Riyad as-Salihin

There was some quarrel among the members of Banu 'Amr bin 'Auf. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went with some of his Companions to bring about peace between them and he was detained. The time for Salat approached and Bilal (May Allah be pleased with them) went to Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) and said to him: "Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has got late and it is the time for Salat. Will you lead Salat?" He said: "Yes, if you desire". Bilal (May Allah be pleased with him) proclaimed the Adhan and then pronounced Iqamah. Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) stepped forward and commenced As- Salat. (He recited Takbir and the people followed him). In the meantime, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) arrived and, passing through the rows, took his stand in the first row. The people started clapping. It was the habit of Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) that whenever he started praying, he would never look round. He paid no heed (to the clapping). When the clapping increased, he turned round and saw Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He (the Prophet (ﷺ)) beckoned him to continue performing Salat. But Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) raised his hands and praised Allah. Then he retreated, taking his steps backwards. When Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw that, he went ahead and led Salat. When he finished Salat, he faced the congregation and said, "Why do you clap when something happens during the Salat. Clapping is only for women. If something happens in the course of Salat you should say, Subhan Allah. It is bound to attract attention. And you, Abu Bakr, what prevented you from carrying on with Salat, after I beckoned to do so?" He said, "It was not becoming for the son of Abu Quhafah to lead Salat in the presence of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)"..

I heard Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "Shall I not inform you about the people of Jannah? It is every person who is, modest and humble (before Allah), a person who is accounted weak and is looked down upon but if he adjures Allah, Allah will certainly give him what he desires. Now shall I not inform you about the inmates of Hell? It is every violent, impertinent and proud man"..

A man passed by the Prophet (ﷺ), so he asked a man who was sitting near him, "What is your opinion about this man?" That man replied: "He is one of the noblest men. By Allah he is certainly a proper person for (a girl) being given in marriage if he seeks to marry, and his recommendation is fit to be accepted if he recommends". Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remained silent. Then another man passed. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) enquired, "What is your opinion about this man?" He replied: "O Messenger of Allah, he is one of the poor Muslims. He is not a proper person (for a girl) to be given in marriage to, and his recommendation would not be accepted if he makes one; if he speaks, he is not to be listened to." Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He is better than the former by earthfuls"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: There was a dispute between the Hell and Jannah. The Hell said: "The haughty and proud are my inmates." Jannah said: "The modest and the humble are my residents". Thereupon, Allah the Exalted and Glorious (addressing Jannah) said: "You are My Mercy, through you I shall show mercy to those whom I wish". (And addressing the Hell), He said: "You are (the means) of My punishment by which I shall punish such of My slaves as I wish and each one of you would have its fill"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "On the Day of Resurrection, there will be brought forth a bulky person (person of noteworthy status) whose value to Allah will be less than that of the wing of a mosquito"..

