# Selections from Muḥammadan Traditions/Chapter 24

​XXIV THE BOOK OF KIND WORDS
It is related from Jabir that, ' The Apostle of God passed by a young goat, dead and with its ears cut off. He said, "Which of you wishes to have this for himself for one dir- ham? " They replied, ' We do not wish to have it for ourselves at any price." He said, "By God! certainly the world is more contemptible in the sight of God than this is to to you." ' Muslim.
It is related from Abu Hurairah that, ' The Apostle of God said, "The world is a prison for believers, but paradise for infidels." ' Muslim.
It is related from 'Amru bin 'Awf that, ' The Apostle of God said, " By God! I do not fear poverty for you, but I fear lest the world should be made comfortable for you as it was made comfortable for those who were before you; and ye seek after it as they sought after it; and it destroy you as it destroyed them." ' Muslim, Al Bukhdri.
It is related from Anas that, 'The Apostle of God said, " Three things follow the dead. Two return, and one remains with him. His family and his goods and his works follow him. His family and his goods return, but his actions remain with him." ' Muslim, Al Bukhdri.
It is related from Ibn Ma'snd that, 'The Apostle of God said, " Do not enter into possession of lands, lest ye long for the world." ' At Tirmidhl.
It is related from Abu Miisa that, ' The Apostle of God said, ' He who loves the world will be a loser in the next life; and he who loves the next life, will be a loser in the world. There- fore choose that which will remain rather than that which will vanish away." ' Ahmad.
It is related from 'Othman that, ' The Prophet said, "The son of Adam has no right to anything except these particular things : a house to live in, a cloth with which to cover his private parts, a crust of bread and some water." ' At Tirmidhi. ​It is related from Mu'awiyah that, ' He entered in to his uncle Abu Hashim bin 'Utbah to visit him in sickness. Then Abu Hashim wept. (Mu'awiyah) said, " What makes thee weep, O my uncle? Is it pain that troubles thee, or a craving for the world? " He replied, " No, but the Apostle of God imposed a condition upon us which I have not accepted." He said, " And what is that? " He replied, " I heard him say, ' Let it suffice thee to keep property consisting of one servant and one riding animal for (use in) the way of God'; and verily it seems to me that I have accumulated (property)." ' Ahmad, At Tirmidhi, An Nasdi^ Ibn Mdjah.
It is related from Hudhaifah that he said, * I heard the Apostle of God say in his public address, " Wine is the total of all sins, and women are the nets of Satan, and love of the world is the principal fault." He said, 'And I heard him say, "Put women behind where God has placed them." ' Razin.
It is related from Abii Hurairah that, 'The Prophet said, 7 ' When a man dies the angels say, ' What has he sent before (of good works)? ' And the sons of Adam say, ' What has he left behind him (of property)? ' ' ' Al Baihaqi.
It is related from Malik that he said, ' It was said to Loq- man, the Wise, " What caused thee to attain that which I see, namely eminence?" He replied, " Speaking the truth, and keeping faith, and giving up what did not benefit me." ' From Al Muwatta.
It is related from 'Ayesha that she said,' We had a curtain, on which were pictures of birds. Then the Apostle of (rod said, "O 'Ayesha, change it, for verily when I see it I remem- ber the world."
ON THE EXCELLENCE OF POVERTY, AND CONCERNING THE
PROPHET'S MANNER OF LIFE
It is related from Usamah bin Zaid that, 'The Apostle of God said, " I will stand at the door of paradise, and the general- ity of those who will enter it will be the poor. And the owners of wealth will be held back, except that those who are destined for the fire will be ordered to the fire. And I will stand at the door of hell, and behold! the generality of those who will enter will be women." 'Muslim, Al BukhdrL ​It is related from 'Ayesha that, ' The family of Muhammad was never satisfied with barley bread for two days in success- ion until the Apostle of God was taken.' Muslim, Al Bukhdri.
It is related from Anas that he took some barley loaves and some mutton-fat to the Prophet. And the Prophet had pawned his coat of mail in the city with a Jew, and had taken from him some barley for his family. And I heard him say, ' There never remained in the evening with the family of Muhammad a single measure of wheat or a measure of grain although he had nine wives,' Al Bukhdrt.
