Hadith Library

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions that God, Mighty and Exalted, has surrounded Heaven with things that constitute a burden to man. Thus, man can only see the way to Heaven as involving a burden, such as duties which are obligatory to perform and the prohibitions that sound heavy and demanding because they are contrary to human desires. 

2. By contrast, Hell is surrounded by tempting pleasures. Thus, man can only see the way to Hell as involving pleasure. Such pleasure may relate to thoughts and views, or feelings like anger and strength, or sexual temptations between men and women, or the temptation of gaining money and wealth, etc. Had it not been for such temptations and pleasures, the whisperings of Satan and personal desires to experience such pleasures, no one would have taken the road to Hell.

What is meant by tempting pleasures are those that God has forbidden. What He has permitted to have, such as lawful food and drink, intercourse with one’s legitimate spouse, playing with one’s children, etc. is not included. 

1. We should always remember this picture the Prophet (peace be upon him) places before our eyes so that we find it easier to take the road to Heaven and move away from the road to Hell. Things will be much easier if we remember that a burden associated with a good deed or with refraining from a forbidden pleasure actually draws us a step closer to Heaven. We should also remember that indulging in forbidden pleasure puts us on the way to Hell. 

2. We should be aware that admittance into Heaven has a price, namely, the fulfilling of duties and obligations, even though they may be hard, and refraining from what is prohibited, even though such may have strong appeal. The person who decides to devote time to attending to every obligatory prayer, including waking up before sunrise to pray Fajr, even at times when it is either very cold or very hot is the one who is wise. In reference to prayer and attending regularly to them

The person who willingly pays a portion of his money to the poor and needy, performs other obligations, such as fasting during Ramadan, performing the hajj, and being dutiful towards his parents, and who also does not neglect other duties is also one who is wise. Similarly, the one who refrains from all that God has forbidden, such as ill-treatment of other people, taking their money unlawfully, fornication and foreplay, drinking intoxicants, etc is wise. 

Also included under the notion of ‘displeasures’ are diligence in worship, regular voluntary worship, perseverance in good deeds despite feeling their burden, restraining one’s anger, pardoning other people’s offences, forbearance, voluntary charity, i.e. ṣadaqah, kindness to those who have done wrong, resisting tempting pleasures and all other types of good deeds.

3. Whoever patiently endures some adversity in obedience to God, God will compensate him on the Day of Judgement with something better of the same type. God will protect him from the Fire and give him whatever he desires in Heaven.

4. The person who sells the luxuries and pleasures of this world for those of the life to come is successful. Conversely, the person who sells his fortunes in the life to come for the luxuries and pleasures of this world is nothing but a loser.

5. The good things of this life and the life to come cannot be secured without going through what is unpleasant. Great pleasures cannot be obtained by the mere enjoyment of luxuries. The hadith makes clear that a believer needs to strive hard during this life. He should strive against his own desires. A person who aspires to high status and is ready to exert good effort will not be happy to commit sin, because sin is treachery, and no honourable person can condone treachery.  [1]

6. Ibn al-Qayyim said: ‘Invite yourself to what God has prepared for His devout and obedient servants of permanent comforts and luxuries, everlasting happiness and supreme success. Invite yourself to what He has prepared of shame, punishment and permanent sorrow for those who are careless and wasteful. Then choose which of the two suits you best. Everyone acts according to his own disposition, and everyone aspires to what is more suited for him. Do not think this remedy takes a long time. It is urgently needed by both doctor and patient. Hence, it is prescribed’. [2]

7. When the war was about to break out at Badr, the Prophet (peace be upon him) urged his companions to fight and

He threw the dates away, and engaged in the fighting until he was killed. We learn from his example that he actually bought heaven by fighting for God’s cause. God describes fighting saying: ‘Fighting is ordained for you, even though it is hateful to you’. (2: 216) ꜤUmayr preferred the everlasting happiness in Heaven to all that this life can offer of comfort and pleasure.

1. A companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) asks for a comprehensive statement that incorporates the total meaning of Islam, that he can clearly understand. He did not want to go further for explanations, and further wanted to be able to put it into effect, implementing it immediately.

2. The Prophet gave him what he wanted. He told him to declare his belief in God. This is something that he should say verbally and accept logically and mentally, putting it into effect practically. Thus, he should not do anything that was contrary to what he said, believed and implemented. The Prophet ordered him to remain steadfast in such a way of life. This meant that he should not commit any sin and should remain consistent in his worship. 

This advice by the Prophet is the practical meaning of the Qur’anic verses:

‘Steadfast pursuit of the right way’ is a phrase that signifies the fulfilment of all obligations and refraining from all prohibitions. If a person neglects an obligation or commits something prohibited, he is not considered to be pursing the right way. 

The Prophet’s companions gave several definitions of such pursuit, but they all focus on the same meaning. Abu Bakr said that the steadfast pursuit of the right way means ‘not to associate any partner with God’. What he meant is steady adherence to belief in God’s oneness. ’Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb said that it means ‘diligent observance of orders and prohibitions. One must not quickly change direction like foxes do’. ’Uthmān ibn ꜤAffān said that it means ‘sincerity in working for God’s cause’. ’Alī ibn Abi Ṭālib and Ibn ’Abbās said that it means ‘doing what is obligatory’. Al-Ḥasan said: ‘They steadfastly pursue what God has ordered. They obey His commands and steer away from disobeying Him’.

1. An intelligent person asks about what is important and essential in relation to religion, not about what is insignificant. 

2. A Muslim should not be either too shy or too proud to ask about religion. Knowledge is lost between pride and shyness. The Prophet’s companions were not deterred by anything from asking about their religion. 

3. Asking a question is the key to knowledge. The one who asks about what he does not know of religious and life’s matters that ensure happiness and safety in this life and the life to come is the one who is wise. 

4. An essential accomplishment for an educator or an advocate of Islam is to do like the Prophet, expressing important meanings in simple and short sentences. Long and detailed speeches may become difficult for the audience to understand or remember. 

 5. Steadfastness is as essential to faith as the soul is essential for the body. When the soul gets weak, the body progressively weakens until it almost dies. The same applies to faith when it lacks steadfast implementation. It weakens until it almost dies.

6. The Qur’anic term for steadfastness is istiqāmah, which also connotes sound health and proper balance.
 
7. Steadfastness in the pursuit of the right way does not preclude the possibility of error or committing what is sinful, then turning to God in repentance. Such pursuit of the right way is hard.

This states the order to follow the right way with diligence and to seek God’s forgiveness for any wrong you may do.

8. The pursuit of the right way applies to all aspects of life: beliefs, worship, interaction with people, manners, morality, etc. In belief, a person must remain constant in believing in God and His oneness, rejecting all types and aspects of polytheism, deviation and error. In worship, a believer must do what he is bidden and refrain from what is forbidden. In manners and morality, a person must endeavour to have the right qualities and deal with people in fairness and kindness. He must steer away from all that is bad and evil in social dealings. In commercial transactions, he must ensure that his earnings are legitimate and steer away from cheating, injustice and betrayal of trust. 

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) alerts his community to the fact that every human being will be questioned about four matters when they stand before God on the Day of Judgement. They must be ready preparing their answers. By an act of His grace, God has not left these questions vague, unknown to anyone. The Prophet mentions them in detail. 

2. The first of these questions is that everyone is asked about their life on earth: how they spent it, and what use they made of it. Did they obey God or spend their time disobeying Him? Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was keen to advise his community to make the best use of their time in life. He said to Ibn ꜤAbbās: ‘Make the best use of five things before you are overtaken by five different ones: your youth before you get to old age; your health before you fall ill; your means before you find yourself in poverty; your time before you are too busy; and your life before you are overtaken by death’. [1]

3. God will then ask a person about his knowledge: did he learn it to be able to sincerely serve God’s cause, or to seek reputation and status? If it is the latter, then he will be one of the first people on whom judgement is passed.

Such a person will be asked whether he spread what he learnt with sincerity, or suppressed or manipulated it, or lied to people in the hope that some of them would be pleased with him. He will be further asked whether his own actions were consistent with his knowledge, or at variance with it, in which case he would be among those addressed by the Qur’anic verses that say:

3. The third of these questions is about one’s wealth: whether it was earned lawfully or through unlawful ways? Did the person use what God gave him in ways of obedience to God and to serve Islam, or to satisfy his desires in sinful ways?

4. The last of the four questions is about one’s body, strength and health: how he used it and for what ends.

The hadith does not mean that people are asked only these questions. For certain, God will hold everyone to account for all what they say and do in this life. However, those four questions are the most important which will be put to everyone. All other questions are covered under these four headings.

1. Everyone should start preparing how to answer these questions that they will be asked in front of God. The one who knows the question but prepares no answer is indeed wretched.

2. Some believers are admitted into Heaven without facing the reckoning. They are not questioned; nor are they stopped in front of God to be asked.

Admittance into Heaven is indeed great, but what is greater is to be admitted without being held to account. Everyone should endeavour to be among these.

3. Al-Fuḍayl ibn ꜤIyāḍ said to someone: ‘How old are you?’ He said: ‘I am sixty’. Al-Fuḍayl said: ‘You have been walking towards your Lord for sixty years and you are about to reach your destination’. The man said: ‘We all belong to God and to Him we shall all return’. Al-Fuḍayl said: ‘Do you know what this means? You say that you are a servant of God and that you are returning to Him. A person who knows this should also know that he will be stood there, and that he will be questioned. He should prepare his answers’. The man asked: ‘What is to be done?’ Al-Fuḍayl said: ‘Easy. Do well in what remains for you in this life, so that you will be forgiven what has passed. If you do badly in what remains for you in this life, you will incur the punishment for what has passed and what remains’. [3]

4. Man’s life is the most precious thing he owns. It is merely a number of days and counted hours. It is important for everyone to know the value of their time, and to make the best use of every hour, spending his time in obedience of God. Indeed, God shall ask everyone about their entire lives. If one fulfils his duties, one will be safe, but if not, he will have ruined himself. 

5. Be keen to make the best use of your time, doing what pleases God so that you attain the highest grades. ꜤAlī ibn Abi Ṭālib said: ‘This life is marching, going away, but the life to come is marching, coming closer. Each has its own children. Be among the children of the life to come, not the children of this life. Today is an opportunity to work but it involves no reckoning, while tomorrow is a time for reckoning, with nothing to be done’.  [4]

6. Knowledge will serve as evidence against the one who has it. An ignorant person may cite his ignorance as an excuse, but a man of knowledge who knows God’s ruling, yet disobeys Him has no excuse. 

7. The zakat to be paid for knowledge is to spread it and teach it to others. Suppressing knowledge is a major sin for which God enforces severe punishment. He says: ‘Those who conceal the clear proofs and guidance We bestowed from on high, after We have expounded it clearly for mankind in the Book, shall be cursed by God and by others who curse’. (159)

8. Wealth is very important in God’s view. Therefore, He will ask one question each about one’s life, knowledge and body, but He will ask two questions about wealth: how it was earned or obtained? And how it was spent? It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that he takes only what is lawful to him and spends it only in lawful ways. 

