The Creed

Al-Mughīrah ibn Shu‘bah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If I saw a man with my wife, I would strike him with my bare sword." That statement reached the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), who said: "Are you astonished at the jealousy of Sa‘d? I swear by Allah, I am more jealous than him, and Allah is more jealous than me. Because of His jealousy, Allah has prohibited immorality, the apparent and the hidden thereof. There is no (Shakhs) one who is more jealous than Allah, and no (Shakhs) one loves warning more than Allah. That is why Allah sent the messengers as bearers of glad tidings and as warners. No (Shakhs) one loves to be praised more than Allah, and for that reason Allah has promised Paradise."

Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "None, or nothing, is more patient about the offensive statements he hears than Allah. Verily, they ascribe a son to Him, yet He still grants them good health and sustenance.”

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We said: "O Messenger of Allah, shall we see our Lord on the Day of Judgment?" He said: "Do you have any difficulty in seeing the sun and the moon when the sky is clear?" We said: 'No.' He said: "So you will have no difficulty in seeing your Lord on that Day as you have no difficulty in seeing them (the sun and the moon in a clear sky)." He then said: "Somebody will then announce: 'Let every nation follow what they used to worship.' So the followers of the cross will go with their cross, and the idolaters will go with their idols, and the followers of every false deity will go with their deity, until those who used to worship Allah, both the pious and the sinful, and some of the People of the Book remain. Then Hell will be presented to them as if it were a mirage. It will be said to the Jews: 'What did you use to worship?' They will reply: 'We used to worship ‘Uzayr (Ezra), the son of Allah.' It will be said to them: 'You are liars, for Allah has neither a wife nor a son. So what do you want?' They will reply: 'We want You to provide us with water.' It will be said to them: 'Drink, and they will fall down in Hell (instead).' Then it will be said to the Christians: 'What did you use to worship?' They will reply: 'We used to worship the Messiah, the son of Allah.' It will be said: 'You are liars, for Allah has neither a wife nor a son. So what do you want?' They will say: 'We want You to provide us with water.' It will be said to them: 'Drink, and they will fall down in Hell (instead).' When only those who used to worship Allah, both the pious and the sinful ones, remain, it will be said to them: 'What keeps you here when all the people have gone?' They will say: 'We parted with them (in the world) when we were in greater need of them than we are today. We heard the call of one proclaiming, 'Let every nation follow what they used to worship', and now we are waiting for our Lord.' Then the Almighty will come to them in a form other than the one in which they saw Him the first time, and He will say: 'I am your Lord,' and they will say: 'You are our Lord.' None will speak to Him then but the prophets, and then it will be said to them: 'Do you know any sign by which you can recognize Him?' They will say: 'The Shin,' and so Allah will uncover His Shin, whereupon every believer will prostrate before Him, and there those who used to prostrate before Him just for showing off and for gaining good reputation will remain. These people will try to prostrate, but their backs will be rigid, like a piece of wood (and they will not be able to prostrate). Then the Sirāt will be laid across Hell." We, the Companions of the Prophet, said: "O Messenger of Allah, what is the Sirāt?" He said: "It is a slippery (bridge) on which there are clamps and hooks like a thorny seed that is wide at one side and has thorns with bent ends. Such a thorny seed is found in Najd and is called As-Sa‘dān. Some of the believers will cross the Sirāt as quickly as the wink of an eye, others as quickly as lightning, as a strong wind, and as fast horses and riding camels. So some will be safe without any harm, some will become safe after having received some scratches, and some will fall down into Hell. The last person will cross by being dragged (over the bridge). You (Muslims) cannot be more pressing in claiming a right that has been clearly proved to be yours from me than the believers in interceding with the Almighty for their (Muslim) brothers on that Day, when they see themselves safe. They will say: 'O Allah, (save) our brothers (for they) used to pray with us, fast with us, and do good deeds with us.' Allah will say: 'Go and take out (of Hell) anyone in whose heart you find faith equal to the weight of a dinar.' Allah will forbid the Fire to burn the faces of those sinners. They will go to them and find some of them in the fire of Hell up to their feet, and some up to the middle of their legs. So they will take out those whom they will recognize and then return, and Allah will say (to them): 'Go and take out (of Hell) anyone in whose heart you find faith equal to the weight of half a dinar.' They will take out whomever they will recognize and return, and then Allah will say: 'Go and take out (of Hell) anyone in whose heart you find faith equal to the weight of an atom,' and so they will take out all those whom they will recognize.' If you do not believe me then read the noble verse: {Surely, Allah wrongs not even of the weight of an atom (or a smallest ant) but if there is any good (done) He doubles it.} [Sūrat An-Nisā: 40]" The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) added: "The prophets and angels and the believers will intercede, and then the Almighty will say: 'Now remains My Intercession.' He will then hold a handful of the Fire from which He will take out some people whose bodies have been charred, and they will be thrown into a river at the entrance of Paradise called the water of life. They will grow on its banks just as a seed carried by the torrent grows. You have noticed how it grows beside a rock or beside a tree and how the side facing the sun is green while the side facing the shade is white. Those people will come out (of the River of Life) like pearls, and they will have seals on their necks, and then they will enter Paradise, whereupon the people of Paradise will say: 'These are the people emancipated by the Most Merciful. He has admitted them into Paradise without them having done any good deeds and without sending forth any good (for themselves).' Then it will be said to them: 'For you is what you have seen and its equivalent as well.'"

Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah creates every maker and what he makes."

Abu Ramthah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he said to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): "Show me this thing on your back (to treat it), for I am a physician." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "Allah is the Physician. You are only a kind man. The one who heals it is the One who created it.”

Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr reported: I said to Ibn ‘Abbās: "Nawf al-Bakāli claims that Mūsa is not the Mūsa of the Children of Israel; that he is a different Mūsa." He said: "The enemy of Allah has lied. Ubay ibn Ka‘b reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Mūsa stood to deliver a speech before the Children of Israel and the people asked him: ‘Who is the most learned person among the people?’ Mūsa replied: ‘I am.’ Allah rebuked him because he did not attribute the knowledge to Him. So Allah revealed to him: ‘At the junction of the two seas, there is a servant of Ours who is more learned than you.’ Mūsa asked: ‘O my Lord, how can I meet him?’ Allah said: ‘Take a fish and put it in a basket and then set out, and where you lose the fish, you will find him.’ So he set out along with his boy-servant Yūsha‘ ibn Nūn, and they carried a fish inside a large basket until they reached a rock (on which) they both laid their heads down and slept. The fish snuck out of the basket and slipped off through the sea. Mūsa and his boy-servant were astonished. They continued on through the rest of the night and day, and the next morning Mūsa said to his boy-servant: ‘Bring us our meal; truly, we have suffered much fatigue on this journey.’ Mūsa did not feel tired until he had passed the place that Allah had told him to look for. His boy-servant then said to him: ‘Do you remember when we rested on the rock? Well, I forgot all about the fish; and it was none other than the devil who made me forget.’ Mūsa said: ‘That was what we have been looking for,’ so they returned, retracing their footsteps. When they reached the rock, they found a man shrouded with a robe. Mūsa greeted him with the greeting of peace. Al-Khidr said: ‘Is there (such a greeting of) peace in your land?’ Mūsa said: ‘I am Mūsa.’ He said: ‘Are you the Mūsa of the Children of Israel?’ Mūsa said: ‘Yes,’ and added: ‘May I follow you so you can teach me something of the guidance that you have been taught?’ Al-Khidr said: ‘You will not be able to have patience with me. O Mūsa. I have some of Allah's knowledge, which He has bestowed upon me that you do not know, and you too, have some of Allah's knowledge, which He has bestowed upon you that I do not know.’ Mūsa said: ‘If Allah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you.’ So they set out walking along the shore, until a boat passed by and they asked the crew to let them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khidr and allowed them on board free of charge. A bird came and perched on the edge of the boat and pecked in the sea once or twice. Al-Khidr said: ‘My knowledge and your knowledge compared to Allah's knowledge are like the pecking of that bird in the sea.’ Al-Khidr then broke one of the boat's panels and pulled it out. Mūsa said to him: ‘These people gave us a free ride, yet you have broken their boat so its people will drown!’ Al-Khidr said: ‘Did I not say that you would not be able to have patience with me?’ Mūsa said: ‘Call me not to account for what I forgot and be not hard upon me in my affairs.’ So Mūsa’s first questioning was due to forgetfulness. They both continued on and came upon a boy playing with some other boys. Al-Khidr took hold of the boy's head and pulled it right off with his hands, killing him. Mūsa said to him: ‘Have you killed an innocent soul without a right?’ He said: ‘Did I not say to you that you would not be able to have patience with me?’ Ibn ‘Uyaynah said: ‘And this was more assertive.’ They continued on until they came to a town and they asked the people for some food, but they refused to entertain them. They found a wall in the town that was on the point of falling down. Al-Khidr set it straight with his own hands. Mūsa said: ‘If you had wished, surely, you could have asked for wages for that!’ He said: "This is the parting between you and me.’" The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah have mercy on Mūsa! If only he had had more patience so Allah could have told us more about them both!"

