While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him. He sat down close by the Prophet ﷺ rested his knees against the knees of the Prophet ﷺ and placed his palms over his thighs, and said: “O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied: “Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger. That you should perform salah, pay the zakah, fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj to the House, if you can find the means for making the journey to it.”
He said: “You have spoken the truth.” We were astonished at his thus questioning him ﷺ and then telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, “Inform me about Iman (faith).”
The Prophet ﷺ answered, “It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in fate (qadar), both in its good and in its evil aspects.”
He said, “You have spoken the truth. Inform me about Ihsan.” The Prophet ﷺ answered, “It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet He sees you.”
He said, “Inform me about the Hour.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “About that, the one questioned knows no more than the questioner.” So he said, “Well, inform me about its signs.” He said, “They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and that you will see the barefooted ones, the naked, the destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep competing with each other in raising lofty buildings.”
Thereupon the man went off. I waited a while, and then the Prophet ﷺ said, “O Umar, do you know who that questioner was?” I replied, “Allah and His Messenger know better.” He said, “That was Jibril. He came to teach you your religion.” Muslim
Verily the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days in the form of a nutfah (a drop). Then he becomes an alaqah (clot of blood) for a like period. Then a mudghah (morsel of flesh) for a like period.
Then there is sent to him the angel who blows his soul into him and who is commanded with four matters: to write down his rizq (sustenance), his life span, his actions, and whether he will be happy or unhappy (ie whether or not he will enter Paradise).
By the One, other than Whom there is no deity, verily one of you performs the actions of the people of Paradise until there is but an arms length between him and it and that which has been written overtakes him, and so he acts with the actions of the people of the Hellfire and thus enters it.
And verily one of you performs the actions of the people of the Hellfire, until there is but an arms length between him and it and that which has been written overtakes him and so he acts with the actions of the people of Paradise and thus he enters it. Bukhari
That which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful is clear and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which many people do not know. Thus he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honour. But he who falls into doubtful matters [eventually] falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein.
Truly every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allah’s sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be whole, all the body is whole, and which if it is diseased, all of the body is diseased. Truly, it is the heart. Bukhari
What I have forbidden for you, avoid. What I have ordered you [to do], do as much of it as you can. For verily, it was only the excessive questioning and their disagreeing with their Prophets that destroyed [the nations] who were before you. Bukhari
Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt. Tirmidhi
Part of the perfection of one’s Islam is his leaving that which does not concern him. Tirmidhi
None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself. Bukhari
If a person accepts Islam, such that his Islam is good, Allah will decree reward for every good deed that he did before, and every bad deed that he did before will be erased. Then after that will come the reckoning; each good deed will be rewarded ten times up to seven hundred times. And each bad deed will be recorded as it is, unless Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, forgives it. Nasai
Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day speak good, or keep silent. And let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbour. And let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his guest. Bukhari
A man said to the Prophet ﷺ, “Counsel me,” so he ﷺ said, “Do not become angry.” The man repeated his request for counsel several times, and each time he ﷺ said, “Do not become angry”. Bukhari
Have taqwa (awareness/God consciousness) of Allah wherever you may be. And follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out. And behave well towards the people. Tirmidhi
One day I was behind the Prophet ﷺ [riding on the same mount] and he said, “O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]. Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, then ask Allah [alone] and if you seek help, then seek help from Allah [alone].”
And know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already prescribed against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.” Tirmidhi
A man questioned the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, “Do you think that if I perform the obligatory prayers, fast in Ramadhan, treat as lawful that which is halal, and treat as forbidden that which is haram, and do not increase upon that [in voluntary good deeds], then I shall enter Paradise?” He ﷺ replied, “Yes”. Muslim
Purity is half of Iman (faith). Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah) fills the scales, and Subhan Allah (how far is Allah from every imperfection) and Alhamdulillah fill that which is between heaven and earth. And the salah (prayer) is a light, and charity is a proof, and patience is illumination. And the Quran is a proof either for you or against you. Every person starts his day as a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or causing its ruin. Muslim
Righteousness is in good character, and wrongdoing is that which wavers in your soul and which you dislike people finding out about. Muslim
Consult your heart. Righteousness is that about which the soul feels at ease and the heart feels tranquil. And wrongdoing is that which wavers in the soul and causes uneasiness in the breast, even though people have repeatedly given their legal opinion [in its favour]. Musnad of Ahmed bin Hambal and Al- Darimi
I counsel you to have taqwa (fear/awareness/remembrance) of Allah, and to listen and obey [your leader], even if a slave were to become your ameer (leader). Verily he among you who lives long will see great controversy, so you must keep to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the Khulafa ar-Rashideen (the rightly guided caliphs), those who guide to the right way. Cling to it stubbornly. Beware of newly invented matters [in the religion], for verily every bidah (innovation) is misguidance. Tirmidhi
I said, “O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an act which will take me into Paradise and will keep me away from the Hellfire.” He ﷺ said, “You have asked me about a great matter, yet it is easy for him for whom Allah makes it easy. Worship Allah, without associating any partners with Him; establish the prayer; pay the zakat; fast in Ramadhan; and make the pilgrimage to the House.”