A black woman (or probably a young man) used to clean the mosque. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) missed her (or him) and asked about her (or him). He was told that she (or he) had died. He (ﷺ) said, "Why did you not inform me?" (It seemed as if) they (Companions) considered the matter insignificant. Then he (ﷺ) said, "Show me her (or his) grave." When it was shown to him, he offered (Janazah-funeral) prayer over it and said, "These graves cover those in them with darkness, and Allah illumines them for the inmates as a result of my supplication for them"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Many a person with shaggy and dusty hair, dusty and driven away from doors (because of their poverty and shabby clothes) were to swear by Allah (that something would happen), Allah will certainly make it happen"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I stood at the gate of Jannah, and (I saw) that the majority of those who entered it are the poor, and the wealthy were kept confined. The inmates of the Fire had been ordered to (enter) the Fire (Hell), and I stood at the gate of Hell and saw that the majority of its inmates are women"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "None spoke in the cradle but only three (persons), Isa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary), the second one was the companion of Juraij who was a pious person. Juraij took a secluded monastery for worship and confined himself in it. His mother came to him as he was busy in prayer and she called: 'Juraij.' He said: 'My Rubb, my mother (is calling me while I am engaged in) my prayer.' He continued with the prayer. She returned and she came on the next day and he was (still) busy in prayer. She called: 'Juraij.' And he said: 'My Rubb, my mother (is calling me while I am engaged) in prayer, and he continued with the prayer,' and she returned. Then on the next day she again came while he was busy in prayer and called: 'Juraij.' And he said: 'My Rubb, my mother (is calling me while I am engaged) in my prayer.' And he continued with the prayer. She said: 'My Rubb, don't let him die until he has seen the faces of the prostitutes.' The story of Juraij and that of his meditation and prayer spread amongst Banu Israel. There was a prostitute who had been a beauty personified. She said (to the people): 'If you like, I can lure him to evil.' She presented herself to him but he paid no heed (to her). She came to a shepherd who lived near the temple and she offered herself to him. He (the shepherd) had sexual intercourse with her and so she became pregnant. When she gave birth to a baby she said: 'This is from Juraij.' So they came and asked Juraij to get down and demolished the temple and began to beat him. He asked them what the matter was. They said: 'You have committed fornication with this prostitute and she has given birth to a baby from you.' He said: 'Where is the baby?' They brought him (the baby) and then he said: 'Just leave me so that I should perform prayer.' He performed prayer and when he finished, he lifted the baby in his stomach and asked him: 'O boy, who is your father?' The baby answered: 'He is such and such a shepherd.' So, the people turned towards Juraij, kissed him and touched him (for seeking blessing) and said: 'We are prepared to construct your temple with gold.' He said, 'No just, rebuild it with mud as it had been,' and so they did". (The Prophet (ﷺ) continued:) "Then there was a baby who was sucking at his mother's breast when a person dressed in fine garment came on a priceless riding animal's back. His mother said: 'O Allah, make my child like this one.' He (the babe) left sucking and looked at him, and said: 'O Allah, don't make me like him.' He then returned to the breast and resumed sucking." He (Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: As though I can see Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as he is illustrating the scene of his sucking milk with his forefinger in his mouth and sucking that. He (Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)) further reported Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying, "There happened to pass by them a slave girl who was being beaten and they were saying: 'You have committed fornication and theft.' She was saying: 'Allah is enough for me and He is my Good Protector, and his mother said: 'O Allah, don't make my child like her.' He left sucking looked at her and said: 'O Allah! Make me like her.' It was followed by a conversation between the mother and the child. She said: 'A good looking man happened to pass by and I said: O Allah, make my child like him, and you said: O Allah, don't make me like him, and there passed a girl while they were beating her and saying: You committed fornication and theft, and I said: O Allah, don't make my child like her, and you said: O Allah, make me like her.' The child said: 'That man was a tyrant, and I said: O Allah don't make me like him; and they were saying about the girl: You committed fornication, whereas in fact she had not committed that and they were saying: You have committed theft, whereas she had not committed theft, so I said: O Allah, make me like her"..

Six of us were with the Prophet (ﷺ) when the infidels said to him: "Drive these ones away, lest they should begin to venture against us". The six were, myself, Ibn Mas'ud, a man of the Hudhail tribe, Bilal and two other men whose names I don't know. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) thought what Allah wished him to think, and Allah revealed: "And turn not away those who invoke their Rubb, morning and afternoon seeking His Face." (6:52).

Abu Sufyan passed by Salman, Suhaib and Bilal and some other Companions (May Allah be pleased with them). They said to him: "Did not the swords of Allah exact their due from the foes of Allah?" Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) said to them: "Do you speak like this to the chief of the Quraish and their master?" Then he went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and related this to him. He (ﷺ) said, "Abu Bakr, perhaps you have angered them. If so, you have angered your Rubb". Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) went back to them and said: "Brothers, did I offend you?" They replied: "No. May Allah forgive you, brother"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I will be like this in Jannah with the person who takes care of an orphan". Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his forefinger and middle finger by way of illustration..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who takes care of an orphan, whether he is his relative or a stranger, will be in Jannah with me like these two". The narrator, Malik bin Anas raised his forefinger and middle finger for illustration..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A Miskin (needy) is not the one who can be turned away with a date-fruit or two, or a morsel or two. The true Miskin is one who, despite his poverty, abstains from begging"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "One who strives to help the widows and the poor is like the one who fights in the way of Allah." The narrator said: I think that he (ﷺ) added also: "I shall regard him as the one who stands up (for prayer) without rest and as the one who observes fasts continuously"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The worst food is the food of the marriage banquet from which those are left out who would like to come; and to which those are invited who refuse to come. He who rejects an invitation disobeys Allah and His Messenger"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever supports two girls till they attain maturity, he and I will come on the Day of Resurrection like this". Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) joined his fingers illustrating this..