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) sent to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from Yemen a piece of gold, that still had some of its dirt on it, in a tanned leather pouch. He said: He distributed it among four men: ‘Uyaynah ibn Badr, Aqra‘ ibn Hābis, Zayd al-Khayl, and the fourth one was either ‘Alqamah or ‘Āmir ibn at-Tufayl. A man from among his Companions said: We were more entitled to this than those. He said: This reached the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who said: "Do you not trust me, whereas I am the trustee of the One Who is in the heavens? News from the heavens comes to me morning and evening." He said: Then a man with sunken eyes, prominent cheeks, an elevated forehead, a thick beard, a shaven head, and his lower garment tucked up stood up and said: O Messenger of Allah, fear Allah. He said: "Woe to you! Am I not the worthiest among the people of the earth to fear Allah?" He said: Then the man left. Khālid ibn al-Walīd said: O Messenger of Allah, should I not strike his neck? He said: "No, perhaps he observes the prayer." Khālid said: And how many are those who pray, saying with their tongues what is not in their hearts. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I have not been commanded to pierce people's hearts or to split their bellies." He said: Then he looked at him as he was going away and said: "From the offspring of this man will emerge a people who recite the Book of Allah with fresh voices, yet it will not go beyond their throats. They will depart from the religion as an arrow passes through its target." And I believe he said: "If I live to see them, I will certainly kill them as the people of Thamūd were killed."

Abu Yunus Sulaym ibn Jubayr, the freed slave of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), reported: I heard Abu Hurayrah recite this verse: {Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing} [Sūrat An-Nisā': 58]. He said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) put his thumb on his ear and the finger next to it on his eye." Abu Hurayrah said : "I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reciting it (this verse) and putting his two fingers."

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The Hellfire will keep on saying: Are there anymore (to come), until the Lord of Honor puts His Foot therein. It will then say: I had enough! I had enough! [I swear] by Your Honor, and its sides will come together and it will retreat.”

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Paradise and Hell argued with one another. Hell said: ‘I have been assigned the arrogant and the tyrants.’ Paradise said: ‘Why is it that only the weak, the insignificant, and the simple enter me?’ Allah said to Paradise: ‘You are My Mercy by means of which I have mercy upon whomever I wish of My slaves.’ And He said to Hell: ‘You are My torment by means of which I torment whomever I wish of My slaves. Each of you will have its fill.’ As for Hell, it will not be filled until Allah, Blessed and Exalted, puts His Foot. It will say: ‘Enough, enough, enough!’ It will thus be filled, and its parts will come closer to each other. Indeed, Allah does not do injustice to any of His creatures. As for Paradise, Allah will create for it new creation (to fill it).”

