The other Verse was also revealed:-- "(O Prophet!) Verily, you guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He will ......." (28.56)

That he heard the Prophet when somebody mentioned his uncle (i.e. Abu Talib), saying, "Perhaps my intercession will be helpful to him on the Day of Resurrection so that he may be put in a shallow fire reaching only up to his ankles. His brain will boil from it."

(as above, Hadith 224) using the words: "will make his brain boil."

That he heard Allah's Apostle saying, "When the people of Quraish did not believe me (i.e. the story of my Night Journey), I stood up in Al-Hijr and Allah displayed Jerusalem in front of me, and I began describing it to them while I was looking at it."

Malik bin Sasaa said that Allah's Apostle described to them his Night Journey saying, "While I was lying in Al-Hatim or Al-Hijr, suddenly someone came to me and cut my body open from here to here." I asked Al-Jarud who was by my side, "What does he mean?" He said, "It means from his throat to his pubic area," or said, "From the top of the chest." The Prophet further said, "He then took out my heart. Then a gold tray of Belief was brought to me and my heart was washed and was filled (with Belief) and then returned to its original place. Then a white animal which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me." (On this Al-Jarud asked, "Was it the Buraq, O Abu Hamza?" I (i.e. Anas) replied in the affirmative). The Prophet said, "The animal's step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal's sight. I was carried on it, and Gabriel set out with me till we reached the nearest heaven.

When he asked for the gate to be opened, it was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel answered, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has Muhammad been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the first heaven, I saw Adam there. Gabriel said (to me). 'This is your father, Adam; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious son and pious Prophet.' Then Gabriel ascended with me till we reached the second heaven. Gabriel asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel answered, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel answered in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened.

When I went over the second heaven, there I saw Yahya (i.e. John) and 'Isa (i.e. Jesus) who were cousins of each other. Gabriel said (to me), 'These are John and Jesus; pay them your greetings.' So I greeted them and both of them returned my greetings to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Gabriel ascended with me to the third heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the third heaven there I saw Joseph. Gabriel said (to me), 'This is Joseph; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fourth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed, what an excel lent visit his is!'

The gate was opened, and when I went over the fourth heaven, there I saw Idris. Gabriel said (to me), 'This is Idris; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fifth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.' It was asked. 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is! So when I went over the fifth heaven, there I saw Harun (i.e. Aaron), Gabriel said, (to me). This is Aaron; pay him your greetings.' I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Gabriel ascended with me to the sixth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked. 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. It was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!'

When I went (over the sixth heaven), there I saw Moses. Gabriel said (to me),' This is Moses; pay him your greeting. So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' When I left him (i.e. Moses) he wept. Someone asked him, 'What makes you weep?' Moses said, 'I weep because after me there has been sent (as Prophet) a young man whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.' Then Gabriel ascended with me to the seventh heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.' It was asked,' Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!'

So when I went (over the seventh heaven), there I saw Abraham. Gabriel said (to me), 'This is your father; pay your greetings to him.' So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious son and pious Prophet.' Then I was made to ascend to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary) Behold! Its fruits were like the jars of Hajr (i.e. a place near Medina) and its leaves were as big as the ears of elephants. Gabriel said, 'This is the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary) . Behold ! There ran four rivers, two were hidden and two were visible, I asked, 'What are these two kinds of rivers, O Gabriel?' He replied,' As for the hidden rivers, they are two rivers in Paradise and the visible rivers are the Nile and the Euphrates.'

Then Al-Bait-ul-Ma'mur (i.e. the Sacred House) was shown to me and a container full of wine and another full of milk and a third full of honey were brought to me. I took the milk. Gabriel remarked, 'This is the Islamic religion which you and your followers are following.' Then the prayers were enjoined on me: They were fifty prayers a day. When I returned, I passed by Moses who asked (me), 'What have you been ordered to do?' I replied, 'I have been ordered to offer fifty prayers a day.' Moses said, 'Your followers cannot bear fifty prayers a day, and by Allah, I have tested people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel (in vain). Go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers' burden.' So I went back, and Allah reduced ten prayers for me. Then again I came to Moses, but he repeated the same as he had said before. Then again I went back to Allah and He reduced ten more prayers. When I came back to Moses he said the same, I went back to Allah and He ordered me to observe ten prayers a day. When I came back to Moses, he repeated the same advice, so I went back to Allah and was ordered to observe five prayers a day.

When I came back to Moses, he said, 'What have you been ordered?' I replied, 'I have been ordered to observe five prayers a day.' He said, 'Your followers cannot bear five prayers a day, and no doubt, I have got an experience of the people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel, so go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your follower's burden.' I said, 'I have requested so much of my Lord that I feel ashamed, but I am satisfied now and surrender to Allah's Order.' When I left, I heard a voice saying, 'I have passed My Order and have lessened the burden of My Worshipers."

Regarding the Statement of Allah"

"And We granted the vision (Ascension to the heavens) which We made you see (as an actual eye witness) was only made as a trial for the people." (17.60)

Ibn Abbas added: The sights which Allah's Apostle was shown on the Night Journey when he was taken to Bait-ulMaqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) were actual sights, (not dreams). And the Cursed Tree (mentioned) in the Quran is the tree of Zaqqum (itself) .

