:sl:
:bism:
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala appointed Prophets 'Alaihimus Salam to disseminate His word and knowledge for the eternal success of mankind. To benefit fully from these branches of sublime knowledge, it is essential that fervent belief be built according to the knowledge. While reading or listening to the words of Allah or Rasulullah Sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam, one should consider oneself completely ignorant. That is, belief in human experiences and research should be replaced by the belief in the unseen, and the heart should affirm every word, read or heard as the truth.
An etiquette of reciting or listening to the Qur'an is that one should imagine that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala is addressing him, similarly when one sits to read or listen to hadith, one should think that Rasulullah Sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam is directly addressing him. While reading or listening, the effect of the words will be proportionate to the greatness and respect that one has for the addressee and how attentive one is.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says: ...
وَإِذَا سَمِعُواْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ تَرَىۤ أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُواْ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ آمَنَّا فَٱكْتُبْنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّاهِدِينَ
When they listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger (Muhammad Sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam), you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognised.
Al-Maidah 5: 83
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says (at another place): ...
{18} فَبَشِّرْ عِبَادِ {17} ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ ٱلْقَوْلَ فَيَـتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ أُوْلَـٰئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَاهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَأُوْلَـٰئِكَ هُمْ أُوْلُواْ ٱلأَلْبَابِ
...
(O Muhammad [Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam]) announce the good news to my slaves. Those who listen to the Word and follow the best thereof (i.e. worship Allah alone and repent to Him and avoid Taghut etc), those are (the one) whom Allah has guided and those are the men of understanding.
(Az-Zumar 39: 17-18)
It is reported in Bukhari:
عن أبي هريرة أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال إذا قضى الله أمرا في السماء ضربت الملائكة أجنحتها خضعانا لقوله كأنه سلسلة على صفوان فإذا فزع عن قلوبهم قالوا ماذا قال ربكم قالوا الحق وهو العلي الكبير (رواه البخاري)
Abu Hurairah Radhiyallahu 'anhu narrates: Rasulullah Sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam said: When Allah decrees a matter in heaven, the angels strike their wings in fear and submission to His word. The decree of their Rabb sounds to them like (the chiming of) a chain on a smooth rock. When their hearts are relieved from fear, they ask one another what did your Rabb say? They reply that whatever He said is the Truth, and He is the Most High and the Greatest. (Bukhari)
In another narration from Bukhari:
عن أنس عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه كان إذا تكلم بكلمة أعادها ثلاثا حتى تفهم (رواه البخاري) ـ
Anas Radhiyallahu 'anhu narrates that whenever Nabi Sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam would say something (important) he would repeat his words thrice, so that they are understood. (Bukhari)
Therefore, it will be proper to read a hadith three times. One should be engaged in this knowledge with discipline; suppressing ones personal desires. Practice to read and hear attentively, lovingly and respectfully. Conversations in between should be avoided. An attempt should be made to sit with wudhu, in the position of tashahhud, without reclining. The objective is that the Qur'an and words of hadith affect the heart. Such a fervent belief be built on the promises of Allah and His Prophet that it creates an earnest longing for Deen - the force which makes us perform every action according to the Sunnah of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam, and to consult the scholars of Deen, for a systematic guidance in performing our deeds (actions) correctly.
Taken from the preface of the book الأحاديث المنتخبة Selected Ahadith by Maulana Muhammad Sa'ad bin Haroon Kandhlawi
:w: