Companions of the Prophet
كتاب فضائل أصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم
Chapter 18: Narrations about Usama bin Zaid
Aisha
said, "A woman from Bani Makhzumiya committed a theft and the people said, 'Who can intercede with the Prophet (ﷺ) for her?' So nobody dared speak to him (i.e. the Prophet) but Usama bin Zaid spoke to him. The Prophet said, 'If a reputable man amongst the children of Bani Israel committed a theft, they used to forgive him, but if a poor man committed a theft, they would cut his hand. But I would cut even the hand of Fatima (i.e. the daughter of the Prophet) if she committed a theft."
One day Ibn `Umar, while in the Mosque, looked at a man who was dragging his clothes while walking in one of the corners of the Mosque He said, "See who is that. I wish he was near to me." Somebody then said (to Ibn `Umar), "Don't you know him, O Abu `Abdur-Rahman? He is Muhammad bin Usama." On that Ibn `Umar bowed his head and dug the earth with his hands and then, said, "If Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw him, he would have loved him."
That the Prophet (ﷺ) used to take him (i.e. Usama) and Al-Hassan (in his lap) and say: "O Allah! Love them, as I love them."
The freed slave of Usama bin Zaid said, "Al-Hajjaj bin Aiman bin Um Aiman and Aiman Ibn Um Aiman was Usama's brother from the maternal side, and he was one of the Ansar. He was seen by Ibn 'Umar not performing his bowing and prostrations in a perfect manner. So Ibn 'Umar told him to repeat his prayer.
Harmala, the freed slave of Usama bin Zaid said that while he was in the company of 'Abdullah bin 'Umar, Al-Hajjaj bin Aiman came in and (while praying) he did not perform his bowing and prostrations properly. So Ibn 'Umar told him to repeat his prayer. When he went away, Ibn 'Umar asked me, "Who is he?" I said, "Al-Hajjaj bin Um Aiman." Ibn 'Umar said, "If Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw him, he would have loved him." Then Ibn 'Umar mentioned the love of the Prophet (ﷺ) for the children of Um Aiman. Sulaiman said that Um Aiman was one of the nurses of the Prophet.
Chapter 19: The merits of 'Abdullah bin 'Umar رضي الله عنهما
If a man saw a dream during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) he would narrate it to the Prophet. Once I wished to see a dream and narrate it to the Prophet (ﷺ) I was young, unmarried, and used to sleep in the Mosque during the lifetime of the Prophet. I dreamt that two angels took me and went away with me towards the (Hell) Fire which looked like a well with the inside walls built up, and had two side-walls like those of a well. There I saw some people in it whom I knew. I started saying, "I seek Refuge with Allah from the (Hell) Fire, I seek Refuge with Allah from the (Hell) Fire." Then another angel met the other two and said to me, "Do not be afraid." I narrated my dream to Hafsa who, in her turn, narrated it to the Prophet. He said, "What an excellent man `Abdullah is if he only observes the night prayer." (Salem, a sub-narrator said, "Abdullah used not to sleep at night but very little hence forward."
That the Prophet (ﷺ) had said to her, "`Abdullah is a pious man."
Chapter 20: The virtues of ‘Ammar and Hudhaifa رضي الله عنهما
I went to Sham and offered a two-rak`at prayer and then said, "O Allah! Bless me with a good pious companion." So I went to some people and sat with them. An old man came and sat by my side. I asked, "Who is he?" They replied, "(He is) Abu-Ad-Darda.' I said (to him), "I prayed to Allah to bless me with a pious companion and He sent you to me." He asked me, "From where are you?" I replied, "From the people of Al-Kufa." He said, "Isn't there amongst you Ibn Um `Abd, the one who used to carry the shoes, the cushion(or pillow) and the water for ablution? Is there amongst you the one whom Allah gave Refuge from Satan through the request of His Prophet. Is there amongst you the one who keeps the secrets of the Prophet (ﷺ) which nobody knows except him?" Abu Darda further asked, "How does `Abdullah (bin Mas`ud) recite the Sura starting with, 'By the Night as it conceals (the light)." (92.1) Then I recited before him: 'By the Night as it envelops: And by the Day as it appears in brightness; And by male and female.' (91.1-3) On this Abu Ad-Darda' said, "By Allah, the Prophet (ﷺ) made me recite the Sura in this way while I was listening to him (reciting it).
'Alqama went to Sham and when he entered the mosque, he said, "O Allah ! Bless me with a pious companion." So he sat with Abu Ad-Darda. Abu Ad-Darda' asked him, "Where are you from?" 'Alqama replied, "From the people of Kufa." Abu Ad-Darda said, "Isn't there amongst you the Keeper of the secret which nobody else knows i.e. Hudhaifa?" Al-qama said, "Yes." Then Abu Ad-Darda further said, "Isn't there amongst you the person whom Allah gave Refuge from Satan through the invocation of His Prophet namely `Ammar?" Alqama replied in the affirmative Abu Ad-Darda said, "Isn't there amongst you the person who carries the Siwak (or the Secret) (i.e. of the Prophet (ﷺ) namely `Abdullah bin Massud)?" Alqama said, "Yes." Then Abu Ad-Darda asked, "How (Abdullah bin Masud) used to recite the Sura starting with: "By the night as it envelopes; By the day as it appears in brightness?" (92.1-2). Alqama said "And by male and female." Abu Ad-Darda then said, "These people (of Sham) tried hard to make me accept something other than what I had heard from the Prophet."
Chapter 21: The virtues of Abu ‘Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah رضي الله عنه
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, " Every nation has an extremely trustworthy man, and the trustworthy man of this (i.e. Muslim) nation is Abu 'Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah."
The Prophet (ﷺ) said to the people of Nijran, "I will send you the most trustworthy man." (Every one of) the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) was looking forward (to be that person). He then sent Abu 'Ubaida.
Chapter 22: The mention of Mus`ab bin ‘Umair
Chapter 23: The merits of Al-Hasan and Al-Husain رضي الله عنهما
I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) talking at the pulpit while Al-Hasan was sitting beside him, and he (i.e. the Prophet ) was once looking at the people and at another time Al-Hasan, and saying, "This son of mine is a Saiyid (i.e. chief) and perhaps Allah will bring about an agreement between two sects of the Muslims through him."
That the Prophet (ﷺ) used to take him and Al-Hasan, and used to say, "O Allah! I love them, so please love them," or said something similar.
Anas bin Malik said, "The head of Al-Husain was brought to 'Ubaidullah bin Ziyad and was put in a tray, and then Ibn Ziyad started playing with a stick at the nose and mouth of Al-Husain's head and saying something about his handsome features." Anas then said (to him), "Al-Husain resembled the Prophet more than the others did." Anas added, "His (i.e. Al-Husain's) hair was dyed with Wasma (i.e. a kind of plant used as a dye).
I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) carrying Al-Hasan on his shoulder an saying, "O Allah! I love him, so please love him."
I saw Abu Bakr carrying Al-Hasan and saying, "Let my father be sacrificed for you; you resemble the Prophet and not `Ali," while `Ali was laughing at this.
Abu Bakr used to say, "Look after Muhammad (ﷺ) in (looking after) his family."
None resembled the Prophet (ﷺ) more than Al-Hasan bin `Ali did.
A person asked `Abdullah bin `Umar whether a Muslim could kill flies. I heard him saying (in reply). "The people of Iraq are asking about the killing of flies while they themselves murdered the son of the daughter of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . The Prophet (ﷺ) said, They (i.e. Hasan and Husain) are my two sweet basils in this world."