Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 1044 [Read full issue]
Literal Narration
Although the literal narration is better and always preferable, narration of meaning is allowed if the narrator has an expert command of Arabic, if the word used is appropriate in the given context, and if the original has been forgotten. However, the Companions always narrated Traditions literally despite this permission. For example, one day Ubayd ibn Umayr narrated: "A hypocrite resembles a sheep left between rabidayn (two flocks)." 'Abd Allah ibn Umar objected: "He did not say so. I heard the Messenger say: 'A hypocrite resembles a sheep left between ghanamayn (two flocks).'"[Abu Dawud] The meaning is the same; the difference is only between the words rabidayn and ghanamayn.
Bara ibn Adhib related: The Messenger advised me: Perform wudu before going to bed. Then lie on your right side and pray: "O God, I have submitted myself to You and committed my affair to You. I have sheltered in You, in fear of You, and in quest of You. There is no shelter from You except in You. I believe in Your Book You sent down, and Your Prophet You raised." To memorize this immediately, I repeated it to the Messenger and said at the end of it "Your Messenger You raised." He corrected the final sentence, saying: "and Your Prophet You raised." [Bukhari]
People dream when they sleep. True dreams constitute 1/46 of Prophethood, for the Messenger had true dreams during the first 6 months of his 23-year period of Prophethood. As they are related to Prophethood, not to Messengership, the Messenger corrected Bara. This care was shown by almost all Companions, who studied the Traditions they heard from the Messenger and then discussed them. The Messenger told them: "Memorize and study the Traditions, for some are related to others. Therefore, come together and discuss them." [Darimi]
Compiled From:
"The Messenger of God: Muhammad" - Fethullah Gulen, pp. 339, 340