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah Almighty will say to the one receiving the least torment in Hellfire: 'If everything on earth was yours, would you ransom yourself with it?' He will say: 'Yes.' He will say: 'I had asked you for something easier than that when you were in the backbone of Adam: not to associate partners with Me, but you insisted on associating partners with Me.'"

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Adam and Mūsa debated with each other. Mūsa said to Adam: 'O Adam, you are our father. You did us harm and caused us to get out of Paradise.' Adam said to him: 'O Mūsa, Allah favored you with His talk (talked to you directly) and He wrote (the Torah) for you with His Own Hand. Do you blame me for an action which Allah had decreed on me forty years before He created me?' So Adam confuted Mūsa, Adam confuted Mūsa."

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I was told about a Hadīth from a man who heard it from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So I bought a camel, prepared my baggage, and traveled for a month to reach him. I arrived at the Levant and found ‘Abdullāh ibn Unays. I said to the doorkeeper: "Tell him Jābir is at the door." He asked: "Ibn Abdullāh?" I said: ‘Yes.’ Unays came out, holding onto his garment and hugged me, and I hugged him too. I said: "I learnt that you heard a Hadīth about recompense from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and I was worried that you would die or I would die before hearing the Hadīth." So he said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying: 'People – or he said slaves - will be gathered on the Day of Judgment naked and uncircumcised, and having nothing.'" He continued: "Then they will be summoned by a voice that is heard from far and near: ‘I am the King, I am the Recompenser, and none of the people of Hell will enter Hell with a right over one of the people of Paradise until I settle his right. And none of the people of Paradise will enter Paradise owing a right to one of the people of Hell, until I offset his right, even if it was a slap (on the face).'" We said: “How could that be, when we come to Allah naked, uncircumcised and having nothing with us?” he said: “By the good and bad deeds."

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, the lowest position of one of you in Paradise is that He will say to him: Wish, and he will wish and wish. Then He will say to him: Did you wish? And he will say: Yes. Then He will say to him: For you is what you wished, and the like of it along with it."

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah Almighty will say to the dwellers of Paradise: 'O people of Paradise!' They will reply: 'O our Lord, we present ourselves and are at Your pleasure.' He will say: ‘Are you contented?’ They will say: 'How could we not be contented, O Lord, when You have given us what You have not given to any of Your creation?' He will say: 'I shall give you something better than that?’ They will say: 'O Lord, what could be better than that?' He will say: 'I shall bestow My pleasure upon you and I shall not be displeased with you ever after that.'"

