Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ قَالَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ لِابْنِ أَبِي السَّائِبِ قَاصِّ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ ثَلَاثًا لَتُبَايِعَنِّي عَلَيْهِنَّ أَوْ لَأُنَاجِزَنَّكَ فَقَالَ مَا هُنَّ بَلْ أَنَا أُبَايِعُكِ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَتْ اجْتَنِبْ السَّجْعَ مِنْ الدُّعَاءِ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَصْحَابَهُ كَانُوا لَا يَفْعَلُونَ ذَلِكَ وَقَالَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ مَرَّةً فَقَالَتْ إِنِّي عَهِدْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَصْحَابَهُ وَهُمْ لَا يَفْعَلُونَ ذَاكَ وَقُصَّ عَلَى النَّاسِ فِي كُلِّ جُمُعَةٍ مَرَّةً فَإِنْ أَبَيْتَ فَثِنْتَيْنِ فَإِنْ أَبَيْتَ فَثَلَاثًا فَلَا تَمَلُّ النَّاسُ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ وَلَا أَلْقَيَنَّكَ تَأْتِي الْقَوْمَ وَهُمْ فِي حَدِيثٍ مِنْ حَدِيثِهِمْ فَتَقْطَعُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَدِيثَهُمْ وَلَكِنْ اتْرُكْهُمْ فَإِذَا جَرَّءُوكَ عَلَيْهِ وَأَمَرُوكَ بِهِ فَحَدِّثْهُمْ.
English Translation
Aisha said to Ibn Abi al-Sa'ib, the storyteller of the people of Madinah: Three things — you must pledge to me about them, or I will oppose you. He said: What are they? Rather, I pledge to you, O Mother of the Believers. She said: Avoid rhymed prose in supplication, for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his companions did not do that. And tell stories to the people once every Friday; if you refuse, then twice; if you refuse, then three times. Do not bore the people with this Book. And let me not find you coming upon people while they are talking among themselves and interrupting their conversation. Rather, leave them, and if they invite you and ask you, then speak to them.