Riyad as-Salihin

I met Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) he said: "How are you O Hanzalah?" I said, "Hanzalah has become a hypocrite". He said, "Far removed is Allah from every imperfection, what are you saying?" I said, "When we are in the company of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he reminds us of Hell-fire and Jannah, we feel as if we are seeing them with our very eyes, and when we are away from Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we attend to our wives, our children, our business, most of these things (pertaining to life hereafter) slip out of our minds." Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "By Allah, I also experience the same thing". So Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) and I went to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and I said to him, "O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Hanzalah has turned hypocrite." Thereupon Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "What has happened to you?" I said, "O Messenger of Allah, when we are in your company, and are reminded of Hell-fire and Jannah, we feel as if we are seeing them with our own eyes, but when we go away from you and attend to our wives, children and business, much of these things go out of our minds." Thereupon Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "By Him in Whose Hand is my life if your state of mind remains the same as it is in my presence and you are always busy in remembrance (of Allah), the angels will shake hands with you in your beds and in your roads; but Hanzalah, time should be devoted (to the worldly affairs) and time should be devoted (to prayer)". He (the Prophet (ﷺ)) said this thrice..

While the Prophet (ﷺ) was delivering Khutbah (religious talk), he noticed a man who was standing, so he asked about him and was told that he was Abu Israel who had taken a vow to remain standing and not sit, or go into the shade, or speak while observing fasting. Thereupon Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Tell him to speak, to go into the shade, to sit and to complete his fast"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Should anyone fall asleep at night and fail to recite his portion of the Qur'an, or a part of it, if he recites it between the Fajr prayer and the Zuhr prayer, it will be recorded for him as though he had recited it during the night"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me, "O Abdullah! Do not be like so-and-so. He used to get up at night for optional prayer but abandoned it later.".

When Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) missed the optional night Salat (Tahajjud) due to pain or any other reason, he would perform twelve Rak'ah during the day time..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not ask me unnecessarily about the details of the things which I do not mention to you. Verily, the people before you were doomed because they were used to putting many questions to their Prophets and had differences about their Prophets. Refrain from what I forbid you and do what I command you to the best of your ability and capacity".

One day Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delivered us a very eloquent Khutbah on account of which eyes shed tears and hearts were full of tears. A man said: "O Prophet of Allah, this is as if it were a parting advice. So advise us". He (ﷺ) said, "I admonish you to fear Allah, to listen and obey even if an Abyssinian slave is appointed as your leader. Because whosoever among you shall live after me, will see much discord. So hold fast to my Sunnah and the examples of the Rightly- Guided Caliphs who will come after me. Adhere to them and hold to it fast. Beware of new things (in Deen) because every Bid'ah is a misguidance"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Everyone of my Ummah will enter Jannah except those who refuse". He was asked: "Who will refuse?" He (ﷺ) said, "Whoever obeys me, shall enter Jannah, and whosoever disobeys me, refuses to (enter Jannah)"..

My father said that a person ate in the presence of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with his left hand. He (ﷺ) said, "Eat with your right hand". He said, "I cannot do that." Thereupon he (the Prophet) said, "May you never do that." It was pride that prevented him from doing it. And he could not raise it (the right hand) up to his mouth afterwards..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Straighten your rows (during Salat) or Allah would create dissension amongst you"..In another narration reported by Muslim, Nu'man bin Bashir (May Allah be pleased with them) narrated: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to straighten our rows (in Salat), as if he was straightening an arrow with their help until he saw that we had learnt it from him. One day he came out, stood up (for Salat) and was about to say: Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest), (marking the beginning of the prayer) when he saw a man, whose chest was bulging out from the row. He said, "Slaves of Allah, you must straighten your rows or Allah would create dissension amongst you."

