till he reached near the women) He then moved forward and the people also moved forward along with him till he stood at his (original) place (of worship). He then completed the prayer as it was required to complete and the sun brightened and he said: O people! verily the sun and the moon are among the signs of Allah and they do not eclipse at the death of anyone among people (Abu Bakr said: On the death of any human being). So when you see anything like it (of the nature of eclipse), pray till it is bright. There is nothing which you have been promised (in the next world) but I have seen it in this prayer of mine. Hell was brought to me as you saw me moving back on account of fear lest its heat might affect me; and I saw the owner of the curved staff who dragged his intestines in the fire, and he used to steal (the belongings) of the pilgrims with his curved staff. If he (the owner of the staff) became aware, he would say: It got (accidentally) entangled in my curved staff, but if he was unaware of that, he would take that away. I also saw in it (in Hell) the owner of a cat whom she had tied and did not feed her nor set her free so that she could eat the creatures of the earth, till the cat died of starvation. Paradise was brought to me, and it was on that occasion that you saw me moving forward till I stood at my place (of worship). I stretched my hand as I wanted to catch hold of its fruits so that you may see them. Then I thought of not doing it. Nothing which you have been promised was there that I did not see in this prayer of mine.  

انْكَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمَ مَاتَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ابْنُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا انْكَسَفَتْ لِمَوْتِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ سِتَّ رَكَعَاتٍ بِأَرْبَعِ سَجَدَاتٍ بَدَأَ فَكَبَّرَ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ فَأَطَالَ الْقِرَاءَةَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ نَحْوًا مِمَّا قَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً دُونَ الْقِرَاءَةِ الأُولَى ثُمَّ رَكَعَ نَحْوًا مِمَّا قَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ فَقَرَأَ قِرَاءَةً دُونَ الْقِرَاءَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ نَحْوًا مِمَّا قَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ ثُمَّ انْحَدَرَ بِالسُّجُودِ فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَرَكَعَ أَيْضًا ثَلاَثَ رَكَعَاتٍ لَيْسَ فِيهَا رَكْعَةٌ إِلاَّ الَّتِي قَبْلَهَا أَطْوَلُ مِنَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهَا وَرُكُوعُهُ نَحْوًا مِنْ سُجُودِهِ ثُمَّ تَأَخَّرَ وَتَأَخَّرَتِ الصُّفُوفُ خَلْفَهُ حَتَّى انْتَهَيْنَا وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى النِّسَاءِ ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ وَتَقَدَّمَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى قَامَ فِي مَقَامِهِ فَانْصَرَفَ حِينَ انْصَرَفَ وَقَدْ آضَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّهُمَا لاَ يَنْكَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِمَوْتِ بَشَرٍ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَصَلُّوا حَتَّى تَنْجَلِيَ مَا مِنْ شَىْءٍ تُوعَدُونَهُ إِلاَّ قَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ فِي صَلاَتِي هَذِهِ لَقَدْ جِيءَ بِالنَّارِ وَذَلِكُمْ حِينَ رَأَيْتُمُونِي تَأَخَّرْتُ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يُصِيبَنِي مِنْ لَفْحِهَا وَحَتَّى رَأَيْتُ فِيهَا صَاحِبَ الْمِحْجَنِ يَجُرُّ قُصْبَهُ فِي النَّارِ كَانَ يَسْرِقُ الْحَاجَّ بِمِحْجَنِهِ فَإِنْ فُطِنَ لَهُ قَالَ إِنَّمَا تَعَلَّقَ بِمِحْجَنِي وَإِنْ غُفِلَ عَنْهُ ذَهَبَ بِهِ وَحَتَّى رَأَيْتُ فِيهَا صَاحِبَةَ الْهِرَّةِ الَّتِي رَبَطَتْهَا فَلَمْ تُطْعِمْهَا وَلَمْ تَدَعْهَا تَأْكُلُ مِنْ خَشَاشِ الأَرْضِ حَتَّى مَاتَتْ جُوعًا ثُمَّ جِيءَ بِالْجَنَّةِ وَذَلِكُمْ حِينَ رَأَيْتُمُونِي تَقَدَّمْتُ حَتَّى قُمْتُ فِي مَقَامِي وَلَقَدْ مَدَدْتُ يَدِي وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَتَنَاوَلَ مِنْ ثَمَرِهَا لِتَنْظُرُوا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ بَدَا لِي أَنْ لاَ أَفْعَلَ فَمَا مِنْ شَىْءٍ تُوعَدُونَهُ إِلاَّ قَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ فِي صَلاَتِي هَذِهِ  

