Story of Ibrahim ᴬˢ leaving Hajar and baby Ismail ᴬˢ where she searched for water between the hills of Safa and Marwa

The first lady to use a girdle was the mother of Ishmael. She used a girdle so that she might hide her tracks from Sarah. Abraham brought her and her son Ishmael while she was suckling him, to a place near the Kaʿba under a tree on the spot of Zamzam, at the highest place in the mosque. During those days there was nobody in Mecca, nor was there any water So he made them sit over there and placed near them a leather bag containing some dates, and a small water-skin containing some water, and set out homeward. Ishmael's mother followed him saying, "O Abraham! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there anything (to enjoy)?" She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her Then she asked him, "Has Allah ordered you to do so?" He said, "Yes." She said, "Then He will not neglect us," and returned while Abraham proceeded onwards, and on reaching the Thaniya where they could not see him, he faced the Kaʿba, and raising both hands, invoked Allah saying the following prayers: 'O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House (Kaʿba at Mecca) in order, O our Lord, that they may offer prayer perfectly. So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits, so that they may give thanks.' (14.37)

Ishmael's mother went on suckling Ishmael and drinking from the water (she had). When the water in the water-skin had all been used up, she became thirsty and her child also became thirsty. She started looking at him (i.e. Ishmael) tossing in agony; She left him, for she could not endure looking at him, and found that the mountain of Safa was the nearest mountain to her on that land. She stood on it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see somebody, but she could not see anybody. Then she descended from Safa and when she reached the valley, she tucked up her robe and ran in the valley like a person in distress and trouble, till she crossed the valley and reached the Marwa mountain where she stood and started looking, expecting to see somebody, but she could not see anybody. She repeated that (running between Safa and Marwa) seven times." The Prophet ﷺ said, "This is the source of the tradition of the walking of people between them (i.e. Safa and Marwa).

When she reached the Marwa (for the last time) she heard a voice and she asked herself to be quiet and listened attentively. She heard the voice again and said, 'O, (whoever you may be)! You have made me hear your voice; have you got something to help me?" And behold! She saw an angel at the place of Zamzam, digging the earth with his heel (or his wing), till water flowed from that place. She started to make something like a basin around it, using her hand in this way, and started filling her water-skin with water with her hands, and the water was flowing out after she had scooped some of it." The Prophet ﷺ added, "May Allah bestow Mercy on Ishmael's mother! Had she let the Zamzam (flow without trying to control it) (or had she not scooped from that water) (to fill her water-skin), Zamzam would have been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth." The Prophet ﷺ further added, "Then she drank (water) and suckled her child. The angel said to her, 'Don't be afraid of being neglected, for this is the House of Allah which will be built by this boy and his father, and Allah never neglects His people.'

The House (i.e. Kaʿba) at that time was on a high place resembling a hillock, and when torrents came, they flowed to its right and left. She lived in that way till some people from the tribe of Jurhum or a family from Jurhum passed by her and her child, as they (i.e. the Jurhum people) were coming through the way of Kada'. They landed in the lower part of Mecca where they saw a bird that had the habit of flying around water and not leaving it. They said, 'This bird must be flying around water, though we know that there is no water in this valley.' They sent one or two messengers who discovered the source of water, and returned to inform them of the water. So, they all came (towards the water)." The Prophet ﷺ added, "Ishmael's mother was sitting near the water. They asked her, 'Do you allow us to stay with you?" She replied, 'Yes, but you will have no right to possess the water.' They agreed to that." The Prophet ﷺ further said, "Ishmael's mother was pleased with the whole situation as she used to love to enjoy the company of the people. So, they settled there, and later on they sent for their families who came and settled with them so that some families became permanent residents there.