9. The Prophet’s companions were very keen to ensure that their food was bought with lawfully earned money. They abandoned what was unlawful and what was doubtful. Abu Bakr had a servant who brought him every day what he earned for him, and Abu Bakr used to eat of what that servant brought him. One day he brought him something and Abu Bakr started eating. The servant said to him: ‘Do you know what you are eating?’ He said: ‘No, what is it?’ He said: ‘In pre-Islamic days, I told the fortune of a certain person. I did not know how to tell the fortune, but I deceived the man. It chanced that it came true. The man later met me and gave me something. This is what I have served you now. Abu Bakr put his fingers in his mouth and threw up all that was in his belly’. [6]

10. Your body is given to you in trust. God has placed it with you. Protect it by your obedience of God and trying to draw closer to Him. Never place it in a position of ruin through disobedience of God.

This is one of the most important hadiths. Indeed some scholars say that it represents one-third of Islam, and that Islam is based on this hadith and the two hadiths that say: ‘Actions are but by intention’, and ‘A clear indication of a person’s good adherence to Islam is that he abandons what is of no concern to him’. Abu Dāwūd said that Islam is based on four hadiths, and the first is the one that says: ‘What is lawful is plain and what is unlawful is plain’, which is the present hadith. 

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions that the rulings of Islam are plain and clear. What is lawful and permitted by God is plain, admitting no doubt. The same applies to what is unlawful, forbidden by God. Its prohibition is made clear. Every person who gets to know Islam and accepts it will easily realize that.

A perfectly lawful thing is to eat of the wholesome food which God states in the Qur’an as lawful, the enjoyment of pleasure with one’s lawful spouse, and wearing lawful clothes that are unstained by impurity.

Clear and readily recognizable forbidden things include associating partners with God, the reasons and means that lead to it; eating impurities, carrion and pig meat; drinking alcohol; dealing unjustly with people, and taking their money by false claims, etc. 

2. In between these two states of clearly lawful things and clearly unlawful ones, there are matters that appear doubtful to many people. They do not know whether they are permissible or not. This is not due to their being unexplained by Islam. God sent His Messenger (peace be upon him) to fully explain Islamic rulings.

However, the ruling concerning such matters may be unknown to many people because they do not have the required standard of knowledge. Furthermore, they may not be readily apparent to some scholars for some reason or another. However, other scholars will have their rulings clear, with evidence from the Qur’an, the Sunnah, the unanimity of scholars or analogy.

3. A person who steers away from doubtful matters and prefers not to get involved in them clears himself in regard to his religion. He incurs neither blame nor punishment. He also clears himself with regard to his honour, as no one can criticize him.

This is indeed the properly cautious attitude that avoids what is in doubt and abandons what may cause an adverse result in the life to come. By contrast, zuhd or ascetism means abandoning what is permissible because it may lower one’s status in the life to come. As such, ascetism is a higher grade, but not required as a duty, while proper caution is necessary for all Muslims. 

4. A person who indulges in such doubtful matters, using no caution, may ultimately find himself committing what is prohibited. Complacency may become a habit and he will then find it easy to do all sorts of doubtful things, and this will ultimately lead to doing what is forbidden, either deliberately or in ignorance. A shepherd who takes his sheep and other animals to graze close to a sanctuary, or a preservation area, may be unable to keep his animals off it, as one of them may break loose without his notice. Or he may even experience an urge to go into it. Such a shepherd is liable to the punishment stated for unauthorized entry of the sanctuary. The same is the case of one who indulges in doubtful matters. These become the preliminaries of what is forbidden and he may commit the sin of indulging in what God has forbidden, incurring His punishment. 

5. Every king has a sanctuary which he preserves and prevents entry to, imposing a punishment for unauthorized entry. Yet to God applies the attributes of all that is most sublime. His sanctuary is the total sum of what He has forbidden, i.e. disbelief and sinful practices. Whoever commits a sin violates God’s sanctuary and incurs His punishment. Whoever gets close to it runs the risk of entry. The one who is cautious and steers away from whatever doubtful matters that bring him close to sin ensures his safety.

6. The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us that in everyone’s body there is a small piece of flesh, which is the heart. This physical heart is closely related to the conceptual heart where faith resides and which either remains sound and healthy or becomes corrupt.

7. If the heart is in sound and healthy condition, a person is physically healthy, but when his heart is diseased, he feels very sick. The heart is the king and all the body organs are its troops. When the king is healthy, the troops are in good condition, and the reverse is also true. 

A sound heart is one which is full of the love of God, believes in God’s oneness and is free of whatever God dislikes. It loves what God loves and hates what God rejects. A corrupt heart is the very opposite. 

God has made the heart the place where both faith and disbelief settle.

1. God has made all His legislation clear and plain for His servants. Everyone should learn these from scholars, and should refer to them when one is unsure of something. No one has any excuse for failing to ask scholars whether a certain action is permissible or not. 

2. God has perfected the blessing He has bestowed on His servants by giving them a complete religion in which all that is lawful or unlawful is made clear. No one can make any idle claim that religious rulings do not cover the entire faith. 

3. Scholars and advocates of Islam must explain what is lawful and what is not. They should teach people God’s legislation and give them rulings concerning new types of deals and contracts. 

4. The hadith refers to the special status of scholars, as they are the ones who can identify doubtful matters. Whoever wants to join their ranks should be keen to acquire a thorough knowledge of Islamic law. 

5. That some matters are doubtful is due to the fact that most people are unaware of the Islamic verdict concerning them and the evidence supporting such verdicts. Some rulings are well known to the majority of people, while others remain known only to Islamic scholars. No one should ever think that the divine faith of Islam has not been given to people in full. 

6.  When a Muslim is faced with a situation and he is unaware of the Islamic ruling regarding it, he should refer to Islamic scholars, as they are the ones who know the religious rulings and their detailed evidence.

7. Every Muslim should steer away from doubtful matters in order to keep himself clear in regard to his faith and honour.

8. Every Muslim should safeguard his honour from people’s idle talk.

9. Steering away from doubtful matters reflects obedience of the Prophet’s order:

10. A person who slackens in being God-fearing and indulges in doubtful matters will find himself drawn into what is forbidden. His complacency in regard to what is doubtful will lead him to be careless about committing what is unlawful. Some scholars said that a minor sin will lead to a major one and the major sin will lead to disbelief. Another scholar said: ‘Sins are the way leading to disbelief’. It is imperative then to steer away from what is doubtful so as to prevent ourselves from being swept away by a flood of sins.

11. When a person takes a complacent attitude, particularly regarding what is discouraged, under the pretext that they are not forbidden, this may put him on the wrong course. This is especially true if he does not have a good share of recommended and voluntary worship. He may in time come to think of his religious duties as burdensome and tempted by what is forbidden.

12. Satan does not start whispering to a person to commit major sins or to disbelieve all at once. He always takes a gradual approach, lulling him first into negligence of duty, then steering him into what is doubtful or discouraged. When a person has done this time after time, it becomes easy for him to trespass into the forbidden area. Therefore, we should always be wary of Satan’s devious approach and shun him right at the start. 

13. The Prophet (peace be upon him) uses images and similes to illustrate his meaning and make it easily understood. In this hadith, he likens a person who indulges in doubtful matters to a shepherd grazing close to a sanctuary. He also compares the punishment of a sinner to the punishment of one who trespasses into a king’s sanctuary. Advocates of Islam and educators should make their meanings clear to their audience, using similes and other figures of speech. 

14. Devout worshippers focused on ensuring that their hearts were sound, healing them of any ills. This is the right approach, because a person’s heart is a king commanding other organs. They move in the direction the heart points out to them, whether it follows guidance or leads to error. 

15. A person whose open conduct is improper should not imagine that he is right internally. The hadith implies that when the inner self is right, the apparent conduct is right. Thus, when one’s heart is God-fearing, one’s organs will definitely follow. Therefore, the one who commits what is wrong and indulges in what is forbidden, disrespecting God’s limits, cannot be good at heart.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) holds ꜤAbdullāh ibn ꜤUmar by his shoulder, advising him to care little for the comforts and luxuries of this life. He should behave like a stranger living away from his family and hometown. Such a person does not care much for anyone’s friendship, and does not buy a house or build a palace in the place where he is a stranger. Nor does he hold a grudge against anyone. All he cares about is returning to his hometown. Such should be a Muslim’s life in this world, in which he is a stranger. His only care is to equip himself for the life to come, which is his original place of abode. It is where he was at first, in Heaven.

2. Since a stranger may stay for some time in his temporary home and may take up a place of residence and establish relations with its residents, the Prophet (peace be upon him) gives us an even finer perspective to look at the present life from. He tells us to take the attitude of a wayfarer who only stops for a short rest and to obtain what he needs for his journey. He neither seeks a lasting friendship nor looks for a residence. Such should be a Muslim’s attitude in this life: its pleasures do not distract him from looking ahead to reach his place of abode in Heaven.   

3. Ibn ꜤUmar admonished people, warning them against setting their hopes too far, without preparing for death. Indeed, a Muslim must always look at death as coming soon, within a few hours. At night, he should prepare for the life after death, as though he is going to die before the break of day. The next morning, he should be certain that he may die before nightfall. A person who prepares himself in this way will dedicate his efforts to do what improves his situation in the life to come and he will abandon the attractions and temptations of this life. Ahmad ibn Ḥanbal was asked to define ascetism. He said: ‘To think that this life is very short. It is when a person thinks in the morning that he may not see the evening’.  [1]

Hoping for a long life is the cause of error. When Satan persuaded Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden tree, he told them that it would give them a kingdom and eternal life.

A man only treats his brother unfairly and denies him his rights in order to take more of this life’s riches and comforts.

4. Ibn ꜤUmar also advised people to make the best of their time of health, before illness and earning their livelihood made it difficult for them to do good deeds for the life to come. Health is one of the greatest blessings, but many people do not make the best use of it.

5. He also advises people to prepare for the life to come before death overtakes them. Death means the end of what they can do. It is then that man cries out: ‘When death approaches any of them, he says:

Ibn ‘Umar’s advice relies on what the Prophet (peace be upon him) said in this hadith and also from what he said admonishing a certain person: ‘Make the best use of five things before you are overtaken by five different ones: your youth before you get to old age; your health before you fall ill; your means before you find yourself in poverty; your time before you are too busy; and your life before you are overtaken by death’. [3]

1. The hadith shows how the Prophet took special care of the young ones among his companions, teaching them their religion and admonishing them to care little for this life’s comforts. Educators and advocates of Islam should do likewise. 

2. Advocates of Islam should concentrate on educating the young generation to give their top priority to the life to come preparing all they can for it. Essentially, they should not be taught to focus their attention on the comforts of this worldly life.

3. The Prophet held Ibn ꜤUmar by his shoulder in order to keep his attention focused on what he was about to tell him. Scholars and educators should use similar means to keep their audience focused. 