It is related from 'Omar that he said, ' I went into the Apostle of God, and behold! he was lying on his side on a mat made of reeds. There was no bedding between him and it; and the mat had marked his side. And he was reclining on a pillow made of leather stuffed with the rind of dates. And I said, " O Apostle of God, pray to God to give abundance to thy followers, for verily the Persians and the Greeks have been given abundance although they do not serve God." He replied, 11 Then art thou, O Ibn Khattab, still in this condition! Those are a people whose good things have been given them quickly in the life of this world." And in another tradition it runs, " Art thou not satisfied that the world be for them, and the future life for us?" ' Muslim, Al Bukhdri.
It is related from Abu Hurairah that, ' The Apostle of God said, "The poor will enter paradise five hundred years before the rich, and that is half a day (with God).'" At Tirmidhi.
It is related from 'Ayesha that she said, ' Three things of the world pleased the Apostle of God : food and women and perfumes. He obtained two of them, but not the third. He obtained women and perfumes, but he did not get food.' Ahmad.
It is related from Anas that, 'The Apostle of God said, ' Perfumes and women have been made beloved of me, and my eye is refreshed in prayer." Ahmad, An Nasdi.
ON HOPE AND AVARICE
It is related from Abu Hurairah that, ' The Apostle of God said, " The heart of the aged remains young in two respects: in love of the world and length of hope."' Muslim, Al Bukhdri, ​It is related from Ibn 'Abbas that, ' The Prophet said,
1 If the son of Adam had two valleys full of money, he would
certainly desire a third. And nothing will fill the belly of the
son of Adam except the earth (of the grave). And God turns
towards whoever repents." ' Muslim, Al Bukhdri.
It is related from Ibn 'Omar that he said, ' The Apostle of God took hold of a part of my body and said, "Be in the world as if thou wert a stranger and a passer along the road; and reckon thyself as one of the inhabitants of the grave." ' Al Bukhdri.
ON THE DESIRE FOR WEALTH AND LONG LIFE IN ORDER
TO FURTHER OBEDIENCE
It is related from a man of the companions of the Prophet that he said, ' We were in an assembly and the Apostle of God came to us with the marks of water on his head. And we said, "O Apostle of God, we perceive thee to be cheerful in mind." He replied, "Yes."' (The man) said, 'Then the people pro- pounded the question of riches. And the Apostle of God said,
' There is no harm in riches for him who fears God, the Exalted and Magnified; but for him who fears (God) health is better than wealth, and happiness of soul is one of God's favours." Ahmad,
It is related from Muhammad bin abii 'Amirah, one of the companions of the Apostle of God, that he said, ' Verily if a servant were to fall on his face in the worship of God from the day he was born until he died in old age in obeying God, he would certainly despise such worship on that day (of resurrect- ion) and would desire that he be sent back to the world in order that he might increase (by his good actions) the compensations and rewards.' Ahmad.
ON RELIANCE (ON GOD) AND PATIENCE
It is related from Ibn 'Abbas that, ' The Apostle of God said, "Seventy thousand of my followers will enter paradise without (rendering any) account. They are those who do not use spells or draw bad omens, and in their Lord put their trust." ' Muslim, Al Bukhdri.
It is related from Abu Hurairah that, ' The Apostle of God said, " A God-fearing believer is better in the sight of God and ​more beloved of him than the believer who is weak; and there is good in everyone. Strive after that which will benefit thee; and seek the aid of God, and be not weak. And if any- thing befalls thee, say not, ' If I had done (so and so) such and such would have happened,' but say, ' God ordained it,' and ' He has done what He wished '; for verily, ' if ' introduces the work of Satan." ' Muslim.
It is related from 'Omar binu'l-Khattab that he said, ' I heard the Apostle of God say, " If ye put your trust in God, in the way that He should be trusted, He will certainly provide for you as He provides for the birds. They begin the morning hungry, but reach the evening with full stomachs." ' At Tirmidht, Ibn Mdjah.
It is related from Ibn 'Abbas that he said, ' I was behind the Apostle of God on a certain day, and he said, " O boy, remem-. ber God, and He will remember thee. Remember God, and thou wilt find Him before thee. And when thou prayest for anything, ask it of God; and when thou seekest aid, seek it of Him. And know thou that if all the people were gathered together with the purpose of doing thee a benefit in any matter, they would not benefit thee except in that matter which God has already written down for thee. And if they came together with the purpose of doing thee an injury in some matter, they would not do thee any injury except in that matter which God has already written down. The pens have been lifted up, and the pages are dried." ' Ahmad, At Tirmidht.
