The Book of the Merits of the Companions

كتاب فضائل الصحابة رضى الله تعالى عنهم

Chapter 15: The Virtues Of Fatimah (RA), The Daughter Of The Prophet (SAW)

'Ali b. Husain reported that Miswar b. Makhramah informed him that 'Ali b. Abi Talib sent the proposal of marriage to the daughter of Abu Jahl as he had Fatima, the daughter of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), (as his wife). When Fatima heard about it, she came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and said

The people say that you never feel angry on account of your daughters and now 'Ali is going to marry the daughter of Abu Jahl. Makhramah said: Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) rose up and I heard him reciting Tashahhud and say: Now to the point. I gave a daughter of mine (Zainab) to Abu'l-'As b. Rabi, and he spoke to me and spoke the truth. Verily Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, is a part of me and I do not approve that she may be put to any trial and by Allah, the daughter of Allah's Messenger cannot be combined with the daughter of God's enemy (as the co-wives) of one person. Thereupon 'Ali gave up (the idea of his intended) marriage.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters.

'A'isha reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called his daughter Fatima (during his last illness). He said. to her something secretly and she wept. He again said to her something secretly and she laughed. 'A'isha further reported that she said to Fatima

What is that which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to you secretly and you wept and then said to you something secretly and you laughed? Thereupon she said: He informed me secretly of his death and so I wept. He then again informed me secretly that I would be the first amongst the members of his family to follow him and so I laughed.

'A'isha reported

We, the wives of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), were with him (during his last illness) and none was absent therefrom that Fatima, who walked after the style of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), came there, and when he saw her he welcomed her saying: You are welcome, my daughter. He their made her sit on his right side or on his left side. Then he said something secretly to her and she wept bitterly and when he found her (plunged) in grief he said to her something secretly for the second time and she laughed. I ('A'isha) said to her: Allah's Messenger has singled you amongst the women (of the family) for talking (to you something secretly) and you wept. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) recovered from illness, I said to her. What did Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say to you? Thereupon she said: I am not going to disclose the secret of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) died, I said to her: I adjure you by the right that I have upon you that you should narrate to me what Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to you. She said: Yes, now I can do that (so listen to it). When he talked to me secretly for the first time he informed me that Gabirel was in the habit of reciting the Qur'an along with him once or twice every year, but this year it had been twice and so he perceived his death quite near, so fear Allah and be patient (and he told me) that he would be a befitting forerunner for me and so I wept as you saw me. And when he saw me in grief he talked to me secretly for the second time and said: Fatima, are you not pleased that you should be at the head of the believing women or the head of this Umma? I laughed and it was that laughter which you saw.

`A'isha reported that all the wives of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) had gathered (in her apartment) during the days of his (Prophet's) last illness and no woman was left behind that Fatima, who walked after the style of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), came there. He welcomed her by saying

You are welcome, my daughter, and made her sit on his right side or on his left side, and then talked something secretly to her and Fatima wept. Then he talked something secretly to her and she laughed. I said to her: What makes you weep? She said: I am not going to divulge the secret of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). I (`A'isha) said: I have not seen (anything happening) like today, the happiness being more close to grief (as I see today) when she wept. I said to her: Has Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) singled you out for saying something leaving us aside? She then wept and I asked her what he said, and she said: I am not going to divulge the secrets of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). And when he died I again asked her and she said that he (the Holy Prophet) told her: Gabriel used to recite the Qur'an to me once a year and for this year it was twice and so I perceived that my death had drawn near, and that I (Fatima) would be the first amongst the members of his family who would meet him (in the Hereafter). He shall be my good forerunner and it made me weep. He again talked to me secretly (saying): Aren't you pleased that you should be the sovereign amongst the believing women or the head of women of this Ummah? And this made me laugh.

Chapter 16: The Virtues Of Umm Salamah, The Mother Of The Believers (RA)

Salman reported

In case it lies in your power don't be one to enter the bazar first and the last to get out of that because there is a bustle and the standard of Satan is set there. He said: I was informed that Gabriel (Allah be pleased with him) came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and there was with him Umin Salama and he began to talk with him. He then stood up, whereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said to Umm Salama: (Do you know) who was he and what did he say? She said: He was Dihya (Kalbi). He reported Umm Salama having said: By Allah, I did not deem him but only he (Dihya) until I heard the address of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) informing him about us. He (the narrator) said: I said to Uthman: From whom did you hear it? He said: From Usima b. Zaid.

Chapter 17: The Virtues Of Zainab, The Mother Of The Believers (RA)

'A'isha, the Mother of the Faithful, reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

One who has the longest hands amongst you would meet me most immediately. She farther said: They (the wives of Allah's Apostle) used to measure the hands as to whose hand was the longest and it was the hand of Zainab that was the longest amongst them, as she used to work with her hand and Spend (that income) on charity.

