Book 29: Excellent Qualities and Description of the Prophet

Anas b. Malik told that Abu Bakr as-Siddiq said: I looked at the feet of the polytheists above our heads when we were in the cave and said, "Messenger of God, if one of them were to look at his foot he would see us." He replied, "Abd Bakr, what do you think of two people along with whom God makes a third?" (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Al-Bara' b. `Azib quoted his father as saying he had asked Abd Bakr how the two of them had acted when he travelled by night with God's messenger, to which he replied: We travelled all night and the following day till the midday sun offered little shade, the road being empty with no one passing on it. Seeing a tall, shady rock protected from the sun's rays we alighted beside it, and when I had smoothed a place with my hands for him to sleep and spread a skin garment over him, I said, "Sleep, messenger of God, and I shall keep watch around you." He went to sleep, and when I went out to keep watch around him, I saw a shepherd approaching. I asked if his sheep had any milk and he replied that they had, so I asked if he would draw some milk and he agreed, and drew a cupful into a wooden cup. I had a small skin vessel I carried for the Prophet (ﷺ) from which he took water both for drinking and for performing ablution, so I went to the Prophet, but as I did not like to waken him, I waited for him till he awoke. I then poured some water on the milk till the bottom of it was cooled, and said, "Drink, messenger of God." When he had drunk an amount which made me feel pleased, he said, "Is it not time to be moving?" and I agreed that it was; so, we moved on after the sun had passed the meridian. Suraqa b. Malik had followed us up and I said, "We have been overtaken, messenger of God." He replied, "Do not grieve; God is with us." The Prophet (ﷺ) then prayed that he might be hindered and his horse sank with him up to its belly in hard ground. He said, "I see that you two have prayed that I might be hindered; now pray for me, for God is on your side, that I may turn away the search from you." The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed for him, and when he got free, he began to say whenever he met anyone, "You have been saved trouble, for there is no one here; and he met no one without turning him back. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that 'Abdallah b. Salam heard of the arrival of God's messenger when he was in an orchard gathering dates, so he went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "I shall ask you about three things which only a prophet knows What is the first sign of the last hour? What is the first thing the inhabitants of paradise will eat? And what makes a boy look like his father or his mother?" He replied, "Gabriel has just informed me about them. The first sign of the last hour will be a fire which will collect mankind from the east to the west; the first thing the inhabitants of paradise will eat will be the ligament of a fish's liver; and when the man's liquid comes before the woman's he attracts the child to his likeness, but when the woman's liquid comes first, she attracts it to her likeness." He said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that you are God's messenger. The Jews, messenger of God, are slanderous people, and if they know of my acceptance of Islam before you ask them, they will slander me." When the Jews came, he asked, "What kind of a man is `Abdallah among you?" They replied, "Our best one and the son of our best one, our chief and the son of our chief." He said, "Tell me what you will do supposing he accepts Islam," to which they replied, "God preserve him from that!" `Abdallah then came out and said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God's messenger." They said, "He is the worst of us and the son of the worst of us," and belittled him, whereupon he said, "This is what I feared, messenger of God." Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that God's messenger asked advice when they heard of the approach of Abu Sufyan, and Sa`d b. `Ubada got up and said, "Messenger of God, by Him in whose hand my soul is, if you were to command us to plunge our animals[1] into the sea we would do so, and if you were to command us to drive them as vigorously as possible to Bark al-Ghimad[2] we would do so." God's messenger then invited the people, and they went off till they alighted at Badr. God's messenger then said, "This is where so and so will be killed," putting his hand on the ground here and there. Anas said that none of them[3] left the place indicated by God's messenger's hand. 1. 'Literally, "to plunge them ". The context makes it clear that the reference is to animals. 2. A place in the Yemen. 3. This is explained as referring to the infidels the place of whose death the Prophet (ﷺ) had foretold. Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn `Abbas told that the Prophet (ﷺ) said when he was in a round tent on the day of Badr, "O God, I ask Thee to fulfil Thy covenant and promise. O God, if Thou willest Thou shalt not be worshipped after to-day." Abu Bakr then took him by the hand and said, "What you have supplicated is enough, messenger of God; you have importuned your Lord." So, he went out hurrying in a coat of mail and saying, "The company will be routed and turn their backs[*]." *Quran; 54:45 Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that the Prophet (ﷺ) said on the day of Badr, "This is Gabriel holding his horse's head with the accoutrements of war on him." Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that when one of the Muslims was going quickly after one of the polytheists in front of him, he heard the crack of a whip above him and the voice of a horseman saying, "Go on, Haizum[*]," and saw the polytheist in front of him fall on his back. He looked at him and saw his nose was cut and his face split as with a slash of a whip, and the whole of that turned green. When the Ansari came and told God's messenger he said, "You have spoken the truth; that was one of the troops of the third heaven." That day they killed seventy and took seventy prisoners. *The name of the angel's horse. Muslim transmitted it.