4. ‘Aṭāʼ al-Sulaymī used to include in his supplication: ‘My Lord, bestow mercy on me as I am an alien in this life; bestow mercy on me when I am lonely in the grave; and bestow mercy on me tomorrow when I am standing in front of you’. [4]

5. The Prophet (peace be upon him) likens the status of a Muslim in this life to that of a stranger and a wayfarer. The use of similes and metaphors is very useful in making the meaning clear. Educators should always use such methods.

6. The hadith makes clear that God has made this life transitory and finite. Therefore, a believer uses it to take what he needs for his future life. Whoever conducts his life leisurely, thinking that it will last, will lose his future life.

7. ‘Alī ibn Abi Ṭālib used to say: ‘The life of this world is on a journey going away, while the life to come is on a journey coming soon. Each of them has children. Be among the children of the life to come, not those of the present life. The present time is for action but no accounting, while tomorrow is for taking stock, but no action’.

8. The hadith does not mean that one should not work to earn one’s livelihood, or that it forbids partaking of the pleasures of this world. The Prophet’s own conduct and that of his companions suggest otherwise.

9. Go ahead and never slacken. If you do, you will miss out on your objective and you will perish before you reach your destination.

10. Muslims of the early generations were always ready for the afterlife. Muhammad ibn WāsiꜤ was asked: ‘How do you feel this morning?’ He said: ‘What do you think about someone who travels every day a stage towards the Hereafter?’ Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī said: ‘You are merely a set of days. When a day has passed, a portion of you has gone’.  [5]

11. Every Muslim should do whatever he can of good deeds without delay. He should make use of the opportunity he has through his health, spare time and life generally. He should think that in the future he may be prevented from doing so, as events, illness and preoccupations may leave him no time to do what he wants.

12. Imam al-AwzāꜤī wrote in a letter addressed to a friend of his: ‘Be aware that you are surrounded on all sides, and that you are taken a stage further every day and night. Be mindful of God and that you shall stand in front of Him. Be careful of how you wish to meet Him’.

13. Al-Fuḍayl ibn ꜤIyāḍ said to someone: ‘How old are you?’ He said: ‘I am sixty’. Al-Fuḍayl said: ‘You have been walking towards your Lord for sixty years and you are about to reach your destination’. The man said: ‘We all belong to God and to Him we shall all return’. Al-Fuḍayl said: ‘Do you know what this means? You say that you are a servant of God and that you are returning to Him. A person who knows this should also know that he will be stood there, and that he will be questioned. He should prepare his answers’. The man asked: ‘What is to be done?’ Al-Fuḍayl said: ‘Easy. Do well in what remains for you in this life, so that you will be forgiven what has passed. If you do badly in what remains for you in this life, you will incur the punishment for what has passed and what remains’. [6]

14. Ibn‘Umar who narrated this hadith used to implement it. Ṭāwūs said: ‘I never saw anyone who is more righteous than Ibn‘Umar’. NāfiꜤ reports that Ibn ꜤUmar was ill and he felt a craving for grapes. I bought him a bunch for a dirham and placed it in his hand. A beggar was at the door requesting help. Ibn ꜤUmar told me to give the grapes to him. I said: ‘Eat some of it. Taste it’. He said: ‘No. give it to him’. I did that, then I bought the grapes back from the beggar for a dirham and placed them in Ibn ꜤUmar’s hand. The beggar repeated his appeal. Ibn ꜤUmar told me to give it to him. I said: ‘Eat some of it. Taste it’. He said: ‘No. give it to him’. I did so, then I again bought the grapes back from the beggar for a dirham and placed them in Ibn ꜤUmar’s hand. The beggar repeated his appeal a third time. Ibn ꜤUmar told me to give it to him. I said: ‘Eat some of it. Taste it’. He said: ‘No. give it to him’. I did that and said to the beggar: ‘Have you no shame?’ Then I bought the grapes once more from the beggar for a dirham, and took them to Ibn ‘Umar. He ate them. [7]

1. When God wishes to give someone a great favour in both this present life and in the life to come, He will facilitate for him a good understanding of Islam and its principles, commandments, prohibitions and purposes. This is further increased by learning the texts that are relevant to different questions, studying Qur’anic verses, hadiths and reports and acquiring knowledge of the disciplines that help to acquire such understanding and exerting efforts to have the right and correct knowledge. 

The import of the hadith is that a person who does not seek Islamic knowledge deprives himself of goodness.[1]  Islamic learning is mentioned in particular because it is the best area of learning. It is the discipline that leads to knowing God and worshipping Him doing His bidding and refraining from what He has prohibited. As such, it is the discipline that serves people’s interests in this life and in the life to come, and saves them from what ruins them in both. All other disciplines are secondary to religious knowledge. They remain deficient unless complemented by religious learning. [2]

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then explains that he is in a position of trust, undertaking the task of distributing what God gives him, whether money and property or knowledge. 

That he is a distributor of knowledge means that he delivers whatever he is commanded to convey to people, withholding nothing from anyone. As for understanding and insight, these are gifts granted by God, Mighty and Exalted, as determined by His wisdom. 

3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then gives his community the good news that it will continue to uphold its faith for the rest of time. It will never be wiped out by its enemies. Its status with God remains intact, no matter how fierce the intellectual and military wars its enemies launch against it. 

This will be fulfilled if only a section of the Muslim community remains adhering to Islam in its pure form. Other sections may neglect to adhere to some of what God requires. 

4. The Muslim community shall survive until the end of time. Perhaps what is meant here is the same as stated in the hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah,

It will gather every single one who has the weight of a seed of faith in his heart’. This confirms that the Last Hour will arrive when the world is populated by wicked people.

1. If you wish to have a share of goodness, seek it at its sources, as indicated to us by God’s Messenger (peace be upon him). God is the One who knows where goodness lies and who facilitates its acquisition for whomever He wills, namely through developing an insight into the divine faith.

2. A Muslim should always seek ways to acquire knowledge of the religion. Such is the pursuit of goodness in both the present life and the next. 

3. It is important to seek the perfect insight through the Prophet’s companions. Ibn ꜤAbbās, who was lower in rank than the rightly-guided caliphs, was one of his companions whom the Prophet prayed for saying:

He said this prayer when Ibn ꜤAbbās served him with his water for ablution.

4. People’s status is evaluated on the basis of the goodness they demonstrate. The practical effects of one’s insight into the Islamic faith are some of the most important criteria for evaluating people. ꜤĀmir ibn Wāthilah narrated that ‘NāfiꜤ ibn ꜤAbd al-Ḥārith met ꜤUmar at ꜤUsfān. ꜤUmar had appointed him Governor of Makkah. [ꜤUmar] asked him: “Whom did you appoint over the people of this valley?” [NāfiꜤ] said: “Ibn Abzā”. [ꜤUmar] asked: “And who is Ibn Abzā?” He said: “One of our mawlas ”[4]. [ꜤUmar] said: “You appointed a mawla as their ruler?” [NāfiꜤ] said: “He has learnt God’s Book, the Mighty and Exalted, by heart and he is well versed in the discipline of division of inheritance”. [ꜤUmar] said: “Your Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘God elevates some people by means of this Book and brings down others’”.

5. The pursuit of knowledge is a continuous act, and the more one seeks the better one gets. God did not order the Prophet to seek an increase except an increase in knowledge.

Therefore, we should never stop seeking further knowledge, at any point or any age.

6. The Prophet (peace be upon him) looked after people’s interests with regard to knowledge, wealth, etc. Whoever is in a position of responsibility in respect of knowledge or wealth should know that he is merely a distributor of what God has entrusted to him. He should neither feel too proud nor neglect his responsibility. He should distribute what he is entrusted with as God wants him to do. 

7. Do not worry about the future of the divine faith, and do not grieve for what may afflict the Muslim community in matters of its faith or worldly concerns. There will always be a group of the Muslim community undertaking the task of preserving and upholding Islam. They will not care what forces are ranked against them and how these forces use their might and knowledge to suppress them. Every Muslim should seek to be a member of this group, which has special status with God, its Lord. 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us in this hadith about the merits of a person who pursues Islamic knowledge. 

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions that whoever takes a way seeking useful knowledge will be rewarded by God who makes it easy for that person to do good deeds that ensure his admittance into Heaven. The hadith mentions knowledge and its way in general terms so as to include all mental and material ways that lead to the acquisition of such knowledge, and all branches and aspects of religious knowledge, as well as any amount of knowledge, little or much.

The hadith covers all effort a person takes to acquire knowledge. Thus, the pursuit of a way to knowledge covers both physical and mental efforts. Physical effort includes going to a place of learning, such as a mosque, school or university, or taking a trip to another country. Mental effort includes every way of learning and retaining information. ‘Knowledge’ referred to in the hadith is mainly religious knowledge, and covers any small or great amount.     

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us in this hadith that the angels put down their wings before the one who pursues knowledge, either as a mark of humility, or in acknowledgement of his great merit. The text of the hadith may also mean that the angels fold their wings and stop flying, landing close to the one who pursues knowledge, shading him or her.

4. The Prophet (peace be upon him) adds another merit for those who pursue knowledge, namely that God makes all creation pray to God to forgive them their sins. This is due to the fact that the knowledge they acquire and what they do to acquire it are causes for mercy to be bestowed by God on humanity. Such pursuit of knowledge results in an increase of deeds undertaken in obedience of God. Moreover, the portents of the Last Hour include that knowledge will become scarce, while ignorance will increase. This is a sign of the approach of the end of life. 

This particular favour is similar to what is stated in the hadith which quotes the Prophet (peace be upon him):

The Prophet (peace be upon him) further states that a scholar who fulfils his duties towards knowledge, implementing and teaching it, is better than a worshipper who devotes his time to worship, and that such merit is like the superiority of the light of the full moon to that of stars and planets. The moon spreads its light over vast expanses and enables travellers in the desert to continue on their journey. It benefits cities and people, while the light of a planet is limited to itself, giving nothing to its surrounding area. The same applies to scholars and worshippers: a scholar benefits himself and others, while the reward of worship is given to the worshipper alone.

In this simile, the Prophet likens a scholar to the moon which reflects the light it gains from another source, namely, the sun. The same is the case of a scholar whose knowledge is gained from God’s revelations and the Prophet’s Sunnah.

6. The Prophet (peace be upon him) adds another merit of scholars, stating that they are the heirs of prophets. As such, they have the same status towards prophets as children have towards their parents. Children inherit their parents when they die. Scholars inherit the knowledge of prophets, teaching it to people. Prophets do not bequeath gold, silver, money or any type of property. They rather leave behind a great gem of knowledge. Whoever learns it, gets hold of a great wealth which is much superior to material riches. He gets a full share of the heritage of prophethood.

1. When you feel a yearning to be in Heaven, and when you feel that attaining it is hard, seek religious knowledge, because learning the divine faith is itself an act of worship. Such learning will tell you which acts of worship earn the greatest reward. It gives you motivation, serenity and diligence in worship. 

2. Whoever seeks high standing, blessing and facilitation of purpose should seek religious knowledge. Angels, who are among the noblest of God’s creation, honour those who pursue such knowledge, cover them and do God’s bidding to make their work and tasks easier.

