1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) states that the best of all people are the believers who were his contemporaries. They are his companions who met him, believed in him as God’s Messenger and remained Muslims to the end of their lives. They are the ones who shouldered the responsibility of delivering the message of Islam far and wide. They strove for God’s cause, sacrificing their all for it, and were always ready to give all their support to the Prophet (peace be upon him). 

God praises them in several places in the Qur’an, as in the verses that says:

In other verses of the Qur’an, God makes clear that He has accepted their repentance of whatever error they might have committed. Consider the verse that says:

Ibn ‘Abbās says that the verse refers to the Prophet’s companions, whom ‘God has chosen to support His Messenger’.[1]

2. Next to the Prophet’s companions in superior merit are the tābi‘īn who met the Prophet’s companions and learnt from them. They transmitted God’s Book and the Prophet’s Sunnah from the Prophet’s companions, and reported their views in respect of explaining the Qur’an, Fiqh and theology. 

3. Next in rank is the generation that followed that of the tābi‘īn. They transmitted the knowledge of the Islamic faith and took good care to preserve the Sunnah and to record the hadiths of the Prophet. They were the ones who ensured the spread of Islam into all corners of the world. 

God, Mighty and Exalted, praises all three generations. Concerning the Prophet’s companions,

And of the tābi‘īn and their followers,

4. ‘Imrān ibn Ḥuṣayn, the narrator, doubted whether the Prophet (peace be upon him) added another generation after these two of the tābi‘īn and the next generation. Most versions do not include such doubt. They confirm the two generations without adding a third. 

5. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then speaks about the corruption and wrong practices that would be witnessed among his community after those generations. There would be people who would come forward as witnesses, without being asked for a testimony.[2] This would not be due to any strong desire to state the truth and ensure that right was done; it would rather occur due to their complacency and readiness to give false evidence. This is confirmed by another version of the hadith, narrated by Ibn Mas‘ūd, which includes: ‘Then there will come after them a generation when a person’s testimony precedes his oath, and his oath precedes his testimony’. This means that they would be careless about their testimony and not bothered if they were  considered reliable or unreliable. As for those who would come forward to testify in order to ensure justice and support the oppressed, these would be the best of witnesses, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) says: ‘Shall I tell who the best of witnesses is? He is the one who gives his testimony before being asked’.[3]

6. Another characteristic of such people is that they are untrue to their trust. Therefore, people will not entrust them with anything regarding themselves or their property. 

7. The Prophet (peace be upon him) adds another description of them, stating that they do not honour what they commit themselves to do, whether it is for God’s sake or for others. If any of them pledges himself to do some act of worship or gives a promise to another person, they do not honour such a commitment.

These characteristics are stated by the Prophet as belonging to hypocrites. He said: ‘Among the marks of a hypocrite are three [characteristics]: when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he reneges; and when he is placed in a position of trust, he betrays’.[4]

8. The last characteristic of such people mentioned in this hadith is that they care only for the pleasures of this world and this is marked on their bodies. Obesity is common among them, and this is evidence of carelessness and seeking worldly pleasures. This does not mean that every fat person is a transgressor or that every hypocrite is obese. It is a description that applies to many of them, showing them as preoccupied with worldly cares. 

Implementation:

1. Every educator, advocate of Islam and every person in a position of authority should promote love and respect of the Prophet’s companions in people’s hearts. 

2. Every Muslim should learn the history of the Prophet’s companions and try to emulate them in the strength of their faith and in their values. Ibn ‘Abbās rightly describes them saying: ‘They raised the banner of Islam, and endeavoured to choose the best for the Muslim community. Thus, they showed the ways and standards of ijtihad and determining the proper way for Muslims. As they did that, God’s blessings became clearly apparent, and His faith was well established and clearly identified. Through the Prophet’s companions, God reduced disbelief to absolute disgrace, removing its stalwart advocates and pillars. God’s word became supreme, while the word of disbelievers was brought utterly low. God’s peace, grace and blessings be to those pure and sublime souls. In life, they were God’s devoted servants, and after death, their heritage remained alive. They gave sincere counsel to all mankind. They aimed for the life to come before reaching it, and they departed this world when they were still alive’.[5]

3. Every Muslim must make sure never to be disrespectful of the Prophet’s companions and never revile them. They were the Prophet’s dear companions and, next to the prophets, were the best of mankind.

4. For every Muslim, the safe attitude is to overlook the conflict that took place between them. Everyone of them tried to do what they felt to be right.

5. Loving the Prophet’s companions is the mark of a true believer, while hating them is a mark of hypocrisy. Everyone should consider his position by this standard. 

6. Everyone is recommended to read the history of the main figures of the tābi‘īn, so as to learn how they became the best of people after the prophets and the Prophet’s companions. 

7. The proper conduct for a Muslim is to pray to God to grant His acceptance to the Prophet’s companions and bestow mercy on the tābi‘īn and those who follow them with clear conscience. We all should pray that God will bring us alongside them in company with the Prophet in Paradise. 

8. True scholarship requires that a person should acknowledge his doubt or error on a particular point, rather than try to arbitrarily press his point, going into error and misleading others.  

9. Testimony is a very serious matter which should never be underestimated. It is important that one should be absolutely clear and certain of what he says before standing as a witness. 

10. This hadith does not contradict the strong recommendation to come forward to testify about something a person knows for certain. Such a person need not wait to be called as a witness in order to bring about what is right and fair. This is particularly applicable when someone is the only person who has such information and can give such true testimony. 

11. It is most important to be true to one’s trust. God has forbidden all betrayal of trust.

12. Betrayal of trust includes that a person does not do his work to the best of his ability, cheating in examinations, sales and commercial transactions. It also includes giving misleading information to patients so as to pay for unnecessary tests.

13. Being true to one’s promise is a characteristic of believers.

Every Muslim should stick to the characteristics of believers and discard those of hypocrites. 

14. Making a pledge, i.e. nadhr, to do some good deed, such as voluntary fasting or giving a charitable donation, is discouraged because it commits a person to do what is not obligatory for him. This commitment may become a burden. However, when one makes such a pledge, one must fulfil it.

15. A Muslim should not pursue all types of worldly pleasures. He should take only what is legitimate and sufficient. To give most of one’s attention to worldly matters will divert a person from what Islam recommends. 

1. In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) tells his companions about something of the realm beyond our human perception. He tells them about the interrogation that is carried out when a deceased person is buried in the grave, and about the comfort or torment faced in the grave. He mentions that when the deceased is stowed in the grave and relatives and family begin to leave, his soul is returned so that he is in a stage of a special type of life which is called the barzakh life, or life of the intervening stage. The Prophet mentions that this happens a very short time after burial, so that the deceased will have heard the steps of his relatives who followed his funeral procession to the graveyard as they depart.

2. Then two angels attend him, whose names are said to be Munkar and Nakīr. They sit him up and ask him about God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and what he thinks about him. Did he believe in him and follow his faith, or disbelieve in him and discard his religion?

Authentic hadiths mention that the deceased is questioned about God, his religion and the Prophet. In this hadith, however, only the question about the Prophet is mentioned. Believing in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) necessarily means believing in God, and accepting Islam as one’s faith. 

3. If the deceased is a believer, he will answer that Muhammad was God’s Messenger and that he believes in him and follows his religion. The two angels will then give him the happy news that he will be in Heaven. They show him the place he would have occupied in Hell had he disbelieved, then they show him his place in Heaven which God has prepared for him for being a good believer. He will be delighted with the news and his grave will be given extra space. 

4. If the deceased is an unbeliever or a hypocrite, he will say: ‘I do not know. I said what other people said’. An unbeliever used to say what other unbelievers said about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), describing him as a sorcerer, poet, liar, madman, etc. A hypocrite used to say what believers said, but he merely repeated it without being convinced of its truth. He did not believe in the Prophet as God’s Messenger.

5. The two angels respond by a supplication that he may never have known or followed anyone who knew, and may never have benefited by the Qur’an when it was read or heard. This because he never tried to find out or know the truth.

6. He will then be hit powerfully on the head with an iron hammer. He will send out a very loud cry heard by all animals, but not by humans or jinn. These two are excepted by an act of God’s grace. Were they to hear it, it would spoil their lives. Zayd ibn Thābit narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘This community is tested in its graves. Were it not that you may stop burying your dead, I would have prayed to God to enable you to hear what I hear of the torment in the grave’.[1] Were they to hear such cries, they would have been compelled to believe and refrain from sin. This is contrary to the purpose of making this life a test for mankind.The fact of the torment in the grave and the interrogation by the two angels are confirmed in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Every Muslim must believe in this even though we cannot perceive it. Being spared such torment in the grave serves as a good tiding that a person will be safe on the Day of Judgement. Whoever is spared torment at this stage will find the next stage easier.

Implementation:

1. Try to review some admonition and circulate it to others. Seek such admonition in God’s Book and in the Prophet’s statements. Such admonition is now easy to find in published books, audio recordings and videos. We would all do well to remind ourselves time and again of the life to come, starting with the grave, so that we prepare ourselves to what will inevitably come.

2. When you hear some information given by God or His Messenger, you should reflect on what measures you need to take. When you believe in the torment in the grave and the interrogation by the two angels, you need to prepare for this and have your answers ready. You should also hasten to do good deeds and commit yourself to obedience of God, so that such matters will intercede on your behalf and confirm you in your answers. 

3. When in the grave, a person will give the answers that he was convinced of in his life. A hypocrite used to declare his belief in Muhammad (peace be upon him) as God’s Messenger, but he will not give this answer when he is in his grave, because his heart was full of falsehood and hypocrisy. It is necessary, therefore, that we should confirm our belief in God and be absolutely convinced that ‘there is no deity other than God and that Muhammad is God’s Messenger’. 

4. The person who deprives himself of entry into Heaven which is so vast that its width is the same measure as the heavens and earth, and exposes himself instead to torment in the grave and abiding in Hell forever is certainly not wise. What he gains in return is nothing more than enjoying a few days or even years, or perhaps a few hours or minutes, in this present life.

5. A believer sees his place in both Heaven and Hell while he is in his grave. This serves as clear evidence that both are in existence now. We should remind ourselves that this is what will certainly happen in the life to come. Are we prepared for it?

6. Preparation for interrogation in the grave and praying for shelter from its torment are aspects of our faith. This is extremely serious. Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to add a supplication for protection from it in every prayer, just before he finished a prayer with salām. 

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions several of the minor signs of the approach of the Last Hour. The first of these is that knowledge is withdrawn and becomes scarce. This will happen as many scholars will die and there will not be enough pursuing knowledge to carry on with their heritage.

2. Another sign is that earthquakes will increase and affect all regions of the earth. It is common knowledge that earthquakes cause destruction, which varies according to the magnitude and depth of such quakes.

