a No servant of God shows humility for (the sake of) God, but God will exalt him; and I tell you that verily the world has four classes of men: a servant of God whom He has provided with wealth and knowledge, and who fears God in respect thereof, and performs thereby his duty to his kinsmen, and knows that God has a right there- in;—this man is the best placed; a servant of God whom He has provided with knowledge, but has not provided with wealth, but who is sincere in intention, and says, ‘O that I had wealth! I would have done the (good) works of such-and-such a one;’ and who is resolved therein; both these have an equal reward; and a servant of God whom He has provided with wealth, but whom He has not pro- vided with knowledge, and who makes a mistake in negard to his wealth without knowledge, and fears not therein his Lord, and who performs not his duty to his kinsmen, and knows not any right of God therein;—this man is the worst placed; and a servant of God whom He has not provided with wealth or knowledge, and who says, ‘O that I had 104 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD riches! I would surely have done the (evil) works of such-and-such a one;’ and is resolved therein;—both these have an equal reward. —Abu-Kabshah al-Anmariy, TI.
No one is born but upon the (right) constitution, the constitution of God whereon He has constituted men, but his parents make him a Jew, or a Christian, or a Magian; —like as the brute beasts bring forth whole brute beasts, (and then men mutilate them). Do ye perceive any muti- lated young one among them, until ye yourselves mutilate it? There-is no child but is born in this creed until his tongue declares him clear of it.
Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: AB: TI: MA.
God says: ‘I have created all My servants upright (men); afterwards satans come to them, and turn them aside from their religion, and make unlawful to them what I have made lawful to them, and bid them associate with Me what I have sent down no authority for.’ And God looked towards the people of this earth: the Arabs hated the non-Arabs, except the best among them of the people of the book (who did otherwise). He says, ‘I have only raised thee up that I may prove thee, and prove (others) by thee.’
—Iyad b. Himar al-Mujashi‘iy, MU- The best beloved of me among you is he who is the best in manners among you.. —Ibni ‘Amru, BU: MU.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 105 ‘O Prophet of God! what is the best thing which a man is given?’ ‘Good manners,’ said the Prophet. —Usamah b. Shurayk, BG: BA, I have been raised up to complete good manners. —Malik, MA.
The Prophet used to say, ‘O God! Thou hast made my creation good; make also my manners good!’ —‘A‘ishah, AH.
The best of you is he who is the longest mn years and the best in manners. —Abu-Hurayrah, AH.
Let none of you make another who is sitting stand, to sit in his place; but make room for all, God will make room for you. —Ibni ‘Umar, BU: MU: AB: TI.
ey) Be When there are three men, let not two engage in a private discourse without the third, for that may grieve him. —Ibni ‘Umar, BU: MU: AB: MA, faite] ‘Beware of sitting on the roadside!’ said the Prophet. They said, ‘But we sit there and talk of business.’ “Then,’ said the Prophet, ‘do as it ought to be done.’ ‘And how ought it to be done?’ they asked. ‘Lower your eyes to the ground, restrain yourselves from hurting any onc, return 106 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD the salutation of him who salutes, bid what is reasonable, and forbid what is wrong, relieve the aggrieved, and guide aright the erring.’ —Abu-Sa‘id al-Khudriy, BU: MU: AB: Umar b. al-Khattab, AB. Thou wilt see nothing conducive of love like marriage.
—Ibni ‘Abbas, IB.
The best of marriages is what is most convenient, (to both parties): —Ugqbah b. ‘Amir, AB.
When a servant (of God) marries, he perfects halt (his) religion; and let him fear God in regard to the re- maining half.
—Anas, BA.
Verily, marriage lowers the eye to the ground, and is a safeguard against immodesty; and whoso is not able (to do this), upon him is (enjoined) fasting, for verily it is his castration.
—Abdu'‘llah b. Mas’ud, BU: MU. De thAcel Consult women in regard to their daughters.
—Ibni ‘Umar, AB.
A woman is married by four qualifications: for her wealth, for her birth, for her beauty, and for her religion, but do thou look out for religious women; and if thou do it for any other consideration, thy hands be rubbed in dirt! my —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: AB: NA.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 107 fon479 v] A widow has a better right over her person than her guardian, and permission must be asked of a virgin (also) in regard to her person (in marrying her), and her per- mission is by (her) silence.