The child (i.e. Ishmael) grew up and learnt Arabic from them and (his virtues) caused them to love and admire him as he grew up, and when he reached the age of puberty they made him marry a woman from amongst them. After Ishmael's mother had died, Abraham came after Ishmael's marriage in order to see his family that he had left before, but he did not find Ishmael there. When he asked Ishmael's wife about him, she replied, 'He has gone in search of our livelihood.' Then he asked her about their way of living and their condition, and she replied, 'We are living in misery; we are living in hardship and destitution,' complaining to him. He said, 'When your husband returns, convey my salutation to him and tell him to change the threshold of the gate (of his house).' When Ishmael came, he seemed to have felt something unusual, so he asked his wife, 'Has anyone visited you?' She replied, 'Yes, an old man of so-and-so description came and asked me about you and I informed him, and he asked about our state of living, and I told him that we were living in a hardship and poverty.' On that Ishmael said, 'Did he advise you anything?' She replied, 'Yes, he told me to convey his salutation to you and to tell you to change the threshold of your gate.' Ishmael said, 'It was my father, and he has ordered me to divorce you. Go back to your family.' So, Ishmael divorced her and married another woman from amongst them (i.e. Jurhum).

Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as long as Allah wished and called on them again but did not find Ishmael. So he came to Ishmael's wife and asked her about Ishmael. She said, 'He has gone in search of our livelihood.' Abraham asked her, 'How are you getting on?' asking her about their sustenance and living. She replied, 'We are prosperous and well-off (i.e. we have everything in abundance).' Then she thanked Allah' Abraham said, 'What kind of food do you eat?' She said. 'Meat.' He said, 'What do you drink?' She said, 'Water." He said, "O Allah! Bless their meat and water." The Prophet added, "At that time they did not have grain, and if they had grain, he would have also invoked Allah to bless it." The Prophet ﷺ added, "If somebody has only these two things as his sustenance, his health and disposition will be badly affected, unless he lives in Mecca." The Prophet ﷺ added," Then Abraham said Ishmael's wife, "When your husband comes, give my regards to him and tell him that he should keep firm the threshold of his gate.' When Ishmael came back, he asked his wife, 'Did anyone call on you?' She replied, 'Yes, a good-looking old man came to me,' so she praised him and added. 'He asked about you, and I informed him, and he asked about our livelihood and I told him that we were in a good condition.' Ishmael asked her, 'Did he give you any piece of advice?' She said, 'Yes, he told me to give his regards to you and ordered that you should keep firm the threshold of your gate.' On that Ishmael said, 'It was my father, and you are the threshold (of the gate). He has ordered me to keep you with me.'

Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as long as Allah wished, and called on them afterwards. He saw Ishmael under a tree near Zamzam, sharpening his arrows. When he saw Abraham, he rose up to welcome him (and they greeted each other as a father does with his son or a son does with his father). Abraham said, 'O Ishmael! Allah has given me an order.' Ishmael said, 'Do what your Lord has ordered you to do.' Abraham asked, 'Will you help me?' Ishmael said, 'I will help you.' Abraham said, Allah has ordered me to build a house here,' pointing to a hillock higher than the land surrounding it." The Prophet ﷺ added, "Then they raised the foundations of the House (i.e. the Kaʿba). Ishmael brought the stones and Abraham was building, and when the walls became high, Ishmael brought this stone and put it for Abraham who stood over it and carried on building, while Ishmael was handing him the stones, and both of them were saying, 'O our Lord! Accept (this service) from us, Verily, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.' The Prophet ﷺ added, "Then both of them went on building and going round the Kaʿba saying: O our Lord ! Accept (this service) from us, Verily, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing." (2.127)  

