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40 hadiths of Imam Nawawi with brief commentary

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    40 hadiths of Imam Nawawi with brief commentary

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    The 40 Hadiths of Imam Nawawi are a compilation of hadiths most of which are from Sahih Muslim and Sahih al-Bukhari. This book or collection has stood the test of time and provided value over centuries providing proof of it’s authenticity. It is a distillation, by one of the most eminent and revered authorities in Islamic jurisprudence. Each Hadith is described by religious scholars as being the “the axis of Islam” and for each hadith to be “a great fundament of the religion”. For these reason it is considered essential for a Muslim to understand these 40 hadiths in depth.
    In this thread, I will focus on providing a brief commentary of these 40 hadith with their benefits which will help myself and the readers to build a strong foundation of our belief system. Please feel free to provide your input so that we can learn together. Also feel free to correct me if I make any mistake in providing the commentary of the hadiths.

    Before I start discussing 40 hadiths, it may be worth looking into biography of Imam An-Nawawi. Imam an-Nawawi was born in the holy month of Muharram 631 AH (1233 AD) in Nawa Village, near capital city of Damascus, Syria. His full name is Abu Zakaria Mohi-ud-din Yahya, son of Sharaf An-Nawawi, son of Murry, son of Hassan, son of Hussain, son of Muhammad, son of Juma, son of Hazam. He is given the descriptive name Al Nawawi because of his hometown.

    From his youth, Al-Nawawi was not attracted to sports or playing. Indeed, the other children chided him for this. From an early age, he turned his attention to his studies. He hated any activity that would take him away from memorizing the Quran. On one occasion, the children forced him to play with them and he cried because of the time that he was wasting. It is not surprising then that he memorized the Quran at an early age. His teacher in Nawa conveyed this incident to Imam's father who was a virtuous and pious man. Keeping in view the learning quest of his son, he decided to dedicate the life of his son for the service and promotion of the cause of Islamic Faith. In a short period, An-Nawawi learnt to read the Quran and by that time he nearly had attained puberty.

    Imam An-Nawawi lived in Nawa till the age of 18 years. In the year 649 AH, he went to Damascus which, at that time, was considered the center of learning as there were more than three hundred institutes, colleges and universities in Damascus. He studied Hadith, Islamic jurisprudence and principles from more many great Islamic scholars such lshaaq ibn Ahmad al- Maghrabi Al-Maqdisi, Abdul Rahmaan Al-Anbari and Abdul Azeez Al-Ansaari. He studied Sahih Muslim from Abu lshaaq Ibraaheem Al-Waasiti. Imam Nawawi studied at Madrasah Saaramiya school, Madrasah Rawahiyah (affiliated with the Ummvi University) and Daar-ul-Hadits. He began teaching at the Ashrafiyah school at the age of 24. His reputation and excellence as a scholar began to be recognized by the scholars and inhabitants of Damascus. During this period, he performed the Hajj pilgrimage in 1253 AD. His pursuit of knowledge dominated his entire life. He would put all of his time into studying, learning and teaching. It is even stated that he would not sleep except when sleep would overtake him. He would rest on his book and sleep for a little, then he would act startled upon awakening and continue studying.

    Imam An-Nawawi led a very austere, simple and modest life although it would have been possible for him to live otherwise, given his teaching position and influence. Some narrations state that all the clothing he possessed was a turban and a long gown. He did not desire any of the pleasures of this world. At one point in time, he would not eat anything except some cake and olives that his father would send him from time to time from Nawa. One of the reasons for this was that he was certain that such food came from permissible sources. He did not accept a stipend for his teaching. Nawawi’s only material possession of this world was books as his small room was like a warehouse of books and his goal was not simply to possess a large library. His books were not for decoration or display. Instead, he benefited greatly from those works and, from his lectures and writings, numerous people have benefited from them since then.

    Al Nawawi never got married and the reasons for this was his austerity and lack of desire for the pleasures of this world. His life was filled with the desire to learn, teach and engage in acts of worship. Al-Diqr writes:
    “It is possible that he did not marry because he feared that he would not be able to fulfill the rights of his wife due to his learning desires.”
    Al Nawawi started writing in the year 663 or 664AH. Hence, in a span of twelve or thirteen years, he compiled some of the most important works in the history of Islam. His classic work, Al-Majmoo, which he did not complete, is published in nine large sized volumes. Following is just some of his works that he completed in that short time:
    1. Riyaadh Al-Saaliheen ("Gardens of the Righteous")
    2. Al Minhaj bi Sharh Sahih Muslim (His Commentary to Sahih Muslim)
    3. Al-Majmoo Sharh Al-Muhadhdhab
    4. Minhaaj Al-Taalibeen
    5. Tahdhib Al-Asma wal-Lughat
    6. Taqrib Al-Taisir
    7. Forty Hadiths
    8. Kitab Al-Adhkar
    9. Sharh Sunan Abu Dawood
    10. Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari
    11. Mukhtasar At-Tirmidhi
    12. Tabaqat Ash-Shafiiyah
    13. Rawdhat Al-Talibeen
    14. Bustan Al-Arifin

    Imam An-Nawawi died on the 24th of Rajab, 676 AH (1277 AD) and is buried in his hometown of Nawa, Syria. He died at the age of forty-four (44). However, by the grace and mercy of Allah, his accomplishments during his short life span were equal to or greater than many who lived even twice as long as he did. May Allah reward Imam Al-Nawawi for all of his efforts and striving for the sake of Allah. Ameen!

    Most of the explanations below will be taken from Sheikh Jamaal Zarabozo's commentary on the 40 hadiths of Al-Nawawi. Sheikh Jamal's commentary is very extensive 1400+ pages and only main points will be discussed in the explanation of these hadiths. Those who are interested to read more details, can buy the hard copy. Link is below:
    https://darussalam.com/publishers/al...2-vol-set.html
    Last edited by 'Abdullah; 01-22-2020 at 07:32 PM.
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    Re: 40 hadiths of Imam Nawawi with brief commentary

    FIRST HADITH - ACTIONS & INTENTIONS:

    عَنْ أَمِيْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ أَبِيْ حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُوْلُ: إِنَّمَا اْلأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى. فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُوْلِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُوْلِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيْبُهَا أَوْ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ.

    [رواه إماما المحدثين أبو عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيل بن إبراهيم بن المغيرة بن بردزبة البخاري وأبو الحسين مسلم بن الحجاج بن مسلم القشيري النيسابوري في صحيحيهما اللذين هما أصح الكتب المصنفة]


    FIRST HADITH TRANSLATION:

    It is narrated on the authority of Umar-Bin-Al-Khattab (R.A.), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) say:
    "Actions are (judged) by motives (intentions), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated." (Bukhari: 54)




    BRIEF COMMENTARY:

    This hadith was said by the Prophet (peace be upon him) at the time when a man emigrated from Makkah to Madinah for the sake of marrying someone and not for the sake of Islam.

    The Prophet (peace be upon him) starts the hadith with the principle ("Actions are judged by intentions") and then gives three examples. This is the methodology of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The examples help illustrate the principle so that it is easier for people to understand and they can apply the principle to other similar situations. The three examples consist of one of good intention (migration for the sake of Allah and His Messenger) and two of bad intentions (migration for the sake of worldly gains or for marriage).

    Our actions are determined by our intentions - whether they are good intentions or bad intentions. Therefore we should always check our intentions before we do or say anything. We must make sure that the action is for the sake of Allah so that it is accepted by Allah and that we will be rewarded for it.

