54. General Subjects

Malik related to me from Safwan ibn Sulaym from Ata ibn Yasarthat the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,was questioned by a man who said, "Messenger of Allah, shall I askpermission of my mother to enter?" He said, "Yes " The man said, "Ilive with her in the house". The Messenger of Allah, may Allah blesshim and grant him peace, said "Ask her permission." The man said, "Iam her servant." The Messenger of Allah. may Allah bless him and granthim peace, said, "Ask her permission. Do you want to see her naked?"He said, "No." He said, "Then ask her permission." Malik related to me from a reliable source of his from Bukayr ibnAbdullah ibn al-Ashajj from Basr ibn Said from Abu Said al-Khudri thatAbu Musa al-Ashari said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless himand grant him peace, said, 'One asks permission three times. If youare given permission, then enter. If not, go away.' " Malik related to me from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman from anotherof the ulama of that time that Abu Musa al-Ashari came and askedpermission from Umar ibn al-Khattab to enter. He asked permissionthree times, and then went away Umar ibn al-Khattab sent after him andsaid, "What's wrong with you? Why didn't you come in?" Abu Musa said,"I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, say, 'Ask permission to enter three times. If you are givenpermission, then enter. If not, go away.' ''Umar said, "Who canconfirm this? If you do not bring me someone to confirm it, I will dosuch-and-such to you." Abu Musa went out until he came to anassembly in the mosque which was called the Majlis-al-Ansar. He said,"I told Umar ibn al-Khattab that I heard the Messenger of Allah, mayAllah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Ask permission three times.If you are given permission, then enter. If not, go away.' Umar said,'If you do not bring me someone who can confirm it, I will do such-and-such to you'. If any of you have heard that, let him come withme.' " They said to Abu Said al-Khudri, "Go with him". Abu Said wasthe youngest of them. He went with him and told Umar ibn al-Khattababout that." Umar ibn al-Khattab said to Abu Musa, "I did notsuspect you, but I feared lest people forge sayings of the Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace." Malik related to me from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr from his fatherthat the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,said, "If a man sneezes, invoke a blessing on him. Then if he sneezes,invoke a blessing on him. Then if he sneezes, invoke a blessing onhim. Then if he sneezes, say, 'You have a cold'." Abdullah ibn AbiBakr said, "I don't know whether it was after the third or fourth." Malik related to me from Nafi that when Abdullah ibn Umar sneezedand someone said to him, "May Allah have mercy on you,"(Yarhamuka'llah), he said, "May Allah have mercy on us and you, andforgive us and you." (Yarhamuna'llah wa yaghfirlana wa lakum). Malik related to me from Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Talha thatRafi ibn Ishaq, the mawla of ash-Shifa informed him that he andAbdullah ibn Abi Talha had gone to visit Abu Said al-Khudri while hewas ill. Abu Said said to them, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allahbless him and grant him peace, informed us, 'The angels do not enter ahouse which contains pictures or images.' " Ishaq was not sure whichof them Abu Said said. Malik related to me from Abu'n-Nasr that Ubaydullah ibn Abdullahibn Utba ibn Masud went to visit Abu Talha al-Ansari when he was ill.He said, "I found Sahl ibn Hunayf with him. Abu Talha summoned a manand removed a rug which was under him. Sahl ibn Hunayf said to him,'Why did you remove it?' He said, 'Because there were pictures on it,and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,said what you know about them.' Sahl replied, 'Didn't the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "except formarkings on a garment?"' (A rug was considered a garment). He said,'Yes, but it is more pleasing to myself.' " Malik related to me from Nafi from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad fromA'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, that she bought a cushion which had pictures on it. When theMessenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw it,he stopped at the door and did not enter. She recognised disapprovalon his face and said, "Messenger of Allah, I turn in repentance toAllah and His Messenger. What have I done wrong?" The Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "What is themeaning of this cushion?" She said, "I bought it for you to sit andrecline on." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, said, "Those who make such pictures will be punished on the Dayof Rising. It will be said to them, 'Bring to life what you havecreated'. Then he said, 'The angels do not enter a house in whichthere are pictures.' " Malik related to me from Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abdullah ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Sasaca that Sulayman ibn Yasar said, "The Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, entered the house ofMaimuna bint al-Harith and there was a lizard in which there were eggsto eat. Abdullah ibn Abbas and Khalid ibn al-Walid were with him. Hesaid, 'From where did you get this?' She replied, 'My sister, Huzaylabint al-Harith, gave it to me.' He then told Abdullah ibn Abbas andKhalid to eat. They said, 'Won't you eat, Messenger of Allah?' Hesaid, 'There are those who visit me from Allah.' Maimuna said,'Messenger of Allah, shall we give you some milk to drink which wehave?' He said, 'Yes.' When he drank, he said, 'From where did you getthis?' She said, 'My sister, Huzayla gave it to me.' The Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Do you see yourslave-girl whom you asked me for permission to free? Give her to yoursister and bring her to your maternal relatives to take care of her.That is better for you.' " Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab from Abu Umama ibn Sahl ibnHunayf from Abdullah ibn Abbas that Khalid ibn al-Walid ibn al-Mughiraentered the house of Maimuna, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah blesshim and grant him peace, with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah blesshim and grant him peace, and he was brought a roasted lizard. TheMessenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stretchedhis hand toward it. One of the women who was in Maimuna's house said,"Tell the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,what he means to eat." Someone said, "It is a lizard, Messenger ofAllah." He withdrew his hand. Khalid said, "Is it haram, Messenger ofAllah?" He said, "No, but there were none in my people's land, and Ifind that I dislike them." Khalid added, "I chewed and ate itwhile the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,was looking." Malik related to me from Abdullah ibn Dinar from Abdullah ibnUmar that a man called the Messenger of Allah and said, "Messenger ofAllah, what do you think about lizards?" The Messenger of Allah, mayAllah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I do not eat them, and Ido not forbid them." Malik related to me from Yazid ibn Khusayfa that as-Sa'ib ibnYazid informed him that he heard Sufyan ibn Abi Zuhayr who was fromthe Azd Shanua tribe and among the companions of the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, speaking with somepeople who were with him at the door of the mosque. He said, "I heardthe Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say,'If anyone acquires a dog which he does not use as a sheepdog or forhunting, a qirat will be deducted from the reward of his good deedseach day.' " He was asked, "Did you hear this from the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?" He said, "Yes, by theLord of this mosque." Malik related to me from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that theMessenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,"Whoever acquires a dog other than a sheepdog or hunting dog, willhave two qirats deducted from the reward of his good actions everyday." Malik related to me from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umarthat the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,ordered dogs to be killed. Malik related to me from Abu'z-Zinad from al-Araj from AbuHurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, said, "The head of kufr is towards the east. Boasting and priceis among people who have horses and camels. The loud-voiced people arethe people of tents (the Bedouins). Tranquillity is with the peoplewho have sheep." Malik related to me from Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibnSasaca from his father that Abu Said al-Khudri said that the Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "It will soonhappen that the best property of a muslim will be sheep which he takesto the peaks of the mountains and the valleys, fleeing with his deenfrom trials." Malik related to me from Nafi from Ibn Umar that the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "No one shouldmilk someone else's cow without his permission. Would any of you likesomeone to come to his apartment, break into his larder, and take hisfood? The udders of cows guard their food for their owners, so no oneshould milk someone else's cow without his permission." Malik related to me that he had heard that the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "There is noProphet who has not herded sheep," and someone asked, "You as well,Messenger of Allah?" He said, "Myself as well." Malik related to me from Nafi that one time as Ibn Umar wasserved his evening meal, he heard the recitation of the Imam while hewas in his house and he did not hurry from his food until he hadfinished what he needed. Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab from Ubaydullah ibn Abdullahibn Utba ibn Masud from Abdullah ibn Abbas from Maimuna, the wife ofthe Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that theMessenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was askedabout a mouse falling into clarified butter. He said, "Remove it andthrow away what is around it " Malik related to me from Abu Hazim ibn Dinar from Sahl ibn Sadas-Saidi that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and granthim peace, said, "If it exists, it is in a horse, a woman, and ahouse," meaning ill luck. Malik related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Hamza andSalim the sons of Abdullah ibn Umar from Abdullah ibn Umar that theMessenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,"Ill luck is in a house, a woman and a horse." Malik related to me that Yahya ibn Said said, "A woman came tothe Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, andsaid, 'Messenger of Allah, we moved into a house when our number wasgreat and our wealth was abundant. Now our number has dwindled and thewealth has gone.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him andgrant him peace, said, 'Leave it as blameworthy.' " Malik related to me from Yahya ibn Said that the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked about a milkcamel about to be milked, "Who milks this camel?" A man stood up. TheMessenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,"What is your name?" The man said, "Murra (bitterness)." The Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, "Sitdown." Then he said, "Who milks this one?" A man stood up and theMessenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,"What is your name?" He said, "Harb (war)." The Messenger of Allah,may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Sit down." Then hesaid, "Who milks this camel?" A man stood up, and the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, "What isyour name?" The man said, ''Yaish (he lives)." The Messenger of Allah,may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, "Milk!" Yahya related to me from Yahya ibn Said that Umar ibn al-Khattabasked a man what his name was. He said, "Jamra (live coal)." "The sonof who?" He said, "Ibn Shihab (meteor, flame)." "From whom?" He said,"From al-Huraqa (burning)." "Where do you live?" He said, "At Harratan-Nar (lava field of the fire). "At which one of them?" He said, "AtDhati Ladha (one with flames)." Umar said, "Go and look at your family- they have been burned." Yahya added, "It was as Umar ibnal-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said." Malik related to me from Humayd at-Tawil that Anas ibn Maliksaid, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, was cupped. Abu Tayba cupped him, and the Messenger of Allah,may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered him to be given a saof dates and ordered his family to lessen what he paid them for hiskitaba or kharaj." Malik related to me that he heard that the Messenger of Allah,may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If there is a remedythat will reach the disease, then cupping will reach it." Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab from Ibn Muhayyisa al-Ansari,one of the Banu Haritha, that he asked permission from the Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to give payment forcupping, and he forbade him to do it. He continued to ask and seek hispermission until he said, "Feed the ones who drive your water-carryingcamels," meaning "your slaves." Malik related to me from Abdullah ibn Dinar that Abdullah ibnUmar said, "I saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him andgrant him peace, pointing at the east and saying, 'The cause ofdissension is here. The cause of dissension is here, from where thehelpers of shaytan arise.' " Malik related to me that he heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab wantedto go to Iraq, and Kabal-Ahbar said to him, "Do not go there, amir al-muminin. There is nine-tenths of sorcery there and it is the place ofthe rebellious jinn and the disease which the doctors are unable tocure." Malik related to me from Nafi from Abu Lubaba that the Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade killingsnakes which were in the houses. Malik related to me from Nafi from Sa'iba, the female mawla ofA'isha, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, forbade killing the snakes which were in the houses exceptthose with two white stripes on their back and the short ones. Theymade one go blind and caused miscarriages in women. Malik related to me from Safiyy, the mawla of Ibn Aflah thatAbu's-Saib, the mawla of Hisham ibn Zuhra said, "I went to Abu Saidal-Khudri and found him praying. I sat to wait for him until hefinished the prayer. I heard a movement under a bed in his room, andit was a snake. I stood up to kill it, and Abu Said gestured to me tosit. When he was finished he pointed to a room in the house and said,'Do you see this room?