KITAB AL-SALAT
(THE BOOK OF PRAYERS)
--Continued--

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.

Abu Huraira reported the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) as saying: The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created. on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he was expelled from it. And the last hour will take place on no day other than Friday.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: We who are the last shall be the first on the Day of Resurrection, except that every Ummah was given the Book before us and we were given it after them. It was this day which Allah prescribed for us and guided us to it and the people came after us with regard to it, the Jews observing the next day and the Christians the day following that.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) said: We are the last and would be the first on the Day of Resurrection.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: We are the last (but) we would be the first on the Day of Resurrection, and we would be the first to enter Paradise, but that they were given the Book before us and we were given after them. They disagreed and Allah guided us aright on whatever they disagreed regarding the truth. And it was this day of theirs about which they disagreed, but Allah guided us to it, and that is Friday for us; the next day is for the Jews and the day following for the Christians.

Abu Huraira reported Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), as saying: We who are the last would be the first on the Day of Resurrection but they (other Ummahs) were given the Book before us and we were given after them, and this was the day that was prescribed for them but they disagreed on it. And Allah guided us to it. and they came after us with regard to it, the Jews observing the next day and the Christians the day following that.

It is narrated by Abu Huraira and Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: It was Friday from which Allah diverted those who were before us. For the Jews (the day set aside for prayer) was Sabt (Saturday), and for the Christians it was Sunday. And Allah turned towards us and guided us to Friday (as the day of prayer) for us. In fact, He (Allah) made Friday, Saturday and Sunday (as days of prayer). In this order would they (Jews and Christians) come after us on the Day of Resurrection. We are the last of (the Ummahs) among the people in this world and the first among the created to be judged on the Day of Resurrection. In one narration it is: ',to be judged among them".

Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: We were guided aright to Friday (as a day of prayer and meditation), but Allah diverted those who were before us from it. The rest of the hadith is the same.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When it is Friday, the angels stand at every door of the mosque and record the people in the order of their arrival, and when the Imam sits (on the pulpit for delivering the sermon) they fold up their sheets (manuscripts of the Qur’an) and listen to the mention (of Allah). And he who comes early is like one who offers a she-camel as a sacrifice, the next like one who offers a cow, the next a ram, the next a hen, the next an egg.

This hadith has been narrated by Abu Huratra through another chain of transmitters.

Abu Huraira reported Allah Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying: There is an angel on every door of the mosque recording him first who (conies) first (a the mosque for Friday prayer). And he [the Prophet] likened him as one who offers a camel as a sacrifice and then he went on in the descending order till he reached the point at which the minimum (sacrifice) is that of an egg. And when the Imam sits (on the pulpit) the sheets are folded and they (the angels) attend to the mention of Allah.

Abu-Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who took a bath and then came for Jumu’a prayer and then prayed what was fixed for him, then kept silence till the Imam finished the sermon, and then prayed along with him, his sins between that time and the next Friday would be forgiven, and even of three days wore.

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who performed ablution well, then came to Friday prayer, listened (to the sermon), kept silence all (his sins) between that time and the next Friday would be forgiven with three days extra, and he who touched pebbles caused an interruption.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: We used to observe (Jumu’a) prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and then we returned and gave rest to our camels used for carrying water. Hassan[ (one of the narrators) said: I asked Ja'far what time that was. He said.. It is the time when the sun passes the meridian.

Ja’far reported on the authority of his father that he asked Jabir b. 'Abdullah when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed Jumu’a prayer. Re said: He used to observe prayer, and we then went (back) to our camels and gave them rest. 'Abdullah made this addition in his narration: "Till the sun passed the meridian. and the camels used for carrying water (took rest)."

Sahl b. Said said: We did not have a siesta or lunch till after the Friday prayer. (Ibn Hujr added:) "Daring the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)."

Iyas b. Salama b. al-Akwa’ reported on the authority of his father: We used to observe the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) when the sun passed the meridian. and we then returned and tried to find out afternoon shadow (of the walls for protecting themselves from the heat of the sun).

Iyas b. Salama b. Akwa' reported on the authority of his father, saying: We used to observe the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and when we returned we did not find the shadow of the walls in which we could take protection (from the heat of the sun).

Ibn 'Umar said that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to deliver the sermon on Friday while standing. He would then sit and then stand (for the second sermon) as they (the Muslims) do nowadays.

Jabir b. Samura said: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) gave two sermons between which he sat, recited the Qur'an and exhorted the people.

Jabir b. Samura said that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to deliver the sermon while standing. He would then sit down and then stand up and address in a standing posture; and whoever informed you that he (the Holy Prophet) delivered the sermon while sitting told a lie. By Allah. I prayed with him more than two thousand times.

Jabir b. Abdullah reported that the Apostle (may peace be upon him) was delivering the sermon on Friday in a standing posture when a caravan from Syria arrived. The people flocked towards it till no one was left (with the Holy Prophet) but twelve persons, and it was on this occasion that this verse in regard to Jumu’a was revealed. "And when they see merchandise or sport. they break away to it and leave thee standing."

This hadith has been narrated by Husain with the same chain of transmitters but with this alteration that he did not make mention of the standing position.

Jabir b. Abdullah reported: I was along with the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) on Friday when a caravan arrived. The people went to it, and none but twelve persons were left behind and I was one of them; and it was on this occasion that this verse was revealed: "And when they see merchandise or sport away to it, and leave thee standing" (lxii. 1 1). they break

Jabir b. Abdullah reported: While the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) was delivering (a sermon) on Friday, a caravan of merchandise came to Medina. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) rushed towards it till only twelve persons were left with him including Abu Bakr and 'Umar; and it was at this occasion that this verse was revealed. "And when they see merchandise or sport, they break away to it."

Ka’b b. 'Ujra reported that he entered the mosque and saw Abd al-Rahman b. Umm Hakam delivering the sermon in a sitting posture. Upon this he said: Look at this wretched person; he delivers the sermon while sitting, whereas Allah said: "And when they see merchandise or sport, they break away to it and leave thee standing."

Abdullah b. Umar and Abu Huraira said that they heard Allah’s Messenger (way peace be upon him) say on the planks of his pulpit: People most cease to neglect the Friday prayer or Allah will seal their hearts and then they will be among the negligent.

Jabir b. Samura reported: I used to pray with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and both his prayer and sermon were of moderate length.

Jabir b. Samura reported: I used to observe prayer with the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) and his prayer was of moderate length and his sermon too was of moderate length.

Jabir b. Abdullah said: When Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) delivered the sermon, his eyes became red, his voice rose. and his anger increased so that he was like one giving a warning against the enemy and saying: "The enemy has made a morning attack on you and in the evening too." He would also say: "The last Hour and I have been sent like these two." and he would join his forefinger and middle finger; and would further say: "The best of the speech is embodied in the Book of Allah, and the beet of the guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. And the most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is error." He would further say: ,I am more dear to a Muslim even than his self; and he who left behind property that is for his family. and he who dies under debt or leaves children (in helplessness). the responsibility (of paying his debt and bringing up his children) lies on me."

Ja’far b. Muhammad said on the authority of his father: I heard Jabir b. 'Abdullah saying that in the sermon of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) he praised Allah, lauded Him (and subsequently said [other words] and raised his voice, and the rest of the hadith is the same).

Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), while delivering the sermon' to the people, praised Allah, and lauded Him for what He deserves, and would then say: He whom Allah guides aright, there is none to mislead him, and he who is led astray, there is none to guide him (aright), and the best of the talk is embodied in the Book of Allah. And the rest of the hadith is the same.

Ibn 'Abbas reported: Dimad came to Mecca and he belonged to the tribe of Azd Shanu'a, and he used to protect the person who was under the influence of charm. He heard the foolish people of Mecca say that Muhammad (may peace be upon him) was under the spell. Upon this he said: If 1 were to come across this man, Allah might cure him at my hand. He met him and said: Muhammad, I can protect (one) who is under the influence of charm, and Allah cures one whom He so desires at my hand. Do you desire (this)? Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, ask His help; and he whom Allah guides aright there is none to lead him astray, and he who is led astray there is none to guide him, and I bear testimony to the fact that there is no god but Allah, He is One, having no partner with Him, and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. Now after this he (Dimad) said: Repeat these words of yours before me, and the messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) repeated these to him thrice; and he said I have heard the words of soothsayers and the words of magicians, and the words of poets, but I have never heard such words as yours, and they reach the depth (of the ocean of eloquence); bring forth your hand so that I should take oath of fealty to you on Islam. So he took an oath of allegiance to him. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: It (this allegiance of yours) is on behalf of your people too. He said: It is on behalf of my people too. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent an expedition and the flying column passed by his people. The leader of the flying column said to the detachment: Did you find anything from these people? One of the people said: I found a utensil for water. Upon this he (the commander) said: Return it, for he is one of the people of Dimad.

Abu Wa'il reported: 'Ammar delivered to us the sermon. It was short and eloquent. When he (,Ammir) descended (from the pulpit) we said to him: 0 Abd al-Yaqzn, you have delivered a short and eloquent sermon. Would that you had lengthened (the sermon). He said: I have heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) as saying: The lengthening of prayer by a man and the shortness of the sermon is the sign of his understanding (of faith). So lengthen the prayer and shorten the sermon, for there is charm (in precise) expression.

‘Adi b. Hatim reported that a person recited a sermon before the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) thus: He who obeys Allay and His Apostle, he in fact follows the right path, and he who disobeys both of them, he goes astray. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: What a bad speaker you are; say: He who disobeys Allah and His Apostle. Ibn Numair added: He in fact went astray.

Safwan b. Ya'la reported on the authority of his father that he heard the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) reciting (verses of the Qur'an) on the pulpit. and "They cried: 0 Malik."

'Amra daughter of Abd al-Rahman reported on the authority of the sister of Amra, I memorised (surah) Qaf=surah l.): "By the glorious Qur’an" from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on Friday for he recited it on the pulpit on-every Friday.

The daughter of Haritha b. Nu'man said: I did not memorise (Surah) Qaf but from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) as he used to deliver the. sermon along with it on every Friday. She also added: Our oven and that of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was one.

Umm Bisham hint Haritha b. Nu'man said: Our oven and that of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was one for two years, or for one year or for a part of a year; and I learnt "Qaf. By the Glorious Qur’an" from no other source than the tongue of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) who used to recite it every Friday on the pulpit when he delivered the sermon to the people.

Umara b. Ruwaiba said he saw Bishr b. Marwan on the pulpit raising his hands and said: Allah, disfigure these hands! I have seen Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) gesture no more than this with his hands, and he pointed with his forefinger.

This hadith has been narrated by another chain of transmitters on the authority of Husain b. Abd al-Rahman.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that while Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was delivering the sermon on Friday a person came there, and the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to him: So and so, have you prayed (two rak’ahs)? He said: No. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Then stand and pray.

This hadith is narrated by Jabir through another chain of transmitters but Hammad (one of the narrators) made no mention of the two rak'ahs.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah said that a person entered the Mosque while the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was delivering the sermon on Friday. Upon this he (the Holy Prophet) said: Have you observed prayer? He said: No. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Stand and offer the two rak'ahs. According to Qutaiba, the words are: "He said: Offer two rak'ahs."