    Many scholars started their books with this hadith. Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali said this is one of the ahadith that the religion revolves around.
    It is equivalent to a third of knowledge because we are rewarded for three things: what the heart contains, what the tongue says and what our limbs do, and this hadith is pinnacle in dealing with matters of the heart. However, it is important to point out that according to some scholars actions are of only two categories which are inward actions (actions of heart) and outward actions ( this includes actions of all limbs including tongue). So based on this view, this hadith is basis of half of our faith, that is, actions of heart.
    The word إنما is used for exclusivity i.e. Actions are exclusively done by intentions.
    In the Arabic, it may seem that the second statement وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى is a repeat of the first one, but the meaning of both is that the first statement is saying: for every correct action you do (action that you are held accountable for), there is an intention behind it, and the second statement is saying: the reward for the doer for his deed is according to his pious intention.
    Doing sins could prevent you from doing righteous actions.
    The first 3 people to be dragged into hellfire are people who done good actions with insincere intentions
    The opposite of sincerity is riyaa’, which means: showing off. Riyaa’ is considered as a minor form of shirk, and can disqualify a person’s good deeds. Riyaa’ in Islam is when we do an act of worship for other than the sake of Allah alone. Riyaa’ is of many levels, many of which are hidden. Some examples of riyaa’ are:

    • You do an action solely for the sake of the people
    • You do an action for the sake of Allah, but when you do it in front of others, you find it easier to do e.g. praying qiyam-ul-layl
    • You do it for the sake of Allah and it is not made easier by others looking at you, but you feel happy when others know you did this action, and you try hard to let them know you’ve done it e.g. pray in front of them or mention that you’ve just did this act of worship
    • You do it for the sake of Allah and it is not made easier by others looking at you, but you feel happy when others know you did this action, however, you do not directly try to make it visible that you have done this action, but you try to make it known indirectly e.g. swollen eyes or dry lips to let others know you’ve been crying or fasting.
    • You do it for the sake of Allah and do not let others know you’ve done it, but you expect to be respected by others because you do such and such acts of worship

    This hadith mentioned two things, dunya and women, as they distract us the most from the hereafter.
    The main theme of this hadith is about sincerity and purifying our intentions. We need the three I’s for our deeds to be accepted:

    • Iman (Being a Muslim)
    • Ikhlas (sincerity)
    • Ittibaa’ ( following the way of the prophet peace be upon him)

    Without any of the three above, our deeds will not be accepted, hence it is vital that we be sincere with Allah in our acts of worship
    Some definitions of sincerity:

    • You do the action solely for the sake of Allah
    • You do not want a witness for your action other than Allah, and you do not seek reward for it from other than Allah
    • Purifying the action from any defects
    • When your inner is the same as your outer
    • Some of the salaf have said that if you see sincerity in your sincerity, then your sincerity requires more sincerity, for the level of deficiency you see in your sincerity is in fact the level of sincerity you have!
    • Ibn Al-Qayyim said about the pious intention:
      “Forgetting to look at others, by constantly looking at Allah”
      i.e. not caring what others think by always worrying what Allah sees

    We need to have a sincere intention for everything we do so that we may be rewarded for it e.g. intend to go to sleep to be able to be stronger to worship Allah, intend to eat to be able to be stronger to worship Allah, etc. The scholars have said:
    The worship of the heedless is a habit, and the habits of the righteous are worship” i.e. the heedless ones are not concentrating in their worship as it is just a habit, but the righteous turn even their habits into worship e.g. eating, sleeping etc
    The intention is the driving force in your heart that pushes you to do this action. It is not something that you merely say with your tongue so for you to have a sincere pious intention, you must have this intention (e.g. playing football to be healthy or to meet with brothers and increase in brotherhood) before carrying out the action, and it must be the reason that pushes you towards this action, so if it is not there, you would not do the action



    BENEFITS AND POINTS OF ACTION:

    • It is appropriate for the teacher to strike examples that clarify the principle. Due to this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) struck the example of migration (Hijrah), and it is to leave from the land of Shirk to the land of Islam. He clarified that migration is one action that a person can be rewarded for or obtain a sin. So the one who migrates for Allah and His Messenger is rewarded and achieves that which he intended, and the one who migrates to achieve some worldly benefit or to take a woman in marriage is prevented from this reward.
    • Whenever you feel a difference whether people look at your act of worship or not, then know you have an element of riyaa’ in you which you must seek to dispel. Avoid all forms of riyaa’ mentioned in the commentary above. To avoid riyaa’ we must know what causes it. It is caused by 3 main principles. Below are the causes of riyaa’ and how to dispel them:

      • Desiring to be praised : Remind yourself of the pleasures you get in Jannah, and compare if you want to swap them for the minute pleasure of being praised in the dunya.
      • Hating to be criticized: Remind yourself of your imminent stand before Allah and compare which criticism is more important, the criticism of the people or the criticism of Allah. Know that if Allah is pleased with you, then He will make the people pleased with you too.
      • Desiring what is in the hands of the people: Remind yourself that what is with Allah is far greater. Remind yourself that what is in the hands of the people ultimately belongs to Allah, and only He decides if you get something or not


    • Being Sincere in your worship of Allah brings many benefits. These include:
      • It is a reason to be saved on the day of judgement.
      • It is a great source of good deeds.
      • It can magnify the reward of a small actions.
      • It can change your habits into acts of worship.
      • It is a reason for your sins to be forgiven.
      • It is a reason for calamities to be removed.
      • It is a reason to be raised in rank.
      • It saves a person from trials and tribulations.


    • In order to achieve sincerity, we need to :

      • See the good actions we do as a blessing from Allah over us for giving us the ability to do them.
      • Not ask for any rewards for it as we know we are slaves of Allah and slaves do not ask for rewards for what they do.
      • Not be pleased with what we do and look for its defects and try to improve next time (while never feeling that we have reached perfection in what we do).
      • Know what Allah deserves and that we will never be able to worship Him as He deserves.
      • Try our utmost to perfect the action, but be shy from Allah as it is not perfect.
      • Try out utmost to not let anyone see or know about the action.
      • Understand that we only did this action because Allah has written for us to do it so all the credit goes to Him.



    And Allah Knows Best!

    Ma'aSalam
    Last edited by 'Abdullah; 01-21-2020 at 08:56 PM.
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    Re: 40 hadiths of Imam Nawawi with brief commentary

    Below is a video link to explanation and commentary of this Hadith. It’s duration is over an hour but it’s worth listening to since it is important for the foundation of our faith.
    | Likes UMAR FAARUQ liked this post
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    Re: 40 hadiths of Imam Nawawi with brief commentary

    SECOND HADITH - ISLAM, FAITH AND EXCELLENCE
    عَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَيْضاً قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ جُلُوْسٌ عِنْدَ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ إِذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ شَدِيْدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ شَدِيْدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعْرِ، لاَ يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ، وَلاَ يَعْرِفُهُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى جَلَسَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ وَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّد أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ اْلإِسْلاَمِ، فَقَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: اْلإِسِلاَمُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُوْلُ اللهِ وَتُقِيْمَ الصَّلاَةَ وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكاَةَ وَتَصُوْمَ رَمَضَانَ وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيْلاً قَالَ : صَدَقْتَ، فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ يَسْأَلُهُ وَيُصَدِّقُهُ، قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ اْلإِيْمَانِ قَالَ : أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ. قَالَ صَدَقْتَ، قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ اْلإِحْسَانِ، قَالَ: أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ. قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ، قَالَ: مَا الْمَسْؤُوْلُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ. قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَمَارَاتِهَا، قَالَ أَنْ تَلِدَ اْلأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا وَأَنْ تَرَى الْحُفَاةَ الْعُرَاةَ الْعَالَةَ رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُوْنَ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ، ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ فَلَبِثْتُ مَلِيًّا، ثُمَّ قَالَ : يَا عُمَرَ أَتَدْرِي مَنِ السَّائِلِ ؟ قُلْتُ : اللهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ أَعْلَمَ . قَالَ فَإِنَّهُ جِبْرِيْلُ أَتـَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِيْنَكُمْ