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'There was a young boyin it who had just got married. He went out with the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to al-Khandaq, (theditch which the muslims dug in the 5th year of the Hijra to defendMadina against the Quraysh and their allies). When he wasthere, the youth came and asked his permission, saying, "Messenger ofAllah. Give me permission to return to my family." The Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, gave him permissionand said, "Take your weapons with you, for I fear the Banu Quraydhatribe. They may harm you." The youth went to his family and found hiswife standing between the two doors. He lifted his spear to stab heras jealousy had been aroused in him. She said, "Don't be hasty untilyou go in and see what is in your house." He entered and found a snakecoiled up on his bed. He transfixed it with his spear and then wentout with it and pitched it into the house. The snake stirred on theend of the spear and the youth fell dead. No one knew which of themdied first, the snake or the youth. That was mentioned to theMessenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and hesaid, "There are jinn in Madina who have become muslim. When you seeone of them, call out to it for three days. If it appears after that,then kill it, for it is a shaytan." "' Malik related to me that he heard that when the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, set foot in thestirrup intending to travel, he would say, "In the name of Allah. OAllah! You are my companion in the journey and the Khalifa of myfamily. O Allah! Spread out the earth for us and make the journey easyfor us. O Allah! I seek refuge with You from the hardship of thejourney and from returning to sorrow and a distressing sight regardingproperty and family." Malik related to me from a reliablesource of his from Yaqub ibn Abdullah al-Ashajj from Bushr ibn Saidfrom Sad ibn Abi Waqqas from Khawla bint Hakim that the Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoeverdismounts to rest in a place should say, 'I seek refuge with thecomplete words of Allah from the evil of what he created,' (audhu bikalimati-llahi at-tammati min sharri ma khalaqa), and nothing willharm him until he remounts." Malik related to me from Abd ar-Rahman ibn Harmala from Amr ibnShuayb from his father from his father that the Messenger of Allah,may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "One rider is ashaytan. Two riders are two shaytans, and three are a riding-party." Malik related to me from Abd ar-Rahman ibn Harmala that Said ibnal-Musayyab heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him andgrant him peace, say, "Shaytan concerns himself with one and two. Whenthere are three, he does not concern himself with them." Malik related to me from Said ibn Abi Said al-Maqburi from AbuHurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, said, "It is not halal for a woman who believes in Allah andthe Last Day to travel the distance of a day and night without a manwho is her mahram." Malik related to me from Abu Ubayd, the mawla of Sulayman ibn Abdal-Malik from Khalid ibn Madan who attributed it to the Prophet, mayAllah bless him and grant him peace, "Allah, the Blessed and Exaltedis kind and loves kindness. He is pleased with it and helps you withit as long as it is not misplaced. When you ride dumb beasts, stopthem in their stopping places, and quicken their pace when the land isbarren. Travel by night, because the land is travelled faster at nightthan it is during the day. Beware of pitching tents on the road, forit is the path of animals and the abode of snakes." Malik related to me from Sumayy, the mawla of Abu Bakr from AbuSalih from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah blesshim and grant him peace, said, "Travelling is a portion of thetorment. It denies you your sleep, food, and drink. When you haveaccomplished your purpose, you should hurry back to your family." Malik related to me that he heard that Abu Hurayra said that theMessenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Aslave has his food and clothing in the normal manner, and he is onlyobliged to do such work as he is capable of doing." Malik related to me that he heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab wentto the villages every Saturday. If he found a slave doing work whichhe was not capable of doing, he lightened it for him. Malik related to me from his paternal uncle, Abu Suhayl ibnMalik, that his father heard Uthman ibn Affan say in a khutba, "Do notoblige the slave-girl to earn money unless she has a skill. When youoblige her to do that, she will earn money by prostitution. Do notoblige the child to earn money. If he does not find it, he will steal.Have integrity since Allah has integrity with you, and you must feedthem good food." Malik related to me from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that theMessenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,"When a slave gives good counsel to his master and worships Allahcorrectly, he has his reward twice over. " Malik related to me that he heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab saw afemale slave belonging to Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab. She wasdressed like free (non-slave) women. He went to his daughter Hafsa and said, "Didn't Isee your brother's slave-girl dressed like a free (non-slave) woman walking among thepeople and causing trouble?" Umar disapproved of that.