3. When one pursues Islamic knowledge, one must approach it with respect. God has assigned some angels to attend circles of learning. The pursuer of knowledge must show due respect to these angels, making sure that there is neither a dog nor an image in their circle of learning. The angels assigned by God are honourable, given the tasks of guardianship and recording. 

4. Our sins are numerous! Hence, we need to frequently pray for God’s forgiveness. Learning and spreading Islamic knowledge ensures that God’s creation in the heavens and earth, including devout people, will pray for our forgiveness. 

5. We may think that the universe around us is inanimate, but it is alive by God’s will. Even fish, which we think to be dumb, pray for the forgiveness of those who pursue knowledge. They do this in obedience of God’s command, as He is the One who gives everything its distinctive nature and form, and further guides them.

6. God clearly states that a scholar is of a higher status than one who devotes his time to worship. This because, like the moon, a scholar spreads light in the community. If a scholar remains aloof, unwilling to impart knowledge, what will be his distinctive merit?

7. This hadith shows very clearly that scholars hold the highest status, because they are the heirs of the best chosen people, the prophets. None is better qualified to deliver the message of prophets to people than scholars. Therefore, they come next to the prophets in their merit. Such status deserves to be sought by our best efforts to overcome impediments and discard life’s enjoyments.

8. In the hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) says that prophets did not bequeath any money. This refers to the fact that all prophets cared little for this present life’s fleeting comforts.

9. Scholars are the heirs of prophets. They inherit from prophets the need to persevere in their efforts to acquire and spread knowledge. Moses travelled far and persevered through hunger in order to learn from al-Khaḍir, whose status was lower than his own. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also persevered through hardships to spread knowledge. The same applies to those who inherit the heritage of the prophets. In this connection, Ibn Abu Ḥātim al-Rāzī said: ‘We spent seven months in Egypt, without having a cooked meal. We would attend scholars in their circles during the day, and we would spend a long period of the night copying and comparing. I went with a friend of mine to visit one elderly scholar, but we were told that he was unwell. We saw some fish which looked fine and we bought it. When we got home, it was the time when some scholar’s circle was due and we went to attend it. The fish remained at our place over the next three days, and it was about to go bad. We ate it raw, as we did not have the time to roast it’. He then said: ‘Learning cannot be gathered if you let your body relax’. 

10. A person who wants to acquire a fine sense of fearing God should acquire Islamic knowledge. Only a person who pursues such knowledge truly understands God, fears and loves Him, appreciating His sublime status.

The sentence is expressed in such a way that implies that none other than those endowed with knowledge stand truly in awe of God, because their feelings are based on true knowledge of Him.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) describes people’s reception of the knowledge he imparts. He likens it to heavy rain which brings much benefit to people. The Prophet uses the word ghayth, which means heavy rain adding connotations of providing emergency supplies to people who are in desperate need. Rain gives life to barren land. Likewise, knowledge brings dormant minds back to life, so as to make them fully active. 

Such rain leaves different effects on different types of land, according to the natural composition of the land where it falls. This is fully described in the hadith.

2. The first type of land is fertile and sound. It is free of pests and suitable for farming. It absorbs rain water and produces vegetation of all types and grass. Thus, the land benefits by rain and becomes alive. Its benefit goes to others when man and beast eat of its produce. 

3. A second type is hard land, unsuitable for cultivation. It does not absorb rain water, but is able to retain it. Thus, it cannot support plant life, but will benefit people, forming a reservoir of water for people and animals to drink from, and which can also be put to other uses including manual watering of cultivated land. 

4. A third type of land is flat and smooth. It neither supports agriculture nor holds water. Thus, it neither benefits from the rain water, nor generates benefit through enabling people to use it.  

5. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then explains his example, stating that the first type is comparable to scholars who learn and understand what God and His Messenger have given. They implement it and teach it to people. The second type are those who act as the means to spread knowledge, although they themselves are not considered as scholars. The third type of people are those who do not accept what the Prophet (peace be upon him) has taught. They neither learn and spread such knowledge, nor understand and implement it. These are the unbelievers and transgressors who turn away from God’s message. 

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was the best of teachers, expressing his thoughts with the utmost lucidity. He was very keen to give people clear guidance. He utilized all methods to deliver God’s message and make it easily understood. In this case, he gives tangible examples in order to make people grasp concepts and help them understand. It behoves every advocate of the divine message to use the ways and methods that enable people to understand and implement Islamic teachings. 

2. People’s need for knowledge is similar, or even greater, than land’s need for rain. Let the first help that you give people for their benefit be their education in God’s message.

3. Knowledge flourishes in good hearts in the same way as vegetation grows in good and fertile land. A person who seeks knowledge should purge his heart of the evil of disbelief, envy and stinginess, seeking God’s help to achieve that. Ibn Taymiyyah said: ‘A soft and receptive heart will easily grasp knowledge. Such knowledge will establish itself in it and become effective. By contrast, a hard and bitter heart will find knowledge difficult to understand. In addition, the first type of heart should be clear, sound and pure so that the knowledge it acquires will be pure and yield fine fruits. Knowledge received by an impure and unsound heart shall be corrupted by such impurity, which will act like a pest attacking plants. If such a pest does not stop grains from growing, it will spoil its quality. This is very clear to people of insight’. [1]

4. The highest position belongs to one who combines knowledge and implementation with imparting education. Such a person is like the fertile land which absorbs rain water and lets plants grow to benefit others. Such people have different grades, according to the efforts they make. We need to try to be among those who achieve it fully.

5. If one cannot become a scholar, one may be able to transmit knowledge gained from scholars.

This may be better than the transmitter’s own understanding and learning.

  Both the listener and the recipient will share the same reward.

6. If you feel uneasy about something you learn of the guidance given by God and His Messenger and you mentally consider counter arguments, you should reflect and purge yourself of conceit and prejudice. Make sure that you are not one of those described in the following Qur’anic verse:

7. True honour is due to scholars, as they are the ones who provide guidance to whoever seeks it. A person’s worth is what that person has learnt well. Hence, the ignorant are hostile to those who pursue knowledge. Seek knowledge and do not seek anything in preference to it. People generally are dead, but scholars are the living ones.

8. Be keen to be the one who is a scholar, a student pursuing knowledge, or a listener to it. Knowledge imparts honour. Learn something from every branch of knowledge. The person who fathoms secrets is one who is worthy. 

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gives this order to the Muslim community to deliver his message and code of law, as it is within their ability and means. If a Muslim can only deliver one verse which he has learnt and understood, or an authentic hadith, then he should do so, and he is deemed to have done his duty.

The fact that the Prophet (peace be upon him) says, ‘even one verse’, makes clear that it is not a condition that an advocate of Islam should be a scholar of Islamic Studies. A Muslim calls on people to believe according to his knowledge, provided that he understands what he delivers and makes sure that the hadith he is quoting is authentic and what he is telling people is correct. 

This does not mean that he may say anything to all people. Advocacy of Islam requires wisdom and insight.

It is important to understand the condition and understanding of the person being addressed. He should be given only what is easy for him to understand; otherwise, it may be confusing for him. ꜤAlī ibn Abi Ṭālib said: ‘Speak to people according to their knowledge. Would you like that falsehood may be attributed to God and His Messenger?’ [1]

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then states that it is permissible to relate stories learnt from the Children of Israel. There is no harm in reporting these stories. 

However, this is limited to what we are certain of being correct or possible of their stories. What we suspect to be false may not be related.

3. The Prophet makes clear that it is strictly forbidden to attribute to him what he has not said. To do so deliberately earns severe punishment in Hell. 

False attribution to the Prophet is more strictly forbidden than doing the same to others. This is due to the fact that such false attribution is indeed a false claim attached to God and His faith. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not speak of his own fancy. Therefore, when a pretender makes a false statement and attributes it to the Prophet, then he is inventing by whim a legislation of permissibility or prohibition.

1. Every Muslim should try to be one who advocates belief in God. Such advocates are the best of people. God says about them: ‘Who speaks better than he who calls people to God, does what is right, 

2. Advocacy of Islam is a duty of all Muslims, each according to their own ability. A person who is able to spread knowledge and deliver the message of Islam should do so. Otherwise, a person should do such advocacy by his good manners and values, and by explaining what type of life a Muslim should lead, publicly and privately. 

3. Advocacy of Islam is easy for everyone. It is not a condition that an advocate should be a scholar who has spent years in Islamic studies. Everyone may do according to their own ability. God does not require anyone to do more than they are able to undertake.

4. Modern technology has made Islamic advocacy easier and simpler. A Muslim is able to search for the meaning of any Qur’anic verse and look it up in several books. He can establish the authenticity of a hadith very easily. With a mouse click, he can send verses, hadiths, recorded message, videos and other information to many people.  

5. Is it not enough for anyone that he receives a reward that is equivalent to the rewards of everyone who follows his advice.

6. Scholars and advocates who are in charge of Islamic advocacy, and those of experience who are ready to give what they can and devote their time to the spread of the message of Islam should explain to people that they must fulfil their own duty of advocacy. They should explain to them that they should get involved in the various aspects of Islamic advocacy, encouraging them to do what they can. They should further guide everyone to do what they can manage best, using all their talents and resources. By doing so, they open before people the different fields in which they can be involved.

7. Happy is the one who guides others to what is good and shows them the way to it. Wretched indeed is the one who promotes evil and encourages others to do it.

8. It is permissible to report stories and events that relate to the Children of Israel, provided that the reporter ascertains that they are true and explains to his audience that what he is mentioning is derived from their history. Thus, his audience will not be under the impression that these are absolutely true.

9. Everyone must beware of false attribution to the Prophet, whether deliberately or unwittingly. One must not relate a hadith unless one is absolutely certain that it is authentic. Otherwise, he may be one of those attributing falsehood to the Prophet. 

10. To ignorantly speak about the religion of Islam, permitting what God has forbidden and forbidding what He has made lawful is one form of false attribution to God’s Messenger (peace be upon him). 

11. Another form of false attribution to the Prophet (peace be upon him) is to deliberately attribute to scholars something they did not say. A person may be told that a particular scholar says that a particular matter is permissible. He will then assume that the scholar must have expressed this on the basis of clear knowledge. As such, he will consider it as part of the religion. To do this is far more serious than saying a simple falsehood. [4]

1. The Arabic term naḍḍara, which the Prophet (peace be upon him) uses in his prayer for the one who learns his hadith and delivers it to others, refers to ‘a comely, shiny face’. Thus, by praying to God to give such a person comeliness and a shiny face, the Prophet encourages his companions and the later generations of the Muslim community to learn his Sunnah and to spread its knowledge. This is a part of their reward for preserving the Sunnah, learning its texts in full, which requires good listening and learning as well as faithful transmission, so that it reaches others with the same words and meaning. 

It is permissible to transmit a hadith by meaning, if one is fully aware of its meaning. It is forbidden to attribute a false statement to the Prophet, even though the transmitter claims that it is done for some good purpose. 

