the Law, he took the alms from the rich, and gave them to those who were worthy. He would tie the alms-camels with his own hand, and mark them generally on the shoulder; and if any one was bringing the legal alms from his possessions to that Excellency, he would invoke a blessing upon him. To the neighbouring tribes he sent agents who collected the property-alms; and after spending on those who were worthy in that place, brought the rest to Medina, for his Excellency to expend. He exceedingly loved a surplus of the alms, and also required the people to have a strong desire for it.

The Prophet had a great zeal for the manumission of slaves, and pointed out its meritoriousness. He gave liberty to a number of male and female slaves; but to more of the former than of the latter. ¹

Be it known that his Excellency never began to fast, till he, or some reliable witness, had seen the new moon of Ramadan, or thirty days were passed of Shaaban. At the end of Shaaban he made an oration in which he said, 'O ye men, an exceedingly great moon has now overshadowed you. It is a blessed month in which there is one night which is better than a thousand other nights. The Most High has appointed the fast during its days as an indispensable rite for you, and the staying up during its nights as a custom. Whoever does a supererogatory work this month, will be rewarded as much as if he does a legally enjoined work in another month; and whoever performs a legally prescribed work this month, will be rewarded the same as if he had performed seventy such works in any other month. This is the month of patience and the reward for the patience of this month is Paradise. This is a month of bravery and kindness. This is a month in which the believer's means of living shall increase; and whoever this month gives food to a faster to break the fast with, becomes the cause of the forgiveness of that man's sins and of his deliverance from hell-fire, and becomes partaker of a portion of the reward of that faster, without this latter losing anything by it.'

In reply to the observation of his companions that, perhaps, one of them might not have enough to spare for another faster wherewith to break his fast, his Excellency declared, 'If any one gives to a faster only a spoonful of milk, or a date, or a draught of water, yet will the Most High give him that reward; and if any one fully satisfies the faster, the Most High will give him a beverage from my own pond, so that he will thirst no more till he enter Paradise.' 'This month is a month whose beginning is mercy, its middle pardon, and its end freeness from hell-fire; and whoever will this month lighten the service of his slave, him will God pardon and deliver from the fire of hell.' According to authentic traditions the gates of heaven; or, according to another account, the gates of mercy; or, according to still another account, the gates of Paradise, are opened with the beginning of the month of Ramadan, and the gates of hell closed, and the devils dragged in chains.

Before saying the evening prayers, the Prophet used to break the fast by eating a few fresh dates; or, if there were no fresh ones, other dates; or, if there were not any dates, by taking one or two draughts of water; and he made his friends do the same. That Excellency persevered in taking the early meal before sunrise, enjoining the same upon his people; and he used to say, 'The taking a meal early before sunrise distinguishes our fast from the fast of the people of the book.' During his fast he would kiss his ladies, let blood by cupping, and use aperients; and if he needed an entire ablution by night, he would take it just before dawn.

That prince also fasted voluntarily, as a work of supererogation. Aisha the faithful narrates: 'That prince fasted so much that we thought he would never take breakfast; and he took so much breakfast that we thought he would never fast. I never saw him fast for a whole month, except in Ramadan.' In the month of Shaaban he fasted more than in other months, sometimes two days in succession; and on the day of Ashur he fasted as a matter of course. On Mondays and Thursdays he frequently fasted; for he said, 'Because on these two days the works are presented (to God), I wish to be fasting on them.' Sometimes he also fasted on Saturday and Sunday. Each month he fasted