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was brought some meat, and the forearm was presented to him, and he used to like it, so he took a bite from it and then said: "I am the master of the people on the Day of Judgment, and do you know why? Allah will gather the people, the first and the last, in one place, where they will hear the caller and they will be sighted clearly. The sun will draw near, and people will be overwhelmed with anguish and distress that they cannot endure or bear. People will say: Do you not see what has befallen you all? Will you not look for someone to intercede for you with your Lord? Then some of the people will say to others: Go to Adam. They will come to Adam (peace be upon him) and say: You are the father of mankind; Allah created you with His Own Hand, breathed into you from His Spirit, and commanded the angels to prostrate to you. Intercede for us with your Lord. Do you not see what we are going through? Do you not see what has befallen us? Adam will say: Indeed, my Lord is so angry today as He has never been before and will never be after. He has forbidden me from the tree, and I disobeyed Him. Myself, myself, myself! Go to someone else; go to Nūh (Noah). They will come to Noah and say: O Noah, you are the first of the messengers to the people of the earth, and Allah has named you a grateful slave. Intercede for us with your Lord. Do you not see what we are going through? He will say: Indeed, my Lord is so angry today, as He has never been before and will never be after. I had a supplication that I made against my people. Myself, myself, myself! Go to someone else; go to Ibrāhīm (Abraham). They will come to Abraham and say: O Abraham, you are the Prophet of Allah and His close Friend from the people of the earth. Intercede for us with your Lord. Do you not see what we are going through? He will say: Indeed, my Lord is so angry today as He has never been before and will never be after. I have told three lies. Myself, myself, myself! Go to someone else; go to Mūsa (Moses). They will come to Moses and say: O Moses, you are the Messenger of Allah; Allah has favored you with His message and His speech over the people. Intercede for us with your Lord. Do you not see what we are going through? He will say: Indeed, my Lord is so angry today as He has never been before and will never be after. I killed a soul that I was not commanded to kill. Myself, myself, myself! Go to someone else; go to ‘Isa (Jesus), son of Mary. They will come to Jesus and say: O Jesus, you are the Messenger of Allah, and His Word which He cast to Mary, and a Spirit from Him, and you spoke to the people in the cradle as a baby. Intercede for us with your Lord. Do you not see what we are going through? Jesus will say: Indeed, my Lord is so angry today as He has never been before and will never be after, and he did not mention a sin. Myself, myself, myself! Go to someone else; go to Muhammad. They will come to Muhammad and say: O Muhammad, you are the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. Allah has forgiven you what has preceded and what was later of your sin. Intercede for us with your Lord. Do you not see what we are going through? I will then set off and come beneath the Throne and fall in prostration to my Lord, Exalted and Glorified be He, and then Allah will inspire me with some forms of His praise and glorification that He has not inspired anyone with before me. Then it will be said: O Muhammad, raise your head; ask, and it will be granted to you, and intercede, and your intercession will be accepted. I will raise my head and say: My nation, O Lord! My nation, O Lord! My nation, O Lord! It will be said: O Muhammad, admit from your nation those who have no reckoning from the right gate of the gates of Paradise, and they will share with people in the other gates. Then he said: By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, what lies between the two gateposts of the gates of Paradise is like the distance between Makkah and Himyar—or as the distance between Makkah and Busra -".