Sa`d b. Abu Waqqas told that at the battle of Uhud he saw two men in white clothing whom he had never seen before or since fighting as violently as possible on the right and left of God's messenger, meaning Gabriel and Michael. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Al-Bara' said: The Prophet (ﷺ) sent a small party of Abu Rafi'[*], and `Abdallah b. `Atik entered his house at night when he was asleep and killed him. `Abdallah b. `Atik said, "I put the sword in his belly till it came out at his back, and I knew that I had killed him I then began to open the doors till I came to a stair, but when I put my foot on it, I fell and broke my leg, and it was a moonlight night. I tied it with a turban and rejoined my companions, and when I came to the Prophet, I told him all that had happened. He told me to stretch out my leg, and when I had done so and he had passed his hand over it, it seemed as though I had never had anything wrong with it." *Different dates are given for the incident. J.M.B. Jones who has made an important study of the dates of the Maghazi prefers the date given by Ibn Ishaq, viz. Dhul Hijja 5 or Muharram 6. See Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 1957, 19/2, pp. 250, 269 f. Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir said: When we were digging at the battle of the Trench a huge piece of rock appeared as an obstruction, so they went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and told him that this piece of rock had appeared as an obstruction in the trench. Saying, "I shall go down," he stood up (and he had a stone tied on his belly[*], for we had been three days without tasting any food). The Prophet (ﷺ) then took the pick and struck it and it became a mound of sand pouring down. I then went off to my wife and asked her if she had anything, for I had seen the Prophet (ﷺ) was very hungry, and she brought out a bag containing a sa` of barley. We had a tame lamb which I killed and she ground the barley, and we put the meat in the pot. I then went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and told him secretly that we had killed a small lamb and my wife had ground a sa' of barley, inviting him to come and bring some people with him. So, the Prophet (ﷺ) shouted, "You who are working at the trench, Jabir has prepared a repast, so come on." God's messenger then said, "Do not take off your pot and do not bake your dough till I come." When he came, I brought out dough for him and he spat in it and invoked a blessing. He then went to our pot, spat, invoked a blessing, and then said, "Call a woman to bake along with you, and take ladlefuls from your pot but do not take it off." There were a thousand present, and I swear by God that they ate till they left it and went away, and our pot was boiling as it had been and our dough was being baked as before. *For the purpose of allaying the pangs of hunger. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Qatada told that when `Ammar was digging the trench God's messenger began to wipe his head and say, "How unfortunate Ibn Sumayya is! The wicked party will kill you[*]." *Yasir, 'Ammar's father, is said to have come from the Yemen to Mecca, where he married a slave woman called Sumayya who bore 'Ammar. `Ammar fought on 'Ali's side at the battle of Siffin (37 A.H.) and was killed. The wicked party mentioned in the tradition is Mu'awiya s army. See Ibn `Abd al-Barr, Isti'ab pp. 422 ff. Muslim transmitted it.

Sulaiman b. Surad reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying when the Confederates[*] were removed from him, "Now we shall raid them and they will not raid us; we shall go to them." *Those who fought against the Muslims at the battle of the Trench (cf. Quran. 82:9 ff). Bukhari transmitted it.

`A'isha said: When God's messenger returned from the battle of the Trench, put off his armour and bathed, Gabriel came to him when he was shaking the dust off his head and said, "You have put off your armour, but I swear by God that I have not done so. Go out to them." The Prophet (ﷺ) asked where he was to go and he indicated that it was to the B. Quraiza so the Prophet (ﷺ) went out to them. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Bukhari Anas said: I can imagine myself looking at the dust rising in the street of the B. Ghanm, the cavalcade of Gabriel when God's messenger went to the B. Quraiza.

Jabir told that on the day of al-Hudaibiya the people were thirsty and God's messenger had in front of him a water-vessel from which he performed ablution. Then the people came forward to him and told him they had no water for ablution or for drinking except what was in his vessel; so, the Prophet (ﷺ) put- his hand into the vessel and the water began to pour forth between his fingers like springs. Jabir said they drank and performed ablution, and when he was asked how many they were he replied that if they had been a hundred thousand it would have been sufficient for them, adding that they numbered fifteen hundred. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Al-Bara' b. `Azib said: On the day of al-Hudaibiya we were along with God's messenger to the number of fourteen hundred. Now al Hudaibiya was a well which we drained leaving not a drop in it, and when the Prophet (ﷺ) heard of that he came to it and sat down beside it. He called for a vessel of water, and when he had performed ablution, rinsed his mouth and made supplication, he poured the water into it, and told them to leave it for a time. Then they drew sufficient water for themselves and their animals until they left. Bukhari transmitted it.