أَوَّلَ مَا اتَّخَذَ النِّسَاءُ الْمِنْطَقَ مِنْ قِبَلِ أُمِّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ اتَّخَذَتْ مِنْطَقًا لَتُعَفِّيَ أَثَرَهَا عَلَى سَارَةَ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ وَبِابْنِهَا إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَهْىَ تُرْضِعُهُ حَتَّى وَضَعَهُمَا عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ عِنْدَ دَوْحَةٍ فَوْقَ زَمْزَمَ فِي أَعْلَى الْمَسْجِدِ وَلَيْسَ بِمَكَّةَ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَحَدٌ وَلَيْسَ بِهَا مَاءٌ فَوَضَعَهُمَا هُنَالِكَ وَوَضَعَ عِنْدَهُمَا جِرَابًا فِيهِ تَمْرٌ وَسِقَاءً فِيهِ مَاءٌ ثُمَّ قَفَّى إِبْرَاهِيمُ مُنْطَلِقًا فَتَبِعَتْهُ أُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ فَقَالَتْ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ وَتَتْرُكُنَا بِهَذَا الْوَادِي الَّذِي لَيْسَ فِيهِ إِنْسٌ وَلاَ شَىْءٌ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ ذَلِكَ مِرَارًا وَجَعَلَ لاَ يَلْتَفِتُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ لَهُ آللَّهُ الَّذِي أَمَرَكَ بِهَذَا قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَتْ إِذًا لاَ يُضَيِّعُنَا ثُمَّ رَجَعَتْ فَانْطَلَقَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ عِنْدَ الثَّنِيَّةِ حَيْثُ لاَ يَرَوْنَهُ اسْتَقْبَلَ بِوَجْهِهِ الْبَيْتَ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِهَؤُلاَءِ الْكَلِمَاتِ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ {رَبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنْتُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ} حَتَّى بَلَغَ {يَشْكُرُونَ}

وَجَعَلَتْ أُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ تُرْضِعُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَتَشْرَبُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا نَفِدَ مَا فِي السِّقَاءِ عَطِشَتْ وَعَطِشَ ابْنُهَا وَجَعَلَتْ تَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ يَتَلَوَّى أَوْ قَالَ يَتَلَبَّطُ فَانْطَلَقَتْ كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ تَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهِ فَوَجَدَتِ الصَّفَا أَقْرَبَ جَبَلٍ فِي الأَرْضِ يَلِيهَا فَقَامَتْ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبَلَتِ الْوَادِيَ تَنْظُرُ هَلْ تَرَى أَحَدًا فَلَمْ تَرَ أَحَدًا فَهَبَطَتْ مِنَ الصَّفَا حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْوَادِيَ رَفَعَتْ طَرَفَ دِرْعِهَا ثُمَّ سَعَتْ سَعْىَ الإِنْسَانِ الْمَجْهُودِ حَتَّى جَاوَزَتِ الْوَادِيَ ثُمَّ أَتَتِ الْمَرْوَةَ فَقَامَتْ عَلَيْهَا وَنَظَرَتْ هَلْ تَرَى أَحَدًا فَلَمْ تَرَ أَحَدًا فَفَعَلَتْ ذَلِكَ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَذَلِكَ سَعْىُ النَّاسِ بَيْنَهُمَا فَلَمَّا أَشْرَفَتْ عَلَى الْمَرْوَةِ سَمِعَتْ صَوْتًا فَقَالَتْ صَهٍ تُرِيدَ نَفْسَهَا ثُمَّ تَسَمَّعَتْ فَسَمِعَتْ أَيْضًا فَقَالَتْ قَدْ أَسْمَعْتَ إِنْ كَانَ عِنْدَكَ غِوَاثٌ

فَإِذَا هِيَ بِالْمَلَكِ عِنْدَ مَوْضِعِ زَمْزَمَ فَبَحَثَ بِعَقِبِهِ أَوْ قَالَ بِجَنَاحِهِ حَتَّى ظَهَرَ الْمَاءُ فَجَعَلَتْ تُحَوِّضُهُ وَتَقُولُ بِيَدِهَا هَكَذَا وَجَعَلَتْ تَغْرِفُ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فِي سِقَائِهَا وَهْوَ يَفُورُ بَعْدَ مَا تَغْرِفُ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ أُمَّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ لَوْ تَرَكَتْ زَمْزَمَ أَوْ قَالَ لَوْ لَمْ تَغْرِفْ مِنَ الْمَاءِ لَكَانَتْ زَمْزَمُ عَيْنًا مَعِينًا قَالَ فَشَرِبَتْ وَأَرْضَعَتْ وَلَدَهَا فَقَالَ لَهَا الْمَلَكُ لاَ تَخَافُوا الضَّيْعَةَ فَإِنَّ هَا هُنَا بَيْتَ اللَّهِ يَبْنِي هَذَا الْغُلاَمُ وَأَبُوهُ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُضِيعُ أَهْلَهُ

