that he remembered Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he also remembered a mouthful of water which he had thrown on his face, after taking it from a well that was in their house. Mahmud said that he had heard ʿItban bin Malik, who was present with Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the battle of Badr saying, "I used to lead my people at Bani Salim in the prayer and there was a valley between me and those people. Whenever it rained it used to be difficult for me to cross it to go to their mosque. So I went to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, 'I have weak eyesight and the valley between me and my people flows during the rainy season and it becomes difficult for me to cross it; I wish you would come to my house and pray at a place so that I could take that place as a praying place.' Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'I will do so.' So Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abu Bakr came to my house in the (next) morning after the sun had risen high. Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked my permission to let him in and I admitted him. He did not sit before saying, 'Where do you want us to offer the prayer in your house?' I pointed to the place where I wanted him to pray. So Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up for the prayer and started the prayer with Takbir and we aligned in rows behind him; and he offered two rakʿat, and finished them with Taslim, and we also performed Taslim with him. I detained him for a meal called "Khazir" which I had prepared for him.--("Khazir" is a special type of dish prepared from barley flour and meat soup)-- When the neighbors got the news that Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in my house, they poured it till there were a great number of men in the house. One of them said, 'What is wrong with Malik, for I do not see him?' One of them replied, 'He is a hypocrite and does not love Allah and His Apostle.' On that Allah's Apostle said, 'Don't say this. Haven't you seen that he said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah for Allah's sake only.' The man replied, 'Allah and His Apostle know better; but by Allah, we never saw him but helping and talking with the hypocrites.' Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, 'No doubt, whoever says. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and by that he wants the pleasures of Allah, then Allah will save him from Hell." Mahmud added, "I told the above narration to some people, one of whom was Abu Aiyub, the companion of Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the battle in which he (Abu Aiyub) died and Yazid bin Mu'awiya was their leader in Roman Territory. Abu Aiyub denounced the narration and said, 'I doubt that Messenger of Allah ﷺ ever said what you have said.' I felt that too much, and I vowed to Allah that if I remained alive in that holy battle, I would (go to Medina and) ask ʿItban bin Malik if he was still living in the mosque of his people. So when he returned, I assumed Ihram for Hajj or ʿUmra and then I proceeded on till I reached Medina. I went to Bani Salim and ʿItban bin Malik, who was by then an old blind man, was leading his people in the prayer. When he finished the prayer, I greeted him and introduced myself to him and then asked him about that narration. He told that narration again in the same manner as he had narrated it the first time."  

رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعَقَلَ مَجَّةً مَجَّهَا فِي وَجْهِهِ مِنْ بِئْرٍ كَانَتْ فِي دَارِهِمْ فَزَعَمَ مَحْمُودٌ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عِتْبَانَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ الأَنْصَارِيّ َ ؓ وَكَانَ مِمَّنْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي لِقَوْمِي بِبَنِي سَالِمٍ وَكَانَ يَحُولُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُمْ وَادٍ إِذَا جَاءَتِ الأَمْطَارُ فَيَشُقُّ عَلَىَّ اجْتِيَازُهُ قِبَلَ مَسْجِدِهِمْ فَجِئْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنِّي أَنْكَرْتُ بَصَرِي وَإِنَّ الْوَادِيَ الَّذِي بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِي يَسِيلُ إِذَا جَاءَتِ الأَمْطَارُ فَيَشُقُّ عَلَىَّ اجْتِيَازُهُ فَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّكَ تَأْتِي فَتُصَلِّي مِنْ بَيْتِي مَكَانًا أَتَّخِذُهُ مُصَلًّى فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ سَأَفْعَلُ فَغَدَا عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ بَعْدَ مَا اشْتَدَّ النَّهَارُ فَاسْتَأْذَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهُ فَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ حَتَّى قَالَ أَيْنَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ مِنْ بَيْتِكَ فَأَشَرْتُ لَهُ إِلَى الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي أُحِبُّ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ فِيهِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكَبَّرَ وَصَفَفْنَا وَرَاءَهُ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ وَسَلَّمْنَا حِينَ سَلَّمَ فَحَبَسْتُهُ عَلَى خَزِيرٍ يُصْنَعُ لَهُ فَسَمِعَ أَهْلُ الدَّارِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي بَيْتِي فَثَابَ رِجَالٌ مِنْهُمْ حَتَّى كَثُرَ الرِّجَالُ فِي الْبَيْتِ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ مَا فَعَلَ مَالِكٌ لاَ أَرَاهُ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ ذَاكَ مُنَافِقٌ لاَ يُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ تَقُلْ ذَاكَ أَلاَ تَرَاهُ قَالَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ يَبْتَغِي بِذَلِكَ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ أَمَّا نَحْنُ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ نَرَى وُدَّهُ وَلاَ حَدِيثَهُ إِلاَّ إِلَى الْمُنَافِقِينَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ حَرَّمَ عَلَى النَّارِ مَنْ قَالَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ يَبْتَغِي بِذَلِكَ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ قَالَ مَحْمُودٌ فَحَدَّثْتُهَا قَوْمًا فِيهِمْ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ صَاحِبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي غَزْوَتِهِ الَّتِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهَا وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِأَرْضِ الرُّومِ فَأَنْكَرَهَا عَلَىَّ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ قَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَظُنُّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَا قُلْتَ قَطُّ فَكَبُرَ ذَلِكَ عَلَىَّ فَجَعَلْتُ لِلَّهِ عَلَىَّ إِنْ سَلَّمَنِي حَتَّى أَقْفُلَ مِنْ غَزْوَتِي أَنْ أَسْأَلَ عَنْهَا عِتْبَانَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ ؓ إِنْ وَجَدْتُهُ حَيًّا فِي مَسْجِدِ قَوْمِهِ فَقَفَلْتُ فَأَهْلَلْتُ بِحَجَّةٍ أَوْ بِعُمْرَةٍ ثُمَّ سِرْتُ حَتَّى قَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَأَتَيْتُ بَنِي سَالِمٍ فَإِذَا عِتْبَانُ شَيْخٌ أَعْمَى يُصَلِّي لِقَوْمِهِ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَخْبَرْتُهُ مَنْ أَنَا ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ الْحَدِيثِ فَحَدَّثَنِيهِ كَمَا حَدَّثَنِيهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ  

