| 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..

134

Abu Huraira narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'People will keep wondering till it will be said, ‘Allah created all things but who created Allah?’ Whoever finds something like that should say, ‘I believe in Allah.’” In another narration, “The devil comes to one of you and says, ‘Who created the sky? Who created the Earth?’ Then you answered, ‘Allah.’” It mentioned the same content as the first narration but added, “ … and his messengers.”.

Commentary : The pure law of Islam established the relationship among people on the basis of honesty. Muslims are honest about their rights, but some may betray and falsely swear sacred oaths to take people's properties, especially if the proof of the right holder is not clear. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that if a Muslim falsely swears to take people's properties, Allah will prevent him from entering Paradise and make him enter Hell as a punishment for his lying and depriving people of their rights by false oaths. This will be his punishment on condition that he thinks this act is permissible and does not return the property to its owner. Islam considers it a grave sin, for the false oath is one of the major sins, and the Islamic rulings are based on apparent proofs and oaths, even if the person to whom the ruling was made was a liar. As a result, a man asked the Prophet (ﷺ) if the one who committed this sin would enter Hell even if the right unjustly taken was trivial. The Prophet replied that he would definitely enter Hell even if it were a small stick from the Arak tree from which the siwak is taken. The oppressor should not underestimate his small sins because lots of people will be punished for their small sins. There is a saying that confirms that most of the worldly fire is from small sparks. This is supported by Allah's saying, "Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their [own] oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment." (Aal-Imran: 77) This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It includes a stern warning against taking people's properties by false oaths and (2) There is no difference between grave and trivial sins as long as they both oppress people..

137

Abu Omama narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “If anyone appropriates a Muslim’s right by his (false) oath, Allah definitely makes Hell as his destiny and deprives him of Paradise.” A man asked, “O Messenger of Allah, even if it were something insignificant?” The Prophet answered, “Even if it were a stick from an araak tree.”.

139

Wa’el ibn Hujr narrated, “A man from Hadramout and another one from Kinda came to the Prophet ﷺ. The first said, ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, this man has appropriated my land which belonged to my father.’ The other said, ‘It is my land in my possession. I cultivate it. There is no right for him in it.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to the first, ‘Do you have any evidence?’ He replied, ‘No.’ The Prophet ﷺ commented, ‘Then your case is decided on his oath.’ He (the man from Hadramout) said, ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he is a liar and does not care about what he swears to or abstain from taking anything (forbidden).’ The Prophet ﷺ commented, ‘You do not have any other option from him.’ When he (the man from Kinda) was about to take an oath, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commented, ‘If he took an oath to usurp his property unjustly, he would certainly meet Allah turning away from him.’”.

Commentary : Islam established the relationship among people based on honesty, so a Muslim is faithful to his rights and others’ rights, but some people may betray and swear sacred oaths to usurp what does not belong to them, especially if the holder of the right does not have clear proof. In this hadith, Wa’el ibn Hujr narrated that a man from Hadramout, a Yemen town near Aden, and another one from Kinda, a Yamen tribe, came to the Prophet ﷺ to seek his arbitration about a land that they both claimed ownership. The first said, “This man has appropriated my land which belonged to my father,” but the other said, ‘It is my land in my possession. I am cultivating it. He has no right to have it.” The Prophet ﷺ asked the first for his proof of ownership but he answered that he had none. The Prophet ﷺ replied that the case would be decided on his (the man from Kinda) oath that the land belonged to him. As a result, the first man confirmed that the other one was an immoral person who did not care about what he swore to and willingly usurped people's belongings. The Prophet ﷺ explained that the only solution to prover ownership was that the first one provided evidence or the other one took an oath. When he (the man from Kinda) was about to take an oath, the Prophet ﷺ commented, “If he took an oath to usurp his property unjustly, he would certainly find Allah turning away from him.” In a narration in Sahih Muslim, he said, “Allah will be angry with him when he meets Him.” It is severe Prophetic intimidation against those daring to usurp people’s rights by taking false oaths to apparently make them permissible, which leads them to be expelled from Allah’s mercy. In Sunan Abu Daoud, Al-Ash’ath ibn Qais narrated that the man from Kinda tribe, after the Prophet’s warning, changed his mind and said, “It is his land.” Although Islam’s judgment is based on apparent proofs and oaths even if this leads to giving the right to the wrong person, taking false oaths is one of the major sins in Islam. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It severely warns against taking false oaths, especially to usurp people’ rights, (2) Islam’s judgment is based on oaths and proofs, not claims, (3) It is recommended that a judge alerts those falsely swearing to bring them back to the truth, and (4) A judge should equally deal with the two parts during his process of seeking oaths and proofs..