3. Yet another sign is that time will draw closer. People will have shorter lives and markers for the passage of time will become shorter. Thus, time will move quicker towards the Day of Judgement, as God will determine all this by His will. This is akin to a hadith which quotes the Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying: ‘The Last Hour will not arrive until time has drawn closer: a year will be like a month; a month like a week; a week like a day; a day like an hour; and an hour like the burning of a weed’.[1]

4. Another sign is that temptations become prevalent. The Prophet says: ‘Hasten to do good deeds before troubles come thick like patches of night darkness, when a man may be a believer in the morning and becomes an unbeliever in the evening, or may be a believer in the evening, then become an unbeliever in the morning. He sells his faith for some worldly gain’.[2]

The Prophet also mentions that strife will increase in intensity in the period leading to the Last Hour, so that a believer will wish for death because of the hard troubles he encounters on account of his faith. The Prophet says: ‘By Him who holds my soul in His hand, the world shall not end until a man will pass by a grave and throw himself over it saying: “I wish I was in place of the dweller of this grave”. This is not for any religious reason, but rather because of his distress’.[3]

5. Along with increased temptations, another sign of the Last Hour appears, which is increased killing. People will consider it lightly, or its causes will increase. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that the unlawful killing of a Muslim is one of the seven worst sins. God, Mighty and Exalted, gives a very stern warning against it.

6. The last sign mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him) is that wealth will be plentiful, so that all or the great majority of people will be well off. A rich person may not find someone who will accept his zakat. The Prophet says: ‘Give ṣadaqah. There will come a time when a man will walk around [offering] his ṣadaqah, but the one who is offered it will say to him: “Had you come yesterday, I might have taken it. Today, I have no need for it”. He will not find anyone to accept it’. 

Implementation:

1. This hadith provides evidence confirming the Prophet’s status as God’s Messenger. He tells us in this hadith several signs, and some of these have actually happened. It behoves us that whenever we see evidence of this in our lives we should feel proud of our faith and do whatever strengthens that belief.

2. The fact that the Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us about the trials and troubles that will occur towards the end of time serves as a directive to every Muslim to have good knowledge and insight, so that he avoids being exposed to such troubles. Whenever one hears of such trouble, one should take stock and do whatever is necessary to fulfil what God requires. 

3. One of the signs of the Last Hour is the withdrawal of knowledge and the increase of ignorance. Many ignorant people who are devoid of Islamic knowledge will even give fatwas, ignorantly attributing their views to God. It is very important to distance oneself from such people. As Muslims, we should be careful in our choice of whom to learn our religion from. We need not fear such ignorant people, nor unwisely try to check them. This is an aspect of the test God sets for us. 

4. Muslims should work hard to acquire Islamic knowledge and ensure that it is preserved. Islamic scholarship will continue to decrease, which means that the need for it will always increase.

5. If you experience or hear of an earthquake, let that be a reminder to you of the Day of Judgement.

6. If shorter life is one of the signs of the Last Hour, everyone should hasten to turn to God in repentance and increase one’s good deeds, before death comes all of a sudden, or time provides less chances to perform acts of voluntary worship.

7. Every Muslim should hold on to his faith and not succumb to temptation and desire. It is advised that he resists these as strongly as he can. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says: ‘Temptations are held before hearts, one by one, like a straw mat. A heart which takes one will have a black spot and a heart which rejects one will have a white spot until there are two types of heart: one is white and solid like al-Ṣafā which will not be shaken by any test as long as the heavens and earth endure, and the other is black with little whiteness, like an overturned cup which neither distinguishes what is good nor rejects what is evil, except what it may fancy’.[4]

8. An aspect of the Prophet’s guidance is to seek God’s refuge from all temptation. Zayd ibn Thābit narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Seek God’s shelter from all temptation: apparent and discreet’.[5]

9. One cause of increased killing is that it will be taken too lightly, for various reasons including: weakness of faith, irrational zeal in the defence of oneself, community or country, unlawful competition for wealth or women, careless attitudes towards lethal weapons, and the frequent watching of violence in films and games by youngsters. It is incumbent on individuals and society to combat all these.

10. That wealth becomes plentiful and people lead comfortable lives are not indicative of good times. The Prophet’s time was the best period in human history, but such affluence was not prevalent. We should endeavour to make our time one of reform and good conduct. 

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) urges us to do good deeds before we witness six events that will preoccupy people and prevent them from doing good deeds. He particularly tells us to do such good deeds before the sun rises from the west, an event which closes the chance of doing a rewarded good deed or repentance being accepted. 

2. The first of these events is the appearance of the Impostor. This would be the greatest trouble ever. The Impostor is a man of large stature with one blind eye. The word kāfir, which means ‘unbeliever’, is written on his forehead. He appears towards the end of time and claims to be God – yet his claim is very far from the truth. God will give him the power to do some miraculous things, to add to the severity of the test people will face. Thus, the Impostor will point to the sky and rain will fall, and point to the earth and it will bring forth its plants. He will point to barren land and its treasures will follow him. He will cut a man in two halves and stand between them, then he will call on the man and he will regain full life. There are other reports about him. Then Jesus, son of Mary, will return and lead the Muslim army and kill the Impostor.

The Prophet mentions the Impostor first because when he appears, the beads indicating the approach of the Last Hour will split, and the signs will occur, one after the other, until the Hour happens. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘The signs are beads held together by a string. When the string is split, those which it holds will follow each other’.[1]

3. The second sign of the imminent approach of the Last Hour is the appearance of smoke which will cover the earth for forty days. Believers will be affected in a way similar to having a cold. It will be much harder for unbelievers and hardened sinners: it will go through their noses, pierce their ears and keep them short of breath. It is a breath from Hell.

4. The third sign is the beast that will be brought forth and will speak to people.

Neither the Qur’an nor the Prophet’s hadiths give us further details about this beast and what it will look like. God knows best.

The beast will be brought forth shortly after the sun rises from the west. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says: ‘The first sign to appear is that the sun will rise from the west; and the beast coming out in mid-morning [to speak] to people. Whichever of these two comes first, the other will come shortly after’.[2]

5. The fourth sign is that the sun will rise from the west, which is the opposite of its usual course as it rises from the east. In an authentic hadith: ‘When the sun sets it runs until it reaches its destination beneath the Throne, where it prostrates itself. It requests permission to do so and it is granted. However, a time will soon come when it is about to prostrate itself but it is prevented, and it requests permission but it is denied. It is told to go back to whence it came. It is then that the sun rises from the west’.[3]

6. Sign number five is resurrection, which the Prophet describes here as ‘the general matter’, because it applies to everyone without exception. When resurrection takes place, everyone will regret having fallen short of what is required. A believer will wish that he had done more deeds that please God, while an unbeliever will wish to go back in time and repent. 

7. The last of the six signs is death, which the Prophet calls ‘everyone’s private matter’. He calls it a private matter because it concerns everyone on his or her own. As such, it is different from resurrection which occurs to all together.

God orders His servants to turn to Him in repentance of their sins and to do good deeds before they die.

1. We should remember the Prophet’s care, compassion and mercy and how he extended these to his community. He told them of the time when it will no longer be useful for an unbeliever to declare his acceptance of Islam. It is important for everyone to follow the Prophet’s order and to hasten to do good deeds before the appearance of any of these signs.

2. The Prophet’s companions learnt these hadiths which contain information that will be very strange to any human mind. However, as they were intelligent firm believers, they accepted the information given to them. Their acceptance was based on their knowledge that God’s Messenger only said the truth, and that the One who sent him His message had complete and perfect knowledge. Every wise person who comes later will accept this information without question, and will not be ashamed of teaching others. 

3. Every believer should be prompt in turning to God in repentance and seek His forgiveness of his sins, and should hasten to do good deeds before his time of life is over. God is much-forgiving: He opens His hands during the night so that a person who has committed sin during the day will turn to Him in repentance. He also opens His hands during the day so that a person who has committed sins during the night will turn to Him in repentance. He forgives all sins.

4. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has warned his community of the Impostor on several occasions, because he knew the great danger he represents.

5. An important task advocates of Islam and scholars should attend to is that they should give due importance to what happens to the Muslim community and to explain to them the trials that may befall them. They should educate them in what God wants them to do when new events take place. Their sermons, speeches and writings should not be far removed from what people face in life.

1. Like earlier prophets, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) took care to explain the trial represented by the Impostor Misīḥ, because it is the hardest trial that will ever be witnessed on earth. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Nothing that happens in between Adam’s creation and the Last Hour will be harder than the trial of the Impostor’.[1] Therefore, every prophet warned his community about him and explained to them the trial associated with him. This trial is hardest because of the numerous preternatural things God lets him do. These will be most amazing to all rational people. He is called the Misīḥ because one of his eyes is swept over. It is also said that he is given this name because he travels the whole earth in forty days. He is referred to as al-Dajjāl, i.e. the Impostor, because of all the lying, falsehood and deception he resorts to. He claims to be God. God lets him do such things that amount to an incredibly difficult test for people.

In several hadiths the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions the Imposter’s actions and the travels he undertakes, covering the entire earth, apart from Makkah and Madinah which are out of bounds for him. The Prophet further gives some physical description of him, and tells a Muslim what he should do if he meets him. He then mentions that Jesus (peace be upon him) will then return, join the Muslim imam in prayer, and then join the Muslim army that will fight the Impostor. He will ultimately kill him at Lydda near Jerusalem. The emergence of the Impostor is given in the most authentic way, mutawātir, stated by more than forty companions of the Prophet who report it from him directly. Thus, it is certainly a confirmed report and there is no logical argument to preclude it. 

2. The Prophet then mentions the most distinctive of his features, saying that one of his eyes is blind and the other protruding over his face, with a thick piece of skin projecting over it. Both are defective, but one of them is totally gone. 

In other hadiths the Prophet mentions that his hair is very curly, and that he is short with his eye looking like a floating grape.[2]

3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) made clear that none of these descriptions applies to God. As the Impostor claims to be God, being one-eyed is a defect that cannot apply to God. The same applies to the rest of his description. Every one of his features is a defect which invites people’s sarcastic remarks. Yet they are combined in him. We know that to God only fine attributes of perfection apply. 

4. Another feature distinguishing the Impostor is that the word kāfir, which means ‘unbeliever’, is written between his eyes. Every Muslim, whether lettered or unlettered, will be able to read it.[3] This is confirmed in another hadith quoting the Prophet: ‘Every Muslim will read it’. The word ‘every’ indicates ‘all’. The writing is certainly true, as God makes it one of the signs that categorically assert that he is a liar unbeliever. The writing is made apparent to every Muslim, but God does not show it to unbelievers whom He leaves to their own devices. There is nothing to prevent any of this.

Implementation

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) explained to his community the nature of the trial involving the Impostor, and he explained what would protect them from it. Indeed the Prophet has shown us every good thing and warned us against every evil. As such, he deserves all our love, obedience and allegiance as well as our giving priority to his Sunnah above anything other people say. 

2. One thing the Prophet (peace be upon him) told us will protect us from the trial of the Impostor Misīḥ is to memorize the first ten verses of Surah 18, The Cave. He said: ‘Whoever memorises ten verses from the beginning of Surah The Cave shall be protected from the Impostor’.[4] Another hadith narrated by al-Nawwās ibn Sam‘ān quotes the Prophet:

3. The Prophet used to seek God’s refuge from the trial of the Impostor. ‘Āʼishah narrated that God’s Messenger used to include in his supplication in every prayer: ‘My Lord, I seek refuge with You from the torment in the grave; and I seek refuge with You from the trial of the Impostor Misīḥ; and I seek refuge with You from the trials of life and death. My Lord, I seek refuge with You from sin and the burden of debt.[6]’ If this was done by the Prophet (peace be upon him), it is appropriate for us to do the same and often pray to God to protect us from the trial of the Impostor.

4. Advocates of Islam and teachers should follow the example of prophets and warn people against trials that may be manifest or concealed.