—Ibni ‘Abbas, MU: AB: TI: NA: MA.
A widow shall not be married until she be consulted, nor shall a virgin (be married) until her permission has been sought. They said, ‘And how shall she give permis- sion?” The Prophet said, ‘She will keep silent.’
—Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: AB: TI: NA. ee ee An orphan girl shall be consulted in regard to herself, and if she keep silent, this is her permission; and if she tefuse it shall not be lawful against her.
—Abu-Hurayrah, TI: AB: NA, Abu-Musa, DA. Paka A virgin girl complained to the Prophet that her father had married her while she was averse to it; whereupon the Prophet gave her her option (either to ratify or dissolve the marriage). Ibni ‘Abbas, AB —Ibni as,.
A young woman complained to the Prophet, saying, “My father has married me to the son of his brother that he may rise through me above his poverty and I am averse to it.’ The Prophet sent for her father, who being come, the Prophet gave her her option; whereupon she said, ‘O Prophet of God! I allow what my father has done, but 108 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD I desired that I should let women know that a father has nothing to bid (in the matter of a young woman’s marriage).’ ' —‘A‘ishah, NA. A man proposed marriage with a woman of the Ansar.* ‘The Prophet said to him, ‘Hast thou seen her?” The man said, ‘No.’ “Then go,’ said the Prophet, ‘and see her.’ —Abn-Hurayrah, MU: NA.
When one of you offers a proposal of marriage to a woman, if he be able to see in her what leads him to marry her, let him do it. —Jabir, AB.
I offered a proposal of marriage to a woman, where- upon the Prophet said to me, ‘Hast thou seen her?’ I said, ‘No.’ The Prophet said, “Then see her, for it will be most conducive to love among yourselves.’ —Mughirah b. ‘Shu‘bah, TI: NA: IB: AH: DA.
When he whose religion and _ character please you offers a proposal of marriage, then marry him; if ye do it not, there will be mischiefmaking in the earth and a general corruption. —Abu-Hurayrah, TI.
The Prophet forbade a man from proposing marriage against the proposal of his brother, unless the first man who proposed had given it up, or given him permission.
—Ibni ‘Umar, BU: MU: AB: TI: NA: MA, SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 109 The adulterer who has been scourged shall not marry but his like.
—Abu-Hurayrah, AB, When a man married, the Prophet would say, ‘God bless thee, and unite you both in good works.’ —Abu-Hurayrah, AB: TI.
When one of you marries a woman let him say: O God! I ask of Thee her good, and the good of what nature Thou hast made her, and I betake me to Thee from her evil, and from the evil of what nature Thou bast made her.
The Prophet taught us the following marriage service: Praise be to God! we ask help of Him, and we ask pardon of Him, and we betake ourselves to God from the wickedness of our souls, and from the evil of our works; he whom God guides, none can lead astray, and whom He leads astray, no guide has he. And I bear witness that there is no God but God, and I bear witness that Muham- ‘mad is His servant and His apostle. O ye who believe! fear God with His due fear, and die not unless ye be Muslims. O ye who believe! fear God by whom ye beg of one another, and respect the wombs that bear you, verily God is watching over you. O ye who believe! fear God and speak words well-directed: He will dispose for you your 110 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD works aright and pardon you your sins. And whoso obeys God and His apostle, he shall be blessed with a great bliss. —Ibni Mas‘ud, TI: AB: NA: IB: AH: DA: I said, ‘O Prophet of God! what thinkest thou of spells which we make use of, and medicine with which we treat ourselves), and (other) things which we adopt in order to save (ourselves) thereby: do these turn away from the decree of God at all?’ He said, “These are of the decrees of God.’
—Abu-Khuzamah, from his father, TI: IB: AH. Whoso gives a medicine, being not known in medicine, shall be held responsible (for the result). —Amru b. Shu‘'ayb, AB: NA.
A trustworthy and truthful merchant shall be with the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the righteous. —Abu-Sa‘id, TI.