140

Abu Huraira narrated, “A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what would you think if a man came to appropriate my possession?’ The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘Do not give him your property.” He asked, ‘What if he fought me? The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘Fight him.’ He asked again, ‘What if I were killed?’ The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘You would be a martyr.’ He asked again, ‘What if I killed him.’ The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘He would be in the Fire.'".

Commentary : Defending one's self and property, and repelling aggressors are obligatory in Islam to prevent this matter from being repeated to others. In this hadith, Abu Hurairah narrated that a man asked the Prophet if a man attacked and robbed him, what would he do? The Prophet said, "Do not give him your property.” This is an explicit command to not give the transgressor one's property. In addition, he guided him to the necessity of fighting this type of people. Then he asked, “What if he fought me?” The transgressor wanted to forcibly take it. The Prophet answered, ‘Fight him.’ It is an explicit command to fight him and prevent oppression. As a matter of fact, this fighting should take place after reminding him of Allah and seeking rulers' and Muslims' help. In Sunan An-Nasa'i, Abu Hurairah narrated, "A man came and said to the Messenger of Allah, 'O Messenger of Allah, what do you think if someone comes to steal my wealth?' The Prophet replied, 'Remind him of Allah so he leaves it.' The man asked, 'What if he persists?' The Prophet repeated, 'Remind him of Allah so he leaves it.' The man asked, 'What if he persists?' The Prophet repeated, 'Remind him of Allah so he leaves it.' The man asked, 'What if he persists?' The Prophet replied, 'Then fight. If you are killed, you will be in Paradise, and if you kill him, he will be in Hell.'" The Prophet confirmed that he would get the status of a martyr in Hereafter, for he was unjustly killed while defending his property. As for his case in this worldly life, he is washed and prayed over. This does not require that he would get the reward of a war martyr. On the other hand, the other man deserves to enter Hell for his oppression. It is Allah's decision to punish or forgive him. He would definitely enter Hell if he intentionally thought that his forbidden act by Islam was allowable. Hence, he becomes a disbeliever and will not be forgiven, out of warning against attacking people’s property. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It prohibits taking a Muslim’s wealth without his consent, and (2) It confirms that there is no retribution or blood money for killing those fighting Muslims..

146

Ibn Omar narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Verily, Islam began as something strange and will be strange as it began so glad tidings to the strangers. It recedes between the two mosques just as the serpent crawls back into its hole.”.

Commentary : Islam appeared in a world filled with injustice, polytheism, and ignorance. Its luminous teachings were strange among people living in complete darkness while its first followers were suffering from several trials until it prevailed among people. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) showed that Islam began as something strange due to its few followers and their suffering. The Meccans wondered about Islam, for it refused the ignorant traditions of the environment from which it emerged. Afterward, the Prophet and his companions immigrated to Medina, which was an additional image of strangeness and suffering. He began to spread Islam and the people began to enter into it in multitude. Later, he confirmed that Islam would return to be strange as it began. It would become strange in its followers' hearts, even if they are large in number. Its followers would adhere to the customs of pre-Islamic times. This way of deficiency and disruption would prevail to the extent that Islam would be stuck by a few Muslims as it began. Then, the Prophet informed that Islam would return and join between the Sacred Mosque in Mecca and the Prophetic Mosque in Medina, which were the cradle of Islam, just like the serpent that crawls back into its hole when it feels afraid. Likewise, Islam will return to Mecca and Medina as it began. Because of this severity, the Prophet said in another narration in Muslim, "So Toba to the strangers." The word "Toba" may either mean: (1) That Paradise will be for those few Muslims at the beginning and end of Islam, or (2) That joy and comfort will be for those few Muslims. The Prophet specifically mentioned those Muslims, for their patience in the face of harm from infidels and heretics. They have been sticking to the true religion and authentic Sunnah even after the people have corrupted and changed the clear message of Islam. Finally, this hadith presented the following benefits: (1) It refers to the virtues of the Sacred and Prophetic Mosques to which Islam returns and joins, which is an indication that the believers always flee to them to protect themselves against temptations, and (2) It is a sign of the Prophet's prophethood..

