Sunan an-Nasa'i 3349

Ali ibn Hujr ibn Iyas ibn Muqatil ibn Mushamrikh ibn Khalid reported to us; he said: Isma'il ibn Ibrahim narrated to us, from Ayyub, Ibn Awn, Salamah ibn Alqamah, and Hisham ibn Hassan—their reports are interwoven—from Muhammad ibn Sirin. Salamah’s version says that Muhammad ibn Sirin was informed from Abu al-Ajfa; the others transmit from Muhammad ibn Sirin, from Abu al-Ajfa. Abu al-Ajfa said: Umar ibn al-Khattab said: ‘Do not be excessive in women’s bridal dowers. If a high dower were an honor in this world or a mark of piety before Allah, Mighty and Exalted, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would have been most entitled to it. The Messenger of Allah did not give any of his wives, nor was any of his daughters given, more than twelve uqiyyahs. A man may make his wife’s dower so burdensome that resentment toward her takes root in him, until he says, “I have been made to bear for your sake even the waterskin’s hanging strap.” I was a young Arab raised among settled people, and I did not know what “the waterskin’s hanging strap” meant.’ He continued: ‘Another thing you say about those killed in your campaigns or who die is, “So-and-so was killed as a martyr,” or “So-and-so died a martyr.” Yet he may have loaded his mount with gold or silver while seeking trade. So do not say that; say instead what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever is killed in Allah’s cause or dies is in Paradise.”’