A house in Al- Madinah caught fire at night and the roof and walls fell down upon the occupants. When this was reported to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) he said, "Fire is your enemy; so put it out before you go to bed"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The similitude of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like a rain which has fallen on some ground. A fertile part of earth has absorbed water and brought forth much grass and herbs. Another part, which is solid, held the water and Allah benefits men thereby, who drank and gave others to drink, and used it for irrigation. But some of it has fallen on a portion of sandy land which neither retains the water nor produces herbage. Such is the likeness of the man who understands the religion of Allah and who gets benefit of what Allah has sent me with; he learns and teaches others. It is also the likeness of the man who neither raises his head on that account (meaning he does not benefit from what the Prophet (ﷺ) was sent with) nor accepts Allah's Guidance with which I am sent"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "My parable and that of yours is like a man who kindled a fire. When it has illuminated all around him, the moths and grasshoppers began to fall therein. He tried to push them away, but they overcame him and jumped into it. I am catching hold of your waists ties (to save you) from fire, but you slip away from my hands"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded the licking of fingers (after eating) and the cleaning of the dish, saying: "You do not know in what portion the Blessing (of Allah) lies"..In another narration, Jabir said: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When a morsel of any of you falls down, you should pick it up and remove any dirt or dust on it and then eat it; and don't leave it for Satan; and do not wipe your hand with the towel until you have licked your fingers, for you do not know in what portion of the food the Barakah* (of Allah) lies".* Barakah is the abundance of goodness and its continuity.

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "On the Day of Resurrection you will be assembled barefooted, naked and uncircumcised". He then recited: "As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. (It is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly, We shall do it," and continued: "The first to be clothed on the Day of Resurrection will be (Prophet) Ibrahim. Then some of my Companions will be taken to the left, (i.e., towards Hell-fire) and when I will say, 'They belong to my Ummah, O my Rubb!' It would be said: 'You do not know what they invented after you had left them.' I shall then say as the righteous slave .

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited flicking pebbles by the index finger and the thumb; and he said, "It does not kill a game animal nor does it inflict wound on the enemy, but breaks the tooth and gorges the eye"..

I saw 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) kissing the Black Stone (Al-Hajar Al-Aswad) and saying: "I know that you are just a stone and that you can neither do any harm nor give benefit. Had I not seen Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) kissing you, I would not have kissed you"..

When it was revealed to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and whether you disclose what is in your own selves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it," the Companions of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) felt it hard and severe and they came to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and sat down on their knees and said: "O Messenger of Allah, we were assigned some duties which were within our power to perform, such as Salat (prayer), Saum (fasting), Jihad (striving in the Cause of Allah), Sadaqah (charity). Then this (the above mentioned) Verse was revealed to you and it is beyond our power to live up to it." Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Do you want to say what the people of two Books (Jews and Christians) said before you: 'We hear and disobey?' You should rather say: 'We hear and we obey, we seek forgiveness, our Rubb and unto You is the return."' And they said: "We hear and we obey, (we seek) Your forgiveness, our Rubb! And unto You is the return." When the people recited it and it smoothly flowed on their tongues, then Allah revealed immediately afterwards: "The Messenger (Muhammad (ﷺ)) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Rubb, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say), 'We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers' - and they say, 'We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Rubb, and to You is the return (of all)". When they did that, Allah abrogated this (Ayah) and Allah the Great revealed: "Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned." (The Prophet (ﷺ) said): "Yes. 'Our Rubb! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians)". (The Prophet (ﷺ) said): "Yes. 'Our Rubb! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear". (The Prophet (ﷺ) said): "Yes. 'Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maula (Patron, Supporter and Protector) and give us victory over the disbelieving people".He (the Prophet (ﷺ)) said: "Yes"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If anyone introduces in our matter something which does not belong to it, will be rejected"..The narration in Muslim says: "If anybody introduces a practice which is not authenticated by me, it is to be rejected".