Should I not narrate to you (a hadith of the Holy Prophet) on my authority and on the authority of my mother? We thought that he meant the mother who had given him birth. He (Muhammad b. Qais) then reported that it was 'A'isha who had narrated this: Should I not narrate to you about myself and about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? We said: Yes. She said: When it was my turn for Messenger of Allah ﷺ to spend the night with me, he turned his side, put on his mantle and took off his shoes and placed them near his feet, and spread the corner of his shawl on his bed and then lay down till he thought that I had gone to sleep. He took hold of his mantle slowly and put on the shoes slowly, and opened the door and went out and then closed it lightly. I covered my head, put on my veil and tightened my waist wrapper, and then went out following his steps till he reached Baqi'. He stood there and he stood for a long time. He then lifted his hands three times, and then returned and I also returned. He hastened his steps and I also hastened my steps. He ran and I too ran. He came (to the house) and I also came (to the house). I, however, preceded him and I entered (the house), and as I lay down in the bed, he (the Holy Prophet) entered the (house), and said: Why is it, O 'A'isha, that you are out of breath? I said: There is nothing. He said: Tell me or the Subtle and the Aware would inform me. I said: Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be ransom for you, and then I told him (the whole story). He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt, and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? She said: Whatsoever the people conceal, Allah will know it. He said: Gabriel came to me when you saw me. He called me and he concealed it from you. I responded to his call, but I too concealed it from you (for he did not come to you), as you were not fully dressed. I thought that you had gone to sleep, and I did not like to awaken you, fearing that you may be frightened. He (Gabriel) said: Your Lord has commanded you to go to the inhabitants of Baqi' (to those lying in the graves) and beg pardon for them. I said: Messenger of Allah, how should I pray for them (How should I beg forgiveness for them)? He said: Say, Peace be upon the inhabitants of this city (graveyard) from among the Believers and the Muslims, and may Allah have mercy on those who have gone ahead of us, and those who come later on, and we shall, God willing, join you.  

أَلاَ أُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنِّي وَعَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُلْنَا بَلَى قَالَ قَالَتْ لَمَّا كَانَتْ لَيْلَتِيَ الَّتِي كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فِيهَا عِنْدِي انْقَلَبَ فَوَضَعَ رِدَاءَهُ وَخَلَعَ نَعْلَيْهِ فَوَضَعَهُمَا عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ وَبَسَطَ طَرَفَ إِزَارِهِ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَاضْطَجَعَ فَلَمْ يَلْبَثْ إِلاَّ رَيْثَمَا ظَنَّ أَنْ قَدْ رَقَدْتُ فَأَخَذَ رِدَاءَهُ رُوَيْدًا وَانْتَعَلَ رُوَيْدًا وَفَتَحَ الْبَابَ فَخَرَجَ ثُمَّ أَجَافَهُ رُوَيْدًا فَجَعَلْتُ دِرْعِي فِي رَأْسِي وَاخْتَمَرْتُ وَتَقَنَّعْتُ إِزَارِي ثُمَّ انْطَلَقْتُ عَلَى إِثْرِهِ حَتَّى جَاءَ الْبَقِيعَ فَقَامَ فَأَطَالَ الْقِيَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ انْحَرَفَ فَانْحَرَفْتُ فَأَسْرَعَ فَأَسْرَعْتُ فَهَرْوَلَ فَهَرْوَلْتُ فَأَحْضَرَ فَأَحْضَرْتُ فَسَبَقْتُهُ فَدَخَلْتُ فَلَيْسَ إِلاَّ أَنِ اضْطَجَعْتُ فَدَخَلَ فَقَالَ مَا لَكِ يَا عَائِشُ حَشْيَا رَابِيَةً قَالَتْ قُلْتُ لاَ شَىْءَ قَالَ لَتُخْبِرِينِي أَوْ لَيُخْبِرَنِّي اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ قَالَ فَأَنْتِ السَّوَادُ الَّذِي رَأَيْتُ أَمَامِي قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي ثُمَّ قَالَ أَظَنَنْتِ أَنْ يَحِيفَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكِ وَرَسُولُهُ قَالَتْ مَهْمَا يَكْتُمِ النَّاسُ يَعْلَمْهُ اللَّهُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَإِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ أَتَانِي حِينَ رَأَيْتِ فَنَادَانِي فَأَخْفَاهُ مِنْكِ فَأَجَبْتُهُ فَأَخْفَيْتُهُ مِنْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْكِ وَقَدْ وَضَعْتِ ثِيَابَكِ وَظَنَنْتُ أَنْ قَدْ رَقَدْتِ فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُوقِظَكِ وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ تَسْتَوْحِشِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ أَهْلَ الْبَقِيعِ فَتَسْتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ أَقُولُ لَهُمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ قُولِي السَّلاَمُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَيَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَلاَحِقُونَ  

