fruits were like large water jars. He said: When it was enveloped by whatever of God’s command enveloped it, it changed; no creature of God could describe it because of its beauty.

Then God revealed to me what He revealed and prescribed for me fifty prayers each day and night. I descended to Moses, peace be upon him, and he asked, “What has your Lord prescribed for your community?” I replied, “Fifty prayers.” He said, “Return to your Lord and ask Him to lighten it, for your community will not be able to bear that. I have tested and known the Children of Israel.”

He said: So I returned to my Lord and said, “My Lord, lighten it for my community.” He reduced it for me by five. I returned to Moses and said, “He has reduced it for me by five.” He said, “Your community will not be able to bear that, so return to your Lord and ask Him to lighten it.” He said: I continued to go back and forth between my Lord, Mighty and Majestic, and Moses, peace be upon him, until He said, “O Muhammad, they are five prayers each day and night; each prayer counts as ten, making fifty prayers.

“Whoever intends a good deed but does not perform it will have one good deed recorded for him; if he performs it, ten will be recorded for him. Whoever intends an evil deed but does not commit it will have nothing recorded against him; if he commits it, one evil deed will be recorded against him.”

He said: Then I descended until I came to Moses, peace be upon him, and informed him. He said, “Return to your Lord and ask Him to lighten it.” The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I said, ‘I have returned to my Lord so often that I have become ashamed before Him.’”

Reported by Muslim (1/99–101), Abu Awanah (1/126–128), and Ahmad (3/148),