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that a person came (in the Mosque) while the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) was delivering the sermon on Friday (standing) on the pulpit. He (the Holy Prophet) said to him: Have you offered two rak'ahs? He said: No. Upon this he said: Then observe (them).

Jabir b. 'Abdullah said that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) delivered the sermon and said: When any one of you comes for the Friday (prayer) and the Imam comes out (from his apartment), (even then) should observe two rak'ahs (of prayer).

Jabir reported that Sulaik Ghatafani came on Friday (for prayer) while the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was sitting on the pulpit. Sulaik also sat down before observing prayer. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Have you observed two rak'ahs? He said: No. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Stand and observe them

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: Sulaik Ghatafani came on Friday when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was delivering the sermon. He (Sulaik) sat down. He (the Holy Prophet) said to him: 0 Sulaik I stand and observe two rak'ahs and make them short, and then said: When any one of you comes on Friday, while the Imam delivers the sermon, he should observe two rak'ahs and should make them short.

Abu Rifa’a reported: I came to the Holy Prophet (way peace be upon him) when he was delivering the sermon, and I said: Messenger of Allah, here is a stranger and he wants to learn about this religion and he does not know what this religion is. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) looked at me and left his sermon till he came to me, and he was given a chair and I thought that Its legs were made of iron. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sat In it and he began to teach me what Allah had taught him. He then came (to the pulpit) for his sermon and completed it to the end.

Ibn Abu Rafi’ said: Marwan appointed Abu Huraira as his deputy in Medina and he himself left t for Mecca. Abu Huraira led as in the Jumu’a prayer and recited after Surah Jumu’a in the second rak’ah: "When the hypocrites came to thee" (Surah lxiii.). I then met Abu Huraira as he came back and said to him: You have recited two surahs which 'Ali b. Abu Talib used to recite in Kufah. Upon this Abu Huraira said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace: be upon him) 'reciting these two in the Friday (prayer).

This hadith is narrated by Abdullah b. Abu Rafi’ with the same chain of transmitters but with this modification: "That he recited Surah Jumu’a (lxii.) in the first rak’ah and "The hypocrites came" in the second rak'ah.

Nu’man b. Bashir reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to recite on two 'Ids and in Friday prayer: "Glorify The name of Thy Lord, the Most High" (Surah lxxxvii.), and: "Has there come to thee the news of the overwhelming event" (lxxxviii.). And when the ‘Id and Jumu’a combined on a day he recited these two (surah) in both the prayers.

This hadith has been narrated by Ibrahim b Muhammad b. al-Muntashir with the same chain of transmitters.

Dahhak b. Qais wrote to Nu’man b. Bashir asking him what the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) recited on Friday besides Surah Jumu’a He said that he recited: "Has there reached . . . " (Surah lxxxviii,).

Ibn Abbas reported: The Apostle of Allah (way peace be upon him) used to recite in the morning prayer on Friday Surah "Alif-Lam-Mim, Tanz'il ul-Sajda"(Surah xxxii.): Surely there came over the man a time" (Surah lxxvii) and he used to recite in Jumu’a prayer Surahs Jumu’a and al-Munafiqin.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Sufyan with the same chain of transmitters.

Mukhawwil has narrated this hadith on the authority of Sufyan.

Abu Huraira reported that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to recite in the dawn prayer on Friday "Alif-Lam-Mim, Tanzil" and "Surely there came."

Abu Huraira reported that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to recite in the dawn prayer on Friday: "Alif-Lam-Mim, Tanzil" in the first rak'ah, and in the second one: "Surely there came over the man a time when he was nothing that could be mentioned."

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When any one of you observes the Jumu'a prayer (two obligatory rak'ahs in congregation), he should observe four (rak'ahs) afterwards.

Suhail reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When you observe prayer after (the two obligatory raklabs) of Jumu'a, you should observe four rak'ahs (and 'Amr in his narration has made this addition that Ibn Idris said this on the authority of Suhail): And if you are in a hurry on account of something, you should observe two rak'ahs in the mosque and two when you return (to your house).

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When any one amongst you observes prayer after Jumu'a, he should observe four rak'ahs. (In the hadith transmitted by Jarir the word minkum is not recorded.)

Nafi' reported that when 'Abdullah (b. 'Umar) observed the Friday prayer and came back he observed two rak'ahs in his house, and then said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be updn him) used to do this.

'Abdullah b. 'Umar, while describing the Nafl prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), said: He did not observe (Nafl) prayer after Jumu'a till he went back and observed two rak'ahs in his house. Yahya said: I guess that I uttered these words (before Imam Malik) that he of course observed (them).

Salim narrated on the authority of his father that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to observe two rak'ahs after Jumu'a.

'Umar b. 'Ata' b. Abu Khuwar said that Nafi' b. Jubair sent him to al- Sa'ib the son of Namir's sister with a view to asking him about what he had seen in the prayer of Mu'awiya. He said: Yes, I observed the Jumu'a prayer along with him in Maqsura and when the Imam pronounced salutation I stood up at my place and observed (Sunan rak'ahs). As he entered (the apartment) he sent for me and said: Do not repeat what you have done. Whenever you have observed the Jumu'a prayer, do not observe (Sunan prayer) till you, have talked or got out For the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had ordered us to do this and not to combine two (types of) prayers without talking of going out.

The same hadith is narrated on the authority of 'Umar b. Ata' but with this modification: When he (the Imam) pronounced salutation I stood up at my place. No mention was made of the Imam in it.

Ibn 'Abbas reported: I participated in the Fitr prayer with the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman, and all of them observed this prayer before the Khutba, and then he (the Holy Prophet) delivered the sermon. Then the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) descended (from the pulpit) and I (perceive) as if I am seeing him as he is commanding people with his hand to sit down. He then made his way through their (assembly) till he came to the women. Bilal was with him. He then recited (this verse): O Prophet, when believing women come to thee giving thee a pledge that they will not associate aught with Allah" (lx. 12) till he finished (his address to) them and then said: Do you conform to it (what has been described in the verse)? Only one woman among them replied: Yes, Apostle of Allah, but none else replied. He (the narrator) said: It could not be ascertained who actually she was. He (the Holy Prophet) exhorted them to give alms. Bilal stretched his cloth and then said: Come forward with alms. Let my father and mother be taken as ransom for you. And they began to throw rings and ringlets in the cloth of Bilal.

Ibn 'Abbas reported: I bear testimony to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) offering prayer before Kbutba. He (after saying prayer) delivered the Kutba, and he found that the women could not hear it, so he came to them and exhorted them and preached them and commanded them to give alms, and Bilal had stretched his cloth and the women were throwing rings, earrings and other things. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ayyub with the same chain of transmitters.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood up on the day of 'Id al-Fitr and observed prayer. And he commenced the prayer before the sermon. He then delivered the sermon. When the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) had finished (the sermon) he came down from (the pulpit), and made his way to the women and exhorted them (to do good acts), and he was leaning on the hand of Bilal. Bilal had stretched his cloth in which women were throwing alms. I (one of the narrators) said to 'Ata' (the other narrator) : It must be Zakat on the day of Fitr. He ('Ata') said: No. It was alms (which) they were giving on that occasion, and a woman gave her ring, and then others gave, and then others gave. I said to 'Ata': Is It right now for the Imam to come to the women when he has finished (his address to the men) that he should exhort them (to good deeds)? He said: (Why not) by my life, it is right for them (to do so). What is the matter with them that they do not do it now ?

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: I observed prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on the 'Id day. He commenced with prayer before the sermon without Adhan and Iqama. He then stood up leaning on Bilal, and he commanded (them) to be on guard (against evil for the sake of) Allah, and he exhorted (them) on obedience to Him, and he preached to the people and admonished them. He then walked on till he came to the women and preached to them and admonished them, and asked them to give alms, for most of them are the fuel for Hell. A woman having a dark spot on the cheek stood up and said: Why is it so, Messenger of Allah? He said: For you grumble often and show ingratitude to your spouse. And then they began to give alms out of their ornaments such as their earrings and rings which they threw on to the cloth of Bilal.

Ibn 'Abbas and Jaibir b. 'Abdullah al-Ansari reported: There was no Adhan on the (occasion) of Id-ul-Fitr and Id-ul-Adha. I (Ibn Juraij) said: I asked him after some time about it. He ('Ata', one of the narrators) said: Jabir b. 'Abdullah al-Ansari told me: There is neither any Adhan on Id-ul-Fitr when the Imam comes out, nor even after his coming out; their is neither lqama nor call nor anything of the sort of calling on that day and nor Iqama.

'Ata' reported that Ibn 'Abbas sent (him) to Ibn Zubair at the commencement of the oath of allegiance to him (for Caliphate saying): As there is no Adhan on 'Id-ul-Fitr, so you should not pronounce it. Ibn Zubair did not pronounce Adhan on that day. He (Ibn 'Abbas) also sent him (with this message) that sermon (is to be delivered) after the prayer, and thus it was done. So lbn Zubair observed prayer before Khutba.

Jabir b. Samura said: I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) prayers on two I'ds wore than once or twice without there being Adhan and Iqama.

Ibn 'Umar reported that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him), Abu Bakr and 'Umar used to observe the two 'Id prayers before the sermon.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to go out on the day of Adha and on the day of Fitr and commenced the prayer. And after having observed his prayer and pronounced the salutation, he stood up facing people as they were seated at their places of worship. And if he intended to send out an army he made mention of it to the people, and if he intended any other thing besides it, he commanded them (to do that). He used to say (to the people): Give alms, give alms, give alms, and the majority that gave alms was of women. He then returned and this (practice) remained (in vogue) till Marwan b. al- Hakam (came into power). I went out hand in hand with Marwan till we came to the place of worship and there Kathir b. Salt had built a pulpit of clay and brick. Marwan began to tug me with his hand as though he were pulling me towards the pulpit, while I was pulling him towards the prayer. When I saw him doing that I said: What has happened to the practice of beginning with prayer? He said: No, Abu Sa'id, what you are familiar with has been abandoned. I thereupon said (three times and went back): By no means, by Him in Whose hand my life is, you are not doing anything better than what I am familiar with.

Umm 'Atiyya said: He (the Apostle of Allah) commanded us that we should take out unmarried women and purdah-observing ladies for 'Id prayers, and he commanded the menstruating women to remain away from the place of worship of the Muslims.

Umm Atiyya reported: We were commanded to bring out on old days purdah-observing ladies and those unmarried, and menstruating women came out but remained behind people and pronounced takbir (Allah-o-Akbar) along with them.

Umm 'Atiyya reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) commanded us to bring out on'Id-ul-Fitr and 'Id-ul-Adha young women, menstruating women and purdah-observing ladies, menstruating women kept back from prayer, but participated in goodness and supplication of the Muslims. I said: Messenger of Allah, one of us does not have an outer garment (to cover her face and body). He said: Let her sister cover her with her outer garment.

Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went out on the day of Adha or Fitr and observed two rak'ahs, and did not observe prayer (at that place) before and after that. He then came to the women along with Bilal and commanded them to give alms and the women began to give their rings and necklaces.
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.