It is related from Jabir that he went with the Apostle of God on a military expedition in the direction of Nejd, and when the Apostle of God returned, he returned with him. And the noon overtook them in a valley having many trees. Then the Apostle of God alighted, and the people separated in order to seek the shade of the trees. And the Apostle of God Stopped beneath a samurah tree; and he hung up his sword upon it; and we slept for awhile. And behold! The Apostle of God suddenly called us, and with him was a desert Arab. And (the Apostle) said, * Verily this man unsheathed my sword against me when I was sleeping. And I awoke whilst my sword was still in his hand. He said, " Who will protect thee from me? ' I replied, " God." This I said three times,' And ​he did not punish him, and he sat down. Muslim, Al Bukhdrt. And in another tradition from Abu Bakr Al Isma'ili it runs, 'He said, "Who will protect thee from me?" He replied, "God." Then the sword fell from his hand; and the Apostle of God took the sword and said, " Who will protect thee from me?" And he replied, " Be thou the best of takers." He said, " Dost thou bear witness that there is no God but Allah and and that I am the Apostle of Allah?" He said, "No. But I will make an agreement with thee to the effect that I will not fight against thee, nor will I stay with the people who fight against thee." Then the Prophet let him go his way; and he came to his companions and said, "I have come to you from the best of men." ' Kitdbu^l-Humaidi.
It is related from Abu Hurairah that, ' A man came in to his family, and when he saw that they were in need, he went out to the desert. Then when his wife saw (what he had done) she stood up near the mill-stones and placed them in position, and went to the oven and heated it and then said, "O God, provide for our sustenance." And she looked, and behold! the dish had become full.' (Abu Hurairah) said, 1 Then she went to the oven and found it full. And her husband returned and said, "Didst thou manage to procure something after my departure? " His wife replied, ' Yes; from our Lord." And he stood up near the mill-stones (and lifted one up to ascertain the cause). And that incident was mentioned to the Prophet. And he said, "If he had not lifted it up, it would have continued to revolve until the day of resurrection." ' Ahmad.
It is related from Ibn Ma'siid that he said, ' It is as if I could see the Apostle of God relating the story of one of the prophets whose people beat him and caused the blood to flow. And he wiped the blood from his face and said, "O God, forgive my people, for verily they know not (wtoat they do)." Muslim, Al Bukhdri.
ON HYPOCRISY AND OSTENTATION
It is related from Abu Hurairah that, ' The Apostle of God said, " Verily, God does not look on your outward appearance or your possessions, but He looks at your hearts and your actions." ' Muslim. ​It is related from Shaddad bin Aws that he said, ' I heard the Apostle of God say, " He who prays with hypocrisy has associated another with God; and he who fasts with hypocrisy has associated another with God; and he who gives alms with hypocrisy has associated another with God." ' Ahmad.
It is related from Abu Sa'id that he said, ' The Apostle of God came out to us when we were talking about the Antichrist to one another. And he said, " Shall I not tell you of something which I fear for you more than the Antichrist." We said, ' Yes, O Apostle of God." He said, "It is the secret associa- tion with God of something else; namely that a man stands up and says his prayers and lengthens them because he sees a man looking at him." ' Ibn Mdjah.
ON CRYING ALOUD AND FEAR
It is related from Abu Hurairah that, ' Abu'l-Qasim said. 11 By Him in whose hand is my life! if ye knew what I know, ye would certainly weep much and laugh little." Al Bukhdrt.
It is related from Ummu'l-'Alai ', the Helper, that she said, ' The Apostle of God said," Although I am the Apostle of God, yet I do not know what will be done to me or to you." Al Bukhdri.
It is related from Jabir that, 'The Apostle of God said, "The fire (of hell) was shown to me, and I saw therein a woman of the children of Israel who was being punished on account of a cat which she had possessed, and which she had tied up, and neither fed nor allowed to eat of the small birds and creeping things of the earth, until it died of hunger. And I saw 'Amru bin 'Amiru'l-Khuzai ' dragging his intestines in the fire. And he was the first one to set free a female camel (in the name of idols)." Muslim.
It is related from Anas that, 'The Prophet said, "God, great are His utterances! will say (at the last day), take out from the fire whoever has remembered me for one day, or feared me in one place." At Tirmidht.
