IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA?L IBN KATHfR 183"'He replied, "Aha Ayyah, it's better for us and for our guests for me to live
downstairs."
"'And so the Messenger of God (SAAS) remained down while we stayed
ahove in the house. It happened that a large jug of water of ours broke and my
wife and I had to mop it up as best we could with a velvet garment, since we had
no other cloth. We used it to dry up the water, fearing to have any drop on the
Messenger of God (SAAS) and so harm him.
"'We used to prepare his evening meal for him and send it in to him. If when
he returned it there were any morsels left we would try to see where his fingers
had touched it and eat that part, hoping to be blessed by that. One night we sent
him his supper, having included onions or garlic and he returned it without us
detecting any marks of his hands on it. So I was shocked and went to him and
asked, "0 Messenger of God, you have sent hack the food without me seeing any
sign you have touched it." He explained, "I sensed the smell of that plant in the
food; I'm someone who whispers to others (and such an odour may he offensive
to them), so why don't you eat it."
"'We did so and never served him those vegetables again.'"
Al-Bayhaqi related this similarly, through al-Layth h. Sa'd, from Yazid h.
Aha Hahih, from Aha al-Hasan, or Aba al-Khayr, Marthad h. 'Abd Allnh
al-Yazani, from Aha Ruhm, from Aha Ayyiih, who told it. - -
Aba Bakr h. Aha Shayha related it from Yanus h. Muhammad al-Mu'addih,
from al-Layth.
Al-Bayhaqi stated, "The @fis Aba 'Ahd AM informed us, quoting Aha 'Amr
al-Hayri, quoting 'Ahd AUzh h. Muhammad, quoting Ahmad h. Sa'id al-Daami,
quoting Abii al-Nu', quoting Thzbit h. Yazid quoting 'Asim al-Ahwal, from
'Abd Allzh h. al-Haith, from Afl, the freed-man of Aha Amh, from Aha
Ayyiih, who said that the Messenger of God (SAAS) resided with hi, staying on
the ground floor while he, Aha Ayyiih, lived upstairs. It occurred to Aha Ayyiih
that he was walking on top of the Messenger of God (SAAS), and so he was care-
ful to keep to the sides, where they also slept. He then spoke to the Messenger of
God (SAAS) about that, commenting, 'The lower floor is more appropriate for us;
I can't he ahove a ceiling when you are beneath it.' And so the Messenger of God
(SAAS) moved to the upper floor, while Aha Ayyah moved to the lower.
"He used to prepare food for the Messenger of God (SAAS), and if it was
returned he would ask about where he had placed his fingers and keep track of
this. Once he made food for hi that contained garlic and when the food came
back he asked where the Messenger of God (SAAS) had placed his fingers. He
was told, 'He didn't eat any.' Abn Ayyiib was shocked and went up to him and
asked, 'Is it a forbidden food?' The Prophet (SAAS) replied, 'No, but I do
dislike it.' Aha Ayyab commented, 'I dislike whatever you dislike'; or he may
have used the words, 'whatever you have disliked.' He also said, 'The Prophet
(SAAS) would be visited by angels.'"39
39 It is stated m another ua&t~on that angels dlsllke the smell of garl~c