'Abdullah b. 'Umar reported that (his father) 'Umar b. Khattab asked Abu Waqid al-Laithi what the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to recite on 'Id-ul-Adha and 'Id-ul-Fitr. He said: He used to recite in them: "Qaf. By the Glorious Qur'an" (Surah 1), "The Hour drew near, and the moon was rent asunder" (Surah liv.).

'Utba reported that his father Waqid al-Laithi said: 'Umar b. Khattab asked me what the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) recited on 'Id day. I said: "The Hour drew near" and Qaf. By the Glorious Qur'an".

'A'isha reported: Abu Bakr came to see me and I had two girls with me from among the girls of the Ansar and they were singing what the Ansar recited to one another at the Battle of Bu'ath. They were not, however, singing girls. Upon this Abu Bakr said: What I (the playing of) this wind instrument of Satan in the house of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and this too on 'Id day? Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said : Abu Bakr, every people have a festival and it is our festival (so let them play on).

This hadith has been narrated by Hisham with the same chain of transmitters, but there the words are: "Two girls were playing upon a tambourine."

'A'isha reported that Abu Bakr came to her and there were with her two girls on Adha days who were singing and beating the tambourine and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had wrapped himself with his mantle. Abu Bakr scolded them. The Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) uncovered (his face) and said: Abu Bakr, leave them alone for these are the days of 'Id. And 'A'isha said: I recapitulate to my mind the fact that once the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) screened me with his mantle and I saw the sports of the Abyssinians, and I was only a girl, and so you can well imagine how a girl of tender age is fond of watching the sport.

'A'isha reported: BY Allah, I remember the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) standing on the door of my apartment screening me with his mantle enabling me to see the sport of the Abyssinians as they played with their daggers in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upom him). He (the Holy Prophet) kept standing for my sake till I was satiated and then I went back; and thus you can well imagine how long a girl tender of age who is fond of sports (could have watched it).

'A'isha reported: The Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) came (in my apartment) while there were two girls with me singing the song of the Battle of Bu'ath. He lay down on the bed and turned away his face. Then came Abu Bakr and he scolded me and said: Oh ! this musical instrument of the devil in the house of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) ! The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) turned towards him and said: Leave them alone. And when he (the Holy Prophet) became unattentive, I hinted them and they went out, and it was the day of 'Id and negroes were playing with shields and speare. (I do not remember) whether I asked the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) or whether he said to me if I desired to see (that sport). I said: Yes. I stood behind him with his face parallel to my face, and he said: O Banu Arfada, be busy (in your sports) till I was satiated. He said (to me): Is that enough? I said: Yes. Upon this he asked me to go.

'A'isha reported that some Abyssinians came and gave a demonstration of armed fight on the 'Id day in the mosque. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) invited me (to see that fight). I placed my head on his shoulder and began to see their sport till it was I who turned away from watching them.

This hadith has been narrated by Hisham with the same chain of transmitters but (the narrators) did not make mention of the mosque.

'A'isha said that she sent a message to the players (of this armed fight) saying: I like to see them (fighting). She further said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood up and I stood at the door (behind him) and saw (this fight) between his ears and his shoulders they played in the mosque. 'Ata' (one of the narra- tors) said: Were they persians or Abyssinians? Ibn 'Atiq told me they were Abyssinians.

Abu Huraira reported: While the Abyssinians were busy playing with their arms in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) 'Umar b. Khattab came there. He bent down to take up pebbles to throw at them (in order to make them go off). The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to him: 'Umar, leave them alone.

'Abdullah b. Zaid b. Mazini reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went to the place of prayer and prayed for rain and turned round his mantle while facing the Qibla.

Ibn Tamim narrated on the authority of his uncle ('Abdullah b. Zaid) that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) went out to the place of prayer and prayed for rain and faced towards Qibla, and turned round his mantle and prayed two rak'ahs.

'Abdullah b. Zaid al-Ansari reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went out to the place of prayer in order to offer prayer for rainfall. And when he intended to make supplication he faced Qibla and turned round his mantle.

'Abbad b. Tamim Mazini heard his uncle, who was one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), as saying: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went out one day in order to pray for rain. He turned his back towards people, supplicated before Allah, facing towards Qibla, and turned his mantle round and then observed two rak'ahs of prayer.

Anas reported: I saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) raising his hands (high enough) in supplication (for rain) that the whiteness of his armpits became visible.

Anas b. Malik reported that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) prayed for rain pointing the back of his hands to the sky.

Anas reported that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) was not accustomed to raice his hands in any supplication he made except when praying for rain. (He would then raise [his hands] high enough) that the whiteness of his armpits became visible. 'Abd al-A'la said that (he was in doubt whether it was) the whiteness of his armpit or armpits.

This hadith has been narrated by Anas b. Malik through another chain of transmitters.

Anas b. Malik reported that a person entered the mosque through the door situated on theside of Daral-Qada' during Friday (prayer) and the messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was delivering the sermon while standing. He came and stood in front of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: Messenger of Allah, the camels died and the passages were blocked; so supplicate Allah to send down rain upon us. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) raised his hands and then said: (O Allah, send down rain upon us; O Allah, send dowp rain upon us; O Allah, send down rain upon us. Anas said: By Allah, we did not see any cloud or any patch of it, and there was neither any house or building standing between us and the (hillock) Sal'a. There appeared a cloud in the shape of a shield from behind it, and as it (came high) in the sky it spread and then there was a downpour of rain. By Allah, we did not see the sun throughout the week. Then (that very man) came on the coming Friday through the same door when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was standing and delivering the sermon. He stood in front of him and said: Messenger of Allah, our animals died and the passages blocked. Supplicate Allah to stop the rain for us. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) again raised his hands and said: O Allah, let it (rain) fall in our suburbs and not on us, O Allah (send it down) on the hillocks and small mountains and the river-beds and at places where trees grow. The rain stopped, and as we stepped out we were walking in sun- shine. He (the narrator) said to Sharik: I asked Anas b. Malik if he was the same man. He said: I do not know.

Anas b. Malik reported: The people were in the grip of famine during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and (once) as the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was delivering the sermon standing on the pulpit on Friday, a bedouin stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, the animals died and the children suffered starvation. The rest of the hadith is the same (and the words are) that he (the Holy Prophet) said: O Allah, send down rain in our suburbs but not on us. He (the narrator) said: To whichever directions he pointed with his hands, the clouds broke up and I saw Medina like the opening of a (courtyard) and the stream of Qanat flowed for one month, and none came from any part (of Arabia) but with the news of heavy rainfall.

Anas b. Malik reported that while the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) was delivering the sermon on Friday, people stood up before him and said in a loud voice: Apostle of Allah, there is a drought and the trees have become yellow, the animals have died; and the rest of the hadith is the same, and in the narration transmitted by 'Abd al-A'la the words are: " The clouds cleard from Medina and it began to rain around it and not a single drop of rain fell in Medina. And as I looked towards Medina, I found it hollow like (the hollowness of) a basin.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Anas but with this addition: "Allah gathered the clouds and as we (were obliged) to stay back I saw that even the strong man, impelled by a desire to go to his family, (could not do so)."

'Ubaidullah b. Anas b. Malik heard (his father) Anas b. Malik as saying: A bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on Friday as he was (delivering the sermon on his) pulpit; and the rest of the hadith is the same but with this addition: "I saw the cloud clearing just as a sheet is folded."

Anas (b. Malik) reported: It rained upon us as we were with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) removed his cloth (from a part of his body) till the rain fell on it. We said: Messenger of Allah, why did you do this? He said: It is because it (the rainfall) has just come from the Exalted Lord.

'Ata' b. Abi Rabah reported that he heard 'A'isha, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (way peace be upon him), as saying: When there was on any day windstorm or dark cloud (its effects) could be read on the face of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and he moved forward and backward (in a state of anxiety); and when it rained, he was delighted and it (the state of restlessness) disappeared. 'A'isha said: I asked him the reason of this anxiety and he said : I was afraid that it might be a calamity that might fall upon my Ummah, and when he saw rainfall he said: It is the mercy (of Allah).

'Ata' b. Rabah reported on the authority of 'A'isha, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (way peace be upon him), who said: Whenever the wind was stormy, the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to say: O Allah ! I ask Thee for what is good in it, and the good which it contains, and the good of that which it was sent for. I seek refuge with Thee from what is evil in it, what evil it contains, and the evil of that what it was sent for; and when there was a thunder and lightning in the sky, his colour underwent a change, and he went out and in, backwards and forwards; and when the rain came, he felt relieved, and I noticed that (the sign of relief) on his face. 'A'isha asked him (about it) and he said: It may be as the people of 'Ad said: When they saw a cloud formation coming to their valley they said: "It is a cloud which would give us rain" (Qur'an, xlvi. 24).

'A'isha, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him), reported: I never saw Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) laugh to such an extent that I could see his uvula-whereas he used to smile only-and when he saw dark clouds or wind, (the signs of fear) were depicted on his face. I said: Messenger of Allah, I find people being happy when they ace the dark cloud in the hope that it would bring rain, but I find that when you see that (the cloud) there is an anxiety on your face. He said: 'A'isha, I am afraid that there may be a calamity in it, for a people was afflicted with wind, when the people saw the calamity they said: "It is a cloud which would give us rain" (Qur'an. xlvi. 24).

Ibn 'Abbas reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: I have been helped by the east wind and the 'Ad were destroyed by the west wind.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas through another chain of transmitters.

'A'isha reported that there was a solar eclipse in the time of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He stood up to pray and prolonged his stand very much. He then bowed and prolonged very much his bowing. He then raised his head and prolonged his stand much, but it was less than the (duration) of the first stand. He then bowed and prolonged bowing much, but it was less than the duration of his first bowing. He then prostrated and then stood up and prolonged the stand, but it was less than the first stand. He then bowed and prolonged his bowing, but it was less than the first bowing. He then lifted his head and then stood up and prolonged his stand, but it was less than the first stand. He then bowed and prolonged bowing and it was less than the first bowing. He then prostrated himself ; then he turned about, and the sun had become bright, and he addressed the people. He praised Allah and landed Him and said: The sun and the moon are two signs of Allah; they are not eclipsed on account of anyones death or on account of anyone's birth. So when you see them, glorify and supplicate Allah, observe prayer, give alms. O Ummah of Muhammad, none is more indignant than Allah When His servant or maid commits fornication. O people of Muhammad, by Allah, if you knew what I know, you would weep much and laugh little.

This hadith has been narrated by Hisham b. 'Urwa with the same chain of transmitters but with this addition: "Verily the sun and the moon are among the signs of Allah." And similarly this addition was made: "He then lifted his hands and said: O Allah ! have I not conveyed it? "

'A'isha, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him), reported There was an eclipse of the sun during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). So, the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) went to the mosque and stood up and glorified Allah, and the people formed themselves in rows behind him. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) made a long recital (of the Qur'an) and then pronounced takbir and then observed a long ruku'. He then raised his head and said: Allah listened to him who praised Him: our Lord, praise is due to Thee. He then again stood up and made a long recital, which was less than the first recital. He pronounced takbir and observed a long ruku', and it was less than the first one. He again said: Allah listened to him who praised Him; our Lord, praise is due to Thee. (Abu Tahir, one of the narrators) made no mention of: "He then prostrated himself." He did like this in the second rak'ah, till he completed four rak'ahs and four prostrations and the sun became bright before he deported. He then stood up and addressed people, after lauding Allah as He deserved, and then said: The sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah These do not eclipse either on the death of anyone or on his birth. So when you see them, hasten to prayer. He also said this: Observe prayer till Allah dispels the anxiety (of this extraordinary phenomenon) from you. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: I saw in my place everything which you have been promised. I even saw myself desiring to pluck a bunch (of grapes) from Paradise (and it was at the time) when you saw me moving forward. And I saw Hell and some of its parts crushing the others, when you saw me moving back; and I saw in it Ibn Luhayy and he was the person who made the she-camels loiter about. In the hadith transmitted by Abu Tahir the words are: "He hastened to prayer," and he made no mention of what follows.

