Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that eleven women gathered together and agreed among themselves that in this gathering, each would describe the true condition of her husband and would not hide anything. So, the first woman spoke: "My husband is like the meat of a lean camel placed on the top of a mountain. The path to reach it is not clear so that someone could easily climb and bring it down, nor is the meat itself so plump and fresh that one would endure the trouble of climbing the mountain to get it."

The second woman (named Umrah bint Amr Tamimi) said, "If I start describing my husband, where should I begin? (He has so many faults.) I fear I may not be able to mention them all, but if I do, I can describe all his open and hidden faults."

The third woman (Hayya bint Ka'b Yamani) said, "What is my husband? He is like a tall palm tree. If I mention his faults, divorce is ready; if I remain silent, I am left hanging."

The fourth woman (Mahdu bint Abi Hurdama) said, "My husband is moderate like the night of Tihamah—not too hot, not too cold. I neither fear him nor am I bored with him."

The fifth woman (named Kabshah) said, "My husband, when he comes home, is like a cheetah, and when he goes out, he is like a lion (brave). He never asks about anything he leaves at home (where it went). He is so unconcerned that whatever he earns today, he does not save for tomorrow; he is so generous."

The sixth woman (named Hind) said, "When my husband comes to eat, he devours everything, and when he drinks, he leaves not a drop. When he lies down, he wraps himself in his garment and sleeps apart. He never even puts his hand in my garment to know my pain or sorrow."

The seventh woman (Hayya bint Alqamah) said, "My husband is ignorant or intoxicated. When intimate, he presses his chest against mine and lies face down. All the faults that exist in people are gathered in him. (If I speak to him,) he may break my head, or break my hand, or do both."

The eighth woman (Yasir bint Aws) said, "My husband is as soft to the touch as a rabbit, and if you smell him, he is as fragrant as saffron."

The ninth woman (name unknown) said, "My husband's house is very high and lofty. He is dignified and brave. So much food is cooked at his place that heaps of ashes are piled up (he feeds the poor generously). His house is very close to the place where people gather for consultation (i.e., the council house)."

The tenth woman (Kabshah bint Rafi') said, "What can I say about my husband? He is wealthy, and such great wealth that no one else can have. Many camels are always gathered near his house and rarely go out to graze in the jungle. Wherever these camels hear the sound of a drum, they are sure of being slaughtered."

The eleventh woman (Um Zara' bint Akymal bin Sa'idah) said, "My husband is Abu Zara'. What can I say about him? He has burdened my ears with jewelry and filled my arms with fat; he has fed me so well that I consider myself plump. Before marriage, I lived in hardship with a few sheep and goats. Abu Zara' married me and made me the owner of horses, camels, fields, and crops. Even after giving me so much property, his temperament is so excellent that if I say something, he does not mind, nor does he ever say anything bad to me. If I sleep, no one wakes me till morning. When I drink water, I drink to my fill. As for Abu Zara's mother (my mother-in-law), what virtues should I mention? Her storeroom is full of goods and her house is very spacious. Abu Zara's son—how good and handsome he is (delicate and slim), his sleeping place is as narrow as a green twig or a naked sword, and he eats so little that the meat of a four-month-old goat's foreleg fills his stomach. Abu Zara's daughter—glory be to Allah, what can I say? She is her father's beloved, her mother's darling (obedient and dutiful), wears plenty of clothes (plump and healthy), and is the envy of her co-wife. Abu Zara's maid—what can I say about her? She never reveals any of our secrets (always keeps the household's secrets), never steals food, and never leaves trash in the house. But one day, while people were churning milk to make butter (early in the morning), Abu Zara' went out and suddenly saw a woman whose two children, like leopards, were playing with two pomegranates under her waist. Abu Zara' divorced me and married that woman. After that, I married another noble chief who is a good horseman and an excellent spearman. He also gave me many animals and a pair of everything, and he says to me, 'Um Zara'! Eat and drink well, and feed your relatives generously; you have full permission.' But even if I gather all that he has given me, it would not fill even a small vessel compared to what your first husband Abu Zara' gave you." (That is, compared to Abu Zara's wealth, all this is insignificant, but I will not divorce you like Abu Zara'.)

Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says that after narrating this whole incident, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me, "O Aisha! I am to you as Abu Zara' was to Um Zara'."