Verily, merchants shall be raised up sinners on the day of resurrection, except he who fears God, and is good, and speaks the truth. —Rifa‘ah b. Rafi‘, TL.
faa al Before the Hijrat,* we used to call the merchants brokers, but one day the Prophet passed by us in Madinah, and named us by a name which was better than that. He addressed us as ‘O company of merchants!’ —Qays b. Abu-Gharzah, AB: NA: IB.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 111 Swearing clears the goods, but blots out the gain. —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU. ee A wicked oath clears the goods, but blots out the gain. —Hakim, BU: MU: AB: TI: NA, EE SOG Hy Swearing blots out the blessing (of God). —Abu-Hurayrah, AB. lyroun | The seller and the buyer have each the choice (either of selling or buying) so long as they are not separated. But if the seller and the buyer speak the truth, and point out (the real worth of their merchandize), they shall be blessed in their merchandize; and if they speak a lie, and hide (the defect or the merit), they may perhaps make a profit, but the blessing (of God) is blotted out of the merchandize. —Hakim b. Hizam, BU: MU: AB: TI. NA. [OU When God decided (to create) a creation, He wrote a writing which is with Him upon His Throne, namely, ‘Verily, My mercy has overtaken My wrath,’ —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU.
. God divided mercy into an hundred parts, and with- held for Himself nine and ninety parts, and sent down into the earth one part thereof, and it is this part of the mercy which all the creatures show to one another, so that a 112 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD moving thing lifts up its foot from its young for fear lest it should ‘hurt it. —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: TL.
Verily, God’s are an hundred (degrees of) mercy, out of which He has sent down one (degree) of mercy amongst men (barbarous and civilized), and brutes and reptiles; and by it are they kind to one another, and by it do they show mercy to one another; and by it the wild animals are kind to their young; and God has resrved for Himself nine and ninety (degrees of) mercy by which He will show mercy to His servants on the day of resurrection.
—Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU. Luo al Certain prisoners of war came to the Prophet and be- hold there was a woman among them whose breast flowed (with milk) and who was running about (restlessly). When she found a child among the prisoners, she took him and clung to him, clinging,’ and gave him to drink (of her milk). Then the Prophet said to us, “What think ye? will this (woman) throw her child far away into the fire?’ We said, ‘No, when she has the power not to throw him’. The Prophet said, ‘God is more merciful to His servants than this (woman) to her child.’
We were with the Prophet in one of his expeditions, when he passed by a number of people and asked, “What 4.Lit., with her belly. a SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 113 are ye?’ They said, ‘We are Muslims.’ And a woman was making a fire blaze for her kettle and she had with her her son; and when the flame rose high, she prevented it from him. ‘Then the Prophet came( to her). She said. ‘Art thou the Prophet of God?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ She said, ‘I'll sacrifice my father and my mother for thee! Is not God the most merciful of those who show mercy?’ The Prophet said, ‘Yes.’ She said, ‘Is not God more merciful to His servants than the mother to her child?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ She said, ‘Verily the mother would never cast her child into the fire.” The Prophet cast down his head, and wept; then he lifted up his head to her, and said, ‘Verily God punishes none of His servants except the arrogant, the refractory, who rise in rebellion against God, and refuse to say that there is no God but God.’ —Abdu'llah b. ‘Umar, IB.
Mercy is an offshot of the Merciful (God): whoso then shall come up to it, shall come up to God; and whoso shall cut himself off from it, God will cut him off (from Himself). —Ibni ‘Amru, AB: TI.
The merciful (God) is merciful to the merciful; be ‘merciful to those who are in the earth, and He who is in the heaven will be merciful to you. —Ibni ‘Amru b. al-‘As, AB: TI. An Arab of the desert came into the mosque while the Prophet was sitting therein; he offered a short prayer, and 8 114 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD then said, ‘O God! be merciful to me and to Muhammad, and be not merciful to any one along with us.’ The Pro- phet said, ‘Now hast thou been very stony.’ —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: AB: TI: NA. [ less | Upon another occasion, an Arab of the desert came, made his camel sit down, tied up its legs, entered the mosque, and prayed behind the Prophet. ‘Then coming to his camel, he untied its legs and rode off, saying, ‘O God! be Thou merciful to me and to Mukammad, and join none other with us in Thy mercy towards us.’ Where- upon addressing his disciples, the Prophet said, ‘Whom do ye see more in error, this man or his camel?’ —Abu-‘Abdullah al-Jushamiy, AB. [ bbls God is not merciful to him who is not merciful to men. —Jarir b. ‘Abdu’llah, BU: MU.
Lucdlar. | Mercy is taken out of none but the most wretched, —Jarir, AB: TI; Abu-Hurayrah, TI: AH.