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “While the mother of Isma‘īl was breastfeeding her son Isma‘īl, Ibrahīm (peace be upon him) brought them to a place near the House (the Ka‘bah); under a tree on the spot of Zamzam and the highest place in the Mosque. During those days there was nobody in Makkah nor was there any water. He settled them there and placed a leather bag containing some dates and a small waterskin containing some water near them, and then set off homeward. Isma‘īl's mother followed him saying: ‘O Ibrahīm, where are you going and leaving us in this valley where there is no one whose company we may enjoy nor is there anything here?’ She repeated it many times, but he did not look back at her. So she asked him: ‘Has Allah ordered you to do this?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ She said: ’Then He will not neglect us.’ She returned and Ibrahīm proceeded onwards, and, on reaching the Thaniyyah where they could not see him, he faced the Ka‘bah and raising both hands, invoked Allah with the following supplications: {Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful} [Sūrat Ibrahīm: 37]. Isma‘īl's mother continued breastfeeding him (Isma‘īl) and drinking the water (she had). When the water in the waterskin had all been used up, she became thirsty and her child also became thirsty. She started looking at him tossing in agony. She left him, because she could not endure looking at him, and found that Mount Safa was the nearest mountain to her in that area. She stood on it and started looking down the valley keenly to see if she could see anybody, but she could not. She descended from Safa and when she reached the valley, she lifted up her robe and ran along the valley like a person in distress, until she had crossed the valley and reached Mount Marwah, on which she stood and started looking, expecting to see somebody, but she did not see anybody. She repeated that (running between Safa and Marwah) seven times. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘This is the source of the tradition of walking between them (Safa and Marwah).’ When she reached Marwah (for the last time) she heard a voice and she told herself to be quiet and listened attentively. She heard the voice again and said: 'O (whoever you may be), you have made me hear your voice; have you got something to help me?’ And behold, she saw an angel in the Zamzam area, digging the earth with his heel (or his wing) until water flowed from that place. She started to make something like a basin around it, using her hand in this way, and started using her hands to fill her waterskin with water. The water was flowing out after she had scooped some of it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commented: ‘May Allah bestow Mercy on Isma‘īl's mother! Had she let Zamzam (to flow without trying to control it or had she not scooped that water to fill her waterskin), Zamzam would just have been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth.’ The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) further added: ‘Then she drank and breastfed her child.’ The angel said to her: 'Do not be afraid of being neglected; this is the House of Allah, which will be built by this boy and his father, and Allah never neglects His people.' The House (the Ka‘bah) at that time was on a high place resembling a hillock, and when torrents (of rain) came, they flowed to its right and left. She lived that way until some people from the tribe of Jurhum - or a family from Jurhum - passed by her and her child, as they (the Jurhum) were coming through the Way of Kadā'. They settled in the lower part of Makkah where they saw a bird hovering. They said: 'This bird must be flying around water; although we know that there is no water in this valley.' They sent out one or two messengers, who discovered the source of water and returned to inform them of it. So, they all came (towards the water). They arrived while Isma‘īl's mother was sitting near the water and asked her: 'Would you allow us to stay with you?' She replied: 'Yes, but you will have no right over the water.' They agreed to that. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) further said: ’Isma‘īl's mother was pleased with the whole situation, as she loved having the company of people.’ So, they settled there and later they sent for their families, who came and settled with them, so some of the families became permanent residents there. The child (Isma‘īl) grew up and learnt Arabic from them and (his virtues) caused them to love and admire him as he grew up. When he reached the age of puberty, they made him marry a woman from among them. After Isma‘īl's mother had died and after Isma‘īl's marriage, Ibrahīm arrived to see the family that he had left there previously, but he did not find Isma‘īl there. When he asked Isma‘īl's wife about him, she replied: 'He has gone in search of our livelihood.' Then he asked her about their way of living and their condition, and she replied: 'We are living in misery, we are living in hardship and destitution,' complaining to him. He said: 'When your husband returns, convey my greetings to him and tell him to change the threshold of the door (of his house).' When Isma‘īl came back, he felt something unusual, so he asked his wife, 'Has anyone visited you?' She replied, 'Yes, an old man of such-and-such description came and asked me about you, and I told him (how you were). He also asked how we were living, and I told him that we were living in hardship and poverty.' So Isma‘īl asked: 'Did he advise you of anything?' She replied: 'Yes, he told me to convey his greetings to you and to tell you to change the threshold of your door.' Isma‘īl said: 'That was my father and he has told me to divorce you. Go back to your family.' So Isma‘īl divorced her and married another woman from among them (the Jurhum). Ibrahīm stayed away from them for a period that lasted as long as Allah wished and then called on them again, but again did not find Isma‘īl. So he went to Isma‘īl's wife and asked her about him. She said: 'He has gone in search of our livelihood.' Ibrahīm asked her: 'How are you getting on?' asking her about their sustenance and living. She replied: 'We are prosperous and well-off (we have everything in abundance).' Then she thanked Allah. Ibrahīm asked: 'What kind of food do you eat?' She said: 'Meat.' He asked: 'What do you drink?' She said: 'Water.’ He supplicated, ‘O Allah, bless their meat and water.’ The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) added: ‘At that time they did not have grain, and if they had had grain, he would have also invoked Allah to bless it.’ The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) added: ‘If somebody has only these two things for sustenance, his health and disposition will be badly affected, unless he lives in Makkah.’ In another narration: [Ibrahīm] came and asked: ’Where is Isma‘īl?’ His wife said: ’'He went to hunt.’ His wife said: ’Will you not come in to eat and drink?’ He said: ‘What is your food and drink?’ She said: ‘Our food is meat and our drink is water.’ He said: ‘O Allah, Bless their food and drink.’ The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Such is the blessing of the prayer of Ibrahīm.’ Then Ibrahīm said to Isma‘īl's wife: ‘When your husband comes back, give my regards to him and tell him that he should keep the threshold of his door firm.' When Isma‘īl came back, he asked his wife: 'Did anyone call on you?' She replied: 'Yes, a good-looking old man came to see me,' and she praised him and added: 'He asked about you, and I told him, and he asked about our livelihood and I told him that we are in a good condition.' Isma‘īl asked her: 'Did he give you any advice?' She said: 'Yes, he told me to convey his regards to you and said that you should keep firm the threshold of your door.' On that Isma‘īl said: 'That was my father, and you are the threshold (of the door). He has told me to keep you with me.' Then Ibrahīm stayed away from them for a period that lasted for as long as Allah wished and called on them after that. He saw Isma‘īl under a tree near Zamzam, sharpening his arrows. When he saw Ibrahīm, he rose up to welcome him (and they greeted each other as a father does to his son or a son does to his father). Ibrahīm said: 'O Isma‘īl, Allah has given me an order.' Ishmael said: 'Do what your Lord has ordered you to do.' Ibrahīm asked: 'Will you help me?' Isma‘īl said: 'I will help you.' Ibrahīm said: ‘Allah has ordered me to build a house here,' pointing to a hillock higher than the land surrounding it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) added: ‘They then raised the foundations of the House. Isma‘īl was bringing the stones and Ibrahīm was building them, and when the walls were high, Isma‘īl brought this stone and placed it for Ibrahīm who stood over it and carried on building. While Isma‘īl was handing him the stones, both of them were saying: {O our Lord! Accept (this service) from us, Verily, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.} In another narration: ''Ibrahīm took Isma‘īl and the mother of Isma‘īl and went away. They had a waterskin with them containing some water. Isma‘īl's mother would drink water from the water-skin, so her milk would flow for her child. When Ibrahīm reached Makkah, he told her to stay under a tree and afterwards returned home. Isma‘īl's mother followed him, and when they reached Kadā', she called to him from behind: 'O Ibrahīm, to whom are you leaving us?' He replied: 'To Allah.' She said: 'I am pleased to be with Allah.' She returned to her place and started drinking water from the waterskin, and her milk flowed for her child. When the water had all been used up, she said to herself: 'I should go and look to see if I can see somebody.' She ascended Mount Safa and looked in vain, hoping to see somebody. When she came down to the valley, she ran until she reached Mount Marwah. She ran to and fro (between the two mountains) many times. Then she said to herself: 'I should go and see how the child is,' she went and found him in a state; on the point of dying. She could not endure to watch him dying and said (to herself): 'If I go and look, I might find somebody.' She ascended Mount Safa and looked for a long while, but could not see anybody. In this way, she completed seven rounds (running) between Safa and Marwah. Again she said (to herself): 'I should go back and see how the child is.' Suddenly she heard a voice and she said to that strange voice: 'Help us if you can offer any help.' Lo and behold, it was Jibrīl (whose voice she had heard). Jibrīl hit the earth with his heel like this, and water gushed out. Isma‘īl's mother was astonished and started scooping..."

Abu Sulaymān Khālid ibn al-Walīd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "During the battle of Mu'tah, nine swords were broken in my hand, and all that remained with me was a Yemeni sword."

Umm Sharīk (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered her to kill geckos and said: “They used to blow [the fire] on Ibrahīm."

‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "We were attending a funeral at Baqī‘ aI-Gharqad (Muslim cemetery in Madīnah). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to us and sat down, and we sat down around him. He had a small stick in his hand. He lowered his head and started scraping the ground with the stick, then said: "There is none among you, except that his seat in Paradise or in Hell is decreed." They said: "O Messenger of Allah, should we depend on what has been decreed for us?" The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Exert the effort, for everyone will find it easy to do such deeds that will lead him to what he was created for..." Then he mentioned the rest of the Hadīth.