| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

It was narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The people of Paradise will enter Paradise and the people of Hell will enter Hell, then Allah (may He be exalted) will say: ‘Bring forth from the Fire whoever had in his heart a mustard seed’s weight of faith.’ They will be brought forth from it having turned black, and will be thrown into the river of al-Haya or al-Hayat (life) – Malik [one of the narrators] was not sure – then they will grow like seeds alongside the course of a stream that flows after it rains. Do you not see how they emerge yellow and curled up?” Wuhayb said: ‘Amr told us it was al-Hayat (life), and he said: “A mustard seed’s weight of good.”.

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified) has bestowed upon His slaves His blessings and mercy in this world and the hereafter. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains some of the blessings that Allah will bestow upon them in the hereafter. He tells us that after the believers among the people of Paradise have entered Paradise by the grace and mercy of Allah, and then because of their righteous deeds, and after the people of Hell have entered Hell – so that everyone who deserves to enter it, of people of faith and others, will enter it so that they might be requited for their bad deeds – then Allah will instruct His angels to bring forth from the Fire everyone who did a mustard seed’s worth of the actions of faith, if they had affirmed the oneness of Allah and believed in that which our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) brought. Mustard is a well-known plant the seeds of which are given as a likeness of a very small thing. Here it is used as a metaphor for the tiniest of good deeds.
They will be brought forth from the Fire having turned black; in other words they will have become like coal because of the effect of the fire. Then they will be thrown into the river of al-Haya or al-Hayat (life), which indicates that it will be a cause of life being restored to the bodies of those who are brought forth from Hell. Then they will grow like seeds that are sown alongside the course of a stream that flows after it rains, so they grow quickly but there is some weakness in them; in the beginning they emerge from the earth yellow in colour and beautiful to look at, with their leaves furled. Then they grow taller and the leaves unfurl after that, which increases the fragrant plant in beauty.
This hadith states that the level of faith in the heart may vary, and that the people of faith vary in the level of their faith.
It also indicates that the one who commits sin is exposing himself to punishment in the hereafter and may be admitted to Hell, unless Allah pardons him..

It was narrated that Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whilst I was sleeping, I saw the people being presented to me, wearing chemises, some of which reached the chest, and some were other than that. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was presented to me, wearing a chemise that he was dragging.” They said: How did you interpret that, O Messenger of Allah? He said: “Faith.”.

Commentary : ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) had many virtues. He was the best of this ummah after Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and was inspired and guided to the truth. Some verses in the Qur’an were revealed to support his view. When he became caliph, in charge of the believers, he strove to be just and fair, and he explained to the people many things that were in their best interests; he would guide them to the straight path and make life easy for them.
This hadith highlights some of his virtues, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) about a dream that he had seen. He said: Whilst I was sleeping, I saw the people passing before me, wearing chemises and garments of different lengths. Some of the people were wearing chemises and garments that came halfway down their chests, and did not cover all of their bodies. Some of them were wearing something other than that, so their chemises were shorter or longer than that, or something in between. Then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab passed before me, wearing a long chemise that he was dragging behind him. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked how he interpreted that, he said: “Faith.” In other words, I interpreted it as referring to faith. What is meant by faith here is adhering to it, such as being keen to comply with the commands and heeding the prohibitions, and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was foremost in that regard. Hence he saw him wearing a long and covering garment that he was dragging behind him. The fact that he was dragging his garment indicates that his beautiful legacy would remain after he was gone, so that the Muslims might follow his example. It was also said that the chemise in the dream was interpreted as referring to faith because faith, Islam and righteousness are described as garments. Allah (may He be exalted) says: {But the clothing of righteousness - that is best} [al-A‘raf 7:26]. Just as a chemise covers a person’s ‘awrah and prevents the gaze of others falling on it, in like manner faith protects a person from Hell and from falling into shameful worldly deeds and anything that could cause him harm, because faith envelops on all sides and protects him from permitting infractions, just as a garment protects and envelops a person. So whoever does a great deal of acts of obedience and worship will be more covered and protected, whereas one who has fewer righteous deeds to his credit will have less coverage and protection.
This hadith highlights the great virtue of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also indicates that deeds are part of faith, and that people of faith vary with regard to their deeds. .

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by a man of the Ansar who was admonishing his brother for being too decent and shy, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Let him be, for decency and shyness (haya’) are part of faith.”.

Commentary : Haya’ (decency, shyness) is all good and is part of faith; it is one of the praiseworthy characteristics that both men and women should seek to acquire, because it prevents a person from falling into sins.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by a man when he was admonishing his brother for being too decent and shy. What is meant is that he was advising him not to be too shy, because the man was very shy and that prevented him from asking people for his dues. Hence his brother rebuked him for that. But the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to let him continue with this good characteristic, and told him that haya’ (decency and shyness) was part of faith and one of its branches, because it prevents a person from doing what Allah has forbidden. Haya’ is of two types: the first of which is an innate characteristic and is not something that is acquired or developed later on, and this is one of the noblest characteristics that Allah may bestow on a person or create in him, for it makes him refrain from committing abhorrent deeds or engaging in base conduct, and encourages him to acquire noble and sublime characteristics. The second type is that which one may acquire after learning about Allah and about His greatness and how close He is to His slaves, and after learning that He is always watching and that He knows that which deceives the eyes and what the hearts conceal. This is one of the most sublime characteristics of faith; in fact it is one of the highest levels of ihsan..

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I have been commanded to fight the people until they bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and establish prayer and give zakah. If they do that, they will have protected their lives and wealth from me except in cases dictated by Islamic law, and their reckoning will be with Allah.”.

Commentary : Islam is the true religion which Allah (may He be glorified) has ordained for all people, and He will never accept any other religion from anyone. Allah (may He be exalted) says: {And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers} [Al ‘Imraan 3:85].
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that Allah (may He be exalted) had commanded him to fight the polytheists who were waging war and preventing the message of Islam from reaching people; Allah had given permission to fight them until they testified to the oneness of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) and to the message of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); established the obligatory prayers – Fajr, Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib and ‘Isha’ – by continuing to perform them, fulfilling all the necessary conditions; and gave the obligatory zakah, which is a financial act of worship that is due on all types of wealth that meet the minimum threshold, as defined in Islamic teachings, when one full lunar (or Hijri) year has passed since acquiring that wealth, giving one quarter of one tenth. This is to be taken from their rich and given to the poor. Prayer and zakah are singled out for mention because they are the foremost physical and financial acts of worship, and other acts of worship stem from them.
If they do these things, then their lives and wealth will be protected, according to Islamic teachings, except – as he said – in cases dictated by Islamic law. This refers to an exception from protection. In other words, Islam protects their lives and wealth, so it is not permissible to kill them, unless they commit a crime or offence which incurs the penalty of execution, according to Islamic rulings. So a murderer may be executed as a retaliatory punishment (qisas), and an apostate and a married or previously-married adulterer may be executed as a hadd punishment. Then on the Day of Resurrection, Allah (may He be exalted) will bring them to account, and He will reward the sincere and punish the hypocrite. As for us, we can only judge matters on the basis of how things appear to be.
This hadith does not mean that the polytheists should be forced to enter Islam. Rather they have the choice between entering Islam or paying the jizyah. If, however, they insist on opposing the message of Islam, then there is no option but to fight them; we are to fight those who fight us in order to prevent us from spreading the message of Allah (may He be exalted), as is explained in the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah..

