The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 2 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'TL IBN KATH~R 201
"0 God, real reward is that of the other world, so have
mercy on the Helpers and the Emigrants."
Miisa b. Wqba related that As'ad b. Zuraa compensated the orphans for the land
with some date-palms he had on land that was otherwise uncultivated but he also
mentions the view that the Messenger of God (SAAS) bought it from them.
My own comment is that Muhammad b. Iskq also related that the date shed
was owned by two orphaned youths who were under the care of Mu$dh b. 'Afra',
and that they were Sahl and Subayl, both sons of 'Amr. But God knows best.
Al-Bayhaqi related through Abii Bakr b. Abii al-Dunya, quoting al-Hasan b.
Hammad al-Dabbi, quoting 'Abd al-Rabm b. Sulaymm, from Ism~~il b. Muslim,
from al-Hasan, who said, "When the Messenger of God (SAAS) built the
mosque, his Companions helped him; he worked along with them, carrying the
bricks so that his chest became brown. He told them, 'Build an carish, a trellis roof,
lie that of Moses.' I asked al-Hasan, 'What was the "trellis of Moses"?' He
replied, 'When he raised his hands they would reach the 'arish, meaning the
roof."'
This hadirh is incomplete in its chain.
It is related from a hadith of Hammad b. Salama, from Abii Sinm, from Ya'la
b. Shaddad b. Aws, from Wbada, that the Helpers collected money which they
took to the Messenger of God (SAAS), saying, ''0 Messenger of God, build and
embellish this mosque; how long do we have to pray beneath these palm fronds?"
He replied, "I don't want to outdo my brother Moses; just a trellis roof like that
of Moses."
This is a unique tradition from this source.
Abii Da)iid stated, "Muhammad b. Hatim related to us, quoting 'Abd All&
b. Miisa, from Sinm, from Fir%, from 'Atiyya al-'Awfi, from Ibn Wmar, that
the mosque of the Prophet (SAAS) initially had its walls made of palm trunks
above which was a light roof made of palm fronds. It deteriorated in the
Caliphate of Abe Bakr and he rebuilt it, again with palm trunks and fronds. It
again fell apart in the Caliphate of Wthmm and he rebuilt it using bricks; it
remains in a good state today."
This (tradition) is unique.
Abti Da)iid also stated, "Mujahid b. Miisa related to us, quoting Ya'qiib b.
Ibrahim from his father, from Abn Saih, from Nafic from Ibn Wmar, to the
effect that the mosque had been built at the time of the Messenger of God
(SAAS) from bricks and that it had a roof of palm fronds, with pillars made of
palm trunks. Abo Bakr made no improvements to it, but Wmar enlarged it,
rebuilding it in the same manner as in the time of the Prophet (SAAS), that is,
with bricks and palm fronds; he also restored its wooden pillars. Wthma, God
bless him, made changes and major additions. He had its walls built with cut
stone and plaster, its pillars of stone and its roof of teak."