وَكَانَ الْبَيْتُ مُرْتَفِعًا مِنَ الأَرْضِ كَالرَّابِيَةِ تَأْتِيهِ السُّيُولُ فَتَأْخُذُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَشِمَالِهِ فَكَانَتْ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى مَرَّتْ بِهِمْ رُفْقَةٌ مِنْ جُرْهُمَ أَوْ أَهْلُ بَيْتٍ مِنْ جُرْهُمَ مُقْبِلِينَ مِنْ طَرِيقِ كَدَاءٍ فَنَزَلُوا فِي أَسْفَلِ مَكَّةَ فَرَأَوْا طَائِرًا عَائِفًا فَقَالُوا إِنَّ هَذَا الطَّائِرَ لَيَدُورُ عَلَى مَاءٍ لَعَهْدُنَا بِهَذَا الْوَادِي وَمَا فِيهِ مَاءٌ فَأَرْسَلُوا جَرِيًّا أَوْ جَرِيَّيْنِ فَإِذَا هُمْ بِالْمَاءِ فَرَجَعُوا فَأَخْبَرُوهُمْ بِالْمَاءِ فَأَقْبَلُوا قَالَ وَأُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عِنْدَ الْمَاءِ فَقَالُوا أَتَأْذَنِينَ لَنَا أَنْ نَنْزِلَ عِنْدَكِ فَقَالَتْ نَعَمْ وَلَكِنْ لاَ حَقَّ لَكُمْ فِي الْمَاءِ قَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَأَلْفَى ذَلِكَ أُمَّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَهْىَ تُحِبُّ الإِنْسَ فَنَزَلُوا وَأَرْسَلُوا إِلَى أَهْلِيهِمْ فَنَزَلُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ بِهَا أَهْلُ أَبْيَاتٍ مِنْهُمْ

وَشَبَّ الْغُلاَمُ وَتَعَلَّمَ الْعَرَبِيَّةَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَنْفَسَهُمْ وَأَعْجَبَهُمْ حِينَ شَبَّ فَلَمَّا أَدْرَكَ زَوَّجُوهُ امْرَأَةً مِنْهُمْ وَمَاتَتْ أُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ فَجَاءَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَعْدَ مَا تَزَوَّجَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ يُطَالِعُ تَرِكَتَهُ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ فَسَأَلَ امْرَأَتَهُ عَنْهُ فَقَالَتْ خَرَجَ يَبْتَغِي لَنَا ثُمَّ سَأَلَهَا عَنْ عَيْشِهِمْ وَهَيْئَتِهِمْ فَقَالَتْ نَحْنُ بِشَرٍّ نَحْنُ فِي ضِيقٍ وَشِدَّةٍ فَشَكَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ فَإِذَا جَاءَ زَوْجُكِ فَاقْرَئِي عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمَ وَقُولِي لَهُ يُغَيِّرْ عَتَبَةَ بَابِهِ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ كَأَنَّهُ آنَسَ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ هَلْ جَاءَكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ جَاءَنَا شَيْخٌ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَسَأَلَنَا عَنْكَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ وَسَأَلَنِي كَيْفَ عَيْشُنَا فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ أَنَّا فِي جَهْدٍ وَشِدَّةٍ قَالَ فَهَلْ أَوْصَاكِ بِشَىْءٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَقْرَأَ عَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمَ وَيَقُولُ غَيِّرْ عَتَبَةَ بَابِكَ قَالَ ذَاكِ أَبِي وَقَدْ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُفَارِقَكِ الْحَقِي بِأَهْلِكِ فَطَلَّقَهَا وَتَزَوَّجَ مِنْهُمْ أُخْرَى