Who was Kab's guide when Ka'b turned blind: I heard Ka'b bin Malik narrating: When he remained behind (i.e. did not Join) the Prophet in the Ghazwa of Tabuk. Ibn Bukair, in his narration stated that Ka'b said, " I witnessed the Al-'Aqaba pledge of allegiance at night with the Prophet when we jointly agreed to support Islam with all our efforts I would not like to have attended the Badr battle instead of that 'Aqaba pledge although Badr is more well-known than it, amongst the people."

I was present with my two maternal uncles at Al-'Aqaba (where the pledge of allegiance was given). (Ibn 'Uyaina said, "One of the two was Al-Bara' bin Marur.")

My father, my two maternal uncles and I were among those who took part in the 'Aqaba Pledge.

Who had taken part in the battle of Badr with Allah's Apostle and had been amongst his companions on the night of Al-'Aqaba Pledge: Allah's Apostle, surrounded by a group of his companions said, "Come along and give me the pledge of allegiance that you will not worship anything besides Allah, will not steal, will not commit illegal sexual intercourse will not kill your children, will not utter; slander, invented by yourself, and will not disobey me if I order you to do something good. Whoever among you will respect and fulfill this pledge, will be rewarded by Allah. And if one of you commits any of these sins and is punished in this world then that will be his expiation for it, and if one of you commits any of these sins and Allah screens his sin, then his matter, will rest with Allah: If He will, He will punish him and if He will,. He will excuse him." So I gave the pledge of allegiance to him for these conditions.

I was one of the Naqibs who gave the ('Aqaba) Pledge of Allegiance to Allah's Apostle . We gave the pledge of allegiance to him that we would not worship anything other than Allah, would not steal, would not commit illegal sexual intercourse, would not kill a person whose killing Allah has made illegal except rightfully, would not rob each other, and we would not be promised Paradise jf we did the above sins, then if we committed one of the above sins, Allah will give His Judgment concerning it.

The Prophet engaged me when I was a girl of six (years). We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Bani-al-Harith bin Khazraj. Then I got ill and my hair fell down. Later on my hair grew (again) and my mother, Um Ruman, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my girl friends. She called me, and I went to her, not knowing what she wanted to do to me. She caught me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house. I was breathless then, and when my breathing became Allright, she took some water and rubbed my face and head with it. Then she took me into the house. There in the house I saw some Ansari women who said, "Best wishes and Allah's Blessing and a good luck." Then she entrusted me to them and they prepared me (for the marriage). Unexpectedly Allah's Apostle came to me in the forenoon and my mother handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age.

That the Prophet said to her, "You have been shown to me twice in my dream. I saw you pictured on a piece of silk and some-one said (to me). 'This is your wife.' When I uncovered the picture, I saw that it was yours. I said, 'If this is from Allah, it will be done."

Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Medina. He stayed there for two years or so and then he married 'Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consumed that marriage when she was nine years old.

We visited Khabbaba who said, "We migrated with the Prophet for Allah's Sake, so our reward became due and sure with Allah. Some of us passed away without taking anything of their rewards (in this world) and one of them was Mus'ab bin 'Umar who was martyred on the day (of the battle) of Uhud leaving a striped woolen cloak. When we covered his head with it, his feet became naked, and when covered his feet, his head became naked.

So Allah's Apostle ordered us to cover his head and put some Idhkhir (i.e. a special kind of grass) on his feet. (On the other hand) some of us have had their fruits ripened (in this world) and they are collecting them."

I heard the Prophet saying, "The reward of deeds depends on the intentions, so whoever emigrated for the worldly benefits or to marry a woman, his emigration was for that for which he emigrated, but whoever emigrated for the Sake of Allah and His Apostle, his emigration is for Allah and His Apostle."

Abdullah bin 'Umar used to say, "There is no more Hijrah (i.e. migration) after the Conquest of Mecca."

'Ubaid bin 'Umar Al-Laithi and I visited Aisha and asked her about the Hijra (i.e. migration), and she said, "Today there is no (Hijrah) emigration. A believer used to run away with his religion to Allah and His Apostle lest he should be put to trial because of his religion. Today Allah has made Islam triumphant, and today a believer can worship his Lord wherever he likes. But the deeds that are still rewardable (in place of emigration) are Jihad and good intentions." (See Hadith No. 42 Vol. 4).

Sad said, "O Allah! You know that there is none against whom I am eager to fight more willingly for Your Cause than those people who disbelieved Your Apostle and drove him out (of his city). O Allah! I think that You have ended the fight between us and them."

Allah's Apostle started receiving the Divine Inspiration at the age of forty. Then he stayed in Mecca for thirteen years, receiving the Divine Revelation. Then he was ordered to migrate and he lived as an Emigrant for ten years and then died at the age of sixty-three (years).

Allah's Apostle stayed in Mecca for thirteen years (after receiving the first Divine Inspiration) and died at the age of sixty-three.

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 wife of the Prophet) I never remembered my parents believing in any religion other than the true religion (i.e. Islam), and (I don't remember) a single day passing without our being visited by Allah's Apostle in the morning and in the evening. When the Muslims were put to test (i.e. troubled by the pagans), Abu Bakr set out migrating to the land of Ethiopia, and when he reached Bark-al-Ghimad, Ibn Ad-Daghina, the chief of the tribe of Qara, met him and said, "O Abu Bakr! Where are you going?" Abu Bakr replied, "My people have turned me out (of my country), so I want to wander on the earth and worship my Lord." Ibn Ad-Daghina said, "O Abu Bakr! A man like you should not leave his home-land, nor should he be driven out, because you help the destitute, earn their livings, and you keep good relations with your Kith and kin, help the weak and poor, entertain guests generously, and help the calamity-stricken persons. Therefore I am your protector. Go back and worship your Lord in your town."