A woman came to me with her two daughters. She asked me (for charity) but she found nothing with me except one date-fruit, so I gave it to her. She accepted it and then divided it between her two daughters and herself ate nothing out of that. She then got up and went out. When Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came in, and I narrated to him the story, he said, "He who is involved (in the responsibility) of (bringing up) daughters, and he is benevolent towards them, they would become protection for him against Hell-fire"..

A poor woman came to me carrying her two daughters. I gave her three date-fruits. She gave a date to each of them and then she took up one date-fruit and brought that to her mouth to eat, but her daughters asked her that also. She then divided between them the date-fruit that she intended to eat. This (kind) treatment of her impressed me and I mentioned that to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who said, 'Verily, Allah has assured Jannah for her, because of (this act) of her," or said, "He (SWT) has rescued her from Hell- Fire"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Allah, I declare inviolable the rights of two weak ones: the orphans and women"..

Sa'd considered himself better than his inferiors, so the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "You are given help and provision because of your weak ones"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Seek among your weak ones, for you are given provision and help only because of the weak amongst you.".

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Take my advice with regard to women: Act kindly towards women, for they were created from a rib, and the most crooked part of a rib is its uppermost. If you attempt to straighten it; you will break it, and if you leave it alone it will remain crooked; so act kindly toward women"..In another narration of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "A woman is like a rib, if you attempt to straighten it, you will break it; and if you benefit from her, you will do so while crookedness remains in her".In another narration of Muslim, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Woman has been created from a rib and will in no way be straightened for you; so if you want to benefit from her, you will benefit from her while crookedness remains in her. If you attempt to straighten her, you will break her, and breaking her is divorcing her".

"When the most wicked man among them went forth (to kill the she-camel).' (91:12) signifies that a distinguished, wicked and most powerful chief of the people jumped up to kill the she- camel." Then he (ﷺ) made mention of women and said, "Some of you beat your wives as if they were slaves, and then lie with them at the end of the day".Then he (ﷺ) admonished them against laughing at another's passing of wind, saying, "Why does any of you laugh at another doing what he does himself".

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A believer must not hate (his wife) believing woman; if he dislikes one of her characteristics he will be pleased with another"..

'Amr bin Al-Ahwas Al-Jushami (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that he had heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying on his Farewell Pilgrimage, after praising and glorifying Allah and admonishing people, "Treat women kindly, they are like captives in your hands; you do not owe anything else from them. In case they are guilty of open indecency, then do not share their beds and beat them lightly but if they return to obedience, do not have recourse to anything else against them. You have rights over your wives and they have their rights over you. Your right is that they shall not permit anyone you dislike to enter your home, and their right is that you should treat them well in the matter of food and clothing"..

I asked Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "What right can any wife demand of her husband?" He replied, "You should give her food when you eat, clothe her when you clothe yourself, not strike her on the face, and do not revile her or separate from her except in the house"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The believers who show the most perfect Faith are those who have the best behaviour, and the best of you are those who are the best to their wives"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Do not beat Allah's bondwomen." When 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) came to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and complained saying: "The women have become very daring towards their husbands," He (ﷺ) gave permission to beat them. Then many women went to the family of the Messenger of Allah (wives) complaining of their husbands, and he (the Prophet (ﷺ)) said, "Many women have gone round Muhammad's family complaining of their husbands. Those who do so, that is, those who take to beating their wives, are not the best among you"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The world is but a (quick passing) enjoyment; and the best enjoyment of the world is a pious and virtuous woman"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When a man calls his wife to his bed, and she does not respond and he (the husband) spends the night angry with her, the angels curse her until morning"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "It is not lawful for a woman to observe (voluntary) fasting without the permission of her husband when he is at home; and she should not allow anyone to enter his house without his permission."..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "All of you are guardians and are responsible for your subjects. The ruler is a guardian of his subjects, the man is a guardian of his family, the woman is a guardian and is responsible for her husband's house and his offspring; and so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your subjects.".

