The Book on Government

This tradition has been handed down on the authority of Salman al-Khair through another chain of transmitters.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the, Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: While a man walks along a path, finds a thorny twig lying on the way and puts it aside, Allah would appreciate it and forgive him The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: The martyrs are of five kinds: one who dies of plague; one who dies of diarrhoea (or cholera) ; one who is drowned; one who is buried under debris and one who dies fighting in the way of Allah.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (through another chain of transmitters) that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Whom do you consider to be a martyr among you? They (the Companions) said: Messenger, of Allah, one who is slain in the way of Allah is a martyr. He said: Then (if this is the definition of a martyr) the martyrs of my Umma will be small in number. They asked: Messenger of Allah, who are they? He said: One who is slain in the way of Allah is a martyr; one who dies in the way of Allah, is a martyr; one who dies of plague is a martyr; one who dies of cholera is a martyr. Ibn Miqsam said: I testify the truth of your father's statement (with regard to this tradition) that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: One who is drowned is a martyr.

A version of the tradition narrated on the authority of Suhail contains the additional words: " And one who is drowned is a martyr."

Another version of the tradition narrated on the authority of Suhail thouch a different chain of transmitters contains the additional words: " A drowned person is a martyr."

It has been narrated on the authority of Hafsa daughter of Sirin who said: Anas b. Malik asked me the cause of death of Yahya b. 'Abu 'Amra. I said: (He died) of plague. He said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said that death by plague is martyrdom for a Muslim.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of 'Asim through the same chain of transmitters.

It has been narrated on the authority of Ibn Amir who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say-and he was delivering a sermon from the pulpit: Prepare to meet them with as much strength as you can afford. Beware, strength consists in archery. Beware, strength consists in archery. Beware, strength consists in archery.

It has been narrated on the authority of Uqba b. Amir who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: Lands shall be thrown open to you and Allah will suffice you (against your enemies), but none of you should give up playing with his arrows.

This tradition has also been narrated on the same authority through another chain of transmitters.

It has been reported by 'Abd al-Rahman b. Shamasa that Fuqaim al- Lakhmi said to Uqba b. Amir: You frequent between these two targets and you are an old man, so you will be finding it very hard. 'Uqba said: But for a thing I heard from the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him), I would not strain myself. Harith (one of the narrators in the chain of transmitters) said: I asked Ibn Shamasa: What was that? He said that he (the Holy Prophet) said: Who learnt archery and then gave it up is not from us. or he has been guilty of disobedience (to Allah's Apostle).

It has been narrated on the authority of Thauban that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: A group of people from my Umma will always remain triumphant on the right path and continue to be triumphant (against their opponents). He who deserts them shall not be able to do them any harm. They will remain in this position until Allah's Command is executed (i.e. Qiyamah is established). In Qutaiba's version of the tradition, we do not have the words:" They will remain in this position."

It has been narrated on the authority of Mughira who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to be triumphant over the people until the Command of Allah overtakes them while they are still triumphant. The same tradition has been narrated through another chain of transmitters on the same authority.

It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. Samura that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: This religion will continue to exist, and a group of people from the Muslims will continue to fight for its protection until the Hour is established.

It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight In defence of truth and remain triumphant until the Day of judgment.

It his been narrated on the authority of Umair b. Umm Hani who said: I heard Mu'awiya say (while delivering a sermon from the pulpit) that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to obey Allah's Command, and those who desert or oppose them shall not be able to do them any harm. They will be dominating the peeple until Allah's Command is executed (i. e. Resurrection is established).

It has been related by, Yazid b. al-Asamm that he heard Mu'awiya b. Abu Sfyan quote a tradition from the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) which he related from the Prophet (mail peace he upon him) -and he did not hear him quote from the Holy Prophet (masy peace be upon him) any tradition other than this in the course of his sermon from the pulpit-that whom Allah wants to do a favour, He grants him an understanding of religion. A group of people from the Muslims will remain on the Right Path and continue until the Day of Judgment to triumph over those who oppose them.

It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abd al-Rahman b. Shamasa al- Mahri who said: I was in the company of Maslama b. Mukhallad, and 'Abdullah b. 'Amr b. 'As was with him. 'Abdullah said: The Hour shall some oniy when the worst type of people are left on the earth. They will be worse than the people of pre-Islamic days. They will get whatever they ask of Allah. While we were yet sitting when 'Uqba b. 'Amir came, and Maslama said to him: 'Uqba, listen to what 'Abdullah says. 'Uqba said: He knows better; so far as I am concerned, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight in obedience to the Command of Allah, remaining dominant over their enemies. Those who will oppose them shall not do them any harm. They will remain ill this condition until the Hour overtakes them. (At this) 'Abdullah said: Yes. Then Allah will raise a wild which will be fragrant like musk and whose touch will be like the touch of silk; (but) it will cause the death of all (faithful) persons, not leaving behind a single person with an iota of faith in his heart. Then only the worst of men will remain to be overwhelmed by the Hour.

It has been narrated by Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: The people of the West will continue to triumphantly follow the truth until the Hour is established.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When you journey through a fertile land, you should (go slow and) give the camels a chance to graze in the land. When you travel In an arid (land) where there is scarcity of vegetation, you should quicken their pace (lest your camels grow feeble and emaciated for lack of fodder). When you halt for the night, avoid (pitching your tent on) the road, for it is the abode of noxious little animals at night.

It has been narrated (through another chain of transmitters) on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When you travel (through a land) where there is plenty of vegetation, you should (go slow and) give the camels a chance to enjoy the benefit of the earth. When you travel (through a land) where there is scarcity of vegetation, you should hasten with them (so that you may be able to cross that land while your animals ore still in a good condition of health). When you make a halt for the night, avoid (doing so on) the road, for the tracks are the pathways of wild beasts or the abode of noxious little animals.

On the authority of Abu Huraira that the Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: Travelling is a tortuous experience. It deprives a person of his sleep. his food and drink. When one of you has accomplished his purpose, he should hasten his return to his family.

It has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) would not come (back) to his family by night. He would come to them in the morning or in the evening. Another version of the tradition narrated on the some authority is a little difierently worded. It says: (He) would not enter (upon his household at night).

It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah who said: We accompanied the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on an expedition. When we came (back) to Medina and were going to enter our houses, he said: Wait and enter (your houses) in the later part of the evening so that a woman with dishevelled hair may have used the comb, and a woman whose husband has been away from home may have removed the hair from her private parts.

It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: If one of you comes (back from a journey) at night. he should not enter his house as a night visitor (but should wait) until a woman whose husband has been away from house has removed the hair from her private parts and a woman with dishevelled hair has combed her hair.

This tradition has been handed down through another chain of transmitters.

It has been narrated (through a different chain of tranmitten) on the authority of Jabir who said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) forbade that a man should come to his family like (an unexpected) night visitor doubting their fidelity and spying into their lapses.