Musnad Ahmad

It is narrated from Hazrat Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) that once I submitted in the court of the Messenger: O Messenger of Allah! Teach me something from the knowledge that Allah has given you. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you have performed the Fajr prayer, refrain from offering voluntary prayers until the sun rises. Even when the sun rises, do not pray until the sun has risen high, because when it rises, it rises between the two horns of Satan, and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it. However, when it has risen to the height of one or two spears, then you may pray, for this is the time when the angels are present at the prayer, until the shadow of the spear begins to appear, then refrain from prayer, for at that time Hell is stoked. But when the shadow declines, you may pray, for in this prayer too the angels are present, until you have performed the Asr prayer. After the Asr prayer, refrain from offering voluntary prayers until sunset, for it sets between the two horns of Satan and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it."

Saleem bin Aamir says that once Hazrat Ameer Muawiya (may Allah be pleased with him) set out with an army towards the land of Rome. There was still some time left in the agreement between Hazrat Muawiya (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Romans. Hazrat Muawiya (may Allah be pleased with him) thought that they would stop after getting close to them, and as soon as the term ended, they would start fighting them. But it was seen that an old man riding a mount was going along saying, "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar! The promise should be fulfilled, the covenant should not be broken. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said: 'If a person has an agreement with any nation, he should not untie or tie its knot before the term ends or before they break the covenant from their side.'" When Hazrat Muawiya (may Allah be pleased with him) came to know of this, he turned back, and it was found out that the old man was Hazrat Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Hazrat Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) that my heart became disillusioned with the idols of my people during the time of ignorance. So I inquired about the Prophet (peace be upon him), and found out that he was keeping himself hidden. I reached there by means of some cleverness, greeted him with Salam, and asked, "Who are you?" He replied, "A Prophet!" I asked, "What is a Prophet?" He replied, "A messenger of Allah." I asked, "Who has sent you?" He replied, "Allah Almighty." I asked, "With what message has He sent you?" He replied, "With the message of maintaining ties of kinship, protecting lives, establishing peace and security on the roads, breaking idols, and worshipping Allah in such a way that no one is associated with Him." I said, "You have been sent as a caller to the best of things, and I bear witness before you that I have believed in you and affirm you. Should I stay with you or what do you advise?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "For now, you see how much people are expressing dislike for my teachings, so for the time being, return to your home, and when you hear of my emergence, then come to me." ... Then he mentioned the complete hadith.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Absa (may Allah be pleased with him) that I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) rinsing his mouth and cleaning his nose during Ramadan.

It is narrated from Hazrat Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) that once I presented myself in the court of the Messenger and said: O Messenger of Allah! Who has accepted Islam with you? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Both the free and the slave" (Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Bilal, may Allah be pleased with them). I said: O Messenger of Allah! Teach me some of the knowledge that Allah has given you. Is there any time that is more virtuous? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The last part of the night is the most virtuous, at that time the angels are present and the prayer is accepted. When you have performed the Fajr prayer, refrain from offering voluntary prayers until the sun rises. Even when the sun rises, do not pray until the sun has risen high, because when it rises, it rises between the two horns of Satan, and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it. However, when it has risen to the height of one or two spears, then you may pray, for this is the time when the angels are present, until the shadow of a spear appears, then refrain from prayer, for at that time Hell is kindled. However, when the shadow declines, you may pray, for in this prayer too the angels are present, until you have performed the Asr prayer. After the Asr prayer, refrain from offering voluntary prayers until sunset, for it sets between the two horns of Satan and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it." And Hazrat Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say that I am a quarter of Islam, and Abdur Rahman bin Beilmani used to offer two rak'ahs after Asr.