So Abu Bakr returned and Ibn Ad-Daghina accompanied him. In the evening Ibn Ad-Daghina visited the nobles of Quraish and said to them. "A man like Abu Bakr should not leave his homeland, nor should he be driven out. Do you (i.e. Quraish) drive out a man who helps the destitute, earns their living, keeps good relations with his Kith and kin, helps the weak and poor, entertains guests generously and helps the calamity-stricken persons?" So the people of Quraish could not refuse Ibn Ad-Daghina's protection, and they said to Ibn Ad-Daghina, "Let Abu Bakr worship his Lord in his house. He can pray and recite there whatever he likes, but he should not hurt us with it, and should not do it publicly, because we are afraid that he may affect our women and children." Ibn Ad-Daghina told Abu Bakr of all that. Abu Bakr stayed in that state, worshipping his Lord in his house. He did not pray publicly, nor did he recite Quran outside his house.

Then a thought occurred to Abu Bakr to build a mosque in front of his house, and there he used to pray and recite the Quran. The women and children of the pagans began to gather around him in great number. They used to wonder at him and look at him. Abu Bakr was a man who used to weep too much, and he could not help weeping on reciting the Quran. That situation scared the nobles of the pagans of Quraish, so they sent for Ibn Ad-Daghina. When he came to them, they said, "We accepted your protection of Abu Bakr on condition that he should worship his Lord in his house, but he has violated the conditions and he has built a mosque in front of his house where he prays and recites the Quran publicly. We are now afraid that he may affect our women and children unfavorably. So, prevent him from that. If he likes to confine the worship of his Lord to his house, he may do so, but if he insists on doing that openly, ask him to release you from your obligation to protect him, for we dislike to break our pact with you, but we deny Abu Bakr the right to announce his act publicly." Ibn Ad-Daghina went to Abu- Bakr and said, ("O Abu Bakr!) You know well what contract I have made on your behalf; now, you are either to abide by it, or else release me from my obligation of protecting you, because I do not want the 'Arabs hear that my people have dishonored a contract I have made on behalf of another man." Abu Bakr replied, "I release you from your pact to protect me, and am pleased with the protection from Allah."

At that time the Prophet was in Mecca, and he said to the Muslims, "In a dream I have been shown your migration place, a land of date palm trees, between two mountains, the two stony tracts." So, some people migrated to Medina, and most of those people who had previously migrated to the land of Ethiopia, returned to Medina. Abu Bakr also prepared to leave for Medina, but Allah's Apostle said to him, "Wait for a while, because I hope that I will be allowed to migrate also." Abu Bakr said, "Do you indeed expect this? Let my father be sacrificed for you!" The Prophet said, "Yes." So Abu Bakr did not migrate for the sake of Allah's Apostle in order to accompany him. He fed two she-camels he possessed with the leaves of As-Samur tree that fell on being struck by a stick for four months.

One day, while we were sitting in Abu Bakr's house at noon, someone said to Abu Bakr, "This is Allah's Apostle with his head covered coming at a time at which he never used to visit us before." Abu Bakr said, "May my parents be sacrificed for him. By Allah, he has not come at this hour except for a great necessity." So Allah's Apostle came and asked permission to enter, and he was allowed to enter. When he entered, he said to Abu Bakr. "Tell everyone who is present with you to go away." Abu Bakr replied, "There are none but your family. May my father be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said, "i have been given permission to migrate." Abu Bakr said, "Shall I accompany you? May my father be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Apostle!" Allah's Apostle said, "Yes." Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Apostle! May my father be sacrificed for you, take one of these two she-camels of mine." Allah's Apostle replied, "(I will accept it) with payment." So we prepared the baggage quickly and put some journey food in a leather bag for them. Asma, Abu Bakr's daughter, cut a piece from her waist belt and tied the mouth of the leather bag with it, and for that reason she was named Dhat-un-Nitaqain (i.e. the owner of two belts).

Then Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr reached a cave on the mountain of Thaur and stayed there for three nights. 'Abdullah bin Abi Bakr who was intelligent and a sagacious youth, used to stay (with them) aver night. He used to leave them before day break so that in the morning he would be with Quraish as if he had spent the night in Mecca. He would keep in mind any plot made against them, and when it became dark he would (go and) inform them of it. 'Amir bin Fuhaira, the freed slave of Abu Bakr, used to bring the milch sheep (of his master, Abu Bakr) to them a little while after nightfall in order to rest the sheep there. So they always had fresh milk at night, the milk of their sheep, and the milk which they warmed by throwing heated stones in it. 'Amir bin Fuhaira would then call the herd away when it was still dark (before daybreak). He did the same in each of those three nights. Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr had hired a man from the tribe of Bani Ad-Dail from the family of Bani Abd bin Adi as an expert guide, and he was in alliance with the family of Al-'As bin Wail As-Sahmi and he was on the religion of the infidels of Quraish. The Prophet and Abu Bakr trusted him and gave him their two she-camels and took his promise to bring their two she camels to the cave of the mountain of Thaur in the morning after three nights later. And (when they set out), 'Amir bin Fuhaira and the guide went along with them and the guide led them along the sea-shore.

