Musnad Ahmad

Kuraib (may Allah have mercy on him) says that he asked Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him), "Tell me, what did you do on the night when you were riding behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?" He replied, "We reached that valley for Maghrib where people used to make their mounts sit down. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also made his she-camel sit there, then he urinated and cleaned himself with water, then he asked for water for ablution and performed ablution, but not in an exaggerated manner. I said, 'O Messenger of Allah! The time for prayer has come.' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, 'The prayer is ahead of you.' Then he mounted his ride and reached Muzdalifah, where he offered the Maghrib prayer. Then people made their mounts sit at their respective places, and before they could even untie their luggage, the Isha prayer was established. They prayed and people began to rest. I asked, 'When morning came, what did you do then?' He replied, 'At that time, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had Hazrat Fadl bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) riding behind him, and I was walking among the people of Quraish on foot.'"

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There is no usury in cash transactions; it is in deferred transactions.

It is narrated from a freed slave of Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that one day he went with Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) to Wadi al-Qura in search of his wealth. It was the habit of Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. His slave asked him, "Despite being so old and weak, why do you so regularly fast on Mondays and Thursdays?" He replied that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. Someone asked him the reason for this, so the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "On Mondays and Thursdays, the deeds of people are presented."

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that once the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent us towards a tribe in the sandy areas of Juhaina. We attacked them in the morning and began fighting. Among them was a man who, whenever he appeared before us, fought with the greatest bravery, and when his people turned their backs and fled, he would protect them from behind. I, along with an Ansari, surrounded him. As soon as we tightened the circle around him, he immediately said, "La ilaha illallah." At this, the Ansari withdrew his hand, but I killed him. When the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) learned of this, he said, "Usama! After he had said 'La ilaha illallah,' you still killed him?" I submitted, "O Messenger of Allah! He said this to save his life." The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) repeated his statement so many times that I began to wish that I had accepted Islam only that day.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I have not left behind me any trial more severe for the men of my ummah than women.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: No Muslim can be the heir of a disbeliever, and no disbeliever can be the heir of a Muslim.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that once the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) climbed a hillock in Madinah Munawwarah and said, "Do you see what I am seeing? I see that tribulations are descending upon your houses like the falling of raindrops."

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that on the return from Arafat, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) seated him behind himself. When they reached the valley, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) dismounted and urinated—the narrator did not use the expression "poured water." Then I poured water over him and he performed a light ablution. I said, "O Messenger of Allah! The time for prayer has come." The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "The prayer is ahead of you." Then he mounted his ride and reached Muzdalifah, where he performed the Maghrib prayer. Then the people made their mounts sit at their respective places, and they had not yet unpacked their belongings when the Isha prayer was established.

Abu Salih says that I heard Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him) saying that gold should be sold for gold with equal weight. I met Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), so I asked him, "The thing you say, do you find its proof in the Qur'an, or have you heard anything about it from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?" He replied, "I have not found this in the Book of Allah, nor have I heard it directly from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but Usamah bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) has informed me that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Riba (usury) is related to credit.'"

Aamir bin Sa’d (may Allah have mercy on him) says that a man came to Hazrat Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask about the plague, so Hazrat Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I will tell you about it. I heard the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) say: The plague is a punishment which Allah the Exalted sent upon the people before you (the Children of Israel). Sometimes it comes and sometimes it goes. Therefore, if an epidemic spreads in a region, do not go into that region, and if an epidemic spreads in a region where you are already present, do not flee from it.”

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that he asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Where will we camp tomorrow, if Allah wills?" This was on the occasion of the conquest of Makkah. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Has Aqeel left any house for us?" Then the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "No Muslim can be the heir of a disbeliever, and no disbeliever can be the heir of a Muslim."

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that sometimes the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) would fast so continuously that people would say, "Now the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will not leave fasting," and sometimes he would leave fasting so continuously that it would seem as if he would never fast again. However, there were two days in the week that if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was fasting on them, it was very good, otherwise he would make sure to fast on them, and in no month did he observe as many voluntary fasts as he did in the month of Sha'ban. Seeing this, one day I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Sometimes you fast so much that you are not seen breaking the fast, and sometimes you leave fasting so much that you are not seen fasting. However, there are two days that if they come in your routine of fasting, it is better, otherwise you definitely fast on them." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked, "Which two days?" I replied, "Monday and Thursday." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "On these two days, all deeds are presented before the Lord of the worlds, and I wish that when my deeds are presented, I am fasting." Then I said, "I do not see you observing voluntary fasts in any other month as much as I see you fasting in the month of Sha'ban." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "People are heedless of the importance of this month between Rajab and Ramadan, even though in this month deeds are presented before the Lord of the worlds, so I wish that when my deeds are presented, I am fasting."

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the House of Allah, he supplicated in all its corners but did not perform prayer there. Rather, he came outside, faced towards the Ka'bah, and performed two rak'ahs, and said: "This is the Qiblah."

