Musnad Ahmad

Yahya ibn Sa'id narrated to us, from Hajjaj al-Sawwaf, he narrated to me from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, he narrated to me from Hilal ibn Abi Maymuna, from Ata ibn Yasar, from Mu'awiyah al-Sulami, who said: I prayed with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. A man from the people sneezed, so I said, "May Allah have mercy on you." The people stared at me, so I said, "Woe to my mother! What is the matter with you that you are looking at me?" He said: They began striking their hands on their thighs, so I realized that they were telling me to be silent, so I kept quiet. When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, finished the prayer—may my father and mother be sacrificed for him—he did not scold me, nor rebuke me, nor strike me. He said: "Indeed, this prayer is not suitable for anything of the speech of people. It is only for glorification, magnification, and the recitation of the Qur'an," or as the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said.

It is narrated from Hazrat Muawiyah bin Hakam Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) that once we were offering prayer with the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when one of the worshippers sneezed. I replied to him by saying "Yarhamuk Allah" (may Allah have mercy on you), so the people started staring at me with their eyes. I became confused and said, "What is the trouble? Why are you looking at me?" They began striking their hands on their thighs. When I saw that they wanted to silence me, I became quiet. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)—may my parents be sacrificed for him—never did I see a better teacher before him nor a better one after him. When the prayer was finished, by Allah, he neither scolded me, nor abused me, nor beat me, but rather said, "In this prayer, human speech is not appropriate. Prayer is only for glorification (tasbeeh), magnification (takbeer), and recitation of the Qur'an," or as the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said.

It is narrated from Hazrat Muawiyah bin Hakam (may Allah be pleased with him) that I asked the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), "O Messenger of Allah! Tell me about the things we used to do in the time of ignorance, for example, we used to take omens from birds (what is the ruling on this?)" The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "That is merely a thought in your mind, now it should not prevent you from doing anything." I asked, "O Messenger of Allah! For example, some of us draw lines on the ground?" The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "A prophet used to draw lines in this way, so whichever line matches his, it is correct."

Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that I had a slave girl who used to graze my goats near Uhud and Jawaniyah. One day I went to her and saw that a wolf had run away with one of the goats from her flock. I am also a human being and I feel sorrow just like common people, so in anger I slapped her. Then I presented myself before the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and this matter weighed heavily upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding me. Seeing this, I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Should I not set her free?" The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Bring her to me." I brought her, and the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked her, "Where is Allah?" She replied, "In the sky." The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked, "Who am I?" She said, "You are the Messenger of Allah." The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Set her free, for she is a believer."