5. The Prophet (peace be upon him) made it clear that God protects believers from the trial of the Impostor, enabling them to read the word kāfir, i.e. unbeliever, written between his eyes. The most assured protection a believer has against the Impostor is to be firm in his belief. 

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions the last sign of the arrival of the Last Hour, which is that whereby the sun rises from the west, which is the opposite of its normal rising place. In an authentic hadith, the Prophet says: ‘When the sun sets, it runs until it reaches its destination beneath the Throne, where it prostrates itself. It requests permission to do so and it is granted. However, a time will soon come when it is about to prostrate itself but it is prevented, and it requests permission but it is denied. It is told to go back to whence it came. It is then that the sun rises from the west’.[1]

2. When the sun rises from the west, all people will believe in God, Mighty and Exalted. However, this will be a belief by force, not by choice. What was kept from people’s knowledge will have been manifest and all people will realize that the Last Hour has arrived. They will declare their belief, hoping for safety.

3. However, the time for repentance will now be over. No repentance by any sinner will then be accepted, and no declaration of accepting Islam will be accepted from any unbeliever. The reason being that such belief is necessitated by this new happening. It is a fruitless belief, like that of he who is in his final death throes. God says: ‘Repentance shall not be accepted from those who indulge in their evil deeds and, when death comes to any of them, he says: I now repent”’. The Prophet said: ‘God will accept anyone’s repentance as long as he has not reached the point of death’.[2] It is the same as the belief of a person who is overwhelmed by God’s punishment. God refers to what Pharaoh said when he was about to drown: ‘And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea; but Pharaoh and his legions pursued them with tyranny and aggression. But as he was about to drown, Pharaoh said: ‘I have come to believe that there is no deity other than Him in whom the Children of Israel believe, and to Him I surrender myself’. (90) [But God said:] ‘Only now? But before this you were rebelling [against Us], and you spread corruption in the land’. (10: 90-91)

Implementation

1. God has concealed the timing of the Last Hour so that everyone should endeavour to take the necessary preparations for it at all times, increasing his devotion and improving his standing. Likewise, he kept the Night of Power unknown so that a believer should seek it throughout the last ten days of Ramadan. It does not benefit any person to know the exact time of the Last Hour. What will benefit him is to prepare for it by adding to his good deeds.

 2. It is important, therefore, to make sure to take the matter of the Last Hour very seriously. It is the time when the universal system is altered, and the sun will rise from the west. We should be mindful of this event and be apprehensive of its arrival.

 3. Everyone should hasten to repent of their sins before death overtakes them or prevents them from turning to God in repentance. Bakr al-Muzanī said: ‘Every day and every night God brings into this world give us the reminder to make the best use of them. They may be our last day or night and we may not have another after they have gone.[4]

 4. Imam al-Bukhari related this hadith, and he certainly made the best of his life. He used to repeat two well-known Arab maxims:

When you have time to spare, use it in voluntary prayer. You never know but your death might come all of a sudden.

Many a healthy person died without having suffered any illness.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us that every single person shall stand before God who will hold him to account for his deeds. God will speak to every person without an intermediary or an interpreter. Everyone will come alone, with none to defend or intercede for them.

2. When a person stands in front of his Lord, he will have no support from any quarter except his own deeds. He will look around, seeking support from anyone who could save him the hardship of reckoning. The Prophet says: ‘Whoever is made to go through the reckoning is doomed’.[1] He looks to the right and left, but he sees nothing other than his own deeds. He then looks in front of him and he will only see the Fire facing him. The reason is that Hell will be ahead of him and he cannot evade it, because he must go along the path. 

3. Since this will be the situation faced by everyone on the Day of Resurrection, then it is wise to guard against Hell and hope for safety from it. He should then present the best of good deeds and be keen to draw closer to God at all times, not disdaining any good deed, however small or simple. One such easy deed is to give whatever one can in charity, i.e. ṣadaqah, even if it is merely half of one date. 

4. If one has nothing to donate, then a good word said to please God may be all you need to save yourself from the Fire.

Implementation:

1. Remember that you will stand in front of God, alone, with none of your family or friends giving you support, and having nothing of your wealth, position or social status to assist you. We all need to be ready for this event, but we should also remember that

2. It is important not to disdain any deed, whether good or bad nor however trivial it looks. The largest mountains are composed of heaps of sand and pebbles.

3. One of the most effective deeds that remove a person from Hell is charity, i.e. ṣadaqah. Hence, the hadith urges it. Moreover, God says: ‘Give, then, out of what We have provided for you, before death comes to any of you, and

4. Do not delay giving a needy person even a drink of water, or saying a single glorification of God, or reciting even a single verse of the Qur’an. Do not say that you want to prepare yourself to do more. Things occur to distract you and draw your attention to something else. ‘A beggar knocked at ‘Āʼishah’s door. She said to her servant to give him some food. The servant went then came back and said: “I found nothing to give him”. ‘Āʼishah told her to try again and find something. The servant did so and brought one date. ‘Āʼishah said to her: “Give it to him. It consists of many atom weights, if it is accepted by God”’. [2]

5. Many are the good deeds that are equal to, or greater than, half a date, such as pleasing one’s parents or family with some conversation or service, carrying an elderly or weak person’s heavy article, giving a poor person a needed article of clothing, taking care of a widow or an orphan, etc. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Do not belittle any act of kindness, not even that you meet your brother with a cheerful face’.[3]

6. A person’s tongue may either take that person to an eternal Heaven or may drive him to Hell. Thus, a person’s destiny is determined by his own tongue which will either save or condemn him.

7. Sit down with your family or your students and discuss the good deeds that you are able to accomplish, without placing yourselves under undue strain or hardship. Thus you will be able to motivate one another.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) draws a comparison between the fire we have in this world and the fire of Hell, stating that the heat of the fire people use is only one portion, while the fire God has made ready for the punishment of unbelievers and sinners is seventy times as intense.

2. The Prophet’s companions considered this very grave. They said that were the fire in the Hereafter to be the same in intensity as the fire in our world, it would be enough to deliver severe punishment and provide the right incentive to steer away from sin. It, of itself, would suffice to burn people, animals, plants and all types of inanimate objects. 

3. The Prophet confirms that the fire in the Hereafter is sixty-nine times more intense and hotter than the fire familiar to them.

Implementation:

1. Whoever addresses people – whether a parent, an advocate of Islam, a teacher, etc. – should seek to illustrate his ideas, using similes, numbers, metaphors and other methods of expression in order to help his audience to understand him fully. 

2. Reminding people of Heaven and Hell is a very effective method of admonition. The Qur’an uses it often. We will do well to resort to it in our own discussions in mosques, homes, gatherings and via the media. 

3. It behoves man to run away from a fire which is seventy times more intense in heat than the fire of our world. Everyone should do more of good deeds that keep him away from the Fire. Real success is to save oneself from the Fire and ensure admittance into Heaven.

4. To take measures to avoid burning in our world is perfectly right. The Prophet (peace be upon him) recommends such measures, even if it means putting out a small flame lest it might lead to the burning of a home. Therefore, it is wise to take precautions and close every way that leads to the spread of fire, although the use of fire is perfectly legitimate. Taking measures to protect oneself from the Fire of Hell is far more important. 

5. To save people from fire in this life is a heroic and good deed which deserves thanks and gratitude. Advocates of Islam and scholars save people from a much fiercer fire. They deserve greater thanks and appreciation. 

6. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to pray for God’s refuge from the heat of Hell. Abu Hurayrah narrated that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say in his prayer: ‘My Lord, I seek refuge with You from the trial in the grave; and from the trial of the Impostor; and from the trials of life and death; and from the heat of Hell’.[1] The Prophet was guarded and God forgave him whatever sin he might have committed at any time in life. Nevertheless, he prayed for God’s refuge from Hell. It behoves every Muslim to always pray for such refuge.

1. This is a hadith which the Prophet (peace be upon him) narrates as stated by God, Mighty and Exalted, but it is not part of the Qur’an. It is called qudsī hadith, i.e. a sacred hadith.[1]

2. God, Blessed and Exalted, states that He has prepared for His devout servants, as reward for their obedience and worship, what they have never seen. They have hardly seen things that bear the same names, such as trees and rivers, as well as palaces made of gold, silver, carved pearls, etc. 

3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasizes that the luxuries of Heaven are unlike anything in our world. Indeed, no one has ever heard of what they are like.

4. God confirms that what He has prepared will never be known to humans in this life. Since they have never experienced anything like it through their two faculties of perception, i.e. seeing and hearing, they cannot imagine the nature of such a splendid life. Whatever people may imagine of types of luxury and comfort, they cannot visualize what they will have.

5. God further confirms all this quoting His own revelation and inviting us to read:

This means that no one knows what God keeps in store for the believers among His servants: it is all happiness, riches, luxuries that delight the eyes and please the souls.The Qur’an frequently speaks about Heaven and its happiness. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘A little place in Heaven where only a whip may be placed is better than this world and all it contains’.[2]

Implementation

1. The best love is to love righteous and devout people, because they are with God,

They present to Him their acts of obedience and worship, but He has no need of that, and He prepares for them what no eye has seen, no ear has heard of and no mind has ever imagined. It behoves every believer to stick to such people. Whenever one feels lazy or complacent, one should remember the fine abode God has made ready for them.

2. Al-Ḥasan said: ‘Such people concealed their [good] deeds in this present life; so God has concealed for them what no eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard of’[3]. In this case, every Muslim should do in private what no one knows except the One who has prepared that abundance of secret luxury.

3. Heaven is already in existence, and God has prepared it for his righteous servants. If some worldly but forbidden pleasure is offered to you, remind yourself that Heaven is already waiting and it is only a matter of perseverance for a short time before you will be taken there. 

4. Many people feel the temptation of worldly pleasures, imagine themselves enjoying them and hope to have them, even though the entire pleasures and enjoyments of this world, real and imaginary, cannot equal a hand span in Heaven. A wise person will keep reminding himself of Heaven and what it offers in order to keep yearning for it.

5. You, as well as your family and friends, should often remember Heaven and its description, and remind others of it. God has made this easier nowadays with easier ways of learning and communication.

6. The greatest blessing of all in Heaven is seeing God, Mighty and Exalted, even though we do not see Him in this life.

Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullāh narrated: ‘We were sitting with God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) when he looked at the moon on a night when it was full and said: “You shall indeed see your Lord as you see this moon, and you shall not be barred from seeing Him”’[4]. The worst suffering that will be inflicted on the wretched ones is that they will be deprived of seeing Him.

1. When God, Mighty and Exalted, willed to bring His creation into existence, which, as explained in another hadith, means that before He actually created them, He wrote all that happens to His creation. He wrote it all in the Imperishable Tablet or in some other great book He keeps.

 2. This record is imperishable and kept with God, above His throne. The throne is a great creation placed above the seven heavens. It is carried by great angels. The word throne means the seat of dominion. This is evidence of His sublimity and that He – limitless is He in His glory – is above His heavens, established on the throne, as He says:

 3. God Almighty wrote in that record: ‘My Mercy prevails over My Wrath’. This means that what His creation will receive of His Mercy is more than what they receive of His Wrath. It is indeed what they receive in their varied situations. God says: ‘If God were to punish people [at once] for the wrongs they do, He would not leave a single living creature on the surface of the earth’. (35: 45) Had it not been for God’s mercy, none of His creation would have merited entry into Heaven.