148

Anas narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘The hour (of resurrection) will not occur as long as anyone says, ‘Allah, Allah.’”.

Commentary : At the end of this worldly life, lots of issues will change while immorality and disobedience will spread. At that time, Allah will allow the beginning of Resurrection's Day. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that this day will not come as long as anyone says, "Allah, Allah." It means that there will not be anyone who remembers the name of Allah or worship him. There will be just the evilest people, for Allah has taken the believers' souls, as in Sahih Muslim that Amr ibn Al-Aas narrated that the Prophet said, “Then Allah will raise a wind whose smell is similar to musk and whose touch is similar to silk. It will cause any person who has the weight of a seed of faith in his heart to die. Then only the evilest people will remain to witness the beginning of the Resurrection Day." This does not contradict what was authentically proven in Sahih Muslim that Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “A group of my nation will always fight for the sake of rightness and overcome (their enemies) till the day of resurrection," for it means they would be like that till that light wind causes them to die before the Day of Resurrection when its signs begins to appear. Finally, this hadith contains the following lessons: (1) It shows a sign of the Prophet's prophethood, (2) It clarifies the virtue of the believers, for Allah will honor them by causing them to die before the hereafter, and (3) It confirms the virtue of remembering Allah, for those remembering him will not witness the beginning of the Day of Resurrection..

153

Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who among this community, Jewish or Christian, hears about me and dies without believing in what was revealed to me, he will be one of the people of Hell.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was sent to all people, including Jews and Christians. All have to believe and follow his guidance. In this hadith, he swore by Allah in Whose hand is the Prophet's life and all creatures' lives. The Prophet often swears in this way. He swore that if anyone from Jinns or mankind heard, during or after the Prophet's life till the day of resurrection, about his message, he would have to believe in him. If anyone dies without believing in him, he is a disbeliever and will be punished with Hell. The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned the Jews and Christians as an example. It is just like he mentions a specific matter after a general rule. This is the case for the People who have a divine book. How should the case be for those who have none?! Allah said, "Say, [O Muhammad], 'O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all.'" (Al-A'raf: 158) Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It indicates that all people have to believe in the Prophet's message that abrogated all previous messages and (2) Whoever does not believe in the Prophet's message is not a believer but he will be punished with Hell, even if he claims he believes in Allah and some of his messengers such as Moses and Jesus (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all)..

156

Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated, “I heard the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘A section of my nation will not cease fighting for the truth and will prevail till the Day of Resurrection. Then, Jesus ﷺ, the son of Mary, will descend and their commander said, ‘Come and lead us in prayer.’ But he (Jesus) will say, ‘No, some of you are commanders over some of you as an honor from Allah for this nation.’”.

Commentary : Islam's nation is of great rank, for: (1) It is the last nation, (2) Its Prophet is the seal of the prophets, (3) Its Prophet was sent to all people as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner, and (4) Its Prophet’s call will continue to the end of time. This nation will remain the last caller to Allah and adhere to the clear truth. All other nations unify against it due to this right. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that a group of this nation would keep fighting Islam's enemies for supporting truth and religion. They would keep raising Islam's banner above other ones and overcoming all enemies near the Last Day. At that time, a soft wind will cause every believer to die. In Sahih Muslim, Amr ibn Al-Aas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Then Allah will raise a wind whose smell is similar to musk and whose touch is similar to silk. It will cause any person who has the weight of a seed of faith in his heart to die. Then only the evilest people will remain and the Hour will come upon them." This indicates that Islam's nation will not be deprived of the truth at any time. The truth will be passed and handed down from one generation to another until Jesus, son of Mary, descends, kills the Antichrist, and follows Prophet Muhammad's legislation, which is the final law to the day of Resurrection. It is clarified in the rest of the hadith when that believed group's leader would say to Prophet Jesus, “Come and lead us in prayer.” Prophet Jesus would decline and explain, "No, some of you are commanders over some of you as an honor from Allah for this nation." In Musnad Ahmad, Jaber narrated “It will be said to him, 'Come forward, O spirit of Allah God!' He will answer, 'Let your imam come forward and lead you in prayer.'" As for Prophet Jesus' abandoning leading them in prayer despite his prophethood, it was said that he would do that lest it was thought that the Prophet Muhammad's legislation was abrogated by his descending. It is the remaining law until the Last Day. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It proves the Prophet Muhammad's prophethood, (2) It confirms Prophet Jesus' descent and his following the Prophet Muhammad's legislation, (3) It shows the virtue of following the Prophet Muhammad's Sunnah, for the mentioned group was granted victory and steadfastness in resisting enemies by following his Sunnah, (4) It shows the virtue of the Muslim nation that Allah saved it from agreeing on misguidance, so it will remain as a believing group until the Last Day..