Then he ﷺ said, “Shall I not guide you towards the means of goodness? Fasting is a shield. Charity wipes away sin as water extinguishes fire. And the praying of a man in the depths of the night: (He ﷺ recited): “[Those] who forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (charity in Allah’s cause) out of what We have bestowed on them. No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do [32:16-17].”
Then he ﷺ said, “Shall I not inform you of the head of the matter, its pillar and its peak?” I said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He ﷺ said, “The head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is the prayer and its peak is jihad.” Then he ﷺ said, “Shall I not tell you of the foundation of all of that?” I said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.”
So he ﷺ took hold of his tongue and said, “Restrain this.” I said, “O Prophet of Allah, will we be taken to account for what we say with it?” He ﷺ said, “May your mother be bereaved of you, O Muadh! Is there anything that throws people into the Hellfire upon their faces except the harvests of their tongues?” Tirmidhi
A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “O Messenger of Allah, direct me to an act which, if I do it, [will cause] Allah to love me and the people to love me.” So he ﷺ said, “Renounce the world and Allah will love you, and renounce what the people possess and the people will love you.” Ibn Majah
Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand. And if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue. And if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith. Muslim
Do not envy one another, and do not inflate prices for one another, and do not hate one another, and do not turn away from one another, and do not undercut one another in trade, but [rather] be slaves of Allah and brothers [amongst yourselves].
A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He does not oppress him, nor does he fail him, nor does he lie to him, nor does he hold him in contempt. Taqwa is right here [and he ﷺ pointed to his chest three times]. It is evil enough for a man to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. The whole of a Muslim is inviolable for another Muslim: his blood, his property, and his honour. Muslim
Whoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Resurrection. And whoever alleviates the need of a needy person, Allah will alleviate his needs in this world and the Hereafter. Whoever shields [or hides the misdeeds of] a Muslim, Allah will shield him in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah will aid His slave so long as he aids his brother. And whoever follows a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise.
No people gather together in one of the Houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that sakeenah (tranquility) descends upon them. And mercy envelops them, and the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them amongst those who are with Him. And whoever is slowed down by his actions, will not be hastened forward by his lineage. Muslim
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took me by the shoulder and said, “Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer.” And Ibn Umar (RA) used to say, “In the evening do not expect [to live until] the morning, and in the morning do not expect [to live until] the evening. Take [advantage of] your health before times of sickness, and [take advantage of] your life before your death.” Bukhari
Verily, this religion is ease, and no one burdens himself in religion but that it overcomes him. So seek what is appropriate, come as close as you can, receive glad tidings, take it easy, and gain strength by worshipping in the morning, afternoon, and during the late hours of night. Bukhari
Ihsan (excellence) is that you worship and serve Allah as though you are seeing Him. For even though you do not see Him, He surely sees you. Muslim
The rights of a Muslim on the Muslims are five. To respond to the salaam, visiting the sick, to follow the funeral processions, to accept an invitation, and to reply to those who sneeze. Bukhari
Visit the graves, for that makes you mindful of death. Muslim
Whoever attends the funeral procession till he offers the funeral prayer for it, will get a reward equal to one Qirat. And whoever accompanies it till burial, will get a reward equal to two Qirats. It was asked, “What are two Qirats?” He ﷺ replied, Like two huge mountains. Bukhari
If any Muslim dies and forty men who associate nothing with Allah stand over his prayer (i.e. they offer prayer over him), Allah will accept them as intercessors for him. Muslim
Allah Almighty said: O son of Adam, use your free time for My worship and I will fill your heart with riches and alleviate your poverty. If you do not do so, I will fill your hands with problems and never alleviate your poverty. Tirmidhi HADITH QUDSI
Allah Almighty said: Those who love each other for the sake of My glory will be upon pulpits of light, admired by the prophets and the martyrs. Tirmidhi HADITH QUDSI
Allah Almighty said: My love is assured for those who love each other for My sake, who sit together for My sake, who visit each other for My sake, and who spend on each other for My sake. Musnad Ahmad HADITH QUDSI
Allah Almighty will say on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I was sick but you did not visit Me. He will say: My Lord, how can I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: Did you not know that My servant was sick and you did not visit him, and had you visited him you would have found Me with him?