 One aspect of the prevailing of His mercy is that He gives time to sinners to repent and inspires them to pray for forgiveness. When they do, He forgives them their sins.

Implementation

1. Be reassured of God’s grace. Just as He wrote the lots of His creation in the Imperishable Tablet, He also wrote in it the mercy He bestows. Therefore, we should not regret what happened in the past and should not worry about the future. We should always rely on God.

2. This record in which people’s fate is written also includes the details of God’s mercy. God keeps it with Him above His throne. This stresses the great importance of this record. It behoves every rational person to give this record its proper status and focus on this very grave matter, rather than trivial thoughts.

3. God’s mercy prevails over His wrath. He accepts the repentance of sinners no matter how grave their sins are. Let everyone look at himself, and he will find that he has done numerous sins involving all his organs and faculties, such as sight, hearing, speech, hands and legs. Yet we only need to listen to God’s gracious address: ‘You servants of Mine who have transgressed against their own souls! Do not despair of God’s mercy: God forgives all sins; He alone is much-forgiving, ever-merciful’. (39: 53)

4. Draw closer to God’s mercy, even by the length of a hand span. A hadith mentions: ‘A man from the Children of Israel killed ninety-nine people. He then asked whether he could repent. He went to a priest and asked him. The priest told him that his repentance would not be acceptable, so he killed the priest. He continued to ask. Someone told him to go to a particular village. On his way, he was overtaken by death. He leaned towards it with his chest heading forward, then he died. The angels of mercy and the angels of punishment disputed his case. God inspired the one [village] to come nearer and the other to go farther, and He told the angels to measure the distance between them. He was found to be nearer [to the village of good people] by a hand span, and he was forgiven his sins’.[2]

5. To God belongs all dominion and knowledge and He has the throne and the record that contains everything. Yet to Him belongs all mercy and grace. When people have some authority, through ownership, knowledge, position, parenthood, physical strength, wealth, etc. they may use their power to dominate those below them and they treat them unfairly. It behoves everyone to examine their conduct.

6. People will inevitably commit some wrong, because they cannot be perfect. To set their conduct to perfection requires the combination of mercy and wrath. True perfection requires that mercy should be greater and more dominant than wrath. Therefore, a Muslim should endeavour to acquire the pattern set in this hadith, so that his mercy prevails over his anger. Since man is weak, he should seek God’s help to strengthen his mercy.

7. A person who hopes for God’s mercy should be merciful to others, seeking only God’s reward. He should always remember that God, the Lord of Grace, only extends His grace to those who are merciful.

‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd is narrating here a hadith that includes some matters that are known only to God, as they relate to the realm beyond our human perception. Therefore, Ibn Mas‘ūd describes the Prophet as ‘the truthful, and who is given the truth’. This applies to whatever he tells of this world or the world beyond.

 1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions the stages of development of a human embryo during its mother’s pregnancy. It starts as the woman’s egg fertilized by the man’s sperm in the mother’s body. As it reproduces, it becomes a cell mass that clings to the uterus. It then develops into an embryo.

2. When it has become an embryo, God commands the angel who looks after pregnancies to write down what is assigned to that person: its livelihood, life span, actions and whether happy or unhappy.

angel writes other things as well, such as whether the embryo is to be a male or female,^[1] its physical form, temperament and manners.^[2] However, the hadith mentions only the first four because they are the most important, while the others are incorporated to them.

What the angel writes is different from what God has written in the Imperishable Tablet kept with Him. The angel’s writing is liable to be erased, changed or replaced for reasons God determines, such as answering prayers and the person’s good deeds. What God states in the Imperishable Tablet, which is also called Umm al-Kitāb or the Mother Book, is never changed.

3. After this, God blows the spirit into the embryo and it becomes alive by God’s will. How the spirit is blown is something that God keeps to Himself. He has not given us any information about it.

We believe in what Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has told us as given by God and we most certainly believe in God’s limitless power, as He describes it:

 This occurs when the embryo has taken human form.

The organized embryo is that which has been given human shape and form, while the unorganized one is an embryo that has not yet been given complete form.

 4. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then tell us that man’s deeds are considered on the basis of his final ones. What is decided is what God had originally known and willed for a person of happiness or misery. Thus, a person may for a long time do what the people of Hell normally do, but when his time of death draws near, repentance is facilitated for him by God, and He accepts such repentance. That person then concludes life with some good deeds and, therefore, he is admitted into Heaven. This is in line with what God has written in the Imperishable Tablet for that person, and what the angel writes when God sends him to the embryo which is still in its mother’s belly.

5. The reverse is also true, with a person doing like the people of Heaven for a long time, but when he draws near to it, as his time of life is approaching its end, he is overtaken by what God had written for him. He will then do like the people of Hell and die doing such deeds. As such, he goes to Hell.

thisdoes not mean that a believer may unintentionally go astray after having followed God’s guidance, having done nothing wrong. It is an act of God’s wisdom and justice. For example, such a man may worship God in ignorance and for personal gain: if he feels that he is given in plenty, he will express thanks, but if his circumstances are straitened, he will deny God’s favour and be ungrateful. God describes such a person thus:

Another example of such a person is that of a hypocrite, as the Prophet says: ‘A person may appear to people to do what the people of Heaven do, but he is really one of the people of Hell; and another may appear to people to do what the people of Hell do, but he is really one of the people of Heaven’.^[3]

thata person turns into someone who does badly after having being thought to be pious is very rare. Nonetheless, it does happen, demonstrating that the determining factor is the type of deeds one does towards the end of one’s life. Therefore, no one should think too highly of one’s own deeds. All this is an aspect of God’s favour and abounding grace. People change course starting to do good after having done badly, and this happens frequently. As for abandoning what is good and picking up evil, this is very rare. Otherwise, people would be tempted.^[4]

What happens frequently and consistently is that the happy people naturally choose to do good deeds, while the wretched immerse themselves in sin.  

 Implementation

1. Referring to the Prophet, Ibn MasꜤūd described him as ‘the truthful who has been given the truth’. This indicates total belief in him, confirming and believing in what he says, even though it may be contrary to logic or cannot be proved or disproved. This is an example showing the fact that the Prophet’s companions were the best of people, apart from prophets. They provide the example to follow in their belief in the Prophet and adherance to his guidance.

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions the stages a human being goes through during pregnancy, long before the development of medicine and the use of advanced technology. Yet all these recent developments and advanced knowledge confirm the accuracy of what he said. A believer’s faith is thus strengthened by the confirmation of advanced, modern knowledge of Qur’anic and Hadith statements.

3. Reflect on God’s limitless power and how He takes an embryo stage by stage until its full formation, and how He determines everything. This should inspire belief in God Almighty and His great power and submission to Him.

4. If something happens to you in your work or livelihood, or if you wish for something different to what you do, do not waste time remonstrating with the divine will, or lamenting your lot. Accept what God has willed for you, and know that He determined it before you were born, and even before that. Hence, you can do nothing better than submit to God’s will and do what pleases Him.

5. No one may say that any particular person will be in Heaven or Hell. This is determined by God alone. It is He who determines how everyone will end. A person who is now wretched may become happy, while the one who is now happy may later be wretched.

6. Man should never feel assured that his deeds are fine, taking things easy and slackening. It is the final deeds that determine results. Sufyān al-Thawrī used to weep and say: ‘I fear lest I am written ‘wretched’ in the Imperishable Tablet’. He also said: ‘I fear that I may be denied faith before death’.

7. A Muslim should always include in his supplication the prayer that God keep him firm in doing what pleases Him, and that he does not leave him to go astray. The Prophet often said in his supplication: ‘My Lord who turns hearts over, confirm my heart in Your faith’.

8. God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) mentioned that ‘a certain person said: By God, God shall not forgive so-and-so. God, the Exalted, said: ‘Who is this one who is swearing concerning Me, saying that I must not forgive so-and-so? I have forgiven so-and-so and reduced your own action to nothing’.^[5]

9. ‘Alī ibn Abi Ṭālib said: ‘Beware of following other people. A person may do what the people of Heaven do, but then may change, because of what God knows of him. He will then do like the people of Hell and die as one of the people of Hell. A man may do what the people of Hell do, but then may change, because of what God knows of him. He will do like the people of Heaven and die as one of the people of Heaven. If you have to emulate others, then choose some deceased people, who are no longer alive’.^[6]

Ibn ‘Abbās was riding behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) on the same mount.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) wanted to teach his young cousin, Ibn ‘Abbās, the real meaning of faith. Therefore, he wanted him to focus his attention on what was to come. He started by addressing him as was suitable for his age, as Ibn ‘Abbās was at the time between eleven and fourteen years of age. He then told him that he was about to teach him some words of advice. He was to learn, understand and implement these words.

2. The first thing the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught him was to ‘be mindful of God’. This means that he should be fully aware of God’s commands and the bounds He has set for His servants. He must fulfil what God bids and refrain from what He forbids. God

3. When man observes the limits God has set for him and fulfils what He commands, he will be rewarded in ways that mirror his own actions. Just like he is mindful of God and His orders, God will protect him. Such protection is total, including the protection of his body, organs, senses, mind and his whole being. God says: ‘Each has guardian angels before him and behind him, who watch him by God’s command’.

‘Let those who, if they themselves had to leave behind weak offspring, would feel fear on their account, be afraid [to wrong the orphans in their charge],

 In the story of Moses and al-Khaḍir mentioned in Surah 18, they are denied hospitality by the people of a village, yet they find a collapsing wall there and al-Khaḍir builds it back up to prevent its further collapse. He later explains his action to Moses saying that the wall belonged to two orphan boys and beneath it there was a treasure that belonged to them. ‘Their father had been a righteous man. So your Lord has willed it that when they come of age they should dig up their treasure by your Lord’s grace.

The most perfect manifestation of God’s protection is that He protects a believer’s faith, shielding him from Satan’s whispering and prompting. In reference to Prophet Joseph,

Explaining this statement, Ibn ‘Abbās said: ‘God thus stops a believer from committing a sin that drags him into Hell’.

 4. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then mentions another aspect of the reward granted to a person who is mindful of God and stays within the limits marked by Him. Such a person will find that God is with him in all situations: He supports, strengthens and defends him, accepts his deeds and answers his prayers. In a qudsī or sacred hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) quotes God: ‘My servant does not draw near to Me with anything I love more than the religious duties I have made obligatory on him. My servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary worship so that I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his eyesight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. If he asks something of Me, I will certainly give it to him, and if he seeks refuge with Me, I will certainly grant him that’.^[1]

 5. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then points out to Ibn ‘Abbās a very important aspect of proper belief in God’s oneness, which is to address all one’s requests to God only. Supplication is an act of worship which should always be addressed only to God. The Prophet said: ‘Supplication is worship’, and then recited: ‘Your Lord says: ‘Call on Me, and I shall answer you. Those who are too proud to worship Me shall enter Hell humiliated’. (40: 60) Supplication demonstrates the supplicant’s need and humility, as well as his recognition that the One he addresses is able to give him what he desires and prevent harm. Humility and the need for help should only be shown to God, because this is the essence of worship.^[2]

 6.The Prophet (peace be upon him) also orders Ibn ‘Abbās to seek help only from God. This is an act that requests assistance so that one can achieve one’s objective. Seeking God’s help demonstrates one’s reliance on God. That help is to be sought from God alone is based on the verse that says:

As God commands His servants to obey Him, He instructs them to supplicate to Him alone and to seek His assistance in the fulfilment of their obligatory duties and in refraining from what He has forbidden.