The nephew of Suraqa bin Ju'sham said that his father informed him that he heard Suraqa bin Ju'sham saying, "The messengers of the heathens of Quraish came to us declaring that they had assigned for the persons why would kill or arrest Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr, a reward equal to their bloodmoney. While I was sitting in one of the gatherings of my tribe. Bani Mudlij, a man from them came to us and stood up while we were sitting, and said, "O Suraqa! No doubt, I have just seen some people far away on the seashore, and I think they are Muhammad and his companions." Suraqa added, "I too realized that it must have been they. But I said 'No, it is not they, but you have seen so-and-so, and so-and-so whom we saw set out.' I stayed in the gathering for a while and then got up and left for my home. and ordered my slave-girl to get my horse which was behind a hillock, and keep it ready for me.

Then I took my spear and left by the back door of my house dragging the lower end of the spear on the ground and keeping it low. Then I reached my horse, mounted it and made it gallop. When I approached them (i.e. Muhammad and Abu Bakr), my horse stumbled and I fell down from it, Then I stood up, got hold of my quiver and took out the divining arrows and drew lots as to whether I should harm them (i.e. the Prophet and Abu Bakr) or not, and the lot which I disliked came out. But I remounted my horse and let it gallop, giving no importance to the divining arrows. When I heard the recitation of the Quran by Allah's Apostle who did not look hither and thither while Abu Bakr was doing it often, suddenly the forelegs of my horse sank into the ground up to the knees, and I fell down from it. Then I rebuked it and it got up but could hardly take out its forelegs from the ground, and when it stood up straight again, its fore-legs caused dust to rise up in the sky like smoke. Then again I drew lots with the divining arrows, and the lot which I disliked, came out. So I called upon them to feel secure. They stopped, and I remounted my horse and went to them. When I saw how I had been hampered from harming them, it came to my mind that the cause of Allah's Apostle (i.e. Islam) will become victorious. So I said to him, "Your people have assigned a reward equal to the bloodmoney for your head." Then I told them all the plans the people of Mecca had made concerning them. Then I offered them some journey food and goods but they refused to take anything and did not ask for anything, but the Prophet said, "Do not tell others about us." Then I requested him to write for me a statement of security and peace. He ordered 'Amr bin Fuhaira who wrote it for me on a parchment, and then Allah's Apostle proceeded on his way.

Narrated 'Urwa bin Az-Zubair: Allah's Apostle met Az-Zubair in a caravan of Muslim merchants who were returning from Sham. Az-Zubair provided Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr with white clothes to wear. When the Muslims of Medina heard the news of the departure of Allah's Apostle from Mecca (towards Medina), they started going to the Harra every morning . They would wait for him till the heat of the noon forced them to return. One day, after waiting for a long while, they returned home, and when they went into their houses, a Jew climbed up the roof of one of the forts of his people to look for some thing, and he saw Allah's Apostle and his companions dressed in white clothes, emerging out of the desert mirage.

The Jew could not help shouting at the top of his voice, "O you 'Arabs! Here is your great man whom you have been waiting for!" So all the Muslims rushed to their arms and received Allah's Apostle on the summit of Harra. The Prophet turned with them to the right and alighted at the quarters of Bani 'Amr bin 'Auf, and this was on Monday in the month of Rabi-ul-Awal. Abu Bakr stood up, receiving the people while Allah's Apostle sat down and kept silent. Some of the Ansar who came and had not seen Allah's Apostle before, began greeting Abu Bakr, but when the sunshine fell on Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr came forward and shaded him with his sheet only then the people came to know Allah's Apostle. Allah's Apostle stayed with Bani 'Amr bin 'Auf for ten nights and established the mosque (mosque of Quba) which was founded on piety. Allah's Apostle prayed in it and then mounted his she-camel and proceeded on, accompanied by the people till his she-camel knelt down at (the place of) the Mosque of Allah's Apostle at Medina. Some Muslims used to pray there in those days, and that place was a yard for drying dates belonging to Suhail and Sahl, the orphan boys who were under the guardianship of 'Asad bin Zurara. When his she-camel knelt down, Allah's Apostle said, "This place, Allah willing, will be our abiding place." Allah's Apostle then called the two boys and told them to suggest a price for that yard so that he might take it as a mosque. The two boys said, "No, but we will give it as a gift, O Allah's Apostle!" Allah's Apostle then built a mosque there. The Prophet himself started carrying unburnt bricks for its building and while doing so, he was saying "This load is better than the load of Khaibar, for it is more pious in the Sight of Allah and purer and better rewardable." He was also saying, "O Allah! The actual reward is the reward in the Hereafter, so bestow Your Mercy on the Ansar and the Emigrants." Thus the Prophet recited (by way of proverb) the poem of some Muslim poet whose name is unknown to me.

(Ibn Shibab said, "In the Hadiths it does not occur that Allah's Apostle

recited a complete poetic verse other than this one.")

I prepared the journey food for the Prophet and Abu Bakr when they wanted (to migrate to) Medina. I said to my father (Abu Bakr), "I do not have anything to tie the container of the journey food with except my waist belt." He said, "Divide it lengthwise into two." I did so, and for this reason I was named 'Dhat-un-Nitaqain' (i.e. the owner of two belts). (Ibn 'Abbas said, "Asma', Dhat-un-Nitaq.")

When the Prophet migrated to Medina, Suraqa bin Malik bin Ju'sham pursued him. The Prophet invoked evil on him, therefore the forelegs of his horse sank into the ground. Suraqa said (to the Prophet ), "Invoke Allah to rescue me, and I will not harm you. "The Prophet invoked Allah for him. Then Allah's Apostle felt thirsty and he passed by a shepherd. Abu Bakr said, "I took a bowl and milked a little milk in it and brought it to the Prophet and he drank till I was pleased."

