Mishkat al-Masabih

When al-Husain b. ‘Ali was sitting in God’s messenger’s lap he passed water and I said, “Put on a garment and give me your lower garment to wash;" but he replied, “It is only the urine of a female which should be washed; the urine of a male should be sprinkled." Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it. In a version by Abu Dawud and Nasa’i from Abus Samh he said, "It should be washed because of a girl’s urine and sprinkled because of a boy’s."

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, "When any of you treads with his sandal on something unclean, earth should be used to purify it." Abu Dawud transmitted it and Ibn Majah has something similar.

Umm Salama said that a woman told her she had a long skirt and walked in filthy places, so she told her that God’s messenger had said, "What comes after it cleanses it." Malik, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it, the last two mentioning that the woman was an umm walad* belonging to Ibrahim b. ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf. *Lit. "mother of a boy". Used of a slavewoman who has borne a child to her master, and therefore gains her freedom when he dies.

Al-Miqdam b. Ma'dikarib said that God’s messenger prohibited wearing the skins of beasts of prey and using them on saddles. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abul Malih b. Usama quoted his father as saying that the Prophet prohibited the use of the skins of beasts of prey. Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it; and Tirmidhi and Darimi added that they may be used as rugs.

Abul Malih expressed his disapproval of payment for the skins of beasts of prey.* *The source of this tradition is not mentioned, but the editor of the Damascus edition of the Mishkat says Tirmidhi appended it in a note.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Ukaim said, “The letter of God’s messenger came to us telling us not to make use of the skin or sinew of an animal which had died a natural death.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘A'isha said God’s messenger commanded that the skins of animals which had died a natural death should be made use of after they had been tanned. Malik and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Maimuna said that some people passed the Prophet dragging a sheep of theirs as big as an ass. God’s messenger asked them why they did not make use of its skin, and when they told him that it had died a natural death he said, “Water and leaves of the mimosa flava* purify it." *The Arabic word is qaraz. meaning the leaves of the mimosa flave (salam) These were used for tanning. Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Salma b. al-Muhabbiq said that on the expedition to Tabuk God’s messenger came to a household, and seeing a bucket hanging, asked for water. They told him that the animal had died a natural death, but he replied, “Its tanning is its purification.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

I told God’s messenger that our road to the mosque had an unpleasant stench and asked what we should do when it was raining. He asked whether there was not a cleaner part after the offensive part had been passed, and when I replied that there was, he said that it made up for the other. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas‘ud said that they used to pray with God’s messenger without performing ablution because of anything they had trodden on. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that the dogs used to go here and there in the mosque in the time of God’s messenger and that they did not sprinkle any place where they had been. Bukhari transmitted it.

Al-Bara’ reported God’s messenger as saying, “There is no harm in the urine of an animal whose flesh may be eaten.” In a version of Jabir’s he said, “If an animal’s flesh may be eaten, there is no harm in its urine.” Ahmad and Daraqutni transmitted it.

Shuraih b. Hani' said, “I asked ‘Ali b. Abu Talib about wiping over the shoes and he replied that God’s messenger had appointed three days and nights as the period when a traveller may do it and one day and night as the period for one who is not travelling.” Muslim transmitted it.

God’s messenger relieved himself beside some low ground before the morning prayer, and I went with him carrying a small water-skin. When he came back I began to pour water from the skin over his hands, and he washed his hands and face. He was wearing a long-sleeved woollen gown, and tried to get his forearms out, but the sleeve of the gown was too narrow, so he brought his hands out from under the gown, and throwing it over his shoulders, he washed his forearms. Then he wiped his forelock and over his turban. I was then about to remove his shoes when he said, “Leave them, for my feet were pure when I put them in”; so he rubbed over them, and he and I mounted our beasts and came to the people. They had begun the prayer with ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf leading them, and he had performed a rak'a with them, but when he was aware of the Prophet’s presence he began to retire. The Prophet, however, signed to him to continue and performed one of the rak'as along with him. Then when he had pronounced the salutation the Prophet got up, and I got up along with him, and we performed the rak‘a which had been finished before we came. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Bakr said that the Prophet gave permission for the traveller to wipe over his shoes during three days and nights, and for one who was not travelling during a day and a night, if be had been in a state of purity when he put them on. Al-Athram transmitted it in his Sunan. Ibn Khuzaima and Daraqutni also transmitted it. Al-Khattabi said in al-Muntaqa that the isnad is sound.

Safwan b. ‘Assal said, “God’s messenger used to command us, when we were travelling, not to take off our shoes for three days and nights except for seminal defilement, and not to do so on account of easing ourselves, passing water, or sleeping.” Tirmidhi and Nasa'i transmitted it.

Al-Mughira b. Shu'ba said, “I assisted the Prophet to perform ablution on the expedition to Tabuk, and he wiped the top and bottom of the shoe.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it. Tirmidhi said, “This is a weak tradition. I asked Abu Zur'a and Muhammad, i.e. Bukhari, about this tradition and they said that it is not sound.” Abu Dawud also declared it to be weak.

He also said, “I saw the Prophet wiping over the upper part of his shoes.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.