157

Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The last hour (of worldly life) will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing to the extent that a man goes out with his zakat but does not find anyone accepts it from him and the land of Arab reverts to be meadows and rivers.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to tell his companions about the events and signs of the Day of Resurrection and affairs of the end of this worldly life that only Allah knows. Thus, he did that to teach and make them prepare themselves for this great day. In this hadith, he informed us about one of the signs that precede this day. Most people will become rich to the extent that they no longer need the money they have so none will need or accept the zakat. The rich will strive to find a poor person who needs or accepts their zakat with no vein. Another narration in the two Sahihs says, “Until the owner of the money becomes concerned, for none will accept his zakat and the person to whom he will give it will reply, 'I am not in need of it.'" It means either they no longer need the money for their being rich or they become busy with the hereafter away from this worldly life, content with their daily sustenance, and do not save money. The Prophet (ﷺ) also confirmed that the last hour will not come until the Arabian Peninsula becomes meadows and rivers as before. A meadow is a wide land with fresh abundant water and lots of grass where the animals frolic. He meant that the Arabs would cultivate and revive their lands by flowing rivers, planting trees, and sowing grains, away from their usual life of moving from one place to another searching for pasture. Finally, this hadith shows one of the signs that prove his prophethood..

158

Abu Huraira narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘When three things appear, no soul will benefit from its faith as long as it did not believe before or earn some good through its faith: Sun’s rising from its place of setting, the Dajjal, and the beast of the earth.’”.

Commentary : The hereafter has minor and major signs. The major ones are little, consecutive, closer to Hereafter, and none of them have occurred yet while the minor ones are many, distant in between, and lots of them have occurred so far. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) told us about three major ones. At that time, repentance will not benefit the one who has not previously repented, faith will not benefit a disbeliever, and performing righteous deeds will not benefit a negligent person. As a result, the Prophet urged us to perform righteous deeds to increase our faith before the three following signs: (1) The Sun's rise from the West, (2) The emergence of the Dajjal (the antichrist). The word Dajjal is derived from "dajal" which means covering. He is called Dajjal, for he covers the truth with his falsehood. He is a human that Allah will send to test His servants. He will be granted miracles like killing then reviving the dead, having the means to pleasure and enjoyment, having his Paradise, Hell, and two rivers, the earth's treasures will follow him, his command the heavens to rain so it rains, and the earth to sprout so it sprouts. All these miracles will happen by Allah's power and will, and (3) The animal of the earth: It will clearly distinguish between believers and disbelievers when people's hearts corrupt, abandon Allah's commands, and change the true religion. It will emerge in Mecca or another place. In Musnad Ahmad, Abu Omamah Al-Bahely narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The animal will come out and label people's noses." Allah said about it, "And when the word befalls them, We will bring forth for them a creature from the earth speaking to them, [saying] that the people were, of Our verses, not certain [in faith]." (An-Naml: 82) It will act like this with Allah's ability who will make it able to speak to people with words they will understand. The apparent meaning of this hadith confirms that Allah will not accept sinners' repentance when all these three signs rise. On the other hand, there is a hadith in Sahih Muslim showing that the first sign is the Sun's rise from the West. In the Two Sahihs, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established until the sun rises from the West. When the people see it, all living on it (the earth) will believe (in Allah). It will be when "... no soul will benefit from its faith as long as it had not believed before ..." (Al-An'am: 158) This indicates that people's repentance will not be accepted when this sign emerges. Thus, the hadith may mean that these three signs will closely emerge as the Prophet said, in Sahih Muslim, about the signs of the Sun’s rise and the animal, “which of the two happens first, the second one would follow immediately after that.” The Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the Prophet's care about advising his nation, (2) It clarifies how the Last Day's signs will have horrible effects on people, especially those three signs, and (3) It confirms the Prophet's prophethood..