An Arab of the desert came to the Prophet, and (seeing him kissing certain children) said, “What! do ye kiss children while we do not?’ The Prophet said, ‘Have I the power (to put into thee) the mercy which God has taken away from thine heart?’
—A‘ishah, BU: MU. fi; ldy The Prophet of God kissed his grandson Hasan, the son SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 115 of ‘Aliy, in the presence of Aqra‘ b. Habis; whereupon Aqra*‘ said, ‘Verily, I have ten children, and yet I have never kissed any one of them’ The Prophet looked towards him, and said, ‘Have I the power (to put into thee mercy if God has deprived. thee of it? He who shows no mercy shall have no mercy shown him.’ —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: AB: TI: RA, bs ea | He is not of us who is not merciful to the younger of us, nor honours the old of us, nor bids what is just, nor forbids what is wrong. —Ibni ‘Abbas, TI.
_ Whoso is hurtful to others, God will be hurtful to him for it, and whoso is troublesome to others God will put him into trouble for it. —Abu-Sirmah, AB, ele a) - Whoso shall injure a Mu‘min,* God will injure him for it; and whoso shall put a Mu‘min into trouble, God will put him into trouble, —Abu-Sirmah, TI.
Accursed is he who injures a Mu‘min* and devises means (to bring about his ruin).: ; —Abu-Bakr, TI.
The worst of men is he who is asked in the name of God, and does not give. Ask not in the name of God except of Him. —Ibni ‘Abbas, RA.
- 116 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD He whom God has given wealth, and who pays not its zakat,* his wealth shall be made, on the day of resurrection, into a bald-headed serpent having two fangs: it shall be put upon him as a collar on theday of resurrection; then will it seize his two projecting parts of the nether jaw, and say, ‘I am thy wealth, I am thy treasure.’ —Abu-Hurayrah, BU. Lge Dela There is no possessor of gold or silver who pays not therefrom its due but when the day of resurrection comes, plates of fire shall be made for him, and heated at the fire of hell; and with these shall be branded his sides and his forehead and his back; so often as these shall return to their former state they shall be prepared for him (again) for days whose measure will be 50,000 years, until it shall be (finally). decided between the servants (of God); then shall he be shown his way either to paradise or to the fire (of hell). —Abu-Hurayrah, MU.
fab & i] A man who points out the good, is like one who does it. —Anas, TL Whoso shows (a way) to good, shall have a reward like that of the man who does it himself. —Abu-Mas‘ud al-Ansariy, MU. That a single man be guided aright by thy guidance, is better for thee than red camels.1 —Sahl b. Sa‘d, AB.
1The dearest possession of an Arab.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 117 He to whom death comes while he is in_ search of knowledge to revive Islam* thereby, between him and the prophets there shall be but one degree (of excellence) in the garden (of bliss). —Hasan, DA.
Whoso calls (men) to guidance, shall have a reward like the reward of him who follows it without detracting anything from the latter’s rewards; and whoso calls (men); to error, upon him shall be the sin like the sin of him who follows it, without detracting anything from the latter’s sins. —Abu-Hurayrah, MU: AB: TI: MA.
Parent: | May God endow with splendour and beauty (the face of) the man who hears anything from me, and then de- livers it even as he has heard it! it may be that he who shall be told shall grasp it better than he who. has heard it. —Ibni Mas‘ud, TI.
[oes When the Prophet sent any of his companions on a mission, he would say, ‘Cheer the people, and inspire (them) not with aversion, and make (it) easy (for them), ‘and make (it) not difficult (to them).’
—Abu-Musa, BU: MU.
[ ced od The Prophet sent my grandfather Abu-Musa, and Mu‘adh, to Yaman, and said, ‘Make (it) easy (for the people), an@ make (it) not difficult to them, and cheer 118 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD them, and inspire (them) not with aversion; and work in accord, and dispute not (among yourselves).
—Abu-Burdah, BU: MU.
Tell people according to what they know. Do ye desire that God and His apostle should be rejected?
—‘Aliy, BU.
Verily, the likeness of the guidance and knowledge with which God has sent me is as the likeness of rain- water which falls upon the earth: the good part of the earth receives the water and brings forth much grass and herbs, and another part which is hollow holds the water, and God benefits men thereby, and they drink thereof and give others to drink, and till the ground therewith; and a part thereof falls upon another land which is high and holds no water nor brings forth grass. And that is the likeness of him who understands the religion of God, and whom that with which God has sent me has benefited, and who has learnt and taught it to others, and the likeness of him who raised not his head (to look at it), nor received the guidance of God with which I am sent.