O son of Adam, I asked you for food but you did not feed Me. He will say: My Lord, how can I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: Did you not know that My servant asked you for food but you did not feed him, and had you fed him you would have found Me with him?
O son of Adam, I asked you for drink but you did not provide for Me. He will say: My Lord, how can I give You drink when You are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: My servant asked you for a drink but you did not provide for him, and had you given it to him you would have found Me with him. Muslim HADITH QUDSI
A man said: “By Allah, Allah will not forgive this person!” Allah Almighty said: “Who is he who swore by Me that I will not forgive someone? I have forgiven him and nullified your good deeds.” Muslim HADITH QUDSI
Allah Almighty said: Verily, I have no need of any partners. Whoever performs a deed in which he associates another besides Me, I will abandon him and his partner. Muslim HADITH QUDSI
Moses asked his Lord about six traits he thought he had, but the seventh he did not like:
“O Lord, who is the most Godfearing of Your servants?” Allah said: “Those who remember and do not forget.”
“Who is the most guided of Your servants?” Allah said: “Those who follow the guidance.”
“Who is the best in judgment of Your servants?” Allah said: “Those who judge people as they would love to be judged themselves.”
“Who are the most knowledgeable of Your servants?” Allah said: “A scholar who is unsatisfied with his knowledge and adds the knowledge of people to his own.”
“Who are the most honored of Your servants?” Allah said: “Those who forgive when they have power over others.”
“Who are the richest of Your servants?” Allah said: “Those who are pleased with what they have.”
“Who are the poorest of Your servants?” Allah said: “Those who desire more than they need.” Ibn Hibban HADITH QUDSI
Allah Almighty has said: The son of Adam denied Me and he had no right to do so. And he reviled Me and he had no right to do so. As for his denying Me, it is his saying: “He will not remake me as He made me at first” – and the initial creation [of him] is no easier for Me than remaking him. As for his reviling Me, it is his saying: “Allah has taken to Himself a son,” while I am the One, the Everlasting Refuge. I begot not nor was I begotten, and there is none comparable to Me. Bukhari HADITH QUDSI
O My servants! I have forbidden oppression for Myself, and I have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another.
O My servants, all of you are astray except those whom I have guided, so seek guidance from Me and I shall guide you.
O My servants, all of you are hungry except those whom I have fed, so seek food from Me and I shall feed you.
O My servants, all of you are naked except those whom I have clothed, so seek clothing from Me and I shall clothe you.
O My servants, you commit sins by day and by night, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness from Me and I shall forgive you.
O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and you will not attain benefiting Me so as to benefit Me.
O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all as pious as the most pious heart of any individual amongst you, then this would not increase My Kingdom an iota.
O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all as wicked as the most wicked heart of any individual amongst you, then this would not decrease My Kingdom an iota.
O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all to stand together in one place and ask of Me, and I were to give everyone what he requested, then that would not decrease what I Possess, except what is decreased of the ocean when a needle is dipped into it.
O My servants, it is but your deeds that I account for you, and then recompense you for. So he who finds good, let him praise Allah, and he who finds other than that, let him blame no one but himself. Muslim HADITH QUDSI
If Allah has loved a servant of His, He calls Jibril and says: “I love so-and-so, therefore love him.” So Jibril loves him. Then Jibril calls out in heaven, saying: “Allah loves so-and-so, therefore love him.” And the inhabitants of heaven love him. Then acceptance is established for him on earth.
And if Allah has abhorred a servant of His, He calls Jibril and says: “I abhor so-and-so, therefore abhor him.” So Jibril abhors him. Then Jibril calls out to the inhabitants of heaven: “Allah abhors so-and-so, therefore abhor him.” So they abhor him, and abhorrence is established for him on earth. Muslim HADITH QUDSI
Allah said: Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks.
Were he to ask of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. Bukhari HADITH QUDSI
Allah said: Truly of those devoted to Me the one I most favour is a believer who is of meager means and much given to prayer, who has been particular in the worship of his Lord and has obeyed Him inwardly, who was obscure among people and not pointed out, and whose sustenance was just sufficient to provide for him yet he bore this patiently. Then the Prophet ﷺ said: “Death will have come early to him, his mourners will have been few, his estate scant.” Tirmidhi HADITH QUDSI
The first thing created by Allah was the pen. He said to it: “Write.” It said: “O Lord! What should I write?” Allah said: “Write down the destiny of every thing until the Final Hour (as per My Will).” Ahmad HADITH QUDSI