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked: Which deed is best? He said: “Believing in Allah and His Messenger.” It was said: Then which? He said: “Jihad in Allah’s cause.” It was said: Then which? He said: “An accepted Hajj.”.

Commentary : Because of their keenness to do acts of worship and that which would help them to attain the pleasure of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), the Sahabah often asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the best of deeds, and those which would bring them closest to Allah (may He be exalted). The responses of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and varied according to their character and circumstances, and what would be most beneficial for each of them.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked which deed is best, he said: “Belief in Allah and His Messenger.” Believing in Allah (may He be exalted) means believing in and affirming His existence, and that He possesses all attributes of majesty and perfection, far above any shortcomings; and that He is One, true, the Eternal Refuge, unique, the Creator of all creation, Who does whatever He wills in His dominion, and decrees whatever He wills concerning His creation; that He alone is deserving of all kinds of worship, to the exclusion of all others. Believing in His Messenger Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) means believing and affirming that he spoke the truth in what he conveyed from Allah (may He be exalted); that it is obligatory to follow him, venerate him and respect him; that he is the final Prophet and everyone who hears of him must believe in him and follow his way, and whoever does not believe in him and follow his way is not a believer in any of the Prophets and Messengers. The reason why faith is the best of all deeds and brings the greatest reward with Allah is that it is a condition of all Islamically-prescribed acts of worship – such as prayer, zakaah, fasting and so on – being valid.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about the best of deeds after faith, and he replied: The best of them is jihad in Allah’s cause, which means fighting the enemies of Allah among the polytheists and disbelievers who wage war and oppose the call of Islam. Allah has given us permission to fight them so as to make the word of Allah supreme and to defend His religion and spread it far and wide, and not for any other purpose. Rather the only reason why jihad is the best of deeds after believing in Allah and His Messenger is that it involves offering one’s life for the sake of Allah, and it may also require offering one’s wealth as well.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about the next best deed after jihad, and he said: “An accepted Hajj (Hajj mabrur).” This is the Hajj in which all essential parts are done properly and sincerely for the sake of Allah (may He be exalted). This is what is acceptable to Allah (may He be glorified), because it is free of showing off and seeking an enhanced reputation, and is not done using unlawful wealth. The apparent meaning of the hadith suggests that Jihad is better than Hajj, but this is to be understood as referring to a supererogatory (nafil) Hajj. As for the obligatory Hajj, it is better than jihad. This applies in cases where jihad is a communal obligation (fard kifayah); if jihad has become an individual obligation (fard ‘ayn), then it definitely takes precedence over the obligatory Hajj, because it must be done immediately..

It was narrated from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave something to a number of people when Sa‘d was sitting there, but he left out a man who I [Sa‘d] liked the most out of them. So I said: O Messenger of Allah, why did you not give to So-and-so? For by Allah, I think that he is a believer. He said: “Or a Muslim.” I kept quiet for a little while, then what I knew of him prompted me to speak again, and I repeated what I had said: I said: Why did you leave out So-and-so? For by Allah, I think that he is a believer. He said: “Or a Muslim.” Then what I knew of him prompted me to speak again, and I repeated what I had said, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) repeated what he had said. Then he said: “O Sa‘d, I may give to one man when someone else is dearer to me than him, for fear that Allah may throw him into the Fire.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to deal with people on the basis of prophetic wisdom, so he knew what was appropriate for each individual around him, and he would deal with him in a manner that could help to rectify his condition and make him steadfast in faith.
In this hadith, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave some wealth to a group of those whose hearts were to be softened (towards faith), for many people enter Islam in the hope of gaining wealth or status, then later on faith takes root in their hearts, and they become among the best of the Muslims. The word translated here as “a number of people” refers to a group of between three and ten. This incident happened in the presence of Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him), and the Prophet left out one man, giving him nothing; that man was the one whom Sa‘d admired the most, and he was the best and most righteous of them, or so Sa‘d thought. So Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) the reason why he had left out that man, even though he thought he was a believer on the basis of outward signs which seemed to indicate that he had strong faith. The Prophet (listings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by saying “Or a Muslim”; what he meant was: do not hasten to deem someone a believer. This was a rebuke to Sa‘d for testifying that someone was a believer, because belief or faith is hidden in the heart, and no one can see it, so testifying to that effect is a testimony that is based on conjecture. So no one should affirm such a thing. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed Sa‘d to testify to the man being a Muslim, because that is something that can be seen. But Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) did not understand why the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by saying “Or a Muslim”. If he had understood that, it could have prevented him from saying that again, so he repeated his words, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) repeated the response that he had given the first time.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to Sa‘d the reason why he had given to some and had withheld from others, so he said: I may give to a man to soften his heart by means of that gift, for fear that he may become a disbeliever if he is not given anything; I am afraid that if I do not give him anything, he may develop an idea because of which he may become a disbeliever, and then Allah will throw him into the Fire. As for the one whose faith is strong, he is dearer to me, so I entrust him to his faith and I do not fear that he will recant his religion or develop bad ideas if I do not give him anything.
This hadith indicates that part of the teachings of Islam is not to definitively affirm that anyone has faith in his heart, or to swear to that on the basis of what appears to us of his being Muslim and adhering to the teachings of Islam, even though we should treat a person as a Muslim and classify him as such on the basis of what appears outwardly to be the case.
It also indicates that when these two terms, faith (iman) and Islam appear together, then each of them has a different meaning; in that case, Islam refers to outward actions, and faith refers to inward deeds of the heart. .

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I was shown the Fire, and I saw that most of its inhabitants were women, for they are ungrateful.” It was said: Are they ungrateful to Allah? He said: “They are ungrateful to their husbands; they are ungrateful for kind treatment. If you show kindness to one of them for a lifetime, then she sees one thing from you, she says: I have never seen any good from you.”.

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified) created Paradise for His patient and obedient slaves, and He created the Fire for those who refuse, turn away from Him and are ungrateful for His blessings. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the characteristics of many of those who will enter it.
In this hadith, he described one of the characteristics of the people of Hell which is common among women in particular. One day, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) exhorted the women and said to them: I was shown the Fire; Allah (may He be exalted) caused me to look at it by His might, so I saw it with my own eyes. When I looked at it and saw who was in it, I saw that the majority of its inhabitants were women. One of the women said: Why is that, O Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? He replied: They will be the majority of the inhabitants of the Fire because they are ungrateful. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not say what they were ungrateful for, so that the women would become curious and want to find out what type of ingratitude he was attributing to them, and also to make their fear greater. Hardly had the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoken these words but one of the women asked: Are they ungrateful to Allah? He said: Rather they are ungrateful to their husbands and are ungrateful for kind treatment. In other words, they deny the blessing of the husband and his kind treatment towards them. If the husband treats one of them kindly for an entire lifetime, then she sees one thing from him that she dislikes, she says: I have never seen anything from you that has benefitted me or made me feel happy in my entire life!
Denying blessings is forbidden because if a woman denies the blessing of her husband, she has denied the blessing of Allah, for this blessing that reached her from her husband is in fact a blessing that came from Allah.
Ingratitude towards the husband is mentioned in particular among other types of sins for a subtle and amazing reason, which is the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “If I were to instruct anyone to prostrate to anyone else, I would have instructed women to prostrate to their husbands.” This was narrated by Ahmad and others. The husband’s right over his wife is mentioned alongside the right of Allah because if a woman denies her husband’s rights when his rights over her are so great, this indicates that she is neglecting the rights of Allah. Hence it is described as kufr (which may mean ingratitude or disbelief), but it is not the kufr which may put one beyond the bounds of Islam.
This hadith indicates that kufr is of two types, and that the word kufr may refer to something other than disbelief in Allah (may He be exalted), such as when it refers to ingratitude for blessings, which is a denial of those blessings..