Hazrat Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) once asked: O Amr bin Abasah! How do you claim that you are a quarter of Islam? He replied: In the days of ignorance, I used to think that people were involved in misguidance and were not on any path, and they all worshipped idols. I heard about a man in Makkah who was narrating many things, so I mounted my ride and presented myself before him. I saw that he was the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he was living in concealment because his people had overpowered him. Then I adopted a way by which I could reach you (peace and blessings be upon him) in Makkah. I asked you: Who are you? You (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: I am a Prophet. I asked: What is a Prophet? You (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: Allah has sent me with His message. I asked: With what message has He sent you? You (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: Allah has sent me with the message to maintain ties of kinship, to break idols, to believe in Allah alone, and not to associate anyone with Him. I asked: Who is with you in this matter? You (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: A free man and a slave. The narrator said: At that time, Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) and Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) were with you, who had believed in you. I said: I will also follow you. You (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: You do not have the strength for this at this time. Go to your home for now, and when you hear that I have become manifest (dominant), then come to me. So I set off towards my home, and the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, and I was among my family, constantly seeking news from people and inquiring until some people from Madinah came to me. I asked them: What are the people like who have come to Madinah? They said: People are running towards them (accepting Islam); their own people want to kill them, but they do not have the power to do so. I came to Madinah and presented myself before the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! Do you recognize me? You (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "Yes, you are the one who met me in Makkah." I said: Yes. Then I said: O Messenger of Allah! Inform me of what Allah has taught you, for I am ignorant of it. Also, inform me about prayer. You (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: Pray the morning prayer, then refrain from prayer until the sun rises and becomes high, for when the sun rises, it rises between the two horns of Satan, and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it. Then pray, for the angels witness and are present at the prayer of that time, until the shadow becomes equal to a spear. Then refrain from prayer, for at that time Hell is kindled. Then when the shadow comes, pray, for the angels witness and are present at the prayer of that time, until you pray the Asr prayer. Then refrain from prayer until the sun sets, for it sets between the horns of Satan, and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it. I then asked: Tell me something about ablution as well? You (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: None of you performs ablution, rinses his mouth, and cleans his nose with water except that all the sins of his mouth and nostrils fall away. Then when he washes his face as Allah has commanded him, the sins of his face fall away with the water from the edges of his beard. Then if he stands and prays, praising and glorifying Allah, and expresses His greatness as is His due, and devotes his heart solely to Allah, then that person becomes as pure from sins as the day his mother gave birth to him. Hazrat Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Amr bin Abasah! Look! (Consider!) Can a person receive so much reward in one place? Amr bin Abasah replied: O Abu Umamah! I have become old, my bones have become soft, and my death apparently has come near, so what need do I have to lie about Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)? If I had heard this hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) once, twice, or three times, I would never have narrated it. I have heard this hadith more than seven times.

Sharjeel bin Simt once requested Hazrat Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) to tell them a hadith in which there is neither any addition nor any omission. He replied: I heard the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say that whoever frees a slave, for every limb of that slave, it will become a means of freedom from Hell for him. And whoever grows old in the way of Allah, that old age will become a source of light for him on the Day of Resurrection. And whoever shoots an arrow in the way of Allah, whether it hits the target or misses, it is as if he has freed a slave from among the descendants of Hazrat Ismail (peace be upon him).

Shahr bin Hawshab narrates from Hazrat Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) that we once came to him while he was sitting in the courtyard of the mosque picking out lice. He said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When a Muslim performs ablution, the sins of his ears, eyes, hands, and feet are washed away." During this, Abu Zabiya also arrived and asked us, "What hadith did he narrate to you?" We told him that hadith, so he said, "He has spoken the truth. I heard this hadith from Hazrat Amr bin Abasah, narrating from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but he also added that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Whoever sleeps in a state of ablution and then wakes up during the night and remembers Allah, whatever good of this world and the Hereafter he asks from Allah, Allah will surely grant it to him.'"

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Najeeh Salmi (may Allah be pleased with him) that we laid siege to the fort of Taif along with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: Whoever shoots an arrow will have one rank in Paradise for it. So, on that day, I shot sixteen arrows. And I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: Whoever shoots an arrow in the way of Allah, it is equal to freeing a slave. Whoever grows old in the way of Allah, his old age will be a source of light for him on the Day of Resurrection. And whoever shoots an arrow—whether it hits the target or misses—it is as if he has freed a slave from among the descendants of Hazrat Ismail (peace be upon him). And whoever frees a Muslim slave, for every limb of that slave, it will be a means of freedom from Hell for him, and the same ruling applies to freeing a woman.