He met Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about Witr. He said: "Shall I not lead you to one who knows best among the people of the world about the witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?" He said: "Yes." (Ibn Abbas) said: "It is 'Aishah. So go to her and ask her (about witr) and then come back to me and tell me the answer that she gives you." So I went to Hakim bin Aflah and asked him to go accompany me to her. He said: "I shall not go to her, for I told her not to say anything about these two (conflicting) groups, but she refused (to accept my advice) and went on (to participate in the conflict)." I swore an oath, beseeching him (to take me to her). So he came with me and went unto her. She said to Hakim: "Who is this with you?" He said: "He is Sa'd bin Hisham." She said: "Which Hisham?" He said: "Ibn Amir." She supplicated for mercy for him and said: "What a good man Amir was." He said: "O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah." She said: "Don't you read the Qur'an?" I said: "Yes." She said "The character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the Qur'an." He said: "I wanted to get up (and leave), then I thought of the Qiyam (night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: "Tell me about the Qiyam of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." She said: "Do you not recite this surah: "O you wrapped in garments?" I said: "Yes." She said: "Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, made Qiyam Al-Lail obligatory at the beginning of this surah, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companions prayed Qiyam Al-Lail for one year. Allah (SWT) withheld the latter part of this surah for twelve months, then he revealed the lessening (of this duty) at the end of this surah, so Qiyam Al-Lail became voluntary after it had been obligatory." I felt inclined to stand up (and not ask anything further), then I thought of the witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: "O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." She said: "We used to prepare his siwak and water for his ablution, and Allah (SWT) would wake him when He wished during the night. He would use the siwak, perform ablution, and then pray eight rak'ahs in which he would not sit until he reached the eighth one. Then he would sit and remember Allah (SWT) and supplicate, then he would say the taslim that we could hear. Then he would pray two rak'as sitting after uttering the taslim, then he would pray one rak'ah, and that made eleven rak'ahs, O my son! When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew older and put on weight, he prayed witr with seven rak'ahs, then he prayed two rak'ahs sitting down after saying the taslim, and that made nine rak'ahs. O my son, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺoffered a prayer, he liked to continue to offer it, and when sleep, sickness, or pain distracted him from praying Qiyam Al-Lail, he would pray twelve rak'ahs during the day. I am not aware of the Prophet of Allah ﷺ having recited the whole Qur'an during a single night, or praying through the whole night until morning, or fasting a complete month, except Ramadan." I went to Ibn 'Abbas and told him what she had said, and he said: "She has spoken the truth. If I could go to her (and meet her face to face) I would so that she could tell me all of that verbally."  

أَلاَ أُنَبِّئُكَ بِأَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ عَائِشَةُ ائْتِهَا فَسَلْهَا ثُمَّ ارْجِعْ إِلَىَّ فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِرَدِّهَا عَلَيْكَ فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى حَكِيمِ بْنِ أَفْلَحَ فَاسْتَلْحَقْتُهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِبِهَا إِنِّي نَهَيْتُهَا أَنْ تَقُولَ فِي هَاتَيْنِ الشِّيعَتَيْنِ شَيْئًا فَأَبَتْ فِيهَا إِلاَّ مُضِيًّا فَأَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَجَاءَ مَعِي فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ لِحَكِيمٍ مَنْ هَذَا مَعَكَ قُلْتُ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَتْ مَنْ هِشَامٌ قُلْتُ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ فَتَرَحَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ عَامِرًا قَالَ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَيْسَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْقُرْآنُ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ فَبَدَا لِي قِيَامُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ قِيَامِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَيْسَ تَقْرَأُ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ { يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ } قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ افْتَرَضَ قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ فِي أَوَّلِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَوْلاً حَتَّى انْتَفَخَتْ أَقْدَامُهُمْ وَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ ﷻ خَاتِمَتَهَا اثْنَىْ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ التَّخْفِيفَ فِي آخِرِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانَ فَرِيضَةً فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ فَبَدَا لِي وِتْرُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ كُنَّا نُعِدُّ لَهُ سِوَاكَهُ وَطَهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ ﷻ لِمَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ وَيُصَلِّي ثَمَانِيَ رَكَعَاتٍ لاَ يَجْلِسُ فِيهِنَّ إِلاَّ عِنْدَ الثَّامِنَةِ يَجْلِسُ فَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ ﷻ وَيَدْعُو ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ بَعْدَ مَا يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَةً فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يَا بُنَىَّ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ وَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ بَعْدَ مَا سَلَّمَ فَتِلْكَ تِسْعُ رَكَعَاتٍ يَا بُنَىَّ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلاَةً أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَدُومَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا شَغَلَهُ عَنْ قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ نَوْمٌ أَوْ مَرَضٌ أَوْ وَجَعٌ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ اثْنَتَىْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ وَلاَ قَامَ لَيْلَةً كَامِلَةً حَتَّى الصَّبَاحِ وَلاَ صَامَ شَهْرًا كَامِلاً غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِحَدِيثِهَا فَقَالَ صَدَقَتْ أَمَا أَنِّي لَوْ كُنْتُ أَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا لأَتَيْتُهَا حَتَّى تُشَافِهَنِي مُشَافَهَةً قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ كَذَا وَقَعَ فِي كِتَابِي وَلاَ أَدْرِي مِمَّنِ الْخَطَأُ فِي مَوْضِعِ وِتْرِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ invited me and said, "I have been informed that Khalid ibn Safwan ibn Nubayh al-Hadhali is gathering people to attack me while he is wearing a protective garment. Go to him and kill him." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, describe him to me so that I may recognize him." He said, "When you see him and notice goosebumps on your skin, proceed towards him and fear that there may be a plan between me and him to distract me from prayer. So I prayed while walking towards him and gestured with my head to indicate rukoo' and sujood. When I reached him, he asked, 'Who is this person?' I said, 'A man from the Arabs who heard about you and your gathering for this man, so he came to you.' He said, 'Indeed, I am that person.' He said, 'I walked with him for a while until I was able to bear the sword on him, and then I killed him. Then I left and abandoned his belongings on him. When I arrived before the Messenger of Allah, he saw me and said, 'Successful is the face.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I have killed him.' He said, 'You have spoken the truth.' Then he stood up with me, the Messenger of Allah, and entered his house and gave me a staff and said, 'Hold onto this, O Abdullah ibn Unais.' So I went out to the people with it, and they said, 'What is this staff?' I said, 'The Messenger of Allah gave it to me and commanded me to hold onto it.' They said, 'Why don't you return to the Messenger of Allah and ask him about it?' He said, 'So I returned to the Messenger of Allah and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, why did you give me this staff?' He said, 'It is a sign between me and you on the Day of Judgment. Indeed, the fewest people on that day will be the ones carrying staffs.' Abdullah then tied it to his sword and kept it with him until he died. When he died, he was wrapped with it in his burial shroud and we were all buried together."  

دَعَانِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ خَالِدَ بْنَ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ نُبَيْحٍ الْهُذَلِيَّ يَجْمَعُ لِي النَّاسَ لِيَغْزُوَنِي وَهُوَ بِعُرَنَةَ فَأْتِهِ فَاقْتُلْهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ انْعَتْهُ لِي حَتَّى أَعْرِفَهُ قَالَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَهُ وَجَدْتَ لَهُ إِقْشَعْرِيَرَةً قَالَ فَخَرَجْتُ مُتَوَشِّحًا بِسَيْفِي حَتَّى وَقَعْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ بِعُرَنَةَ مَعَ ظُعُنٍ يَرْتَادُ لَهُنَّ مَنْزِلًا وَحِينَ كَانَ وَقْتُ الْعَصْرِ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُ وَجَدْتُ مَا وَصَفَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مِنَ الْإِقْشَعْرِيرَةِ فَأَقْبَلْتُنَحْوَهُ وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ مُحَاوَلَةٌ تَشْغَلُنِي عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فَصَلَّيْتُ وَأَنَا أَمْشِي نَحْوَهُ أُومِئُ بِرَأْسِي الرُّكُوعَ وَالسُّجُودَ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ مَنِ الرَّجُلُ؟ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ سَمِعَ بِكَ وَبِجَمْعِكَ لِهَذَا الرَّجُلِ فَجَاءَكَ لِهَذَا قَالَ أَجَلْ أَنَا فِي ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَمَشَيْتُ مَعَهُ شَيْئًا حَتَّى إِذَا أَمْكَنَنِي حَمَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ السَّيْفَ حَتَّى قَتَلْتُهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ وَتَرَكْتُ ظَعَائِنَهُ مُكِبَّاتٍ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا قَدِمْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَرَآنِي فَقَالَ أَفْلَحَ الْوَجْهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ قَتَلْتُهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَالَ صَدَقْتَ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَامَ مَعِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَدَخَلَ بِي بَيْتَهُ فَأَعْطَانِي عَصًا فَقَالَ أَمْسِكْ هَذِهِ عِنْدَكَ يَا عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ أُنَيْسٍ قَالَ فَخَرَجْتُ بِهَا عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالُوا مَا هَذِهِ الْعَصَا؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ أَعْطَانِيهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَمْسِكَهَا قَالُوا أَوَلَا تَرْجِعُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَتَسْأَلَهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ لِمَ أَعْطَيْتَنِي هَذِهِ الْعَصَا؟ قَالَ آيَةٌ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّ أَقَلَّ النَّاسِ الْمُتَخَصِّرُونَ يَوْمَئِذٍ قَالَ فَقَرَنَهَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بِسَيْفِهِ فَلَمْ تَزَلْ مَعَهُ حَتَّى إِذَامَاتَ أَمَرَ بِهَا فَصُبَّتْ مَعَهُ فِي كَفَنِهِ ثُمَّ دُفِنَا جَمِيعًا  

"Aishah said: 'Shall I not tell you about me and about the Prophet?' We said: 'Yes.' She said: 'When it was my night when he was with me' - meaning the Prophet -'He came back (from 'Isha' prayer), put his sandals by his feet and spread the edge of his Izar on his bed. He stayed until he thought that I had gone to sleep. Then he put his sandals on slowly, picked up his cloak slowly, then opened the door slowly and went out slowly. I covered my head, put on my vie and tightened my waist wrapper, then I followed his steps until he came to Al-Baqi'. He raised his hands three times, and stood there for a long time, then he left and I left. He hastened and I also hastened; he ran and I also ran. He came (to the house) and I also came, but I got there first and entered, and as I lay down he came in. He said: "Tell me, or the Subtle, the All-Aware will tell me.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be ransomed for you,' and I told him (the whole story). He said: 'So you were the black shape that I saw in front of me?' I said, 'Yes.' He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt, then he said: 'Did you think that Allah and His Messenger would deal unjustly with you?' I said: 'Whatever the people conceal, Allah knows it.' He said: Jibril came to me when I saw you, but he did not enter upon me because you where not fully dressed. He called me but he concealed that from you, and I answered him, but I concealed that from you too. I thought that you had gone to sleep and I did not want to wake you up, and I was afraid that you would be frightened. He told me to go to Al-Baqi' and pray for forgiveness for them.' I said: 'What should I say, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Say" Peace be upon the inhabitants of this place among the believers and Muslims. May Allah have mercy upon those who have gone on ahead of us and those who come later on, and we will join you, if Allah wills."' (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2037)   