It was narrated that al-Ma‘rur ibn Suwayd said: I met Abu Dharr in ar-Rabadhah. He was wearing a hullah (suit) and his slave was also wearing a hullah. I asked him about that, and he said: I insulted a man and shamed him because of his mother’s origins, then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Abu Dharr, did you shame him because of his mother’s origins? Indeed you are a man in whom there is some ignorance (jahiliyyah). Your servants are your brothers whom Allah has put under your control, so whoever has been given control over his brother, let him feed him the same food as he eats, and clothe him in the same garments as he wears. Do not burden them with work that may be overwhelming for them, and if you do assign such work to them, then help them.”.

Commentary : Islam is a religion of sublime manners and etiquette with all people, even servants. It is a religion that does not differentiate between people on the basis of lineage, status, race or colour. Rather differentiation is based on piety and righteous deeds. In this hadith, Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) had insulted a man and shamed him because of his mother’s origins by saying “O son of a foreign woman” or “O son of a black woman” and the like. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to know of that, he rebuked Abu Dharr for it, saying: “Did you shame him because of his mother’s origins?” In other words, did you insult him and accuse him of being a shameful person because of his mother? “Indeed you are a man in whom there is some ignorance (jahiliyyah).” Insulting people, impugning them and shaming them are characteristics of ignorance, so this is a deterrent from doing such things, and it highlights how abhorrent such actions are.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him, teaching him, disciplining him and informing him about the rights of servants: “Your servants are your brothers whom Allah has put under your control.” In other words, your servants and slaves who take care of your affairs, and are Muslims, are your brothers in faith whom Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has put under your control, “so whoever has been given control over his brother, let him feed him the same food as he eats, and clothe him in the same garments as he wears. Do not burden them with work that may be overwhelming for them, and if you do assign such work to them, then help them.” So do not ask them to do more work than they are able to do, and if you instruct them to do any such work, then you must help them. When Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) heard these words from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he gave his servant a garment like his own, as al-Ma‘rur ibn Suwayd saw him in ar-Rabadhah – which is a place near Madinah - wearing a hullah, which is a suit composed of two garments, a lower garment (izar or waist wrapper) and an upper garment (rida’ or cloak), and he saw his servant also wearing a hullah. That was in obedience to what Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) had heard from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith highlights the abhorrent nature of the characteristics and attitudes of the jahiliyyah, and tells us that they are to be shunned, in accordance with the teachings of Islam.
It also encourages us to show kindness to slaves and servants and others in similar positions, such as hired workers and the like, and to treat them gently.
It also teaches us not to look down on a fellow Muslim and despise them.
It also highlights the clear virtue of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) and his good response to the command of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

It was narrated that al-Ahnaf ibn Qays said: I went to support this man [in fighting] and I met Abu Bakrah [on the way]. He said: Where are you going? I said: To help this man. He said: Go back, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “If two Muslims meet [and fight] with their swords, then the killer and the slain will both be in the Fire.” I said: O Messenger of Allah, the case of the killer is clear, but what about the one who was slain? He said: “He was keen to kill his opposite number.”.

Commentary : Shedding blood unlawfully is one of the greatest sins with which a person could meet Allah (may He be exalted), and Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has warned the one who kills a Muslim unlawfully of a lasting punishment. That is why a group of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed away from the turmoil (fitnah) that occurred after the murder of ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) for fear of playing any part in the shedding of blood unlawfully, which Allah (may He be exalted) would question them about on the Day of Resurrection. One of those who stayed away from fighting was Abu Bakrah Nufay‘ ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him). According to this hadith, when Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw al-Ahnaf ibn Qays going to join the fighting, he said to him: Where are you going? He said To support this man, referring to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Battle of the Camel, which took place in 36 AH. This was a battle which led to a great deal of turmoil; it took place in Basra between ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and his supporters on the one hand, and al-Zubayr, Talhah and ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them) and their supporters on the other hand. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had gone there to try to bring about reconciliation, not to fight, then matters got out of hand and there happened what happened. Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) told al-Ahnaf to go back, then he told him that he had heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: If two Muslims meet and fight with their swords for worldly gain, or without any legitimate justification according to Islamic teachings, then the killer and the slain both deserve to enter Hell.
Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, seeking to understand: ‘O Messenger of Allah, the case of the killer [is clear], but what about the one who was slain?’ In other words: why would he enter the Fire even though he is the one who was killed? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) answered him by saying: “He was keen to kill his opposite number.” He wanted to kill his opposite number, and if he had had the opportunity to kill him, he would have done so. This does not include a Muslim who fights off another Muslim who is attacking him, for he should fight to protect his wealth or honour, even if he kills or is killed.
The fact that both of them will be in the Fire does not mean that they will abide therein forever. Rather this is a punishment for this sin, then it is up to Allah (may He be exalted): if He wills, He will punish them then bring them out of the Fire like others who affirm His oneness (but commit sins), and if He wills He will pardon them and not punish them at all. Remaining in Hell forever is only for one who regards it as permissible to kill a fellow Muslim.
This hadith indicates that for a Muslim to fight his fellow Muslim for no legitimate reason is a major sin, and that the one who commits a major sin does not become a disbeliever thereby, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) described both fighting parties as Muslims. .

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: When the verse {They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice (zulm)} [al-An‘am 6:82] was revealed, the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Which of us does not commit injustice? Then Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) revealed the words, {Indeed, association [with Him] is great injustice} [Luqmaan 31:13]..

Commentary : Associating others with Allah is the gravest of major sins and the worst act of zulm (injustice, wrongdoing). It is an injustice that the one who associates others with Allah does to himself, because Allah has made clear to all people the path of guidance and the way to learn about Allah and His Oneness.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the verse {They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice (zulm)} [al-An‘am 6:82] was revealed, the Companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were distressed by that, because they thought that what was meant by zulm was sin in general, as one might initially understand, especially because the Arabic word appears in the indefinite form, which would suggest a general meaning referring to any act of wrongdoing. They were worried about that because the apparent meaning of the word zulm is to transgress against people and not give them their dues, and to transgress against oneself by committing sins. Hence they thought that what was meant here was the apparent meaning that first springs to mind, which is doing that which is not appropriate and is contrary to Islamic teachings. So they were concerned, because no one is safe from falling into such sins. Then Allah revealed the words: {Indeed, association [with Him] is great injustice (zulm)} [Luqman 31:13]. Thus it became clear that what is meant is the worst type of zulm, which is shirk (associating others with Allah). Shirk is tantamount to zulm because Allah (may He be glorified) is the Bestower of all blessings, so if His slave associates anything else with Him, he has committed a grave wrong (zulm)..

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks he lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he is entrusted with something he betrays that trust.”.