Whenever the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delivered a Khutbah, his eyes would become red, his tone loud and he showed anger as if he were warning us against an army. He (ﷺ) would say, "The enemy is about to attack you in the morning and the enemy is advancing against you in the evening". He would further say, "I am sent with the final Hour like these two fingers of mine." Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) held up his index finger and the middle finger together to illustrate. He used to add: "To proceed, the best speech is the Book of Allah and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (ﷺ), the worst practice is the introduction of new practices in Islam and every Bid'ah is a misguidance". He would also say, "I am, in respect of rights, nearer to every believer than his own self. He who leaves an estate, it belongs to his heirs, and he who leaves a debt, it is my responsibility to pay it off." . Same Hadith as reported by 'Irbad bin Sariyah (May Allah be pleased with him) has already been recorded in the previous chapter regarding safeguarding the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ).(See Hadith number 158)

We were with Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) shortly after dawn when there came to him some people clad in woollen rags, or covered with sleeveless blankets; and with swords hanging down from their necks. Most of them rather, all of them, belonged to the Mudar tribe. The face of the Prophet (ﷺ) changed when he saw them starving. Then he went into his house and came out; then he commanded Bilal (May Allah be pleased with him) to proclaim Adhan (call to prayers). So he proclaimed Adhan and recited Iqamah and the Prophet (ﷺ) led the Salat. Then he delivered a Khutbah saying, "O mankind! Be dutiful to your Rubb, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women; and fear Allah through Whom you demand your (natural) rights, and do not sever the relations of kinship. Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you." (4:1) He also recited the Ayah which is in the end of Surat Al-Hashr: "O you who believe! Fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every one look what he has sent forth for the tomorrow". (59:18). Thereafter, every man gave in charity Dinar, Dirham, clothes, measure-fulls of wheat and measure-fulls of dates till he said: "(Give in charity) be it half a date". Then a man of the Ansar came with a bag which was difficult for him to hold in his hand. Thereafter, the people came successively (with charity) till I saw two heaps of food and clothes. I noticed that the face of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was glowing like that of the bright moon or glittering gold. Then he (ﷺ) said, "Whosoever introduces a good practice in Islam, there is for him its reward and the reward of those who act upon it after him without anything being diminished from their rewards. And whosoever introduces an evil practice in Islam, will shoulder its sin and the sins of all those who will act upon it, without diminishing in any way their burden".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The first son of Adam* takes a share of the guilt of every one who murders another wrongfully because he was the initiator of committing murder"..* The son of Adam in the Hadith is said to be Qabil. Allah tells us about his story in Surat Al-Ma'idah (The Table spread with Food). Verses 27-31.

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Whoever guides someone to virtue will be rewarded equivalent to him who practices that good action"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If anyone calls others to follow right guidance, his reward will be equivalent to those who follow him (in righteousness) without their reward being diminished in any respect, and if anyone invites others to follow error, the sin, will be equivalent to that of the people who follow him (in sinfulness) without their sins being diminished in any respect"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said on the day of the Khaibar Battle, "I will give this banner to a person at whose hands Allah will grant victory; a man who loves Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ), and Allah and His Messenger love him also." The people spent the night thinking as to whom it would be given. When it was morning, the people hastened to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Every one of them was hoping that the banner would be given to him. He (the Prophet (ﷺ)) asked, "Where is 'Ali bin Abu Talib?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah! His eyes are sore." He (ﷺ) then sent for him and when he came, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) applied his saliva to his eyes and supplicated. 'Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) recovered as if he had no ailment at all. He (ﷺ) conferred upon him the banner. 'Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) said: ''O Messenger of Allah, shall I fight against them until they are like us?" Thereupon he (the Prophet (ﷺ)) said, "Advance cautiously until you reach their open places; thereafter, invite them to Islam and inform them what is obligatory for them from the Rights of Allah, for, by Allah, if Allah guides even one person through you that is better for you than possessing a whole lot of red camels"..