—Abu-Musa-‘Abdu'llah b. Qays al-Ash‘ariy, BU: MU. wild Vik Ses..
I have left two things among you: ye shall not go astray so long as ye hold fast to them: the book of God and the example of the Prophet.
—Malik b. Anas, MA. Eat and give alms and clothe yourselves without being SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 119 extravagant or vain. —Ibni ‘Amru, b. al-‘As, BU: NA.
Wear your white clothes for they are the best for you; and bury your dead in the same.. —Ibni ‘Abbas, AB: TI.
The Prophet has forbidden both the dresses—the most exalted and the meanest.
—Ibni ‘Umar, RA.
I fell ill at the Farewell Pilgrimage, and the Prophet came to visit me. I said, ‘O Prophet of God! I am suffer- ing severely from the effects of illness, as thou dost see, and I have substance which I have none to inherit except my only daughter. Shall I give two-thirds of my substance in alms?’ The Prophet said, ‘No.’ I said, “Then one- half?” The Prophet said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Then cne-third?’ The Prophet said, ‘Yes, one-third; and one-third is (also)’ much: verily it is better that thou leave thy heirs rich than that thou leave them needy to beg of men; and thou shalt no expend anything seeking thereby the pleasure of God, but thou shalt (also) be rewarded for it, even what thou . shalt put into the mouth of thy wife.’
—Sa‘d b. Abu-Waqqas, BU: MU: AB: TI: NA: MA. [ tT "Yj Abu-Lubabah proposed to give away all that he had in charity, but the Prophet said, ‘A third out of that will be sufficient (for charity) from thee.’ BO —Malik, MA.
120 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD A man freed his six slaves at the time of his death, and he had no substance besides these. Then the Prophet recalled them, and divided them into three divisions, and cast lots for them (to free them); thus he freed two, and kept four, and said to their (master) a severe word, —Imran b. Husayan, NA: AB.
A man of the Ansar* willed that his slave should be set free after his death, and he had no substance besides that. This news reached the Prophet, and he said, ‘Who will buy this slave from me?’ Nu‘aym b. ‘Abdu‘llah al- ‘Adwiy bought him for 800 dirhams.* He brought the amount to the Prophet, who gave it to the man, and said, ‘Begin with thyself and bestow it upon thee, and if there be any surplus, then it is for thy wife, and if there be any- thing left after (bestowing it upon) thy wife, then it is _ for him who is of kin to thee; and if there be anything left from those who are of kin to thee, then spend it like this and like this.’ —Jabir, MU.
Verily, modesty is from faith. —Ibni ‘Umar, BU: MU. [ipa ud Verily, modesty brings only good, —Imran b. Husayn, BU: MU. Verily, modesty, all of it, is good. —BU: MU.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 121 [ross '} Faith has seventy odd branches, and modesty is a branch of the faith. —Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU: AB: TI: NA. get Verily, out of (many things) which men have con- ceived from the sayings of the former prophets (one) is that when thou hast no modesty, do what thou pleasest. —Ibni Mas‘ud, BU. prebaberd There is no shamelessness is a thing but makes it ‘hateful; and there is no modesty in a thing but adorns it.
—Anas, TI.
Verily, modesty and faith are related to each other: when one of them is taken away, the other also is taken away. —Ibni ‘Abbas, and Ibni ‘Umar, BA.
peer, | Modesty is from faith, and faith will be in paradise; and impudence is from tyranny, and tyranny will be in the fire (of hell). —Abu-Hurayrah, TI: AH. a Let no man look upon the hidden parts of a man, nor a woman upon the hidden parts of a woman. —Abu-Sa‘id, MU. Asma’, daughter of Abu-Bakr, came to see the Pro- phet with a thin cloth over her. The Prophet turned aside ¥22 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD from her, saying, ‘O Asma‘! when a woman reaches her age, it is not good that any part of her (body) should be seen except this and this,’ (pointing to his face and hands). —A‘ishah, AB. f..SaQe | , ‘Have shame before God with a true shame,’ said the Prophet. We said, ‘O Prophet of God! we are ashamed before God.’ The Prophet said, ‘It is not that, but to have shame before God with a true shame is, that ye guard your head and what it covers, and your belly and what it contains, and remember death and calamity; and whoso desires the hereafter, let him leave off the adornment of the life of this world and prefer the hereafter against the present. Whoso does (all) that, he is ashamed before God with a true shame.’ —Ibni Mas‘ud, TI: AH. [pol J He who holds a monopoly is a sinner. —Ma‘mar, MU: AB: TI. foe, et The Prophet has cursed all professional mourners. —Abu-Sa‘id al-Khudriy, AB. He is not of us who slaps his cheeks and tears his collar and mourns the mourning of (the days of) Ignor- ance. ' —Ibni Mas‘ud, BU: MU: TI: NA. The Prophet was passing by a woman who was weep- ing near a grave, and said, ‘Fear God, and be patient.’
