I went to Sham and was offering a two-Rak'at prayer; I said, ''O Allah! Bless me with a (pious) companion.'' Then I saw an old man coming towards me, and when he came near I said, (to myself), ''I hope Allah has given me my request.'' The man asked (me), ''Where are you from?'' I replied, ''I am from the people of Kufa.'' He said, ''Weren't there amongst you the Carrier of the (Prophet's) shoes, Siwak and the ablution water container? Weren't there amongst you the man who was given Allah's Refuge from the Satan? And weren't there amongst you the man who used to keep the (Prophet's) secrets which nobody else knew? How did Ibn Um Abd (i.e. Abdullah bin Mas'ud) use to recite Surat-al-lail (the Night:92)?'' I recited:– ''By the Night as it envelops By the Day as it appears in brightness. And by male and female.'' (92.1-3) On that, Abu Darda said, ''By Allah, the Prophet made me read the Verse in this way after listening to him, but these people (of Sham) tried their best to let me say something different.''

I heard the Prophet reciting Surat-at-Tur in Maghrib prayer, and that was at a time when belief was first planted in my heart. The Prophet while speaking about the war prisoners of Badr, said, ''Were Al-Mutim bin Adi alive and interceded with me for these filthy people, I would definitely forgive them for his sake.'' Narrated Said bin Al-Musaiyab: When the first civil strife (in Islam) took place because of the murder of Uthman, it left none of the Badr warriors alive. When the second civil strife, that is the battle of Al-Harra, took place, it left none of the Hudaibiya treaty companions alive. Then the third civil strife took place and it did not subside till it had exhausted all the strength of the people.

Umar bin Al-Khattab recited Surat-an-Nahl on a Friday on the pulpit and when he reached the verse of Sajda he got down from the pulpit and prostrated and the people also prostrated. The next Friday Umar bin Al-Khattab recited the same Sura and when he reached the verse of Sajda he said, ''O people! When we recite the verses of Sajda (during the sermon) whoever prostrates does the right thing, yet it is no sin for the one who does not prostrate.'' And Umar did not prostrate (that day). Added Ibn Umar ''Allah has not made the prostration of recitation compulsory but if we wish we can do it.''

Mu'adh bin Jabal used to pray with the Prophet and then go to lead his people in prayer. Once he led the people in prayer and recited Surat-al-Baqara. A man left (the row of the praying people) and offered (light) prayer (separately) and went away. When Mu'adh came to know about it, he said. ''He (that man) is a hypocrite.'' Later that man heard what Mu'adh said about him, so he came to the Prophet and said, ''O Allah's Apostle! We are people who work with our own hands and irrigate (our farms) with our camels. Last night Mu'adh led us in the (night) prayer and he recited Sura-al-Baqara, so I offered my prayer separately, and because of that, he accused me of being a hypocrite.'' The Prophet called Mu'adh and said thrice, ''O Mu'adh! You are putting the people to trials? Recite Wash-shamsi wad-uhaha' (91) or'Sabbih isma Rabbi ka-l-A'la' (87) or the like.''

AbdurRahman bin Abza said, ''Ask Ibn Abbas about these two Qur'anic Verses: Nor kill such life as Allah has made sacred, Except for just cause.' (25.168) ''And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell. (4.93) So I asked Ibn Abbas who said, ''When the Verse that is in Sura-al-Furqan was revealed, the pagans of Mecca said, But we have slain such life as Allah has made sacred, and we have invoked other gods along with Allah, and we have also committed fornication.' So Allah revealed:– Except those who repent, believe, and do good– (25.70) So this Verse was concerned with those people. As for the Verse in Surat-an-Nisa (4-93), it means that if a man, after understanding Islam and its laws and obligations, murders somebody, then his punishment is to dwell in the (Hell) Fire forever.'' Then I mentioned this to Mujahid who said, ''Except the one who regrets (one's crime) . ''

There was a Christian who embraced Islam and read Surat-al-Baqara and Al-Imran, and he used to write (the revelations) for the Prophet. Later on he returned to Christianity again and he used to say: ''Muhammad knows nothing but what I have written for him.'' Then Allah caused him to die, and the people buried him, but in the morning they saw that the earth had thrown his body out. They said, ''This is the act of Muhammad and his companions. They dug the grave of our companion and took his body out of it because he had run away from them.'' They again dug the grave deeply for him, but in the morning they again saw that the earth had thrown his body out. They said, ''This is an act of Muhammad and his companions. They dug the grave of our companion and threw his body outside it, for he had run away from them.'' They dug the grave for him as deep as they could, but in the morning they again saw that the earth had thrown his body out. So they believed that what had befallen him was not done by human beings and had to leave him thrown (on the ground).

