Mishkat al-Masabih

God’s Messenger came to visit me when Abu Salama died, and I had put the juice of aloes on myself. He asked me what it was, and I told him it was only the juice of aloes and contained no perfume, so he said, “It gives the face a glow, so apply it only at night and remove it in the daytime, and do not comb yourself with scent or henna, for it is a dye.” I asked God’s Messenger what I should use when combing myself, and he told me to use lote-tree leaves and smear my head copiously with them. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

She reported the Prophet as saying, “One whose husband has died must not wear garments dyed with saffron or red clay, or jewels, and she must not apply henna or collyrium. Abu Dawud and Nasa'i transmitted it.

Sulaiman b. Yasar told that al-Ahwas died in Syria when his wife whom he had divorced was at the beginning of her third menstrual period, as Mu'awiya b. Abu Sufyan wrote to Zaid b. Thabit asking him about that. Zaid wrote in reply that when she began her third period she was free from him and he was free from her; he could not inherit from her or she from him. Malik transmitted it.

Sa'id b. al-Musayyib reported ‘Umar b. al-Khattab as saying, “If any woman is divorced and has one or two menstrual periods then stops menstruating she must wait nine months, and if it is apparent that she is pregnant the rules concerning that are applied; otherwise she must observe a period of three months after the nine months are ended, after which she may lawfully remarry. Malik transmitted it.

Abu-d Darda’ said that when the Prophet passed a woman who was near the time to be delivered of a child he asked about her and was told that she was so and so’s slave woman. He asked whether he was having sexual intercourse with her, and when he was told that he was, he said, “I am inclined to invoke a curse on him which will enter his grave with him. How can he take the child into his service when that is not lawful for him, or how can he make it an heir when that is not lawful for him?”* * The reason for the curse is said to be because he did wait the prescribed period after acquiring the woman and so could not know whether the child was his or not. If he treated the child as a slave he might be enslaving his own son, and if he treated it as an heir he might be doing this to one who was not his son. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khurdi traced to the Prophet the following statement regarding the captives taken at Autas, “There must be no intercourse with a pregnant woman till she gives birth to her child, or with one who is not pregnant till she has had one menstrual period.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

Ruwaifi' b. Thabit. reported God’s Messenger as saying on the day of Hunain, “It is not lawful for a man who believes in God and the last day to water what another has sown with his water (meaning intercourse with women who are pregnant); it is not lawful for a man who believes in God and the last day to have intercourse with a captive woman till she has had a menstrual period; and it is not lawful for a man who believes in God and the last day to sell spoil till it is divided.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted it up to “what another has sown with his water.”

Malik said he heard that God's Messenger used to command that no intercourse be had with slave women till they had had a menstrual period if they were of the number who had such periods, or till three months had passed in the case of those who did not, and forbid watering another man's water. Razin transmitted.

Ibn ‘Umar said that when a girl with whom intercourse might be had was given as a present, or sold, or set free, it was necessary to wait till she had had a menstrual period, but that this was unnecessary in the case of a virgin. Razin transmitted.

‘A’isha told that Hind daughter of ‘Utba said, “Messenger of God, Abu Sufyan is a niggardly man who does not give me and my son enough; except what I take from him without his knowledge.” He replied, “Take what is enough for you and your son to the extent recognised by the law.”* * Bil ma’roof.This is what is generally recognised as reasonable. The amount would vary according to the circumstances of the people. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir b. Samura reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When God prospers any of you he should spend first on himself and his family.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A slave is entitled to his food and clothing, and he should have imposed on him only such work as he is capable of doing.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Dharr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God has put your brethren under your authority, so he who has his brother put under his authority by God must feed him from what he eats, clothe him from what he wears, and not impose on him work which is too much for him, but if he does so he must help him with it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr told that a steward of his came to him and he asked him whether he had given the slaves their food. When he replied that he had not, he told him to go and give it to them, for God’s Messenger had said, “It is a serious enough fault for a man to withhold his food from one whom he possesses.” A version has, “It is a serious enough fault for a man to destroy one he is bound to sustain.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When anyone’s servant prepares his food and brings it to him after being near its heat and smoke, he should make him sit down with him and eat; but if the company is large* and the food small in quantity he should put one or two mouthfuls of it in his hand.” * Mashfuhan qalil'an. The word mashfuhan is applied either to food which is small in quantity, or to food which is being partaken of by a number of people. The latter meaning obviously applies here as it is followed by qalil (small in quantity); but some people understand mashfuh here as 'small in quantity’ followed by qalil expressing the same meaning. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When a slave acts sincerely towards his master and worships God well, he has a double reward.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God's Messenger as saying, “How excellent it is for a slave to be taken in death by God when worshipping his Lord well and obeying his master! How excellent it is for him!” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jarir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When a slave runs away his prayer is not accepted.” In a version on his authority he said, “If any slave runs away protection does not apply to him.” In another version on his authority he said, “If any slave runs away from his masters he has become an infidel till he returns to them.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that he heard Abul Qasim (i.e. the Prophet) say, “If any one reviles his slave when he is innocent of what he said, he will be beaten on the day of resurrection, unless it is as he said.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Umar told that he heard God’s Messenger say, “If anyone beats a servant for an offence he did not commit, or slaps him, the atonement due from him is to set him free.” Muslim transmitted it.