That she conceived 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair. She added, "I migrated to Medina while I was at full term of pregnancy and alighted at Quba where I gave birth to him. Then I brought him to the Prophet and put him in his lap. The Prophet asked for a date, chewed it, and put some of its juice in the child's mouth. So, the first thing that entered the child's stomach was the saliva of Allah's Apostle. Then the Prophet rubbed the child's palate with a date and invoked for Allah's Blessings on him, and he was the first child born amongst the Emigrants in the Islamic Land (i.e. Medina).

The first child who was born in the Islamic Land (i.e. Medina) amongst the Emigrants, was 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair. They brought him to the Prophet. The Prophet took a date, and after chewing it, put its juice in his mouth. So the first thing that went into the child's stomach, was the saliva of the Prophet

Allah's Apostle arrived at Medina with Abu Bakr, riding behind him on the same camel. Abu Bakr was an elderly man known to the people, while Allah's Apostle was a youth that was unknown. Thus, if a man met Abu Bakr, he would day, "O Abu Bakr! Who is this man in front of you?" Abu Bakr would say, "This man shows me the Way," One would think that Abu Bakr meant the road, while in fact, Abu Bakr meant the way of virtue and good. Then Abu Bakr looked behind and saw a horse-rider persuing them. He said, "O Allah's Apostle! This is a horse-rider persuing us." The Prophet looked behind and said, "O Allah! Cause him to fall down." So the horse threw him down and got up neighing. After that the rider, Suraqa said, "O Allah's Prophet! Order me whatever you want." The Prophet said, "Stay where you are and do not allow anybody to reach us." So, in the first part of the day Suraqa was an enemy of Allah's Prophet and in the last part of it, he was a protector. Then Allah's Apostle alighted by the side of the Al-Harra and sent a message to the Ansar, and they came to Allah's Prophet and Abu Bakr, and having greeted them, they said, "Ride (your she-camels) safe and obeyed." Allah's Apostle and Abu Bakr rode and the Ansar, carrying their arms, surrounded them. The news that Allah's Prophet had come circulated in Medina. The people came out and were eagerly looking and saying "Allah's Prophet has come! Allah's Prophet has come! So the Prophet went on till he alighted near the house of Abu Aiyub. While the Prophet was speaking with the family members of Abu Aiyub, 'Abdullah bin Salam heard the news of his arrival while he himself was picking the dates for his family from his family garden. He hurried to the Prophet carrying the dates which he had collected for his family from the garden. He listened to Allah's Prophet and then went home.

Then Allah's Prophet said, "Which is the nearest of the houses of our Kith and kin?" Abu Aiyub replied, "Mine, O Allah's Prophet! This is my house and this is my gate." The Prophet said, "Go and prepare a place for our midday rest." Abu Aiyub said, "Get up (both of you) with Allah's Blessings." So when Allah's Prophet went into the house, 'Abdullah bin Salaim came and said "I testify that you (i.e. Muhammad) are Apostle of Allah and that you have come with the Truth. The Jews know well that I am their chief and the son of their chief and the most learned amongst them and the son of the most learned amongst them. So send for them (i.e. Jews) and ask them about me before they know that I have embraced Islam, for if they know that they will say about me things which are not correct." So Allah's Apostle sent for them, and they came and entered. Allah's Apostle said to them, "O (the group of) Jews! Woe to you: be afraid of Allah. By Allah except Whom none has the right to be worshipped, you people know for certain, that I am Apostle of Allah and that I have come to you with the Truth, so embrace Islam." The Jews replied, "We do not know this." So they said this to the Prophet and he repeated it thrice. Then he said, "What sort of a man is 'Abdullah bin Salam amongst you?" They said, "He is our chief and the son of our chief and the most learned man, and the son of the most learned amongst us." He said, "What would you think if he should embrace Islam?" They said, "Allah forbid! He can not embrace Islam." He said, " What would you think if he should embrace Islam?" They said, "Allah forbid! He can not embrace Islam." He said, "What would you think if he should embrace Islam?" They said, "Allah forbid! He can not embrace Islam." He said, "O Ibn Salaim! Come out to them." He came out and said, "O (the group of) Jews! 8e afraid of Allah except Whom none has the right to be worshipped. You know for certain that he is Apostle of Allah and that he has brought a True Religion!' They said, "You tell a lie." On that Allah's Apostle turned them out.

Umar bin Al-Khattab fixed a grant of 4000 (Dirhams) for every Early Emigrant (i.e. Muhajir) and fixed a grant of 3500 (Dirhams) only for Ibn 'Umar. Somebody said to 'Umar, "Ibn 'Umar is also one of the Early Emigrants; why do you give him less than four-thousand?" 'Umar replied, "His parents took him with them when they migrated, so he was not like the one who had migrated by himself.

We migrated with Allah's Apostle (See Hadith No. 253 below).

We migrated with Allah's Apostle seeking Allah's Countenance, so our rewards became due and sure with Allah. Some of us passed away without eating anything of their rewards in this world. One of these was Mus'ab bin 'Umar who was martyred on the day of the battle of Uhud. We did not find anything to shroud his body with except a striped cloak. When we covered his head with it, his feet remained uncovered, and when we covered his feet with it, his head remained uncovered. So Allah's Apostle ordered us to cover his head with it and put some Idhkhir (i.e. a kind of grass) over his feet. And there are some amongst us whose fruits have ripened and they are collecting them (i.e. they have received their rewards in this world).