Commentary : Hypocrisy is of two types: hypocrisy of belief, which takes a person beyond the bounds of faith, and means pretending outwardly to be Muslim whilst concealing disbelief in one’s heart; and hypocrisy in deed, which means imitating the hypocrites in their manners and attitudes. The latter does not take a person beyond the bounds of faith, but it is a major sin.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) discussed hypocrisy in deed, and described its distinguishing features. He said that among the signs of hypocrisy in deed, which indicate that this person resembles the hypocrites in their actions and attitudes, you will find these three signs, or some of them. The first sign is that when he speaks he lies, to the extent that this person becomes known for telling lies when he speaks. The second sign is that when he makes a promise he breaks it, meaning that he becomes well-known for breaking his promises, so that if he promises to do something, he deliberately breaks that promise. The third sign is that when he is entrusted with something, he betrays that trust, meaning that he becomes well-known among people for treachery. The things that are mentioned here all stem from one source, namely hypocrisy, which is contrary to honesty and sincerity, the opposite of fulfilling promises, and is contrary to trustworthiness. What is meant in this hadith is that these characteristics are the characteristics of hypocrisy, and the one who possesses these characteristics is like the hypocrites in this regard and has an attitude like theirs. It does not mean that he is a hypocrite in the sense that he pretends to be a Muslim whilst in his heart he is a disbeliever. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not mean that he is a hypocrite like the disbelievers who will abide forever in the lowest levels of Hell.
This hadith points out the blameworthy characteristics of hypocrisy in order to alert people and warn them against falling into that..

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There are four characteristics, whoever has them is a pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of them has one of the characteristics of hypocrisy until he gives it up: when he is entrusted with something he betrays that trust, when he speaks he lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he argues he resorts to foul speech and irrational talk.”.

Commentary : Hypocrisy means showing outwardly something other than what he feels or believes in his heart. It is divided into hypocrisy in belief and hypocrisy in deed. As for hypocrisy in belief, it means that a person conceals disbelief whilst making an outward show of being a Muslim. This is the hypocrisy for which a person will abide forever in the lowest level of Hell, and he is not counted among those who affirm the oneness of Allah. As for hypocrisy in deed, such a person does affirm the oneness of Allah, and he will not abide forever in Hell.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) discussed hypocrisy in deed, and described its distinguishing characteristics. He said that there are four characteristics, and whoever has them is a pure hypocrite, in the sense that he closely resembles the hypocrites because of these characteristics. Whoever has one or some of them is a hypocrite to some degree, until he gives up these characteristics. The first characteristic is that he is well known among the people to be treacherous. The second characteristic is that he is well known for lying when he speaks. The third characteristic is that if he makes a promise he breaks it and does not fulfil the promise that he made. The fourth characteristic is resorting to foul speech and irrational talk when arguing. What is meant by that is that he deliberately rejects the truth, to the extent that what is true becomes false for him, and what is false becomes true. What the hadith means is that these characteristics are the characteristics of hypocrisy, and the one who has them is like the hypocrites in this regard, and has the same attitude as they do, not that he is a hypocrite who pretends to be a Muslim whilst inwardly disbelieving. When he mentioned hypocrisy in this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was not referring to the hypocrisy for which a person will be in the lowest depth of hell, which is the worst type of disbelief. Rather he meant that these characteristics are akin to the concept of hypocrisy, because hypocrisy means displaying outwardly something other than what is in one’s heart. This concept is applicable in the case of lying, breaking promises and betraying trusts. What is meant by the words “he is a pure hypocrite” is pure in the sense of having these characteristics that are mentioned in the hadith only, not other characteristics..

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer, out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”.

Commentary : Allah’s grace towards this ummah is immense. By His grace, He has honoured it with seasons of goodness and blessings that bring breezes of divine mercy, to which we are instructed to expose ourselves and make the most of them. One of the greatest of those seasons is Laylat al-Qadr in the month of Ramadan.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlights the virtue of this blessed night, and tells us that for the one who happens to catch Laylat al-Qadr and spend the night in prayer, reading Qur’an and doing other acts of worship, Allah will forgive him his previous sins, except those that involved transgressions against other people affecting their wealth, honour or physical well-being. Such sins cannot be waived except with their consent, so the person who transgressed against them must seek pardon from those to whom he owes something, or restore their dues. Attaining this virtue depends upon the Muslim doing that out of faith and in the hope of reward, meaning that he believes in the virtue of this night and in the virtue of striving on this night, seeking the pleasure of Allah by worshipping Him and hoping for great reward for staying up on that night. The reward (forgiveness) is mentioned in the past tense [in the original Arabic], even though the forgiveness will come in the future, in order to give the sense that it will certainly happen and will definitely take place, by the grace of Allah (may He be exalted) to His slaves.
In this hadith, we are encouraged to spend the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer.
We are also urged to be sincere and seek reward for good deeds with Allah (may He be glorified and exalted)..

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has guaranteed the one who goes out in His cause, ‘and nothing causes him to go out except faith in Me and belief in My Messengers, that I will cause him to come back with what he attained of reward or booty, or I will admit him to Paradise.’ Were it not that I would make things more difficult for my ummah, I would never have stayed behind from any expedition. I wish that I could be killed in Allah’s cause, then brought back to life, then killed again, then brought back to life again, then killed.”.

Commentary : Jihad in Allah’s cause and martyrdom in His cause are actions of high status and great virtue, because of the immense status and reward that they bring, which make them superior to many other acts of worship.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) says: “Allah has guaranteed”, meaning that He has responded and promised to bestow this blessing upon the one who goes out in His cause with a sincere intention to Allah in his jihad. That is provided that what made him go out was nothing but faith in Allah and belief in His Messengers. If that is the case, then Allah has promised that He will cause him to return to his homeland after the jihad – if he is not martyred – with what he has attained of blessings, which is what he will be granted of reward only, if there is no booty, or reward and booty if they captured booty, or He will admit him to Paradise when those who are close to Him are admitted without being brought to account and without any rebuke for their sins, because their sins have been expiated by martyrdom. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that were it not for the fear of causing hardship for his ummah, he would not have stayed behind from any expedition; rather he would have gone out himself, because of the greatness of the reward for it. Then he stated that he would like to be killed in Allah’s cause, then brought back to life, then killed again in Allah’s cause, then brought back to life again, then killed in Allah’s cause, and brought back to life again, because of the high status and great reward for martyrdom.
This hadith indicates that one may wish for martyrdom, and that it brings an immense reward.
It shows us how compassionate the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was towards his ummah and how kind he was to them, and that if there is a conflict between two interests, one should choose the one that is more important.
It also indicates that it is permissible for a person to say, “I wish that such and such a good thing could happen,” even though he knows that it could never happen.
And it indicates that booty does not detract from the reward of the mujahid..

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays at night during Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”.

Commentary : The month of Ramadan is one of the seasons of goodness and blessings that bring breezes of divine mercy, to which we are instructed to expose ourselves and make the most of them. One of the virtues of this blessed month is what is mentioned in this hadith, namely the reward that results from praying at night during this month. What is referred to here is the Tarawih prayer, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever prays at night during Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” In other words, whoever does that, believing in Allah Who enjoined him to do that, knowing the virtue of this prayer at night, seeking great reward, and only seeking Allah (may He be exalted), not intending to be seen by people or any other motive that could be contrary to sincerity, the reward for that will be forgiveness of his previous sins, except those that involved transgressions against other people affecting their wealth, honour or physical well-being. Such sins cannot be waived except with their consent, so the person who transgressed against them must seek pardon from those to whom he owes something, or restore their dues.
The reward (forgiveness) is mentioned in the past tense [in the original Arabic], even though the forgiveness will come in the future, in order to give the sense that it will certainly happen and will definitely take place, by the grace of Allah (may He be exalted) to His slaves.
This hadith indicates that it is encouraged to pray at night during the month of Ramadan, and it highlights the greatness of the reward for doing that..