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) explains the reason. The person who listens to a hadith may transmit it to someone who is able to understand the hadith better. Had everyone who listens to a hadith reported only his own understanding, without stating the exact text of the hadith, we would lose much of Prophet’s Sunnah and his guidance. In this hadith, the Prophet uses the word rubba, translated as ‘may happen’, which indicates that this is often the case, perhaps more than generally expected.

3. The Prophet then tells us that it is not a condition that the one who transmits a hadith should be a scholar. What is required is that he should learn and transmit its text accurately. It often happens that a person who transmits a hadith is not himself a scholar, but he nonetheless earns God’s reward by delivering it to others.

1. Zayd ibn Thābit was a young lad, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) took care to keep him close to himself, recognizing his intellectual ability. He made him one of his scribes, and he wrote Qur’anic verses as dictated by the Prophet himself. Both Abu Bakr al-Ṣiddīq and ꜤUthmān ibn ꜤAffān used him in collating the text of the Qur’an and writing the master copies sent to the major cities of the Muslim State. He excelled in learning the Islamic rules of inheritance, assigning the rightful shares to each of the heirs. It is important not to belittle the ability of any young person. 

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed that God grants comeliness, beauty and radiance to a person who delivers his Sunnah. Whoever wants to have such qualities, whether man or woman, should seek to transmit the Prophet’s Sunnah, and to join the ranks of those who memorize the Prophet’s hadiths. Sufyān ibn ꜤUyaynah said: ‘Whenever you meet one of the Hadith scholars, you will recognize comeliness in his face, because of the Prophet’s supplication’.  [1]

3. It is important to develop our skill of memorization, particularly the texts of what God and His Messenger say. Their wordings may have meanings that may escape our understanding at times or permanently. It is sufficient that one benefits by what one understands of them. One may even revisit a text at a later time and find that one understands it better. On the other hand, one may report it to other people, and they may benefit by it more than oneself.

4. Be careful not to listen to the argument of those who discourage memorization. Memorization does not lessen your ability to understand; on the contrary, it helps it. It benefits the memorizer and others. There is hardly a discipline of knowledge which does not have certain rules and texts that should be learnt literally. 

5. Every Muslim should be careful to transmit the hadith as it was learnt. Accuracy in learning and reporting is indicative of a sound mind. 

6. It is not a condition for the transmission of the Sunnah that the transmitter should be a qualified scholar, or that he should thoroughly understand everything he transmits. Indeed, it is perfectly appropriate for a person who listens to a Qur’anic verse, an authentic hadith, or a scholarly statement by a reliable scholar to transmit it accurately.

7. A wise person benefits by the wisdom expressed in the Qur’an or the Prophet’s Hadith, or in a statement made by his companions, even though he might learn such wisdom from someone who is a lesser scholar. In this way, he should be keen to benefit by what is transmitted, even if the transmitter is not a scholar of high standing. 

8. The hadith states the highly honourable status of the people of Hadith who transmit what the Prophet (peace be upon him) said. Imam al-ShāfꜤī said: ‘When I meet a Hadith scholar, I feel as if I am meeting one of the Prophet’s companions’.[2]  Al-ShāfiꜤī said this because they are fulfilling the same role as the Prophet’s companions who transmitted his hadiths. Therefore, we should give high respect and honour to scholars of Hadith. 

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) encourages everyone who is in a position to give a ruling to exert their best efforts (i.e. ijtihād) to examine evidence and make the right judgement.[1]  This applies to everyone who has scholarly authority, such as a mufti or a teacher, or a practical authority, such as a ruler, judge or father. If such a person has the tools and means to arrive at the right ruling,[2]  endeavours to do so and returns the right ruling, which is consistent with God’s judgement on that particular case, he is given double reward by God: one reward for exerting effort, and one for being right. [3]

2. On the other hand, if such a person exerts his best effort in trying to establish the truth and determine God’s judgement on a particular question, but gets it wrong, he remains blameless. In fact, he is granted the reward for exerting his effort, but his error is pardoned. [4]

The best example is that stated in the Qur’an concerning the judgements given by Prophets David and Solomon (peace be upon both of them). A farmer complained to David that a flock of sheep destroyed his produce. Prophet David ruled that the farmer take the sheep in punishment for the produce they destroyed. Prophet Solomon said that the right ruling was different. The sheep owner should take the farm and manage it until it was back in production and in the meantime the farmer should take the sheep and benefit by them until his farm was back at the same stage of production.

God states that Solomon was right, but He commends both David and Solomon.

Such honourable status applies only to one who is qualified to give a judgement. If an ignorant and unqualified person audaciously gives a judgement, he is guilty of disobeying God and receives no reward, even if his judgement is the right one, because his judgement is not based on a religious basis. An unqualified person giving a judgement is a sinner, whether his judgement is right or wrong.[5] 

1. Muslims should make every effort to acquire the tools of ijtihād, such as studying, careful examination and the like. Whoever is in a position to make a judgement should acquire such tools before passing any ruling, and indeed before looking at a case in order to arrive at a judgement. A person who exerts an effort to make a judgement without working hard to acquire the tools of ijtihad is not truly qualified to exercise ijtihad.

2. One type of effort that Muslims should exert is to refer to and ask expert scholars. If a person does not have all the tools of ijtihad at his disposal, he should ask the experts in every relevant kind of specialization. 

3. Whoever finds himself in a position to make a judgement should exert their best effort to arrive at the right ruling, and be happy that they will receive God’s reward. No one should neglect responsibility out of laziness or in anger. Every person may find themselves ruling over some issue: a father may be judging between his children; a teacher between his students; a mufti to his enquirer; a judge; a ruler; a chief of workers; a treasurer in trust of people’s dues, etc.  

4. Muslims should not, however, hesitate to undertake tasks, fearing to make errors. Islam gives us all the strength and courage to undertake responsibility and gain experience. It absolves us of blame when we exercise our best efforts. 

5. The truth is one. Seek it with diligence. Muslims should be careful not to be tricked by looking at relativities which may lead to an obscuring of the truth.

6. We should be careful not to assume that everyone who differs with us is in error or unfair. That person might have exerted his best efforts but arrived at a wrong ruling on the case in question. As such, he is pardoned his error and rewarded for exerting his effort. Be tolerant with all people. Make sure not to level accusations and criticism at scholars for the views they express after having exerted their scholarly efforts. 

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) one day gave his companions a highly effective admonition, warning them against incurring God’s wrath and placing themselves in a position of liability that would incur His punishment. His admonition was so strong that their hearts trembled and their eyes were tearful. 

2. One of his companions said to him that what he said went straight to their hearts, and it included all that is important to a Muslim of his life and religious affairs. It was similar to the recommendation of a departing person speaking to his family, pointing out everything they needed and giving them all its details and what they needed to know. He requested the Prophet to give some lasting and comprehensive advice. 

3. The first thing the Prophet commended to them was fearing God (limitless is He in His glory). It means that a person should place a shield between himself and what incurs God’s wrath. This can only be achieved by obeying God and following His Messenger (peace be upon him). Ṭalq ibn Ḥabīb defines it as follows: ‘To be God-fearing means to obey God, under God’s light, hoping to receive God’s reward; and to abandon disobedience of God, under God’s light, fearing God’s punishment’. [1]

4. The Prophet then highlighted the importance of listening to and obeying those in authority. Obeying them in what is permissible and reasonable is a duty. However, when any of them orders a person to do what is sinful, they forfeit the right to be obeyed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘To listen and obey is binding on a Muslim in whatever he likes or dislikes, unless he is bidden to commit some disobedience of God. If he is ordered to disobey God, he must neither listen nor obey’. [2]
 
The Prophet adds that is binding ‘even if the one to be obeyed is an Abyssinian slave’. Elsewhere, the Prophet recommends that the overall ruler should be free and belong to the Quraysh. The fact that he is here speaking about an Abyssinian slave is either to stress that such obedience even in a situation that is close to impossible might occur or because he was aware that, in time, things would go wrong to the extent that a ruler would be an unqualified person. Should this happen, Muslims are to listen and obey, as this would be the lesser evil, requiring the acceptance of such a ruler. Unless they did, matters could get much worse. Another possibility is that the Prophet’s words refer to lesser ranking officials. In all such situations, the Prophet makes it necessary to obey those in authority and not to dissent except when such rulers order us to disobey God, or when they are blatantly unbelievers.

5. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then tells us that the Muslim community was bound to go through turmoil and great strife after him. Safety in such a situation is achieved through strict following of his Sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly-guided caliphs, Abu Bakr, ꜤUmar, ꜤUthman and ꜤAlī (may God be pleased with them). The Prophet orders that Muslims should adhere to this pattern as a person bites hard on something he is keen to keep and fears to let go. 

The Prophet mentioned the sunnah of the rightly-guided caliphs because he was certain that they would not deviate from his Sunnah. He was also aware that some aspects of his Sunnah may not be well-known in his own time. In this case, these would become better known during the rule of these claiphs. As they would be keen to revive such aspects, these are attributed to them, although originally they are part of the Prophet’s Sunnah. 

Another possibility is that the Prophet’s reference to ‘caliphs’ means leading scholars, because they are the Prophet’s successors in establishing the truth, adhering to the faith and guiding people along the right way.

6. The Prophet then warns against different ways that were not practised in his lifetime. Every such invention in the divine faith is a deviation, leading people astray. However, new practices are of two types: 
• They are not related to religion. Whatever has been invented or developed in worldly and life matters are not considered deviations. 
• They are related to religion but have no religious basis.

  Therefore, whatever is introduced into the religion and claimed to belong to it, while it has no basis in the religion, is deviant and erroneous. Islam has nothing to do with it. This applies to all fields of faith: beliefs, statements and actions, be they clearly manifest or subtle. [4]
If what is introduced has a clear basis, then it is not a deviation and will not be rejected, even though it is described as bidꜤah. It is given this description in the linguistic sense of the word, which means ‘something new’. When ꜤUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb organized the Tarāwīḥ Prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque, ordering the people to form one congregation and appointed Ubay ibn KaꜤb to lead the prayer, he used the same word, describing the action as a ‘fine bidꜤah’.[5]  The Prophet had led the people in such prayer on a couple of occasions, but then stopped, fearing that it might become a duty and people would then be unable to continue with it. 

1. Scholars, educators and advocates of Islam should be gentle in giving admonition and also make it brief. Shaqīq Abu Wāʼil narrated: ‘ꜤAbdullāh [ibn MasꜤūd] used to address us every Thursday. One man said to him: “Abu ꜤAbd al-Raḥmān, we love your speech and are eager to listen. We would love that you address us every day”. He said: “Nothing stops me from addressing you other than that I would dislike for you to be bored. I am selective with my admonition as God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) used to be selective as to which days he would admonish us, fearing that we be bored”’. [6]

2. One distinctive characteristic of believers is that when they listen to God’s words or the Prophet’s hadiths, they attentively listen, eager to understand it. Their hearts would tremble and their eyes would be tearful.

Everyone of us should emulate them. 

3. In his admonition, a scholar should include general and comprehensive rules.

4. Every Muslim is recommended to seek admonition and sincere advice from scholars and people known for their good faith and wisdom.