فَلَبِثَ عَنْهُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ أَتَاهُمْ بَعْدُ فَلَمْ يَجِدْهُ فَدَخَلَ عَلَى امْرَأَتِهِ فَسَأَلَهَا عَنْهُ فَقَالَتْ خَرَجَ يَبْتَغِي لَنَا قَالَ كَيْفَ أَنْتُمْ وَسَأَلَهَا عَنْ عَيْشِهِمْ وَهَيْئَتِهِمْ فَقَالَتْ نَحْنُ بِخَيْرٍ وَسَعَةٍ وَأَثْنَتْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَقَالَ مَا طَعَامُكُمْ قَالَتِ اللَّحْمُ قَالَ فَمَا شَرَابُكُمْ قَالَتِ الْمَاءُ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَهُمْ فِي اللَّحْمِ وَالْمَاءِ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ حَبٌّ وَلَوْ كَانَ لَهُمْ دَعَا لَهُمْ فِيهِ قَالَ فَهُمَا لاَ يَخْلُو عَلَيْهِمَا أَحَدٌ بِغَيْرِ مَكَّةَ إِلاَّ لَمْ يُوَافِقَاهُ قَالَ فَإِذَا جَاءَ زَوْجُكِ فَاقْرَئِي عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمَ وَمُرِيهِ يُثْبِتُ عَتَبَةَ بَابِهِ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ قَالَ هَلْ أَتَاكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ أَتَانَا شَيْخٌ حَسَنُ الْهَيْئَةِ وَأَثْنَتْ عَلَيْهِ فَسَأَلَنِي عَنْكَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَسَأَلَنِي كَيْفَ عَيْشُنَا فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ أَنَّا بِخَيْرٍ قَالَ فَأَوْصَاكِ بِشَىْءٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ هُوَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمَ وَيَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُثْبِتَ عَتَبَةَ بَابِكَ قَالَ ذَاكِ أَبِي وَأَنْتِ الْعَتَبَةُ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُمْسِكَكِ

ثُمَّ لَبِثَ عَنْهُمْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ يَبْرِي نَبْلاً لَهُ تَحْتَ دَوْحَةٍ قَرِيبًا مِنْ زَمْزَمَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ قَامَ إِلَيْهِ فَصَنَعَا كَمَا يَصْنَعُ الْوَالِدُ بِالْوَلَدِ وَالْوَلَدُ بِالْوَالِدِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي بِأَمْرٍ قَالَ فَاصْنَعْ مَا أَمَرَكَ رَبُّكَ قَالَ وَتُعِينُنِي قَالَ وَأُعِينُكَ قَالَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَبْنِيَ هَا هُنَا بَيْتًا وَأَشَارَ إِلَى أَكَمَةٍ مُرْتَفِعَةٍ عَلَى مَا حَوْلَهَا قَالَ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ رَفَعَا الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ فَجَعَلَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ يَأْتِي بِالْحِجَارَةِ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ يَبْنِي حَتَّى إِذَا ارْتَفَعَ الْبِنَاءُ جَاءَ بِهَذَا الْحَجَرِ فَوَضَعَهُ لَهُ فَقَامَ عَلَيْهِ وَهْوَ يَبْنِي وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ يُنَاوِلُهُ الْحِجَارَةَ وَهُمَا يَقُولاَنِ {رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ} قَالَ فَجَعَلاَ يَبْنِيَانِ حَتَّى يَدُورَا حَوْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَهُمَا يَقُولاَنِ {رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ }  