أَلَا أُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنِّي وَعَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ قَالَتْ لَمَّا كَانَتْ لَيْلَتِي الَّتِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فِيهَا عِنْدِي انْقَلَبَ فَوَضَعَ رِدَاءَهُ وَخَلَعَ نَعْلَيْهِ فَوَضَعَهُمَا عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ وَبَسَطَ طَرَفَ إِزَارِهِ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَاضْطَجَعَ فَلَمْ يَلْبَثْ إِلَّا رَيْثَمَا ظَنَّ أَنِّي قَدْ رَقَدْتُ فَأَخَذَ رِدَاءَهُ رُوَيْدًا وَانْتَعَلَ رُوَيْدًا وَفَتَحَالْبَابَ فَخَرَجَ ثُمَّ أَجَافَهُ رُوَيْدًا فَجَعَلْتُ دِرْعِي فِي رَأْسِي وَاخْتَمَرْتُ وَتَقَنَّعْتُ إِزَارِي ثُمَّ انْطَلَقْتُ عَلَى أَثَرِهِ حَتَّى جَاءَ الْبَقِيعَ فَقَامَ فَأَطَالَ الْقِيَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ انْحَرَفَ فَأَسْرَعَ فَأَسْرَعْتُ فَهَرْوَلَ فَهَرْوَلْتُ فَأَحْضَرَ فَأَحْضَرْتُ فَسَبَقْتُهُ فَدَخَلْتُ فَلَيْسَ إِلَّا أَنْ اضْطَجَعْتُ فَدَخَلَ فَقَالَ مَا لَكِ يَا عَائِشُ؟ حَشْيَاءَ رَابِيَةٍ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ لَا شَيْءَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ لَتُخْبِرِنِّي أَوْ لَيُخْبِرَنِّي اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي فَأَخْبَرَتْهُ قَالَ فَأَنْتِ السَّوَادُ الَّذِي رَأَيْتُ أَمَامِي قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَلَهَزَنِي فِي ظَهْرِي لَهْزَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي وَقَالَ أَظَنَنْتِ أَنْ يَحِيفَ عَلَيْكِ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ قَالَتْ مَهْمَا يَكْتُمِ النَّاسُ يَعْلَمْهُ اللهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَإِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ حِينَ رَأَيْتِ فَنَادَانِي فَأَخْفَاهُ مِنْكِ فَأَجَبْتُهُ فَأَخْفَيْتُهُ مِنْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَدْخُلَ عَلَيْكِ وَقَدْ وَضَعْتِ ثِيَابَكِ وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّكِ قَدْ رَقَدْتِ فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُوقِظَكِ وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ تَسْتَوْحِشِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ أَهْلَ الْبَقِيعِ فَتَسْتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ قَالَتْ فَكَيْفَ أَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ فَقَالَ قُولِي السَّلَامُ عَلَىأَهْلِ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَيَرْحَمُ اللهُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ لَلَاحِقُونَ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ called him and said, "I have been informed that Ibn Safwan ibn Nubayh al-Hudhali has gathered people to support me while he is near a date palm or a cluster of dates, so go to him." He said, "O Messenger of Allah, describe him to me so that I may recognize him." He said, "One of the signs between you and him is that when you see him, you will find a shiver down your spine." He said, "So I set out with my sword wrapped around me until I came to him while he was in a shady place which he usually visited at the time of Asr prayer. When I saw him, I found exactly what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had described to me. So I approached him and feared that there might be some attempt to distract me from the prayer, so I prayed while walking towards him and nodded with my head. When I finished the prayer, I went up to him and he said, "Who is it?" I said, "A man from the Arabs who heard about you and your gathering for this man and came for that reason." He said, "It is indeed me." So I walked with him for a while until it was possible for me to seize him with my sword, so I killed him. Then I came and left his belongings piled up around him. When I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he saw me, he said, "The face has succeeded." I said, "I killed him, O Messenger of Allah." He said, "You have spoken the truth." Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up with me and took me to his house and gave me a stick and said, "Keep this stick with you, O Abdullah ibn Unays." He said, "So I went out with it among the people, and they said, "What is this stick?" I said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave it to me and ordered me to keep it." They said, "Why don't you return to the Messenger of Allah and ask him about it?" He said, "So I went back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah, why did you give me this stick?" He said, "It is a sign between you and me on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, the least of people on that day will be those who are too short." So Abdullah linked it to his sword and it remained with him until his death. Then he (the Prophet) ordered that it be buried with him in his shroud, and so we were all buried together.  

دَعَاهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ «إِنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ ابْنَ سُفْيَانَ بْنَ نُبَيْحٍ الْهُذَلِيَّ جَمَعَ لِيَ النَّاسَ لِيَعْزُوَنِي وَهُوَ بِنَخْلَةَ أَوْ بِعُرَنَةَ فَأْتِهِ» قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ انْعَتْهُ لِي حَتَّى أَعْرِفَهُ قَالَ «آيَةُ مَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ أَنَّكَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَهُ وَجَدْتَ لَهُ إِقْشَعْرِيَرَةً» قَالَ فَخَرَجْتُ مُتَوَشِّحًا بِسَيْفِي حَتَّى دُفِعْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَهُوَ فِي ظُعُنٍ يَرْتَادُ لَهُنَّ مَنْزِلًا حِينَ كَانَ وَقْتُ الْعَصْرِ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُ وَجَدْتُ مَا وَصَفَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ الْإِقْشَعْرِيرَةِ فَأَخَذْتُ نَحْوَهُ وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ مُحَاوَلَةٌ تَشْغَلُنِي عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فَصَلَّيْتُ وَأَنَا أَمْشِي نَحْوَهُ وَأُومِئُ بِرَأْسِي فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ مِمَّنِ الرَّجُلُ؟ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ سَمِعَ بِكَ وَبِجَمْعِكَ لِهَذَا الرَّجُلِ فَجَاءَ لِذَلِكَ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَنَا فِي ذَلِكَ فَمَشَيْتُ مَعَهُ شَيْئًا حَتَّى إِذَا أَمْكَنَنِي حَمَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ بِالسَّيْفِ حَتَّى قَتَلْتُهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ وَتَرَكْتُ ظَعَائِنَهُ مُنْكَبَّاتٍ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا قَدِمْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَرَآنِي قَالَ «قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْوَجْهُ» قُلْتُ قَتَلْتُهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ «صَدَقْتَ» قَالَ ثُمَّ قَامَ مَعِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَدْخَلَنِي بَيْتَهُ وَأَعْطَانِي عَصًا فَقَالَ «أَمْسِكْ هَذِهِ الْعَصَا عِنْدَكَ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أُنَيْسٍ» قَالَ فَخَرَجْتُ بِهَا عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالُوا مَا هَذِهِ الْعَصَا؟ قُلْتُ أَعْطَانِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُمْسِكَهَا قَالُوا أَفَلَا تَرْجِعُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَتَسْأَلَهُ لِمَ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَمَ أَعْطَيْتَنِي هَذِهِ الْعَصَا قَالَ «آيَةٌ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّ أَقَلَّ النَّاسِ الْمُتَخَصِّرُونَ يَوْمَئِذٍ» فَقَرَنَهَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بِسَيْفِهِ فَلَمْ تَزَلْ مَعَهُ حَتَّى إِذَا مَاتَ أَمَرَ بِهَا فَضُمَّتْ مَعَهُ فِي كَفَنِهِ ثُمَّ دُفِنَا جَمِيعًا  