    However, seeking people’s help in what they can do is perfectly permissible. A person may ask someone else’s help to carry a heavy load, or to attend to some other task that is within people’s ability. Islam urges Muslims to help their brethren in whatever way they can. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says: ‘To help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it is a charity’.^[3] What is forbidden in this area is to seek help in what belongs to God, as when people supplicate to some dead person, or at graves for help, or when they appeal to dead people for recovery from illness, success in their lives, or to grant them children, etc.

 7. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then teaches his young cousin the essence of true submission to God, acceptance of His will and true reliance on Him. Everything is in God’s hand, and whatever happens to any person, whether good or bad, is by God’s will. He determined all this long before He created the universe. Were all creation to collaborate in preventing what God has willed, they cannot do so. Were they to put all their efforts together in trying to cause someone any benefit or harm God has not willed for that person, they will never achieve such purpose. God says:

This sentence sums up the message the Prophet teaches us in this hadith. When a person is convinced that nothing will ever happen to him other than what God has willed for him, and that whatever people may do contrary to that is of no use whatsoever, he will then truly rely on God. He will fear none but Him, and will seek help from none other than God. He will submit to Him and give priority to what God says, ahead of all others. This necessarily means doing what He bids and refraining from what He forbids.

 8. The Prophet then states that the pens which wrote the fortunes of all people have been lifted and stopped writing. The records in which people’s events have been written are now complete. There shall be no amendment in these scrolls or in the Imperishable Tablet.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) says: ‘God recorded the destiny of His creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and earth’.^[4]  

Implementation

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) utilized all his time and his companions’ time, even when traveling on his mount, in what earns God’s pleasure.

 2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was keen to teach this hadith to Ibn Abbās, young as he was, so that he would learn these great values related to behaviour, God’s will and His oneness. It is important not to ignore teaching young people, particularly those who show clear intelligence. Everyone should be addressed in the style suited to them, particularly when we try to strengthen their belief in the fundamentals of faith. They are the young men and women of the near future, and they will be the ones who look after people’s interests.

 3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) starts with an address that alerts the attention of his addressee, using words that are few in number, broad in meaning. They attract attention and formulate good understanding. Whoever wants to give important advice should start with some words that make his listener eager to learn.

 4. The Prophet kept his teaching short, expressed in a few, short sentences. As such, they are more likely to be fully understood and acted upon, even by young people.

 5. If you want to look after yourself, then be mindful of God and He will protect you. One of the early scholars said: ‘Whoever is God-fearing protects himself, and whoever does not fear God is lost, and God is in no need of him’.^[5] Even if you want to look after your health, be mindful of God. A scholar still retained his physical strength in old age. He was more than 100 years old when he was walking with some of his students. They came across a stream with no crossing place in sight. The old scholar made a great jump which amazed his students. He said to them: ‘We protected our limbs from sin when we were young, and God has kept them safe for us in our old [6]  

 6. A woman joined a Muslim army on a jihad mission, leaving behind her twelve goats and her weaving needle. When she returned home, she discovered that one goat and her weaving needle were missing. She said: ‘My Lord, You have guaranteed Your protection for whoever joins an expedition for Your cause. One of my goats and my weaving needle are missing’. She kept appealing to God, Mighty and Exalted. One morning, she found her missing goat with another like it, and her weaving needle and another like it.

 7. If a person wants God to protect him, his family and property, he must remain God-fearing. Ibn al-Munkadir said: ‘For a pious person, God protects his children, grandchildren and those around him, and they will continue to enjoy God’s care’ [7] Sa‘īd ibn al-Musayyib said to his son: ‘I increase my prayer for your sake,

8. New forms of appealing to people and other creatures occur at different times. In our time, such new forms include appealing to universal forces and deceased parents. Such forms are often used in films, children’s books, training courses related to the universe. We should be careful lest some aspect of attributing partners to God creeps into our lives, but under some other name.

 9. Avoid asking other people even for a small thing, but train yourself to attend to whatever you need. The Prophet (peace be upon him) accepted a pledge of allegiance from a group of people, stating certain things and he included: ‘and that you do not ask of people anything’. The narrator adds: ‘I have seen some of these people and any of them might drop his whip but he would not ask anyone to pick it up and hand it to him’.^[9] Requesting people’s help in normal situations like these is definitely permissible. ‘However, the Prophet wanted to teach us the best of good manners, and that we do not ask other people for favours, undertake whatever we need even though it may be inconvenient, preferring always that we ourselves attend to what we need. When the Prophet stipulated this condition for those people, they implemented it in all situations, including those which people are ready to do for others without hesitation.’^[10]

 10. It is important to seek God’s help in attending to whatever you need, whether this pertains to religion or to life’s affairs, including night worship, improving one’s manners, study, seeking a job, etc. Nothing is more effective than seeking God’s help. The Prophet gives us this great advice: ‘Make sure to have what benefits you, seeking God’s help. Do not feel helpless’.^[11] Every Muslim should always pray to God for help. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to MuꜤādh ibn Jabal: ‘I urge you, MuꜤādh. Do not ignore saying after every prayer: My Lord, help me to remember You, thank You and to worship You well’.^[12] 

 11. How much do we look up to people, and how much do we look up to God? Wahb ibn Munabbih said to a man who used to visit rulers: ‘How come that you go to those who shut their doors before you, who show you that they are poor and hide their riches? Yet you ignore the One who opens His gate to you in the middle of the night and the middle of the day, showing you His boundless treasures, and says to you: “Pray to Me and I will answer you”’.^[13]

 12. It behoves us all to learn this hadith and implement it. Teach its message to your family, children and other people, using with each the language that suits their age and understanding. The hadith includes great wisdom. A scholar said that when he contemplated the meanings of this hadith, he was overwhelmed with its message. How poor those who ignore learning it are!^[14]

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us that a strong believer is dearer to God than a weak believer. Strength in this context means strength of faith and what complements it and helps achieve its goals, such as physical and spiritual strength, solid learning, etc. When these are combined in a person, they help him to attend to worship and to fulfil what is required of man in life, jihad and the fulfilment of life’s duties as well as attending to his personal interests and the interests of others.

These strengths enable a person to persevere in the fulfilment of whatever earns God’s pleasure, steering away from sin and unlawful temptations. They urge him to enjoin what is right and stand against what is evil, and they enable him to bear the harm caused by other people and life’s adversities.^[1]

2. That a strong believer is better than a weak one does not mean that the latter is devoid of goodness. He is certainly good, but he misses out on a greater status.

3. Having stated that the strong believer is better, the Prophet explains the goal to which such a believer should direct his strength. This is an example of the Prophet’s unique style of concise wording and broad meaning. He tells a strong believer to devote his ability to all that will benefit him in both this life and the life to come, focusing his attention on this, and not allowing distractions to take him away from it.

4. When a Muslim is keen to have what benefits him concerning his religion and his life, he should pray for God’s help, relying on Him, to achieve what he hopes for. He must not be complacent or allow himself to fail, protesting that it is God’s will, or that he lacks what is needed, when in fact he has not tried hard enough.

5. If a believer exerts his best efforts but the result turns out to be different from what he hoped for, he should not regret what he did. Nor should he lament, saying: ‘Had I done this, such-and-such would have happened’. This is an expression of dissatisfaction with what God has willed for him. Alternatively, it indicates that he thinks that had he acted differently, matters would be different. This is incorrect, because what happens to us is according to what God has written well before He created the universe. However, man is required to take every necessary measure and leave the results to God to determine.

6. What a believer should say in this case is: ‘This is God’s will and whatever God wills shall happen’. In other words, he should attribute matters to God, accepting whatever happens, knowing that it happens by God’s will which is always done.

This does not mean that anyone may attribute his sin to God and persist in it, saying that he only committed it by God’s will. When the unbelievers claimed that they worshipped other deities by God’s will, God rejected their argument. He says: ‘Those who associate partners with God will say: “Had God so willed, neither we nor our fathers would have associated any partners with Him; nor would we have declared anything as forbidden”. In like manner did those who have lived before them deny the truth, until they came to taste Our punishment. Say:

7. The Prophet (peace be upon him) urges us not express such regrets because it opens the way for Satan and his whisperings. A person’s thoughts may tend to deny the divine decree and express displeasure with it. A person may also start to blame himself and consider himself unworthy or useless. This ushers in depression which weakens a person, wastes time and lets good opportunities go astray.

 does not mean that it is forbidden to say, ‘if only’, or similar phrases, at any time. It is forbidden as an expression of regret, blame or the like. If it is said to explain what went wrong, or to state a religious ruling, or in reference to the future, then it is perfectly permissible.

 Abu Bakr al-Ṣiddīq said when he and the Prophet were hiding in the cave: ‘Were any of them to look where his foot was, he would see us’.^[3] 

Implementation

1. An upright person normally leans towards what is best in every good matter. Such aspiration motivates a person to try to achieve better status. A Muslim should motivate his children, students, workers or employees to seek what is best. He should help them by providing guidance and support.

2. Strength is a means to achieve goals. Train yourself to patiently shoulder what may be hard and try to acquire the strengths that lead to what pleases God, Mighty and Exalted. Prayer, zakat, fasting, the hajj, jihad, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is evil, dutifulness to parents, kindness to relatives and other virtues of action or omission need different strengths which may be physical, mental or those that relate to study and research, etc. Whatever strength you acquire, you should thank God for it, and whatever you cannot, seek God’s help for.

3. If you see someone feeling depressed because of his weakness in knowledge, trade or physical strength, console him and tell him that he does well to try to acquire what he lacks.

4. The Prophet

A student should do his best to learn, a project manager should take every measure to ensure success, and a teacher should follow the best methods to ensure that his students understand what he teaches them. Yet they all seek God’s help to ensure that their efforts are crowned with success and that they achieve what they hoped for.

 5. The feeling of helplessness leaves many people short of achieving what they want. They may wish to do something good, but then they magnify that thing in their minds and experience a feeling of weakness. They may take the initial steps but then they slacken and stop. Therefore, everyone should pool their resources, take the initiative and persist in their efforts.

 6. It is not permissible for anyone to say what incurs God’s wrath, such as cursing one’s lot, or saying: why this person and not me? Nor is it permissible to lament helplessly: ‘If only’, or ‘had I’.

 7. Everyone should be keen to achieve what is of benefit to him in all his religious and life affairs. While doing all his religious duties, he should not neglect the affairs of his life and his family and dependants. He must be keen to learn whatever he needs in his profession, ensure that he only earns what is lawful, and protect his health, etc.

 8. If you commit an error, seek God’s forgiveness; and if you suffer a calamity, say: ‘To God we all belong, and to Him we shall all return’. Say also: ‘This is God’s will and whatever He wills shall happen’. You must stop blaming yourself or keep thinking about the opposite of what God has willed. Such blame and thoughts cause dissatisfaction with God’s will, weakness and depression. Whatever has happened cannot be altered. Therefore, it is important to focus on the future, consider what is feasible and pray for God’s help.

God sent Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to call on people to worship God alone and to eradicate all traces of ignorant beliefs. This hadith highlights some of these.