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 123 She said, ‘Away from me! my calamity has not befallen thee, and thou dost not know it.’ ‘The woman was after- wards told that it was the Prophet; whereupon she came to the door of the Prophet where she found no door- keeper. She said to the Prophet. ‘I did not know thee, O Prophet of God!’ The Prophet said, ‘Patience is only (becoming) at the first (stroke) of grief.’
—Anas, BU: MU.
O son of Man! if thou art patient, and dost hope for Divine requital at the first (stroke) of grief, there is no land which thou mayest have for (thy) recompense except paradise.
—Abu-Umamah, IB.
We went with the Prophet to Abu-Sayf, the black- smith, who was the husband of the nurse of Ibrahim, the Prophet's son. The Prophet took his son, and kissed him, and smelt him. Afterwards we went in to (see) him when Ibrahim was in his dying moments. The eyes of the Pro: phet flowed with tears; whereupon ‘Abdu’r-Rahman son of ‘Auf said, ‘Dost thou, O Prophet of God! shed. tears?’ The Prophet said, ‘O son of ‘Auf! these are a mercy. _ Then he shed tears again, and said, ‘My eyes run down with tears, and my heart is near setting, and yet I say no- thing but what my Lord pleases; and verily O Ibrahim! I am grieved at parting with thee.’ ‘ ' —Anas, BU: MU: AB.
124 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD and said, ‘Do ye not hear? Verily God punishes not the running down of the eyes (with tears), nor the grief of the heart, but He punishes this (pointing to his tongue), or is merciful.’ —Abdu’llah b. ‘Umar, BU: MU.
[poo One of the family of the Prophet died, and the women assembled weeping over him. Whereupon ‘Umar stood up to forbid them and to drive them away; but the Pro- phet said, ‘Leave them alone, O ‘Umar, for verily the eyes are running down (with tears), and the heart is bleeding, and the time near (and fresh).’ —Abu-Hurayrah, NA: AH, beaooe i] Zaynab, daughter of the Prophet, died, and the women wept (over her). ‘Umar was going to strike them with his scourge, when the Prophet turned him aside with his own hands, and said, ‘O ‘Umar! (behave) with gentle- ness.’ (And to the women) he said, ‘Beware! and resist Satan.’ Then he said, ‘Whatever is from the eye and from the heart is from God and from mercy, and whatever is from the hand and from the tongue is from Satan.’ —Ibni ‘Abbas, AH.
‘The daughter of the Prophet sent for him, saying, ‘My child is dying, so come to us.’ The Prophet sent her his good ‘wishes, saying, ‘Verily, God’s is what He has taken, .and His is what He has given, and with Him everything is for a stated term. Be thou patient then, and hope for Divine requital.’ Then she sent for him again, urging SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 125 him to come to her; whereupon the Prophet stood up, and with him Sa‘d b. ‘Ubadah, Mu’adh b. Jabal, Ubbayy b. Ka‘b, Zayd b. Thabit, and (other) men. The child was lifted up to the Prophet, his soul shaking with noise. The Prophet’s eyes ran with tears. Sa‘d said, ‘O Prophet of God! what is this?” The Prophet said, ‘This is a (portion of the) mercy which God has placed into the kearts of His servants who are merciful.’ —Usamah b. Zayd, BU: MU.
fg D Oh yn] No man dies and his mourners mourn for him, crying aloud, ‘O the protector!’ ‘O the lord!’ or the like, but God appoints two angels who beat him and say, “Wert thou like that?’ —Abu-Musa, TI.