It is related from Abu Sa'id that he said, ' The Prophet came out to prayers, and he saw the people as if they were laughing. And he said, " Verily if ye had remembered often the cutter of delights, namely death, it would have diverted you from what I see. Therefore remember much the cutter of ​delights; for no day will come to the grave, but the latter will speak and say, ' I am the house of the stranger, and I am the solitary house, and I am the house of the clay, and I am the house of worms.' And when a believing servant is buried the grave says to him, ' Be welcome and at thine ease, for thou art certainly the most beloved to me of those who have walked over me. And since I rule over thee this day, and thou hast returned to me, thou shalt now see what I will do to thee.' Then the grave is made spacious for him as far as the eye can see, and a door of paradise is opened for him. And when a wicked servant or infidel is buried, the grave says to him, ' Thou art not welcome, and will not be at thine ease, for verily thou art certainly the most hateful to me of those who have walked over me. And since I rule over thee this day, and thou hast returned to me, thou shalt now see what I will do to thee. Then it will press on him until his ribs are displaced."' (Abu Sa'id) said, * Then the Apostle of God mentioned with his ringers, and placed some of them between others, and said, " And seventy serpents are ordered for him, one of which, if it breathed on the earth, nothing of what remained on the earth would grow; and they bite him and lacerate him until he is taken to give his account." And the Apostle of God said, 1 Verily the grave is only one of the gardens of paradise or one of the pits of hill-fire." ' At Tirmidhi.
It is related from Abu Hurairah that, ' The Apostle of God said, " My Lord has ordered me nine things : the fear of God in secret and in public; speaking words of justice, whether in anger or in pleasure; moderation in poverty and in affluence; that I should give presents to those who are estranged from me; that I should give to him who denies me; that I should forgive him who oppresses me; that my silence be spent in contemplation, and my speaking in mentioning God's name; that my seeing be in being an example; and that I should command what is good." ' Raztn.
ON THE MUTABILITY OF MEN
It is related from Abu Sa'id that, ' The Apostle of God said, " You will certainly follow the customs of those who were before you, span by span, and cubit by cubit, until, if they ​entered a lizard's hole, you would follow them." It was said, " O Apostle of God, (dost thou speak of) the Jews and Chris- tians? " He replied, "Who else? >! Muslim, Al Bukhdri.
It is related from Hudhaifah that, ' The Prophet said,
' The hour (of resurrection) will not come until you kill your
religious leader, and flog one another with swords, and until the
wicked amongst you inherit this world of yours." ' At
Tirmidhi.
It is related from Abu Hurairah that, ' The Apostle of God said, "When your princes are the best of you, and your rich men the most liberal of you, and your affairs are dis- cussed amongst you, then the surface of the earth is better for you than its bosom. 1 But when your princes are the wicked amongst you, and your rich men the meanest of you, and your affairs relegated to your women, then the bosom of the earth is better for you than its surface." ' At Tirmidhi.
It is related from Abu Hurairah that he said, 'When the revelation descended, "And admonish thy near relations," the Prophet called the Quraish, and they gathered together. And he addressed them collectively and individually and said, "O Bani Ka'b bin Luwa, save yourselves from the fire; O Bani Murrah bin Ka'b, save yourselves from the fire; O Bani 'Abdu's-Shams, save yourselves from the fire; O Bani 'Abdu Manaf, save yourselves from the fire; O Bani Hashim, save yourselves from the fire; O Bani 'Abdu'l-Muttalib, save yourselves from the fire; O Fatimah, save thyself from the fire, for I cannot gain anything from God on thy behalf, except that I recognise the right of blood-relationship, and will do what I can." ' Muslim. And in another tradition from Muslim and Al Bukhari it runs thus, 'He said, "O people of the Quraish, redeem yourselves, for I cannot suffice you anything against (the punishments of) God; O Bani 'Abdu Manaf, I cannot suffice you anything against (the punishments of) God; O 'Abbas bin 'Abdu'l-Muttalib, I cannot suffice thee anything against (the punishments of ) God; O Safiyya, wife of the Apostle of God, I cannot suffice thee anything against (the punishments of) God; O Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, ask me what thou wilt of my property, for I cannot suffice thee anything against (the punishments of) God."
1 That is, the grave.