`Auf quoted Abu Raja' who told that `Imran b. Husain said: When we were on a journey with the Prophet (ﷺ) the people complained to him of thirst, so he dismounted and called for so and so (whose name was mentioned by Abu Raja' but forgotten by `Auf) and for `Ali and told them to go and look for water. They went off and met a woman riding with a leather water-bag, or a water-skin on either side of her, so they brought her to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked her to dismount from her camel. The Prophet (ﷺ) called for a vessel and poured water into it from the mouths of the skins, after which proclamation was made among the people to draw water, and they did so. Then we forty thirsty men drank till we had had enough, and we filled every skin and small vessel which we had. I swear by God that water was taken from the skin, but it seemed to us to be fuller than it was when he began. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir said: We travelled with God's messenger, and when we alighted in a broad wadi God's messenger went to relieve himself, but could find nothing with which to screen himself. There were two trees at the side of the wadi, so God's messenger went to one of them and, taking hold of one of its branches, he said, "Allow yourself to be led by me, with God's permission." Then it was led by him like a camel with a piece of wood in its nose which is amenable to the one who guides it, until he came to the other tree. Then taking hold of one of its branches he said, "Allow yourself to be led by me, with God's permission," and it was led similarly. Then when he was in the middle between them, he said, "Draw close together about me, with God's permission," and they did so. I sat occupied with my thoughts, and when I turned round, I saw God's messenger coming, and noticed that the trees had separated, each standing on its own trunk. Muslim transmitted it.

Yazid b. Abu `Ubaid said: I saw the mark of a blow on the leg of Salama b. al-Akwa' and asked, "What is this blow, Abu Muslim?" He replied, "It is a blow I received at the battle for Khaibar which made the people say I had been killed. I went to the Prophet (ﷺ) who blew spittle on it three times, and up to now I have been having no trouble with it." Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas said: The Prophet (ﷺ) announced the death of Zaid, Ja`far and Ibn Rawaha to the people before news of them had reached them[*], saying, "Zaid took the standard and was smitten, then Ja'far took it and was smitten, then Ibn Rawaha took it and was smitten (the tears mean while dripping from his eyes). Finally, one of God's swords (meaning Khalid b. al-Walid) took the standard till God granted them success." Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn `Abbas said: I was present with God's messenger at the battle of Hunain. When the Muslims and the infidels met the Muslims turned in retreat, but God's messenger began to spur his she-mule in the direction of the infidels, while I was holding the bridle of his she-mule to restrain it, desiring that it should not go quickly, and Abu Sufyan b. al-Harith was holding God's messenger's stirrup. God's messenger then said, "Call those who were present at the gum-acacia tree[1]." `Abbas, who had a loud voice, told that he called at the top of his voice, "Where are those who were present at the gum-acacia tree?" adding, ``I swear by God that I made them turn back when they heard my voice as cows turn back to their young." They said, "At your service, at your service." They and the-infidels then fought, and the call among the Ansar was, "O company of the Ansar, O company of the Ansar." Then the call was confined to the B. al-Harith b. al Khazraj[2]. God's messenger watched their fighting while sitting on his she-mule like one stretching out his neck, and said, "This is when the oven has become hot[3]." Then taking some pebbles and throwing them in the faces of the infidels he said, "Be routed, by the Lord of Muhammad." I swear by God that no sooner had he thrown the pebbles at them than I began to see their power becoming weak and their ranks, turning in retreat. 1. The reference is to the battle of Mu'ta. 2. Those who swore allegiance to the Prophet (ﷺ) at al-Hudaibiya. Cf. Quran, 48:18. 3. A tribal group which formed a section of the Ansar. 4. A figure of speech meaning that the fighting has become violent. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Ishaq told that a man said to al-Bara'[1], "Abu `Umara, did you[2] fly at the battle of Hunain?" He replied, 'No, I swear by God. God's messenger did not turn back, but some of his young companions who did not have many weapons went out against the enemy and met some archers whose arrows rarely fell on the ground[3], and they shot at them and rarely missed. So, they then went towards God's messenger who was on his white she-mule with Abu Sufyan b. al-Harith in front of him. He dismounted and prayed for victory saying. "I am the Prophet (ﷺ) without falsehood; I am the descendant of Abd al-Muttalib." He then drew them up in line. 1. Al-Bara' b. 'Azib, whose kunya was Abu 'Umara. 2. The pronoun is plural, referring to the army. 3. i.e., failed to bit someone. 4. A line in the rajaz metre. Muslim transmitted it, and Bukhari has something to the same effect. In a version by both of them al Bara.' said, "I swear by God that when the battle became fierce, we sought refuge with him, and the bravest of us was the one who kept shoulder to shoulder with him," meaning the Prophet.

