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

74 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
of the people of Israel. Return to your Lord and ask him for some relief for your
nation."
"'And so I did return and ten prayers were lifted from me.
"'I went back to Moses, he said as he had before, I returned and ten more
were removed.
"'Again back to Moses, I returned once more and ten more were removed.
"'Once more to Moses, he said as before, and I returned and was ordered to
make ten prayers each day.
"'Moses then spoke as before, and again I returned and was ordered to make
five prayers each day.
"'When I went back to Moses, he asked, "What were your orders?" I replied,
"To make five prayers each day."
"'He commented, "Your people can't manage five prayers each day. I tried
my people before your time and made severe requirements of the people of
Israel. Return again and ask your Lord for some alleviation for your nation."
"'I replied, "I have already made such requests of my Lord as to make me
ashamed; therefore I'd much rather accept and be satisfied." As I passed on, a
voice called out to me, "I have completed my decree. I have alleviated the
burden upon my servants."'"
Thus al-Bukhai related this hadith here. He also recounted it in other places of
his compendium and so did Muslim, al-Tirmidhi and al-Nasa'i through various
chains from Qatada, from Anas, from M2ik b. SaCsa'a.
We gave it by the account from Anas b. Malik from W ay b. Ka'b, as well as
by the account of Anas from Aba Dharr. And we gave it by several paths from
Anas, from the Prophet (SAAS).
We related all that in detail with its various chains of transmission and phraseology
in our Tafsir (Exegesis).
In this text there is no mention of Jerusalem. It is as though some of the
sources omit some information because of the broad knowledge of it. Or they
forgot it, or mention only what are in their views the most important matters.
Sometimes they elaborate and give the entire account in detail, while at others
they omit selectively to stress what they consider most useful. Those who make
each account of the tsr8 a separate experience, as we have indicated of some
above, have strayed too far from the truth. This is so because each of these
accounts includes reference to the greeting made to the prophets, and in eacb
the Messenger of God (SAAS) is introduced to them. Also in eacb one prayer
is made obligatory for him. How is it possible to claim that all these would have
occurred several times? This is extremely unlikely and implausible. But God
knows best.
Al-Bukhari then stated, "Al-Humaydi related to us, that Sufyan narrated to
him from 'Amr, from 'Ikrima, from Ibn 'Ahbas, who commented as follows
about the words of God Almighty, 'And we only made the signs we have shown