'A'isha reported that there was a solar eclipse during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) and he sent the announcer (to summon them) for congregational prayer. The people gathered together and he pronounced takbir and he observed four rak'ahs, in the form of two rak'ahs (i.e. he observed two qiyams and two ruku's in one rak'ah) and four prostrations.

'A'isha reported that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) recited loudly in the eclipse prayer, and he observed four rak'ahs in the form of two rak'ahs and four prostrations. Zuhri said: Kathir b. 'Abbas narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed four rak'ahs and four prostrations in two rak'ahs.

Zuhri said: Kathir b. Abbas used to narrate that Ibn 'Abbas used to relate about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) in regard to the eclipse of the sun like that what was narrated by 'Urwa on the authority of 'A'isha.

'Ata' reported: I heard 'Ubaid b. 'Umair say: It has been narrated to me by one whom I regard as truthful, (the narrator says: I can well guess that he meant 'A'isha) that the sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and he stood up (in prayer) for a rigorously long time. He then bowed and then stood up and then bowed and then stood up and then bowed, thus observing three ruku's in two rak'ahs and four prostrations. He then departed and the sun brightened. He pronounced "Allah is the Greatest" while bowing. He would then bow and say: "Allah listened to him who praised Him" while lifting up his head. He then stood up, and praised Allah and lauded Him, and then said: The sun and the moon do not eclipse on the death of anyone or on his birth. But both of them are among the signs of Allah with which Allah terrifies His servants. So when you see them under eclipse, remember Allah till they are brightened. This hadith is narrated thus on the authority of 'A'isha through another chain of transmitters: "The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed six ruku's and four prostration in (two rak'ahs)."

'Amra reported that a Jewess came to 'A'isha to ask (about something) and said: May Allah protect you from the torment of the grave ! 'A'isha said: Messenger of Allah, would people be tormented in the graves? The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: (May there be) protection of Allah ! The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) mounted one morning on the ride, and the sun eclipsed. 'A'isha said: I came in the company of the women in the mosque from behind the rooms. The Messenger of Allah (way peace he upon him) dismounted from his ride and came to the place of worship where he used to pray. He stood up (to pray) and the people stood behind him. 'A'isha said: He stood for a long time. He then bowed and it was a long ruku'. He then raised his head and he stood for a long time, less than the first standing. He then bowed and his ruku' was long, but it was less than that (the first) ruku'. He then raised (his head) and the sun had become bright. He (the Holy Prophet) then said: I saw you under trial in the grave like the turmoil of Dajjal. 'Amra said: I heard 'A'isha say: I listened after this to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) seeking refuge from the torment of Fire and the torment of the grave.

This hadith has been narrated by Yahya b. Sa'id with the same chain of transmitters.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: The sun eclipsed on one extremely hot day during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) prayed along with his Companions. He prolonged his qiyam (standing posture in prayer) till they (his Companions) began to fall down. He then observed a long ruku'. He raised his head (and stood up for long) and then observed a long ruku'. He then raised (his head and stood up) for a long time and then made two prostrations. He then stood up and did like this and thus he observed four ruku's and four prostrations (in two rak'ahs) and then said: All these things were brought to me in which you will be made to enter. Paradise was brought to me till (I was so close to it) that if I (had intended) to pluck a bunch (of grapes) out of it. I would have got it, or he (the Holy Prophet) said: I intended to get a bunch (out of that) but my hand could not reach it. Hell was also brought to me and I saw in it a woman belonging to the tribe of Israel who was tormented for a cat whom she had tied, but did not give it food nor set it free to eat the creatures of the earth; and I saw Abu Thumama 'Amr b. Malik who was dragging his intestines in Hell. They (the Arabs) used to say that the sun and the moon do not eclipse but on the death of some great person; but (in reality) both these (the sun and the moon) are among the signs of Allah which are shown to you; so when there is an eclipse, observe prayer till it (the sun or the moon) brightens. This hadith has been narrated by Hisham with the same chain of transmitters except this "I saw a dark woman with a tail stature and loud voice," but he made no mention of "from among Bani Israel".

Jabir reported that the sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on that very day when Ibrahim (the Prophet's son) died. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood up and led people in (two rak'ahs of) prayer with six ruku's and four prostrations. He commenced (the prayer) with takbir (Allah-o-Akbar) and then recited and prolonged his recital. He then bowed nearly the (length of time) that he stood up. He then raised his head from the ruku' and recited but less than the first recital. He then bowed (to the length of time) that he stood up. He then raised his head from the ruku' and again recited but less than the second recital. He then bowed (to the length of time) that he stood up. He then lifted his head from the ruku'. He then fell in prostration and observed two prostrations. He stood up and then bowed, observing six ruku's like it, without (completing) the rak'ah in them, except (this difference) that the first (qiyam of ruku') was longer than the later one, and the ruku' was nearly (of the same length) as prostration. He then moved backward and the rows behind him also moved backward till we reached the extreme (Abu Bakr said: till he reached near the women) He then moved forward and the people also moved forward along with him till he stood at his (original) place (of worship). He then completed the prayer as it was required to complete and the sun brightened and he said: O people ! verily the sun and the moon are among the signs of Allah and they do not eclipse at the death of anyone among people (Abu Bakr said: On the death of any human being). So when you see anything like it (of the nature of eclipse), pray till it is bright. There is nothing which you have been promised (in the next world) but I have seen it in this prayer of mine. Hell was brought to me as you saw me moving back on account of fear lest its heat might affect me; and I saw the owner of the curved staff who dragged his intestines in the fire, and he used to steal (the belongings) of the pilgrims with his curved staff. If he (the owner of the staff) became aware, he would say: It got (accidentally) entangled in my curved staff, but if he was unaware of that, he would take that away. I also saw in it (in Hell) the owner of a cat whom she had tied and did not feed her nor set her free so that she could eat the creatures of the earth, till the cat died of starvation. Paradise was brought to me, and it was on that occasion that you saw me moving forward till I stood at my place (of worship). I stretched my hand as I wanted to catch hold of its fruits so that you may see them. Then I thought of not doing it. Nothing which you have been promised was there that I did not see in this prayer of mine.

Asma' reported: The sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). As I went to 'A'isha who was busy in prayer. I said: What is the matter with the people that they are praying (a special prayer)? She ('A'isha) pointed towards the sky with her head. I said: Is it (an unusual) sign? She said: Yes. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood up for prayer for such a long time that I was about to faint. I caught hold of a waterskin lying by my side, and began to pour water over my head, or (began to sprinkle water) on my face. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) then finished and the sun had brightened. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) then addressed the people, (after) praising Allah and lauding Him, and then said: There was no such thing as I did not see earlier, but I saw it at this very place of mine. I ever saw Paradise and Hell. It was also revealed to me that you would be tried in the graves, as you would he tried something like the turmoil of the Dajjal. Asma' said: I do not know which word he actually used (qariban or mithl), and each one of you would be brought and it would be said: What is your knowledge about this man? If the person is a believer, (Asma' said: I do not know whether it was the word al-Mu'min or al-Mu'qin) he would say: He is Muhammad and he is the Messenger of Allah. He brought to us the clear signs and right guidance. So we responded and obeyed him. (He would repeat this three times), and it would be said to him: You should go to sleep.We already knew that you are a believer in him. So the pious man would go to sleep. So far as the hypocrite or sceptic is concerned (Asma' said: I do not know which word was that: al-Munafiq (hypocrite) or al-Murtad (doubtful) he would say: I do not know. I only uttered whatever I heard people say.

Asma' said: I came to 'A'isha when the people were standing (in prayer) and she was also praying. I said: What is this excitement of the people for? And the rest of the hadith was narrated like one, (narrated above). 'Urwa said: Do not say Kasafat-ush-Shamsu, but say Khasafat-ush-Shamsu.

Asma' bint Abu Bakr said: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) was one day (i.e. on the day when the sun eclipsed) so perturbed that he (in haste) took hold of the outer garment (of a female member of his family) and it was later on that his (own) cloak was sent to him. He stood in prayer along with people for such a long time that if a man came he did not realise that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) had observed ruku', as it has been narrated about ruku' in connection with long qiyam.

Abu Juraij narrated this hadith with the same chain of transmitters (but with the addition of these words): "It was for a long duration that he (the Holy Prophet) observed qiyam and he would then observe ruku'. (The narrator also added) I (Asma') looked at a woman who was older than I, and at another who was weaker than I.

Asma' daughter of Abu Bakr reported: The sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him); so he felt perturbed and he, by mistake, took hold of the outer garment of a woman till he was given his own cloak. After this I satisfied my need and then came and entered the mosque. I saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) standing in prayer. I stood along with him. He prolonged his qiyam till I wished to sit down. Then I cast a glance towards an old woman. So I said: She is older than I. I, therefore, kept standing. He (the Holy Prophet) then observed ruku', and prolonged his ruku'. He then raised his head. He then prolonged his qiyam to such an extent that if a person happened to come he would have thought that he had not observed the ruku'.

Ibn 'Abbas reported: There was an eclipse of the sun during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah, (may peace be upon him) prayed accompanied by the people. He stood for a long time, about as long as it would take to recite Surah al-Baqara; then he bowed for a long time; then he raised his head and stood for a long time, but it was less than the first qiyam. He then bowed for a long time but for a shorter while than the first. He then prostrated and then stood for a long time, but it was less than the first qiyam. He then bowed for a long time, but it was less than the first bowing. He then raised (his head) and stood for a long time, but it was less than the first qiyam. He then bowed for a long time but it was less than the first bowing. He then observed prostration, and then he finished, and the sun had cleared (by that time). He (the Holy Prophet) then said : The sun and moon are two signs from the signs of Allah. These two do not eclipse on account of the death of anyone or on account of the birth of anyone. So when you see that, remember Allah. They (his Companions) said: Messenger of Allah, we saw you reach out to something, while you were standing here, then we saw you restrain yourself. He said: I saw Paradise and reached out to a bunch of its grapes; and had I taken it you would have eaten of it as long as the world endured. I saw Hell also. No such (abominable) sight have I ever seen as that which I saw today; and I observed that most of its inhabitants were women. They said: Messenger of Allah, on what account is it so? He said: For their ingratitude or disbelief (bi-kufraihinna). It was said: Do they disbelieve in Allah? He said: (Not for their disbelief in God) but for their ingratitude to their husbands and ingratitude to kindness. If you were to treat one of them kindly for ever, but if she later saw anything (displeasing) in you, she would say: i have never seen any good in you.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zaid b. Aslam with the same chain of transmitters except with this difference that he (the narrator said): " then we saw you keeping aloof (back)."