5. Every Muslim should be keen to do what pleases God, both in public and private. This is the way of safety from stress and temptation in this life and from Hell in the next.

6. Consider the well-known saying whereby:
unless a person covers himself with a shroud of righteousness, he remains naked even though he is dressed in clothes. The best of a person’s garments is his obedience of his Lord.

7. Listen to those in authority and obey them, unless they order disobedience of God or they revert to disbelief.

8. To endure the injustice of rulers is better than getting involved in strife and a conflict that leads to bloodshed and disunity in the Muslim community.

9. Assured safety is the result of following the Prophet’s Sunnah. He has taught us every good thing and warned us against all evil. 

10. Following the example of the Prophet’s companions is the best way to ascertain the truth. They were the people who understood God’s revelations best and knew the Prophet and his Sunnah better than anyone else.

ꜤUmar ibn ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz said: ‘Stop where they [i.e. the Prophet’s companions] stopped, and say as they said, and remain silent on things they did not speak about. They stopped on the basis of clear knowledge, and refrained through clear insight. They were better able to understand things, and more qualified to know their merits’. This means that: ‘if your present practice complies with right guidance, then you have excelled them. If you say that it occurred after they had departed, then it has been introduced by others who chose a different way and distanced themselves from them. Yet they [the Prophet’s companions] were the front leaders. They spoke about it well enough. What is not up to their standard is inferior, and what is above them is pretentious. Some people lagged behind them and they went astray, while others were driven by ambition and, thus, they became extremists. In their middle way, they were the followers of right guidance’. [7]

11. The tābiꜤīn were very keen to follow the practice and Sunnah of the Prophet and his companions. Ibrāhīm al-NakhaꜤī said: ‘Were I to be told that they [meaning the Prophet’s companions] did their ablution, or wudu, stopping at a particular nail, I would not exceed that. It is wrong for anyone to do what is contrary to the practice of the Prophet’s companions’. [8]
 
12. Every Muslim should refrain from doing what has no basis in Islam. The truth is embodied in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, with nothing beyond. 

13. There is no such thing as a ‘good bidꜤah’. Whatever is inconsistent with the Prophet’s practice may not be introduced into Islam. It is false and its advocates bear its burden. 

This hadith is one of the most important hadiths in Islam. Some scholars describe it as representing ‘one-third of Islam’. [1]

1. It is intention that gives any action its particular nature. Intention is the purpose formulated in one’s mind as to what a particular action is done for. This is what distinguishes an act of worship from ordinary action. Likewise, different types of worship are given their distinctive characteristics. Only actions done for God’s sake are accepted and rewarded, while other actions are rejected. 

2. Actions may be similar but intentions are different. The reward of any action is based on a person’s intention. If one intends one’s deed for a good purpose, reward will be forthcoming; but if an action is intended for an evil purpose, punishment is incurred. If no intention is associated with an action, it earns no reward and incurs no liability. In fact, an action is variably assessed on the basis of people’s intentions.

Good intention does not impart any goodness to a bad deed. Some people invented a method of praising God which is unacceptable in Islam. ‘Abdullāh ibn MasꜤūd criticized them. They said to him: ‘Abu‘Abd al-Raḥmān, we only wanted to do what is good’. He said: ‘Many a person cannot attain his good purpose’.  [2]

3. The Prophet clarifies the point in question, giving the example of migration, which means abandoning the land of unbelief to live in the land of Islam. A person may undertake such migration ‘for God and His Messenger’. It is thus intended ‘for God’ in all sincerity, as an act of worship, and ‘for His Messenger’, obeying his order and following his practice. Such is the real migration that is honourable and noteworthy. 

In this instance, the Prophet does not mention the reward earned by this migration, but implies that it is of the superior type. This is the same as God, Mighty and Exalted, does not specify the reward for fasting. He says: ‘All man’s actions are his except fasting: it is Mine and I reward it’.  [3]

4. A person may migrate for some ordinary purpose, such as doing some commercial business or marrying a particular woman. Such migration is not considered from a religious point of view and, as such, earns no reward, although migration is one of the most rewarding acts of worship. It is evaluated on the basis of the person’s own intention. The same applies to all types of worship. The Prophet does not mention that such a person earns any reward, because his action is not intended as a pure act of worship. Needless to say, people differ in their intentions. 

1. Make sure of having a good intention and watch your heart and mind. Strive to ensure that you do all your actions in obedience of God. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘God does not look at your shapes or wealth, but He looks at your hearts and deeds’. [4]

2. Do not be pleased with your own or someone else’s action, if it is associated with the wrong motive. Actions are interlinked with the intention behind them.

3. Entertain plenty of good intentions, because a believer’s intention goes further than his action. When one intends to do some good action, one earns a reward, whether one manages to act on such intention or not. On his way back from the Tabuk Expedition

4. Muslims in the early generations used to learn proper intention as they learnt good action. They learnt intention through careful watching, self-improvement and striving for what is good. Yaḥyā ibn Kathīr said: ‘Learn good intention, because it goes further than action’. Sufyān al-Thawrī said: ‘It was my intention that I strove hardest against, because it always kept changing’. [7]

5. An ordinary, habitual action is transformed through intention into an act of worship. Thus, a person may intend eating his food to increase his energy to perform worship and do good deeds. A businessman may intend his trading to help build human life, benefit the Muslim community, earn a lawful income to support his family, etc. A student of Islamic Studies may intend his learning to benefit himself and his community to follow the example of prophets and scholars. A woman may intend her sleep to have some rest so that she can continue with her good actions and worship. They, thus, earn reward for all these actions. MuꜤādh ibn Jabal said: ‘As for me, I have some sleep and do some night worship. I thus seek the reward for my sleeping and my night worship’. [8]

6. If you are about to do something, make sure to intend it as an aspect of your submission to God, the Exalted. Zubayd al-Yamāmī said: ‘I love to have a proper intention in everything, including eating and drinking’. If the action you intend to do appears to you of little significance, remember God’s greatness and the reward He grants for any action intended to draw the doer closer to Him. ꜤAbdullāh ibn al-Mubārak said: ‘Intention may elevate a small action as it may also downgrade a great action’. [9]

7. Always be alert, making sure that Satan cannot divert your acts of worship, changing their purpose to that of earning good reputation among your community. If you do, you end up a loser.

8. Combine good intention with following God’s Messenger (peace be upon him). This is the essence of migration for God and His Messenger.

al-Fuḍayl ibn ꜤIyāḍ said: ‘The best kind of action is that which is most sincere and most correct. It is most sincere when it is done for God alone, and it is most correct when it follows the Sunnah. An action which is sincere but incorrect is rejected, and the one which is insincere but correct is rejected’. [11]

9. If you wish to be considered noble, well-mannered, God-fearing, having a fine character, intelligent and free, then be sincerely devoted to God, Mighty and Exalted, and make sure to follow the Prophet so that you ensure good reward.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions that frequent remembrance of God gives life to souls and places. A home in which God is frequently mentioned and glorified enjoys comfort, reassurance, delight and happiness. It is visited by angels who impart serenity to it. It is like a living person who is in comfort, friendly to others and whose company is enjoyed by people. A home in which God is not mentioned and glorified is desolate, having no life. People stay away from it, like they stay away from the dead. It is deserted by angels. 

Dhikr, i.e. remembrance of God, means mental awareness of God’s greatness and the vocalization of phrases of praise and glorification of God. In a more general meaning, it includes all good deeds such as prayer, supplication, God’s glorification, recitation of the Qur’an, imparting religious knowledge, etc. 

2. The other version related by al-Bukhari describes the person who remembers God as alive and the one who ignores this as dead. Indeed, God’s remembrance makes souls alive and gives hearts reassurance.

Indeed, God’s remembrance is the nourishment of souls in the same way that food and drink are the nourishment of bodies. Therefore, a person who takes care of his physical nourishment and ignores soul nourishment is akin to animals that are useless or like the dead.

1. The use of similes and metaphors is one of the most effective ways to teach as they ensure the listeners’ understanding. An idea is amplified and made clear when it is presented in a physical way so that it is understood by all.

2. It is not a condition for the validity of God’s remembrance that one pays full attention and thinks of the meaning of what is being said. A Muslim may remember God when he is free or busy, saying whatever comes easy of God’s glorifications. However, the best way of God’s remembrance which earns the greatest reward is the one in which both mind and tongue take part.  

3. Do not let your home be desolate, unfrequented by angels. Make it alive with God’s remembrance and recitation of the Qur’an.

4. The one who remembers God often is alive and his home is full of goodness and blessings. The one who is careless of it is like a dead person in a grave. 

5. God’s remembrance gives life to hearts. No Muslim should allow his heart to be dead by abandoning it. 

6. Nothing gives more enjoyment than God’s remembrance. No deed is easier and no pleasure felt by heart and soul is greater.

7. It is important to keep up your remembrance of God, as it pleases the Lord and expels Satan. It also removes worry and brings happiness. It increases one’s provisions and imparts dignity to one’s appearance and earns God’s love. 

8. Dhikr, i.e. remembrance of God, is of different types. One type is general and may be said at any time and place, such as glorifying God, praising Him, declaring His oneness, supplication and recitation of the Qur’an. Another type is linked to situation and occasion, such as the glorifications and supplications said in the morning, evening and before going to sleep; and those said when leaving or entering one’s home, or going to the toilet and leaving it, or putting one’s clothes on or off, entering a mosque and leaving it, etc. 

9. It is important to keep remembering God and glorifying Him. The one who does this is happy and content, while the one who neglects this is unhappy, hard-hearted.

1. A man complained to the Prophet that the recommended and voluntary acts of worship had become too many for him and he could not do them all. He requested the Prophet to point out to him one of the recommended acts that earn great reward so that he could keep it up to gain the reward he might otherwise miss. 

His complaint did not imply that he included obligatory acts of worship. Indeed, this cannot be considered. The Prophet would not have approved of it. Moreover, all recommended acts of worship do not replace a single obligatory duty.

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told him to repeat often the phrases of God’s glorification, praise and remembrance. He should keep his tongue fresh with the mention of God, as he repeated such phrases at all times. 

The Prophet chose God’s remembrance because it is simple and easy to say, while its reward is indeed great.

It is enough to appreciate the importance of God’s remembrance that

 
1. If you find that recommended acts of worship are too many for you, choose the most rewarding ones and do the best of them in the time available to you. 

2. Advocates of Islam should explain to people the reward of voluntary and recommended acts of worship so that they are motivated to keep them up. 

3. Educators and advocates of Islam should select for people the recommended acts of worship that suit their situations and that earn rich reward from God. 

4. Remembrance of God is the simplest act of worship. Everyone can do it without difficulty. The person who is keen to practise this frequently, is indeed a happy person.

5. Everyone should keep up their remembrance of God, as it is the means to the forgiveness of sins, elevating one’s status and turning Satan away. It also pleases God, removes distress, ensures that provisions are blessed, and that strength is given to one’s body and heart.

6. The distinctive sign of love is to remember and not forget. Everyone should test their hearts to establish whether they love their Lord, remembering Him all the time, or whether they merely claim to love Him.

