English Translation

Abu al-Yaman told us: Shu'ayb informed us, he said: Abdullah ibn Abi Husayn told us: Shahr ibn Hawshab told us, from Amir, or Abu Amir, or Abu Malik, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was sitting in a gathering with his companions, Gabriel, peace be upon him, came to him in other than his form, so that he thought him a man from among the Muslims. He greeted him with peace, and he returned the greeting. Then Gabriel placed his hand on the knees of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said to him: O Messenger of Allah, what is Islam? He said: That you submit your face to Allah, and that you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, and that you establish prayer and give zakat. He said: If I do that, then I have submitted? He said: Yes. Then he said: What is faith? He said: That you believe in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, the prophets, death, life after death, Paradise, the Fire, the reckoning, the balance, and the divine decree, all of it, its good and its evil. He said: If I do that, then I have believed? He said: Yes. Then he said: What is excellence, O Messenger of Allah? He said: That you worship Allah as though you see Him, for even if you do not see Him, He sees you. He said: If I do that, then I have attained excellence? He said: Yes - and we heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, replying to him, but we did not see the one speaking to him nor hear his speech. He said: Then when is the Hour, O Messenger of Allah? The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Glory be to Allah, five things belong to the unseen which none knows but Allah, Mighty and Majestic: {Indeed, Allah has with Him the knowledge of the Hour, and He sends down the rain, and He knows what is in the wombs; and no soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die; indeed Allah is Knowing and Acquainted}. The questioner said: O Messenger of Allah, if you wish I will tell you of two signs that will occur before it. He said: Tell me. He said: When you see the slave-woman give birth to her mistress, and the barefoot destitute become the heads of the people. He said: And who are those, O Messenger of Allah? He said: The Arabs. Then he departed, and when we did not see his path afterward, he said - three times - Glory be to Allah: this was Gabriel, who came to teach the people their religion; by Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, he never came to me except that I recognized him, except this time. Abu al-Nadr told us, he said: Abd al-Hamid told us, he said: Shahr ibn Hawshab told me, from Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade certain categories of women, and he mentioned the hadith, and mentioned attached to it: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sat in a gathering, and Gabriel, peace be upon him, came to him and sat before the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he mentioned the hadith, and said in it: If you wish I will tell you of signs beyond that. He said: Yes indeed, O Messenger of Allah, tell me. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: When you see the slave-woman give birth to her mistress - and he mentioned the hadith.