'Abdullah bin 'Umar said to me, "Do you know what my father said to your father once?" I said, "No." He said, "My father said to your father, 'O Abu Musa, will it please you that we will be rewarded for our conversion to Islam with Allah's Apostle and our migration with him, and our Jihad with him and all our good deeds which we did, with him, and that all the deeds we did after his death will be disregarded whether good or bad?' Your father (i.e. Abu Musa) said, 'No, by Allah, we took part in Jihad after Allah's Apostle , prayed and did plenty of good deeds, and many people have embraced Islam at our hands, and no doubt, we expect rewards from Allah for these good deeds.' On that my father (i.e. 'Umar) said, 'As for myself, By Him in Whose Hand 'Umar's soul is, I wish that the deeds done by us at the time of the Prophet remain rewardable while whatsoever we did after the death of the Prophet be enough to save us from Punishment in that the good deeds compensate for the bad ones.' " On that I said (to Ibn 'Umar), "By Allah, your father was better than my father!"

I heard that Ibn 'Umar used to become angry if someone mentioned that he had migrated before his father ('Umar), and he used to say, " 'Umar and I came to Allah's Apostle and found him having his midday rest, so we returned home. Then 'Umar sent me again (to the Prophet ) and said, 'Go and see whether he is awake.' I went to him and entered his place and gave him the pledge of allegiance. Then I went back to 'Umar and informed him that the Prophet was awake. So we both went, running slowly, and when 'Umar entered his place, he gave him the pledge of allegiance and thereafter I too gave him the pledge of allegiance,"

Abu Bakr bought a (camel's) saddle from 'Azib, and I carried it for him. 'Azib (i.e. my father) asked Abu Bakr regarding the journey of the migration of Allah's Apostle. Abu Bakr said, "Close observers were appointed by our enemies to watch us. So we went out at night and travelled throughout the night and the following day till it was noon, then we perceived a rock and went towards it, and there was some shade under it. I spread a cloak I had with me for Allah's Apostle and then the Prophet layed on it. I went out to guard him and all of a sudden I saw a shepherd coming with his sheep looking for the same, the shade of the rock as we did, I asked him, 'O boy, to whom do you belong?' He replied, 'I belong to so-and-so.' I asked him, 'Is there some milk in your sheep?' He replied in the affirmative. I asked him, 'Will you milk?' He replied in the affirmative. Then he got hold of one of his sheep. I said to him, 'Remove the dust from its udder.' Then he milked a little milk. I had a water-skin with me which was tied with a piece of cloth. I had prepared the water-skin for Allah's Apostle . So I poured some water over the milk (container) till its bottom became cold. Then I brought the milk to the Prophet and said, 'Drink, O Allah's Apostle.' Allah's Apostle drank till I became pleased. Then we departed and the pursuers were following us." Al-Bara added: I then went with Abu Bakr into his home (carrying that saddle) and there I saw his daughter 'Aisha Lying in a bed because of heavy fever and I saw her father Abu Bakr kissing her cheek and saying, "How are you, little daughter?"

(the servant of the Prophet) When the Prophet arrived (at Medina), there was not a single companion of the Prophet who had grey and black hair except Abu Bakr, and he dyed his hair with Henna' and Katam (i.e. plants used for dying hair). Through another group of narrators, Anas bin Malik said,. "When the Prophet arrived at Medina, the eldest amongst his companions was Abu Bakr. He dyed his hair with Hinna and Katam till it became of dark red color.

Abu Bakr married a woman from the tribe of Bani Kalb, called Um Bakr. When Abu Bakr migrated to Medina, he divorced her and she was married by her cousin, the poet who said the following poem lamenting the infidels of Quraish:

"What is there kept in the well, The well of Badr, (The owners of) the trays of Roasted camel humps? What is there kept in the well, The well of Badr, (The owners of) lady singers And friends of the honorable companions; who used to drink (wine) together, Um Bakr greets us With the greeting of peace, But can I find peace After my people have gone? The Apostle tells us that We shall live again, But what sort of life will owls and skulls live?:

I was with the Prophet in the Cave. When I raised my head, I saw the feet of the people. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! If some of them should look down, they will see us." The Prophet said, "O Abu Bakr, be quiet! (For we are) two and Allah is the Third of us."

Once a bedouin came to the Prophet and asked him about the migration. The Prophet said, "Mercy of Allah be on you! The migration is a quite difficult matter. Have you got some camels?" He replied in the affirmative. Then the Prophet said, "Do you give their Zakat?" He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet said, "Do you let others benefit by their milk gratis?" He replied in the affirmative. Then the Prophet asked, "Do you milk them on their watering days and give their milk to the poor and needy?" He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet, said, "Go on doing like this from beyond the seas, and there is no doubt that Allah will not overlook any of your good deeds."

The first people who came to us (in Medina) were Mus'ab bin 'Umar and Ibn Um Maktum. Then came to us 'Ammar bin Yasir and Bilal.

The first people who came to us (in Medina) were Mus'ab bin 'Umar and Ibn Um Maktum who were teaching Qur'an to the people. Then their came Bilal. Sad and 'Ammar bin Yasir. After that 'Umar bin Al-Khattab came along with twenty other companions of the Prophet. Later on the Prophet himself (to Medina) and I had never seen the people of Medina so joyful as they were on the arrival of Allah's Apostle, for even the slave girls were saying, "Allah's Apostle has arrived!" And before his arrival I had read the Sura starting with:-- "Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High" (87.1) together with other Suras of Al-Mufassal.