Tareq ibn Shehab narrated, “Marwan was the first one to deliver a sermon before the Eid prayer. A man stood up and said, ‘Prayer should precede sermon.’ He (Marwan) said, ‘It has been done away with.’ Abu Saeed remarked, ‘This man has performed what he should do. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, ‘Whoever among you sees something abominable should modify it with his hand, if he is not able to do it, then (he should modify it) with his tongue, and if he is not able to do it, then (he should modify it) with his heart, which is the least level of faith.’”.

Commentary : Allah honors and prefers the Muslim nation to other nations, for it enjoins goodness, forbids evil, and gently advises people, the qualities that transform any society into a virtuous one. This hadith related that the first person who delivered the Eid speech before performing the prayer was Marwan ibn Al-Hakam, the governor of Medina assigned by Caliph Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufian. He became the caliph in the year of 64 after Prophetic immigration. It was mistakenly narrated that the first person did that was Omar, Othman, Muawiyah, or Abdullah ibn Az-Zubeir. On the contrary, it was proven that the Prophet ﷺ and his four Caliphs used to pray before delivering the Eid speech as Ibn Abbas narrated in the two Sahihs, “I witnessed the Eid with the Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr, Omar, and Othman. They all prayed before the speech." In the narration of Bukhari, Marwan mentioned why he did that. He said, "People do not sit to listen to our speech after the prayer, so I delivered it before the prayer." Most of the people used to leave after the prayer and only some listened to Marwan's speech. He may have done that thinking that it was something in which he could follow his own opinion. Once he changed the Prophet's tradition, one of the attendees came and denounced his behavior. That person may have been Abu Masoud as in Imam Abderazzaq's narration but it was narrated in Sahih Bukhari that he was Abu Saeed himself, this hadith's narrator. Perhaps, this situation happened more than once and that every time Marwan was contradicted by someone. On the other hand, if it happened once, it would be possible that Abu Saeed first denounced Marwan's behavior, as in Bukhari's narration, then Abu Masoud. Marwan's response, "It has been done away with" may mean that: (1) People used to leave, for they were in a hurry, or (2) He left the proven tradition of praying before delivering the speech on purpose. Abu Saeed approved the man’s denouncing Marwan and said, "This man has performed what he should do." He denounced the evil with his tongue, for he could not change the ruler's behavior by his hands. Then Abu Saeed narrated the Prophet's hadith. The hadith states that if a person sees something evil and corrupting, he has to change it with his hand provided that his knowledge and ability. If he cannot change it with his hands, he has to wisely and kindly remind people about its prohibition. Changing the reality may be achieved by gentleness and wisdom away from swords. If he is unable to change it by word or tongue, he has to denounce it with his heart and resolve that if he were able to remove it, he would do it. Denouncing evil with one's heart is the lowest reaction that a believer has to bring, so the Prophet ﷺ said as in Ibn Masoud's narration in Sahih Muslim, "Beyond that, there is no faith even as the extent of a mustard seed." This hadith shows that there are two conditions of the obligation of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil: (1) Knowledge of whether that action is good or evil, for the ignorant person cannot determine that, and (2) The ability to do so, for it is enough for the unable person to hate the evil with his heart. Abu Saeed's comment confirmed that Marwarn was the first one to display that behavior, for if the Prophet ﷺ or his companions showed that behavior, Abu Saeed would not call it evil as in his comment. Moreover, Abu Saeed held Marwan to prevent him from delivering the speech but the latter insisted on doing so. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It urges us to gradually enjoin the goodness and forbid the evil, each based on his ability, (2) It confirms the legitimacy of opposing rulers' behavior if they accept advice in public and this does not lead to another evil, (3) It clarifies that denouncing evil is a part of faith, (4) It shows that one's faith is subject to increase and decrease, (5) It stresses that Islam's rites cannot be changed or reordered. Once rulers try to do so, they have to be opposed as long as a person is able to do so and his denouncing will not lead to a greater evil..

Abdullah ibn Masoud narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah has not sent a prophet to a nation before me but he (a prophet) had disciples and companions following his way and obeying his command. Afterward, there came successors who said what they did not practice and practiced what they were not commanded to do. Whoever strove against them with his hand was a believer, whoever strove against them with his tongue was a believer, and whoever strove against them with his heart was a believer. There is no faith beyond that even to the extent of a mustard seed.” Abu Rafi' said, “I narrated this hadith to Abdullah ibn Umar but he disapproved of the narration. When Ibn Masoud came and stayed at Qanat, Abdullah ibn Umar asked me to accompany him to visit him (Ibn Masoud) during his illness. I went with him and asked Ibn Masoud about the Hadith when we sat (before him). He narrated it in the same as I narrated it to Ibn Umar.”.

Commentary : The Prophets' calls are of common features. All were resisted by some or lots of their people. All were followed by some of their people who afterward conveyed their calls. Over decades and centuries, people began to gradually move away from the truth. The one adhering to this truth had to resist them as much as he could. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ confirmed that all Prophets that Allah had sent had disciples and companions following their ways and obeying their commands. Afterward, there came successors and hypocrites who said what they did not practice and practiced what they were not commanded to do while claiming and complimenting themselves on following their prophet's guidance. On the contrary, they were committing and spreading corruption. Every believer has to strive against those people based on his ability. Whoever strives against and tries to remove their evil with his hand or tongue is a believer. Moreover, whoever hates their evil with his heart is a believer, for he wishes he had been able to remove these evils with his hand or tongue but he was unable to do so. There is no faith beyond that even to the extent of a mustard seed, for if one does not hate the evil even if with his heart but pleases it, it is an approval of disbelief. This hadith shows that there are two conditions of the obligation of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil with hands or tongue: (1) Knowledge of whether that action is good or evil, for the ignorant person cannot determine that, and (2) The ability to do so, for it is enough for the unable person to hate the evil with his heart. Striving against evils by one's hands is only for those being able to change them without a conflict such as those in charge and rulers. Striving against evils by one’s tongue is by showing and calling for the truth. Striving against evils by one's heart is by rejecting, hating, and displeasing them. Abu Rafi' said, “I narrated this hadith to Abdullah ibn Omar but he disapproved of the narration.” Ibn Omar’s disapproval may be interpreted that he wanted to check the authenticity of the hadith, for one may unwillingly increase, decrease, or even distort his own narrations. He did not mean to accuse Abu Rafi’, for all people were vulnerable to forget. Ibn Omar knew that Abu Rafi’ was a great companion with a high level of justice and honesty. When Ibn Masoud came to Medina, Ibn Omar commanded Abu Rafi’ to go with him to visit Ibn Masoud. When they sat with him, Abu Rafi’ asked Ibn Masoud about this hadith, so Ibn Masoud narrated it to him just as Abu Rafi’ had narrated it to Ibn Omar. Abu Rafi’ did that to make sure of the hadith context and defend his narration. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It includes one of the signs of the Prophet’s prophethood, (2) It stresses the necessity of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, according to people’s conditions, (3) It clarifies the virtue of the Prophet’s companions, for they presented his properties and selves for the sake of this religion, (4) It shows that changing the evil is part of the Islamic faith, and (5) It refers that one’s faith increases and decreases..

Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Hearts’ callousness and sternness is in the East while faith is among the people of the Hijaz.’”.

Commentary : People vary in faith, piety, behavior, and even the degrees of their evil acts. The Prophet used to teach us people's various attributes so that we can deal with them in the proper way they deserve. In this hadith, he informed us that we find people of hard hearts, lack of understanding, and refusing the truth due to disbelief in the East. A narration in the two Sahihs reported by Abu Masoud Uqbah ibn Amr clarified that they are the people of Rabi’a and Mudar. This was during the era of the Prophet ﷺ. They were hard people due to the harsh conditions they were living in. It was said that he may have meant all areas of the East: Middle, Near, and Far. After the Prophet's death, these two tribes had many trials such as: (1) Many people disbelieved once again, and (2) Some claimed prophethood as Museilemah, the Liar. The Prophet meant that they were subject to obey the devil and disbelieve the Islamic message. On the other hand, he informed us that we find deep faith, tranquillity, and comfort in the people of Hijaz, i.e. Mecca, Medina, and their environs. It is called "hijaz," for some potential reasons: (1) It separates Najd from Sara, (2) It separates Ghaur from Levant, or (3) It is surrounded by mountains. Finally, this hadith confirms the virtue of the people of Hijaz over other people..

Abu Hurairah narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘You will not enter Paradise until you believe and you will not believe until you love one another. May I tell you something you can do to make you love one another? Spread the greetings of salam (peace) among you.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ used to teach his companions and nation the virtues of righteous deeds that display a feeling of affection among them and raise their ranks in the Hereafter. He also warned us against reasons for hatred and disharmony. Spreading the greetings of peace is one of the causes of love and harmony among Muslims. In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ clarified that only believers will enter Paradise and added that love among believers is part of the perfect faith. He said, "You will not enter Paradise until you believe." He means that our faith is neither complete nor benefits us until we love one another. Then he guides us to the best attributes for getting that kind of love in Muslim society which is to declare, act upon, and spread peace among Muslims. Peace is the greeting that Allah, the Almighty, has prescribed for His servants. Once a Muslim passes by another Muslim, relative or stranger, he greets him with peace. Allah made spreading peace a reason for love and affection among Muslims, which is a reason for getting a perfect faith and prevailing the word of Islam. On the other hand, hatred and conflict are reasons for spreading division among Muslims. The form of that greeting as in the narration of Abu Daoud and others is to say, “Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits such as: (1) The command to spread the greeting of peace among Muslims, for it spreads love and safety among them and (2) It is proof that love is a reason for the perfect faith..

Tamim Ad-Dary narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "Religion is sincerity." They said, "To whom?" He said, "To Allah, to his Book, to his Messenger, to the leaders of Muslims and their common folk.".

Commentary : Sincere advice is one of the features of our true religion. Muslims should advise each other in a good manner, and without making a greater evil than the benefit they want to achieve. This should be with loving and knowing the rights of the one who is advised in the society for his being a Muslim. This hadith clarifies the methods of this supreme behavior. The Prophet ﷺ clarified that sincere advice is Islam's essence and a means for its spreading. It is to say or do something that contains goodness for a person(s) sincerely. It is to seek goodness for the one who is advised. Moreover, it is a comprehensive term with various meanings. The Prophet's companions asked him to whom they offer it, so he answered, "To Allah, to his Book, to his Messenger, to the leaders of Muslims and their common folk." As for one's dealing with Allah, it means glorifying His command, showing mercy on His creation, calling people to believe in Him, and avoiding any acts of polytheism while worshiping him only. As for one's dealing with the Quran, it means to believe that it is Allah's word, deeply love and glorify it, recite it as it should be recited, face those distorting its authentic interpretations, ratify its stories, ponder over its lessons and miracles, act upon its rules, spread its knowledge, and call people to believe in it. As for one's dealing with the Messenger, it means to believe, follow, obey his commands, and avoid what he forbade. Moreover, it means to be loyal to those who are loyal to him and hate those who hate him. In addition, it means glorifying him, spreading his teachings, and facing people's accusations against him. As for one's dealing with leaders of Muslims, it means helping them in what is right, obeying them in goodness, gently reminding them if they neglect something, and avoiding disobeying them unless we see them doing an act of clear disbelief that Allah obviously showed in his religion, which is conditional on ability and avoiding having greater harms. The Muslim's leaders may include the scholars as well. As for one's dealing with Muslim scholars, it means accepting what they narrated and thinking well of them. As for one's dealing with common Muslim folk, it means gently teaching them Islam's laws, providing them with what is beneficial, having mercy on them, respecting them, avoiding cheating or envying them, loving for them what one loves for himself, hating for them what one hates for himself, and defending their properties and honor. Finally, this hadith contains the following lessons: (1) It confirms that advising people is the essence of Islam, and (2) It urges people to advise all people types, from the ruler to lay people..

Abu Hurairah narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'There are three signs of a hypocrite ... even if he fasted, prayed, and claimed he is a Muslim.'".

Commentary : Hypocrisy has two types: (1) Doctrinal: It expels the person from Islam, for he shows Islam and conceals disbelief and (2) Practical: It does not expel the person from Islam, for he just imitates the hypocrites in their morals, which is a major sin. This hadith identifies some attributes of hypocrites by clarifying the second type of hypocrisy. This hadith is part of another hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ informed that a hypocrite has three signs: (1) He used to tell lies and fabricate unrealistic stories. Lying is to say something contrary to reality. Its greatest form is to lie to Allah, the Almighty, and His Messenger ﷺ. It also includes lying in one's acts, so the hypocrite is a liar, for he shows faith but conceals disbelief inwardly. The Prophet ﷺ indicated that lying sometimes is permissible for some overriding interests. Bukhari and Muslim narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “He is not a liar who reconciles between people, so he conveys or says goodness.” Islam urges us to reconcile between people even if it is achieved by lying to settle quarrels and avoid feelings of hatred and enmity, (2) He used to break his promises willingly, and (3) He used to betray people's trust. He loses, betrays, and uses their trust. The Prophet ﷺ informed that whoever used to act upon these three attributes is a hypocrite even if he performs the practical acts of worship such as prayer, fasting, etc. This hadith clarifies that these qualities belong to hypocrites so whoever behaves like that resembles hypocrites. It does not mean he is a hypocrite who shows Islam and conceals disbelief, for the Prophet ﷺ did not mean that he is a hypocrite who will be eternally in the lowest degree of Hell..

Jarir narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "If any slave escapes from his masters, he becomes an infidel till he returns to them.”.