It is narrated from Hazrat Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) that I heard the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: Whoever shoots an arrow, whether it hits the target or misses, it is as if he has freed a slave from among the descendants of Hazrat Ismail (peace be upon him).

Sananjiy once requested Hazrat Amr bin Abasah to narrate a hadith to them in which there is neither any addition nor any mistake. He replied: I heard the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say that whoever frees a Muslim slave, for every limb of that slave, it will become a means of freedom from Hell for him. And whoever grows old in the path of Allah, that old age will become a source of light for him on the Day of Resurrection. And whoever shoots an arrow in the way of Allah, whether it hits the target or misses, it is as if he has freed a slave from among the descendants of Hazrat Ismail (peace be upon him).

Saleem bin Aamir says that once Hazrat Ameer Muawiya (may Allah be pleased with him) set out with an army towards the land of Rome. The agreed period of the treaty between Hazrat Muawiya (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Romans was still remaining. Hazrat Muawiya (may Allah be pleased with him) thought that he would stop after reaching near them, and as soon as the period ended, he would start fighting them. But what he saw was that an old man riding a mount was going along saying, "Fulfill the promise, do not break the covenant." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If a person has a treaty with any nation, he should not untie or tie its knot before the period ends or before they break the covenant from their side." When Hazrat Muawiya (may Allah be pleased with him) came to know of this, he turned back, and it was found out that the old man was Hazrat Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Hazrat Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) that once I presented myself in the court of the Messenger and asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Who has accepted Islam with you?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, "Both the free and the slave" (Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Bilal, may Allah be pleased with them). I asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Teach me something from the knowledge Allah has given you. Is there any time that is more virtuous?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The last part of the night is the most virtuous; at that time, angels are present and prayers are accepted. When you have offered the Fajr prayer, refrain from offering voluntary prayers until the sun rises. Even when the sun rises, do not pray until the sun has risen high, because when it rises, it rises between the two horns of Satan, and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it. However, when it has risen to the height of one or two spears, then you may pray, for this is the time when the angels are present, until the shadow of a spear begins to appear; then refrain from prayer, for at that time Hell is kindled. But when the shadow declines, you may pray, for in this prayer too the angels are present, until you have offered the Asr prayer. After the Asr prayer, refrain from offering voluntary prayers until sunset, for it sets between the two horns of Satan, and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it. When a person performs ablution and washes his hands, the sins of his hands fall away; when he washes his face, the sins of his face fall away; when he washes his arms and wipes his head, the sins of his arms and head fall away; when he washes his feet, the sins of his feet fall away. And when he stands for prayer with complete attention of heart and face, he returns in such a state as if his mother has just given birth to him." Someone asked him, "Did you really hear the Prophet (peace be upon him) say this?" He replied, "If I had not heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say this not once or twice, but twenty times, I would never have narrated it."

It is narrated from Hazrat Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man asked: O Messenger of Allah! What is Islam? He replied: "That your heart submits to Allah and that Muslims are safe from your tongue and your hand." He asked: Which Islam is the best? He replied: "Faith!" He asked: What is meant by faith? He replied: To believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His prophets, and life after death. He asked: Which faith is the best? He replied: "Migration (Hijrah)." He then asked: What is meant by migration? He replied: "To abandon sins." He asked: Which migration is the best? He replied: "Jihad." He asked: What is meant by jihad? He replied: "To fight when confronting the disbelievers." He asked: Which jihad is the best? He replied: "That whose horse's legs are cut off and the person's own blood is shed." Then he said: "After this, there are two deeds which are the best, unless someone performs the same deeds: one is an accepted Hajj and the other is Umrah."

It is narrated from Hazrat Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) that I submitted in the court of the Messenger: O Messenger of Allah! Who else is with you on this religion? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Both the free and the slave." At that time, Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Go back to your people until Allah grants victory to His Messenger." Hazrat Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say that I have seen the time when I was a quarter of Islam (the fourth person among those who accepted Islam).