The Book of the Merits of the Companions

وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ لاَ وَرَبِّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ مَا بَعْدَهُ ‏.‏

" No, by the Lord of Ibrahim," and he did not make mention of what follows subsequently.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ تَلْعَبُ بِالْبَنَاتِ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ وَكَانَتْ تَأْتِينِي صَوَاحِبِي فَكُنَّ يَنْقَمِعْنَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُسَرِّبُهُنَّ إِلَىَّ ‏.‏

'A'isha reported that she used to play with dolls in the presence of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and when her playmates came to her they left (the house) because they felt shy of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), whereas Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent them to her.

حَدَّثَنَاهُ أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ هِشَامٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ وَقَالَ فِي حَدِيثِ جَرِيرٍ كُنْتُ أَلْعَبُ بِالْبَنَاتِ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَهُنَّ اللُّعَبُ ‏.‏

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of transmitters with a slight variation of wording.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّاسَ، كَانُوا يَتَحَرَّوْنَ بِهَدَايَاهُمْ يَوْمَ عَائِشَةَ يَبْتَغُونَ بِذَلِكَ مَرْضَاةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏

'A'isha reported that people sent their gifts when it was the turn of 'A'isha seeking thereby the pleasure of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).

حَدَّثَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ النَّضْرِ وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ قَالَ عَبْدٌ حَدَّثَنِي وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ، شِهَابٍ أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ أَرْسَلَ أَزْوَاجُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاسْتَأْذَنَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ مُضْطَجِعٌ مَعِي فِي مِرْطِي فَأَذِنَ لَهَا فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَزْوَاجَكَ أَرْسَلْنَنِي إِلَيْكَ يَسْأَلْنَكَ الْعَدْلَ فِي ابْنَةِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ وَأَنَا سَاكِتَةٌ - قَالَتْ - فَقَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَىْ بُنَيَّةُ أَلَسْتِ تُحِبِّينَ مَا أُحِبُّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ بَلَى ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَأَحِبِّي هَذِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ فَقَامَتْ فَاطِمَةُ حِينَ سَمِعَتْ ذَلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَرَجَعَتْ إِلَى أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَتْهُنَّ بِالَّذِي قَالَتْ وَبِالَّذِي قَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْنَ لَهَا مَا نُرَاكِ أَغْنَيْتِ عَنَّا مِنْ شَىْءٍ فَارْجِعِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُولِي لَهُ إِنَّ أَزْوَاجَكَ يَنْشُدْنَكَ الْعَدْلَ فِي ابْنَةِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ فَاطِمَةُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أُكَلِّمُهُ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ‏.‏ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَأَرْسَلَ أَزْوَاجُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُسَامِينِي مِنْهُنَّ فِي الْمَنْزِلَةِ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَمْ أَرَ امْرَأَةً قَطُّ خَيْرًا فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ زَيْنَبَ وَأَتْقَى لِلَّهِ وَأَصْدَقَ حَدِيثًا وَأَوْصَلَ لِلرَّحِمِ وَأَعْظَمَ صَدَقَةً وَأَشَدَّ ابْتِذَالاً لِنَفْسِهَا فِي الْعَمَلِ الَّذِي تَصَدَّقُ بِهِ وَتَقَرَّبُ بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى مَا عَدَا سَوْرَةً مِنْ حَدٍّ كَانَتْ فِيهَا تُسْرِعُ مِنْهَا الْفَيْئَةَ قَالَتْ فَاسْتَأْذَنَتْ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَعَ عَائِشَةَ فِي مِرْطِهَا عَلَى الْحَالَةِ الَّتِي دَخَلَتْ فَاطِمَةُ عَلَيْهَا وَهُوَ بِهَا فَأَذِنَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَزْوَاجَكَ أَرْسَلْنَنِي إِلَيْكَ يَسْأَلْنَكَ الْعَدْلَ فِي ابْنَةِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ ثُمَّ وَقَعَتْ بِي فَاسْتَطَالَتْ عَلَىَّ وَأَنَا أَرْقُبُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَرْقُبُ طَرْفَهُ هَلْ يَأْذَنُ لِي فِيهَا - قَالَتْ - فَلَمْ تَبْرَحْ زَيْنَبُ حَتَّى عَرَفْتُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَنْتَصِرَ - قَالَتْ - فَلَمَّا وَقَعْتُ بِهَا لَمْ أَنْشَبْهَا حِينَ أَنْحَيْتُ عَلَيْهَا - قَالَتْ - فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَتَبَسَّمَ ‏"‏ إِنَّهَا ابْنَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