 1. The first thing the Prophet corrects is the notion of disease transmission. He tells us that we must not attribute the transmission of disease from a patient to a healthy person to the disease itself. The hadith does not negate that some diseases are contagious, but simply states that they are not transmitted by themselves or by their nature. It rather happens by God’s will. This is confirmed by the fact that if God wills the disease to be transmitted from a patient to a particular healthy person, it will; and if he wills to keep the healthy person safe, the disease will not be transmitted to him through contact. Other evidence of this is that the first outbreak of the disease was not through such contact.

 Muslims are commanded to take all beneficial and necessary measures, and to abandon whatever causes harm. Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) instructs us to care for our health and to stay away from people who have contracted communicable diseases. He said: ‘Run away from a leper as you run away from a lion’.^[1] He also said: ‘If you hear of the plague spreading in a certain land, do not go in, and if it breaks out where you are, do not leave to escape it’.^[2] He also said: ‘No sick flock should be brought close to healthy ones’. This means that no ill person or animal should be brought close to a healthy one, causing his illness to be transmitted to the healthy one.

 The message here is that a Muslim should take both measures. He should avoid risk, as

Furthermore, he should continue to believe that nothing happens to a person other than what God has willed for him or her,

2. ‘And no bad omen.’ This is an order that we must not be pessimistic and have ill thoughts as a result of anything we see or hear. For example, a person may intend to travel to another country, but he sees a crow or hears of some accident or death or anything similar. He will treat this as an omen and become pessimistic, abandoning his intention to travel, or perhaps continue to entertain forebodings while he is on his journey.

ṭiyarah, a word derived from a root that refers to birds and flying. In pre-Islamic days, the Arabs took their omens from birds. If they were about to undertake a serious matter, such as going on a journey, they would get a bird and scare it. If it flew to the right, they thought this was a good omen and they would go ahead with their journey. If it flew to the left, they would take it as a bad sign and abandon their journey. They also associated certain birds, such as the crow and the owl, with bad omens. If a crow cawed on top of a house, they thought it was an announcement of a death in that house. The Prophet also said: ‘There shall be no disease transmission, no ill-omen, no hāmah, and no Ṣafar.’^[3] The word hāmah refers to the bird bringing bad omens, while Ṣafar is the name of the second month of the lunar year. They used to think that this brought bad omens.

3. The Prophet then informs us that he liked a good omen, which is a good word felt by the listener to be pleasant. For example, person might be attending to his business when he hears a man calling his brother by his name, Muwaffaq, and he is pleased because the name means well-guided, successful, etc.. 

A good word gives a pleasant feeling and motivates a person to do what he needs. The Prophet liked such good omen because it does not contradict belief in God’s oneness and does not weaken faith. When Suhayl ibn Amr came to negotiate a peace treaty with the Prophet, the Prophet felt his arrival as a good omen. He said to his companions: ‘Your affair is about to get easier’. He said this because the name Suhayl is derived from a root that means ease.

Implementation

1. A Muslim should feel strong, ready to undertake good measures, knowing that everything happens by God’s will. Man’s role is to rely on God, take the necessary measures and do what he needs to do.

2. Taking the measures that protect us from diseases is perfectly legitimate and is not contrary to the firm belief in God’s will, or that what happens could not have been averted. A Muslim should do what he needs to do, knowing that everything is in God’s hand and by His will.

3. True reliance on God presupposes acceptance of His will and submission to His commands. Bishr al-Ḥāfī said that a man claims to rely on God, but in actuality his claim is false. Had he really relied on God, he would have accepted whatever God wills.

4. When an epidemic occurs, such as the plague, Muslims should observe all quarantine measures. They should not enter the affected city, and should not leave it if they happen to be there. A Muslim should always submit himself to God’s will. Āʼishah reported that she asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about the plague and he told her that ‘the plague was a scourge God inflicted on whomever He willed, but then He made it a cause of mercy for believers. When there is an outbreak of a plague and a believer stays patiently in his town, knowing that nothing will happen to him other than what God has willed for him, he will earn the same reward as a martyr’.^[4]

5. Just as he has instructed us to take the necessary measures for safety from communicable diseases, the Prophet also urged us to protect ourselves against bad manners and morality, because these are also contagious. The Prophet told us not to mix socially with immoral people, likening such a person to one who is blowing the fire. He said: ‘A good companion and a bad companion may be compared to a person carrying musk and an ironsmith blowing with bellows. The carrier of musk may give you a little of it, or you may buy from him, or you may merely perceive a pleasant scent from him. The one blowing with bellows may either burn your clothes, or you may only receive a bad smell from him’.^[5]

6. Some communities associate bad omens with some animals, forms, numbers or events. These may be transmitted to Muslim societies through films or stories. If some harm occurs and it happens to fit with any of these, Satan may use it in his whispering. Only the wise reject all such associations.

7. Acting on a bad omen is not only contrary to the basic principle of submission to God and His will and decree; it is also an evil that affects one’s heart and mind, deters a person from pursuing his interests, or at least keeps him unsure and confused. He is not assured that nothing happens to him except what God has willed for him. The remedy is to ignore bad omens and try to strengthen one’s trust in God and submission to Him and to continue pursuing one’s interests.

8. It may happen that a person unintentionally is pessimistic about some particular thing. This is not blameable, but what incurs blame is to accept it and act on it. Ibn Masūd said: ‘A bad omen is an act of shirk, [i.e. associating partners with God]. Every one of us may experience it, but God removes it through our reliance on Him’.

9. A Muslim may feel that a good word he hears marks a good omen, such as someone saying to him: ‘You will be fine’, or he may hear a fine name. A good omen does not repel God’s will, but it gives a fine feeling and encourages action. The Prophet liked good omens.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) urges his companions, and later Muslims, to look at those who are less favoured than them in wealth, personal qualities and abilities, etc. They should look at the lot of the poor, weak, ill and those who need special care. Then they will realize that they have much of God’s blessings bestowed on them and that they are favoured above many other people.

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us not to look up to those who are richer, stronger and healthier. This is given in the same order as that in the Qur’anic

3. The Prophet explains that when people heed what he tells them, they will be less likely to despise the favours God has given them. When man looks at those who are less favoured in life’s matters, he will know that God has given him more than many other people. He will then praise and thank God for His favours and blessings, help others and express his gratitude by improving his worship. If man looks at those who are richly favoured and contemplate how God has given them things in plenty, he will start comparing his lot with theirs, and this may lead him to disdain what God has given him. It may also lead him to harbouring grudges and being envious of others.

 The hadith does not mean that people should ignore life’s comforts or that they should not benefit by what God has given them. What it means is that a believer should not allow life’s luxuries to be the focus of his interests, leading him to be discontented with what God has given him.

Implementation

1. A person my see or hear of someone who is better than himself in some aspect of life. He should deal with any unhealthy thoughts he may have as a result by looking at someone who is less favoured. The Prophet (peace be upon him) advises us: ‘When any of you looks at someone who has been more favoured in wealth and form, let him look at someone who is below him over whom he is favoured’.^[1] 

2. A believer should always think of the life to come. He should not give much attention to the luxuries of this present life and should not frequently look at the style of life of those who are affluent. He should remember that God ‘has prepared for His devout servants what no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of and no human mind has ever thought of’.^[2] If one is attracted by some luxury or feels a strong eagerness to have it, he should not dwell on such feelings, but rather remind himself of the splendid life God has prepared for His God-fearing servants.

3. We should change our value system by which we judge the things we see. We should remember that real happiness and true high status are found only in Heaven, where life is forever. In this life, things that people compete for or wish to have are always changing. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘No envy is acceptable except in two things: a person to whom God has granted money and enabled him to spend it in what is right and a person to whom God has granted wisdom and he rules according to it and teaches it’.^[3]

4. When Qārūn, i.e. Korah, treated his people unfairly and behaved arrogantly, some weaker elements in his community looked at his riches and said:

They neither protected themselves against the lure of his riches, nor gained a portion of those riches. Their situation is aptly described by the well-known Arabian saying: ‘You see something the like of which you cannot achieve in full; yet without it, you are unhappy with your lot’.

5. Ibn Awn said: ‘I mixed with rich people, but I disdained my clothes and mount when I compared them to theirs. Then I mixed with poor people and I felt comfortable’.^[4]

6. When a believer realizes that God has given people their provisions according to His wisdom, he feels easy and does not look at what God has given to all, raising some people above others.

7. What gives a Muslim a genuine feeling of true happiness is to appreciate the numerous favours God has bestowed on him, and to frequently review them and look at the situations of those who are less favoured. He should always remember the Prophet’s hadith: ‘Whoever wakes up in the morning feeling secure in his dwelling place, enjoying good personal health and having enough food for the day is like one who has the world at his disposal’.^[5]

8. When man goes through some trial or suffers a calamity and he looks at those who are less favoured than himself, he feels his calamity to be lighter and the trial easier. He will then be able to endure his trial or calamity with patience and he will thank God for having spared him what is worse.

9. Unanimous religious poetry includes: ‘I discovered that contentedness is a gem of riches, and I thus clung to it. It soon gave me a fine suit that always looks new. I, thus, feel rich, yet have nothing, preserving my dignity like a king’.

Hypocrisy is one of the worst ills that affect individuals and communities alike. Islam gives very strong warnings against hypocrisy. It clearly states the hypocrites’ characteristics so that believers should beware of them, ensuring that none such can be attributed to them.

The other type is practical hypocrisy, such as lying and reneging on one’s promises and pledges, as mentioned in the hadith. This type does not take a person out of Islam altogether, but it gives him a quality of hypocrisy, making him similar to the hypocrite and equally liable to suffer God’s punishment. 

2. A person may not possess all four qualities combined, but he may have one or more of them. He, thus, harbours a measure of hypocrisy in proportion to what he has collected of these qualities.

3. The first of these qualities is that of betraying trust. Betrayal means to act unlawfully in respect of what is given to him on trust, such as selling an item, or denying having it, or taking a portion of it, or being careless about keeping it safe. ‘Trust’ refers to everything a person is entrusted with, which may be money or property, honour or a right due to someone else. It may also mean the entire religious message, because God has given this to us in trust so that we should implement it and teach it to others. God describes disobedience to His Book and the Prophet’s Sunnah as betrayal.

4. The second quality is lying.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) warns against the ultimate outcome of lying. He said: ‘Lying leads to transgression, and transgression leads to Hell. A person will continue to lie until he is recorded with God as a liar’.^[1] The Prophet saw in his dream a man whose mouth, nostrils and eyes were being slit open right up to his back. He asked about him and he was told that he would tell a lie and it is then reported throughout the world.^[2]

5. The third of these qualities is being treacherous. A person may promise and give pledges, but he does not honour that promise. God has forbidden treachery and emphasized its prohibition in several places in the Qur’an.

6. The last of these four qualities is that when having a quarrel, a person moves away from the truth, makes dishonest responses and tries to take what is not rightfully his. This is particularly true if he is eloquent and argumentative.