166

Ibn Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed through the valley of Al-Azraq and asked, ‘Which valley is this?’ They said, ‘This is the valley of Al-Azraq.’ He added, ‘(I perceive) as if I am seeing Moses coming down from the mountain track and loudly calling Allah with talbeya (saying, ‘Here I am! at your service!’).’ Then he (the Prophet ﷺ) came to the mountain track of Harsha and asked, ‘Which is this mountain track?’ They said, ‘It is the mountain track of Harsha.’ He added, ‘(I perceive) as If I am seeing Yunus (Jonah), the son of Matta, riding a well-built she-camel, wearing a cloak of wool, and calling Allah with talbeya. The rein of his she-camel is made of the fibers of date palm.’”.

Commentary : The Sacred House is Allah’s one on earth and Muslims’ prayer direction, whose foundations were raised by Prophet Ibrahim ﷺ, a beloved one to Allah, and his son Ismaeel. Allah informed his prophets of the rite of pilgrimage as Prophet Ibrahim's call. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet ﷺ passed through the valley of Al-Azraq in Hijaz, about 100 km to the north-east of Mecca, between Mecca and Medina. When he asked his companion about its name, they answered, “The valley of Al-Azraq.” He said that it was as if he was seeing Prophet Moses coming down from the mountain track while loudly calling Allah with saying talbeya (here I am! At your service!) In another narration in Sahih Muslim, he said, “It is as if I can see Musa - and he mentioned something about his color and hair - while placing his two fingers in his ears and loudly calling Allah with talbeya.” Then, the Prophet ﷺ came to the mountain track of Harsha which was a mountain located at the crossroad of Medina and Levant. When he asked his companions about its name, they answered, “It is the mountain track of Harsha.” He said, “It is as if I am seeing Yunus (Jonah), the son of Matta, riding a well-built she-camel, wearing a cloak of wool, and calling Allah with talbeya. The rein of his she-camel is made of the fibers of date palm.” These events may be explained by one of the following possibilities: (1) Either the Prophet ﷺ saw them during his journey of Al-Isra’, (2) He dreamed of all of these events, or (3) He related what those prophets did in their life as Allah revealed to him. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It confirms that pilgrimage is Allah’s and His Prophets' rites, (2) It encourages Muslims to perform this great rite, (3) It urges Muslims to loudly call Allah with talbeya which indicates Allah’s oneness, (4) A Muslim is recommended to say talbeya when ascending or descending, (5) The state of ihram expresses impartiality to Allah, and (6) Declaring the oneness of Allah is recommended when passing through low valleys as the Prophets did..

167

Jaber narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The Prophets were presented to me. Moses (ﷺ) was as if he was one of the people of Shaou'a. I saw Jesus (ﷺ), the son of Mary. The closest one in resemblance to him was 'Urwah ibn Mas'oud. I saw Ibrahim (may Allah's blessings be upon him). The closest one in resemblance to him was your companion (he meant himself). I saw Gabriel. The closest one I have seen in resemblance to him was Dehya." In another narration, "Dehya ibn Khalifh.".

Commentary : In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) describes and likens some prophets to individual Muslims. He saw some prophets presented to him, either in real life, as souls, during a dream, or during the Journey of ascension as the other narration in the two Sahihs clarified. He showed that Prophet Moses (ﷺ) was thin and tall like the people of Uzd Shanou'a, a Yamani tribe. He likened Prophet Jesus (ﷺ) with the companion Urwa ibn Mas'oud Ath-Thaqafy. He was one of the Meccan leaders who contributed to make the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. In the narration of Bukhari, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “As for Jesus, he was red, curly, and broad-chested.” The Prophet (ﷺ) saw Prophet Ibrahim (ﷺ) who was the closest one in resemblance to him. He also saw Gabriel, the angel, who was entrusted with conveying revelation to prophets. The closest one in resemblance to him was the companion Dehya ibn Khalifa Al-Kalby. He was one of the most handsome people who was responsible for meeting kings. Gabriel, the Angel, used to come to the Prophet (ﷺ) in Dehya's appearance. The Prophet (ﷺ) saw Gabriel, the Angel, in his real form as Abdullah ibn Mas'oud narrated in the two Sahihs that the Prophet (ﷺ) saw Gabriel with six hundred wings..

