A man asked the Prophet, "What Islamic traits are the best?" The Prophet said, "Feed the people, and greet those whom you know and those whom you do not know."

Some people asked the Prophet: "Who is the most honorable amongst the people?" He replied, "The most honorable among them is the one who is the most Allah-fearing." They said, "O Allah's Prophet! We do not ask about this." He said, "Then the most honorable person is Joseph, Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Prophet, the son of Allah's Khalil." They said, "We do not ask about this." He said, "Then you want to ask me about the Arabs' descent?" They said, "Yes." He said, "Those who were best in the pre-lslamic period, are the best in Islam, if they comprehend (the religious knowledge).

Abu Bakr went to a lady from the Ahmas tribe called Zainab bint Al-Muhajir and found that she refused to speak. He asked, "Why does she not speak." The people said, "She has intended to perform Hajj without speaking." He said to her, "Speak, for it is illegal not to speak, as it is an action of the pre-islamic period of ignorance. So she spoke and said, "Who are you?" He said, "A man from the Emigrants." She asked, "Which Emigrants?" He replied, "From Quraish." She asked, "From what branch of Quraish are you?" He said, "You ask too many questions; I am Abu Bakr." She said, "How long shall we enjoy this good order (i.e. Islamic religion) which Allah has brought after the period of ignorance?" He said, "You will enjoy it as long as your Imams keep on abiding by its rules and regulations." She asked, "What are the Imams?" He said, "Were there not heads and chiefs of your nation who used to order the people and they used to obey them?" She said, "Yes." He said, "So they (i.e. the Imams) are those whom I meant."

Some people asked Allah's Apostle, "Whose Islam is the best? i.e. (Who is a very good Muslim)?" He replied, "One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and hands."

I heard the Prophet while referring to the person who had cut the legs of the she-camel (of the Prophet Salih), saying, "The man who was appointed for doing this job, was a man of honor and power in his nation like Abu Zam`a."

When `Ali was in Yemen, he sent some gold in its ore to the Prophet. The Prophet distributed it among Al-Aqra' bin H`Abis Al-Hanzali who belonged to Bani Mujashi, 'Uyaina bin Badr Al-Fazari, 'Alqama bin 'Ulatha Al-`Amiri, who belonged to the Bani Kilab tribe and Zaid AI-Khail at-Ta'i who belonged to Bani Nabhan. So the Quraish and the Ansar became angry and said, "He gives to the chiefs of Najd and leaves us!" The Prophet said, "I just wanted to attract and unite their hearts (make them firm in Islam)." Then there came a man with sunken eyes, bulging forehead, thick beard, fat raised cheeks, and clean-shaven head, and said, "O Muhammad! Be afraid of Allah! " The Prophet said, "Who would obey Allah if I disobeyed Him? (Allah). He trusts me over the people of the earth, but you do not trust me?" A man from the people (present then), who, I think, was Khalid bin Al- Walid, asked for permission to kill him, but the Prophet prevented him. When the man went away, the Prophet said, "Out of the offspring of this man, there will be people who will recite the Qur'an but it will not go beyond their throats, and they will go out of Islam as an arrow goes out through the game, and they will kill the Muslims and leave the idolators. Should I live till they appear, I would kill them as the Killing of the nation of 'Ad."

Allah's Apostle said, "Amongst the nations before you there was a man who got a wound, and growing impatient (with its pain), he took a knife and cut his hand with it and the blood did not stop till he died. Allah said, 'My Slave hurried to bring death upon himself so I have forbidden him (to enter) Paradise.' "

Tufail bin `Amr came to the Prophet and said, "The Daus (nation) have perished as they disobeyed and refused to accept Islam. So invoke Allah against them." But the Prophet said, "O Allah! Give guidance to the Daus (tribe) and bring them (to Islam)!"

I heard my father who was the best man of his age, saying, "I heard `Aisha saying, 'I perfumed Allah's Apostle with my own hands before finishing his Ihram while yet he has not performed Tawaf-al- Ifada.' She spread her hands (while saying so.)"

The Prophet said, "Allah did not send any prophet but that he warned his nation of the one-eyed liar (Ad-Dajjal). He is one-eyed while your Lord is not one-eyed, The word 'Kafir' (unbeliever) is written between his two eyes."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I saw three moons fall into my room, and I related my vision to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. Then, when the Messenger of Allah died, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and was buried in my house, Abu Bakr said to me, 'This is one of your moons, and he is the best of them.' "

Allah's Apostle was asked, "Who are the most honorable of the people?" The Prophet said, "The most honorable of them in Allah's Sight are those who keep their duty to Allah and fear Him. They said, "We do not ask you about that." He said, "Then the most honorable of the people is Joseph, Allah's prophet, the son of Allah's prophet, the son of Allah's prophet, the son of Allah's Khalil i.e. Abraham) They said, "We do not ask you about that." The Prophet said, Do you ask about (the virtues of the ancestry of the Arabs?" They said, "Yes," He said, "Those who were the best amongst you in the Prelslamic Period are the best amongst you in Islam if they comprehend (the Islamic religion).

