the best of the merciful.’” And He, Most High, says:

“Our Lord, we have believed in what You have revealed and have followed the Messenger, so write us down among the witnesses.”

Ibn Mas‘ūd used to say:

“O Allah, You commanded me, and I obeyed; You called me, and I answered. Now it is the hour before dawn, so forgive me.”

Another example of this is the hadith of the three men who were caught in the rain and took shelter in a cave. A rock sealed them inside, so they supplicated to Allah, glorified be He, by means of their righteous deeds, and He delivered them. This report is authentically recorded in the two Sahīh collections.

Abū Bakr ibn Abī al-Dunyā said:

Khālid ibn Khirāsh al-‘Ajlānī and Ismā‘īl ibn Ibrāhīm narrated to us, saying: Sālih al-Murrī narrated to us, from Thābit, from Anas, who said:

“We visited a man of the Helpers who was gravely ill, and we stayed until he died. We spread his garment over him. His elderly mother was sitting by his head, and one of us turned to her and said, ‘O woman, seek Allah’s reward for your affliction.’

“She asked, ‘What has happened? Has my son died?’

“We replied, ‘Yes.’

“She asked, ‘Is what you say really true?’

“We replied, ‘Yes.’

“She stretched out her hands to Allah and said, ‘O Allah, You know that I embraced Islam and emigrated to Your Messenger, hoping that You would grant me relief after every hardship. Do not lay this affliction upon me today.’”

He said: “Then she uncovered his face, and we did not leave until we had eaten with him.”

It is reported in Abū Nu‘aym’s Hilya:

“David said, ‘By the right my forefathers—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—have upon You.’ Allah Most High then revealed to him, ‘O David, what right do your forefathers have upon Me?’”

Although this is not evidence recognized by Islamic law, Israelite reports may be used as corroboration, but not relied upon.