    SECOND HADITH TRANSLATION
    On the authority of Umar (RadiAllahu Taala Anhu) who said:
    While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and 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 (peace be upon him) rested his knees against the knees of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and placed his palms over his thighs, and said: "O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied: "Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Mohammad (peace be upon him) is Allah’s Messenger, that you should perform Salah (Namaz, Prayer), pay the Zakah (obligatory charity), fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Kabah/Qiblah at Makkah), if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it)." Man said: "You have spoken the truth." We were astonished at this thus questioning him (peace be upon him) and then telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, "Inform me about Iman (faith)." the Prophet (peace be upon him) 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, both in its good and in its evil aspects." The man said, "You have spoken the truth." Then the man said, "Inform me about Ihsan (obtain perfection, or excellence, in worship Allah)." The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered, "It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet He sees you." The man said, "Inform me about the Hour (the Day of Judgment)." Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "About that the one questioned knows no more than the questioner." So the man said, "Well, inform me about its signs." Prophet (peace be upon him) 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 he (the Prophet) 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: 8(a)]


    BRIEF COMMENTARY

    This hadith is also called "Hadith of Jibreel" and is so comprehensive that it encompasses all the
    inner and the oouter aspects of the worship of Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala. Probably the best way to explain this hadith is quote a small portion of the hadith at a time and expand on it.
    While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair.”
    As we know from the end of this hadith, the man who is described here is actually the angel Jibreel appearing in the form of a bedouin Arab. The first thing that this tells us is that the angel Jibreel could take different forms, including that of a man.
    In this case we can see that Allah sent the angel Jibreel to assist in teaching the people about the religion of Islam. According to some scholars his teaching comes not only from the questions he asked, but also from his appearance and behavior.
    What we learn here of his appearance is that he was clean, with no traces of dirt upon him. It is recommended for Muslims to have a good appearance and to remain clean as much as possible, especially when attending the mosque or seeking knowledge. White clothing is also preferred, especially for the people of knowledge.
    There is another aspect to note here which is that Islam places an emphasis on both the inner and outer aspects of the human being. There is a strong relationship between these two things. In this respect, if one wants to attain knowledge, one must approach it in the proper manner, with the correct intention, and respect for the knowledge being gained. One must also be willing to sacrifice one’s time and wealth, and to show the outward signs of respect, such as sitting in the proper manner.

    No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him.
    He was not from the people of Madinah and yet there no signs of travel on him. His appearance was something special and that attracted people’s attention to him. Perhaps, and Allah knows best, this was a way to draw people to him and to watch and listen carefully to what he said so they could pass it on to others.



    He sat down close by the Prophet (peace be upon him) rested his knees against the knees of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and placed his palms over his thighs
    This should be the attitude of those who are truly seeking knowledge, they should try to get close to the teacher so that they can understand and hear everything he or she says correctly. Unfortunately, this is not the attitude one finds amongst many Muslims today. People lean against the wall, slouch and put their feet out, text on their mobile phones etc etc, having no respect for the magnitude of what is being conveyed.



    “and said: "O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied: "Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Mohammad (peace be upon him) is Allah’s Messenger, that you should perform Salah (Namaz, Prayer), pay the Zakah (obligatory charity), fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Kabah/Qiblah at Makkah), if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it).”
    In this narration of the hadith, the Angel first asks about Islam. In other narrations, he first asks about Imaan. It is interesting to note here that there are some who argue that asking about Imaan should be first as that is more consistent with the Quranic presentation of such topics. We can see this in the following example from the Quran:
    It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East or West [in prayer]. But righteousness is [the quality of] the one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Books and the Prophets. [Who] gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to the poor who beg, and to the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free. [And who] offers prayer perfectly and gives the Zakat. And who fulfill their covenant when they make it, and who are patient in extreeme poverty and ailment and at the time of fighting. Such are the people of truth and they are pious.” [Quran 2:177]
    A similar approach is seen in the beginning verses of Surah al-Anfaal. And Allah knows best.
    A discussion of the detailed meaning of the five pillars of Islam will be laid out in the narration of Hadith number 3, InshaAllah.



    “Man said: "You have spoken the truth." We were astonished at this thus questioning him (peace be upon him) and then telling him that he was right”
    We can see that the behavior of the Angel was something very strange to the people who were gathered around the Prophet (peace be upon him). First he had asked some questions, implying that he did not know the answers, and then, he had commented that the answers given were correct. More importantly, this was information known only from the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) teachings, and this man was a stranger amongst the people. This made it seem all the more surprising that he had the boldness to state that the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) replies were correct.



    “but he went on to say, "Inform me about Iman (faith).”
    The next thing the Angel Jibreel asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about was Imaan. What is Imaan or faith? Who is a believer? What is disbelief? Who is a disbeliever? These questions appeared very early in the history of Islam, and with them came divisions amongst the Muslims. Without going into the details of the sects that resulted from these divisions, one important point emerges that we should learn from. When it comes to any concept from the Qur’an and Sunnah, historically speaking, there have been two approaches to determine its meaning.


    1. The first approach is to discover the meaning of that concept from the Prophet (peace be upon him) and how he (peace be upon him) passed on the understanding of this knowledge to his Companions, and them to their followers.
    2. The second approach is to go directly to the word itself (eg a Quranic term) and try to discover its meaning from a linguistic or logical viewpoint, without first studying how Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala and His Prophet (peace be upon him) explained those terms. This approach has led to many misunderstandings about the concept of Imaan and the advent of heretical groups.

    If we firmly believe that the Prophet (peace be upon him) explained the entire religion in a clear manner to his Companions, and that he (peace be upon him) explained everything that needs to be known about the meaning of the Qur’an and how to apply its teachings in our daily life, then we should have no need to look elsewhere for guidance.
    It is clear from evidence contained in the Qur’an and Sunnah that Imaan comprises of belief, statement and action. Concerning belief in the heart, Allah says in surah al-Maaidah:
    O Messenger, let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you, those who say, ‘We believe’, with their mouths but their hearts have no faith.[Quran 5:41]
    If what is contained in the heart is not sound and proper, then nothing else will be sound and proper. Belief in the heart is the foundation and driving force behind all the other components of Imaan. Next, one needs to state one’s belief with the tongue. This plays a two fold role of being a statement of fact while also being a statement of commitment to that fact. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated:
    Imaan is composed of [approximately] seventy branches. The greatest is the statement ‘There is none worthy of worship except Allah’ and the lowest aspect is removing something harmful from the road. And modesty is a branch of faith. (Recorded in Muslim)
    Here we can see that Imaan incorporates both statement and action. When one is committed to belief in Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala and His Messenger (peace be upon him) then naturally one shows one’s belief by following this with actions of obedience to what Allah has commanded.
    Imaan can increase and decrease, this is the case with both the level of belief in the heart as well as the commitment to carrying out acts of obedience. We all feel these levels of fluctuation in our daily lives, but if we sincerely turn to Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala and ask for His guidance, there are greater levels of Imaan waiting for us InshaAllah. Doing good deeds with the right intention increases Imaan, and doing sinful deeds decreases Imaan. Committing sins does not make you a disbeliever or take you out of the fold of Islam unless they are shirk (making partners with Allah) or kufr (disbelief in Allah and His Messenger). The sinner may be punished in the Hellfire, but those with even the slightest amount of Imaan in their hearts will eventually enter Paradise. This is the belief that was passed on from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to his Companions and it is the only view that takes into account all the relevant pieces of evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah.
    And give glad tidings to those who believe and do good deeds that for them will be gardens through which rivers flow… [Quran 2:25]


    "The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered, "It is that you believe in Allah"
    Belief in Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala is the cornerstone of the Islamic faith, and all of the other Islamic beliefs revolve around this. If our understanding of Allah and His attributes is incorrect, then the basis of our own faith may be jeopardized. This is a matter of such fundamental importance that many Muslim scholars have described the correct belief in Allah, called Tauheed, in great detail.
    Tauheed means ‘making something one’. It is not a term found in the Qur’an or thesunnah, it became the main term used to cover the aspects of belief in Allah from the time of ibn Abbas (RadiAllahu Taala Anhu). Although there are some variations, the scholars have traditionally divided Tauheed into three distinct categories:


    1. Tauheed al-Ruboobiyah – The belief in the Oneness of Allah concerning His Lordship. He alone is the Lord (al-Rabb), He is One, without partner, and He is the sole Creator and the only One who nourishes and Sustains the creation.
    2. Tauheed al-Uloohiyah – This is the Oneness of Allah with respect to Him being the only One worthy of worship. All acts of worship must be directed toward Allah alone. We should not offer prayers or make supplications to anyone else such as saints or sheikhs or to seek pleasure of people around us. By doing this, people show that they are putting their trust in a person to help deliver what they want, they are not putting their trust in Allah alone.
    3. Tauheed al-Asmaa wa al-Sifaat – This is believing in all the names and attributes of Allah as mentioned in the Qur’an and authentic hadith. We must believe that they are unique to Him, without negating them, stripping them of any meaning, or distorting their meaning by interpreting them figuratively. The more we know about Allah the more we love Him and turn to Him, understanding that He alone had power over all things.

    Do we really know Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala?
    Could we list what has been revealed of His names and attributes?

    Let’s try and draw closer to Allah by reading about His names and attributes and calling on Him by them.

    “His Angels”
    Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) listed belief in Allah’s Angels as one of the parts of Imaan. Allah says in the Qur’an:
    All the praises be to Allah, the Only Creator of the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings – two, three and four. He increases in creation what He wills. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things.[Quran 35:1]
    SubhanAllah the Angels, such an extraordinary creation that is rarely seen by man. Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala created them from light, but they do have forms and bodies. They can also metamorphisise, as we have seen at the beginning of this hadith, when the angel Jibreel came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the form of a man. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also saw Jibreel in other forms, including the original angelic form he was created in. Jibreel was so magnificent that his form filled the space between the horizon and the sky and he had 600 wings. SubhanAllah. This shows what a magnificent creation the Angels are.
    We know of other Angels by name as they were mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Mikaaeel is responsible for the rain and vegetation and Israafeel is responsible for blowing the trumpet that will resurrect the bodies on the Day of Judgement. The tradition says that his lips are already pursed and he is just waiting for the signal to blow. That’s how close the Day of Judgement is SubhanAllah.
    There is Malik, the Keeper of Hell and Ridwan the Keeper of Paradise. And there are Angels that are appointed specifically for you. They are with you right now as you read this. Allah says:
    But verily over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch over you, honourable (in Allah’s sight), writing down (your deeds): they know all that you do. [Quran 82:10-12]
    And also:
    For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allah. [Quran 13:11]
    This means that there are four Angels surrounding you, one in front, one behind, one on the right recording your good deeds and one on the left recording your bad deeds.
    How busy have the Angels with you been today?



    “His Books”
    The second part of Imaan mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Hadith of Jibreel is belief in Allah’s books. Allah’s books are the revelations that were sent down to His messengers as a mercy and guidance to mankind. These include the Qur’an revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Taurah revealed to the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), the Injeel revealed to the Prophet Eesa/Jesus (peace be upon him) and the Zaboor revealed to the Prophet Dawood/David (peace be upon him). There is also reference in the Qur’an to the “pages” of Abraham and Moses.
    It should be remembered though that while the books that the Jews and Christians possess today, which they call the Torah, Gospel and Psalms, may contain some of the original revelations, there is no question that they have been distorted and no longer exist in their original form. They have been mixed with commentaries, historical narrative, biographies of the prophets and their apostles and inferences from religious scholars. Hence, to believe in the Taurah of Moses (s) for example does not mean that a Muslim believes in what is contained in the five books of the Old Testament. Rather it is to believe the Taurah was originally revealed to Moses (peace be upon him) although it no longer remains on earth in its original form.
    All of the previous revelations have been abrogated by the Qur’an. Previous scriptures were revealed for particular groups of people at particular points in time, but the Qur’an is Allah’s final revelation and it is for all of mankind. In this respect, as Muslims we must believe in all that it contains. Allah says in the Qur’an:
    And to you We have revealed the Scripture in truth, confirming whatever Scripture that came before it. So judge among them according to what Allah has revealed.[Quran 5:48]
    The Qur’an in the uncreated speech of Allah, and it remains recorded in the original form in which it was revealed more than 1400 years ago. Since the Qur’an is meant to be a guidance for all mankind until the Day of Judgement, Allah has promised to protect it from any changes, mistakes or tampering. Allah says:
    Verily, it is We who have sent down the Reminder [the Qur’an] and surely We will guard it [from corruption].[ Quran 15:9]
    What place does the book of Allah hold in our lives today?
    Do we feel it to be personal to us, our very own book of guidance, written by the One who knows us best?
    Or does it get dusty on the top shelf, to be recited during Ramadan without reading the translation?
    How can this book be our source of guidance if we don’t read it regularly with understanding?

    Let’s make time to discover what wonder the glorious Qur’an holds, and allow the space to feel the words of Allah nourishing out hearts.