Chapter 18: The Virtues Of Umm Ayman (RA)

Anas reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went to Umm Aiman and I went along with him and she served him a drink in a vessel and he reported that the narrator said

I do not know whether it was because of the fasting (or for any other reason) that he (the Holy Prophet) refused to accept that. She raised her voice and showed annoyance to him.

Anas reported that after the death of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) Abu Bakr said to 'Umar

Let us visit Umm Aiman as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to visit her. As we came to her, she wept. They (Abu Bakr and Umar) said to her: What makes you weep? What is in store (in the next world) for Allah's-Messenger (ﷺ) is better than (this worldly life). She said: I weep not because I am ignorant of the fact that what is in store for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (in the next world) is better than (this world), but I weep because the revelation which came from the Heaven has ceased to come. This moved both of them to tears and they began to weep along with her.

Chapter 19: The Virtues Of Umm Sulaim, The Mother Of Anas Bin Malik, And Bilal (RA)

Anas reported that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) did not enter the house of any woman except that of his wives and that of Umm Sulaim. He used to visit her. It was said to him why it was so, whereupon he said

I feel great compassion for her. Her brother was killed while he was with me.

Anas reported that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said

I entered Paradise and heard the noise of steps. I said: Who is it? They said: She is Ghumaisa, daughter of Milhan, the mother of Anas b. Malik.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

I was shown Paradise and I saw the wife of Abu Talha (i.e. Umm Sulaim) and I heard the noise of steps before me and, lo, it was that of Bilal.

Chapter 20: The Virtues Of Abu Talhah Al-Ansari (RA)

Anas reported that the son of Abu Talba who was born of Umm Sulaim died. She (Umm Sulaim) said to the members of her family

Do not narrate to Abu Talha about his son until I narrate it to him. Abu Talha came (home) ; she presented to him the supper. He took it and drank water. She then embellished herself which she did not do before. He (Abu Talha) had a sexual intercourse with her and when she saw that he was satisfied after sexual intercourse with her, she said: Abu Talha, if some people borrow something from another family and then (the members of the family) ask for its return, would they resist its return? He said: No. She said: I inform you about the death of your son. He was annoyed, and said: You did not inform me until I had a sexual intercourse with you and you later on gave me information about my son. He went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and informed him what had happened. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: May Allah bless both of you in the night spent by you! He (the narrator) said: She became pregnant. Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) was in the course of a journey and she was along with him and when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came back to Medina from the journey he did not enter (his house) (during the night). When the people came near Medina, she felt the pangs of delivery. He (Abu Talha) remained with her and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) proceeded on. Abu Talha said: O Lord, you know that I love to go along with Allah's Messenger when he goes out and enter along with him when he enters and I have been detained as Thou seest. Umm Sulaim said: Abu Talha, I do not feel (so much pain) as I was feeling formerly, so better proceed on. So we proceeded on and she felt the pangs of delivery as they reached (Medina) and a child was born and my mother said to me: Anas, none should suckle him until you go to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) tomorrow morning. And when it was morning I carried him (the child) and went along with him to Allah's Messenger (may peace beupon him). He said: I saw that he had in his hand the instrument for the cauterisation of the camels. When he saw me. he said: This is, perhaps, what Umm Sulaim has given birth to. I said: Yes. He laid down that instrument on the ground. I brought that child to him and placed it in his lap and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked Ajwa dates of Medina to be brought and softened them in his month. When these had become palatable he placed them in the mouth of that child. The child began to taste them. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: See what love the Ansar have for dates. He then wiped his face and named him 'Abdullah.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik through another chain of transmitters.

Chapter 21: The Virtues Of Bilal (RA)

Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to Bilal

Bilal, narrate to me which act at the time of morning prayer you did in Islam for which you hope to receive good reward, for I heard during the night the sound of your steps before me in Paradise. Bilal said: I did not do any act in Islam for which I hope to get any benefit but this that when I perform complete ablution during the night or day I observe prayer with that purification what Allah has ordained for me to pray.

Chapter 22: The Virtues Of 'Abdullah Bin Mas'ud And His Mother (RA)

Abdullah reported that when this verse was revealed

" There is no harm on persons who believe and perform good acts, what they had eaten (formerly) when they avoided it (now) and they affirmed their faith" (v. 93) up to the end. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me: You are one amongst them.

Abu Musa reported

When I and my brother came from Yemen we used to consider Ibn Mas'ud and his mother amongst the members of the household. of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) because of their visiting them frequently and staying there for long (periods of) time.

The above hadith is narrated likewise through another chain of transmitters.

Abu Musa. reported

I came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and thought that 'Abdullah was amongst the members of the family, or like that.

Abu Ishaq reported that he heard Abu'l-Ahwas say

I was along with Abu Musa and Abu Mas'ud as Ibn Mas'ud died and one of them said to the other: Do you find one like him besides him? Thereupon he said: Do you say this (no one can be his rival)? He was admitted (to the company of the Holy Prophet) whereas we were detained and he had been present in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) whereas we had been absent.