till he reached near the women) He then moved forward and the people also moved forward along with him till he stood at his (original) place (of worship). He then completed the prayer as it was required to complete and the sun brightened and he said: O people! verily the sun and the moon are among the signs of Allah and they do not eclipse at the death of anyone among people (Abu Bakr said: On the death of any human being). So when you see anything like it (of the nature of eclipse), pray till it is bright. There is nothing which you have been promised (in the next world) but I have seen it in this prayer of mine. Hell was brought to me as you saw me moving back on account of fear lest its heat might affect me; and I saw the owner of the curved staff who dragged his intestines in the fire, and he used to steal (the belongings) of the pilgrims with his curved staff. If he (the owner of the staff) became aware, he would say: It got (accidentally) entangled in my curved staff, but if he was unaware of that, he would take that away. I also saw in it (in Hell) the owner of a cat whom she had tied and did not feed her nor set her free so that she could eat the creatures of the earth, till the cat died of starvation. Paradise was brought to me, and it was on that occasion that you saw me moving forward till I stood at my place (of worship). I stretched my hand as I wanted to catch hold of its fruits so that you may see them. Then I thought of not doing it. Nothing which you have been promised was there that I did not see in this prayer of mine. (Using translation from Muslim 904c)   

انْكَسَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ يَوْمَ مَاتَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ابْنُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا كُسِفَتِ الشَّمْسُ لِمَوْتِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ سِتَّ رَكَعَاتٍ فِي أَرْبَعِ سَجَدَاتٍ كَبَّرَ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ فَأَطَالَ الْقِرَاءَةَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ نَحْوًا مِمَّا قَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَرَأَ دُونَ الْقِرَاءَةِ الْأُولَى ثُمَّ رَكَعَ نَحْوًا مِمَّا قَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَرَأَ دُونَ الْقِرَاءَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ نَحْوًا مِمَّا قَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَانْحَدَرَ لِلسُّجُودِ فَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَرَكَعَ ثَلَاثَ رَكَعَاتٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ لَيْسَ فِيهَا رَكْعَةٌ إِلَّا الَّتِي قَبْلَهَا أَطْوَلُ مِنَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهَا إِلَّا أَنَّ رُكُوعَهُ نَحْوٌ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ ثُمَّ تَأَخَّرَ فِي صَلَاتِهِ وَتَأَخَّرَتِ الصُّفُوفُ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ فَقَامَ فِي مَقَامِهِ وَتَقَدَّمَتِ الصُّفُوفُ فَقَضَى الصَّلَاةَ وَقَدْ طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللهِ ﷻ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَا يَنْكَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ بَشَرٍ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَصَلُّوا حَتَّى تَنْجَلِي إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ تُوعَدُونَهُ إِلَّا قَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ فِي صَلَاتِي هَذِهِ وَلَقَدْ جِيءَ بِالنَّارِ فَذَلِكَ حِينَ رَأَيْتُمُونِي تَأَخَّرْتُ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يُصِيبَنِي مِنْ لَفْحِهَا حَتَّى قُلْتُ أَيْ رَبِّ وَأَنَا فِيهِمْ وَرَأَيْتُ فِيهَا صَاحِبَ الْمِحْجَنِ يَجُرُّ قُصْبَهُ فِي النَّارِ كَانَ يَسْرِقُ الْحَاجَّ بِمِحْجَنِهِ فَإِنْ فُطِنَ بِهِ قَالَ إِنَّمَا تَعَلَّقَ بِمِحْجَنِي وَإِنْ غُفِلَ عَنْهُ ذَهَبَ بِهِ وَحَتَّى رَأَيْتُ فِيهَا صَاحِبَةَ الْهِرَّةِ الَّتِي رَبَطَتْهَا فَلَمْ تُطْعِمْهَا وَلَمْ تَتْرُكْهَا تَأْكُلُ مِنْ خَشَاشِ الْأَرْضِ حَتَّى مَاتَتْ جُوعًا وَجِيءَ بِالْجَنَّةِ فَذَلِكَ حِينَ رَأَيْتُمُونِي تَقَدَّمْتُ حَتَّى قُمْتُ فِي مَقَامِي فَمَدَدْتُ يَدِي وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَتَنَاوَلَ مِنْ ثَمَرِهَا لِتَنْظُرُوا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ بَدَا لِي أَنْ لَا أَفْعَلَ  

