Fine Qualities

I went to the Prophet one night about something I required and he came out with something (I did not know what) under his cloak. When I had finished telling him my business, I asked him what he had under his cloak, and when he opened it, I saw al-Hasan and al-Husain on his hips. He then said, "These are my sons and my daughter's sons. 0 God, I love them, so I beseech Thee to love them and those who love them." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

I went in to visit Umm Salama and found her weeping. I asked her what was making her weep and she replied that she had seen God's messenger (meaning in a dream) with dust on his head and beard. She asked him what was the matter and he replied, "I have just been present at the slaying of al-Husain." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Anas told that when God's messenger was asked which member of his family was dearest to him, he replied, "Al-Hasan and al-Husain." He used to say to Fatim a, "Call my two sons to me," and then would sniff and cuddle them. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Buraida told that while God's messenger was addressing the people al-Hasan and al Husain came along in red shirts stumbling as they walked. God's messenger then descended from the pulpit, lifted them and put them in front of him, then said, "God has spoken truth in saying, `Your property and your children are just a temptation[*].' I looked at these two boys stumbling as they walked, and could not refrain from interrupting my address and lifting them up." *Quran; 64:15.Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa'i transmitted it.

Ya'la b. Murra reported God's messenger as saying, "Husain pertains to me and I to him. May God love him who loves Husain! Husain is a grandson[*]."*Another possibility is `a tribe', meaning that he would have many descendants; but the translation above is more likely. Cf. Mirqat, 5:605.Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`Ali said al-Hasan resembled God's messenger from the breast to the head and al-Husain resembled the Prophet below that. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

I ask my mother to let me go to the Prophet, pray the sunset prayer with him, and ask him to pray forgiveness for her and me. I went to the Prophet and prayed the sunset prayer along, with him, and he remained in prayer till he prayed the night prayer. When he went off, I followed him, and when he heard my voice he said, "Who is this? Is it Hudhaifa?" When I told him that it was, he said, "What do you require? God forgive you and your mother! Here is an angel who has never come down to earth before to-night. He asked his Lord's permission to give me a greeting and give me the good news that Fatima will be the chief lady among the inhabitants of paradise, and that al-Hasan and al-Husain will be the chief ones among the youths who go to paradise." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Ibn `Abbas told that when God's messenger was carrying al-Hasan b. `Ali on his shoulder a man said, "You have mounted on a fine steed, boy." The Prophet said, "And he is a fine rider." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`Umar allotted to Usama three thousand five hundred and to `Abdallah b. `Umar three thousand, so `Abdallah b. Umar said to his father, "Why have you treated Usama as superior to me? I swear by God that he has never got to any battle before me." He replied, "It is because Zaid was dearer to God's messenger than your father and Usama was dearer to God's messenger than you, so I have given preference to the one who was beloved by God's messenger over the one who is loved by me. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

I came to God's messenger and said, "Messenger of God, send my brother Zaid along with me." He replied, "Here he is; if he goes with you, I shall not prevent him." But when Zaid said, "Messenger of God, I swear to God that I choose no one in preference to you," I considered my brother's opinion better than mine. Tirmidhi transmitted it

When God's messenger became very weak[*] the people and I came down to Medina. I went in to visit God's apostle who was tongue-tied and unable to speak: but he was placing his hands on me and raising them, and I recognised that he was invoking a blessing on me. *i.e., during his last illness. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

`A'isha told that once when the Prophet wanted to wipe Usama's nose, she asked to be allowed to do it, and he said, "Love him, `A'isha, for I love him." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Usama told that while he was sitting Ali and al-'Abbas came to ask permission to enter. They told him to ask God's messenger for permission to enter, and he said, "Messenger of God, `Ali and al-`Abbas are asking permission to enter." He asked if he knew what had brought them, and when he replied that he did not, he said, "But I know; give them permission." Then when they entered, they said, "Messenger of God, we have come to ask you which member of your family is dearest to you." On his replying, "Fatima, Muhammad's daughter," they said, "We have not come to ask you about your immediate family," so he said, "The member of my family who is dearest to me is he to whom God has shown favor and to whom I have shown favor, viz. Usama b. Zaid." They asked who came next, and when he replied that it was `Ali b. Abu Talib, al-`Abbas said, "Messenger of God, you have made your paternal uncle the last of them." He replied, "`Ali emigrated before you." Tirmidhi transmitted it. In the book on Zakat it has been mentioned that a man's paternal uncle is of the same stock as his father.