[Machine] "O Ibrahim, where are you going, leaving us in this valley that has no company or anything?" She said to him repeatedly, but he did not turn to her. She then asked him, "Did Allah command you to do this?" He said, "Yes." She said, "Then He will not let us perish." Then she returned, and Ibrahim set off facing the Kaaba, and he made the following supplication, raising his hands: "Indeed, I have settled my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred house, O Allah, [our Lord], that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful." (Quran 14:37) Then Ismail's mother breastfed and nursed Ismail until the water in the water-skin was depleted, causing her and her son to thirst and hunger. She disliked looking at her child in that state. She then saw Mount Safa closest to her, so she ascended it and looked to see if anyone was there. When she saw no one, she descended and walked briskly until she reached the valley, raising the edges of her dress to protect herself. She did this seven times. Ibn Abbas said: The Prophet ﷺ said, "That is why the people run between them." When she descended from Mount Marwah, she heard a voice, so she said, "Stay here, if you will" and listened again. When she heard nothing, she said, "I have heard you. If you have any means of assistance, then help us." Then she heard the sound again. She said, "Indeed, I have [now] perceived that I am being pursued." She hurried to the mountain and upon reaching it, she looked to see if anyone was there, but she found no one. She did this seven times. Ibn Abbas said: The Prophet ﷺ said, "May Allah have mercy on the mother of Ismail; if she had left the water flowing, it would have been a flowing stream." So she drank from it and nursed her child. The angel said to her, "Do not fear of being lost, for there is a house of Allah that will be constructed by this boy and his father, and Allah will never abandon them." The house was at a higher elevation than the surrounding land, like a fixed and firm mountain. Streams flowed from it on both sides. They lived in this manner until a group or a tribe passed by and saw birds circling above a specific location. They said, "There must be water there, this is the site we have been searching for." They sent someone, and behold, there was indeed water. They informed Ismail's family about it, and they settled there. Ismail grew up and learned Arabic from them. He amazed them with his intelligence. When he reached marriageable age, they married him to a woman from their tribe. Ismail's mother passed away.  

