Mishkat al-Masabih 534

Abu Dharr said that the Prophet went out in winter time when the leaves were falling, and took two branches of a tree whose leaves began to fall. He then addressed Abu Dharr who replied, “At your service, Messenger of God.” He said, “A Muslim observes prayer for God’s sake and his sins fall from him as these leaves fall from this tree.”

Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As said that the Prophet mentioned prayer one day saying, “If anyone keeps to it, it will be light, evidence and salvation for him on the day of resurrection; but if anyone does not keep to it, it will not be for him light, evidence, or salvation, and on the day of resurrection he will be associated with Qarun, Pharaoh, Haman, 1 and Ubayy b. Khalaf”2

1. These three are mentioned together in Al-Qur’an, 29:39; 40:24. A longer account is given of Qarun in 28:76 ff. Haman is mentioned also in 28:38. The Old Testament gives the story of Korah (Qarun) in Numbers, Chap. 16, and of Haman in Esther, Chaps, 3 ff.
2. Ubayy had been an enemy of the Prophet in Mecca. Ubayy had said he would kill him, but the Prophet replied that if God willed he would kill Ubayy. At the battle of Uhud (3 A H.) Ubayy received a scratch, and remembering the Prophet’s words, he felt sure he was going to die. He died at Sarif, about six miles from Mecca, as he was returning home. See the Cairo edition of as-Sira an-nabawiya by Ibn Hisham, 1355/1936, vol.3, p. 89.

Ahmad, Darimi, and Baihaqi in Shu'ab al-lman transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud told of a man coming to the Prophet and saying, “Messenger of God, I sported with a woman on the outskirts of Medina, and I got what I wanted from her short of having intercourse with her. Now here I am, so decide what you wish about me.” ‘Umar said to him, “God has concealed this about you. Would that you had kept it to yourself!” Ibn Mas'ud said that the Prophet gave no reply, so the man got up and went away. Then the Prophet sent a man after him to summon him, and he recited this verse to him. “And observe the prayer at the two ends of the day and the neighbouring parts of the night, for good deeds remove evil deeds. That is a reminder to those who remember (Al-Qur’an, 11:114).” One of the people asked, “Prophet of God, does this refer to him in particular?” He replied, “No, it refers to all men.”

Muslim transmitted it.