English Translation

Yahya ibn Sa'id narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, who said: Isma'il ibn Kathir narrated to me, from 'Asim ibn Laqit, from his father — the delegate of Banu al-Munfiq (Abd al-Razzaq said: al-Muntafiq) — that he set out, he and a companion of his, to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, but they did not find him, so 'A'ishah fed them dates and porridge. He said: We had not waited long before the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, came, walking with a vigorous gait, and said: 'Did you feed them?' We said: 'Yes.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I ask you about the prayer.' He said: 'Perform the ablution thoroughly, run your fingers between your fingers and toes, and when you sniff water up your nose, be thorough in it, unless you are fasting.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I have a wife' — and he mentioned something of her coarse speech. He said: 'Divorce her.' I said: 'But she has been my companion, and I have a child by her.' He said: 'Command her — or say to her — and if there is good in her, she will do as told; and do not beat your wife as you would beat your slave-girl.' While he was thus, the shepherd drove the flock into the pen, carrying a newborn lamb in his hand. He said: 'Has one been born?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'What is it?' He said: 'A lamb.' He said: 'Slaughter a sheep in its place.' Then he turned to me and said: 'Do not think — and he did not say let him not think — that what we slaughtered was for your sake; we have a hundred sheep and do not wish them to increase beyond that, so whenever the shepherd's flock bears a lamb, we order him to slaughter a sheep in its place.'