    “His messengers”
    The next article of faith mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Hadith Jibreel is belief in Allah's messengers. A messenger is a human who was chosen by Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala to receive revelation from Him, and who was commanded to pass that revelation on to the people. A person cannot, by himself, through spiritual exercises or otherwise, reach the level of being a messenger or prophet. It is Allah alone Who choses His messengers and He knows best whom to choose.
    Adam (peace be upon him) was the first Prophet but he was not a messenger because he did not convey revelation to his people. The first messenger was Noah
    (peace be upon him)
    . There are a total of 25 prophets and messengers mentioned in the Qur’an. They are Adam, Noah, Idris, Salih, Abraham, Hud, Lot, Jonah, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Shu’ayb, Moses, Aaron, Elysha, Dhul Kfli, David, Zakariyya, Solomon, Elyas, John, Jesus and Muhammad – may Allah’s peace and blessings be on them all.
    Every group of people were sent messengers, and these messengers came with the same fundamental teaching, as Allah says in the Qur’an:
    And verily, We have sent among every nation a Messenger proclaiming, ‘Worship Allah [alone] and avoid all false deities’ [Quran 16:36]
    This is one aspect that distinguishes Muslims from earlier people – we must believe in all the prophets and messengers and the truth of what they sent.
    It is important to understand that the messengers were human being and did not possess divine attributes of any kind. They ate, drank, walked in the market place, suffered illness and death. The had no knowledge of the unseen except for what Allah had bestowed upon them. They were the most knowledgeable of Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala and the best worshippers and servants of Allah. The messengers also had perfect characters and were also prevented from lying, falling into major sins, judging by their own desires or adding or diminishing anything from the religion. Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala also gave the messengers miracles as clear proofs to support the truth of their message to mankind. Allah’s final messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the seal of the Prophets, and the last to bring revelation to mankind. As Allah says in the Qur’an:
    Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets [ Quran 33:40]
    Therefore, we must put our love for the messenger and what he guides us to, above our love for ourselves, our parents and our offspring. Ans (RadiAllahu Taala Anhu) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
    None of you is a true believer unless I become more dear to him that his own father, his son and all the people. (recorded in Bukhari and Muslim)
    Take a moment to reflect on whether the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the example he set is more important to you than your own desires or the opinions of your friends and family?
    “the Last Day”
    Belief in ‘the Last Day’ was the next article of faith mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Hadith of Jibreel. It is named ‘the Last Day’ because there will be no new day after it. It is also known as ‘The Day of Resurrection’, ‘The Reality’, ‘The Overwhelming’, ‘The Event’ and ‘The Day of Judgement’. This is the both the greatest and the gravest day that mankind shall ever pass through. It will mark a new beginning for each and every soul. One that may be eternal bliss or eternal suffering.
    It is recorded in a hadith in Sahih Muslim, that before the Day of Judgement and the destruction of the earth, Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala will send a wind softer than silk, coming from Yemen, that will take the souls of every individual who has even the slightest amount of faith in his heart. The traumatic events of the ending of the earth will be experienced only by the worst of people, who had no faith in their hearts whatsoever. The sun will rise from the West, and people will declare their faith but it will be of no avail to them. Then the Horn shall be blown and all on the earth will die.
    After a period of fourty – hours, days or years is not known – a second Horn will be blown and the people will be resurrected. Allah says in the Qur’an:
    And the Trumpet will be blown [the second blowing] and, behold, from the graves they will come out quickly to their Lord. They will say, ‘Woe to us! Who raised us up from our place of sleep?’ [It will be said to them,] ‘This is what the Most Beneficent [Allah] has promised, and the Messengers spoke the truth. [Quran 36:51-52]
    The people will be resurrected in the body they lived in on this earth, and they shall be naked, barefoot and uncircumcised. Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala will then command the angels to drive all of humanity to a predetermined place where they will be gathered to await their judgements. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said of this time:
    On the Day of Resurrection, the sun would draw so close to the people that there would be left only the distance of one mile. The people would be submerged in perspiration according to their deeds, some up to their knees, some up to their waist and some would have the bridle of perspiration and, while saying this, the Prophet then pointed his hand towards his mouth.[Sahih Muslim]
    Some people, however will be protected from the sun in the shade of Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala. Abu Hurayrah (RadiAllahu Taala Anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
    Allah will give to shade to seven (types of people) on the Day when there is no shade but His: (These seven types are)
    1. A just ruler;
    2. A youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah;
    3. One whose heart is attached to the mosques [prays prayer in congregation];
    4. Two people who love each other only for Allah’s sake and they meet and part in Allah’s cause;
    5. One who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illicit intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allah;
    6. One who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given [nobody knows what he has given in charity];
    7. One who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears. [Sahih Bukhari]
    Then will come the presentation and reckoning of deeds. Each person will be presented with a record of their deeds in their hands and will read them. If they are of those people to be saved they will receive their record in their right hand and Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala will forgive their sins and allow them to enter Paradise. As for those whose transgressions were many, they will receive their records from behind their backs and they will brought to account and questioned for every great and small action. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has said, as is recorded in Sahih Bukhari, that those who are questioned about their accounts will be punished.
    It is recorded in a hadith in Sahih Muslim that:
    The believers will gather to drink from The Fount of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) after he has first drunk from it himself, but those who have committed major sins or made innovations in the religion will be barred from drinking from it. This Fount is so large that it would take a month’s journey to cross it. It is filled with water from the river Kawthar in Paradise which is whiter than milk, colder than ice, sweeter than honey and has a scent more pleasant than musk. Whoever drinks from it will never feel thirst again.
    Allah SUbhanahu Wa Taala and His Messenger (peace be upon him) have told us that people’s good and bad deeds will be weighed in a scale on the Day of Judgement, as a demonstration of the Justice of Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala. This aspect is mentioned in numerous verses in the Qur’an including:
    And We shall set up the balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And sufficient are We as those who reckon.[Quran 21:47]
    Many hadiths tell us that the weighing takes place on a real scale, with two plates, and that good deeds will be weighed on one side and evil deeds on the other. The weighing takes place after the reckoning, and illustrates the value of the deeds performed and decides their commensurate recompense. It is important to note that the reward that Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala gives to His servants is an act of His mercy, however His punishment is out of His justice and He does not punish anyone more than he deserves.
    People will then pass over a bridge known as as-Sirat, set across the Hellfire. The ease with which people will cross this bridge will depend on their deeds in this life. Some will pass like meteorites, others like the wind, or as fast as the blink of an eye, others will pass as though wading through sand, and some will take one step, and stumble, and then fall into the Fire. Once the believers have passed over the Hellfire, they will be held on a small bridge between it and Paradise. There will be a final settling of personal accounts and retaliation for injustices between the believers for what passed between them in this life. Then they will be allowed to enter Paradise.
    SubhanAllah…
    the magnitude of it…
    it quickens the heart…
    brings a lump to the throat…
    and tears to the eyes.
    May Allah save us from the Hellfire and make us of those who enter His Paradise. Ameen!

    "and in fate, both in its good and in its evil aspects"

    The belief in divine decree, or al-Qadar, both the good and the evil thereof, is the final article of faith mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Hadith of Jibreel. The doctrine of al-Qadar is based on the belief in Allah’s attributes and beautiful Names: Knowledge, Ability and Will. Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala says:
    “He is the All-Knower [Al-Aleem] of everything“ [Quran 2:29]
    “And He is Able to do all things” [Quran 57:2]
    “He does what He intends (or Wills).” [Quran 85:16]
    Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala has knowledge of everything, and everything happens according to His decree and Will. He knows about the universals and particulars of all His different types of creation. This is true for what is sometimes referred to as the actions of Allah – producing rain, giving life and so forth – as well as the actions of the human beings.
    He knows what our actions will be before we perform them. Indeed we can only perform them by His Will, but this does not negate our free will to act. This can be a difficult concept to grasp. A similitude is the example of a teacher, who knows the ability of a student. He can predict before a test what the outcome will be, without influencing the student freely carrying out the test. This concept of the ‘free will’ of the human being is central to our test of the life on this earth. Our choosing freely to believe in Allah and worship and obey Him, is what raises us in our ranks above the rest of creation.
    It is also important to understand that Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala knew everything about the creation, before it came into existence. Allah says in one of the most beautiful verses in the Qur’an:
    And with Him are the keys of the Unseen. None knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is on the earth and in the sea; Not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, [green or withered], but is written in a Clear Record.[Quran 6:59]
    We can see here the reference to a ‘Clear Record’. We should understand that not only did Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala has foreknowledge of the creation, He also recorded this information in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lauh al-Mahfoodh). Allah says:
    No calamity occurs on the earth or among yourselves but it is inscribed in the Book [of Decrees] before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah. In order that you may not be sad over matters that you fail to achieve, nor rejoice because of that which has been given to you.” [Quran 57:22]
    It is here that we see the beauty of belief in al-Qadar and how it liberates the believer. If we experience a calamity, or trial, we should know that it was already written that it would happen and there was nothing we could have done to avoid it. There should be no bitterness or regrets because everything that comes to us from Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala is for the best. The test is how we deal with what comes. Every event can be seen as a blessing for the believer. If it is good, then they are grateful to Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala and are rewarded for that, and if it is a trial, then they are patient and they are rewarded for that also. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
    Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his. This is not the case of anyone except a believer. If he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (Allah), and there is a good for him in it. If he gets into trouble and shown resignation (and endures it patiently), there is a good for him in it.[Sahih Muslim]
    This part of the Hadith also mentions the ‘good and the evil thereof’ of al-Qadar.
    It is important to note that what is ‘evil’ is with respect to the human beings and not with respect to Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala. ‘Evil’ results from the human’s act of ignorance, wrong, oppression or sin. However, it is allowed and brought into being by Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala. In reality, there is wisdom and good in everything that occurs in Allah’s creation. Allah says:
    Evil has appeared on the land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned, that Allah may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return [by repenting].[Quran 30:41]
    Evil occurs, but the ultimate goal of it is good – that Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala may make people taste a part of that which they have done in order that they may return to Him repenting. Allah’s wisdom and nature precludes the existence of acts which are purely evil, without having any benefit or positive results related to them.
    When a person realizes that all things are under the control and decree of Allah, they should be freed from any associating of partners with Allah (shirk). There is only One Creator and Master of this creation, and nothing occurs except with His permission. This should make us realize that there is no use in turning to anyone except Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala when we are in need of something.
    A correct belief in al-Qadar also shows us the trivialities of our daily worries – money, food, clothes, houses, cars etc. What will come to us is already written, indeed it was written before we were even created. We should therefore be careful not to let these things distract us from matters of true importance – like the prayer, seeking knowledge of Allah's Deen and striving to put it into practice.
    "Then the man said, "Inform me about Ihsan (obtain perfection, or excellence, in worship Allah).""

