The Book of Miscellany
كتاب المقدمات
Chapter 3: Patience and Perseverance
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Let not one of you wish for death because of a misfortune which befalls him. If he cannot help doing so, he should say: 'O Allah, keep me alive as long as You know that life is better for me, and make me die when death is better for me".[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].
We complained to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) regarding the persecution inflicted upon us by the disbelievers while he was lying in the shade of the Ka'bah, having made a pillow of his cloak. We submitted: "Why do you not supplicate for our prevalence (over the opponents)?". He (ﷺ) replied, "Among those people before you, a man would be seized and held in a pit dug for him in the ground and he would be sawed into two halves from his head, and his flesh torn away from his bones with an iron comb; but, in spite of this, he would not wean away from his Faith. By Allah, Allah will bring this matter to its consummation until a rider will travel from San'a' to Hadramout fearing none except Allah, and except the wolf for his sheep, but you are in too much of a hurry".[Al-Bukhari].
After the battle of Hunain, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) favoured some people in the distribution of spoils (for consolation). He gave Al-Aqra' bin Habis and 'Uyainah bin Hisn a hundred camels each and showed favour also to some more honourable persons among the Arabs. Someone said: "This division is not based on justice and it was not intended to win the Pleasure of Allah." I said to myself: "By Allah! I will inform Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) of this." I went to him and informed him. His face became red and he said, "Who will do justice if Allah and His Messenger do not?" Then he said, "May Allah have mercy on (Prophet) Musa (Moses); he was caused more distress than this but he remained patient." Having heard this I said to myself: "I shall never convey anything of this kind to him in future".[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When Allah intends good for His slave, He punishes him in this world, but when He intends an evil for His slave, He does not hasten to take him to task but calls him to account on the Day of Resurrection."[At-Tirmidhi, who categorised it as Hadith Hasan].
One of the sons of Abu Talhah (May Allah be pleased with him) was ailing. Abu Talhah went out and the boy died in his absence. When he came back, he inquired, "How is the boy?". Umm Sulaim, the mother of the boy, replied, "Better than before". Then she placed his evening meal before him and he ate it; and thereafter slept with her. At last, she said to him: "Arrange for the burial of the boy". In the morning, Abu Talhah went to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and informed him of the event. He enquired, "Did you sleep together last night?" Abu Talhah replied in the affirmative, on which the Prophet (ﷺ) supplicated, "O Allah bless them." Thereafter, she gave birth to a boy. Abu Talhah said to me: "Take up the boy and carry him to the Prophet (ﷺ)"; and he sent some dates with him. The Prophet (ﷺ) enquired, "Is there anything with him?" He said; "Yes, some dates". The Prophet (ﷺ) took a date, chewed it and put it in the mouth of the baby and rubbed the chewed date around the baby's gum and named him 'Abdullah.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].The narration in Bukhari adds: Ibn 'Uyainah relates that a man from the Ansar told him that he had seen nine sons of this 'Abdullah, every one of whom had committed the Noble Qur'an to memory.The narration of Muslim says: The son of Abu Talhah (May Allah be pleased with him) who was born of Umm Sulaim died. She (Umm Sulaim) said to the members of the family: "Do not tell Abu Talhah about his son until I mention it to him myself." Abu Talhah came (home) and she gave him supper. He ate and drank. She then beautified herself the best way she ever did and he slept with her. When she saw that he was satisfied after sexual intercourse with her, she said, "O Abu Talhah! If some people borrow something from another family and then (the members of the family) ask for its return, would they refuse to give it back to them." He said, "No". She said, "Then hope reward for your son". Abu Talhah got angry, and said; "You left me uninformed until I stained myself (with sexual intercourse) and then you told me about my son. "He went to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and informed him about the matter. Thereupon Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "May Allah bless the night you spent together!" He (the narrator) said: She conceived. (One day) Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was in the course of a journey and she was along with him. When Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to come back to Al-Madinah from a journey, he would not enter it (during the night). When the people came near Al- Madinah, she felt labour pains. He (Abu Talhah) remained with her and Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) proceeded on. Abu Talhah said: "O Rubb, You know that I love to go along with Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he goes out and enter along with him when he enters, and I have been detained as You see." Umm Sulaim then said: "O Abu Talhah, I do not feel (so much pain) as I was feeling earlier, so we better proceed on. So we proceeded on and she felt the labour of delivery as they reached (Al-Madinah). She gave birth to a male child. My mother said to me: "O Anas, none should suckle him until you go to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) tomorrow morning." The next morning I carried the baby with me to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and narrated the rest of the story.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The strong man is not one who is good at wrestling, but the strong man is one who controls himself in a fit of rage."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
I was sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) when two men began to quarrel and curse each other and the face of one of them turned red and the veins of his neck were swollen (from rage). Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I know of a word, if he were to utter that, his rage would vanish and that is: A'udhu billahi minash-Shaitan nir-rajim (I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed)." So they (Companions) said to him: "The Prophet (ﷺ) tells you to utter: 'I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed".[Al-Bukhariand Muslim].