169

Abdullah ibn Omar narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up among the people, praised Allah as He deserved, mentioned the Dajjal (Antichrist), and then said, ‘Verily, I warn you against him. No Prophet did not warn his people against him. (Even) Noah warned his people against him, but I will tell you something about him that no Prophet told his people about. You have to know that he is one-eyed while Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, is not one-eyed.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to mention some events and great tribulations that would happen before the Day of Resurrection and guided people on how to act and protect themselves from them. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Omar narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) once addressed them and praised Allah with the attributes he deserved then warned them against the Antichrist’s evilness and trials of covering the truthful with his falsehood. He is a great sign of the hereafter with whom Allah will test his servants. He is a human to whom Allah will give divine powers such as: (1) Reviving a person he has just murdered, (2) His command of the heaven to rain and earth to bring forth fruit, (3) His paradise and hell, and (4) His two rivers. All these miracles will happen by Allah’s will. The Prophet (ﷺ) warned his nation against his temptations as all previous prophets did, for none of them knew the time of his advent. The benefit of this warning is to believe in his existence, be keen to take him as an enemy, show his disbelief, and sincerely turn to Allah to seek His refuge from his temptation. Even the Prophet Noah, the first Prophet, warned his nation against him. Based on Allah’s revelation to him, the Prophet (ﷺ) said to his companions that he would inform them about the Antichrist’s matters that none of the previous prophets informed their people. He told them that he was a one-eyed person with a protruding eye while the right one was flat, as narrated by Ibn Omar in the Two Sahihs. Having one eye is an attribute of deficiency so the Prophet (ﷺ) proved Allah’s perfect attributes and alerted the people of heedless minds that whoever had a defect in himself could not be a god. Whoever is disabled to correct his deficiency is more disabled to benefit or harm others. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It proves the Prophet’s message, (2) The Prophet ﷺ shows some of the Antichrist’s attributes to make his nation beware of him, (3) It shows how the Prophet ﷺ has deep compassion with his nation, (4) It proves Allah’s attribute of sight in the manner that befits Him without any type of negation or resembling Him to any of His creation, and (5) It proves the absolute perfection of Allah’s attributes..

172

Abu Huraira narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘When I was in Hejr, Qureish asked me about my journey of Isra’. They asked me about some details of Bait Al-Maqdes which I could not recall. It was the most severe distress that I had ever felt. Thus, Allah raised it (Bait Al-Maqdes) before my eyes so I could see it. I told them about anything they were asking me. (During the journey) I met a group of prophets. I saw Moses praying. He was a thin man with curly hair as if he was a man from the tribe of Shanou’a. I saw Jesus, the son of Mary ﷺ praying. The closest one in resemblance to him was Urwah ibn Masoud Ath-Thaqafy. I saw Ibrahim praying. The closest one in resemblance to him is your companion (the Prophet himself). When it was the time of prayer, I led them. When I completed the prayer, someone said, ‘O Muhammad, here is Malik, the keeper of Hell. Greet him.’ When I turned to him, he started to greet me.’”.

Commentary : The journey of the Isra and Me’raj was one of the miracles with which Allah supported His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He honored and ascended him with Gabriel, the Angel, to the highest heaven so he saw Allah’s Paradise along with His greatest signs. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ told us that he once stood at Al-Hejr, a place surrounded by a low wall next to the Kaaba where Qureish leaders used to meet, they asked him to describe Bait Al-Maqdis that he visited during his journey from the Sacred Mosque to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, for they wanted to confirm his truth of traveling there. They knew that he had not traveled to that place ever since. Indeed, the Prophet ﷺ was not concerned with deeply observing all those details. He was busy with lots of things that were more important. He was anxious and distressed that he could not recall those details. As a result, Allah materialized the mosque before his eyes so he could answer all their questions. Additionally, he told us that he saw some prophets like Prophet Moses. In Sahih Muslim, he said, “I passed by Prophet Moses who was praying in his grave.” The Prophet Moses was a thin tall man with curly hair and swarthy skin as if he were from the tribe of Shanou’a, a Yemeni tribe from Qahtan area known for its tall people. The Prophet ﷺ also saw Prophet Jesus, son of Mary, praying. The closest one in resemblance to him was the Prophet’s companion Urwah ibn Masoud Ath-Thaqafy who effectively contributed to ratify Treaty of Hudaybeya. In a narration in Sahih Bukhari, he said, “As for Jesus, he was red, curly, and broad-chested.” The Prophet ﷺ saw Prophet Ibrahim praying. The closest one in resemblance to him was the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself. When meeting the prophets and the time for prayer began, he led them in prayer. If someone asks, “How did he see Moses praying in his grave and then saw him in his rank in the high heavens?” The answer is that all these story’s details are beyond our imagination. It is Allah’s act, the One, the Almighty. He is even capable of doing more than that. Thus, we believe that he saw Moses praying in his grave, he led all prophets in Bait Al-Maqdes in prayer, and they welcomely received him during his ascending to a heaven after a heaven. After completing his prayer, someone said to him (apparently Gabriel, the Angel), “O Muhammad, this is Malek, the keeper of Hell.” He is one of the angels. He (apparently Gabriel) asked the Prophet ﷺ to greet Malek, but Malek greeted him first. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It showed the Prophet’s virtue and status that Allah granted him, and (2) It clarified how Allah cared and provided his Prophet ﷺ with clear evidence..