Ibn 'Abbas reported: When there was a solar eclipse the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) observed eight ruku's and four prostrations (in two rak'ahs). This has been narrated by 'Ali also.

Ibn 'Abbas reported: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed prayer while it was (solar) eclipse. He recited (the Qur'an in qiyam) and then bowed. He again recited and again bowed. He again recited and again bowed and again recited and again bowed, and then prostrated; and the second (rak'ah) was like this.

'Amr b. al-'As reported: When the sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), they (the people) were called to congregational prayers. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed two ruku's in one rak'ah. He then stood and observed two ruku's in (the second) rak'ah. The sun then became bright, and 'A'isha said; Never did I observe, ruku' and prostration longer than this (ruku' and prostration).

Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Verily the sun and the moon are the two signs among the signs of Allah by which He frightens his servants and they do not eclipse on account of the death of any one of the people. So when you see anything about them, observe prayer, supplicate Allah till it is cleared from you.

Abu Mas'ud reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Verily the sun and the moon do not eclipse on account of the death of any one of the people, but they are the two signs among the signs of Allah. So when you see it, stand up and observe prayer.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Isma'il with the same chain of transmitters and in the hadith narrated by Sufyan and Waki' (the words are): "The sun eclipsed on the day when Ibrahim died, and the people said: It has eclipsed on the death of Ibrahim."

Abu Musa reported: The sun eclipsed during the time of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him). He stood in great anxiety fearing that it might be the Doomsday, till he came to the mosque. He stood up to pray with prolonged qiyam, ruku', and prostration which I never saw him doing in prayer; and then he said: These are the signs which Allah sends, not on account of the death of anyone or life of any one, but Allah sends them to frighten thereby His servants. So when you see any such thing, hasten to remember Him, supplicate Him and beg pardon from Him, and in the narration transmitted by Ibn 'Ala the words are: "The sun eclipsed"." "He frightens His servants."

'Abd al-Rahman b. Samura said: During the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) I was shooting my arrows in Medina, when an eclipse of the sun took place. I, therefore, threw them away and said, I must see how the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) acts in a solar eclipse today. When I came to him, he had been supplicating with his hands, raised, pronouncing Allah-o-Akbar, praising Him, acknowledging that He is One God till the eclipse was over, then he recited two surahs and prayed two rak'ahs.

'Abd al-Rahman b. Samura, who was one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: During the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) I was shooting some of my arrows in Medina, when the sun eclipsed. I threw (the arrows) and said: By Allah, I must see how the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) acts in solar eclipse. So I came to him and he was standing in prayer, raising his hands, glorifying Him, praising Him, acknowledging His Oneness, declaring His greatness, and supplicating Him, till the sun cleared. When the eclipse was over, he recited two surahs and prayed two rak'ahs.

'Abd al-Rahman b. Samura reported: I was shooting some of my arrows during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) that the sun eclipsed. The rest of the hadith is the same.

'Abdullah b. 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed: Verily the sun and the moon do not eclipse on account of the death or life of anyone. They are in fact the signs among the signs of Allah. So when you see them, observe prayer.

Ziyad b. 'Ilaqa reported: I heard Mughira b. Shu'ba saying that the sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on the day when Ibrahim died. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Verily the sun and the moon are the two signs among the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse on account of the death of anyone or on account of the birth of anyone. So when you see them, supplicate Allah, and observe prayer till it is over.

A Divine Service is held over the dead body of every Muslim, young or old, even of infants who have lived only for a few minutes. A Muslim opens his eyes in the world with the words of Adhan in his ears in which he is told that he is a moral being having moral and spiritual responsibilities far more important than the physical needs. He should live in the world with a firm belief in the Creator of the Universe as his only Deity. Then he should spend his life as a sincere and devoted follower of Muhammad (may peace be upon him), for it is through him that he has received full information about the Will of God and the Divine Code of life. It Is also imprinted upon his fresh and clear mind that prayer elevates the soul of man and herein lies his success in this world and the world to come. With this sacred message he is made to start his life. Both the paths are shown to him, the path of righteousness and religious piety and the path of evil and irreligiousness, and then it is left to his discretion to choose the path he likes. After spending the allotted length of time he is called back to his Master.

When the soul leaves the body, preparations are made for bidding him the last farewell. He is washed and perfumed and is wrapped in white sheets. Then the funeral prayer is observed keeping his dead body in front of the Imam in which God to requested in congregation to grant him pardon for his minor and major sins, for all his failings and to wrap him in His Mercy.

A Muslim is received in this world with Adhan and lqama and he is given a send- off with prayer and supplication to Allah for treating him kindly in his heavenly home.

There is neither Adhan nor Iqama in the funeral prayer which has very deep significance. It implies that the Adhan and lqama for the funeral prayer had been pronounced at the time of his birth. He is thus awakened to the realisation of the fact that he should spend the whole span of his life with such single-minded devotion as is found in a worshipper waiting for the commencement of prayer after the Adhan and Iqama are pronounced.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Exhort to recite "There is no god but Allah" to those of you who are dying.

This hadith has been narrated by Sulaiman b. Bilal with the same chain of transmitters.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Exhort to recite "There is no god but Allah" to those of you who are dying.

Umm Salama reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: If any Muslim who suffers some calamity says, what Allah has commanded him, "We belong to Allah and to Him shall we return; O Allah, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange for it," Allah will give him something better than it in exchange. When Abu Salama died she said: What Muslim is better than Abu Salama whose family was the first to emigrate to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). I then said the words, and Allah gave me God's Messenger (may peace be upon him) in exchange. She said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent Hatib b. Abu Balta'a to deliver me the message of marriage with him. I said to him: I have a daughter (as my dependant) and I am of jealous temperament. He (the Holy Prophet) said: So far as her daughter is concerned, we would supplicate Allah, that He may free her (of her responsibility) and I would also supplicate Allah to do away with (her) jealous (temperament).

Umm Salama, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him), reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: If any servant (of Allah) who suffers a calamity says: "We belong to Allah and to Him shall we return; O Allah, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange for it,"' Allah will give him reward for affliction, and would give him something better than it in exchange. She (Umm Salama) said: When Abu Salama died. I uttered (these very words) as I was commanded (to do) by the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). So Allah gave me better in exchange than him. i.e. (I was taken as the wife of) the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him).

Umm Salama, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (way peace be upon him), reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saying like the hadith transmitted by Abu Usama, but with this addition that she said: "When Abu Salama died I said: Who is better than Abu Salama, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and Allah decided for me and I said (these words contained in the supplication mentioned above) and I was married to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him).

Umm Salama reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Whenever you visit the sick or the dead, supplicate for good because angels say "Amen" to whatever you say. She added: When Abu Salama died, I went to the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: Messenger of Allah, Abu Salama has died. He told me to recite: "O Allah ! forgive me and him (Abu Salama) and give me a better substitute than he." So I said (this), and Allah gave me in exchange Muhammad, who is better for me than him (Abu Salama).

Umm Salama reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon came to Abu Salama (as he died). His eyes were fixedly open. He closed them, and then said: When the soul is taken away the sight follows it. Some of the people of his family wept and wailed. So he said: Do not supplicate for yourselves anything but good, for angels say "Amen" to what you say. He then said: O Allah, forgive Abu Salama, raise his degree among those who are rightly guided, grant him a successor in his descendants who remain. Forgive us and him, O Lord of the Universe, and make his grave spacious, and grant him light in it.

This hadith has been narrated by Khalid al Hadhdha' with the same chain of transmitters but with this alteration that he said: (O Allah !) let Thee be the caretaker of what is left by him, and he said: Grant him expansion of the grave, but he did not say: Make his grave spacious. Khalid said: He supplicated for the seventh (thing too) which I have forgotten.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Did you not see when the man died and his eyes were fixedly open? He (Abu Huraira) said: Yes. He (the Holy Prophet) said: It is due to the fact that when (the soul leaves the body) his eyesight follows the soul.

This hadith is narrated on the authority of 'Ala' with the same chain of transmitters.

Umm Salama reported: When Abu Salama died I said: I am a stranger in a strange land; I shall weep for him in a manner that would be talked of. I made preparation for weeping for him when a woman from the upper side of the city came there who intended to help me (in weeping). She happened to come across the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and he said: Do you intend to bring the devil into a house from which Allah has twice driven him out? I (Umm Salama), therefore, refrained from weeping and I did not weep.

Usama b. Zaid reported: While we were with the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him), one of his daughters sent to him (the Messenger) to call him and inform him that her child or her son was dying. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) told the messenger to go back and tell her that what Allah had taken belonged to Him, and to him belonged what He granted; and He has an appointed time for everything. So you (the messenger) order her to show endurance and seek reward from Allah. The messenger came back and said: She adjures him to come to her. He got up to go accompanied by Sa'd b. 'Ubada, Mu'adh b. Jabal, and I also went along with them. The child was lifted to him and his soul was feeling as restless as if it was in an old (waterskin). His (Prophet's) eyes welled up with tears. Sa'd said: What is this, Messenger of Allah? He replied: This is compassion which Allah has placed in the hearts of His servants, and God shows compassion only to those of His servants who are compassionate.

This hadith has been narrated by another chain of transmitters on the authority of 'Asim al-Ahwal.

'Abdullah b. 'Umar said that Sa'd b. Ubada complained of illness. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) came to visit him accompanied by 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf, Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas and 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud. As he entered (his room) he found him in a swoon. Upon this he said: Has he died? They said: Messenger of Allah, it is not so. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) wept. When the people saw Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) weeping, they also began to weep. He said. Listen, Allah does not punish for the tears that the eye sheds or the grief the heart feels, but He punishes for this (pointing to his tongue), or He may show mercy.

'Abdullah b. 'Umar reported: While we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), a person, one of the Ansar, came to him and greeted him. The Ansari then turned back. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: o brother of Ansar, how is my brother Sa'd be 'Ubada? He said: He is better. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Who amongst you would visit him? He (the Holy Prophet) stood up and we also got up along with him, and we were more than ten persons. We had neither shoes with us, nor socks, nor caps, nor shirts. We walked on the barren land till we came to him. The people around him kept away till the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and his Companions with him came near him (Sa'd b. 'Ubada).

Anas b. Malik reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Endurance is to be shown at the first blow.

Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to a woman who had been weeping for her (dead) child, and said to her: Fear Allah and show endurance. She (not recognising him) said: You have not been afflicted as I have been. When he (the Holy Prophet) had departed, it was said to her that he was the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), she was mortally shocked. She came to his door and she did not find doorkeepers at his door. She said: Messenger of Allah. I did not recognise you. He said: Endurance is to be shown at first blow, or at the first blow.

A hadith like this is narrated with the same chain of transmitters but with the addition of these words: "The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) happened to pass by a woman (who was sitting) by the side of a grave."

'Abdullah b. 'Umar reported that Hafsa wept for 'Umar (when he was about to due). He ('Umar) said: Be quiet, my daughter. Don't you know that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had said: "The dead is punished because of his family's weeping over it"?

Umar reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: The dead is punished in the grave because of wailing on it.

The same hadith is narrated on the authority of 'Umar through another chain of transmitters.