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The one who suppresses anger and has the power to give effect to it, will be called out by Allah, the Exalted, to the forefront of the creatures on the Day of Resurrection and he will be asked to choose any of the virgins (Hur) of his liking".[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi, who categorised it as Hadith Hasan].
A man asked the Prophet (ﷺ) for an advice and he (ﷺ) said, "Do not get angry". The man repeated that several times and he replied, "Do not get angry".[Al-Bukhari].
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A Muslim, male or female, continues to remain under trial in respect of his life, property and offspring until he faces Allah, the Exalted, with no sin record".[At- Tirmidhi, who categorised it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].
'Uyainah bin Hisn came to Al-Madinah and stayed with his nephew Hurr bin Qais who was among those whom Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) showed favour to. The knowledgeable people (Qurra'), whether they were old or young, had the privilege of joining Umar's council and he used to consult them. 'Uyainah said to Hurr: "My nephew, the Leader of the Believers shows favour to you. Will you obtain permission for me to sit with him?" Hurr asked 'Umar and he accorded permission. When 'Uyainah came into the presence of 'Umar, he addressed him thus: "O son of Khattab, you neither bestow much on us nor deal with us justly." 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) got angry and was about to beat him up when Hurr said: ''O Leader of the Believers, Allah said to His Prophet (ﷺ): ' Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish (i.e., don't punish them).' (7:199) This one is from the ignorants. When Hurr recited this, 'Umar became quite motionless in his seat. He always adhered strictly to the Book of Allah.[Al-Bukhari].
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "You will see after me favouritism and things which you will disapprove of." They submitted: "What do you order us to do (under such circumstances)?" He replied, "Discharge your obligations and ask your rights from Allah".[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
A person from among the Ansar said, "O Messenger of Allah! You appointed such and such person and why do you not appoint me?" Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "After me you will see others given preference to you, but you should remain patient till you meet me at the Haud (Al- Kauthar in Jannah)".[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at one time when he confronted the enemy, and was waiting for the sun to set, stood up and said, "O people! Do not long for encountering the enemy and supplicate to Allah to grant you security. But when you face the enemy, show patience and steadfastness; and keep it in mind that Jannah lies under the shade of the swords." Then he invoked Allah, saying, "O Allah, Revealer of the Book, Disperser of the clouds, Defeater of the Confederates, put our enemy to rout and help us in over-powering them".[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].
Chapter 4: Truthfulness
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Truth leads to piety and piety leads to Jannah. A man persists in speaking the truth till he is enrolled with Allah as a truthful. Falsehood leads to vice and vice leads to the Fire (Hell), and a person persists on telling lies until he is enrolled as a liar".'[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
I remember (these words) from Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Give up what is doubtful to you for that which is not doubtful; for truth is peace of mind and falsehood is doubt".[At- Tirmidhi, who categorised it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].
He (ﷺ) told (us): "Worship Allah Alone and do not associate a thing with Him; and give up all that your ancestors said. "He also commands us to perform Salat (prayers), to speak the truth, to observe modesty and to strengthen the ties of kinship.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "He who asks Allah for martyrdom, Allah will raise him to the high status of the martyrs, even if he dies on his bed".[Muslim].
"One of the earlier Prophets who was out on an expedition proclaimed among his people that no man should follow him who had married a woman with whom he wished to cohabit but had not yet done so, or who had built houses on which he had not yet put the roofs, or who had bought sheep or pregnant she-camels and was expecting them to produce young. He, then, went on the expedition and approached the town at the time of the 'Asr prayer or little before it. He then told the sun that both it and he were under command and prayed Allah to hold it back for them, so it was held back till Allah gave him victory. He collected the spoils and it (meaning fire) came to devour these, but did not. He said that among the people there was a man who stole from the booty. He told them that a man from every tribe must swear allegiance to him, and when a man's hand stuck to his, he said: "There is thief among you and every individual of your tribe must swear allegiance to me". (In course of swearing of allegiance,) hands of two or three persons stuck to his hand. He said: "The thief is among you". They brought him a head of gold like a cow's head and when he laid it down, the fire came and devoured the spoils. Spoils were not allowed to anyone before us, then Allah allowed spoils to us as He saw our weakness and incapacity and allowed them to us".[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Both parties in a business transaction have a right to annul it so long as they have not separated; and if they tell the truth and make everything clear to each other (i.e., the seller and the buyer speak the truth, the seller with regard to what is purchased, and the buyer with regard to the money) they will be blessed in their transaction, but if they conceal anything and lie, the blessing on their transaction will be eliminated."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].