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the illness of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) became severe during his final sickness, I and some people with me came to Madinah Munawwarah. I presented myself in the service of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and he was silent and not speaking to anyone. When he saw me, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his hands towards the sky and then passed them over me. I understood that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was praying for me.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) departed from Arafat, and Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) was riding behind the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) began to pull the reins of his mount until its ears came close to the front part of the saddle, and the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kept saying: "O people! Adhere to calmness and dignity upon yourselves. There is no virtue in making the camels run fast."

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There is no usury in a cash transaction; it is only in a deferred transaction.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that once I went with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to visit (the chief of the hypocrites) Abdullah bin Ubayy. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, "I used to forbid you from loving the Jews." He replied, "As'ad bin Zurarah (may Allah be pleased with him) has already turned away from them (that is sufficient)." After saying this, he died after some time.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed prayer inside the House of Allah (the Ka'bah).

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that on the night of Arafah, I was riding behind the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When the sun had set, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) departed from the plain of Arafat. Suddenly, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard the noise of people rushing behind him, so he said, "O people! Go gently, make calmness obligatory upon yourselves, for hastening the mounts is not a virtue." Then, whenever there was a crowd of people, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would slow down his mount, and wherever the path was open, he would increase the pace, until he reached Muzdalifah, and there he offered both the Maghrib and Isha prayers together.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that on the night of Arafah, I was riding behind the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When the sun had set, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) departed from the plain of Arafat. Suddenly, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard the noise of people rushing behind him, so he said, "O people! Go slowly, make calmness obligatory upon yourselves, for hastening the mounts is not a virtue." Then, wherever there was a crowd of people, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would slow down his mount, and where the path was open, he would increase the pace, until he reached the valley where people used to make their mounts sit. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also made his she-camel sit there, then relieved himself and cleansed himself with water, then performed ablution after water was brought to him. I said, "O Messenger of Allah! The time for prayer has come." The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Prayer is ahead of you." Then he mounted his ride and reached Muzdalifah, where he offered Maghrib and Isha prayers together.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There is no usury in cash transactions; it is only in credit transactions.

Aamir bin Sa’d (may Allah have mercy on him) says that a man came to Hazrat Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask about the plague. Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I will tell you about it. I heard the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) say: The plague is a punishment which Allah the Exalted sent upon the people before you (the Children of Israel). Sometimes it comes and sometimes it goes. Therefore, if an epidemic spreads in a region, do not go into that region, and if an epidemic spreads in a region where you are already present, do not flee from it.”

Marwan bin Hakam once passed by Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was praying. Marwan began telling stories. On one occasion when the two met, Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Marwan! I heard the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) say: Allah Almighty does not like anyone who is shameless and foul-mouthed."

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed both the Maghrib and Isha prayers together at Muzdalifah.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage, I asked the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), "O Messenger of Allah! Where will you stay tomorrow?" The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, "Has Aqeel left any place for us to stay?" Then he said, "Tomorrow, God willing, we will camp at Khaif Banu Kinana, where the Quraysh had made a pact of disbelief and sworn oaths." The details of this are that Banu Kinana had made an agreement with the Quraysh against Banu Hashim that they would not engage in marriage, buying and selling, or provide shelter to Banu Hashim. Then he said, "No disbeliever can inherit from a Muslim, and no Muslim can inherit from a disbeliever."

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that once the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rode on a donkey which had a saddle on it, and underneath it was a Fadak cloak. He seated Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) behind him. At that time, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was going to visit Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Banu Harith bin Khazraj. This incident took place before the Battle of Badr. On the way, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a gathering in which there were Muslims, idol-worshipping polytheists, and Jews, and among them was Abdullah bin Ubayy, and also Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (may Allah be pleased with him). When the dust from the riding animal rose in that gathering, Abdullah bin Ubayy placed his cloak over his nose and said, “Do not raise dust over us.” The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stopped there, greeted them with salam, and after a short while, dismounted and began inviting them towards Allah and reciting the Qur’an to them. Seeing this, Abdullah bin Ubayy said, “O brother! If what you are saying is true, then there is nothing better than it, but do not come to our gatherings and trouble us. Please return to your place, and whoever comes to you, present these things to him.” Upon this, Abdullah bin Rawaha (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Please do come to our gatherings, for we like it.” Thus, a heated argument arose between the Muslims, polytheists, and Jews, and it was close that they would clash with each other, but the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kept calming them down. When they became calm, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mounted his ride and went to Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to him, “Sa’d! Did you hear what Abu Hubab (Abdullah bin Ubayy) said? He said such and such.” Hazrat Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, “O Messenger of Allah! Please forgive him and overlook it. By Allah! Allah has given you the status He intended for you. The people here were about to crown him as king, but Allah rejected it through the truth He gave you, and this was hard for him to bear, so he acted in this way.” Thus, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forgave him.

