Page:Selections from Muhammadan Traditions - tr. William Goldsack (1923).djvu/139

 Rh I passed by a thicket of trees, and I heard therein the sound of young birds. Then I took them and placed them in my upper garment, and their mother came and circled round my head. Then I uncovered them for her, and she descended upon them. Then I again wrapped them up in my garment, and they are these with me." The Prophet replied, "Put them down." Then I put them down, but their mother refused to leave them. Then the Apostle of God said, "Art thou surprised at the kindness of the mother of the young birds towards them? By Him who sent me with the truth! God is more merciful to His servants, than the mother of the young birds to her young. Return with them until thou replace them whence thou didst take them, and their mother with them." Then he returned with them.'—Abú Dáud.

It is related from ʿAbduʾlláh bin ʿOmar that he said, 'We were with the Prophet in certain warlike expeditions when he passed a band of people, and asked "Who are these people?" They said, "We are Muslims." And a woman was lighting a fire under her pot, and her son was with her. And when the heat of the fire rose up, she moved him away from it. Then she came to the Prophet and said, "Art thou the Apostle of God?" He replied, "Yes." She said, "May my father and my mother be sacrified for thee! Is not God the most merciful of the merciful?" He replied, "Certainly." She said, "Is not God more merciful towards His servants than a mother towards her child?" He replied, "Certainly." She said, "Verily a mother would not cast her child into the fire!" Then the Apostle of God bowed his face to the ground weeping; afterwards he raised his head towards her and said, "Verily God does not punish any of His servants, except the rebellious one who rebels against him, and refuses to say, 'There is no God but Allah.'"'—Ibn Májah.

It is related from ʿAbduʾlláh that he said, 'When the evening came the Apostle of God used to say, "We have reached the evening, and God's, kingdom has reached the evening. Praise be to God! There is no God but Alláh alone.