Ibn Shihab narrates that Hazrat Ali bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him) (Hazrat Zain ul Abideen, may Allah be pleased with him) stated that when all of us returned to Madinah Munawwarah from Yazid bin Muawiyah after the martyrdom of Husain bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), Miswar bin Makhramah (may Allah be pleased with him) met you and said,“If you have any need, please command me.”(Hazrat Zain ul Abideen narrated that) I said,“I have no need.”Then Miswar (may Allah be pleased with him) said,“Will you grant me the sword of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? Because I fear that some people may snatch it from you, and by Allah! If you grant me that sword, no one will be able to snatch it as long as I am alive.”Then Miswar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated an incident that Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) had sent a marriage proposal to the daughter of Abu Jahl (Jamila) in the presence of Hazrat Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her). I myself heard that regarding this matter, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood on this very pulpit and addressed the companions. I was of age at that time. In his sermon, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said,“Fatimah is a part of me. And I fear that she may fall into sin (because of this relationship), that she may be subjected to a trial in her religion.”After this, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned one of his sons-in-law from the family of Banu Abd Shams (As bin Rabi’) and praised him regarding his relationship, saying,“Whatever he said to me, he spoke the truth. Whatever promise he made, he fulfilled it. I cannot make any lawful thing (i.e., a second marriage) unlawful, nor do I make any unlawful thing lawful, but by Allah! The daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the daughter of the enemy of Allah will not be gathered together.”

Hazrat Miswar bin Makhramah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) sent a marriage proposal to the daughter of Abu Jahl (who was a Muslim). When Hazrat Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) came to know of this, she came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, "Your people think that you do not get angry with anyone for the sake of your daughters (when someone causes them distress). Now look, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) wants to marry the daughter of Abu Jahl." Upon this, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) addressed the Companions. I heard him deliver a sermon, then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "To proceed! I married Abu Al-As bin Rabi' (to Zainab, may Allah be pleased with her, your eldest daughter), and whatever he said, he proved true to it. And indeed, Fatimah is a part of me (my flesh), and I do not like that anyone should cause her distress. By Allah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the daughter of an enemy of Allah cannot be united with one man." Thus, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) abandoned the intention of that marriage.

Narrated Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): All the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were present with him during his illness of death; none of them had left, when Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) came walking. By Allah! Her way of walking was not different from the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (rather, it was very similar). When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw her, he welcomed her and said: "Daughter! Welcome." Then he made her sit on his right or left side. After that, he whispered something to her, and Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) began to weep profusely. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw her grief, he whispered to her again, and she began to laugh. Among all the wives, I said to her that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has given you the special privilege of whispering among us. Then you wept. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) got up, I asked her what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had said to her. She replied that she could not disclose the secret of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Then, when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) passed away, I said to Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her): "I ask you by the right I have upon you, tell me what he said." She replied: "Now I can tell you. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) whispered to me the first time, he said: 'Jibreel (peace be upon him) used to review the Qur'an with me once every year, but this year he reviewed it with me twice, and I think the time of my death is near. Fear Allah and be patient, for I am a good predecessor for you.' That was the reason for my weeping which you saw. When he saw my distress, he whispered to me again and said: 'Fatimah, my daughter! Are you not pleased that you will be the leader of the women of the believers in Paradise, or (he said) the leader of the women of this Ummah?'"

Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him) once came to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and kept talking to him. At that time, Umm al-Mu'mineen Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) was sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him) left, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her): "Do you know who this gentleman was?" or he said words to that effect. Hazrat Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) replied, "That was Dihyah Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him)." Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "By Allah! I thought it was Dihyah Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him). But when I heard your sermon in which you informed about the arrival of Jibreel (peace be upon him), then I realized that it was Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him)."

Narrated Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): Some of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked him, "Who among us will join you first in the Hereafter?" He (peace be upon him) replied, "The one whose hand is the longest." So we started measuring with a stick, and Sawda (may Allah be pleased with her) turned out to have the longest hand. Later (upon the death of Zainab, may Allah be pleased with her), we understood that by "the longest hand" he meant the one who gives the most in charity. And she was the first among us to join the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Giving charity was very beloved to her.

Hazrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) would not visit anyone's house in Madinah except his wives, except that he would go to Umm Sulaym's house. When he was asked about this, he replied, "I feel compassion for her; her brother (Haram bin Milhan, may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred in my cause."

Hazrat Abu Musa Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that my brother and I came from Yemen (to Madinah Tayyibah) and stayed here for a period of time. During this entire period, we kept thinking that Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was a member of the household of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), because we ourselves used to see Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) and his mother frequently coming and going in the house of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon and said: By Allah, I have learned more than seventy surahs directly from the blessed tongue of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). By Allah, the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) know very well that I am the most knowledgeable among them regarding the Holy Qur'an, although I am not better than them. Shaqiq (the narrator of the hadith) stated that then I sat in the gathering to hear the opinion of the companions, to see what they would say, but I did not hear anyone refute this statement.

Hazrat Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: By Allah, besides whom there is no deity, I know about every surah of the Book of Allah that has been revealed, where it was revealed, and I know about every verse of the Book of Allah that has been revealed, about whom it was revealed. And if I come to know that there is someone who knows more about the Book of Allah than I do, and camels can take me to him (i.e., his house is very far), then I would travel to him and acquire that knowledge from him.