أَوَّلُ مَا اتَّخَذَ النِّسَاءُ الْمِنْطَقَ مِنْ قَبْلُ أُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ اتَّخَذَتْ مِنْطَقًا لَتُعَفِّيَ أَثَرَهَا عَلَى سَارَةَ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ وَابْنِهَا إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَهِيَ تُرْضِعُ حَتَّى وَضَعَهَا عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ وَلَيْسَ بِمَكَّةَ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَحَدٌ وَلَيْسَ بِهَا مَاءٌ فَوَضَعَهَا هُنَالِكَ وَوَضَعَ عِنْدَهَا جِرَابًا فِيهِ تَمْرٌ وَسِقَاءٌ فِيهِ مَاءٌ ثُمَّ قَفَّى إِبْرَاهِيمُ فَاتَّبَعَتْهُ أُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ فَقَالَتْ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ وَتَتْرُكُنَا بِهَذَا الْوَادِي الَّذِي لَيْسَ بِهِ أَنِيسٌ وَلَا شَيْءٌ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ ذَلِكَ مِرَارًا وَجَعَلَ لَا يَلْتَفِتُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ لَهُ آللَّهُ أَمَرَكَ بِهَذَا؟ قَالَ «نَعَمْ» قَالَتْ إِذًا لَا يُضَيِّعُنَا ثُمَّ رَجَعَتْ فَانْطَلَقَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ اسْتَقْبَلَ بِوَجْهِهِ الْبَيْتَ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِهَؤُلَاءِ الدَّعَوَاتِ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ {إِنِّي أَسْكَنْتُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِنْدَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحْرِمِ} [إبراهيم 37] إِلَى {لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ} [إبراهيم 37] فَجَعَلَتْ أُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ تُرْضِعُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَتَشْرَبُ ذَلِكَ الْمَاءَ حَتَّى إِذَا نَفِدَ مَا فِي ذَلِكَ السِّقَاءِ عَطِشَتْ وَعَطِشَ ابْنُهَا وَجَاعَ وَانْطَلَقَتْ كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ تَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهِ فَوَجَدَتِ الصَّفَا أَقْرَبَ جَبَلٍ يَلِيهَا فَقَامَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَاسْتَقْبَلَتِ الْوَادِيَ هَلْ تَرَى أَحَدًا؟ فَلَمْ تَرَ أَحَدًا فَهَبَطَتْ مِنَ الصَّفَا حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْوَادِيَ رَفَعَتْ طَرْفَ دَرْعِهَا ثُمَّ سَعَتْ سَعْيَ الْمُجْهِدِ ثُمَّ أَتَتِ الْمَرْوَةَ فَقَامَتْ عَلَيْهَا وَنَظَرَتْ هَلْ تَرَى أَحَدًا فَلَمْ تَرَ أَحَدًا فَعَلَتْ ذَلِكَ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «فَلِذَلِكَ سَعَى النَّاسُ بَيْنَهُمَا» [400] فَلَمَّا نَزَلَتْ عَنِ الْمَرْوَةِ سَمِعَتْ صَوْتًا فَقَالَتْ «صَهْ تُرِيدُ نَفْسَهَا ثُمَّ تَسَمَّعَتْ فَسَمِعَتْ أَيْضًا» قَالَتْ «قَدْ أَسْمَعْتَ إِنْ كَانَ عِنْدَكَ غَوْثٌ فَإِذَا هِيَ بِالْمَلَكِ عِنْدَ مَوْضِعِ زَمْزَمَ يَبْحَثُ بِعَقِبِهِ أَوْ بِجَنَاحِهِ حَتَّى ظَهَرَ الْمَاءُ فَجَاءَتْ تُحَوِّضُهُ هَكَذَا وَتَقُولُ بِيَدِهَا وَجَعَلَتْ يَعْنِي تَغْرِفُ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فِي سِقَائِهَا وَهُوَ يَفُورُ بِقَدْرِ مَا تَغْرِفُ» قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «يَرْحَمُ اللهُ أُمَّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ لَوْ تَرَكَتْ زَمْزَمَ» أَوْ قَالَ «لَوْ لَمْ تَغْتَرِفْ مِنَ الْمَاءِ لَكَانَتْ عَيْنًا مَعِينًا» فَشَرِبَتْ وَأَرْضَعَتْ وَلَدَهَا فَقَالَ الْمَلَكُ لَا تَخَافِي الضَّيْعَةَ فَإِنَّ هَاهُنَا بَيْتَ اللهِ يَبْنِيهِ هَذَا الْغُلَامُ وَأَبُوهُ وَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُضَيِّعُ أَهْلَهُ وَكَانَ الْبَيْتُ مُرْتَفِعًا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ كَالرَّابِيَةِ تَأْتِيَهُ السُّيُولُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَشِمَالِهِ فَكَانُوا كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى مَرَّتْ رُفْقَةٌ أَوْ قَالَ بَيْتٌ مِنْ جُرْهُمَ مُقْبِلِينَ فَنَزَلُوا فِي أَسْفَلِ مَكَّةَ فَرَأَوْا طَائِرًا عَارِضًا فَقَالُوا «إِنَّ هَذَا الطَّائِرَ لَيَدُورُ عَلَى مَاءٍ وَلَعَهْدُنَا بِهَذَا الْوَادِي وَمَا فِيهِ مَاءٌ فَأَرْسَلُوا فَإِذَا هُمْ بِالْمَاءِ فَرَجَعُوا فَأَخْبَرُوهُمْ بِالْمَاءِ وَأَمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عِنْدَ الْمَاءِ» فَقَالُوا أَتَأْذَنِينَ لَنَا أَنْ نَنْزِلَ عِنْدَكِ؟ قَالَتْ «نَعَمْ وَلَا حَقَّ لَكُمْ فِي الْمَاءِ» قَالَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ نَبِيُّ اللهُ ﷺ «فَأَلْفَى ذَلِكَ أُمَّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَهِيَ تُحِبُّ الْأُنْسَ فَنَزَلُوا وَأَرْسَلُوا إِلَى أَهَالِيهِمْ فَنَزَلُوا مَعَهُمْ وَشَبَّ الْغُلَامُ وَتَعَلَّمَ الْعَرَبِيَّةَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَعْجَبَهُمْ حِينَ شَبَّ فَلَمَّا أَدْرَكَ زَوَّجُوهُ امْرَأَةً مِنْهُمْ وَمَاتَتْ أُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ»  