When Allah's Apostle came to Medina, Abu Bakr and Bilal got fever, and I went to both of them and said, "O my father, how do you feel? O Bilal, how do you feel?" Whenever Abu Bakr's fever got worse, he would say, "Every man will meet his death once in one morning while he will be among his family, for death is really nearer to him than his leather shoe laces (to his feet)." And whenever fever deserted Bilal, he would say aloud, "Would that I know whether I shall spend a night in the valley (of Mecca) with Idhkhir and Jalil (i.e. kinds of grass) around me, and whether I shall drink one day the water of Mijannah, and whether I shall see once again the hills of Shamah and Tafil?" Then I went to Allah's Apostle and told him of that. He said, "O Allah, make us love Medina as much as or more than we used to love Mecca, O Allah, make it healthy and bless its Sa' and Mud (i.e. measures), and take away its fever to Al-Juhfa."

I went to Uthman. After reciting Tashah-hud, he said,. "Then after no doubt, Allah sent Muhammad with the Truth, and I was amongst those who responded to the Call of Allah and His Prophet and believed in the message of Muhammad. Then took part in the two migrations. I became the son-in-law of Allah's Apostle and gave the pledge of allegiance to him By Allah, I never disobeyed him, nor did I deceive him till Allah took him unto Him."

During the last Hajj led by 'Umar, 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf returned to his family at Mina and met me there. 'AbdurRahman said (to 'Umar), "O chief of the believers! The season of Hajj is the season when there comes the scum of the people (besides the good amongst them), so I recommend that you should wait till you go back to Medina, for it is the place of Migration and Sunna (i.e. the Prophet's tradition), and there you will be able to refer the matter to the religious scholars and the nobles and the people of wise opinions." 'Umar said, "I will speak of it in Medina on my very first sermon I will deliver there."

An Ansari woman who gave the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet that the Ansar drew lots concerning the dwelling of the Emigrants. 'Uthman bin Maz'un was decided to dwell with them (i.e. Um al-'Ala's family), 'Uthman fell ill and I nursed him till he died, and we covered him with his clothes. Then the Prophet came to us and I (addressing the dead body) said, "O Abu As-Sa'ib, may Allah's Mercy be on you! I bear witness that Allah has honored you." On that the Prophet said, "How do you know that Allah has honored him?" I replied, "I do not know. May my father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Apostle! But who else is worthy of it (if not 'Uthman)?" He said, "As to him, by Allah, death has overtaken him, and I hope the best for him. By Allah, though I am the Apostle of Allah, yet I do not know what Allah will do to me," By Allah, I will never assert the piety of anyone after him. That made me sad, and when I slept I saw in a dream a flowing stream for 'Uthman bin Maz'un. I went to Allah's Apostle and told him of it. He remarked, "That symbolizes his (good) deeds."

The day of Bu'ath was a day (i.e. battle) which Allah caused to take place just before the mission of His Apostle so that when Allah's Apostle came to Medina, they (the tribes) had divided (into hostile groups) and their nobles had been killed; and all that facilitated their conversion to Islam.

That once Abu Bakr came to her on the day of 'Id-ul-Fitr or 'Id ul Adha while the Prophet was with her and there were two girl singers with her, singing songs of the Ansar about the day of Buath. Abu Bakr said twice. "Musical instrument of Satan!" But the Prophet said, "Leave them Abu Bakr, for every nation has an 'Id (i.e. festival) and this day is our 'Id."

When Allah's Apostle arrived at Medina, he alighted at the upper part of Medina among the people called Bani 'Amr bin 'Auf and he stayed with them for fourteen nights. Then he sent for the chiefs of Bani An-Najjar, and they came, carrying their swords. As if I am just now looking at Allah's Apostle on his she-camel with Abu Bakr riding behind him (on the same camel) and the chiefs of Bani An-Najjar around him till he dismounted in the courtyard of Abu Aiyub's home. The Prophet used to offer the prayer wherever the prayer was due, and he would pray even in sheepfolds. Then he ordered that the mosque be built. He sent for the chiefs of Banu An-Najjar, and when they came, he said, "O Banu An-Najjar! Suggest to me the price of this garden of yours." They replied "No! By Allah, we do not demand its price except from Allah." In that garden there were the (following) things that I will tell you: Graves of pagans, unleveled land with holes and pits etc., and date-palm trees. Allah's Apostle ordered that the graves of the pagans be dug up and, the unleveled land be leveled and the date-palm trees be cut down. The trunks of the trees were arranged so as to form the wall facing the Qibla. The Stone pillars were built at the sides of its gate. The companions of the Prophet were carrying the stones and reciting some lyrics, and Allah's Apostle . . was with them and they were saying, "O Allah! There is no good Excel the good of the Hereafter, so bestow victory on the Ansar and the Emigrants. "

I heard 'Umar bin 'Abdul-Aziz asking As-Sa'ib, the nephew of An-Nimr. "What have you heard about residing in Mecca?" The other said, "I heard Al-Ala bin Al-Hadrami saying, Allah's Apostle said: An Emigrant is allowed to stay in Mecca for three days after departing from Mina (i.e. after performing all the ceremonies of Hajj)"

The Prophet's companions did not take as a starting date for the Muslim calendar, the day, the Prophet had been sent as an Apostle or the day of his death, but the day of his arrival at Medina.