Is there not for you a model pattern in me? And when they narrated this to him (Sa'd b. Hisham), he returned to his wife, though he had divorced her and made (people) witness to his reconciliation. He then came to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Ibn 'Abbas said: Should I not lead you to one who knows best amongst the people of the world about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He said: Who is it? He (Ibn 'Abbas) said: It is 'A'isha. So go to her and ask her (about Witr) and then come to me and inform me about her answer that she would give you. So I came to Hakim b. Aflah and requested him to take me to her. He said: I would not go to her, for I forbade her to speak anything (about the conflict) between the two groupS, but she refused (to accept my advice) and went (to participate in that corflict). I (requested) him (Hakim) with an oath to lead me to her. So we went to 'A'isha and we begged permission to meet her. She granted us permission and we went in. She said: Are you Hakim? (She recognised him.) He replied: Yes. She said: Who is there with you? He said: He is Sa'd b. Hisham. She said: Which Hisham? He said: He is Hisham b. 'Amir. She blessed him ('Amir) with mercy from Allah and spoke good of him (Qatada said that he died as a martyr in Uhud). I said: Mother of the Faithful, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: Don't you read the Qur'an? I said: Yes. Upon this she said: The character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the Qur'an. He said: I felt inclined to get up and not ask anything (further) till death. But then I changed my mind and said: Inform me about the observance (of the night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: Did you not recite:" O thou wrapped up"? He said: Yes. She said: Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, made the observance of the night prayer at the beginning of this Surah obligatory. So the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him and his Companions around him observed this (night prayer) for one year. Allah held back the concluding portion of this Surah for twelve months in the Heaven till (at the end of this period) Allah revealed the concluding verses of this Surah which lightened (the burden of this prayer), and the night prayer became a supererogatory prayer after being an obligatory one. I said: Mother of the Faithful, inform me about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: I used to prepare tooth stick for him and water for his ablution, and Allah would rouse him to the extent He wished during the night. He would use the tooth stick, and perform ablution, and would offer nine rak'ahs, and would not sit but in the eighth one and would remember Allah, and praise Him and supplicate Him, then he would get up without uttering the salutation and pray the ninth rak'ah. He would then sit, remember, praise Him and supplicate Him and then utter a salutation loud enough for us to hear. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting after uttering the salutation, and that made eleven rak'ahs. O my son, but when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew old and put on flesh, he observed Witr of seven, doing in the two rak'ahs as he had done formerly, and that made nine. O my son, and when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ observed prayer, he liked to keep on observing it, and when sleep or pain overpowered him and made it impossible (for him) to observe prayer in the night, he prayed twelve rak'ahs daring the day. I am not aware of Allah's Prophet ﷺ having recited the whole Qur'an during one single night, or praying through the night till morning, or fasting a complete month, except Ramadan. He (the narrator) said: I then went to Ibn 'Abbas and narrated to him the hadith (transmitted from her), and he said: She says the truth If I went to her and got into her presence, I would have listened to it orally from her. He said: If I were to know that you do not go to her. I would not have transmitted this hadith to you narrated by her. (Using translation from Muslim 746a)   

أَلَا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ مَنْ؟ قَالَ عَائِشَةُ ائْتِهَا فَسَلْهَا ثُمَّ ارْجِعْ إِلَيَّ فَأَخْبَرَنِي بِرَدِّهَا عَلَيْكَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا إِلَى عَائِشَةَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَّا عَلَيْهَا فَدَخَلْنَا قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ؟ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ الْقُرْآنُ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ فَلَا أَسْأَلُ أَحَدًا عَنْ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى أَمُوتَ قُلْتُ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ قِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ اللهَ افْتَرَضَ الْقِيَامَ فِي أَوَّلِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَوْلًا حَتَّى انْتَفَخَتْ أَقْدَامَهُمْ وَأَمْسَكَ اللهُ خَاتِمَتَهَا اثْنَى عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ التَّخْفِيفَ فِي آخِرِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا بَعْدَ فَرِيضَةٍ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ كُنَّا نَعُدُّ لَهُ طُهُورَهُ وَسِوَاكَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللهُ لَمَّا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثُهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي تِسْعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لَا يَجْلِسُ فِيهِنَّ إِلَّا عِنْدَ الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَحْمَدُ رَبَّهُ وَيَدْعُوهُ وَيَذْكُرُهُ [245] ثُمَّ يَنْهَضُ وَلَا يُسَلِّمُ وَيُصَلِّي التَّاسِعَةَ فَيَجْلِسُ فَيَذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ وَيَحْمَدُهُ وَيَدْعُوهُ ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ يَا بَنِيَ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمَ صَلَّى سَبْعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لَا يَقْعُدُ إِلَّا فِي آخِرِهِنَّ وَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ فَتِلْكَ تِسْعٌ يَا بَنِيَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلَاةً أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُدَاوِمَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا شَغَلَهُ أَمْرٌ أَوْ غَلَبَهُ نَوْمٌ أَوْ وَجِعٌ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَلَا أَعْلَمُ نَبِيَّ اللهِ ﷺ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ وَلَا قَامَ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ وَلَا صَامَ شَهْرًا قَطُّ كَامِلَا غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَأَنْبَأْتُهُ بِحَدِيثِهَا فَقَالَ صَدَقَتْ أَمَّا إِنِّي لَوْ كُنْتُ أُدْخِلُ عَلَيْهَا لَأَتَيْتُهَا حَتَّى تُشَافِهَنِي بِهِ مُشَافَهَةً قُلْتُ لَوْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ لَا تَأْتِيهَا مَا أَنْبَأْتُكَ بِحَدِيثِهَا  