(the wife of the Prophet) that she was told that ʿAbdullah bin Az-Zubair (on hearing that she was selling or giving something as a gift) said, "By Allah, if ʿAisha does not give up this, I will declare her incompetent to dispose of her wealth." I said, "Did he (ʿAbdullah bin Az-Zubair) say so?" They (people) said, "Yes." ʿAisha said, "I vow to Allah that I will never speak to Ibn Az-Zubair." When this desertion lasted long, ʿAbdullah bin Az-Zubair sought intercession with her, but she said, "By Allah, I will not accept the intercession of anyone for him, and will not commit a sin by breaking my vow." When this state of affairs was prolonged on Ibn Az-Zubair (he felt it hard on him), he said to Al- Miswar bin Makhrama and ʿAbdur-Rahman bin Al-Aswad bin 'Abu Yaghuth, who were from the tribe of Bani Zahra, "I beseech you, by Allah, to let me enter upon ʿAisha, for it is unlawful for her to vow to cut the relation with me." So Al-Miswar and ʿAbdur-Rahman, wrapping their sheets around themselves, asked ʿAisha's permission saying, "Peace and Allah's Mercy and Blessings be upon you! Shall we come in?" ʿAisha said, "Come in." They said, "All of us?" She said, "Yes, come in all of you," not knowing that Ibn Az- Zubair was also with them. So when they entered, Ibn Az-Zubair entered the screened place and got hold of ʿAisha and started requesting her to excuse him, and wept. Al-Miswar and ʿAbdur Rahman also started requesting her to speak to him and to accept his repentance. They said (to her), "The Prophet ﷺ forbade what you know of deserting (not speaking to your Muslim Brethren), for it is unlawful for any Muslim not to talk to his brother for more than three nights (days)." So when they increased their reminding her (of the superiority of having good relation with Kith and kin, and of excusing others' sins), and brought her down to a critical situation, she started reminding them, and wept, saying, "I have made a vow, and (the question of) vow is a difficult one." They (Al-Miswar and ʿAbdur-Rahman) persisted in their appeal till she spoke with ʿAbdullah bin Az- Zubair and she manumitted forty slaves as an expiation for her vow. Later on, whenever she remembered her vow, she used to weep so much that her veil used to become wet with her tears. (Using translation from Bukhārī 6073)   

ابْنُ أَخِي عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ لِأُمِّهَا أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ ؓ حُدِّثَتْ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ قَالَ فِي بَيْعٍ أَوْ عَطَاءٍ أَعْطَتْهُ عَائِشَةُ وَاللهِ لَتَنْتَهِيَنَّ عَائِشَةُ ؓ أَوْ لَأَحْجُرَنَّ عَلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ ؓ هُوَ لِلَّهِ عَلَيَّ نَذْرٌ أَنْ لَا أُكَلِّمَ ابْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ أَبَدًا فَاسْتَشْفَعَ ابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ إِلَيْهَا حِينَ طَالَتْ هِجْرَتُهَا إِيَّاهُ فَقَالَتْ وَاللهِ لَا أُشَفِّعُ فِيهِ أَحَدًا أَبَدًا وَلَا أَحْنَثُ فِي النَّذْرِ الَّذِي نَذَرْتُهُ فَلَمَّا طَالَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ كَلَّمَ الْمِسْوَرَ بْنَ مَخْرَمَةَ وَعَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ الْأَسْوَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ يَغُوثَ وَهُمَا مِنْ بَنِي زُهْرَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُمَا أَنْشُدُكُمَا اللهَ لَمَا أَدْخَلْتُمَانِي عَلَى عَائِشَةَ؛ فَإِنَّهَا لَا يَحِلُّ لَهَا أَنْ تَنْذِرَ قَطِيعَتِي فَأَقْبَلَ بِهِ الْمِسْوَرُ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ مُشْتَمِلَيْنِ بِأَرْدِيَتِهِمَا حَتَّى اسْتَأْذَنَا عَلَى عَائِشَةَ ؓ فَقَالَا السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ أَنَدْخُلُ؟ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ ؓ ادْخُلُوا فَقَالُوا كُلُّنَا قَالَتْ نَعَمْ ادْخُلُوا كُلُّكُمْ وَلَا تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ فَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا دَخَلَ ابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ الْحِجَابَ فَاعْتَنَقَ عَائِشَةَ وَطَفِقَ يُنَاشِدُهَا وَيَبْكِي وَطَفِقَ الْمِسْوَرُ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ يُنَاشِدَانِهَا إِلَّا مَا كَلَّمَتْهُ وَقَبِلَتْ مِنْهُ وَيَقُولَانِ إنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَدْ نَهَى عَمَّا قَدْ عَلِمْتِ مِنَ الْهِجْرَةِ وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَحِلُّ لِمُسْلِمٍ أَنْ يَهْجُرَ أَخَاهُ فَوْقَ ثَلَاثِ لَيَالٍ فَلَمَّا أَكْثَرُوا عَلَى عَائِشَةَ مِنَ التَّذْكِرَةِ وَالتَّحْرِيجِ طَفِقَتْ تُذَكِّرُهُمَا وَتَبْكِي وَتَقُولُ إِنِّي قَدْ نَذَرْتُ وَالنَّذْرُ شَدِيدٌ فَلَمْ يَزَالِا بِهَا حَتَّى كَلَّمَتِ ابْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ ثُمَّ أَعْتَقَتْ فِي نَذْرِهَا ذَلِكَ أَرْبَعِينَ رَقَبَةً ثُمَّ كَانَتْ تَذْكُرُ نَذْرَهَا ذَلِكَ بَعْدَمَا أَعْتَقَتْ أَرْبَعِينَ رَقَبَةً ثُمَّ تَبْكِي حَتَّى تَبُلُّ دُمُوعُهَا خِمَارَهَا  

[Machine] I saw Umar ibn Al-Khattab before he was struck by the days in Medina. He stood with Hudhaifah ibn Al-Yaman and Uthman ibn Hunayf and said, "How have you two managed to bear the burden of the earth that it cannot bear?" They said, "We have carried it by a command that it can bear." Hudhaifah said, "If I were to carry it, it would be weakened." Uthman ibn Hunayf said, "I have carried it by a command that it can bear, without any great favor." Umar then said, "See that you have not carried the burden of the earth that it cannot bear." They said, "No." Umar said, "If Allah grants me safety, I will leave the widows of Iraq without needing any man after me." He said, "Only four things came upon him until he was struck." He said, "And between me and him, there is no one except Abdullah ibn Abbas in the morning." He said, "And he used to stand between the rows. If he saw any disorder among them, he would say, 'Stand still until there is no disorder among them.' Then he would proceed and say the takbir." He said, "And perhaps he would recite Surah Yusuf or An-Nahl or something similar in the first raka'a until the people gathered." He said, "And it was only that he would say the takbir." He said, "I heard him say, 'The dog has killed me or the dog has eaten me,' when he was stabbed. Then he flew out of the wound with a double-edged knife that would not pass by anyone to the right or left except that it would stab him, until he stabbed thirteen men and nine of them died. When he saw that, a Muslim man threw a cloak on him. When the assassin thought that he had taken hold of him, he slit his own throat." He said, "And Umar held the hand of Abdullah ibn Awf and brought him forward." He said, "Who will take care of Umar? He has seen what he has seen." He said, "Regarding the surroundings of the mosque, they did not know anything except that they had lost the voice of Umar while they were saying, 'Subhan Allah, Subhan Allah.' Abdul-Rahman ibn Awf led them in a light prayer. When they finished, Umar said, 'O Ibn Abbas, see who killed me.' He went for a while and then came back and said, 'The slave of Al-Mughirah killed him.' He said, 'Really?' After they all spoke with their tongues and prayed towards their qibla and performed the Hajj according to their rites, he was brought to his house. We then left with him." He said, "And it was as if the people had not been affected by any calamity before that day. Some were saying, 'There is no harm,' while others were saying, 'We fear for him.' So they brought some wine and he drank it, and it came out of his wound. Then they brought some milk and he drank it, and it came out of his wound. They recognized that he was dead, and he mentioned this incident in his will and in the command to consult each other."  

رَأَيْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ ؓ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصَابَ بِأَيَّامٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَقَفَ عَلَى حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ الْيَمَانِ وَعُثْمَانَ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ فَعَلْتُمَا تَخَافَانِ أَنْ تَكُونَا قَدْ حَمَّلْتُمَا الْأَرْضَ مَا لَا تُطِيقُ؟ قَالَا حَمَّلْنَاهَا أَمْرًا هِيَ لَهُ مُطِيقَةٌ وَقَالَ حُذَيْفَةُ لَوْ حَمَّلْتُ عَلَيْهَا أُضْعِفَتْ وَقَالَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ حُنَيْفٍ حَمَّلْتُهَا أَمْرًا هِيَ لَهُ مُطِيقَةٌ مَا فِيهَا كَبِيرُ فَضْلٍ قَالَ انْظُرْ أَلَّا تَكُونَا حَمَّلْتُمَا الْأَرْضَ مَا لَا تُطِيقُ قَالَا لَا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ ؓ لَئِنْ سَلَّمَنِي اللهُ لَأَدَعَنَّ أَرَامِلَ الْعِرَاقِ لَا يَحْتَجْنَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ بَعْدِي قَالَ فَمَا أَتَتْ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا أَرْبَعَةٌ حَتَّى أُصِيبَ قَالَ وَإِنِّي لَقَائِمٌ مَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ إِلَّا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ غَدَاةَ أُصِيبَ قَالَ وَكَانَ إِذَا مَرَّ بَيْنَ الصَّفَّيْنِ قَامَ فَإِنْ رَأَى خَلَلًا قَالَ اسْتَوُوا حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَرَ فِيهِمْ خَلَلًا تَقَدَّمَ فَكَبَّرَ قَالَ وَرُبَّمَا قَرَأَ بِسُورَةِ يُوسُفَ أَوِ النَّحْلِ أَوْ نَحْوِ ذَلِكَ فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الْأُولَى حَتَّى يَجْتَمِعَ النَّاسُ قَالَ فَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا أَنْ كَبَّرَ قَالَ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ قَتَلَنِي الْكَلْبُ أَوْ أَكَلَنِي الْكَلْبُ حِينَ طَعَنَهُ فَطَارَ الْعِلْجُ بِالسِّكِّينِ ذَاتِ طَرَفَيْنِ لَا يَمُرُّ عَلَى أَحَدٍ يَمِينًا وَلَا شِمَالًا إِلَّا طَعَنَهُ حَتَّى طَعَنَ ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا فَمَاتَ مِنْهُمْ تِسْعَةٌ فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ طَرَحَ عَلَيْهِ بُرْنُسًا فَلَمَّا ظَنَّ الْعِلْجُ أَنَّهُ مَأْخُوذٌ نَحَرَ نَفْسَهُ قَالَ وَتَنَاوَلَ عُمَرُ يَدَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ ؓ ا فَقَدَّمَهُ قَالَ فَمَنْ يلِي عُمَرَ ؓ فَقَدْ رَأَى الَّذِي رَأَى وَأَمَّا نَوَاحِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَدْرُونَ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُمْ فَقَدُوا صَوْتَ عُمَرَ ؓ وَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ قَالَ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ ؓ صَلَاةً خَفِيفَةً فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفُوا قَالَ يَا ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ انْظُرْ مَنْ قَتَلَنِي فَجَالَ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَقَالَ غُلَامُ الْمُغِيرَةِ فَقَالَ الصَّنِعُ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ قَاتَلَهُ اللهُ لَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَمَرْتُ بِهِ مَعْرُوفًا فَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يجْعَلْ مِيتَتِي بِيَدِ رَجُلٍ يَدَّعِي الْإِسْلَامَ وَقَالَ قَدْ كُنْتَ أَنْتَ وَأَبُوكَ تُحِبَّانِ أَنْ تَكْثُرَ الْعُلُوجُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ قَالَ وَكَانَ الْعَبَّاسُ ؓ أَكْثَرَهُمْ رَقِيقًا فَقَالَ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَعَلْنَا أَيْ إِنْ شِئْتَ قَتَلْنَا قَالَ كَذَبْتَ بَعْدَمَا تَكَلَّمُوا بِلِسَانِكُمْ وَصَلَّوْا قِبْلَتَكُمْ وَحَجُّوا حَجَّكُمْ فَاحْتُمِلَ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ فَانْطَلَقْنَا مَعَهُ قَالَ وَكَأَنَّ النَّاسَ لَمْ تُصِبْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَبْلَ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَائِلٌ يَقُولُ لَا بَأْسَ وَقَائِلٌ يَقُولُ نَخَافُ عَلَيْهِ فَأُتِيَ بِنَبِيذٍ فَشَرِبَهُ فَخَرَجَ مِنْ جُرْحِهِ ثُمَّ أُتِيَ بِلَبَنٍ فَشَرِبَهُ فَخَرَجَ مِنْ جُرْحِهِ فَعَرَفُوا أَنَّهُ مَيِّتٌ وَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ فِي وَصَايَاهُ وَأَمْرِ الشُّورَى  