Originally, two Rakat were prescribed in every prayer. When the Prophet migrated (to Medina) four Rakat were enjoined, while the journey prayer remained unchanged(i.e. two Rakat).

In the year of Hajjat-ul-Wada' the Prophet visited me when I fell ill and was about to die because of that illness. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! I am very ill as you see, and I am a rich man and have no heir except my only daughter. Shall I give 2/3 of my property in charity?" He said, "No." I said, "Shall I then give one half of it in charity?" He said, "O Sad! Give 1/3 (in charity) and even 1/3 is too much. No doubt, it is better to leave your children rich than to leave them poor, reduced to begging from others. And Allah will reward you for whatever you spend with the intention of gaining Allah's Pleasure even if it were a mouthful of food you put into your wives mouth." I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Am I to be left behind (in Mecca) after my companions have gone?" He said, "If you should be left behind, you will be upgraded and elevated for every deed you will do with a desire to achieve Allah's Pleasure. I hope that you will live long so that some people will benefit by you while others will be harmed. O Allah! Please fulfill the migration of my companions and do not make them turn back on their heels. But (we feel sorry for) the unlucky Sad bin Khaulah." Allah's Apostle lamented his death in Mecca.

When 'Abdur-Rahman bin Auf came to Medina and the Prophet established the bond of brotherhood between him and Sad bin Ar-Rabi-al-Ansari, Saud suggested that 'Abdur-Rahman should accept half of his property and family. 'Abdur Rahman said, "May Allah bless you in your family and property; guide me to the market." So 'Abdur-Rahman (while doing business in the market) made some profit of some condensed dry yoghurt and butter. After a few days the Prophet saw him wearing clothes stained with yellow perfume. The Prophet asked, "What is this, O 'Abdur-Rahman?" He said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have married an Ansar' woman." The Prophet asked, "What have you given her as Mahr?" He (i.e. 'Abdur-Rahman) said, "A piece of gold, about the weight of a date stone." Then the Prophet said, Give a banquet, even though of a sheep."

When the news of the arrival of the Prophet at Medina reached 'Abdullah bin Salam, he went to him to ask him about certain things, He said, "I am going to ask you about three things which only a Prophet can answer: What is the first sign of The Hour? What is the first food which the people of Paradise will eat? Why does a child attract the similarity to his father or to his mother?" The Prophet replied, "Gabriel has just now informed me of that." Ibn Salam said, "He (i.e. Gabriel) is the enemy of the Jews amongst the angels. The Prophet said, "As for the first sign of The Hour, it will be a fire that will collect the people from the East to the West. As for the first meal which the people of Paradise will eat, it will be the caudate (extra) lobe of the fish-liver. As for the child, if the man's discharge proceeds the woman's discharge, the child attracts the similarity to the man, and if the woman's discharge proceeds the man's, then the child attracts the similarity to the woman."

On this, 'Abdullah bin Salam said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and that you are the Apostle of Allah." and added, "O Allah's Apostle! Jews invent such lies as make one astonished, so please ask them about me before they know about my conversion to I slam . " The Jews came, and the Prophet said, "What kind of man is 'Abdullah bin Salam among you?" They replied, "The best of us and the son of the best of us and the most superior among us, and the son of the most superior among us. "The Prophet said, "What would you think if 'Abdullah bin Salam should embrace Islam?" They said, "May Allah protect him from that." The Prophet repeated his question and they gave the same answer. Then 'Abdullah came out to them and said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah!" On this, the Jews said, "He is the most wicked among us and the son of the most wicked among us." So they degraded him. On this, he (i.e. 'Abdullah bin Salam) said, "It is this that I was afraid of, O Allah's Apostle.

A partner of mine sold some Dirhams on credit in the market. I said, "Glorified be Allah! Is this legal?" He replied, "Glorified be Allah! By Allah, when I sold them in the market, nobody objected to it." Then I asked Al-Bara' bin 'Azib (about it) he said, "We used to make such a transaction when the Prophet came to Medina. So he said, 'There is no harm in it if it is done from hand to hand, but it is not allowed on credit.' Go to Zaid bin Al- Arqam and ask him about it for he was the greatest trader of all of us." So I asked Zaid bin Al-Arqam., and he said the same (as Al-Bara) did."

The Prophet said, "Had only ten Jews (amongst their chiefs) believe me, all the Jews would definitely have believed me."

When the Prophet arrived at Medina, he noticed that some people among the Jews used to respect Ashura' (i.e. 10th of Muharram) and fast on it. The Prophet then said, "We have more right to observe fast on this day." and ordered that fasting should be observed on it.

When the Prophet arrived at Medina he found that the Jews observed fast on the day of 'Ashura'. They were asked the reason for the fast. They replied, "This is the day when Allah caused Moses and the children of Israel to have victory over Pharaoh, so we fast on this day as a sign of glorifying it." Allah's Apostle said, "We are closer to Moses than you." Then he ordered that fasting on this day should be observed.

The Prophet used to keep his hair falling loose while the pagans used to part their hair, and the People of the Scriptures used to keep their hair falling loose, and the Prophet liked to follow the People of the Scriptures in matters about which he had not been instructed differently, but later on the Prophet started parting his hair.

They, the people of the Scriptures, divided this Scripture into parts, believing in some portions of it and disbelieving the others. (See 15:91)

That he was sold (as a slave) by one master to another for more than ten times (i.e between 13 and 19).

I am from Ram-Hurmuz (i.e. a Persian town).

The interval between Jesus and Muhammad was six hundred years.