A young man from the tribe of Aslam said, "O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), I wish to fight (in the Cause of Allah) but I do not have anything to equip myself with (for fighting)". He (the Prophet (ﷺ)) said, "Go to so- and-so, for he had equipped himself (for fighting) but he fell ill." So he (the young man) went to him and said, "Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sends you his greetings and says that you should give me the equipment that you have provided yourself with." The man said (to his wife or servant): "O so-and-so, give him the equipment I have collected for myself and do not withhold anything from him. By Allah, if you withhold anything from him, we will not be blessed therein"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who equips a warrior in the way of Allah (will get the reward of the one who has actually gone for Jihad); and he who looks after the family of a warrior in the way of Allah will get the reward of the one who has gone for Jihad"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent a detachment to Banu Lahyan tribe and remarked, "Let one of every two men get ready to advance, and both will earn the same reward"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came across a party of mounted men at Ar-Rauha and asked them, "Who are you?" They answered: "We are Muslims, and who are you?" He said, "I am the Messenger of Allah." A woman from among them lifted a boy up to him and asked: "Can this one go on Hajj?" He (ﷺ) said, "Yes, and you will have the reward.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The honest Muslim trustee who carries out duties assigned to him (in another narration he said, "Who gives"), and he gives that in full, with his heart overflowing with cheerfulness, to whom he is ordered, he is one of the two givers of charity"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Ad-Deen is sincerity". We said: "For whom?" He replied, "For Allah, His Book, His Messenger and for the leaders of the Muslims and their masses"..

I made my covenant with Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the observance of Salat, payment of Zakat, and giving counsel to Muslim.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No one of you becomes a true believer until he likes for his brother what he likes for himself"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is unable to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest form of Faith"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Never a Prophet had been sent before me by Allah to his people but he had, among his people, (his) disciples and companions, who followed his ways and obeyed his command. Then there came after them their successors who proclaimed what they did not practise, and practised what they were not commanded to do. And (he) who strove against them with his hand is a believer; he who strove against them with his heart is a believer; and he who strove against them with his tongue is a believer ; and beyond that there is no grain of Faith"..

We swore allegiance to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to hear and obey; in time of difficulty and in prosperity, in hardship and in ease, to endure being discriminated against and not to dispute about rule with those in power, except in case of evident infidelity regarding which there is a proof from Allah. We swore allegiance to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to say what was right wherever we were, and not to fear from anyone's reproach..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The likeness of the man who observes the limits prescribed by Allah and that of the man who transgresses them is like the people who get on board a ship after casting lots. Some of them are in its lower deck and some of them in its upper (deck). Those who are in its lower (deck), when they require water, go to the occupants of the upper deck, and say to them : 'If we make a hole in the bottom of the ship, we shall not harm you.' If they (the occupants of the upper deck) leave them to carry out their design they all will be drowned. But if they do not let them go ahead (with their plan), all of them will remain safe"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You will have rulers some of whom you approve and some of whom you will disapprove. He who dislikes them will be safe, and he who expresses disapproval will be safe, but he who is pleased and follows them (will be indeed sinful)". His audience asked: "Shall we not fight them?" He replied, "No, as long as they establish Salat amongst you"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) came to visit me one day frightened and he (ﷺ) said: "La ilaha illallah (There is no true God but Allah). Woe to the Arabs because of an evil which has drawn near! Today an opening of this size has been made in the barrier restraining Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog people)." And he (ﷺ) made a circle with his thumb and index finger. I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Shall we perish while still there will be righteous people among us?'' He (ﷺ) replied, "Yes, when wickedness prevails". .

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Beware of sitting on roads (ways)." The people said: "We have but them as sitting places." Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If you have to sit there, then observe the rights of the way". They asked, "What are the rights of the way?" He (ﷺ) said, "To lower your gaze (on seeing what is illegal to look at), and (removal of harmful objects), returning greetings, enjoining good and forbidding wrong"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw a man wearing a gold ring. So he (the Prophet (ﷺ)) pulled it off and threw it away, saying, "One of you takes a live coal, and puts it on his hand." It was said to the man after Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had left: "Take your ring (of gold) and utilize it," whereupon he said: "No, by Allah, I would never take it when Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has thrown it away"..

'Aidh bin 'Amr (the Companion) (May Allah be pleased with him) visited 'Ubaidullah bin Ziyad (the ruler) and said to him: "Son, I heard Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, 'The worst shepherds (rulers) are those who deal harshly in respect of supervision. Beware, Don't be one of them!"' Ibn Ziyad said to him, "Sit down, you are but husk from among the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ)." 'Aidh bin 'Amr (May Allah be pleased with him) retorted: "Was there any husk among them? Surely, husk came after them and among others than them"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, you either enjoin good and forbid evil, or Allah will certainly soon send His punishment to you. Then you will make supplication and it will not be accepted"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The best type of Jihad (striving in the way of Allah) is speaking a true word in the presence of a tyrant ruler.".