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)   

أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ مَنْ؟ قَالَ عَائِشَةُ ؓ فَأْتِهَا فَسَلْهَا ثُمَّ أَعْلِمْنِي مَا تَرُدُّ عَلَيْكَ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَيْهَا فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى حَكِيمِ بْنِ أَفْلَحَ فَاسْتَصْحَبْتُهُ فَانْطَلَقْنَا إِلَى عَائِشَةَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَّا فَدَخَلْنَا فَقَالَتْ مَنْ هَذَا؟ قَالَ حَكِيمُ بْنُ أَفْلَحَ فَقَالَتْ مَنْ هَذَا مَعَكَ؟ قُلْتُ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَتْ وَمَنْ هِشَامٌ؟ قُلْتُ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ قَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ عَامِرٌ أُصِيبَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ فَبَدَا لِي فَقُلْتُ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ قِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى افْتَرَضَ الْقِيَامَ فِي أَوَّلِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَوْلًا حَتَّى انْتَفَخَتْ أَقْدَامُهُمْ وَأَمْسَكَ اللهُ خَاتِمَتَهَا اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ التَّخْفِيفَ فِي آخِرِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا بَعْدَ فَرِيضَةٍ قَالَ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ فَبَدَا لِي وِتْرُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ كُنَّا نُعِدُّ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ سِوَاكَهُ وَطَهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللهُ مَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي تِسْعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لَا يَجْلِسُ فِيهِنَّ إِلَّا عِنْدَ الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَدْعُو رَبَّهُ وَيُصَلِّي عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ ثُمَّ يَنْهَضُ وَلَا يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي التَّاسِعَةَ فَيَقْعُدُ ثُمَّ يَحْمَدُ رَبَّهُ وَيُصَلِّي عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ وَيَدَعُو ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمَةً يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يَا بُنِيَّ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ وَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ يَا بُنِيَّ وَكَانَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلَاةً أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُدَاوِمَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا غَلَبَهُ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَيْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَلَا أَعْلَمُ نَبِيَّ اللهِ ﷺ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ وَلَا قَامَ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى الصَّبَّاحِ وَلَا صَامَ شَهْرًا قَطُّ كَامِلًا غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِحَدِيثِهَا فَقَالَ صَدَقْتَ وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ أَمْرِ سَعْدٍ قَالَ ابْنُ بِشْرٍ يَعْنِي أَوَّلُ أَمْرِهِ أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَةً ثُمَّ ارْتَحَلَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ يَبِيعُ عَقَارًا لَهُ بِهَا وَيَجْعَلُهُ فِي السِّلَاحِ وَالْكُرَاعِ ثُمَّ يُجَاهِدُ الرُّومَ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ فَبَلَغَ رَهْطًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ فَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّ رَهْطًا مِنْهُمْ سِتَّةً أَرَادُوا وَذَلِكَ فِي حَيَاةِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَفَّانَ وَرَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