Shama-il Tirmidhi Chapter 47, Hadith Number 1 (326).

Khaarijah bin Zayd bin Thaabit Radiyallahu ‘Anhu says that a group came to Zayd bin Thaabit (his father) and requested him to describe to them some facts about Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam. He replied. “What can I describe to you of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi ‘Wasallam. (It is beyond my means to describe them). I was the neighbour of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam. (Therefore he was mostly present and knew many facts. He was also a writer of the wahi-revelation). When wahi was revealed to Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam, he sent for me, I came and wrote it. (Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam always showed kindness, and made us feel at ease). Whatever we discussed, he discussed the same. If we discussed some worldly affairs, he also spoke of it. (It was not that he only spoke about the hereafter to us, and despised the talking of worldly affairs). When we spoke of the hereafter, he too spoke of the hereafter. When we began speaking of the hereafter, he described its events etc in detail). ‘When we spoke of food, Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam also spoke of it. (Its etiquette, benefits, tasty foods, foods that are harmful, etc. In the previous chapters many such commands of Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam are mentioned. i.e. ‘What a wonderful curry vinegar is’. ‘Use olive oil, it is from a mubaarak tree’. etc.). All this I am saying are facts on Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam'”.

Commentary
Many things are mentioned in this hadith, of which many have been explained in the hadith (in brackets). The translation of the last sentence according to the mashaa-ikh of teaching is as mentioned above. According to this humble servant in the beginning of the hadith where it is mentioned ‘What can I describe to you of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam’ is connected to this last sentence, and the translation will be this that ‘I can describe to you all the conditions of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam. Whatever type of question you may ask me about, I will explain it to you, as I was a neighbour of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam and also the writer of the wahi (revelation). Every religious and worldly activity, eating, drinking etc. was found among the practices of Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam, therefore what should I describe to you and what can I say, as every memoir of his is wonderful, and every time and condition beautiful’. In this hadith Sayyidina Zayd Radiyallahu ‘Anhu saying, when wahi was revealed, he was called. This was mostly done because he lived nearest to Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam. There were other Sahaabah also who wrote the wahi, among them were Sayyidina ‘Uthmaan Radiyallahu ‘Anhu, Sayyidina ‘Ali Radiyallahu ‘Anhu, Sayyidina Ubay Radiyallahu ‘Anhu, Sayyidina Mu’aawiyah Radiyallahu ‘Anhu, Sayyidina Khaalid bin Sa’d Radiyallahu ‘Anhu, Sayyidina Hanzalah Radiyallahu ‘Anhu, Sayyidina ‘Alaa Hadrami Radiyallahu ‘Anhu, Sayyidina Abaan bin Sa’eed Radiyallahu ‘Anhu. These nine Sahaabah wrote the wahi. In the above hadith a question may arise, that speaking of worldly -affairs such as eating, drinking etc. is a useless conversation, and it was the noble habit of Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam not to waste time in useless things, as has been mentioned in many ahaadith. It has also been, mentioned in the seventh hadith of the previous chapter that Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam controlled his tongue and spoke only that which was necessary. The reply to that is not every worldly discussion is useless, but many discussions about eating and drinking and other worldly affairs are necessary, and were waajib for Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam. Among these, are what is permissible and not permissible, what is good or bad, etc. can only be known if Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam explained them, or when they were discussed before him he did not comment on them. It has also been mentioned in this hadith that Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam inquired about the people and encouraged their good deeds and explained to them the detrimental effects of bad deeds. It is for this reason that worldly affairs were discussed in the gathering of Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam, and not for the sake of wasting time.