Abu Huraira said, ''Abu Bakr sent me in that Hajj in which he was the chief of the pilgrims along with the announcers whom he sent on the Day of Nahr to announce at Mina: ''No pagan shall perform Hajj after this year, and none shall perform the Tawaf around the Ka'ba in a naked state.'' Humaid added: That the Prophet sent Ali bin Abi Talib (after Abu Bakr) and ordered him to recite aloud in public Surat-Baraa. Abu Huraira added, ''So Ali, along with us, recited Bara'a (loudly) before the people at Mina on the Day of Nahr and announced ''No pagan shall perform Hajj after this year and none shall perform the Tawaf around the Ka'ba in a naked state.''..except those pagans with whom you (Muslims) have a treaty.'' (9.4)

Once I passed the night in the house of Maimuna (his aunt). I slept across the bed while Allah's Apostle and his wife slept length-wise. The Prophet slept till midnight or nearly so and woke up rubbing his face and recited ten verses from Surat ''Aal-Imran.'' Allah's Apostle went towards a leather skin and performed ablution in the most perfect way and then stood for the prayer. I did the same and stood beside him. The Prophet put his right hand on my head, twisted my ear and then prayed two Rakat five times and then ended his prayer with Witr. He laid down till the Muadh-dhin came then he stood up and offered two Rakat (Sunna of Fajr prayer) and then went out and offered the Fajr prayer. (See Hadith No. 183, Vol. 1)

When Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul died, Allah's Apostle was called in order to offer the funeral prayer for him. When Allah's Apostle got up (to offer the prayer) I jumped towards him and said, ''O Allah's Apostle! Do you offer the prayer for Ibn Ubai although he said so-and-so on such-and-such-a day?'' I went on mentioning his sayings. Allah's Apostle smiled and said, ''Keep away from me, O Umar!'' But when I spoke too much to him, he said, ''I have been given the choice, and I have chosen (this) ; and if I knew that if I asked forgiveness for him more than seventy times, he would be for given, I would ask it for more times than that.'' So Allah's Apostle offered the funeral prayer for him and then left, but he did not stay long before the two Verses of Surat-Bara'a were revealed, i.e.:– And never (O Muhammad) pray for anyone of them that dies…. and died in a state of rebellion.' (9.84) Later I was astonished at my daring to speak like that to Allah's Apostle and Allah and His Apostle know best.

Abu Huraira said, ''During that Hajj (in which Abu Bakr was the chief of the pilgrims) Abu Bakr sent me along with announcers on the Day of Nahr ( 10th of Dhul-Hijja) in Mina to announce: ''No pagans shall perform, Hajj after this year, and none shall perform the Tawaf around the Ka'ba in a naked state.'' Humaid bin Abdur Rahman added: Then Allah's Apostle sent Ali bin Abi Talib (after Abu Bakr) and ordered him to recite aloud in public Surat Bara'a. Abu Huraira added, ''So Ali, along with us, recited Bara'a (loudly) before the people at Mina on the Day of Nahr and announced; ''No pagan shall perform Hajj after this year and none shall perform the Tawaf around the Ka'ba in a naked state.''

Allah's Apostle was traveling on one of his journeys, and Umar bin Al-Khattab was traveling along with him at night. Umar asked him about something, but Allah's Apostle I did not answer him. He asked again, but he did not answer. He asked for the third time!, but he did not answer. On that, Umar said to himself, ''May your mother lose you! You have asked Allah's Apostle three times, but he did not answer at all!'' Umar said, ''So I made my camel go fast till I was ahead of the people, and I was afraid that something might be! revealed about me. After a little while I heard a call maker calling me, I said, I was afraid that some Qur'anic Verse might be revealed about me.' So I went to Allah's Apostle and greeted him. He said, Tonight there has been revealed to me a Surah which is dearer to me than that on which the sun shines (i.e. the world).' Then he recited: Verily! We have given you (O Muhammad I, a manifest victory.' '' (Surat al-Fath) No. (48.1).