7. God’s remembrance is of different levels. The highest is to remember God by tongue and heart. The next is to remember him by heart, and the last is to mention Him verbally without paying attention to what one is saying. The gap between each two of these levels is great, and likewise, the difference in reward is great.

8. God’s remembrance breathes life into souls.

1. There are many ways and forms of seeking God’s forgiveness, and these are explained in the Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah. However, the best formula which is most effective and likely to be accepted is the one the Prophet describes as the master formula. This is the one starting with: ‘Oh God, You are my Lord. There is no deity other than You. You have created me and I am Your servant’. Thus, a Muslim starts his appeal for forgiveness by acknowledging God’s oneness. He is our Lord and Master who controls all our affairs. He has created us with His own hand, and none other than Him deserves to be worshipped. The Creator is unlike any other.

2. The supplicant then renews his covenant with God, stating that he continues to be committed to the covenant of belief in God which God accepted from all humans when they were still in their fathers’ loins.

What this means is that the supplicant declares his commitment to the pledge that he will obey his Lord and not disobey Him or associate partners with Him, as much as is within his ability. Any failing to acknowledge God’s grace or any sin one may commit is due to human weakness. It is not the result of any ignorance of God’s oneness and greatness. Thus, the supplicant states an implicit acknowledgement of falling short of the fulfilment of his duty towards God. 

3. The supplicant then seeks refuge with his Lord from the evil he might have perpetrated, such as falling short of doing what is due to God, or expressing his gratitude for God’s bounty. The only suitable thing in man’s relation with God is to worship Him truly and purely. Whatever one does otherwise is something that requires God’s forgiveness. 

4. The supplicant also acknowledges God’s countless favours and acknowledges his own sins, slip-ups and errors.
5.  Having started his supplication with the praise of God and acknowledgement of His favours and bounty, as well as admitting his sins, the supplicant prays for God’s forgiveness, stating clearly his knowledge that none forgives sins other than God. 

6. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then explains the merit of this supplication, stating that if a person says it in the morning, fully convinced of it and with true sincerity then dies during that day, he will be in Heaven. The same applies if he says it in the evening and then dies before the next morning.

This formula is the best way of seeking God’s forgiveness because it includes acknowledgement of God’s oneness and His favours, and because the appeal for forgiveness is preceded by suitable praises of God. 

1. The best formula for seeking God’s forgiveness is to start by saying ‘Oh God, You are my Lord and I am Your servant’. This is to acknowledge by word and heart that God is one’s Lord and Master, who controls everyone’s affairs. It is also an acknowledgement that the supplicant is God’s servant, in reality and in faith. In reality, it means that God does whatever He likes with His servant, causing him to be in health or illness, in wealth or poverty, in error or following right guidance, as His wisdom determines. He is also God’s servant in faith, worshipping Him as He bids him, fulfilling His commandments and refraining from what He forbids.

2. It is important to start with praising God and glorifying Him before saying one’s supplication. The Prophet (peace be upon him) overheard someone supplicating during prayer, but he did not start with praising God and offering the greeting of peace to God’s Messenger.

3. The best way to seek God’s forgiveness is to start by praising and glorifying God and to follow this with an acknowledgement of His favours and grace. One should then acknowledge one’s own errors and that he falls short of what is required. One should then appeal for God’s forgiveness.

4. Scholars, educators and advocates of Islam should explain to people the best phrases of glorification of God, the best supplications for forgiveness and the best phrases of greeting and thanking the Prophet (peace be upon him). They should teach people what they need to know and say of supplications and glorifications and the best times of saying them. 

5. Everyone should state verbally and acknowledge mentally that he is faithful to his covenant with God, which requires him to obey God and hold on to believing in Him. He is committed to the fulfilment of this as well as he can. God does not require anyone to do more than he or she can.

6. Every Muslim should denounce his own sinful actions and seek God’s refuge from them. The only fitting relationship with God for a Muslim is perfect obedience.

7. Every sinner should make sure not to exult in his sin or speak about it openly. God, the Exalted, will forgive every believer, except those who boast openly about their sins.

8. Acknowledging the blessings and favours God has granted requires the expression of gratitude. This means that man must not use such bounty in a sinful way. 

9. Admitting one’s sin is the first step to repentance. It is important not to persist in denying one’s sinful action. It is hoped that God will forgive the one who admits his sins.

10. It is important never to belittle one’s sin. To do so motivates one to do more of the same. It certainly does not encourage a person to repent. Al-Fuḍayl ibn ꜤIyāḍ said: ‘The more lightly you think of your sin, the more serious it is in God’s sight, and the more seriously you think of it, the less it is in God’s sight’.

11. A believer thinks his sins very serious, even though they are minor. He will regret having done them and turn to God seeking His forgiveness. ‘Abdullāh ibn MasꜤūd said: ‘A believer thinks of his sins and sees himself sitting under a mountain which he fears to collapse over him. A persistent sinner sees his sins like a fly passing in front of his face, and he moves it away with his hand’.  [3]

12. No one forgives sins other than God, the Exalted. Turn to Him alone, seeking His forgiveness and praying for His mercy. Beware of appealing to dead people and seeking their help. They can do you no benefit.

13. When God wants something good to happen to someone, He opens for him the way of humility and encourages him to turn to Him, acknowledging his need for God’s help. He will enable him to see his own faults and transgression, and to recognize God’s grace, bounty, mercy and favours, so that he will be grateful and praise Him. 

14. Everyone should make sure to memorize this supplication which the Prophet describes as the best formula of seeking forgiveness. It is recommended to say it every morning and evening so that one ensures to be in Heaven, should one die on that day.

15. Every Muslim should learn and repeat the supplications and glorifications highlighted by the Prophet for their special merit, such as the present one which guarantees admittance into Heaven. 

16. Educators, scholars and advocates of Islam should explain to people the reward God grants for a recommended formula of supplication or glorification of God. This encourages the listener to repeat them often.

17. Addressing God, one Shariah scholar said: 
My Lord, if my sins are very numerous, I know that Your forgiveness is much greater. 
If only good people hope for Your mercy, to whom should a guilty one turn? 
I appeal to You sincerely, my Lord, as You have bidden me. If You turn me away, where can I find mercy? 
I am turning to You pleading nothing other than my hope, Your generous forgiveness and that I am a Muslim.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us that the best of people who gain the highest grade with God is any person who dedicates himself to learning the recitation, memorization and implementation of the Qur’an. He, thus, learns the meanings and rulings of the Qur’an, then starts to teach it to people. He earns the rank of learners as he learns it, and then gains the rank of scholars through teaching the Qur’an.

It is a condition that learning and teaching should be combined with implementing what one has learned. It is stated that Jesus (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whoever learns, implements and teaches is honoured in the Highest kingdom’.  [1]

2. The tābiꜤīn followed the Prophet’s companions in memorizing the Qur’an and learning its rulings and meanings, then teaching it to people. Abu ꜤAbd al-Raḥmān al-Sulamī, who narrates this hadith from ꜤUthmān, belonged to the tābiꜤīn generation which succeeded the Prophet’s companions. He continued to teach the Qur’an from the time when ꜤUthmān was the caliph to the time when al-Ḥajjāj was governor of Iraq. This was a period close to forty years. 

Abu ꜤAbd al-Raḥmān al-Sulamī’s name was ꜤAbdullāh ibn Ḥabīb ibn RabīꜤah. He belonged to Madinah, then to Kufah. His father was a companion of the Prophet and he was born during the Prophet’s lifetime. Abu ꜤAmr al-Dānī said that he learnt the Qur’an, reciting it to his teachers who were ꜤUthmān ibn ꜤAffān, ꜤAlī ibn Abi Ṭālib, Zayd ibn Thābit, Ubay ibn KaꜤb and ꜤAbdullāh ibn MasꜤūd. His students included ꜤĀṣim ibn Abi al-Najūd who taught Ḥafṣ. Today, most of the Muslim world follows the method of recitation of ‘Ḥafṣ from ꜤĀṣim’. Abu ꜤAbd al-Raḥmān al-Sulamī died in Year 74 AH, 694 CE.

3. Al-Sulamī said: ‘This is what has placed me in this position of mine’. He meant that the reason that made him continue to teach the Qur’an for this long period is what this hadith says. He was eager to be included among those the Prophet describes as ‘the best of you’.

1. It is important to reflect on this hadith and make a sustained effort to learn the Qur’an and its message, proper and accurate recitation, the meanings of its vocabulary and verses, and then to spread such knowledge to others. The person who is too lazy to be one of the best of people is nothing short of being a loser. 

2. People compete to possess what is best: one loves to have the best house, another the best car, a third the best clothes, and some others compete for the best position. The Prophet (peace be upon him), however, tells us that the best of people are those who learn and teach the Qur’an. Let your evaluation of yourself and others be by the standard stated by God’s Messenger (peace be upon him), who only spoke as was revealed to him.

3. Whoever wants the best in this life should focus on the Qur’an; and whoever wants the best in the life to come should focus on the Qur’an; and whoever wants the best in both should focus on the Qur’an.

4. Scholarship is perfected by implementation and teaching. An educator should do his best to teach his students, begrudging them nothing. A student should teach his friends what he has been taught by his teacher. 

5. A scholar who teaches does not achieve the status of ‘best of people’ unless he implements what he has learnt.

He should implement the values the Qur’an teaches, so that he will become a role model for others, motivating them to learn the Qur’an. ꜤAbdullāh ibn MasꜤūd said: ‘A person who has learnt the Qur’an by heart should be known by his [wakeful] night while other people are asleep; by his [fasting] days while people eat; by his sadness while others are in mirth; by his weeping while others are laughing; by being silent while people are gossiping; by his humility while other people move proudly. Having learnt the Qur’an by heart, a person should be tearful, sorrowful, wise, forbearing, knowledgeable and saying little. He should not be overbearing, unmindful, quarrelsome, shouting or hard in treating others’. [2]

6. When you meet a person who has learnt, implemented and taught the Qur’an, be friendly with him, love him and treat him with kindness, even though he may be a poor old person who is rarely treated with respect. He may be one of the best of mankind, according to the Prophet’s definition. This is particularly applicable, if he has taught you some of the Qur’an. To such a teacher you owe a duty. 

7. We should say to Qur’anic teachers that they should persevere in what they do. They should continue to spend long hours in a mosque, an institute or on social media. No such person should ever think that he no longer needs to do such teaching. Abu ꜤAbd al-Raḥmān al-Sulamī continued to do so for forty years, pursuing the grade God grants to teachers of the Qur’an. 

8. A person who does not teach the Qur’an directly should try to teach it in some other way, such as encouraging this by writing articles and giving speeches to encourage this. Other ways include publishing books and computer programmes, establishing Qur’anic circles, renumerating both teachers and students at such circles, publishing podcasts, etc. 

1. Abu SaꜤīd ibn al-MuꜤallā mentions that he was in prayer when the Prophet (peace be upon him) called him, but he did not answer him. Instead he continued with his prayer. 