173

Abdullah ibn Masoud narrated, “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was taken on the Night Journey, he came to Sidrat Al-Muntaha which was in the sixth heaven. That was where everything that ascended from the earth ended and was held there, and where everything that descended from above ended and was held there. Allah said, “When that covered the lote tree which did cover it.” (An-Najm: 16) It meant butterflies of gold. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was given three things: The five daily prayers, the last verses of Surat Al-Baqarah, and forgiving grave sins of whoever from his nation dying without associating anything with Allah.”.

Commentary : The journey of the Isra and Me’raj was one of the miracles with which Allah supported His Prophet ﷺ. It happened in the tenth year of the Prophet's mission. He was taken on a journey from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to Bait Al-Maqdes in Palestine. Then, Allah honoured and took him up with Gabriel, the angel, to the highest heavens to see Paradise along with other greatest signs. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Masoud narrated that when the Prophet ﷺ passed the seven heavens, he reached Sidrat Al-Muntaha (Tree of End) which was a great tree where humankind knew nothing above it. He is Allah who knows what is above. It is a phase to where all human deeds ascend and all Allah's commands descend. Then both commands and deeds are conveyed to the next phase. In a narration in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ said, “None of Allah's creation can describe it, due to its beauty.” Imam Ahmad narrated the same expression, but he added that the Prophet ﷺ said, "It turned into a ruby or an emerald.” The narration we explained here showed that this tree was after the sixth heaven, but Anas narrated in the Two Sahihs that the Prophet ﷺ mentioned that it was after the seventh heaven. More narrators reported the second hadith, so it had preference. After Ibn Masoud recited the Quranic verse, “When that covered the lote tree which did cover it,” (An-Najm:16), he clarified that it was surrounded and covered with butterflies of gold that were between the tree and the Prophet ﷺ. Upon reaching this tree, the Prophet ﷺ was given three things: (1) The five obligatory prayers. They were fifty but Allah reduced them to be five as an act of worship and fifty as for their reward, (2) The last two virtuous verses of Surat Al-Baqarah. In Sahih Muslim, Ibn Abbas reported, "While Gabriel was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ, he heard a creaking sound above him. He lifted his head and said, 'It is a gate opened in heaven today which had never been opened before.' Then an angel descended through it. Gabriel said, 'This is an angel coming down to the earth who never came down before.' The angel greeted and said, 'O Muhammad, receive the glad tidings of two lights given to you which were not given to any prophet before. They were Surat Al-Fatihah and the last verses of Surat Al-Baqarah. You will never recite a letter from it, but you will be given it (its reward).'" So, Allah had given them to the Prophet ﷺ in this journey then were revealed to him in Medina, and (3) Allah promised to forgive the great sins committed by anyone of the Prophet's nation if he died while believing in the oneness of Allah without associating partners with Him. The mentioned sins are those ruin their doers and lead them to Hell. The Islamic proofs confirm that whoever commits great sins then dies before repentance will be held accountable for it, but he will not be punished in Hell eternally, unlike the polytheists. Thus, the hadith does not mean that they will not be punished at all. It is said that the hadith refers to some of the Prophet’s nation, so Allah will forgive all major or minor sins of some of the nation, except for polytheism, for He said, “Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives, except that, anything else to whom He wills.” (An-Nisa: 48) As a result, the destiny of those died without repenting from major sins is entrusted to Allah who may punish or forgive them. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It describes the Tree of End, (2) It shows how Allah dignifies his Prophet ﷺ and his nation, and (3) It explains the virtue of the five daily prayers which were prescribed above the seven heavens, unlike other obligatory acts..

Book of Hadith