The wives of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) sent Fatima, the daughter of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). She sought permission to get in as he had been lying with me in my mantle. He gave her permission and she said: Allah's Messenger, verily, your wives have sent me to you in order to ask you to observe equity in case of the daughter of Abu Quhafa. She (`A'isha) said: I kept quiet. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to her (Fatima): O daughter, don't you love whom I love? She said: Yes, (I do). Thereupon he said: I love this one. Fatima then stood up as she heard this from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and went to the wives of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and informed them of what she had said to him and what Allah's messenger (ﷺ) had said to her. Thereupon they said to her: We think that you have been of no avail to us. You may again go to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and tell him that his wives seek equity in case of the daughter of Abu Quhafa. Fatima said: By Allah, I will never talk to him about this matter. `A'isha (further) reported: The wives of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) then sent Zainab b. Jahsh, the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and she was one who was somewhat equal in rank with me in the eyes of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and I have never seen a woman more advanced in religious piety than Zainab, more God-conscious, more truthful, more alive to the ties of blood, more generous and having more sense of self-sacrifice in practical life and having more charitable disposition and thus more close to God, the Exalted, than her. She, however, lost temper very soon but was soon calm. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) permitted her to enter as she (`A'isha) was along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in her mantle, in the same very state when Fatima had entered. She said: Allah's Messenger, your wives have sent me to you seeking equity in case of the daughter of Abu Quhafa. She then came to me and showed harshness to me and I was seeing the eyes of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) whether he would permit me. Zainab went on until I came to know that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) would not disapprove if I retorted. Then I exchanged hot words until I made her quiet. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) smiled and said: She is the daughter of Abu Bakr.

حَدَّثَنِيهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ قُهْزَاذَ، قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ حَدَّثَنِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ، اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ ‏.‏ مِثْلَهُ فِي الْمَعْنَى غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ فَلَمَّا وَقَعْتُ بِهَا لَمْ أَنْشَبْهَا أَنْ أَثْخَنْتُهَا غَلَبَةً ‏.‏

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters, but with a slight variation of wording.

"‏ أَيْنَ أَنَا الْيَوْمَ أَيْنَ أَنَا غَدًا ‏"

Where I would be tomorrow, where I would be tomorrow (thinking, that the turn of 'A'isha was not very near) and when it was my turn, Allah called him to his Heavenly Home and his head was between my neck and chest.

"‏ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالرَّفِيقِ ‏"

O Allah, grant me pardon, show mercy to me, enjoin me to companions (on High).

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ، نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ح، وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ هِشَامٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ ‏.‏

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham through another chain of transmitters.

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ الْمُثَنَّى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ، بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كُنْتُ أَسْمَعُ أَنَّهُ لَنْ يَمُوتَ نَبِيٌّ حَتَّى يُخَيَّرَ بَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ - قَالَتْ - فَسَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ وَأَخَذَتْهُ بُحَّةٌ يَقُولُ ‏ {‏ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقًا‏} ‏ قَالَتْ فَظَنَنْتُهُ خُيِّرَ حِينَئِذٍ ‏.‏

I heard that never a prophet dies until he is given an option to opt the life of (this) world or that of the Hereafter. She further said: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say in his last illness in which he' died. I heard him saying in gruffness of the voice: Along with those persons upon whom Allah bestowed favours from amongst the Apostles, the testifiers of truth, the martyrs, the pious and goodly company are they (iv. 69). (It was on bearing these words) that I thought that he had been given choice (and he opted to live with these pious persons in the Paradise).