that he remembered Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he also remembered a mouthful of water which he had thrown on his face, after taking it from a well that was in their house. Mahmud said that he had heard ʿItban bin Malik, who was present with Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the battle of Badr saying, "I used to lead my people at Bani Salim in the prayer and there was a valley between me and those people. Whenever it rained it used to be difficult for me to cross it to go to their mosque. So I went to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, 'I have weak eyesight and the valley between me and my people flows during the rainy season and it becomes difficult for me to cross it; I wish you would come to my house and pray at a place so that I could take that place as a praying place.' Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'I will do so.' So Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abu Bakr came to my house in the (next) morning after the sun had risen high. Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked my permission to let him in and I admitted him. He did not sit before saying, 'Where do you want us to offer the prayer in your house?' I pointed to the place where I wanted him to pray. So Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up for the prayer and started the prayer with Takbir and we aligned in rows behind him; and he offered two rakʿat, and finished them with Taslim, and we also performed Taslim with him. I detained him for a meal called "Khazir" which I had prepared for him.--("Khazir" is a special type of dish prepared from barley flour and meat soup)-- When the neighbors got the news that Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in my house, they poured it till there were a great number of men in the house. One of them said, 'What is wrong with Malik, for I do not see him?' One of them replied, 'He is a hypocrite and does not love Allah and His Apostle.' On that Allah's Apostle said, 'Don't say this. Haven't you seen that he said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah for Allah's sake only.' The man replied, 'Allah and His Apostle know better; but by Allah, we never saw him but helping and talking with the hypocrites.' Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, 'No doubt, whoever says. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and by that he wants the pleasures of Allah, then Allah will save him from Hell." Mahmud added, "I told the above narration to some people, one of whom was Abu Aiyub, the companion of Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the battle in which he (Abu Aiyub) died and Yazid bin Mu'awiya was their leader in Roman Territory. Abu Aiyub denounced the narration and said, 'I doubt that Messenger of Allah ﷺ ever said what you have said.' I felt that too much, and I vowed to Allah that if I remained alive in that holy battle, I would (go to Medina and) ask ʿItban bin Malik if he was still living in the mosque of his people. So when he returned, I assumed Ihram for Hajj or ʿUmra and then I proceeded on till I reached Medina. I went to Bani Salim and ʿItban bin Malik, who was by then an old blind man, was leading his people in the prayer. When he finished the prayer, I greeted him and introduced myself to him and then asked him about that narration. He told that narration again in the same manner as he had narrated it the first time." (Using translation from Bukhārī 1185)   

أَنَّهُ عَقَلَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ وَعَقَلَ مَجَّةً مَجَّهَا مِنْ دَلْوٍ كَانَتْ فِي دَارِهِمْ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عِتْبَانَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ الْأَنْصَارِيَّ ثُمَّ أَحَدَ بَنِي سَالِمٍ يَقُولُ كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي لِقَوْمِي بَنِي سَالِمٍ فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنِّي قَدْ أَنْكَرْتُ بَصَرِي وَإِنَّ السُّيُولَ تَحُولَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ مَسْجِدِ قَوْمِي فَلَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّكَ جِئْتَ فَصَلَّيْتَ فِي بَيْتِي مَكَانًا أَتَّخِذُهُ مَسْجِدًا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «أَفْعَلً إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ تَعَالَى» فَغَدَا عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ مَعَهُ بَعْدَمَا اشْتَدَّ النَّهَارُ فَاسْتَأْذَنَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَأَذِنْتُ لَهُ فَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ حَتَّى قَالَ «أَيْنَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ مِنْ بَيْتِكَ؟» فَأَشَرْتُ لَهُ إِلَى الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي أُحِبُّ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ فِيهِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَصَفَفَنَا خَلْفَهُ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ وَسَلَّمْنَا حِينَ يُسَلِّمُ فَحَبَسْنَاهُ عَلَى خَزِيرٍ صُنِعَ لَهُ فَسَمِعَ بِهِ أَهْلُ الدَّارِ فَثَابُوا حَتَّى امْتَلَأَ الْبَيْتُ [407] فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ أَيْنَ مَالِكُ بْنُ الدُّخْشُمِ؟ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَّا ذَاكَ رَجُلٌ مُنَافِقٌ لَا يُحِبُّ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَلَا تَقُولُونَهُ يَقُولُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ يَبْتَغِي بِذَلِكَ وَجْهَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ أَمَّا نَحْنُ فَنُرَى وَجْهَهُ وَحَدِيثَهُ إِلَى الْمُنَافِقِينَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَيْضًا أَلَا تَقُولُونَهُ يَقُولُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ يَبْتَغِي بِذَلِكَ وَجْهَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ بَلَى أَرَى يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لَنْ يُوَافِيَ عَبْدٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ يَبْتَغِي بِذَلِكَ وَجْهَ اللهِ إِلَّا حَرَّمَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ النَّارَ قَالَ مَحْمُودٌ فَحَدَّثْتُ قَوْمًا فِيهِمْ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ صَاحِبُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فِي غَزْوَتِهِ الَّتِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهَا مَعَ يَزِيدَ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ فَأَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيَّ وَقَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَا قُلْتَ قَطُّ فَكَبُرَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيَّ فَجَعَلْتُ لِلَّهِ عَلَيَّ إِنْ سَلَّمَنِي حَتَّى أَقْفُلَ مِنْ غَزْوَتِي أَنْ أَسْأَلَ عَنْهَا عِتْبَانَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ إِنْ وَجَدْتُهُ حَيًّا فَأَهْلَلْتُ مِنْ إِيلِيَاءَ بِحَجٍّ وَعُمْرَةٍ حَتَّى قَدِمُتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَأَتَيْتُ بَنِي سَالِمٍ فَإِذَا عِتْبَانُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ قَدْ ذَهَبَ بَصَرُهُ وَهُوَ إِمَامُ قَوْمِهِ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ مِنْ صَلَاتِهِ جِئْتُهُ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَخْبَرْتُهُ مَنْ أَنَا فَحَدَّثَنِي كَمَا حَدَّثَنِي بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ 10882 أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ الْحُصَيْنَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَنْصَارِيَّ وَهُوَ أَحَدُ بَنِي سَالِمٍ وَهُوَ مِنْ سَرَاتِهِمْ عَنْ حَدِيثِ مَحْمُودٍ فَصَدَّقَهُ بِذَلِكَ  