Allah's Apostle said, "If Allah wants to do good for somebody, he makes him comprehend the Religion (i.e. Islam), and Allah is the Giver and I am Al-Qasim (i.e. the distributor), and this (Muslim) nation will remain victorious over their opponents, till Allah's Order comes and they will still be victorious."

My ears heard and my heart grasped (the statement which) the Prophet said, "The period for keeping one's guest is three days (and don't forget) his reward." It was asked, "What is his reward?" He said, "In the first night and the day he should be given a high class quality of meals; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should entertain his guest generously; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good (sense) or keep quiet."

A similar report (as above) was narrated from Ibn Abu Kabshah, from his father, from the Prophet (saw).

(A man from the Ansar) The Ansar said, "Every nation has followers and (O Prophet) we have followed you, so invoke Allah to let our followers be considered from us (as Ansar like ourselves)." So the Prophet said, "O Allah! Let their followers be considered as Ansar like themselves."

Allah's Apostle distributed (Zakat) amongst (a group of) people while I was sitting there but Allah's Apostle left a man whom I thought the best of the lot. I asked, "O Allah's Apostle! Why have you left that person? By Allah I regard him as a faithful believer." The Prophet commented: "Or merely a Muslim." I remained quiet for a while, but could not help repeating my question because of what I knew about him. And then asked Allah's Apostle, "Why have you left so and so? By Allah! He is a faithful believer." The Prophet again said, "Or merely a Muslim." And I could not help repeating my question because of what I knew about him. Then the Prophet said, "O Sa'd! I give to a person while another is dearer to me, for fear that he might be thrown on his face in the Fire by Allah."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to me: O AbuDharr. I replied: At thy service and at thy pleasure, Messenger of Allah. He then mentioned the tradition in which he said: What will you do when there the death of the people (in Medina) and a house will reach the value of a slave (that is, a grave will be sold for a slave).

I replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. Or he said: What Allah and His Apostle choose for me.

He said: You must show endurance. Or he said; you may endure. He then said to me: What will you do, AbuDharr, when you see the Ahjar az-Zayt covered with blood?

I replied: What Allah and His Apostle choose for me.

He said: You must go to those who are like-minded.

I asked: Should I not take my sword and put it on my shoulder? He replied: you would then associate yourself with the people. I then asked: What do you order me to do? You must stay at home. I asked: (What should I do) if people enter my house and find me?

He replied: If you are afraid the gleam of the sword may dazzle you, put the end of your garment over your face in order that (the one who kills you) may bear the punishment of your sins and his.

Abu Dawud said: No one mentioned al-Mush'ath in the chain of this tradition except Hammad b. Zaid.

I heard Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan delivering a sermon. He said, "I heard the Prophet saying, "If Allah wants to do a favor to somebody, He bestows on him, the gift of understanding the Qur'an and Sunna. I am but a distributor, and Allah is the Giver. The state of this nation will remain good till the Hour is established, or till Allah's Order comes."

Allah's Apostle said, "Shall I tell you of the best families among the Ansar?" They (the people) said, "Yes, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said, "The best are Banu- An-Najjar, and after them are Banu `Abdil Ash-hal, and after them are Banu Al-Harith bin Al-Khazraj, and after them are Banu Sa`ida." The Prophet then moved his hand by closing his fingers and then opening them like one throwing something, and then said, "Anyhow, there is good in all the families of the Ansar. "

`Uthman bin `Affan was afflicted with severe nose-bleeding in the year when such illness was prevelant and that prevented him from performing Hajj, and (because of it) he made his will. A man from Quraish came to him and said, "Appoint your successor." `Uthman asked, "Did the people name him? (i.e. the successor) the man said, "Yes." `Uthman asked, "Who is that?" The man remained silent. Another man came to `Uthman and I think it was Al-Harith. He also said, "Appoint your successor." `Uthman asked, "Did the people name him?" The man replied "Yes." `Uthman said, "Who is that?" The man remained silent. `Uthman said, "Perhaps they have mentioned Az-Zubair?" The man said, "Yes." `Uthman said, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, he is the best of them as I know, and the dearest of them to Allah's Apostle ."

Somebody asked, "O Allah's Apostle! Who is the best among the people?" Allah's Apostle replied "A believer who strives his utmost in Allah's Cause with his life and property." They asked, "Who is next?" He replied, "A believer who stays in one of the mountain paths worshipping Allah and leaving the people secure from his mischief."

The Prophet was the most generous person, and he used to become more so (generous) particularly in the month of Ramadan because Gabriel used to meet him every night of the month of Ramadan till it elapsed. Allah's Apostle used to recite the Qur'an for him. When Gabriel met him, he used to become more generous than the fast wind in doing good.

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "If Allah wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion. I am just a distributor, but the grant is from Allah. (And remember) that this nation (true Muslims) will keep on following Allah's teachings strictly and they will not be harmed by any one going on a different path till Allah's order (Day of Judgment) is established."