God has commanded all His servants to be fair in all matters. He further orders us not to allow our hostility to tempt us to treat our opponents unfairly.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us the ultimate outcome of one who wrongfully takes something that belongs by right to someone else. He said: ‘You put your disputes to me, and it may be that some of you have a better argument than others. I will then judge for that party according to what I have heard from him. If I give anyone something of what rightfully belongs to his brother, he must not take it. I am only giving him a piece of fire’.^[3] 

These four qualities sum up the essential qualities of hypocrisy. There are other characteristics that may come under these four, such as being untrue to one’s promises. In fact, hypocrisy comprises many characteristics, but all these come under the four main umbrellas outlined in this hadith. It behoves every Muslim to endeavour not to collect any of these qualities or characteristics.

Implementation

1. A distinctive feature of the Prophet’s method of teaching is that he uses all aids to illustrate his meaning. One such aid is the use of numbers. When a person learns that the qualities that are about to be mentioned are four, he will be eager to listen and count, so that he subsequently remembers. Scholars and advocates of Islam should use such aids when they address people and teach their students.

 2. Hypocrisy is the worst of all characteristics. Indeed, every part of hypocrisy is evil. A wise and true person will steer away from it, but does not claim immunity from it. Ibn Abi Mulaykah, who belonged to the tābiꜤīn generation, said: ‘I met thirty companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Every one of them feared that hypocrisy might creep into him. None of them said that his faith was as strong as that of the Angels Gabriel and Michael’.^[4]

 3. A Muslim should be a responsible person. He should be careful about whatever is given to him in trust, whether it is given by one’s parents, managers at work, friends, or anyone else. If he fears that he may forget it or forget where he has put it, he should write it down. It is reported that some devout people used to write down anything given them in trust, even if it were nothing more than a pencil or a small sum of money.

 4. To be faithful to one’s trust is a quality of good and noble people. Prior to Islam, the people of Makkah gave the Prophet the nickname al-amīn, which means ‘trustworthy’. Being true to one’s trust requires patience, accuracy and care.

 5. It is important to train oneself to be always truthful, even in simple and trivial matters. Truthfulness is a very good habit to acquire. One should not justify a lie as a joke, or a pleasantry, etc. Nothing is served by lying. A person may continue to lie until lying becomes a characteristic which he does not even try to avoid. He thus becomes known as a liar. Remember that lying is the worst characteristic. Abu Sufyān was still an unbeliever when he was interviewed by Heraclius about the Prophet. He could have lied, but he felt that it was a disgrace to lie, and he answered truthfully.

 6. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered Muslims to remain true to their pledges, even when dealing with unbelievers at a time of war. Ḥudhayfah ibn al-Yamān narrated: ‘Noting stopped me from taking part in the Battle of Badr except that my father, Ḥusayl, and I marched, but we were taken by the unbelievers of the Quraysh. They asked us: “Are you going to join Muhammad?” We said: “We are not. We only want to go to Madinah”. They took from us a firm pledge by God that we would go to Madinah and would not fight with him. We went to God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and told him. He said: “Go home. We honour the pledge given to them and we seek God’s help against them”’.^[5] It should be noted that the Prophet did not allow Ḥudhayfah and his father to join him in the battle against unbeliever enemies, honouring the promise that had been given to those very enemies.

 7. A treacherous party may achieve some victory or gain through such treachery, but he should not rejoice at this. The ultimate result is a great and shameful exposure. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘God shall raise a banner on the Day of Judgement for every treacherous person, and it will be said: This is the treachery of so-and-so’.^[6] A treacherous person may be able to manage his affairs so that his treachery remains unknown to people in this life, but where will he hide on the Day of Judgement when a banner is raised over his treachery and beheld by all mankind?

 8. It is important not to justify being untrue to trust, lying, treachery or resorting to falsehood in a quarrel on account that someone else has done the same. Do not do any of these to anyone who does it to you. A Muslim heeds God’s commands and does not follow his own desires. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Deliver what is given to you in trust to the person who trusted you; and do not betray the one who betrays you’.^[7]

 The Prophet (peace be upon him) warns his community against believing fortune tellers and other liars who claim to know things beyond the human world. He tells us that whoever goes to any such person who has contact with the jinn, learning from them what they might have heard about future events that no human being can learn, or others who use various means of deception, such as horoscopes or star readings, etc. and believes their claims actually disbelieves in God and His Messenger.

Such a person is an unbeliever because his action implies disbelief in what

However, the person who believes such people, thinking that what they say is something that humans may learn, unaware that it is something that God has kept for Himself, may not be considered as an unbeliever.

 God has made this a part of the trial that distinguishes believers from unbelievers. A fortune teller may come up with some true information. An ignorant person who notes this will imagine that the fortune teller truly knows the future. Yet the reality is different. Some of his companions asked the Prophet about fortune tellers. He said: ‘They are nothing’. They said: ‘Messenger of God, sometimes they say something and it turns out to be true’. He said: ‘That is a word he hears from a jinni. The jinni would have snatched it and knocks it into his crony’s ear like the clucking of a hen, but they mix with it more than a hundred lies’.^[1]

 thejinn used to climb up towards the sky, mounting one on the back of another, thus enabling the top one to listen stealthily to angels. He would then pass what he heard to the one below him and it went down until it reached the one who whispered it to the fortune teller, and the fortune teller then added to it. At the dawn of Islam, as the Qur’an was being revealed, the skies were guarded and shooting flames were sent on the jinn. The only thing left to them was their stealthy listening and what the top jinni snatches and passes on before the shooting flame hits him.

 A person who goes to a fortune teller or a similar claimer out of curiosity and does not believe what he says ruins his good deeds for forty nights. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whoever goes to a fortune teller and asks him about something, none of his prayers will be accepted for forty nights’.^[3]

Implementation

1. In olden days, people would go to a fortune teller. Today, with easier ways of communication, the fortune teller comes to you on your smart phone or a website, or a news item you read or listen to, or a horoscope you consult. The ways of fortune telling today are numerous, but they all constitute lies and deception. All of them must be shunned.

 2. Included in fortune telling is the practice when a person goes to someone who claims to use a method to cure illness. He asks his visitor for a piece of his clothing, or asks his name and his mother’s name, then writes for him some symbols or incomprehensible words or gives him a charm or something similar. Such people are also false fortune tellers and they must not be consulted.

 3. People are of two types: followers of God’s messengers and followers of fortune tellers. No person can follow both. Indeed, a person removes himself away from God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) by as much as he draws closer to a fortune teller. He denies God’s Messenger in as much as he believes the fortune teller.^[4]

 4. The essence of faith is that a person believes in God alone, submitting himself totally to Him, looking for none else, entertaining no hope of benefit or protection from harm by anyone other than Him.

 5. Beware of going to fortune tellers of any type and believing them. This means loss of faith and disbelief in the religion of Islam.

 6. The hadith makes clear that believing fortune tellers means disbelief in Islam, and that going to them without believing them is a major sin. It is not permissible for a Muslim to visit them or visit their websites, either in earnest or in jest.

 7. Accept what God has given you. Know that what God has concealed from us is only for our own comfort. Therefore, we must not try to remove the curtain from what has been concealed, because this will only increase our burdens and problems.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us that God does not consider a person’s appearance, form or physical build. In His consideration, there is no distinction between white and black, rich and poor or strong and weak. A person may have a pleasant face, good physical shape, and he may be able to put forward a strong argument and express himself well, but nothing of this will be of any significance with God,

 2. What counts with God is a person’s heart, because the heart is where faith and righteousness are settled. Real distinction between people is based on righteousness and good deeds.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) says:

 A person may look ugly but he may have high status with God. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘A person with dishevelled hair may be one who is pushed away from people’s doors, yet were he to say an oath to God, God will honour it’.^[2]

 However, some people may cite this hadith in support of their claim that the fulfilment of religious obligations and good deeds are of little importance. They may claim that if one’s heart is full of faith and certainty, this will be sufficient and deeds become unnecessary. This is a false claim. Good deeds are part of faith and serve as its manifestation. No one’s faith is truly established unless confirmed by their right deeds. 

Implementation

1. The hadith makes clear that shapes and forms are of no significance. Therefore, we should not judge people on the basis of their appearance. Appearances can be deceptive.

2. The hadith tells us that a person should not give undue importance to his own form and how he looks, while taking little attention of what is in his heart. On the contrary, he should attach moderate importance to his body and physical appearance, and focus most on what has the strongest bearing on the final scales, namely, one’s heart. He should ensure that he keeps his heart on the right track.

3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) draws our attention to the need to purge our hearts of any wrong ideas and misunderstandings that may open the way to wrong beliefs and pursuit of worldly luxuries. We should remember that God looks only at our hearts.

4. Every Muslim should ensure to have only good intentions. It is intention that determines one’s reward or punishment. Therefore, a Muslim should be diligent and make strenuous efforts to always have the right intention. This is not an easy task. Early Muslims used to learn the formulation of right intention in the same way as people normally learn to do other things.

5. Those who focused on earning God’s pleasure attached their top priority to their hearts so that they could ensure that they were on the right track. Truly pious people looked primarily at the defects that crept into hearts and how to set them right. In relation to other organs, the heart is like an absolute king with his obedient soldiers. They do what the king bids them and the king uses them at will. Hence, the heart determines whether they follow the right path or swerve away from it. The heart issues the commands and the organs do as they are bidden.

6. It is one’s intention that qualifies a person for a reward or makes him incur a punishment. A person may do something good but he does it to please someone other than God. He, thus, incurs a punishment. On the other hand, a person may intend to do something for God’s sake, but then finds himself unable to carry out his intention. He will be given a reward for his mere intention. Therefore, it is important to ensure having the right intention behind whatever we do.

7. Advocates of Islam and educators should always draw people’s attention to the need to give due importance to the heart and purge it of any defects or ills.

8. Every Muslim should adopt the standard acceptable to God, the Exalted. Thus, true merit is attached to faith and righteousness, not to form, appearance, fine talk, wealth or social standing.

 9. A Muslim should base his judgement of any person on that person’s faith and piety. It is the standard a Muslim man or woman should apply when looking for a spouse. The same applies if one is looking for an employee, partner, tenant, etc. He should always prefer a religious, God-fearing person.

 10. The heart may become unwell, like the body, and its cure is repentance. It may become blurred of vision, and it regains its shine through God’s glorification. Like the body, it may become naked, hungry or thirsty. Its fine attire is piety, and its food and drink is his knowledge of God, loving Him, relying on Him and turning to Him in repentance.

11. The hadith mentions that the Prophet pointed with his fingers to his chest. This is an example of using body language to make one’s meaning clear and well understood. Hence, body language should be used, whenever possible, in education and Islamic advocacy.

12. Julaybīb was a companion of the Prophet. He was short and devoid of good looks. The Prophet (peace be upon him) suggested to him that he should get married. He said: ‘Messenger of God, you will find that I am unsaleable’. The Prophet said: ‘But you are not so in God’s sight’. The Prophet sent him to an Anṣārī family with a proposal for their daughter. Her parents were displeased, but their daughter immediately accepted in compliance with the Prophet’s request. Then Julaybīb joined a military expedition with the Prophet. After the battle, the Prophet missed him, and then found him among the casualties. He found around him seven idolaters he had killed before he himself was killed. The Prophet said of him: ‘He belongs to me and I belong to him’. Because of what she received from her husband, Julybīb’s widow became one of the most sought-after women.