Ibn 'Umar reported: When 'Umar was wounded he fainted, and there was a loud lamentation over him. When he regained consciousness he said: Didn't you know that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: "The dead is punished because of the weeping of the living" ?

Abu Burda narrated on the authority of his father that when 'Umar was wounded Suhaib uttered (loudly in lamentation): O brother! Upon this 'Umar said: Suhaib, did you not know that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: "The dead is punished because of the lamentation of the living"?

Abu Musa reported that when 'Umar was wounded, there came Suhaib from his house and went to 'Umar and stood by his side, and began to wail. Upon this 'Umar said: What are you weeping for? Are you weeping for me? He said: By Allah, it is for you that I weep, O Commander of the believers. He said: By Allah, you already know that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had said: He who is lamented upon is punished. I made a mention of it to Musa b. Talha, and he said that 'A'isha told that it concerned the Jews (only).

Anas reported that when 'Umar b. Khattab was wounded Hafsa lamented for him. Upon this he said: O Hafsa, did you not hear the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) saying: "One who is lamented would be punished"? Suhaib also lamented over him. 'Umar told him also: O Suhaib, didn't you know that one who is lamented is punished?

'Abdullah b. Abu Mulaika reported: I was sitting by the side of Ibn 'Umar, and we were waiting for the bier of Umm Aban, daughter of 'Uthman, and there was also 'Amr b. 'Uthman. In the meanwhile there came Ibn 'Abbas led by a guide. I conceive that he was informed of the place of Ibn 'Umar. So he came till he sat by my side. While I was between them (Ibn 'Abbas and Ibn 'Umar) there came the noise (of wailing) from the house. Upon this Ibn 'Umar said (that is, he pointed out to 'Amr that he should stand and forbid them, for): I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) as saying: The dead is punished because of the lamentation of his family. 'Abdullah made it general (what was said for a particular occasion). Ibn 'Abbas said: When we were with the Commander of the believers, 'Umar b. Khattab, we reached Baida', and there was a man under the shadow of the tree. He said to me: Go and inform me who is that person. So I went and (found) that he was Suhaib. I returned to him and said: You commanded me to find out for you who that was, and he is Suhaib. He (Hadrat 'Umar) said: Command him to see us. I said: He has family along with him. He said: (That is of no account) even if he has family along with him. So he (the narrator) told him to see (the Commander of the believers and his party). When we came (to Medina), it was before long that the Commander of the believers was wounded, and Suhaib came weeping and crying: Alas for the brother, alas for the companion. Upon this 'Umar said: Didn't you know, or didn't you hear, that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: "The dead is punished because of the lamentation of his family " ? Then 'Abdullah made it general and 'Umar told it of certain occasions. So I ('Abdullah b. Abu Mulaika) stood up and went to 'A'isha and told her what Ibn 'Umar had said. Upon this she said: I swear by Allah that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) never said that dead would be punished because of his family's lamenting (for him). What he said was that Allah would increase the punishment of the unbeliever because of his family's lamenting for him. Verily it is Allah Who has caused laughter and weeping. No bearer of a burden will bear another's burden. Ibn Abu Mulaika said that al-Qasim b. Muhammad said that when the words of 'Umar and Ibn 'Umar were conveyed to 'A'Isha, she said: You have narrated it to me from those who are neither liar nor those suspected of lying but (sometimes) hearing misleads.

'Abdullah b. Abu Mulaika said: The daughter of 'Uthman b. 'Affan died in Mecca. We came to attend her (funeral). Ibn 'Umar and Ibn 'Abbas were also present there, and I was sitting between them. He added: I (first sat) by the side of one of them, then the other one came and he sat by my side. 'Abdullah b. 'Umar said to 'Amr b. 'Uthman who was sitting opposite to him: Will you not prevent the people from lamenting, for the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had said: "The dead is punished because of the lamenting of his family for him"? Ibn 'Abbas then said that Umar used to say someting of that nature, and then narrated saying: I proceeded from Mecca along with 'Umar till we reached al-Baida' and there was a party of riders under the shade of a tree. He said (to me): Go and find out who this party is. I cast a glance and there was Suhaib (in that party). So I informed him ('Umar) about it. He said: Call him to me. So I went back to Suhaib and said: Go and meet the Commander of the believers. When 'Umar was wounded, Suhaib came walling: Alas, for the brother ! alas for the companion ! 'Umar said: O Suhaib, do you wail for me, whereas the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: "The dead would be punished on account of the lamentation of the (members of his family)"? Ibn 'Abbas said: When 'Umar died I made a mention of it to 'A'isha. She said: May Allah have mercy upon 'Umar ! I swear by Allah that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) never said that Allah would punish the believer because of the weeping (of any one of the members of his family), but he said that Allah would increase the punishment of the unbeliever because of the weeping of his family over him. 'A'isha said: The Qur'an is enough for you (when it states): "No bearer of burden will bear another's burden" (vi. 164). Thereupon Ibn 'Abbas said: Allah is He Who has caused laughter and weeping. Ibn Abu Mulaika said: By Allah, Ibn 'Umar said nothing.

'Amr reported on the authority of Ibn Abu Mulaika: We were with the bier of Umm Aban, daughter of 'Uthman, and the rest of the hadith is the same, but he did not narrate it as a marfu' hadith on the authority of 'Umar from the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) as it was narrated by Ayyub and Ibn Juraij, and the hadith narrated by them (Ayyub and Ibn Juraij) is more complete than that of 'Amr.

'Abdullah b. 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: The dead is punished because of the lamentation of the living.

Hisham b. 'Urwa narrated on the authority of his father that the saying of Ibn 'Umar, viz. "The dead would be punished because of the lamentation of his family over him" was mentioned to 'A'isha. Upon this she said: May Allah have mercy upon Abu 'Abd al-Rahman (the kunya of Ibn 'Umar) that he heard something but could not retain it (well). (The fact is) that the bier of a Jew passed before the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and (the members of his family) were waiting over him. Upon this he said: You are wailing and he is being punished.

Hisham narrated on the authority of his father that it was mentioned to 'A'isha that Ibn 'Umar had narrated as marfu' hadith from the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) that the dead would be punished in the grave because of the lamentation of his family for him. Upon this she said: He (Ibn 'Umar) missed (the point). The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had (in fact) said: He (the dead) is punished for his faults or for his sins, and the members of his family are wailing for him now. (This misunderstanding of Ibn 'Umar is similar to his saying:) The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood by the well in which were lying the dead bodies of those polytheists who had been killed on the Day of Badr, and he said to them what he had to say, i.e.: They hear what I say. But he (Ibn 'Umar) misunderstood. The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) had only said: They (the dead) understand that what I used to say to them was truth. She then recited: "Certainly, thou canst not make the dead hear the call" (xxvii. 80), nor can you make those hear who are in the graves, nor can you inform them when they have taken their seats in Hell.

This hadith has been narrated by Ibn 'Urwa with the same chain of transmitters. The hadith narrated by Abu Usama is more complete.

'Amra daughter of 'Abd al Rahman narrated that she heard (from) 'A'isha and made a mention to her about 'Abdullah b. 'Umar as saying: The dead is punished because of the lamentation of the living. Upon this 'A'isha said: May Allah have mercy upon the father of 'Abd al-Rahman (Ibn 'Umar). He did not tell a lie, but he forgot or made a mistake. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) happened to pass by a (dead) Jewess who was being lamented. Upon this he said: They weep over her and she is being punished in the grave.

'Ali b. Rabi'a reported that the first one who was lamented upon in Kufa was Qaraza b. Ka'b. Mughira b. Shu'ba said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) saying: He who is lamented upon would be punished because of the lamentation for him on the Day of judgment.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Mughira b. Shu'ba from the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him).

This hadith has been narrated from the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) through another chain of transmitters.

Abu Malik al-Ash'ari reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Among my people there are four characteristics belonging to pre-Islamic period which they do not abandon: boasting of high rank, reviling other peoples' genealogies, seeking rain by stars, and walling. And he (further) said: If the wailing woman does not repent before she dies, she will be made to stand on the Day of Resurrection wearing a garment of pitch and a chemise of mange.

'A'isha reported that when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was told that Ibn Haritha, Ja'far b. Abu Talib and Abdullah b. Rawaha were killed, he sat down, showing signs of grief. She (further) said: I was looking (at him) through the crevice of the door. A man came to him and mentioned that Ja'far's women were lamenting. He (the Holy Prophet) commanded him to go and forbid them (to do so). So he went away but came back and told (him) that they did not obey (him). He commanded him a second time to go and forbid them (to do so). He again went but came back to him and said: I swear by God, Messenger of Allah, that they have overpowered us. She ('A'isha) said that she thought the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had told (her) to throw dust in their mouths. Thereupon 'A'isha said: May Allah humble you ! You did not do what Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) ordered you, nor did you stop annoying Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him).

This hadith has been narrated by Yahya b. Sa'id with the same chain of transmitters like one narrated by 'Abd al-'Aziz (with the change of these words): "You did not spare the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) the botheration."

Umm 'Atiyya reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) took a promise from us along with the oath of Allegiance that we would not lament. But only five among us fulfilled the promise (and they are) Umm Sulaim, and Umm al-'Ala', and the daughter of Abu Sabra the wife of Mu'adh, or daughter of Abu Sabra and wife of Mu'adh.

Umm 'Atiyya reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) took pledge from us (including this promise) that we would not lament. Only five amongst us fulfilled the promise, and one of them (who fulfilled the promise) was Umm Sulaim.

Hafsa narrated on the authority of Umm 'Atiyya that she said: When this verse was revealed: "When believing women came to thee giving thee a pledge that they will not associate aught with Allah, and will not disobey thee in good" (lx. 12), she (Umm Atiyya) said: In (this pledge) was also included wailing. I said: Messenger of Allah I except members of such a tribe who helped me (in lamentation) during pre-Islamic days, there is left no alternative for me, but that I should also help them. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: (Yes) but only in case of the members of such a tribe.

Umm 'Atiyya reported: We were forbidden to follow the bier, but it was not made absolute on us.

Umm 'Atiyya reported: We were refrained from following the bier, but it was not made absolute on us.

Umm 'Atiyya reported: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) came to us when we were bathing his daughter, and he told us: Wash her with water and (with the leaves of) the lote tree, three or five times, or more than that if you think fit, and put camphor or something like camphor in the last washing; then inform me when you have finished. So when we had finished, we informed him, and he gave to us his (own) under-garment saying: "Put it next her body."

Umm 'Atiyya reported: We braided her hair in three plaits.

Umm 'Atiyya reported: One of the daughters of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) died. And in the hadith transmitted by Ibn 'Ulayya (the words are): The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) came to us and we were washing his daughter. And in the hadith transmitted by Malik (the words are): There came in (our apartment) the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) when his daughter died. The rest of the hadith is the same as narrated by Yazid b. Zurai' from Ayyub from Muhammad from Umm 'Atiyya.

A hadith like this has been transmitted by Hafsa on the authority of Umm 'Atiyya with the exception (of these words that the Holy Prophet asked them to wash her dead body): "three times, five times, seven times, or more than that, if you deem fit:" Hafsa (further) said on the authority of Umm 'Atiyya: We braided (the hair) of her head in three plaits.