[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  

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)   

أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ ثُمَّ ارْتَحَلَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لِيَبِيعَ عَقَارًا لَهُ بِهَا وَيَجْعَلَهُ فِي السِّلَاحِ وَالْكُرَاعِ ثُمَّ يُجَاهِدُ الرُّومَ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ فَلَقِيَ رَهْطًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ فَحَدَّثُوهُ أَنَّ رَهْطًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ سِتَّةً أَرَادُوا ذَلِكَ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَلَيْسَ فِيكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ؟ فَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَى رَجْعَتِهَا ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَيْنَا فَأَخْبَرَنَا أَنَّهُ أَتَى ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْوِتْرِ فَقَالَ أَلَا أُنَبِّئُكَ بِأَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ إِيتِ عَائِشَةَ فَسَلْهَا ثُمَّ ارْجِعْ إِلَيَّ فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِرَدِّهَا عَلَيْكَ قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُ حَكِيمَ بْنَ أَفْلَحَ فَاسْتَلْحَقْتُهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِبِهَا إِنِّي نَهَيْتُهَا أَنْ تَقُولَ فِي هَاتَيْنِ الْبَيْعَتَيْنِ شَيْئًا فَأَبَتْ فِيهِمَا إِلَّا مُضِيًّا فَأَقْسَمْتُ فَجَاءَ مَعِي فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ حَكِيمٌ؟ وَعَرَفَتْهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ أَوْ بَلَى قَالَتْ مَنْ هَذَا مَعَكَ؟ قَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَتْ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ؟ فَتَرَحَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ عَامِرٌ فَقُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ؟ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ فَبَدَا لِي قِيَامُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ؟ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ افْتَرَضَ قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ فِي أَوَّلِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَوْلًا حَتَّى انْتَفَخَتْ أَقْدَامُهُمْ وَأَمْسَكَ اللهُ خَاتِمَتَهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ التَّخْفِيفَ فِي آخِرِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا مِنْ بَعْدِ فَرِيضَةٍ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ ثُمَّ بَدَا لِي وِتْرُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ كُنَّا نَعُدُّ لَهُ سِوَاكَهُ وَطَهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللهُ بِمَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ ثُمَّ يَتَوَضَّأُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي ثَمَانِ رَكَعَاتٍ لَا يَجْلِسُ فِيهِنَّ إِلَّا عِنْدَ الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَجْلِسُ وَيُذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ ﷻ وَيَدْعُو وَيَسْتَغْفِرُ ثُمَّ يَنْهَضُ وَلَا يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي التَّاسِعَةَ فَيَقْعُدُ فَيَحْمَدُ رَبَّهُ وَيَذْكُرُهُ وَيَدْعُو ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يَا بُنَيَّ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ فَتِلْكَ تِسْعٌ يَا بُنَيَّ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلَاةً أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَدُومَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا شَغَلَهُ عَنْ قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ نَوْمٌ أَوْ وَجَعٌ أَوْ مَرَضٌ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَيْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَلَا أَعْلَمُ نَبِيَّ اللهِ ﷺ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ وَلَا قَامَ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ وَمَا صَامَ شَهْرًا كَامِلًا غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِحَدِيثِهَا فَقَالَ صَدَقَتْ أَمَا لَوْ كُنْتُ أَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا لَأَتَيْتُهَا حَتَّى تُشَافِهَنِي مُشَافَهَةً