legal hadiths specifying prescribed amounts that Muslim scholars generally needed.

The point is that the term “hadith of the Messenger,” may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when used without qualification, includes accounts of what he said after becoming a prophet and what he did. His actions that Allah did not disallow constitute authoritative evidence, especially when he commanded us to follow them, as in his sayings:

“Pray as you have seen me pray,” and, “Learn your rites of pilgrimage from me.”

Likewise, whatever Allah made lawful for him is lawful for the Muslim community unless evidence establishes that it was exclusive to him. Thus, Allah said:

“So when Zayd had ended his marriage to her, We married her to you, so that there should be no restriction on believers marrying the wives of their adopted sons once their marriages to them have ended.”

When Allah permitted him to marry a woman who offered herself to him, He said:

“And a believing woman if she offers herself to the Prophet and the Prophet wishes to marry her—a privilege for you alone, not for the other believers.”

For this reason, when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked about an action, he would tell the questioner that he himself did it, thereby making clear that it was permissible. When he was told, “Allah has forgiven your past and future sins,” he would say:

“I fear Allah more than any of you and know His limits better than any of you.”

Also included within the meaning of his hadith is whatever he tacitly approved: the profit-sharing partnerships they customarily practiced; his approval of ‘Ā’ishah playing with dolls; his approval, during the festivals, of such things as the two girls’ singing and the Abyssinians’ playing with spears in the mosque; and other such things. This also includes his approval of their eating spiny-tailed lizard at his table, even though