A person asked the Prophet (ﷺ) (when he had just put his foot in the stirrup): "What is the highest form of Jihad?" He (ﷺ) said, "Speaking the truth in the presence of a tyrant ruler"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The first defect (in religion) which affected the Children of Israel in the way that man would meet another and say to him: 'Fear Allah and abstain from what you are doing, for this is not lawful for you.' Then he would meet him the next day and find no change in him, but this would not prevent him from eating with him, drinking with him and sitting in his assemblies. When it came to this, Allah led their hearts into evil ways on account of their association with others." Then he (ﷺ) recited, "Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Dawud (David) and 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). That was because they disobeyed (Allah and the Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds. They used not to forbid one another from the Munkar (wrong, evildoing, sins, polytheism, disbelief) which they committed. Vile indeed was what they used to do. You see many of them taking the disbelievers as their Auliya' (protectors and helpers). Evil indeed is that which their own selves have sent forward before them; for that (reason) Allah's wrath fell upon them and in torment will they abide. And had they believed in Allah and in the Prophet (Muhammad (ﷺ)) and in what has been revealed to him, never would they have taken them (the disbelievers) as Auliya' (protectors and helpers); but many of them are the Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah)." (5:78-81)Then he (ﷺ) continued: "Nay, by Allah, you either enjoin good and forbid evil and catch hold of the hand of the oppressor and persuade him to act justly and stick to the truth, or, Allah will involve the hearts of some of you with the hearts of others and will curse you as He had cursed them"..The wording in At-Tirmidhi is: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When the Children of Israel became sinful, their learned men prohibited them but they would not turn back. Yet, the learned men associated with them and ate and drank with them. So, they were cursed at the tongues of Dawud and 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), because they were disobedient and were given to transgression." At this stage Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who was reclining on a pillow sat up and said, "No, By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, there is no escape for you but you persuade them to act justly."

"O you people! You recite this Verse: 'O you who believe! Take care of your ownselves. If you follow the (right) guidance .

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and will be cast into Hell, and his intestines will pour forth and he will go round them as a donkey goes round a millstone. The inmates of Hell will gather round him and say: 'What has happened to you, O so-and-so? Were you not enjoining us to do good and forbidding us to do evil?' He will reply: 'I was enjoining you to do good, but was not doing it myself; and I was forbidding you to do evil, but was doing it myself"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There are three signs of a hypocrite: When he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is trusted, he betrays his trust.".Another narration adds the words: 'Even if he observes fasts, performs Salat and asserts that he is a Muslim".

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) foretold to us two Ahadith. I have seen one (being fulfilled), and I am waiting for the other. He (ﷺ) told us, "Amanah (the trust) descended in the innermost (root) of the hearts of men (that is, it was in their heart innately, by Fitrah, or pure human nature). Then the Qur'an was revealed and they learnt from the Quran and they learned from the Sunnah." Then the (Prophet (ﷺ)) told us about the removal of Amanah. He said, "The man would have some sleep, and Amanah would be taken away from his heart leaving the impression of a faint mark. He would again sleep, and Amanah would be taken away from his heart leaving an impression of a blister, as if you rolled down an ember on your foot and it was vesicled. He would see a swelling having nothing in it." He (the Prophet (ﷺ)) then took up a pebble and rolled it over his foot and said, "The people would enter into transactions with one another and hardly a person would be left who would return (things) entrusted to him (and there would look like an honest person) till it would be said: 'In such and such tribe there is a trustworthy man.' And they would also say about a person: 'How prudent he is! How handsome he is and how intelligent he is!' whereas in his heart there would be no grain of Faith." Hudhaifah bin Al-Yaman (May Allah bepleased with him) added: I had a time when I did not care with whom amongst you I did business, I entered into a transaction, for if he were a Muslim, his Faith would compel him to discharge his obligation to me; and if he were a Christian or a Jew, his guardian (surety) would compel him to discharge his obligation to me. But today I would not enter into a transaction except with so-and-so..