Umm 'Atiyya reported: We washed her an odd number of times, i.e. three, five or seven times; and Umm 'Atiyya (further) said: We braided her hair in three plaits.

Umm 'Atiyya reported: When Zainab the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) died, he said to us: Wash her odd number of times, i.e. three or five times, and put camphor or something-like camphor at the fifth time, and after you have washed her inform me. So we informed him and he gave us his under-garment, saying: "Put it next her body."

Umm 'Atiyya reported: There came to us the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) as we were washing one of his daughters. So he said: Wash her (dead body) an odd number of times, five times or more than that, the rest of the hadith is the same. She (further) said: We braided her hair in three plaits: (two) on the sides of her head and one on her forehead.

Umm 'Atiyya reported that when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) asked her to wash his daughter, he told her to start from the right side, and with those parts of the body over which Wudu' is performed.

Umm 'Atiyya reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to them (the women) in regard to the washing of his daughter to start from the right side and with those parts of the body over which Wudu' is performed.

Khabbab al-Aratt reported: We migrated with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) in the path of Allah seeking Allah's pleasure alone. Thus our reward was assured with Allah. And amongst us were those who spent life (in such a state of piety and austerity) that nothing consumed their reward. Mus'ab b. 'Umair was one of them. He was killed on the Day of Uhud, and nothing but a woollen cloak was found to shroud him. When we covered his head with it, his feet became uncovered, and when we covered his feet, his head was uncovered. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Place it (this cloak) on the side of his head and cover his feet with grass. And there is one amongst us for whom the fruit is ripened and he enjoys it.

A hadith like this has been narrated by 'Uyaina on the authority of A'mash with the same chain of transmitters.

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was shrouded in three cotton garments of white Yamani stuff from Sahul, among which was neither a shirt nor a turban; and so far as Hullah is concerned there was some doubt about it in the minds of people, that it was brought for him in order to shroud him with it, but it was abandoned, and he was shrouded in three cotton garments of white Yamani stuff from Sahul. Then 'Abdullah b. Abu Bakr got it and said: I would keep it in order to shroud myself in it. He then said: If Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, would have desired it for His Apostle, he would have been shrouded with it. So he sold it and gave its price in charity.

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was wrapped in a Yamani wrapper which belonged to 'Abdullah b Abu Bakr; then it was removed from him, and he was shrouded in three cotton sheets of white Yamani stuff from Sahul among which was neither a shirt nor a turban. 'Abdullah took up the Hullah and said: I would be shrouded in it, but then said: How is it that I should be shrouded in it in which the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was not shrouded ! So he gave it in charity.

This hadith is narrated on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of transmitters, but in the hadith narrated by him there is no mention of the story of 'Abdullah b. Abu Bakr.

Abu Salama said: I asked 'A'isha with how many garments the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was shourded. She said: With three garments of Sahul.

'A'isha reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upom him) died, he was covered with a Yamani wrapper.

This hadith has been narrated by Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) one day in the course of his sermon made mention of a person among his Companions who had died and had been wrapped in a shroud not long (enough to cover his whole body) and was buried during the night. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) reprimanded (the audience) that a person was buried during the night (in a state that) funeral prayer could not be offered (over him by the Messenger of Allah). (And this is permissible only) when it becomes a dire necessity for a man. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) also said: When any one of you shrouds his brother, he should shroud him well.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: Make haste at a funeral; if the dead person was good, it is a good state to which you are sending him on; but if he was otherwise it is an evil of which you are ridding yourselves.

This hadith has been narrated by another chain of transmitters except with this variation (of words) that in the hadith narrated by Ma'mar (the words are): "I do not know whether the hadith is marfu'."

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger as saying: Hasten at a funeral, for if (the dead person) is good, you would (soon) bring him close to the good. And if it is otherwise, it is an evil of which you are ridding yourselves.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who attends the funeral till the prayer is offered for (the dead), for him is the reward of one qirat, and he who attends (and stays) till he is buried, for him is the reward of two qirats. It was said: What are the qirats? He said: They are equivalent to two huge mountains. Two other narrators added: Ibn 'Umar used to pray and then depart (without waiting for the burial of the dead). When the tradition of Abu Huraira reached him, he said: "We have lost many qirats."

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira through another chain of narrators up to these words: "two great mountains." No mention is made of what followed (these words); and in the hadith transmitted by 'Abd al- A'la (the words are): "till (the burial) is complete." In the hadith transmitted by 'Abd ar-Razzaq (the words are): "till he is placed in the grave."

This hadith is narrated on thp authority of Abu Huraira through another chain of transmitters (with these words): "He who followed it (the bier) till he (the dead) is buried."

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who offered prayer over the dead, but did not follow the bier, for him is the reward of one qirat, and he who followed it, for him is the reward of two qirats. It was asked what the qirats were. He said: The smaller amongst the two is equivalent to Uhud.

Nafi' narrated that it was said to Ibn 'Umar that Abu Huraira reported to have heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who follows the bier, for him is the reward of one qirat. Ibn 'Umar said: Abu Huraira narrated it too often. So he sent (a messenger to) 'A'isha to ascertain (the fact). She ('A'isha) testified Abu Huraira. Ibn 'Umar said: We missed so many qirats.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who offers prayer for the dead, for him is (the reward of) one qirat; and he who follows the bier till it is placed in the grave, for him (is the reward of) two qirats. I (Abu Hazim, one of the narrators) raid: Abu Huraira, what is this qirat? He said: It is like the hill of Uhud.

Dawud b. 'Amir b. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas reported on the authority of his father that while he was sitting along with 'Abdullah b. 'Umar, Khabbab, the owner of Maqsura, said: Ibn 'Umar, do you hear what Abu Huraira says that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: "He who goes out with the bier when taken out from its residence and offers prayer for it and he then follows it till it is buried, he would have two qirats of reward, each qirat being equivalent to Uhud; and he who, after having offered prayer, (directly) came back would have his reward (as great) as Uhud"? Ibn 'Umar sent Khabbab to 'A'isha in order to ask her about the words of Abu Huraira (and also told him) to come back to him (Ibn 'Umar) and inform him what 'A'isha said. (In the meanwhile) Ibn 'Umar took up a handful of pebbles and turned them over in his hand till the messenger (Khabbab) came back to him and told (him) that 'A'isha testified (the statement of) Abu Huraira. Ibn 'Umar threw the pebbles he had in his hand on the ground and then said: We missed a large number of qirats.

Thauban, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who offered prayer for the dead, for him is the reward of one qirat, and he who attended its burial, he would have two qirats as his reward. And qirat is equivalent to Uhud.

This hadith has been narrated by Qatada with the same chain of transmitters. And in the hadith transmitted by Sa'id and Hisham, (the words are): "The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) was asked about qirat, and he said: It is equivalent to Uhud."

'A'isha reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) saying: If a company of Muslims numbering one hundred pray over a dead person, all of them interceding for him, their intercession for him will be accepted.

'Abdullah b. 'Abbas reported that his son died in Qudaid or 'Usfan. He said to Kuraib to see as to how many people had gathered there for his (funeral). He (Kuraib) said: So I went out and I informed him about the people who had gathered there. He (Ibn 'Abbas) said: Do you think they are forty? He (Kuraib) said: Yes. Ibn 'Abbas then said to them: Bring him (the dead body) out for I have heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: If any Muslim dies and forty men who associate nothing with Allah stand over his prayer (they offer prayer over him), Allah will accept them as intercessors for him.

Anas b. Malik reported: There passed a bier (being carried by people) and it was lauded in good terms. Upon this the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: It has become certain, it has become certain, it has become certain. And there passed a bier and it was condemned in bad words. Upon this the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: It has become certain, it has become certain, it has become certain. 'Umar said: May my father and mother be ransom for you ! There passed a bier and it was praised in good terms, and you said: It has become certain, it has become certain, it has become certain. And there passed a bier and it was condemned in bad words, and you said: It has become certain, it has become certain, it has become certain. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) said: He whom you praised in good terms, Paradise has become certain for him, and he whom you condemned in bad words, Hell has become certain for him. You are Allah's witnesses in the earth, you are Allah's witnesses in the earth, you are Allah's witnesses in the earth.

This hadith has been narrated through another chain of transmitters.

Qatada b. Rib'i reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Whenever a bier passed before him, he said: He is the one to find relief and the one with (the departure of him) other will find relief. They said: Apostle of Allah, who is al-Mustarih and al-Mustarah? Upon this he said: The believing servant finds relief from the troubles of the world, and in the death of a wicked person, the people, towns, trees and animals find rellef.

In the hadith transmitted by Yahya b. Sa'id on the authority of Qatada (the words are): (The believing servant) finds relief from the troubles of the world and its hardships and (gets into) the Mercy of Allah.

Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) gave the people news of the death of Negus on the day he died, and he took them out to the place of prayer and observed four takbirs.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) gave us the news of the death of Negus, the ruler of Abyssinia, on the day when he died, and he said (to us): Beg pardon for your brother. Ibn Shihab said that Sa'id b. Musayyib had told that Abu Huraira had narrated to him that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) drew them up in a row in a place of prayer, and offered prayer and recited four takbirs for him.

This hadith is narrated through another chain of transmitters.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) offered prayer for Ashama, the Negus, and recited four takbirs.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There died today the pious servant of Allah, Ashama. So he stood up and led us in (funeral prayer) over him.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: A brother of yours has died, so stand up and offer prayer over him. So we stood up and drew ourselves up into two rows.

'Imran b. Husain reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: A brother of yours has died; so stand up and offer prayer for him, i.e. Negus. And in the hadith transmitted by Zubair (the words are): "Your brother."

Sha'bi reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed prayer over a grave after the dead was buried and he recited four takbirs over him. Shaibani said: I said to Sha'bi: Who narrated it to you? He said: An authentic one, 'Abdullah b. 'Abbas. This is the word of a hasan hadith. In the narration of Ibn Numair (the words are): The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went to the grave which had been newly prepared and prayed over it, and they also prayed who were behind him and he recited four takbirs. I said to 'Amir: Who narrated it to you? He said: An authentic one who saw him, i e. Ibn 'Abbas.

This hadith has been narrated through another chain of transmitters, but in one of them (these words are found): "The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) recited four takbirs."

The hadith as narrated by Shaibani has been narrated through another chain of transmitters.

Anas reported that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed prayer on the grave.

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that a dark-complexioned woman (or a youth) used to sweep the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) missed her (or him) and inquired about her (or him). The people told him that she (or he) had died. He asked why they did not inform him, and it appears as if they had treated her (or him) or her (or his) affairs as of little account. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Lead me to her (or his) gtave. They led him to that place and he said prayer over her (or him) and then remarked: Verily, these graves are full of darkness for their dwellers. Verily, the Mighty and Glorious Allah illuminates them for their occupants by reason of my prayer over them.

It is narrated on the authority of 'Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Laila that Zaid used to recite four takbirs on our funerals and he recited five takbirs on one funeral. I asked him the reason (for this variation), to which he replied: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) recited thus.

It is narrated on the authority of 'Amir Ibn Rabi'a (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: Whenever you see a funeral procession, stand up for that until it moves away or is lowered on the ground.