Commentary : Islam regulated the relations between masters and slaves. It called for kindly treating slaves and urged masters to emancipate them. It also encouraged slaves to care for Allah's and their masters' rights, for their masters bought them so it does not make sense that their properties may be wasted. Islam makes obeying masters, for the sake of Allah, is one of the greatest acts of worship. In this hadith, Jarir ibn Abdullah narrated that if any slave flees from his masters, he is a disbeliever. It may mean that he denies his master's rights or behaves like disbelievers do. It may also mean that his behavior leads to disbelief. It does not mean the literal meaning of disbelief. It means that he disbelieves Allah's graces by fleeing from his master until he returns to him willingly or unwillingly. Allah neither pleases him nor accepts his righteous deeds until his return, repentance, and righteousness. The complete narration of this hadith is that Mansour ibn Abdurrahman (the hadith narrator on the authority of Amer Ash-Sha’by) said after his narration, "By Allah, it is a Prophetic hadith, but I hate that it may be narrated on my authority here in Basra.” This means that Mansour traced back this hadith to the companion but he then swore that it was the Prophet's hadith to let his knowledgeable companions know about that. He feared that his transmitted narration to the Prophet may have spread in Basra which was full of Kharijites and Mutazilites who believed that one would eternally remain in Hell due to his sins. The former added that he is a disbeliever, depending on the apparent meaning of this hadith. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) The slave’s fleeing from his masters is a major sin that contradicts the faith's requirements of obeying them and (2) Muslim predecessors cautioned against the wrong concepts that people of heresies may deduce from the Islamic texts that may apparently support their heresies..

Jarir ibn Abdullah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "If a slave escapes (from his master), not a single prayer will be accepted from him.”.

Commentary : The slave’s obedience to his master according to the obedience of Allah, the Almighty, is one of the greatest acts of worship. Allah organized the relations between masters and slaves. He urged masters to gently deal with them and recommended them to set them free. On the other hand, he encouraged slaves to preserve Allah's and their masters' rights. A master buys his slave with his money, so he has the right not to waste his money. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ confirmed that if a slave escapes from his master, "not a single prayer will be accepted from him.” This is because the slave is completely owned by his master so if he escapes, his master misses some benefits. It was said that the hadeeth refers to a slave who considers escaping lawful so he becomes a disbeliever and neither his prayer nor any other acts of worship are accepted from him. The Prophet ﷺ exclusively mentioned prayer for its greatness and virtue. It was said that the hadeeth is general and that rejecting his worship does not necessitate its invalidity. The escaped slave's prayer (who does not think that escaping is lawful) is correct, for he fulfils its pillars, but it is still unaccepted because it is associated with disobeying his master. There is no contradiction in that, for rejecting his worship means losing the reward but its validity means he is neither required to re-perform it nor he may be punished as the one used to abandon the prayer. Finally, this hadith confirms that a slave's escaping from his master is a great sin which contradicts faith's requirements commanding him to obey his master..

Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "A person who believes in Allah and the Last Day never bears a grudge against the Ansar.".

Commentary : The Ansar, the people of Medina from the Prophet's companions before his immigration, reached a high rank in Islam for their great effort in supporting Islam, sheltering the Messenger and his immigrant companions, loving him, and his love for them. They used to present all that they had for him to the extent that lots of people became their enemies due to Islam. As a result, the Prophet ﷺ urged all Muslims to love them. Moreover, he made loving them a sign of one's truthful and perfect faith and hating them is a sign of one's hypocrisy and lack of faith. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ informed that a person who believes in Allah and the Last Day never bears a grudge against the Ansar, for whoever knows their right, initiative to support and spread Islam, and fighting against all people in defending the prophet will definitely love them out of necessity, which is a sign of his sincere faith. On the other hand, if one hates them, it is a sign of hypocrisy and corrupted intention. Because these great people with those supreme attributes are loved by only believers and hated by only hypocrites. Whoever loves them is loved by Allah and whoever hates them is hated by Allah as in the hadith narrated in the two Sahihs. Finally, this hadith contains some lessons: (1) It shows the Ansar’s virtues, (2) It confirms that loving them is a sign of one's sincere faith while hating them is a sign of corruption or lack of faith, and (3) It calls every Muslim to give Medina's people their rights..

Ali said, "By Him Who split up the seed and created something living, it is the illiterate Prophet's promise ﷺ that he gave me that none but a believer would love me and none but a hypocrite would bear grudge against me.".

Commentary : Ali ibn Abi Taleb had great status with the Prophet ﷺ for the following reasons: (1) His father, Abu Taleb, used to support and defend the Prophet against Qureish disbelievers, (2) He is the husband of Fatema, the Prophet's daughter, his most beloved daughters, and (3) The father of Prophet's grandsons, Al-Hasan and Al-Husein. In this hadith, Ali swore in Allah Who split up the seed, placed it in the soil, and created the plant by His power. He swore in Allah Who created the men and souls. His saying, "It is the Prophet's promise ..." means a covenant. His saying, "illiterate ..." is the attribute with which the Prophet was described in the previous books and in two places in the Quran: (1) "Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel." {Al-A'raaf: 157) and (2) "So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words." {Al-A'raaf: 158) It was the Prophet's promise to Ali that he had a virtue that all believers would love him, but hypocrites would hate him. It means that if one loves and knows Ali's prestige, his closeness to the Prophet, the Prophet's love for him, and his support of Islam, it is proof of his authentic faith and truthfulness as he is doing what Allah and his Prophet please. On the contrary, if one hates him, it is proof of his hypocrisy and evil intention. It is an additional recommendation for Ali, for the Prophet ﷺ recommended us to care about his companions and follow their methods. Also, he guided us to give a high prestige to his rightly guided caliphs, including Ali. It is neither proof of Ali's specific guardianship, nor his caliphate after the Prophet's death. It may have been the Prophet's appreciation for Alai and call for Muslims to give him his considerable prestige and avoid belittling him after the Prophet's death. On the other hand, it was a sign of prophethood, for the Prophet knew that some people would go to extremes when dealing with Ali after the Prophet's death whether they would love him exaggeratedly or belittle him. As a result, he confirmed the believers' hearts would love Ali and the hypocrites' hearts would hate him..

Abdullah ibn Omar narrated, “The Messenger of Allah said, “O Women, give charity and frequently ask Allah for forgiveness, for I saw you form the majority of Hell.” A wise woman from them asked, “O Messenger of Allah, why will we form the majority of Hell?” He answered, “You frequently curse and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen someone lacking in discernment and religion more overwhelming a wise man than you.” She asked, “What is the lack of discernment and religion?” He answered, “As for the lack of discernment, the testimony of two women is equal to a man’s one. She does not pray for some days and breaks fast in the month of Ramadan. This is the lack of religion.”.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ used to preach to women just as he did to men, ask them to protect themselves against evilness, and frequently remind them of rectify their faults. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Omar narrated that after the Prophet ﷺ delivered his speech on the day of eid, he preached to women only, as in the narration in the Two Sahihs that Abu Saeed Al-Khudry reported that the Prophet ﷺ commanded them to give charity and ask Allah for forgiveness. He justified this matter by the fact that he knew that most of the people of Hell were women. Giving charity is a means to increase good deeds and avoid Allah's anger and punishment. When hearing so, a wise woman asked about the reason. He showed two reasons: (1) They used to frequently curse those who did not deserve it. Cursing is to supplicate Allah to expel someone from his mercy, which was a habit of women before Islam and (2) They used to be ungrateful to their husbands. He explained it in another narration in the Two Sahihs when he addressed men, "If you treated one of them kindly forever, but she later saw something (disliked) from you, she would say, 'I never saw any good from you.'" She may be ungrateful to her husband while he treats her kindly. This continuous deliberate behavior enlarges this sin to be a major one. His help, protection, sacrifice, and care should be met with her gratitude and appreciation. Allah commands us to thank whoever gives us a favor. How is it the case with a woman's husband who gives her all that he owns throughout his entire life?! Then, he ﷺ described them with three attributes: (1) A woman has the ability to affect her wise husband's decision whether it is right or wrong. What about the unwise husband? (2) A lack of discernment: This is because a man's testimony is equivalent to two women's testimony. Allah said, "... so that if one of them (two women) errs, the other can remind her." (Al-Baqarah: 282), (3) A lack of religion: This is because she does not pray for some days and breaks fast in the month of Ramadan due to her menstruation. The Prophet ﷺ did not mean to blame them for these attributes with which Allah created them but wanted to warn men against the tricks that women sometimes use. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) A person has the right to discuss the scholar and others if he does not understand his words, (2) Encouragement of charity acts, frequent seeking of Allah’s forgiveness, and all other acts of obedience, (3) One's righteous deeds eliminate his evil deeds, (4) Some Islamic texts may call something disbelief but do not mean the disbelief in Allah such as disbelief in marital life, benevolence, grace, and truth..