    After asking about Islam and Imaan, the angel Jibreel asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to tell him about Ihsaan. Ihsaan is mentioned in a number of places in the Qur’an including:
    On those who believe and do righteous good deeds, there is no sin for what they ate [in the past], if they fear Allah and believe and do righteous deeds, and again fear Allah and believe, and once again fear Allah and did good deeds with ihsaan (perfection). And Allah loves the good-doers (muhsineen).” [Quran 5:93]
    Ihsaan is a very comprehensive term that can be translated as ‘perfection’ or ‘goodness’, and implies doing something well, or in the best way, and perfecting something. It also incorporates in its meaning all types of goodness, including using one’s wealth, knowledge, position or physical capacities for the benefit of others.
    If one gives part of one’s wealth in charity, this is Ihsaan with respect to wealth.
    If one spreads their knowledge and never misses an opportunity to guide others, this is Ihsaan with respect to knowledge.
    If one uses one’s position and influence to help those that are deserving and in need of help, this is also considered Ihsaan.
    If you help someone to get into their car or carry something for them, this is Ihsaan with respect to the body.
    So we can see that Ihsaan incorporates using all our faculties in the best possible way for the best possible purpose.
    In the Hadith of Jibreel, the focus is not on what Ihsaan is, but rather on the correct motivation for it. That is, the awareness that Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala is watching one’s actions, and seeking to please Him, as we shall see when we look at the next part of the hadith. It is only this type of awareness that will bring about the requisite purity of intention, to ensure that an act is truly for the sake of Allah alone.
    The result of a deeper understanding of Ihsaan is that we will be concerned about the quality of our deeds, and not simply their quantity or outward execution.
    Reflect on the deeds that your did today and ask yourself how many of them did you perform with the conscious intention of pleasing Allah (alone) and how many of them did you perform to the very best of your ability?
    "The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered, "It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet He sees you.""

    Firstly it is important to note that ‘worship’ as mentioned in this part of the hadith, is not just referring to the prayer. Rather it relates to all the acts that a person performs, both inward and outward, which should all be carried out with complete servitude to Allah SUbhanahu Wa Taala.
    Some of the scholars, including ibn Rajab and ibn Hajar, are of the opinion that this hadith describes two different levels of awareness at which the believer may be, one being loftier than the other.
    • The loftier position is known as al-mushaahadah or ‘personal witnessing’, which comprises of a very strong feeling in the heart, where the realization of Allah’s presence, by His knowledge and mercy, is so great that a person becomes completely attuned to the act of worship that they are performing. They therefore crave worship and delight in performing it. The effect on the person’s worship is that they would perform every act of obedience in the best possible way, as we can see from the following example recorded in Bukhari:
      Allah has some angels who look for those who celebrate the Praises of Allah on the roads and paths. And when they find some people celebrating the praises of Allah, they call each other, saying, ‘Come to the object of your pursuit.’ The angels then encircle them with their wings up to the sky of the world. Then their Lords asks them, although He is most knowledgeable of them, ‘What do My slaves do?’ The angels reply, ‘They say, subhaanallaah, allaahu akbar and al-hamdullilah.’ Allah then says, ‘Did they see Me?’ The angels reply, ‘No, by Allah, they didn’t see You.’ Allah says, ‘How would it have been if they saw Me?’ The angels reply, ‘If they saw You, they would worship You more devoutly, and celebrate Your Glory more deeply, and more often declare Your freedom from any resemblance to anything…
      The person who reaches this higher level of Ihsaan will be full of pleasure when being alone with his Lord and when he remembers Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala. This is the level that the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself reached, as we can see from his statement:
      The sweetness of my eye has been made the prayer. [Al-Nasaai]
    • If a person is not able to reach this level of Ihsaan, they are positioned on the next level which is al-muraaqabah ‘the level of the one who is being observed and watched’, This level of Ihsaan is still beneficial as the awareness that Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala is watching every act that a person performs can drive a Muslim to perfect and excel in their acts of worship. Perfecting and excelling in acts of worship can lead a person to the higher level of Ihsaan, InshaAllah.

    The presence of either level of Ihsaan places a believer far ahead of those who believe in Allah and theoretically know that He sees all things, but do not allow this knowledge to have any real effect on their worship. A person who just prays mechanically without really allowing contemplation of Allah to reach their hearts, is not deserving of the title ‘Muhsin’, or one who has the quality of Ihsaan. As quoted previously
    Allah loves the muhsineen [Quran 5:93]
    The muhsin will receive a special reward for this attitude to worship, as Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala has stated in the Qur’an:
    For those who have done good is the best and even more.[Quran 10:26]
    It is recorded in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (peace be upon him) explained ‘even more’ in this verse to mean seeing Allah in the Hereafter. Hence the one who worships Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala as if they are seeing Him in this life, will be rewarded with seeing Him in the Hereafter.
    With eternity in Paradise and seeing Allah Suhanahu Wa Taala in the Hereafter as the rewards on offer, isn’t it time we made a conscious effort to draw closer to Allah and to strive to perfect our acts of worship?
    Let’s start with the dua that Prophet (peace be upon him) used to make after each prayer:
    اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ، وَشُكْرِكَ، وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ


    Pronunciation: Allahumma a’inni ala dhikrika, wa shukrika, wa husni ‘ibadatika
    Translation: O Allah, help me remember You, to be grateful to You, and to worship You in an excellent manner


    TO BE CONTINUED....
    Last edited by 'Abdullah; 01-22-2020 at 10:38 PM.
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    Re: 40 hadiths of Imam Nawawi with brief commentary

    CONTINUATION OF HADITH#2 COMMENTARY

    The man said, "Inform me about the Hour (the Day of Judgment)." Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "About that the one questioned knows no more than the questioner."
    After asking about Islam, Imaan and Ihsaan, the Angel Jibreel asked the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) about the Hour and its signs, in the hadith of Jibreel posted in previous post. In other narrations of this hadith it is noted that the Prophet (peace be upon him) lowered his head when asked about the time of the Hour and did not respond. The Angel Jibreel then asked the question three times before the Messenger (peace be upon him) finally responded. The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) response that the one being asked did not know more than the one asking, shows that the knowledge of day of judgment is something that Allah kept to Himself and has not conveyed to anyone. Allah says in the Qur’an:
    Verily, Allah, with Him [alone], is the knowledge of the Hour. He [alone] sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware. [Quran 31:34]
    • The important lesson here for us is that we should focus more on the occurrence of our own individual Hour, that is our death, than on the occurrence of the final Hour.