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When a man calls his wife to satisfy his desire, she must go to him even if she is occupied with the oven"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If I were to order anyone to prostrate himself before another, I would have ordered a woman to prostrate herself before her husband".

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Any woman dies while her husband is pleased with her, she will enter Jannah"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whenever a woman harms her husband in this world (that is without any due right), his wife among the (Houris in Jannah) says: 'You must not harm him. May Allah destroy you! He is only a passing guest with you and is about to leave you to come to us"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I am not leaving behind me a more harmful trial for men than women"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A dinar you spend in Allah's way, or to free a slave, or as a charity you give to a needy person, or to support your family, the one yielding the greatest reward is that which you spend on your family"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The most excellent dinar is one that a person spends on his family, and the dinar which he spends on his riding-animal in the way of Allah (in Jihad), and the dinar he spends on his companions in the way of Allah"..

I asked Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), "Would I be rewarded for what I spend on Abu Salamah's sons? For I can't let them go here and there (to beg people)." Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "Spend on them and you will be rewarded for what you spend on them"..

Sa'd bin Abu Waqqas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported in a Hadith included in the chapter of Intention, that Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Whatever you spend seeking thereby the Pleasure of Allah, will have its reward, even the morsel which you put in the mouth of your wife"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When someone spends on his family seeking his reward for it from Allah, it is counted as a charity from him"..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Neglecting one's own dependents is a reason enough for a man to commit a sin".The narration in Muslim is: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "It is enough sin for a person to hold back the due of one whose provision is in his hand".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Two angels descend every morning, and one says: 'O Allah, give him who spends something, in place of what he spends.' The other one says: 'O Allah, give destruction to him who withholds"..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The upper hand is better than the lower one (i.e., the spending hand is better than the receiving hand); and begin (charity) with those who are under your care; and the best charity is that which given out of surplus; and he who asks (Allah) to help him abstain from the unlawful and the forbidden, Allah will fulfill his wish; and he who seeks self-sufficiency will be made self-sufficient by Allah"..

Abu Talhah (May Allah be pleased with him) was the richest among the Ansar of Al-Madinah and possessed the largest property from palm-trees, and among his possessions what he loved most, was his garden known as Bairuha' which was opposite the mosque, and Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) often visited it and drank from its fresh water. When this Ayah was revealed: "By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness - here it means Allah's reward, i.e., Jannah), unless you spend (in Allah's Cause) of that which you love," (3:92), Abu Talhah came to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, "Allah says in His Book: 'By no means shall you attain Al-Birr, unless you spend (in Allah's Cause) of that which you love,' and the dearest of my property is Bairuha' so I have given it as Sadaqah (charity) for Allah's sake, and I anticipate its reward with Him; so spend it, O Messenger of Allah, as Allah guides you." Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Well-done! That is profit earning property. I have heard what you have said, but I think you should spend it on your nearest relatives." So Abu Talhah (May Allah be pleased with him) distributed it among nearest relatives and cousins..

Al-Hasan bin 'Ali (May Allah be pleased with them) took one of the dates of the Sadaqah (charity) and put it in his mouth, whereupon Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Leave it, leave it, throw it away. Do you not know that we do not eat the Sadaqah (charity)?".

I was a boy under the care of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and my hand would wander about in the dish. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me "Mention Allah's Name (i.e., say Bismillah before you start eating), eat with your right hand and eat from what is near to you". I always followed this way of eating after this incident..

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "All of you are guardians and are responsible for your subjects. The ruler is a guardian and responsible for his subjects; the man is a guardian of his family; the woman is guardian in her husband's house and responsible for her wards; a servant is guardian of his master's property and responsible for his ward. So all of you are guardians and are responsible for your subjects"..