Chapter: Saying Ammabadu in the Khutba

Asma' bint Abi Bakr As-Siddiq said, "I went to 'Aishah and the people were offering Salat. I asked her, 'What is wrong with the people ?' She pointed towards the sky with her head. I asked her, 'Is there a sign ?' 'Aishah nodded with her head meaning 'Yes'." Asma' added, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prolonged the Salat to such an extent that I fainted. There was a waterskin by my side and I opened it and poured some water on my head. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) finished Salat, and the solar eclipse had cleared, the Prophet (ﷺ) addressed the people and praised Allah as He deserves and said, 'Amma ba'du'." Asma' further said, "Some Ansari women started talking, so I turned to them in order to make them quiet. I asked 'Aishah what the Prophet (ﷺ) had said. 'Aishah said: 'He said, 'I have seen things at this place of mine which were never shown to me before; (I have seen) even Paradise and Hell. And, no doubt it has been revealed to me that you (people) will be put in trial in your graves like or nearly like the trial of Masih Ad-Dajjal. (The angels) will come to everyone of you and ask him, 'What do you know about this man (Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)) ?" The faithful believer or firm believer (Hisham was in doubt which word the Prophet (ﷺ) used), will say, 'He is Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he is Muhammad (ﷺ) who came to us with clear evidences and guidance. So we believed him, accepted his teachings and followed and trusted his teaching.' Then the angels will tell him to sleep (in peace) as they have come to know that he was a believer. But the hypocrite or a doubtful person (Hisham is not sure as to which word the Prophet (ﷺ) used), will be asked what he knew about this man (Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ)). He will say, 'I do not know but I heard the people saying something (about him) so I said the same' " Hisham added, "Fatima told me that she remembered that narration completely by heart except that she said about the hypocrite or a doubtful person that he will be punished severely."

Some property or something was brought to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he distributed it. He gave to some men and ignored the others. Later he got the news of his being admonished by those whom he had ignored. So he glorified and praised Allah and said, "Amma ba'du. By Allah, I may give to a man and ignore another, although the one whom I ignore is more beloved to me than the one whom I give. But I give to some people as I feel that they have no patience and no contentment in their hearts and I leave those who are patient and self-content with the goodness and wealth which Allah has put into their hearts and `Amr bin Taghlib is one of them." `Amr added, By Allah! Those words of Allah's Apostle are more beloved to me than the best red camels.

Once in the middle of the night Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) went out and prayed in the mosque and some men prayed with him. The next morning the people spoke about it and so more people gathered and prayed with him (in the second night). They circulated the news in the morning, and so, on the third night the number of people increased greatly. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) came out and they prayed behind him. On the fourth night the mosque was overwhelmed by the people till it could not accommodate them. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out only for the Fajr prayer and when he finished the prayer, he faced the people and recited "Tashah-hud" (I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is His Apostle), and then said, "Amma ba'du. Verily your presence (in the mosque at night) was not hidden from me, but I was afraid that this prayer (Prayer of Tahajjud) might be made compulsory and you might not be able to carry it out."

One night Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) stood up after the prayer and recited "Tashah-hud" and then praised Allah as He deserved and said, "Amma ba'du."

Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got up for delivering the Khutba and I heard him after "Tashah-hud" saying "Amma ba'du."

Once the Prophet (ﷺ) ascended the pulpit and it was the last gathering in which he took part. He was covering his shoulder with a big cloak and binding his head with an oily bandage. He glorified and praised Allah and said, "O people! Come to me." So the people came and gathered around him and he then said, "Amma ba'du." "From now onward the Ansar will decrease and other people will increase. So anybody who becomes a ruler of the followers of Muhammad and has the power to harm or benefit people then he should accept the good from the benevolent amongst them (Ansar) and overlook the faults of their wrong-doers."