God never raised up a prophet but tended sheep. A man said, ‘And thou also O Prophet of God?’ He said, “Yes; I also tended the sheep of the people of Makkah for a few qirats.’
—Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MA. etalk teed Verily, the likeness of myself and the likeness of that with which God has sent me is as the likeness of a man who comes to his people, and says, ‘Verily I have seen with my own eyes a large army (coming to attack you), and I am an urgent warner; so save yourselves;’ a part of his people obeyed him, and left by night and arrived at their place of safety, and they were saved; and a part of them called it a lie, and awoke in their places in the morning, 126 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD and the army came upon them in’ the morning and des- troyed them, and annihilated them, ‘That is the likeness of him who obeys me, and follows what I have brought to him, and the likeness of him who rebels against me and calls (the truth) which I have brough to him a lie, —Abu-Musa ‘Abdu'‘llah b. Qays al-Ash‘ariy, BU: MU, By my father and mother! I’ never saw a teacher, either before or after him, who taught better than the Prophet. By God! he never looked severe, nor chastised nor reviled. —Mu‘awiyah b. al-Hakam, MU; AB: NA, [| eGo Fi The Prophet would never save anything for the morrow.
—Anas, TI.
‘If I had ( a heap of) gold like (Mount) Uhad, it would have given me pleasure not to have allowed three (successive) nights to pass over me when I should have anything of it (left) to me,’except a part which I would have used (to pay) for my debt.
‘-—Abu-Hurayrah, BU, The Prophet departed from the world but never had his fill of barley bread. ais ; ~Abo: Hora BU, ‘The family of Muhammad neyer had their fil of barley SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 127 bread for two successive days till the Prophet was dead. —A‘ishah, BU: MU: TI. ee Even on the days when the family of the Prophet would get two mouthfuls of meal, one of these was sure to be of dates. —A‘ishah, BU: MU: TI. ote] Many a month would pass over us when we never kindled the fire at the hearth; only dates and water would be our food unless we were given some flesh (then would we kindle the fire). —A‘ishah, BU: MU: TL uy | The Prophet would spend several successive nights without having anything to eat, and his wives also; and when he did have anything to eat, it was mostly wheatened bread. —Ibni ‘Abbas, TI.
[eote The Calip ‘Umar, speaking of the extended dominions of Islam under him and of the consequent prosperity of his people, said that he had seen the Prophet restless from hunger the whole day when he did not find anything to fill his belly with. —Nu‘man b. Bashir, MU.
My Lord offered. make the broad pebble- -bed of Makkah gold for me, but I said, ‘No, my Lord! rather (grant) that I may fill (my belly) one day, and, be hungry (another) day, and that when I am hungry, I may humble 128 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD myself before Thee, and remember Thee, and that when I am filled I may praise Thee and be thankful to Thee.’ —Abu-Umamah, TI: AH.
oieae I went to the Prophet with barley bread and some bad-smelling fat, and he had pawned his coat of mail with a Jew, and had taken from him barley for his family; and I have heard him say that a sa‘ of wheat or any other grain did not last till the evening, although he had nine wives.
—Anas BU.
The Prophet slept upon a mat, and stood up with its mark on his body. I said, ‘O Prophet of God! would that thou hadst bidden us spread (a soft bed) for thee, and we had done (it).’ The Prophet said, ‘What have I to do with this world, when my relation with it is like that of a rider (on horseback) who seeks the shade of a tree, and then rests, and leaves it.’ —Ibni Mas‘ud, TI: IB: AH.
Re I have been subjected to fear in regard to God what none other has been subjected to, and I have been given to suffer in regard to God what none other has been given to suffer. —Anas, TI. PaorT 4 When the Prophet heard anything evil of a man, he would not say, ‘What will be the state of such-and-such a one?’ but he would say, ‘What will be the state of a people who say such-and-such a thing.’ —Atishah, AB.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 129 There is no Mu‘min but of all men I am his nearest kin in this world and the hereafter. “The prophet is nearer of kin to the Mu‘min than themselves.’ Whichever Mu‘min then leaves a substance, let his relatives that be inherit the same, and if he leave a debt or people of his household (for whom he leaves nothing), let him come to me, for I am his kinsman.’
—Abu-Hurayrah, BU: MU.
In his journeys, the Prophet would remain in the rear, taking care of the weak, and seating them behind him, and he would also pray for them.
