Fine Qualities

I was not so jealous of any of the Prophet's wives as I was of Khadija. I never saw her, but he frequently mentioned her, and he would often kill a sheep, cut it in pieces and send, them round among Khadija's friends. I often said to him, "It seems as if Khadija was the only woman in the world," and he replied, "She was indeed a fine woman, and I had children from her." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Salama told that `A'isha informed him that once when God's messenger said, "Gabriel is here, A'ish[*], and is giving you a greeting," she replied, "And upon him be peace and God's mercy," adding that he used to see what she could not. *This is the form of the name used on this occasion.(Bukhari and Muslim.)

God's messenger told me he had been shown me in a dream three nights brought in a silk cloth by an angel who said 1 to him, "This is your wife." He said, "When the garment was removed from your face it was you yourself, so I said, `If this is from God let Him carry it out'." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She told that the people used to choose `A'isha's day to bring their gifts, seeking thereby to please God's messenger. She said that God's messenger's wives were in two parties, one including `A'isha, Hafsa, Safiya, and Sauda, and the other including Umm Salama and the rest of God's messenger's wives Umm Salama's party spoke to her telling her to ask God's messenger to say to the people, "If anyone wishes to make a present to God's messenger, let him present it to him wherever he happens to be." She did so and he replied, "Do not annoy me regarding `A'isha, for inspiration has not some to me when I was in any woman's garment but `A'isha's." She said, "I repent to God of annoying you, messenger of God." They then called Fatima, sent her to God's messenger, and she spoke to him, but he replied, "Do you not like what I like, girlie?" She said, "Certainly," so he said; "Then love this woman[*]."*i.e., Aisha.(Bukhari and Muslim.)The tradition of Anas, "`A'isha's superiority over women..." has been mentioned in the chapter on the beginning of creation on Aba Musa's authority.

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, "Among the women of the universe Mary daughter of `Imran, Khadija daughter of Khuwailid, Fatima daughter of Muhammad and Asiya wife of Pharaoh are enough for you[*]." *i.e., examples to be followed.Tirmidhi transmitted it.

`A'isha told that Gabriel brought a picture of her on a piece of green silk to God's messenger and said, "This is your wife in this world and the next.' Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas told that when Safiya heard Hafsa had called her a Jew's daughter she wept. God's messenger came in where she was while she was weeping and asked her what was making her weep, and when she told him Hafsa had called her a Jew's daughter the Prophet said, "You are a prophet's daughter, your paternal uncle[*] was a prophet, and you are married to a prophet, so what has she to boast of over you?" He then said, "Fear God, Hafsa." *Mirqat, 5:615, indicates that there is a difference of opinion as to whether this means Ishmael or Moses.Tirmidhi and Nasa'i transmitted it.

Umm Salama told that in the year of the Conquest God's messenger called Fatima and spoke privately to her and she wept; he then spoke to her and she laughed. When God's messenger died, she asked her about her weeping and her laughing and she replied, "God's messenger informed me that he was going to die, so I wept; he then informed me that, with the exception of Mary daughter of 'Imran, I would be the chief lady among the inhabitants of paradise, so I laughed." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

We, God's messenger's companions, never asked `A 'isha about a tradition regarding which we were in doubt without finding that she had some knowledge of it. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

Musa b. Talha said he had seen no one whose speech was more chaste than `A'isha's. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

In a dream I seemed to see a piece of silk in my hand, and I did not make for any place in paradise without it flying there with me. I told Hafsa of it, and when she told the Prophet he said, "Your brother is a good man," or, "`Abdallah is a good man." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

The one who most closely resembled God's messenger in deportment, manner of life and conduct was Ibn Umm `Abd[*] from the time he came out of his house till he returned to it, but we did not know how he treated his family when he was alone with them. *i.e., Abdallah b. Masud.Bukhari transmitted it.

My brother and I came from the Yemen and for quite a time we had no idea that `Abdallah b. Mas'ud was other than a member of the Prophet's family because of seeing how frequently he and his mother went in to visit the Prophet. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`Abdallah b. Mas'ud, Salim client of Abu Hudhaifa, Ubayy b. K a`b and Mu'adh b. Jabal." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I went to Damascus, and when I had prayed two rak'as I asked God to provide me with a good companion. I then came to some people and sat with them, and an old man came and sat down beside me. When I had asked who was he and was told that he was Abud Darda' I said, "I asked God to provide me with a good companion and He has provided me with you." He asked me who I was, and when I told him I belonged to al-Kufa he said, "Do you not have among you Ibn Umm `Abd who looked after the sandals, cushion and ablution i.e., vessel[1], and the one whom God protected from the devil at the tongue of his Prophet (meaning `Ammar[2])? And do you not have among you the one who was entrusted with the Prophet's secrets which no one but he knew" (meaning Hudhaifa[3])? 1. The suggestion lying behind the words is that one who was in close attendance on the Prophet must have had opportunities of becoming well-versed in fiqh. 2. 'Ammar b. Yasir, who was sent to Kufa by 'Umar in 21 A.H. The meaning is that the Prophet prayed God to protect him from the devil. 3. Hudhaifa b. al-Yaman. Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir reported God's messenger as saying, "I was shown paradise and saw the wife of Abu Talha and I heard a rustling in front of me, and there was Bilal." Muslim transmitted it.

When six of us were with the Prophet the polytheists said to him, "Drive these people away and let them not have the audacity to address us[1]." I was present, also Ibn Mas'ud, a man of Hudhail, Bilal, and two men whose names I cannot remember. Then what God willed occurred to God's messenger's mind and he thought about it. God most high then sent down, "Do not drive away those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His face[2]."1. They were clients and poor people despised by Quraish who refused to listen to the Prophet unless he sent them away. 2. i.e., His good pleasure. Quran, 6:52. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Musa told that the Prophet said to him, "You have been given one of the pipes of David[*], Abu Musa." *Literally, "of the family of David." The meaning is that he has a fine voice which bears some resemblance to David's in quality. Bukhari and Muslim.

Ubayy b. Ka'b, Mu'adh b. Jabal, Zaid b. Thabit and Abu Zaid. Anas was asked who Abu Zaid was and replied that he was one of his paternal uncles[*]. *Ibn `Abd al-Barr, Isti'ab, p. 650, says he was Qais b. as-Sakan. Bukhari and Muslim.

We emigrated along with God's messenger seeking the face of God most high, so our reward will come from God. Some of us have passed away not enjoying any of their reward[1],'Abdallah b. Mas'ud among whom was Mus'ab b. `Umair who was killed at the battle of Uhud, for whom only a coarse cloth could be found as a shroud. When we covered his head, his feet appeared and when we covered his feet his head appeared, so the Prophet said, "Cover his head and put some rushes over his feet." Among us there were some for whom their fruit flourished, and they were plucking it[2]. i.e., their reward in this world. Others lived long enough to enjoy worldly prosperity. (Bukhari and Muslim.)