[Machine] He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ called me and said, "It has reached me that Ibn Nubayh Al-Hudhali is gathering people to attack me while he is near a palm tree or an anthill. Go to him and kill him." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, describe him to me so that I may recognize him." He said, "The sign between you and him is that when you see him, you will find goosebumps on your skin." So, I left, putting on my sword, until I reached him while he was visiting a house in a village. It was the time for Asr prayer, and when I saw him, I found exactly what the Messenger of Allah described regarding the goosebumps. I approached him, fearing that engaging in an argument with him would distract me from praying, so I prayed while walking towards him, nodding with my head. When I reached him, he asked, "Who is the man?" I said, "A man from the Arabs who heard about you and your gathering for this man, so he came for that." He said, "Indeed, we were expecting that." Then I walked with him for a while, until I was able to carry the sword on him, and I killed him. Then I left, leaving his belongings scattered on him. When I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , he asked, "Was the face successful?" I said, "Indeed, I have killed him, O Messenger of Allah." He said, "You spoke the truth." Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up and entered his house, and he gave me a staff saying, "Hold onto this, O Abdullah bin Unays." So, I went out with it among the people, and they said, "Why do you carry this staff, O Abdullah bin Unays?" I said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave it to me and ordered me to hold onto it." They said, "Shouldn't you go back to him and ask him about it?" I said, "So, I returned to him and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, why did you give me this staff?'" He said, "It is a sign between you and me on the Day of Resurrection, and there will be very few people who will be given such a sign on that day." Then Abdullah bin Unays affixed the staff to his sword, and he kept it with him until he died. When he passed away, he was buried with it in his shroud. And that is the end.  

أَنَّهُ قَالَ دَعَانِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ ابْنَ نُبَيْحٍ الْهُذَلِيَّ يَجْمَعُ النَّاسَ لِيَغْزُوَنِي وَهُوَ بِنَخْلَةٍ أَوْ بِعُرَنَةَ فَأْتِهِ فَاقْتُلْهُ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ انْعَتْهُ لِي حَتَّى أَعْرِفَهُ قَالَ آيَةُ مَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ أَنَّكَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَهُ وَجَدْتَ لَهُ قُشَعْرِيرَةً قَالَ فَخَرَجْتُ مُتَوَشِّحًا بِسَيْفِي حَتَّى دُفِعْتُ إِلَيْهِ فِي ظُعُنٍ يَرْتَادُ بِهِنَّ مَنْزِلًا حَتَّى كَانَ وَقْتُ الْعَصْرِ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُ وَجَدْتُ لَهُ مَا وَصَفَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مِنَ الْقُشَعْرِيرَةِ فَأَقْبَلْتُ نَحْوَهُ وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ مُجَادَلَةٌ تَشْغَلُنِي عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فَصَلَّيْتُ وَأَنَا أَمْشِي نَحْوَهُ أُومِئُ بِرَأْسِي إِيمَاءً فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ مَنِ الرَّجُلُ؟ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ سَمِعَ بِكَ وَبِجَمْعِكَ لِهَذَا الرَّجُلِ فَجَاءَ لِذَلِكَ قَالَ أَجَلْ نَحْنُ فِي ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَمَشَيْتُ مَعَهُ شَيْئًا حَتَّى إِذَا أَمْكَنَنِي حَمَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ بِالسَّيْفِ فَقَتَلْتُهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ وَتَرَكْتُ ظَعَايِنَهُ مُكِبَّاتٍ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا قَدِمْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَفْلَحَ الْوَجْهُ ؟ قُلْتُ قَدْ قَتَلْتُهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَالَ صَدَقْتَ ثُمَّ قَامَ بِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَدَخَلَ بَيْتَهُ فَأَعْطَانِي عَصًا فَقَالَ امْسِكْ هَذِهِ عِنْدَكَ يَا عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ أُنَيْسٍ فَخَرَجْتُ بِهَا عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالُوا مَا هَذِهِ الْعَصَا مَعَكَ يَا عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ أُنَيْسٍ؟ قُلْتُ أَعْطَانِيهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَمْسِكَهَا عِنْدِي قَالُوا أَفَلَا تَرْجِعْ إِلَيْهِ فَتَسْأَلْهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ لِمَ أَعْطَيْتَنِي هَذِهِ الْعَصَا؟ قَالَ آيَةُ مَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَإِنَّ أَقَلَّ النَّاسِ الْمُتَخَصِّرُونَ يَوْمَئِذٍ قَالَ فَقَرَنَهَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أُنَيْسٍ بِسَيْفِهِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ مَعَهُ حَتَّى إِذَا مَاتَ أَمَرَ بِهَا فَضُمَّتْ مَعَهُ فِي كَفَنِهِ فَدُفِنَا جَمِيعًا وَكَذَلِكَ