On the Day of Nahr (10th of Dhul-Hijja, in the year prior to the last Hajj of the Prophet when Abu Bakr was the leader of the pilgrims in that Hajj) Abu Bakr sent me along with other announcers to Mina to make a public announcement: ''No pagan is allowed to perform Hajj after this year and no naked person is allowed to perform the Tawaf around the Ka'ba. Then Allah's Apostle sent All to read out the Surat Bara'a (At-Tauba) to the people; so he made the announcement along with us on the day of Nahr in Mina: ''No pagan is allowed to perform Hajj after this year and no naked person is allowed to perform the Tawaf around the Ka'ba.''

The Prophet recited Surat-an-Najm and then prostrated himself, and all who were with him prostrated too. But an old man took a handful of dust and touched his forehead with it saying, ''This is sufficient for me.'' Later on I saw him killed as an infidel. Narrated Urwa (the son of Az- Zubair): Az-Zubair had three scars caused by the sword, one of which was over his shoulder and I used to insert my fingers in it. He received two of those wounds on the day of Badr and one on the day of Al-Yarmuk. When Abdullah bin Zubair was killed, Abdul-Malik bin Marwan said to me, ''O Urwa, do you recognize the sword of Az-Zubair?'' I said, ''Yes.'' He said, ''What marks does it have?'' I replied, ''It has a dent in its sharp edge which was caused in it on the day of Badr.'' Abdul- Malik said, ''You are right! (i.e. their swords) have dents because of clashing with the regiments of the enemies Then Abdul-Malik returned that sword to me (i.e. Urwa). (Hisham, Urwa's son said, ''We estimated the price of the sword as three-thousand (Dinars) and after that it was taken by one of us (i.e. the inheritors) and I wish I could have had it.'')

We were in Siffin and Sahl bin Hunaif got up and said, ''O people! Blame yourselves! We were with the Prophet on the day of Hudaibiya, and if we had been called to fight, we would have fought. But Umar bin Al Khatab came and said, O Allah's Apostle! Aren't we in the right and our opponents in the wrongs' Allah's Apostle said, Yes.' Umar said, Aren't our killed persons in Paradise and their's in Hell?' He said, Yes.' Umar said, Then why should we accept hard terms in matters concerning our religion? Shall we return before Allah judges between us and them?' Allah's Apostle said, O Ibn Al-Khattab! I am the Apostle of Allah and Allah will never degrade me. Then Umar went to Abu Bakr and told him the same as he had told the Prophet. On that Abu Bakr said (to Umar). He is the Apostle of Allah and Allah will never degrade him.' Then Surat-al-Fath (i.e. Victory) was revealed and Allah's Apostle recited it to the end in front of Umar. On that Umar asked, O Allah's Apostle! Was it (i.e. the Hudaibiya Treaty) a victory?' Allah's Apostle said, ''Yes''

That once he stayed overnight (in the house) of his aunt Maimuna. the wife of the Prophet. He added: I lay on the cushion transversely and Allah's Apostle lay along with his wife in the lengthwise direction of the pillow. Allah's Apostle slept till the middle of the night, either a bit before or a bit after it, and then woke up rubbing the traces of sleep off his face with his hands and then he recited the last ten Verses of Surat-al-Imran, got up and went to a hanging water skin. He then performed the ablution from it, and it was perfect ablution, and then stood up to offer the prayer. I too did the same as he had done, and then went to stand beside him. Allah's Apostle put his right hand on my head and held and twisted my right ear. He then offered two Rakat, then two Rakat, then two Rakat, then two Rakat, then two Rakat. then two Rakat, and finally one Rak'a, the Witr. Then he lay down again till the Muadhdhin (i.e. the call-maker) came to him, whereupon he got up and offered a light two-Rakat prayer, and went out (to the Mosque) and offered the (compulsory congregational) Fajr prayer.