Abu Hurairah narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘When a son of Adam recites a verse mentioning prostration then he prostrates, the devil withdraws weeping and saying, ‘Woe to him! - in another narration, ‘Woe to me!’ - The son of Adam has been commanded to prostrate, has done so, and will be rewarded with Paradise but I have been commanded to prostrate, have refused, and will be punished with Hell.’ In another narration, ‘ … have disobeyed, and will be punished with Hell.’”.

Commentary : There are Quranic verses that one is prescribed to prostrate after reciting them, which the Prophet's noble tradition specified. It is an act of worship and a reward for those who prostrate. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ informed that when a Muslim prostrates after reciting this type of verse, the devil withdraws weeping due to the reward that a Muslim gets for his obedience and prostration. He is crying and saying, "Woe to him!" In another narration, "Woe to me!" It means, "Oh, my sorrow, oh my doom." He regrets his previous disobedience to Allah. The son of Adam has been commanded to prostrate, has done so, and will be rewarded with Paradise due to his obedience. On the other hand, Satan has been commanded to prostrate but has refused. In another narration, "I have disobeyed, and will be punished with Hell." He deserved to enter Hell for disobeying Allah's command. Allah says, "And [mention] when We said to the angels, 'Prostrate before Adam;' so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He refused and was arrogant ..." (Al-Baqarah: 34) He is deeply sad for some reasons: (1) His failure in luring the son of Adam to commit sins, (2) His committing a fatal sin of being arrogant to Allah's command, and (3) Muslim's being deserved to enter Paradise for his obedience, while Satan is condemned to be expelled from Allah’s mercy. Blessed are those believers whose hearts become fearful when Allah is mentioned, their faith increases when Allah's verses are recited to them, and those who trust in their God. As for what a Muslim can say during this prostration, he can say the same supplications he says during the prostration of prayer, such as glorification. Finally, this hadith contains the following lessons: (1) The virtue of prostration which is a reason for entering Paradise and (2) A Quran reciter is permissible to prostrate after reciting a verse of prostration..

Gaber said, "I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, 'Verily, between a man and polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of prayer.'".

Commentary : Prayer is an obligatory act for every assigned Muslim. It is the second pillar of Islam and the greatest practical pillar after monotheism testimony. In this hadith, the Messenger ﷺ strongly warned against abandoning it and confirmed that between a man and polytheism is to abandon prayer. If he abandons it out of denial of its obligation, he is unanimously a disbeliever but if he abandons it out of negligence or laziness, he is a disbeliever according to the opinion of many scholars and the consensus of the Prophet's companions. If he sometimes performs and neglects it, he is also included in the description mentioned in the hadith, which is consistent with Allah's sayings, "But there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil. Except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all." (Maryam: 59, 60) In this verse, Allah condemned those neglecting prayer either abandoning it completely, abandoning some of its pillars and conditions, neglecting its duties, or performing it after its appointed times, etc. He condemned those being busy with their own whims and desires and preferring them to Allah's obedience and Paradise. Thus, he deserves to be punished except those who rectify their mistakes, struggle in the path of truth, regularly perform prayer, refrain from following their whims. They will enter Paradise and be saved from Hell. One has to caution against abandoning or neglecting this great worship. On the other hand, polytheism and disbelief may be used in the same sense, which is disbelief in Allah, the Almighty. There may be a distinction between them, so polytheism is specific to worshipping idols while acknowledging Allah, the Creator, like the infidels of Qureish. In this meaning, disbelief is more general than polytheism. Finally, this hadith deeply warns against abandoning or neglecting prayer..

Abdullah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "None will enter Hell as long as he has the weight of a mustard seed of faith in his heart and none will enter Paradise as long as he has the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance in his heart.”.

Commentary : Faith is a reason for salvation from Hell and winning Paradise while arrogance is an attribute that refers to corrupted hearts and a reason for entering Hell. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ informed that a Muslim will neither enter Hell nor even remain there forever if his heart has the weight of a mustard seed of faith. Mustard is a plant with very small black fruits. It is a linguistic usage referring to smallness. It is Allah's great blessing that he will save the believers for their faith, even if He holds them accountable for their deeds first and admits them to Paradise by His grace and mercy. Afterward, the Prophet informed that a Muslim will not enter Paradise if his heart has the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance. Arrogance is to give oneself a high prestige that it does not deserve and belittle people. Allah is the only one that deserves this attribute. Mentioning the infinitesimal mustard seed indicates that even the slightest amount of arrogance in a Muslim's heart is a reason for not initially entering Paradise until he is held accountable for this arrogance which may necessitate punishment. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It is proof that faith increases and decreases in hearts and (2) It forbids arrogance..

Abdullah narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance will not enter Paradise.' A man said, 'Verily, a person loves that his dress should be fine and his shoes should be fine.' The Prophet said, 'Verily, Allah is beautiful and likes beauty. Arrogance is to reject the truth and despise people.'".

Commentary : Arrogance is an attribute that indicates the corruption of hearts, which Islam forbade because it means self-aggrandizement while despising others. It is only Allah who deserves to be proud, for everyone else is His servant. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ explained the severe consequences of arrogance and dispelled some people’s misconceptions related to good appearance. He told us that Allah would not admit anyone to Paradise if his heart had the weight of an atom (or dust particle) of arrogance. This indicates that even the slightest bit of arrogance in one's heart is a reason for not initially entering Paradise. He should be reckoned first then will be punished or forgiven. One of the Prophet's companions thought that arrogance includes beautifying one’s clothing and appearance. So, he asked the Prophet ﷺ if a person loves that his clothes should be fine, is this considered arrogance? The Prophet ﷺ replied, "Verily, Allah is beautiful and likes beauty." He confirmed that Allah loved this manner as long as it did not lead to despising people. One's caring for his appearance is an indication of Allah's blessings upon him. Then the Prophet ﷺ clarified that the intended meaning of arrogance is to reject the truth and look down on people. So, this bad manner leads to oppress and disdain people. As a result, he will not initially enter Paradise but be punished for this great sin. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It is forbidden to be arrogant and reject the truth, (2) Islam allows beautifying oneself by wearing beautiful clothes and shoes, (3) It proves that the name “the Beautiful” is one of Allah's names..

Book of Hadith