When the Prophet came to Madinah, the people there- of were engrafting their palm-trees. The Prophet said, “What are ye doing?’ They said, ‘We are doing a thing which we have been doing (never before).’ The Prophet said, ‘Perhaps it were better if ye had not done it.’ Then they left it; but the trees fell short in producing. This being mentioned to the Prophet, he said, ‘I am only a man: when I bid you anything relating to the affairs of your religion, receive it, and when I bid you anything as my opinion, then I am only a man.’
—Rafi b. Khadij, MU. ae | Perfume and women are made beloved to me, but 9 130 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD what most cheers mine eye is prayer. —Anas, NA:.AH.
[ eo The Prophet was more modest than a virgin in her closet; and when he saw anything which he hated, we could see it in his face. —al-Khudriy, BU: MU.
The Prophet of God never touched the hands of any woman; he would only receive their oral pledge; and when they had accepted it, he would say, ‘Now ye may go, I have received your pledge.’
—‘A‘ishah, BU: MU: AB: TI.: I was never more jealous of any one of the Prophet’s wives than I was of Khadijah although I never saw her, for the Prophet remembered her much, and many a time would he slay a sheep, and cut it into pieces, and send the same to the friends of Khadijah; and many a time would I tell him, ‘It is as though there never was a woman in the world except Khadijah!’ whereupon the Prophet would” say (dilating upon her virtues), ‘Verily, she was such-and- such and I had children from her.’
—A‘ishah, BU: MU.”
Some pieces of cloth were brought to the Prophet, and” among them a black square garment. ‘Who do ye think I should clothe with this?’ said the Prophet. ‘Bring me the mother of Khalid,’ the Prophet added, and I was brought before him. The Prophet put this over me with SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 13% his own hands, and looked to the signs on the garment, and pointed towards me with his hands, and said, “This is excelent, O mother of Khalid, excellent!’
—Ummi khalid, daughter of Khalid b. Sa‘id b. al-‘As, BU: AB.
An old woman came to the Prophet begging of him to pray for her entrance into paradise. ‘The Prophet said, ‘No old woman shall enter paradise.’ This setting the woman crying, the Prophet said, ‘Hast thou nct read in the Qur’an, “Verily We will make them of a (rare) crea- tion, and We will make them ever-virgins, darlings of equal age?”’’ —Anas, RA: BG.
Doe The last words of the Prophet were ‘Prayer! prayer!’ and Fear God in regard to what your right hands have He whose good work pleases him and whose evil work seems evil to him, that is the Mu’min.* —Ibni ‘Umar, TI.
A Mu‘min* is never tired of good things which he ' hears until he enters paradise. —Abu-Sa‘id, TI.
Poe: | A Mu‘min* is artless, beneficent, a wicked man is cunning, cowardly. —Abu-Hurayrah, AB: ‘TI.
132 SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD pe a8l hy The most perfect of Mu‘mins, in point ot faith, is he who is the best in manners. —Abu-Hurayrah, AB: DA. Verily the Mu’min* reaches, by his good manners, to the degree (of excellence) of the man who stands up pray- ing all night and fasts all day long.
WEEE ERY The weightiest thing in the balance of the Mu‘min* on the day of resurrection will be good manners; and verily God is at enmity with the shameless, impudent fellow. , —Abu-Darda‘, TI: AB.
—A‘ishah, AB.
es oe A Mu‘min* does not calumniate, nor curse, nor is he a doer of filthy actions, nor is he an impudent fellow. —Ibni Mas‘ud, TI: BA. There are two qualities which do not occur together in a Mu‘min*—miserliness and bad disposition.1 —Abu-Sa‘id, TI.
The likeness of the Mu‘min* is as the likeness of a green tree whose leaves fall not, nor does its shade vanish.
—Ibni ‘Umar, BU: MU. feb97: J A Mu‘min* is as an edifice to another Mu‘min, being the (cause of) strength to one another. —Abu-Musa, NA.
SAYINGS OF MUHAMMAD 133 The Mu‘mins are as one man: if his eye complains, all his (body) complains, and if his head complains, all his (body) complains.
—Nu‘man b. Bashir, MU.
The likeness of the Mu‘min* in love, mercy, and sym- pathy to one another, is as the likeness of the body: when a part thereof has a complaint, the whole body responds to it by keeping awaks the whole night, and with hot fever.
—Nu‘man b. Bashir, BU: MU.