`Uqba b. al-Harith told that after praying the afternoon prayer Abu Bakr went out and walked accompanied by `Ali. He saw al-Hasan playing with the boys, and lifting him on to his shoulder he said, "My father be his ransom! He resembles the Prophet and does not resemble 'Ali." 'Ali was laughing meanwhile. Bukhari transmitted it.

When `Ubaidallah b. Ziyad[*]was brought al-Husain's bead and it was put in a dish, he began to tap [it] and said something about his beauty, so I said, "I swear by God that he was the one of then who most closely resembled God's messenger." He was dyed with indigo. *The governor of Basra who was sent to Kufa to deal with Hussain's movement which ended with his death at Karbala.Bukhari transmitted it.In Tirmidhi's version he said: I was with Ibn Ziyad when al-Husain's head was brought in, and he began to tap on his nose with a wand and say, "I have never seen anyone as good looking as this man." I said, "I assure you that he was one of those who resembled God's messenger most closely." Tirmidhi said this is a sahih hasan gharib tradition.

Umm al-Fadl daughter of al-Harith told that she went in to see God's messenger and said, "Messenger of God, I had an objectionable dream last night." He asked what it was and she replied, "It was terrible." He asked, "But what was it?" and she replied, "I seemed to see a piece of your body cut off and placed in my lap." He said, "You have seen something good. If God will Fatima will give birth to a son who will be in your lap." Fatima then gave birth to al-Husain who was placed in her lap as God's messenger had said. One day she went in to see God's messenger and placed him in his lap. She turned round, and noticing tears falling from God's messenger's eyes she said, "Prophet of God for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom, what is the matter with you?" He replied, "Gabriel came to me and informed me that my people will kill this son of mine." She asked if he really meant this one and he replied, "Yes, and he brought me a piece of red earth[*]." Ibn `Abbas told that one day at midday he saw in a dream the Prophet disheveled and dusty with a bottle containing blood in his hand and said, "You for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom, what is this?" He replied, "This is the blood of al-Husain and his companions which I have been collecting to-day." He told that he was reckoning that time and found that he had been killed at that time. *With reference to the soil made red by the shedding of Hussain's blood.Baihaqi transmitted the two traditions in Dala'il an-nubuwa and Ahmad transmitted the second.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "Love God for the favours with which He provides you, love me because of love of God, and love my family from love of me." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Dharr, while holding the door of the Ka'ba, told that he had heard the Prophet say, "My family among you are like Noah's ark. He who sails on it[*] will be safe, but he who- holds back from it will perish." *A figure of speech for showing love to the Prophet's family.Ahmad transmitted it.

`Ali told that he heard God's messenger say, "The best woman of her time was Mary daughter of `Imran, and the best woman of her time is Khadija daughter of Khuwailid." (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version Abu Kuraib said that Waki pointed to the sky and to the earth[*].*The tradition is usually understood as translated above, but the gesture of Waki suggests that he understood the words to be spoken in Khadija's lifetime and meant Mary was the best in heaven and Khadija the best on earth.

Abu Huraira told that Gabriel came to the Prophet and said, "Messenger of God, here is Khadija who has come bringing a vessel containing condiments and food. When she comes give her a greeting from her Lord and from me, and give her the good news that in paradise she will have a house of brilliant pearls in which there will be no clamour or toil." (Bukhari and Muslim.)