Salama b. al-Akwa` said: We went to the battle of Hunain with God's messenger and his companions turned back. Then when God's messenger was surrounded, he dismounted from his she-mule, took a handful of earth from the ground, and turning towards them threw it in their faces saying, "May the faces be made ugly!" Then there was not a man among them whom God had created whose eyes were not filled with earth by reason of that handful. They turned in retreat, God routed them, and God's messenger divided the spoils among the Muslims. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said: When we were with God's messenger at Hunain, he said of one of those who were with him who claimed to be a Muslim, "This will be one of the inhabitants of hell." When the fighting took place, the man fought most valiantly and received many wounds, so a man came and said, "Messenger of God, tell me about the man of whom you were telling that he would be one of the inhabitants of hell. He has fought valiantly in God's path and received many wounds." He replied, "He will indeed be one of the inhabitants of hell." Some people almost doubted, but while things were so the man felt the pain of his wounds, and putting his band into his quiver drew out an arrow and stabbed himself with it. Some Muslims then hastened to God's messenger and said, "Messenger of God, God has verified what you told. So and so has stabbed and killed himself." God's messenger then said, "God is most great. I testify that I am God's servant and messenger. Get up, Bilal, and make an announcement that only a believer will enter paradise, but that God will support this religion with a wicked man[*]." *While hypocrites and others whose character is worthless may fight on the side of the Muslims, only those who have faith will enter paradise. The idea is that taking part in Jihad does not of itself guarantee entrance into paradise. Bukhari transmitted it.

`A'isha said: God's messenger was bewitched so that he would imagine he had done something he had not done. One day when he was staying with me, he made supplication after supplication to God, then said, "Do you know, `A'isha, that God has given me a decision about what I asked? Two men came to me and one of them sat at my head and the other at my feet. One of them asked the other, `What is the man suffering from?' and he replied, `He is under a spell.' He asked, `Who has put a spell on him?' and he replied, `Labid b. al-A`sam the Jew .' He asked, `What did he use?' and he replied, `A comb and combings and the spathe of a male palm-tree He asked, `Where is it?' and he replied, `In the well of Dharwan'[*]." The Prophet (ﷺ) then went with some of his companions to the well and said, "This is the well I was shown." Its water looked like diluted henna and its palm-trees like the heads of devils. He then took it out. *Bukhari, Adab, 56, has Dharwan, but Tibb, 50, has Dhu Arwan, which is the form given by Muslim in Salam, 43. Nawawi in his commentary on Muslim (Cairo, 1349, vol. 14, p. 177) says both forms are correct, but Dhu Arwan is better and sounder. He says it was a well in the garden in Madina belonging to the B. Zuraiq. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Sa`id al-Khudri said: While we were with God's messenger when he was dividing portions, Dhul Khuwaisira, a man of the B. Tamim, came to him and said, "Act equitably, messenger of God." He replied, "Out upon you! Who will act equitably if I do not? You will be disappointed and losing if I do not act equitably." `Umar asked permission to cut off his head, but he replied, "Leave him alone, for he has companions[1] in comparison with whose prayers any of you would despise his, and in comparison, with whose fasting any of you would despise his. They recite the Quran but it does not pass their collarbones. They swerve from the religion as an arrow goes through the animal aimed at. Their look is directed to its head, on to the sinew on its socket, on to its nadi, which is its rod, on to its feathers, but there is no sign of excrement or blood on it[2]. They will be recognised by the presence of a black man one of whose upper arms quivers like a woman's breast, or like a piece of meat, and they will revolt against the best section of mankind[3]. Abu Sa'id said: I testify that I heard this tradition from God's messenger, and I testify that `Ali b. Abu Talib fought with them and that I was with him. He gave orders about that man who was sought for, and when he was brought in and I looked at him, he was exactly as the Prophet (ﷺ) had described him. A version has: A man with deep-set eyes, a projecting brow, a thick beard, high cheekbones and a shaven head came forward and said, "Fear God, Muhammad." He replied, "Who will obey God if I disobey Him? God entrusts me with power over the inhabitants of the earth but you[4] do not." A man asked to be allowed to kill him but he prevented him. Then when the man turned away, he said, "From this one's stock there will be people who recite the Quran, yet it will not pass their throats. They will swerve from Islam as an arrow goes through the animal shot at. They will kill the followers of Islam and leave the worshippers of idols alone; but if I live to their time, I shall certainly kill them as `Ad were killed." 1. People like him, or people at a later period who will acquire a reputation for piety. The reference is to the Kharijites. 2. Just as an arrow can go through an animal without traces of excrement or blood, they will abandon Islam so quickly that no trace of it will be left in them. 3. `Ali and his party. 4. The pronoun is plural, indicating the man and his people. (Bukhari and Muslim.)