    • Our Hour will definitely come, our deeds will cease and there will be only the Reckoning. This should be our main concern.

    The Prophet (peace be upon him) was once asked by a bedouin about the time of the Hour and the Prophet (peace be upon him)) pointed to the youngest boy among them and said:
    “If this [boy] should live, he will not become old and decrepit until your Hour has already been established for you.” (Recorded in Bukhari and Muslim)
    Let’s take a moment to reflect on how we spend our lives.
    Is it in preparation for this coming of our own Hour?
    We live with the naive assumption that we will reach old age, that we still have much of our lives left to live, but this may not be true, Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala knows best.
    How many things with respect to our Deen are we putting off until ‘later’?
    If the angel of death came to us tonight, bringing with him the coming of our Hour, would we be ready?

    "So the man said, "Well, inform me about its signs."
    No one can know when the Day of Judgement will occur. Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala has, however taught His messengers (peace be upon them all) some of the signs that will show people that the Hour is approaching. Reflecting upon these signs, and seeing evidence of them occurring, can help us to reflect on the approach of the Day of Judgement, and remind us that our time is limited. This type of reflection can in turn have a direct impact on our level of Ihsaan.
    The signs of the Hour can be divided into two types.

    • First, there are those signs that occur as part of the changes of everyday life. The examples mentioned in this hadith are of this type.
    • Second, there are those signs that deal with supernatural events that will occur just before the Hour. There are many other hadiths that deal with the signs in this category.

    It is important to remember that it is difficult to explain many of the signs of the Hour that the Messeneger of Allah (peace be upon him) talked about with any certainty, and this may not be possible until the time when the people actually live through them. But I will briefly outline some of the scholarly opinions of the explanation of the two signs mentioned in this hadith, as summarised by Jamal al-Din Zarabozo in his commentary of the Forty Hadith of Imam Al-Nawawi.


    "Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress."


    • Opinion 1: Islam will be widespread and will dominate the lands of the disbelievers and take their inhabitants as slaves. Then a man will have a child through his slave-girl and that child will be like her master because she is the daughter of her master. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars in Islam.
    • Opinion 2: The slave-girls who have given birth to their owners children will be sold by their owners. There will be so much selling of women that a woman’s son will later buy her and not realise it is his mother. The one she gave birth to will become her master.
    • Opinion 3: A woman gives birth to a child that is the result of illegal sexual intercourse and the mother is sold as a slave until she is bought by her own child.
    • Opinion 4: Children will disobey their mothers, and the child will end up treating his own mother like a slave girl, showing her disdain. In this case ‘her master’ is figurative and it is evidence of the norms of society changing so much that things are no longer as they should be. This view is the most general in application.

    • Opinion 5: Surrogacy is where a woman is paid to give birth to someone else's child. So in a way she is slave to the child whom she is giving birth.

    And Allah knows best.
    "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."

    This sign is a further illustration that the norms of society will be turned upside down near the approach of the Hour. Barefooted shepherds will be in control of wealth and their only concern will be boasting about the construction of tall buildings. In general, this sign means that those not qualified to be in charge, will be running the affairs, and as a result they will squander wealth with extravagance. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in a hadith recorded in Bukhari:
    When the affairs are in the hands of those who are not qualified for it, then expect the Hour.
    Reflecting upon the interpretation of these signs as explained here, you could be forgiven for thinking that we may in fact be witnessing some of the signs of the Hour approaching. Allah knows best.
    But what is important, is that we use this knowledge of the certainty of the approach of the Hour to strengthen our practice of the Deen, to raise our level of Ihsaan, and to remind ourselves that our time on this earth is limited.
    Another day has passed and what have we done?


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    Re: 40 hadiths of Imam Nawawi with brief commentary

    CONTINUATION OF HADITH#2 COMMENTARY
    "There upon the man went off. I waited a while, and then he (the Prophet) 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."
    We come now to the last part of the Hadith of Jibreel, which is discussed in detail in post # 4&5 above.
    After having asked the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) to explain the meaning of Islam, Imaan, Ihsaan and some of the signs of the Hour [the Last Day], the Angel Jibreel then left the gathering. The people, including the Prophet (peace be upon him), were still unaware at that time that it was the Angel Jibreel who had been asking the questions, because he had come to them in the form of a man. Shortly afterwards, the Prophet (peace be upon him) told those people who were still sitting with him that it had been revealed to him that it was the Angel Jibreel who had come to them, in order to teach them about their deen or religion.
    What we can see from this example is that the religion of Islam is actually the religion of Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala. Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala in His mercy provided us with two sources of guidance:

    1. The Qur’an - the revelation of Allah’s word, and
    2. The Sunnah the life example of his Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

    If anybody wants to learn about the religion of Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala, they can learn about it directly from these two sources. It is in Allah’s infinite wisdom that He sent the Angel Jibreel to ask these questions about such important topics, so that the answers could be clarified to those people sitting with the Prophet (peace be upon him). In doing so, it also ensured that these topics would be clarified to us, generations later, who read this hadith as it was recorded, and can learn from it so succinctly about the important aspects of our religion, SubhaAllah.

    The Prophet (peace be upon him) described what the Angel Jibreel taught as being the deen, or religion, of Islam. This is clearly then comprised of three aspects:

    1. Islam. And Islam consists of five pillars:
      1. Testimony of faith
      2. Establishing Prayer
      3. Giving Zakat (obligatory charity)
      4. Fasting Ramadan
      5. Making Pilgrimage


    2. Imaan which consists of six articles namely:
      1. Belief in Allah
      2. The angels
      3. The Messengers
      4. The Books
      5. The day of Resurrection
      6. And Divine Decree


    3. Ihsaan.Ihsaan which can be translated as perfection or goodness, is the striving that comes from worshipping Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala as if you see Him, or if you can not do that, then at least being aware that He sees you. The result of this is that we become concerned about the quality of our deeds, and not simply their quantity or outward execution.

    In order to perfect our worship of Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala, we need to deepen our understanding and practice of these important topics. Further the signs of the Hour, remind us not only of the coming the Day of Judgement, but also the coming of our own Hour, that is our death. We need to ask ourselves what we are doing to make ourselves ready for this momentous event. Are we striving to be of those who will be in the highest station of the Paradise, or are putting things off until tomorrow, when tomorrow may never come?

    Source: Extracted from Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Al-Nawawi (Vol 1) by Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo Pages 179-332

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    Re: 40 hadiths of Imam Nawawi with brief commentary

    THIRD HADITH - PILLARS OF ISLAM (BUKHARI & MUSLIM)
    عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُوْلُ : بُنِيَ اْلإِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ : شَهَادَةُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُوْلُ اللهِ وَإِقَامُ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِيْتَاءُ الزَّكَاةِ وَحَجُّ الْبَيْتِ وَصَوْمُ رَمَضَانَ.