The previous hadith is also narrated through this second chain of transmission.

Abu al-Yaman narrated to us, Shu'ayb informed us, from al-Zuhri, he informed me that 'Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, that Usamah ibn Zayd informed him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, "rode a donkey with a saddle covered with a Fadakiyah velvet cloth, and he seated Usamah ibn Zayd behind him, visiting Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah among the Banu al-Khazraj before the Battle of Badr, and he mentioned it, and said: al-Bahrah."

Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) once told Hazrat Saad bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man came to the service of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, "I want to practice coitus interruptus with my wife." The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him the reason, so he replied that it was because of her children. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "If you want to do it only for this reason, then do not do it, because even the people of Persia and Rome have not been harmed by this thing."

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that when Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him) descended with revelation upon the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he also taught the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) how to perform ablution. And when he finished ablution, he took a handful of water and sprinkled it near his private part. Therefore, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would also do the same after ablution.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that once I presented myself before the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and saw signs of grief on his blessed face and in a certain room. I asked the reason for this, and he replied that Jibreel had not come to him for three days. Upon investigation, it was found that a puppy was hiding in a certain room. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered it to be killed, and it was killed. Shortly thereafter, Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him) appeared. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became happy upon seeing him and asked, "Why were you not coming to me?" He replied, "We do not enter a house in which there are dogs or pictures."

The previous hadith is also narrated through this second chain of transmission.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that during his final illness, one day the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me, "Call my noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and bring them to me." When they arrived, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) removed the curtain (sheet) and said, "May Allah's curse be upon the Jews and Christians, for they made the graves of their prophets places of prostration."

The previous hadith is also narrated through this second chain of transmission.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that once a daughter of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a message to the service of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that her child was in the throes of death, and requested that he come to them. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent his greetings to her and said: "What He takes belongs to Allah, and what He gives belongs to Allah, and everything has an appointed time with Him. Therefore, you should be patient and hope for reward upon this." She again sent a messenger to the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), insisting by oath. So the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up, and we also stood up with him. The child was brought and placed in the lap of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and his soul was departing. Among the people present at that time were Hazrat Sa'd bin Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) and, it seems, Hazrat Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) as well. Tears began to flow from the eyes of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Seeing this, Hazrat Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Messenger of Allah! What is this?" He replied, "This is mercy, which Allah places in the hearts of whichever of His servants He wills. And Allah shows mercy only to those of His servants who are merciful."

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that once Hazrat Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with him), Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and Zaid bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) were together in one place. During the conversation, Hazrat Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) loves me the most among all of you." Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said the same about himself, and Hazrat Zaid bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) said the same about himself. To settle the matter, they said, "Let us go to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and ask him." So they came and sought permission to enter upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me, "See who has come?" I looked and said, "Ja'far, Ali, and Zaid have come." I did not say, "My father has come." The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Allow them to enter." They came in and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Whom do you love the most?" The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Fatimah." They said, "We are asking you about men." The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "O Ja'far! Your appearance most resembles mine and your character most resembles mine. You are from me and you are my branch. And Ali! You are my son-in-law and the father of my children (grandsons). I am from you and you are from me. And O Zaid! You are our freedman and you are from me and towards me, and among all people you are the most beloved to me."

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There is no usury in a cash transaction; it is only in a deferred transaction.

It is narrated from Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that once (the Prophet’s granddaughter) Umaymah bint Zaynab was brought to the service of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and her soul was departing as if it were in a waterskin. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “What was taken is Allah’s, and what was given is Allah’s, and everything has an appointed time with Him.” Tears began to flow from the eyes of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Seeing this, Hazrat Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) submitted, “O Messenger of Allah! Are you also weeping?” He replied, “This is mercy which Allah places in the hearts of whomever He wills among His servants, and Allah shows mercy only to those of His servants who are merciful.”

Abu Sha’tha says that once I set out with the intention of performing Hajj. When I entered the Sacred House (the Ka’bah) and reached between two pillars, I went and clung to a wall. In the meantime, Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) arrived and, standing by my side, performed four rak’ahs. When he finished the prayer, I asked him, “Where did the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pray inside the Ka’bah?” He pointed to a place and said, “Here. Usamah bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) informed me that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed here.” I asked him, “How many rak’ahs did the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pray?” Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) replied, “This is what I have been reproaching myself for until today, that I spent a long time with him but did not ask how many rak’ahs the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed.” The next year, I again set out with the intention of Hajj and stood at the same place where I had stood the previous year. In the meantime, Hazrat Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived and stood by my side. Then he kept pushing me until he made me leave that place, and then he performed four rak’ahs there.

It is narrated from a freed slave of Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that one day he was with Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) in Wadi Qura in search of his wealth. It was the habit of Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. His slave asked him, "Why do you so regularly fast on Mondays and Thursdays despite being so old and weak?" He replied, "The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays." Someone asked him the reason for this, so he said, "On Mondays and Thursdays, the deeds of people are presented."