This hadith expresses some fundamentals of Islam and is one of the most concise and expressive of the Prophet’s statements:

 1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) states that whoever has these three qualities will experience the sweetness of faith. This is a feeling akin to what a person may feel when he eats delicious food. This hadith is similar to the other hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) says: ‘Whoever accepts God as his Lord, Islam as his faith and Muhammad as [God’s] Messenger experiences the meaning of faith’.^[1] This is the same as the feelings of happiness and enlightenment a believer experiences as he increases his knowledge of God and His Messenger (peace be upon him). He will feel the pleasure of doing what pleases God and he will be ready to bear hardship for God’s sake, preferring it to life’s luxuries.

 Faith provides nourishment and strength to people’s hearts in the same way as food nourishes and gives strength to the body. Needless to say, the human body enjoys food when it is in health. When a person is ill, he does not enjoy the food that benefits him. Indeed, he may fancy what harms him or what is tasteless. The same is the case with man’s heart. It is denied the sweetness of faith when it is unhealthy. If a person’s heart is free of erring desires and sinful actions, it will certainly experience the sweetness of faith. When it indulges in such actions and desires, such sweetness becomes out of reach. On the contrary, it will find sins attractive, although sinful deeds will inevitably send him into perdition. The one whose faith is sound will enjoy its sweetness and find abstention from sin very easy.^[2]

 2. The first of these qualities is “that God and His Messenger are dearer to him than anyone else”. What is meant by loving God and His Messenger (peace be upon him) is a recognized feeling that makes a person mention his loved one very often, yearning for their meeting, doing what they like and refraining from what they dislike. This feeling of love continues to grow and increase until it becomes stronger than all feelings of love a person has. Indeed, it becomes so strong that it motivates a person to prefer what his love wants, even though it is contrary to what he himself prefers.

 the love of God and His Messenger (peace be upon him) must be preferred to all other feelings and considerations, so that a Muslim will not incur God’s displeasure and become liable to His punishment.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘None of you attains to faith unless I am dearer to him than his parents, children and all mankind’.^[3]

3. The second quality is that God determines whom a person should love or not love. Thus, he will love someone for no reason other than that God loves that person or orders that he be loved. One hadith quotes the Prophet (peace be upon him): ‘The strongest bond of faith is that you love for God’s sake and hate for His sake’.^[4] Thus a believer submits to God’s will in every feeling of love he entertains. God says: ‘You have a good example in Abraham and those who followed him,

Another hadith mentions that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘A person who loves and hates for God’s sake, gives and withholds for God’s sake, is one who has perfected his faith’.^[5]

 4. The third quality is to hate to disbelieve and indulge in sinful actions, whether a person used to do so in the past or not. A person who truly believes and truly loves God and His Messenger will feel that abandoning faith and disbelieving in God is as hateful a situation as that of being thrown onto a fire.

 the essential aspect of hating sinful actions is that a believer should bring himself to dislike them and stay away from them. He should also resolve not to indulge in them because of his knowledge that God dislikes them. That one may entertain a desire for some sinful acts, without painting them in an alluring image or actually doing them is not punishable. In the Qur’an, God praises those who forbid themselves their base desires. This shows that a person may desire what is forbidden, but a believer will stop himself from such indulgences.^[6] 

Implementation

1.Umm Sulaym took her son, Anas ibn Mālik, to the Prophet so that he would be the Prophet’s servant. Her act was an indication of her great love for the Prophet (peace be upon him). She dearly loved her son who was a free person, not a slave. She was not seeking a paid job for her son, but rather volunteering a service. As Muslims we need to look at ourselves and think how we should serve God’s Messenger’s message, hadiths and Sunnah.

 2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) often uses words and phrases that attract the attention of his audience. The hadith starts with stating a specific number of qualities to be highlighted, so that the listener is fully attentive and counts them. The Prophet also uses the word ‘sweetness’ so as to encourage people to acquire these qualities so that they can experience such sweetness. Advocates and preachers should follow the Prophet’s example and use methods to attract people’s attention.

 3. Whenever you feel that your good deeds fall short of what is required, make careful to strengthen your love of God and His Messenger. Anas ibn Mālik narrated that ‘a man asked God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) about the Last Hour? He said: ‘What have you prepared for it?’ The man said: ‘Nothing much, but I love God and His Messenger’. The Prophet said: ‘You are with those you love’. Anas said: ‘Having embraced Islam, nothing delighted us more than the Prophet’s words: “You are with those you love”. I love God, His Messenger, Abu Bakr and ꜤUmar, and I hope to be with them, even though I fall short of what they did’.^[7]

 4. Whenever you hear of some fine deeds people do for their loved ones, try to do something better towards God and His Messenger (peace be upon him). Such love is of different grades. One grade of love motivates a person to do what is obligatory and refrain from what is forbidden. A higher grade of love further motivates a person to do what is recommended and voluntary and to steer away from what is doubtful.

5.It is important that we learn and teach others how to increase and strengthen our feelings of love of God and His Messenger (peace be upon him). The way to acquire such a loving of God, Mighty and Exalted, includes knowledge of His names and attributes as well as the perfection of His deeds, contemplation of His fine creation, remembrance of His great blessings and favours, as well as appreciation of His abounding grace and mercy which He bestows on us although we commit grave sins. Similar things may be said about acquiring the love of God’s Messenger (peace be upon him), which is gathered through knowing him, studying his fine character and his tireless striving to establish God’s message as a reality. Besides, we should always remember that he is the means to guide us along the way to God and His favours. 

6.Everyone can work to acquire the love of something or to dislike it. Therefore, it is important that we all examine and urge ourselves until we place the love of God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) above everything else. The Prophet held ꜤUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb by the hand. ꜤUmar said to him: ‘Messenger of God, I love you better than everything else apart from myself’. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to him: ‘No. By Him who holds my soul in His hand, not until you love me more than you love yourself’. ꜤUmar said to him: ‘It is so now. By God, I love you more than I love myself’. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘You have got it now, ꜤUmar’.^[8]

7. When one Muslim loves another, he should let this love be reflected in such ways as come naturally and easily, such as through meetings, visits, gifts, etc. A hadith mentions that ‘A man went to visit a brother of his residing in a different village. God sat an angel on his route to watch him. When he passed by, the angel said: “Where are you going?” He said: “I am visiting a brother of mine in this village”. The angel asked him: “Does he owe you a favour and you seek its return?” He said: “No. I only love him for God’s sake”. The angel said: “I have been sent to you by God to tell you that God loves you because you love your brother for His sake”’. [9]

8. When you love a friend for God’s sake, make sure to always keep such a bond purely for God’s sake. When love is for a particular purpose, it disappears when that purpose is fulfilled or deemed unobtainable. Love for God’s sake is perfect when it is neither increased by mutual kindness nor decreased by estrangement. [10]

9. Train yourself to see sinful actions as ugly and unbecoming, and to dislike them because they lead to what is repugnant. Beware of imagining them as fine or beautiful. Such thoughts are the key to willingness, and willingness is the key to action.

10.

Abu Qays, an Anṣarī poet, refers to the Prophet’s migration to Madis nah in the following lines:

He lived among the Quraysh for a score of years, reminding people and whoever was willing to listen.

When he came to us and settled among us, feeling comfortable and happy at Taybah;

We placed our wealth at his disposal, and we fought hard when called for battle.

We take his side against all who are hostile to him, even though they may be our sincere and close friends.  

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) states that his community will blindly follow the same pattern as earlier communities, inventing some deviant religious practices and committing sinful actions. This certainly took place after he had passed away. Many people resort to sham excuses to evade their obligations, take usury, imitate others in their clothing and slogans, punish the weak for their offences while letting the rich and powerful get away with their behaviour, etc. Some even worship deceased people, considering them devout and saintly, instead of addressing worship purely to God alone.

 2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says that this blind following shall be ‘inch by inch, cubit by cubit’. He emphasizes that some Muslims will imitate unbelievers in everything. He says: ‘My community will suffer the same deviation from the right path as the Children of Israel did, step by step; even if there were among them some who commit incest publicly with their mothers, there will be in my community some who will do the same’.^[1] What is emphasized here is following their sinful practices, not going as far as disbelief in God or associating partners with Him.

 The fact that the Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us about this does not signify approval of it. It is, in fact, a warning against following their example. Indeed, the Prophet orders us in several hadiths to stick to our way, in opposition to them.

 3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then gives us a simile illustrating this blind following of earlier communities. He says that were they to enter a lizard’s hole, many Muslims would do the same. The Prophet mentions a lizard’s hole because it is narrow and foul smelling. Thus, if they were to enter a tight, uncomfortable and foul-smelling place, some Muslims would do the same. This is actually happening with some Muslims imitating unbelievers in their sinful ways and foul deeds which no sound mind could ever approve of.

 4. The Prophet’s companions asked him whether he meant the Jews and Christians, feeling that it would be especially strange for Muslims to follow the ways of the Jews and Christians who had gone too far in error, when they had God’s guidance clear and simple. The Prophet confirms that he meant these and none else.

 This information given by the Prophet is general, but applies to some people only. Not all Muslims will follow the ways of earlier deviant communities. Many of them will hold on to the right way and remain God-fearing. What the Prophet meant is that there will be within the Muslim community some who will follow in the footsteps of earlier communities. 

Implementation

1. Addressing his companions, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘You shall follow the ways of those who were before you’. Yet his companions were the farthest of people from following the Jews or Christians. This occurred more in later generations. However, the Prophet’s statement points to the unity of the Muslim community and urges that Muslims should always cooperate in following the truth.

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) uses similes and figures of speech to get his meaning across to his audience. This is very useful in illustrating meanings, and it should be used by scholars and advocates of Islam.

3. The Prophet preferred not to mention the unbelievers and transgressors, referring to them only as ‘those before you’. It is, therefore, preferable not to mention them by name except when there is need, as this may be useful when mentioning some of their history by way of admonition.

4. It is important not to follow non-Muslims in their way of life and what they eat and dress, let alone their religious habits and rituals. Muslims should endeavour to follow their own distinctive line.

5. This hadith and similar ones should strengthen our belief, as it serves as confirmation of the Prophet’s status. What the Prophet warned against has actually happened with Muslims following unbelievers in matters of lifestyle and religion. This should strengthen our belief in God and His Messenger.

6. The Prophet (peace be upon him) warns us against following the ways of earlier communities. Such warning aims to support, increase and confirm the group that continues to adhere to the truth and will receive God’s support. It strengthens their determination to adhere to their faith. We should always aim to be in this group that adheres to the truth.

7. The hadith refers to the evil consequences of imitating others. Indeed, Muslims suffered a great deal through imitating others. Whole generations lost their true identity and went far adrift into error.

8. The metaphor referring to entering a lizard’s hole indicates that some of the unbelievers’ deeds are contrary to sound human nature and good reasoning. Yet some Muslims imitate them. All praise is due to God for giving us the blessings of reason and faith.

9. The Qur’an and the Sunnah make clear that there will always remain a group within the Muslim community that will continue to follow the truth and uphold it until the end of human life. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says: ‘There will always remain a group of my community holding on to the truth, unperturbed by those who let them down. They will remain thus until God’s decree is done’.^[2] The Prophet also mentions that God will always bring up some Muslims who will maintain the way of obeying Him,^[3] and that these will never be in agreement on an error.^[4] Every Muslim should be keen to join this group.

10. The Prophet’s companions found it extremely strange that Muslims should follow the footsteps of Jews and Christians, after their errors had become manifest. There is no doubt that whoever imitates them goes farther in error, despite the fact that the way of truth is made very clear.