Letters

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ibn Abbas said, “I consider answering a letter to be a duty, just as returning a greeting is.”

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Aisha bint Talha said: I was under Aisha’s care, and people came to her from every region. Older men visited me because of my connection to her, while young men treated me as a sister, gave me gifts, and wrote to me from their cities. I would tell Aisha, “Aunt, this is so-and-so’s letter and gift.” She said, “My daughter, answer him and reciprocate. If you have nothing to give, I will give you something.” She said, “Then she would give it to me.”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abdullah ibn Umar wrote to Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan pledging allegiance. He wrote: “In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful. To Abd al-Malik, Commander of the Faithful, from Abdullah ibn Umar. Peace be upon you. I praise Allah to you; there is no god but Him. I pledge to listen and obey according to the way of Allah and His Messenger, as far as I am able.”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Zayd ibn Aslam said: My father sent me to Ibn Umar, and I saw him write, “In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful. Then: …”

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Hisham ibn Urwa said: I saw some of the Prophet’s letters. Whenever the opening section ended, he wrote, “Then: …”

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Zayd ibn Thabit wrote this letter to Muawiya, Commander of the Faithful: “In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful. Peace be upon you, Commander of the Faithful, and Allah’s mercy. I praise Allah to you; there is no god but Him. Then: …”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

A man asked al-Hasan about reciting “In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful.” He replied, “That is what letters begin with.”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Nafi said: Ibn Umar needed something from Muawiya and wished to write to him. People said, “Begin with his name.” They kept urging him until he wrote, “In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful, to Muawiya.”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Anas ibn Sirin said: I wrote for Ibn Umar, and he told me, “Write: In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful. Then: To so-and-so.”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Anas ibn Sirin said: A man wrote in Ibn Umar’s presence, “In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful, to so-and-so.” Ibn Umar stopped him and said, “Say: In the Name of Allah; it is for Him.”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Zayd ibn Thabit wrote this letter to Muawiya, the Commander of the Faithful: “Peace be upon you, Commander of the Faithful, and Allah’s mercy. I praise Allah to you; there is no god but Him. Then: …”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Hurayra said that the Prophet mentioned a man from the Children of Israel and related the hadith. The man’s friend wrote to him: “From so-and-so to so-and-so.”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Mahmud ibn Labid said: When Sa‘d’s eye was gravely wounded at the Battle of the Trench, they moved him to a woman called Rufayda, who treated the wounded. Whenever the Prophet passed him, he asked, “How are you this evening?” and in the morning, “How are you this morning?” Sa‘d would tell him.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ibn Abbas reported that Ali emerged from the Messenger of Allah’s room during the illness in which he died. People asked, “O Abu al-Hasan, how is the Messenger of Allah this morning?” He replied, “By Allah’s praise, he is recovering.” Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib took Ali by the hand and said that in three days Ali would be a subordinate, for he believed the Prophet would die of this illness. He urged Ali to ask who would hold authority, so they might know whether it was among them or elsewhere and ask the Prophet to counsel whoever succeeded him to care for them. Ali replied that if they asked and were refused, the people would never give it to them afterward; he swore he would never ask the Messenger of Allah for it.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Zayd ibn Thabit wrote to Muawiya about the inheritance of grandfathers and brothers. He asked Allah for guidance, protection and firmness in all their affairs, and sought refuge in Him from going astray, acting ignorantly, or being charged with what they had no knowledge of. He concluded with peace, mercy, blessings and forgiveness. Wahib dated it Thursday, twelve nights remaining in Ramadan, year 42.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Anas ibn Malik heard Umar return a man’s greeting, then ask him, “How are you?” The man replied, “I praise Allah to you.” Umar said, “That is what I wanted from you.”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Jabir ibn Abdullah said that the Prophet was asked, “How are you this morning?” He replied, “Better than people who did not attend a funeral or visit a sick person.”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

A man from Hadramawt, one of the Prophet’s Companions, would answer “How are you this morning?” by saying, “We associate nothing with Allah.”

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu al-Tufayl asked Sayf ibn Wahb his age, and he said thirty-three. Abu al-Tufayl related that he had heard Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman describe Amr ibn Sulay, a Companion, who was his age then. Hudhayfa warned Amr that if he saw Qays gaining control in Syria, he should beware: Qays would frighten or kill every believing servant of Allah. A time would come when they could not even stop the tail of a ravine’s flood. Asked what would help him against his people, Hudhayfa replied, “That is for me to decide,” and sat down.