2. When he finished his prayer, he went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) explaining that his delayed response was because he was engaged in prayer, thinking that it was not permissible for him to discontinue his prayer or to speak answering the Prophet. He further thought that an immediate answer to the Prophet’s call was obligatory only for one who was not in the middle of a prayer. 

3. The Prophet informed him that answering his call immediately was obligatory for everyone, including anyone in prayer

The Prophet (peace be upon him) would not call anyone except for what is important. 
  
4. The Prophet then told him that he would tell him which is the greatest surah in the Qur’an, and this would be done before he left the mosque. This shows that the Qur’anic surahs have different rewards given for their recitation.

This is related to what each surah includes of God’s names, attributes, confirmation of His oneness, praises, supplication to Him and glorification. Thus, Verse 2: 255, known as the Verse of the Throne, is the greatest verse in the Qur’an, and al-Fātiḥah, or the Opening, is the greatest surah, while Surah 112, Purity of Faith, is considered equal to one-third of the Qur’an.

5. The Prophet then took Abu SaꜤīd by the hand and was about to leave the mosque. He either forgot his promise that he would tell Abu SaꜤīd about the greatest surah, or he was testing him to know how keen he was to learn. Abu SaꜤīd reminded him of what he said before he left at the gate.

6. The Prophet told him that the opening surah, al-Fātiḥah, was the greatest surah of the Qur’an. It is referred to as al-sabꜤ al-mathānī, given this name because of 1) the great praise of God it contains; 2) it is frequently repeated in prayers; and 3) God has honoured the Prophet’s community with it. All three reasons are derived from the connotations of the Arabic word mathānī. It is also called al-sabꜤ, which means ‘seven’, because it is composed of seven verses. God states that He favoured His Messenger by giving him the greatest surah in the Qur’an, al-Fātiḥah, and the full Qur’an, which is His great revelation.

1. If answering the Prophet’s call is obligatory on every Muslim, even when he is engaged in prayer, acting on his orders in all spheres of life is even more so. No one may give priority to his own opinion or desire over the Prophet’s orders and his Sunnah. It is important, therefore, to fully understand this and implement it.

2.

This tells us that the proper and fruitful life to which we should aspire to is the life of hearts and souls, not the physical life of the body and desire. It is that fruitful life which ensures happiness in the eternal life to come. Therefore, whoever wants real life should be committed to obeying God and His Messenger. Such commitment to obey is the only way to ensure happiness in both this life and the life to come. 

3. Be mindful to commit yourself to seeking religious knowledge and let nothing distract you from this. Do not hesitate to ask questions, either out of shyness or exaggerated self-esteem. We note that Abu SaꜤīd did not hesitate to remind the Prophet of his promise to teach him the greatest surah in the Qur’an, nor did he feel too shy to accompany him as he left the mosque, realizing the Prophet’s highly honourable status and the great respect afforded to him by his companions. He was keen to learn.

4. The hadith tells us of the Prophet’s compassion towards his companions and his keenness to teach them what benefits them. Every teacher should emulate the Prophet’s manners in teaching. A student should show the same eagerness to learn as Abu SaꜤīd shows in this hadith. 

5. Discerning Muslims should not allow a chance to learn what is good and of benefit to pass by. Had Abu SaꜤīd left the Prophet when he left the mosque, he would not have learnt this greatly useful lesson.

6. Since the Qur’anic surahs differ in the reward they earn for their reciter, every Muslim should be keen to gain the greatest honour by reciting often the verses and surahs which are highlighted as superior by authentic hadiths. Better still is to memorize such verses and surahs, reflect on their meaning and understand the reason behind their superiority. 

7. One aspect of the superiority of the opening surah, al-Fātiḥah, is that God starts it with praise and glorification before He includes a supplication. This is one of the proper manners everyone should learn to ensure that his prayers are answered. Fuḍālah ibn ꜤUbayd narrated that God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) heard someone supplicating during his prayer, without glorifying God or praying for the Prophet.

8. Urging Muslims to learn and understand the Qur’an, scholars highlight that it guides to all that is good as also provides reassurance and comfort, both physically and spiritually. 

1. Ubay ibn Ka‘b was once asked by the Prophet whether he knew which is the greatest verse in God’s Book, the Qur’an, which means the verse that has the highest status and gives the greatest reward.

2. Ubay’s answer attributed such knowledge to God, the Exalted, and to the Prophet (peace be upon him), despite the fact that he knew the answer. He did so stressing that speaking about religion is very serious. His answer reflected his good manners and humility as he was speaking to the Prophet.

Ubay attributed such knowledge to God first and then to the Prophet (peace be upon him) because this is a matter of religion which God has taught the Prophet. As for matters belonging to the realm beyond the reach of human faculties of perception, their knowledge must be attributed to God alone.

3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) repeated his question to Ubay, encouraging him to answer, rather than merely attributing its knowledge to God and His Messenger. 

4. When Ubay understood this, he said that the verse in question is the Verse of the Throne. He did not give the answer at first because he knew that the Prophet (peace be upon him) often asked a question to alert his audience and draw their attention. Sometimes he gave an answer that differed with people’s normal practice. Ubay considered that the Prophet might have received revelation that a different verse was superior, or stating some additional information. When the Prophet repeated his question, Ubay realized that the Prophet (peace be upon him) wanted him to state what he knew. Hence, he gave his answer. 

The Verse of the Throne is the greatest verse of the Qur’an because it states God’s oneness, confirms His fine and perfect attributes, mentions some of His fine names and negates whatever suggests any element of weakness as applicable to Him, such as sleep and slumber.

5. The Prophet (peace be upon him) pats Ubay on the chest, suggesting that his bosom is full of knowledge and wisdom. This is a kind act by the Prophet to reassert his knowledge and to encourage him to seek more knowledge and further insight. It further expresses delight with what he demonstrated of knowledge. 

6. The Prophet congratulated Ubay on his knowledge, praying that it would give him happiness and that he would excel in knowledge. It is a supplication that implies praise and confirmation that he had good knowledge.

The Verse of the Throne is especially important: it is confirmed in this hadith that it is the greatest verse in the Qur’an. Other hadiths state that it protects against Satan. It is recommended to recite this verse after obligatory prayers, at the time when one goes to bed and on other occasions as well.

1. It is important to address other people by the titles which they love and that are not discouraged by Islam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to call his companions by the appellations they loved, although his status was very high while they were still young, and were like students speaking to him as their teacher. It behoves every Muslim to follow his example. This particularly applies to scholars, advocates and educators. They need to speak to their students with kind words and fine style, addressing them by their preferred names. To do so is sure to have a good effect on them.

2. It is extremely helpful to develop the habit of saying, ‘God knows best’. Not only is it safer and more appropriate, it is also frequently used by scholars. Ubay ibn Ka‘b was well versed with the Qur’an. The Prophet said: ‘Learn the Qur’an from four people: Ibn Mas‘ūd, Ubay ibn Ka‘b, Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal and Sālim mawlā Abi Ḥudhayfah’.[1]  Ubay had the knowledge, or at least near certainty of the right answer to the question about the greatest verse. Nevertheless, he immediately attributed full knowledge to God.

3. One of the effective methods of teaching for both teacher and student is to put the information across in the form of a question and answer. When one has no answer to a question being put to him, he will be keen to learn the answer. This method is more likely to make the answer easier to remember and less likely to be forgotten than the direct way of giving information.
4. Some fine manners are associated with the method of question and answer. A person may know the answer to a question being put to him, but does not state it because he holds the questioner with great respect and he is eager to learn the answer from the questioner, as the latter may have greater knowledge than what he himself knows. He may endeavour to have an answer if he knows that his teacher will correct him if he is wrong. 

5. It is important to give full attention to the Verse of the Throne, which is the greatest Qur’anic verse. As such, it is great to learn, memorize, understand and teach, at homes, schools and learning circles.

6. That the Prophet patted Ubay ibn Ka‘b on his chest was a gesture of friendliness aimed to confirm his knowledge. The answer remained alive in his mind and it continued to be learnt by Hadith narrators ever since.

7. When you find your students, children or friends giving the right answer, pray for them, praise them and tell them that they are correct. It is best not to treat them with arrogance, but rather to give everyone their rights, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) did with Ubay ibn KaꜤb.

8. The hadith indicates that it is permissible for a person to praise another in his presence, if this is of benefit, such as giving that person an incentive to continue to do good and exert proper effort.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked his companions whether any of them was ready to recite one-third of the Qur’an every night.

2. His companions felt the question strange, as it required something hard of them. The Prophet never used to require them to do what they were unable to accomplish.

3. He told them that the surah that mentions God by His oneness and eternity is equal to one-third of the Qur’an with regard to its merit and reward. This surah is entitled al-Ikhlāṣ, or Purity of Faith. The Prophet referred to it using a couple of God’s attributes it mentions, particularly al-Ṣamad. This attribute, which is translated as ‘the Eternal, the Absolute’ has many connotations that refer to several of God’s attributes. One of these is that God does not need food or anything, and none is similar to Him in any way. Further, He is the One sought for help, as He is in no need of anyone of His creation, while all of them are in need of Him and His help. Also, He is the One who remains after all creation have died. 

Composed of a small number of words,[2]  this surah is equal to one-third of the Qur’an because it focuses on God’s oneness and mentions some of God’s names and attributes. It makes absolutely clear that He has neither partner, nor equal, nor a son. God’s Book, the Qur’an, has three main themes: 1) the explanation of God’s oneness and His attributes; 2) stating the Islamic code of law, explaining what is lawful and what is unlawful; and 3) giving accounts of past communities. This surah tackles the first of these three themes, i.e. God’s oneness. Therefore, a person who recites this surah earns a reward equal to that of one who recites one-third of the Qur’an. 

1. It is good to choose the proper and more effective methods of address. Some discourse may be good and useful, but the right way of presenting it may make it easier to accept and act upon. This applies in most situations, including one’s discourse with one’s children, family, students and others to whom one may give advice or have some business with. 

2. The Prophet used the method of asking a strange question to prepare his companions to receive the information he wanted to give them. He asked them whether they were ready to do something which appeared to be beyond their ability. As a result, they were fully attentive to him as he explained how a person could recite that much of the Qur’an during one night. Such a method of putting some strange questions, or relating some marvellous events is highly effective in keeping one’s audience alert, ready to receive and understand the information to be given. Advocates of Islam, scholars, teachers and educators will do well to use this method.

3. The hadith shows the Prophet’s wisdom in educating his companions, preferring to put forward a proposal rather than give an order. It is important to learn from the Prophet his way of educating his companions. He used every way that encourages his audience to do what he suggests to them. 

4.  The Shariah assigns easy tasks that ensure fine and plentiful reward. Every Muslim should be keen to make the best use of such divine gifts.

5. The hadith shows how well-mannered the Prophet’s companions were. They did not reject his proposition, but tried to politely excuse themselves. It is important to behave towards our teachers in the same manner.
 
6. We need to give Surah 112, al-Ikhlāṣ or Purity of Faith, its due importance. The Prophet highlighted its great merit because it is great indeed. Every Muslim should ensure to memorize, study, understand and teach it, at home, school and study circles. This applies to everything God states as important.

7.