The Book of Virtues

Abu Musa reported that the Prophet was asked about things he disliked. When people pressed him with many questions, he became angry and said, “Ask me whatever you wish.” A man asked, “Who is my father?” He replied, “Your father is Hudhafa.” Another man stood and asked, “O Messenger of Allah, who is my father?” He replied, “Your father is Salim, the freedman of Shaiba.” When Umar saw the anger on the Messenger of Allah face, he said, “O Messenger of Allah, we repent to Allah.” In Abu Kuraib version, the man asks, “O Messenger of Allah, who is my father?” and he replies, “Your father is Salim, the freedman of Shaiba.”

Musa ibn Talha reported: The Messenger of Allah and I passed by people among the palm trees. He asked, “What are they doing?” They said, “They pollinate them by placing the male [pollen] into the female [flowers], so they bear fruit.” The Messenger of Allah said, “I do not think that will help.” They were told this and stopped doing it. When the Messenger of Allah was informed, he said, “If it benefits them, let them do it. I only voiced an opinion, so do not hold me to opinion. But when I tell you something from Allah, then accept it, for I would never lie about Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.”

Rafi ibn Khadij reported that when the Prophet of Allah came to Medina, the people were pollinating the palm trees. He asked, “What are you doing?” They said, “We have always done this.” He said, “Perhaps it would be better for you if you did not do it.” So they stopped, and the crop was ruined—or diminished, the narrator said. They told him, and he replied, “I am only a human being. When I command you about something from your religion, follow it; but when I give you an opinion, I am only a human being.” Ikrima said, “Or something like this.” al-Maqri said, “The crop was ruined,” without expressing uncertainty.

Aisha and Anas reported that the Prophet passed by people pollinating palm trees and said, “If you did not do that, it might be better.” The crop then yielded shriveled fruit. He passed by them again and asked, “What is wrong with your palm trees?” They said, “You told us such-and-such.” He replied, “You know better about the affairs of your worldly life.”

Abu Huraira reported, among the many hadiths he transmitted from the Messenger of Allah, that he said, “By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, a day will surely come upon one of you when you will not see me. Then seeing me will be dearer to him than his family and wealth together.” Abu Ishaq said, “In my view, its meaning is that seeing me with them would be dearer to him than his family and wealth; the word order is, in my view, advanced and delayed.”

Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “A newborn cries when Satan gives him a prick.”

Abu Huraira reported, among the hadiths he transmitted from the Messenger of Allah, that he said: Jesus, son of Mary, saw a man stealing and accused him of stealing. The man denied it, swearing by the One besides whom there is no god. Jesus said that he believed in Allah and disbelieved his own judgment.