    THIRD HADITH TRANSLATION
    On the authority of Abdullah, the son of Umar Ibn-Al-Khattab (Radi Allahu Taala Anhu), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:
    "Islam has been built on five [pillars]:
    Testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,
    Establishing the Salah (Namaz, Prayer),
    Paying the Zakat (obligatory charity),
    Perform the Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House of Kaaba,
    And fasting in Ramadan." (Bukhari: 8)
    Similar hadith is also narrated by Imam Muslim
    ABOUT THE NARRATOR
    In previous hadith commentaries I did not mention anything about narrator because narrator of first two (2) hadiths was Umar Ibn AlKhattab ( Radi Allahu Taala Anhu) and almost every Muslim know who he was. But in commentary of this and rest of the hadiths I will dedicate a portion to provide a little bit of background about the narrator.
    The companions who narrated hadith played such an important role in the first community of believers, and yet we often know very little about them.

    Muhammad's (peace be upon him) era — 610 to 632

    Abdullah ibn Umar (Radi Allahu Taala Anhu) was born 610 in Mecca (12 years before Hijra). He is the eldest son of Umar ibn al-Khattab and Zaynab bint Madhun. His full siblings were Hafsa and Abdulrahman. His paternal brothers, born to his stepmother Umm Kulthum bint Jarwal, were Zayd and Ubaydullah. He had another stepmother, Qurayba bint Abi Umayya, but she had no children of her own. The young Abdullah had vivid memories of his father's conversion to Islam. He remembered following him around the town as Umar declared his conversion to the neighbors and on the steps of the Kaaba. Ibn Umar asserted, "Although I was very young at the time, I understood everything I saw."His mother Zaynab also became a Muslim, but his two stepmothers did not.
    The family emigrated to Medina in 622. A few months later, when Muhammad sentenced a pair of adulterers to lapidation, Ibn Umar was one of the people who threw the stones. Just before the Battle of Uhud in March 625, Muhammad called Ibn Umar, who was then fourteen years old, to present himself. But when Ibn Umar appeared, Muhammad would not allow him to fight in the battle. Two years later, as the Battle of the Trench approached, Muhammad again called Ibn Umar, and this time he decreed that the youth was old enough because he was mature and reached puberty. He was also present at the Battle of Al-Muraysi in 628. Ibn Umar's sister Hafsa married Muhammad in 625.Muhammad once told her:
    "Abdullah is a good man. I wish he prayed the night prayers."
    After that, every night Abdullah would pray much and sleep but a little.

    Family
    As a young man, Ibn Umar married a woman whom he loved, but his father disliked her and demanded that they divorce. When Ibn Umar refused, his father complained to Prophet (peace be upon him). Ibn Umar also mentioned the matter to Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: "O Abdullah ibn Umar! Divorce your wife!" So Ibn Umar complied.
    After his father became Caliph in 634, Ibn Umar married Safiya bint Abi Ubayd, and they had seven children: Abu Bakr, Abu Ubayda, Waqid, Abdullah, Umar, Hafsa and Sawda. He had a number of other sons, including Abdulrahman and Salim.

    Political interests
    Ibn Umar participated in the Islamic wars in Iraq, Persia and Egypt, but he remained neutral throughout the first civil war. In 656, he prevented his sister Hafsa from following Aisha to the Battle of the Camel. It was only after Hasan ibn Ali was assassinated in 661 that he gave his allegiance to Muawiyah. While in Medina during the Second Fitna of the 680s, Ibn Umar, together with Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr and Ibn Abbas, advised Husayn ibn Ali to make Mecca his base and fight against Yazid I from Mecca. Husayn did not take this advice but chose Kufa.

    Death
    Abdullah ibn Umar (Radi Allahu Taala Anhu) died in Mecca in 693 (74 AH).

    Legacy
    Abdullah ibn Umar (Radi Allahu Taala Anhu) was the second most prolific narrator of ahadith, with a total of 2,630 narrations. It was said that he was extremely careful about what he related, and that he narrated with his eyes full of tears.
    He has a positive reputation among Sunni Muslims. In spite of the great esteem and honor in which he was held by all the Muslims and notwithstanding the suggestion repeatedly made to him to stand up for the caliphate (which he obstinately refused), he kept himself entirely aloof from party strife, and throughout these years led an unselfish, pious life. He set an example of an ideal citizen.
    Last edited by 'Abdullah; 01-31-2020 at 06:32 PM.
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    Re: 40 hadiths of Imam Nawawi with brief commentary

    CONTINUATION OF HADITH #3 COMMENTARY

    This hadith is also part of previous hadith (hadith#2) and the reason why Imam Al- Nawawi included this hadith in his collection, even though it seems that it repeats some portions of 2nd Hadith, is because of the importance of the 5 Pillars of Islam. If a person fails to fulfill these five obligations then the entire structure of his “Iman” (faith) may be threatened. This depends on how much is being violated - e.g. violation of the “Shahadah” (Oneness of Allah) is the most dangerous. All the Pillars of Islam have rulings, conditions and mannerisms applied to them. It is important that we know these mannerisms and regularly remind ourselves, especially before Ramadan or before performing the Hajj, so that we perform the Pillars properly and according to the teachings of the Quran and Hadiths of our Prophet (peace be upon him).
    Just like previous hadith, I will continue to explain this hadith by taking one sentence at a time and expand on it.

    “Islam is based upon five [pillars]“
    We can see from the parable that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has given that Islam is like a structure, we could imagine it like a house or tent. The pillars of the structure are five, and these parts are complimentary and integral to the whole. The testimony of faith, or belief in Allah (Subhanahu Wa Taala) and His Messenger (peace be upon him), forms the central pillar. The remaining four pillars, which put belief into action, give support to the overall structure. If one part is missing, then the analogy is that the structure will not be sound. As long as the middle pillar is there and standing, the structure is considered to be standing, but if falls, there will be nothing left.
    The strength of our conviction in the first pillar of Islam, the testimony of faith, will determine the strength of our practice of the other pillars of Islam. Imagine yourself like a structure, with your belief in Allah (Subhanahu Wa Taala) and His Messenger (peace be upon him), as the center of everything you do. Your practice of the other pillars of Islam is based on the strength of this central pillar.
    What does your structure look like?
    Are any of the pillars unstable, or are they firm and sound?


    “… testifying that there is none worthy of worship except Allah…”
    We see that the first pillar of Islam is to testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah (Subhanahu Wa Taala) and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Taala). Let me first address the first part of the shahadah or testimony of faith which is that there is none worthy of worship except Allah (Subhanahu Wa Taala).
    Many Muslims know the hadith:
    Whoever dies knowing that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah shall enter Paradise (Recorded in Muslim)
    Some believe that if they were born Muslim, or have stated their belief in Allah, that this is enough to save them from punishment. As we will see, this is not in fact be the case. Part of the problem is that people have a tendency to take one hadith or verse of the Qur’an, and then make a general conclusion based solely on that one text. So someone might take the above mentioned hadith and say, ‘All I need to do is say I believe in Allah and that will be enough for me.’ But even the hypocrites used to say, ‘I testify that none is worthy of worship except Allah and…’ and Allah (Subhanahu Wa Taala) describes them as liars who shall abide in the lowest Hellfire. So how can we be sure that we will be one of those who is entered into Paradise and not the Fire?
    In order to understand this hadith properly we need to look at all the examples listed in the Qur’an and Sunnah that explain this concept of La illaaha illa-llaah, there is no God but Allah, and see what the true Islamic position on the issue is. What we find is that there are conditions of the shahadah that must be met in order for the promise of Paradise to be fulfilled.
    Last edited by 'Abdullah; 02-04-2020 at 06:50 PM.
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