It is narrated on the authority of 'Amir ibn Rabi'a (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: Should any one of you come across a funeral procession, and if he does not intend to accompany it, he must stand up until it passes by him or is placed upon the ground before it passes him.

It is reported on the authority of Ibn Juraij that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: Should anyone amongst you see a bier he must stand up so long as it is within sight in case he does not intend to follow it.

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: When you follow a bier, do not sit until it is placed on the (ground).

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: Whenever you come across a bier you should stand up, and he who follows it should not sit down till it is placed on the ground.

It is narrated on the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah: There passed a bier and the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) stood up for it and we also stood up along with him. We said: Messenger of Allah, that was the bier of a Jewess. Upon this he remarked: Verily, death is a matter of consternation, so whenever you come across a bier stand up.

Ibn Juraij told me that Abu Zubair heard Jabir say that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) kept standing for a bier until it disappeared.

Again Abu Zubair heard Jabir say that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) and his Companions kept standing for a bier of a Jew until it disappeared from sight.

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Abu Laila that while Qais b. Sa'd and Sahl b. Hunaif were both in Qadislyya a bier passed by them and they both stood up. They were told that it was the bier of one of the people of the land (non-Muslim). They said that a bier passed before the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) and he stood up. He was told that he (the dead man) was a Jew. Upon this he remarked: Was he not a human being or did he not have a soul? And in the hadith narrated by 'Amr b. Murra with the same chain of transmitters, (the words) are: "There passed a bier before us."

It is narrated on the authority of Waqid: Nafi' b. Jubair saw me and we were standing for a bier, while he was sitting and waiting for the bier to be placed on the ground. He said to me: What makes you keep standing? I said: I am waiting that the bier may be placed on the ground (and I am doing that) on the hadith narrated to me by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri. Upon this Nafi' said: Verily, Mas'ud b. Hakam reported to me on the authority of Hadrat 'Ali b. Abu Talib that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) stood up first (for a bier) and then sat down.

Mas'ud b. al-Hakam al-Ansari informed Nafi' that he had heard Hadrat 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), son of Abu Talib, say about the biers: Verily, the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) used to stand first but later on kept sitting; but it is also narrated that Nafi' ibn Jubair saw Waqid b. 'Amr standing for a bier till it was placed down.

This hadith has been narrated by Yahya b. Sa'id with the same chain of transmitters.

It is narrated on the authority of Muhammad b. Munkadir that he said: I heard from Mas'ud b. al-Hakam who narrated it on the authority of Hadrat 'Ali that he said: We saw the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) stood up for a (bier) and we also stood up; he sat down and we too sat down.

This hadith has been narrated by Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.

Jubair b. Nufair says: I heard it from 'Auf b. Malik that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said prayer on the dead body, and I remembered his prayer: "O Allah ! forgive him, have mercy upon him, give him peace and absolve him. Receive him with honour and make his grave spacious; wash him with water, snow and hail. Cleanse him from faults as Thou wouldst cleanse a white garment from impurity. Requite him with an abode more excellent than his abode, with a family better than his family, and with a mate better than his mate. Admit him to the Garden, and protect him from the torment of the grave and the torment of the Fire." ('Auf bin Malik) said: I earnestly desired that I were this dead body.

A hadith like this has been narrated through another chain of transmitters.

'Anas b. Malik said: I heard the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) say (while offering prayer on a dead body): O Allah ! forgive him, have mercy upon him. Give him peace and absolve him. Receive him with honour and make his grave spacious. Wash him with water, snow and hail, cleanse him from faults as is cleaned a white garment from impurity. Requite him with an abode more excellent than his abode, with a family better than his family, and with a mate better than his mate, and save him from the trial of the grave and torment of Hell. 'Auf b. Malik said: I earnestly desired that I were the dead person to receive the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) as this dead body had (received).

Samura b. Jundub said: I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and he prayed for a woman who had died in the state of delivery. He stood in front of her waist.

This hadith has been narrated by Husain with the same chain of transmitters, but no mention is made of Umm Ka'b.

Samura b. Jundub said: I was a young boy during the time of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) and I retained in my mind (what I learnt from him), and nothing restrained me from speaking except the fact that there were persons far more advanced in age than I. Verily, I said prayer behind the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) over a woman who had died in the state of delivery, and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood up to say prayer in front of the middle part of her body. And in the tradition narrated on the authority of Ibn Muthanna the words are: "(The Holy Prophet) stood in the middle part of her body for offering prayer for her."

It is reported on the authority of Jabir ibn Samura that an unsaddled horse was brought to the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) and he rode on it when he returned after having offered the funeral prayer of Ibn Dahdah and we walked on foot around him.

Jabir ibn Samura reported that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said (funeral) prayer on Ibn Dahdah: then an unsaddled horse was brought to him and a person hobbled it, and he (the Messenger of Allah) rode upon it and it bounded and we followed it and ran after it. One of the people said that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) remarked: How many among hanging bunches in the Paradise are meant for Ibn Dahdah ?

'Amir b. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas told that Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas said during his illness of which he died: "Make a niche for me in the side of the grave and set up bricks over me as was done in case of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him).

Ibn 'Abbas said that a piece of red stuff was put in the grave of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him).

Thumama b. Shafayy reported: When we were with Fadala b. 'Ubaid in the country of the Romans at a place (known as) Rudis, a friend of ours died. Fadala b. 'Ubaid ordered to prepare a grave for him and then it was levelled; and then he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) commanding (us) to level the grave.

Abu'l-Hayyaj al-Asadi told that 'Ali (b. Abu Talib) said to him: Should I not send you on the same mission as Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) sent me? Do not leave an image without obliterating it, or a high grave without levelling It. This hadith has been reported by Habib with the same chain of transmitters and he said: (Do not leave) a picture without obliterating it.

Jabir said: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) forbade that the graves should be plastered or they be used as sitting places (for the people), or a building should be built over them.

A hadith like this has been transmitted on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah.

Jabir said that he was forbidden to build pucca graves.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: It is better that one of you should sit on live coats which would burn his clothing and come in contact with his skin than that he should sit on a grave.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Suhail with the same chain of transmitters.

Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)as saying: Do not sit on the graves and do not pray facing towards them.

Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Do not pray facing towards the graves, and do not sit on them.

'Abbad b. 'Abdullah b. Zubair reported that 'A'isha ordered the bier of Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas to be brought into the mosque so that she should pray for him. The people disapproved this (act) of hers. She said: How soon the people have forgotten that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) offered not the funeral prayer of Suhail b al-Baida' but in a mosque.

'Abbad b. 'Abdullah b. Zubair reported on the authority of 'A'isha that when Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas died, the wives of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent message to bring his bier into the mosque so that they should offer prayer for him. They (the participants of the funeral) did accordingly, and it was placed in front of their apartments and they offered prayer for him. It was brought out of the door (known as) Bab al-Jana'iz which was towards the side of Maqa'id, and the news reached them (the wives of the Holy Prophet) that the people bad criticised this (i.e. offering of funeral prayer in the mosque) saying that it was not desirable to take the bier inside the mosque. This was conveyed to 'A'isha. She said: How hastily the people criticise that about which they know little. They criticise us for carrying the bier in the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) offered not the funeral prayer of Suhail b. Baida' but in the innermost part of the mosque.

Abu Salama b. 'Abd al-Rahman reported on the authority ot 'A'isha that when Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas died she said: Bring it (the bier) into the mosque so that I offer prayer for him. But, this act of hers was disapproved. She said: By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) offered prayer in the mosque for the two sons of Baida', viz, for Suhail and his brother.

'A'isha reported (that whenever it was her turn for Allah's Messenger [may peace be upon him] to spend the night with her) he would go out towards the end of the night to al-Baqi' and say: Peace be upon you, abode of a people who are believers. What you were promised would come to you tomorrow, you receiving it after some delay; and God willing we shall join you. O Allah, grant forgiveness to the inhabitants of Baqi' al-Gharqad. Qutaiba did not mention his words: "would come to you".

Muhammad b. Qais said (to the people): Should I not narrate to you (a hadith of the Holy Prophet) on my authority and on the authority of my mother? We thought that he meant the mother who had given him birth. He (Muhammad b. Qais) then reported that it was 'A'isha who had narrated this: Should I not narrate to you about myself and about the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)? We said: Yes. She said: When it was my turn for Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) to spend the night with me, he turned his side, put on his mantle and took off his shoes and placed them near his feet, and spread the corner of his shawl on his bed and then lay down till he thought that I had gone to sleep. He took hold of his mantle slowly and put on the shoes slowly, and opened the door and went out and then closed it lightly. I covered my head, put on my veil and tightened my waist wrapper, and then went out following his steps till he reached Baqi'. He stood there and he stood for a long time. He then lifted his hands three times, and then returned and I also returned. He hastened his steps and I also hastened my steps. He ran and I too ran. He came (to the house) and I also came (to the house). I, however, preceded him and I entered (the house), and as I lay down in the bed, he (the Holy Prophet) entered the (house), and said: Why is it, O 'A'isha, that you are out of breath? I said: There is nothing. He said: Tell me or the Subtle and the Aware would inform me. I said: Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be ransom for you, and then I told him (the whole story). He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. He struck me on the chest which caused me pain, and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? She said: Whatsoever the people conceal, Allah will know it. He said: Gabriel came to me when you saw me. He called me and he concealed it from you. I responded to his call, but I too concealed it from you (for he did not come to you), as you were not fully dressed. I thought that you had gone to sleep, and I did not like to awaken you, fearing that you may be frightened. He (Gabriel) said: Your Lord has commanded you to go to the inhabitants of Baqi' (to those lying in the graves) and beg pardon for them. I said: Messenger of Allah, how should I pray for them (How should I beg forgiveness for them) ? He said: Say, Peace be upon the inhabitants of this city (graveyard) from among the Believers and the Muslims, and may Allah have mercy on those who have gone ahead of us, and those who come later on, and we shall, God willing, join you.

Sulaiman b. Buraida narrated on the authority of his father that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to teach them when they went out to the graveyard. One of the narrators used to say this in the narration transmitted on the authority of Abu Bakr: "Peace be upon the inhabitants of the city (i.e. graveyard)." In the hadith transmitted by Zuhair (the words are): "Peace be upon you, the inhabitants of the city, among the believers, and Muslims, and God willing we shall join you. I beg of Allah peace for us and for you."

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger, (may peace be upon him) as saying: I sought permission to beg forgiveness for my mother, but He did not grant it to me. I sought permission from Him to visit her grave, and He granted it (permission) to me.

Abu Huraira reported: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) visited the grave of his mother and he wept, and moved others around him to tears, and said: I sought permission from my Lord to beg forgiveness for her but it was not granted to me, and I sought permission to visit her grave and it was granted to motel So visit the graves, for that makes you mindful of death.

Ibn Buraida reported on the authority of his father that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: I forbade you to visit graves, but you may now visit them; I forbade you to eat the flesh of sacrificial animals after three days, but you way now keep it as along as you feel inclined; and I forbade you nabidh except in a water-skin, you may drink it from all kinds of water-skins, but you must not drink anything intoxicating.

This hadith has been narrated through another chain of transmitters.

Jabir b. Samura reported: (The dead body) of a person who had killed himself with a broad-headed arrow was brought before the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him), but he did not offer prayers for him.